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Always judge a book by it's cover. That way if you throw it across the room-you still have something pretty to look at :)

Review of the bastard

Beautiful Bastard - Christina Lauren

When I started this book I was like


"So...your asshole boss touches your leg and after years of struggling up the career ladder you just LET him because he's hot?!'

But I reminded myself that I was reading erotica not '7 Habits of highly successful people' so I took off my sash.

And then put it back on.

And then took it back off.

This novel spits in the face of the women's movement then surprises you with a bit of a switcheroo in power. In fact if it weren't for the POV of the bastard himself I would have tossed this book out the window-which wouldn't have been very effective as I have screens. 

The surprising part about this book is that our sexy, pain in the ass Bennet is actually a lot more tolerable than the heroine. In fact, he's more likeable than Gideon and Christian combined, once you get into it. Believable and hot as hell and thank the stars...no childhood trauma! No BDSM fetishes! No string of ex lovers constantly parading about! 

But back to the heroine- Oh boy did she drive me nuts! She is a bitch, who constantly puts herself in degrading situations and then complains that she was put there. 
And she's pretty spineless, despite her bad temper. I've bought underwear from Agent Provocateur-a man tears that and doesn't instantly hand over $200 cash he is going to be a man tearing his last panties! But it goes on and on, the tearing of the expensive underwear and this really bothered me because she's not some heiress or trust fund baby and I didn't think these intern positions were that highly paid.But I digress, it's a fantasy, so I ploughed on!

There is a lot of panty ripping here which is appropriate as the basic theme of the novel is the OPPOSITE of bra burning. This woman puts her career in serious jeopardy by starting an affair with her boss. An affair at work and in public restrooms, fighting in lingerie shops and pitching jealous fits at conventions, which tells me that neither is clever enough to have such elevated career rankings.

The sex starts up almost straight away and never really lets off. And to be honest-they were good, realistic sex scenes. Very hot. These two have fantastic chemistry and the storyline is pretty good-their relationship progresses at a believable pace instead of suffering from insta-love. The writing was clean and very well-paced and the audio voice terrific. But the story is kind of much-of the muchness until about 70% where it really takes off.At this point it gets very entertaining and un-putdownable, but it's hard work getting there and I feel sort of bruised and physically fatigued from the imaginary sex. THis was one of those erotic stories that had me batting my husband away in general annoyance at mankind and sexism instead of crooking the finger at him, which sort of sucks, and I putt it down to a disconnection with the female protagonist.

I'll give it 3.5 stars but I don't think I'll be reading the sequel any time soon. It feels like their storyline was wrapped up nicely without any need to continue.

Nuts and bolts above the genre

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) - Marissa Meyer

Okay I'm pissed off. Just had a whole review almost finished and safari quit. Pfft! This one will be shorter because now I'm pressed for time.

Cinder is an awesome book. Fans of both the Hunger Games and The Selection are going to wet themselves over this one. It's a Fairytale and yet nothing like it's namesake Fairytale, short of a significant foot, an interested prince and a crappy step-family. 

To quote Tyra Banks, this book is what I'd call ugly pretty. 

There is no glamour to our heroine and it's endearing because of it. Okay the final scenes pissed me off a little because it's like : 'Woman! Just a touch of lipgloss? A shower perhaps? Napi-San the gloves?????!!!' But then again there's a 'beauty is only skin deep' theme going on here so that's just my inner diva throwing a trendy-tanty when I should be rising above.

Don't read this expecting 'hearts and flowers' because there is a lot of suffering and shitty goings-on that will frustrate some. I wouldn't say pack away your HEA expectations-but shelve them or you will go mad waiting for the whole fairy godmother thing. (*Tiny Spoiler alert-there is no pumpkin or godmother but a sassy robot named IKO and what sounded like a VW bug circa '99 to me.)

A lot of readers (especially the adults) are going to say this in unrealistic but to them I say, if you're looking for realistic, put down the book with the robot high heel on the cover and head over to Grisham. It's YA-it's written for the boy-crazy, note-passing, selfie-taking YOUNG adults and is supposed to be a cheap thrill loaded with sentiment, and Cinder delivers on this. In fact the protagonist herself is a terrific example of what a 16 year old girl is really like-Both hopeful and pessimistic, self-loathing, well-meaning and ready to pitch a fit if you try to donate her to medical research. She can be very frustrating and make some decisions that will make you want to stomp on her robot foot but that's what 16 year old girls do.

I did not want to put it down. I am so happy to be all excited over a series again. I'd be reading the sequel now if not for the other two less-than-awesome books I'm still trying to get through. This is great dystopian and there's a terrific mix of magic, mechanical and mayhem in this post-war world that sets it apart from the others I've read. The good-guys are likeable, the bad guys are dreadful and quite terrifying, and the grey area characters are exactly that-Grey. They could go either way and do.

