Review: The Art of French Kissing by Brianna R. Shrum

 

The Art of French Kissing

by Brianna R. Shrum

June 5, 2018
256 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Carter Lane has wanted to be a chef since she was old enough to ignore her mom's warnings to stay away from the hot stove. And now she has the chance of a lifetime: a prestigious scholarship competition in Savannah, where students compete all summer in Chopped style challenges for a full-ride to one of the best culinary schools in the country. The only impossible challenge ingredient in her basket: Reid Yamada.

After Reid, her cute but unbearably cocky opponent, goes out of his way to screw her over on day one, Carter vows revenge, and soon they're involved in a full-fledged culinary war. Just as the tension between them reaches its boiling point, Carter and Reid are forced to work together if they want to win, and Carter begins to wonder if Reid's constant presence in her brain is about more than rivalry. And if maybe her desire to smack his mouth doesn't necessarily cancel out her desire to kiss it.

WoW #216: Amber & Dusk by Lyra Selene

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about!

Amber & Dusk
by Lyra Selene

November 27, 2018
368 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies.

So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers.

But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to assume what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay.
 

I forgot where I first saw this story but I love the sound of it!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

The Kiss Quotient
by Helen Hoang

June 5, 2018

323 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he's making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...
 

Stacking the Shelves #203

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

I got the most epic bookmail last week! A huge thank you to HBGCanada!! They knows how to spoil a girl ;) I'm so excited to dig into these <3

 

 

Then PRH Canada sent me The Cheerleaders~ I'm looking forward to the spooky feels!

 

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Review: City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1) by Victoria Schwab

City of Ghosts
(Cassidy Blake #1)
by Victoria Schwab

August 28, 2018

272 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

WoW #215: The Me I Meant to Be by Sophie Jordan

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

The Me I Meant to Be

by Sophie Jordan

January 1, 2019
304 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Girl Code: Never date a friend’s ex.

Willa Evans has no intention of breaking the code. So what if she’s always secretly loved her next-door neighbor Zach? As her best friend’s boyfriend, he was always off-limits and it needs to stay that way, even though they just broke up. Even though every time she turns around he’s there, tempting her…

No keeping secrets from your bestie.

Flor Hidalgo has a lot on her plate: her breakup with Zach, her dad’s new dating life, and her struggling grades. So why can’t she stop thinking about her hot, know-it-all tutor? At least she’s got Willa, her constant in the chaos.

Breaking the code breaks friendships.

Two friends find themselves tempted by love that defies the rules in this steamy romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Simone Elkeles.
 

I try to avoid books with too much drama and this one screams it but at the same time I'm intrigued by how the story will go.

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke #1) by Tessa Dare

The Duchess Deal
(Girl Meets Duke #1)
by Tessa Dare

August 22, 2017

370 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
When girl meets Duke, their marriage breaks all the rules… Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:- They will be husband and wife by night only.
- No lights, no kissing.
- No questions about his battle scars.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:- They will have dinner together every evening.
- With conversation.
- And unlimited teasing.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love…

Stacking the Shelves #202

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

First Stacking the Shelves post since my vacation! I've been feeling a little under the weather since returning so just getting to photographing my bookmail. It wasn't as much as I thought it was going to be considering I was gone for three weeks but my TBR is relieved lol. I got:

 

- The 20th Anniversary Edition of the second Harry Potter book (honestly what HP fan could resist these pretties??)

- Sleight is for a Canadian Reads event that Jamie @ Books and Ladders is hosting in Sept, make sure you check that out then ;)

- The Devil's Thief!!!!!!! My most anticipated 2018 sequel!!!! Many thanks to Simon&Schuster Canada

 

 

So even though this haul wasn't as big as I imagined, I will be sharing an epic one next week so please stay tuned!

 

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Review: Pestilence (The Four Horsemen #1) by Laura Thalassa

 

Pestilence
(The Four Horsemen #1)
by Laura Thalassa

March 21, 2018

382 pages

Goodreads     Amazon

Goodreads Summary:
They came to earth—Pestilence, War, Famine, Death—four horsemen riding their screaming steeds, racing to the corners of the world. Four horsemen with the power to destroy all of humanity. They came to earth, and they came to end us all.

