My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris
Summary from Goodreads:
On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.
Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?
4 Stars
Read May 2013
Contemporary/Historical Romance, Library Book
My Review:
What a fun read. I was nervous at first. I get anxiety when characters are thrust into situations that they can't succeed in, like a dream where you show up at school to take a test that you haven't studied for. Luckily, although Cat is thrust into a world she doesn't know a lot about, she at least has the ability to communicate and was put in the right clothes. It helped with my anxiety that she wasn't completely a fish out of water.
I enjoyed the romance and the friendships that were developed. I also found the realizations that Cat comes to do be worthwhile for all. We all need to open up and allow others in to be able to truly be happy. That is part of living this life, developing relationships.
And, Rachel Harris gave us a cliff hanger. Thus, I will eagerly await the sequel to this fun book.
Warnings: Teen drinking in the 16th century that was obviously allowed, it was the 16th century!
I would let my 15 year old read this book. I think she would like it.
Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram
Summary from Goodreads:
An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?
3 Stars
Read May 2013
YA Contemporary/Sci-fi, Library Book
My Review:
I have a book on my "to read" list by Kelly Oram. I searched for it at the library and the only book they had was this one. I thought I would give it a try even though I knew nothing about it.
This book was ok. There were parts I liked, parts I didn't. I loved Ryan Miller. What a great guy. I really liked Jamie's parents. I wasn't terribly fond of Jamie herself. I felt like parts of the book dragged on, but then there were parts I really liked too. It just wasn't a consistent "ooo, I like this" book for me.
Warnings: Rape, death, accidents, sexual innuendo
I would let my 15 year old daughter read this, but I just don't think it is a good enough book that I would recommend it to her. I would not let my 12 year old read this book.
Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson
Summary from Goodreads:
Jessie Taylor is furious when her roommate secretly posts her picture on the dating website LDS Lookup -- furious, that is, until she spends all night instant messaging Ben Bratton, a man whose wit and warmth just might make Jessie forget the train wreck of her last romantic relationship. Their first date is a smashing success (literally), but Ben's overall awesomeness can't save Jessie from having to deal with Craig, her competitive coworker whose baiting behavior sets new standards for obnoxiousness. Determined to beat Craig at his own game, Jessie spends long office hours finishing projects and putting out fires, but while her performance wows her boss, it only makes Ben skittish -- after a failed engagement to an up-and-coming lawyer, he's not about to pair up with someone who's married to her job. Will Jessie figure out how to be true to herself and take her big chance at love before it's gone with a click of the mouse?
4 Stars
Read May 2013
LDS Romantic Fiction, Inter-Library Loan
My Review:
Another fun romantic story from Melanie Jacobson. I found this story a bit predictable, but it was fun and had a happy (although a bit short, gimme more!) ending. One of the things I like about Melanie Jacobson's stories is that they deal with some real personal, emotional issues. Yes, they are lighthearted and I usually read them in a day. But they also have characters that have problems that I think people can relate to. The way the story resolves in the books is not what would typically happen in real life (hey, it's a fiction story), but I think the characters are dealing with emotions and problems that do happen in real life.
I can't wait to read another book by her.
Warnings: None
I would let my 15 year old daughter read this book.
Sarah M. Eden has become one of my favorite authors this last year. See some of my reviews of her work by going to the Reviews by Author page and looking under her name.
She has 2 new books coming out this year. Yay! Check out these beautiful covers and more information on her blog.
Sarah M. Eden's Blog
Glimmer of Hope coming June 2013
Longing for Home coming August 2013
The Duke's Undoing by G.G. Vandagriff
Summary from Goodreads:
Meet the Duke of Ruisdell, the unlikely hero of my new Regency Romance.
The duke has just returned from the Napoleonic wars on the Iberian Peninsula with a wound in his shin, where a musket ball was lodged. He is weary, cynical, and very bored. Known as the worst rake in England, he finds he has no interest in upholding that distinction, when his friend, the Marquis of Somerset, proposes a bet: “Five thousand guineas says that seducing Miss Elise Edwards will cure your ennui.” Because his friend has just lost a packet to him, he agrees that the bet be posted in White’s famous Betting Book.
The following day, he has a most unsettling experience. Walking in Green Park, he spies a mysterious young woman, veiled, and obviously grieving. A disembodied voice, sounding strangely like that of his late adjutant, informs him, “The jig is up. That is the girl you are going to marry!” He scoffs, but is nevertheless intrigued by something about the slight figure. He even sketches her and asks if he can be of assistance to her. She declines his offer kindly.
At the opera that evening, he is again intrigued by a beauty across the Opera Hall. He hears the same voice, saying the same thing. The marquis informs him that the woman in question is Miss Elise Edwards. When he meets her, he recognizes her voice as that of the woman in the park. Now she is surrounded by a surfeit of ex-fiance’s, one of them dangerously unbalanced. Ruisdell discovers an actual bond between them which makes him honor bound to protect her.
Thus begins a train of unstoppable events–dangerous, humorous, devilish, and amorous–that carry his life along at such a pace that the duke soon knows not whether he is on his head or his heels. And then there is that bet . . .
3.5 Stars
Read May 2013
Historical Romance, Got a free Amazon e-book
My Review:
I had a hard time at the beginning of this book. I didn't particularly like the hero or the heroine. But a few chapters in I began to like them and was drawn in to their story and their bond. The middle of this book was great with the love blossoming and the twists and turns in the story. Then, I hated the ending. It wasn't at all what I wanted for these 2 characters (not that it is my choice). I felt let down.
So, I give the beginning of this book 3 stars, the middle 4 stars, and the end 3 stars. Thus the 3.5 stars.
Warnings: Lots of talk of sex although there aren't any sex scenes. One character exposes her breasts. People are stabbed, hanged, killed in a duel, kidnapped, attacked.
I would let my 15 year old read this, but I would not recommend it to her. I think there are cleaner historical romances that I would recommend to her before this one. In my opinion it is more for adults.