When Pestilence comes for Sara Burn’s town, one thing is certain: everyone she knows and loves is marked for death. Unless, of course, the angelic-looking horseman is stopped, which is exactly what Sara has in mind when she shoots the unholy beast off his steed.

Too bad no one told her Pestilence can’t be killed.

Now the horseman, very much alive and very pissed off, has taken her prisoner, and he’s eager to make her suffer. Only, the longer she’s with him, the more uncertain she is about his true feelings towards her … and hers towards him.

And now, well, Sara might still be able to save the world, but in order to do so, she'll have to sacrifice her heart in the process.

WoW #214: Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about!

 

 

Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss
by Kasie West

February 5, 2019
384 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Lacey Barnes has dreamt of being in a movie for as long as she can remember. However, while her dream did include working alongside the hottest actor in Hollywood, it didn’t involve having to finish up her senior year of high school at the same time she was getting her big break. Although that is nothing compared to Donavan, the straight-laced student her father hires to tutor her, who is a full-on nightmare.

As Lacey struggles to juggle her burgeoning career, some on-set sabotage, and an off-screen romance with the unlikeliest of leading men, she quickly learns that sometimes the best stories happen when you go off script.
 

I'll always say YES to more Kasie West fluffs <3

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1) by Tracy Banghart

 

Grace and Fury
(Grace and Fury #1)

by Tracy Banghart

July 24, 2018
320 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace–someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir’s eye, it’s Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

Review: #Moonstruck (Lovestruck #2) by Sariah Wilson

 #Moonstruck
(#Lovestruck #2)
by Sariah Wilson
July 17, 2018

320 pages

 

Goodreads     Indigo

 

Goodreads Summary:

Over one million “likes”—but only one of them matters.

After pop star Ryan De Luna praises Maisy Harrison’s YouTube cover of his classic hit, he offers Maisy and her fledgling band the opportunity of a lifetime: to be his opening act.

Music may be Maisy’s life, but she has one ground rule: never date a musician. That goes double for a heartbreaker like Ryan. If only she didn’t feel so vulnerable to his larger-than-life charm. And maybe now more than ever, when he asks for her help to shake off his playboy image. How can she resist playing the part of his fake girlfriend for the duration of the tour?

Ryan’s never met anyone like Maisy. She sees past all the star-studded fame and treats him like any other guy. And the more time they spend together, the more he finds himself falling for her. Now he’d like to make their imaginary fling an IRL thing. But can he convince her to take a chance and trust him with her heart?
 

WoW #213: My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about!

My Favorite Half-Night Stand
by Christina Lauren

December 4, 2018
400 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
From the New York Times bestselling author that “hilariously depicts modern dating” (Us Weekly) comes a sexy romantic comedy about online dating, and its many, many fails.

With a world-famous speaker at their university, Mille Morris and her four woefully single male colleagues make a pact that they’ll all find dates. Unfortunately, Millie has more success helping them make matches online than she does navigating the onslaught of lewd pics in her own feed. But when she creates a fictional name for a new account, Millie finds herself vying for the online attention of a man she sees every day in the flesh.
 

I love the sound of the premise!! My romance heart is screaming for this!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds
(The Darkest Minds #1)
by Alexandra Bracken

December 18, 2012

488 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.
 

Discussion: Blogging Habits

Hey everyone! I just wanted to say-

I have been book blogging for over four years!

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagined becoming a blogger let alone actively keeping up with it for four years. I honestly don't know how I do it... All I can say is once I set my mind to something I'll keep to it until I lose interest which in this case I hope I never will!!

So one thing I recently noticed about myself as a book reviewer is that my reviews have become shorter and simpler than when I first started writing them. I'm curious if other people have experienced something similar?

I read a few past reviews I wrote and I feel like I used to be more ranty with what I wrote down. That has resulted in my reviews being long which I kind of think no one really wants to read?? Ha.... When you look at a review, do you read the full thing?

 

Then looking at my most recent reviews they tend to be on the shorter side. I don't discuss anything in detail unless I felt strongly about it. Is that better?

Do you notice a change in your review writing over time? Do you prefer reading longer in-depth (possibly ranty) reviews or shorter to-the-point reviews? Please tell me what you think!

WoW #212: The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

The Wicked King
(The Folk of the Air #2)

by Holly Black

January 8, 2019
336 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
 

I feel like no explanation is needed for this one ;)

What are you guys waiting on this week?