I'm not a sci-fi fan. In fact, I kind of hate it-I always thought of it as an unromantic genre, far removed from my dreams of mermaids and Dread Pirate Roberts' BUT I liked the angle this writer came from. I found Cinder's genetic/technical make-up fascinating, especially when the two sides of her come together. The world building is similar in creative overdose the way The Hunger games is, which is a GREAT thing. But it's not set in America *Dramatic gasp* but 'New Beijing' and the bad guys are from the MOON. Isn't that neat? Aren't you just foaming at the mouth to read it now? I was! Nothing against Dystopian American societies-they're fantastic to read about-but how fun to swim over to Asia and check out how they're going for once! They're almost always painted as the bad guys in world war situations so it's lovely to be able to empathise with them! Rest assured however, for those of you who find it hard to connect with non-westernised writing, this book is not drowned in Eastern culture. It seems that every country remaining has lost it's specific identity which is kind of nice. If not for the Lunars, you'd think that this dystopian world would have found a way to thrive as one without the oppression of religion or cultural line-crossing guards. And maybe they will if they take the lunars out, and then get over their cyborg racism.

Yes alas, poor Cinder is at the bottom of the social barrel because she is half robot. Among other things. And I want to pat the author on the back for giving amputees a heroine who could possibly kick some inter-stellar ass. I'm still pissed at THG movie for not portraying Peeta with a prosthetic limb-amputees need fictional role models too! Though it weirded me out at first that she had robot parts-I snapped out of it a few pages in when i realised her soul was intact, and would greatly encourage others to do the same!

Now Cinder isn't perfect. It's full of exciting plot twists that unfortunately, the author gives away bluntly and fairly early in. Or maybe that was just me-it's pretty hard to sneak a plot twist by a writer-but there was one sentence a chapter or so in that made me go : 'Oh MAN! Really? You couldn't have rephrased that so I'd be a LITTLE surprised later?' And lo and behold I was right and it's basically the crux of the story too so that was a let-down. I think there are a bit of showing vs telling issues here-the author goes into great detail when she shouldn't, and vagues out on you when you need a bit more picture painting. One or two things caught me by surprise but unfortunately, they were shitty things I would rather have not happened. 

The ending is a bit chaotic too-at one point I had no idea what was going on and re-reading didn't clear much up, and there's a cliffie, but the cliffie thing is easy to spot a few chapters back. It's obvious that it's going to be quite a long epic story so if you hate cliffhangers and pick this up before the next book is released, more fool you, lol. 

I'm going to give Cinder a solid 4 starts with the potential to be a 6 star series. It's a good mix of drama versus fantasy versus heart-breaking and will move you if you go with it. In fact, if the series has a happy ending it will probably surpass THG for me :) Well done Marissa Meyer!

Review

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

 

  I almost didn't read this because I tend to ignore what gets TOO much hype and I didn't like the cover. But while reading it, I was like this:



This book romanticises cancer in the very best and possibly only way. And when I say 'romanticise' I am not inferring that it makes it appealing; I didn't run off thinking : 'I gotta get me some cancer!' The way Twilight made me want to get me some 'Edward,' but it makes you see that the only thing worth living for is beauty. Beauty of kindness, love and understanding and the appreciation of the littlest things that matter the most. I put it down pitying those who live forever without understanding the magnificence of the world we live in, and praying that those destined to live brief lives manage to glean every second of joy from it possible, the way our protagonists strive to.

I put it down not feeling sorry for the cancer victim, but glad to have known her. And in the end, that's all we want-for someone to have been glad to know us.

Hazel-Grace is dying, and from the very beginning you understand that she is not going to live far past that moment when the last page is turned. But unlike every other book in this genre, I didn't find myself wishing for a cure-but wishing for her to soar, if only for a moment. Most of us spend our lives, as Augustus says, trying to leave our 'scar' on the planet and yet it rarely brings the happiness one can get from sitting by a fire with a pot of tea and a good book. Books like this make the world worth living in. Like full moons, and shooting stars and the sound of babies giggling or really good spooning in freshly washed sheets-the little things are the biggest things and Hazel and Augustus know this and because they know this they have already lived better than most. And when the little things matter the most, the big things hold less weight.

In my life, cancer is the foe of several friends, one of which is impossibly young and terminal and desperate to stay. I never know how to interact with these friends. Even those who are cured. There's never a right way to say: 'Oh god I pity you. I want you to know I care and that I think of you all the time but when I'm standing here I am speechless, because I love this world and I couldn't bear to part with it and the fact that you will or almost did because your body is traitorous HORRIFIES me!'
But in the TFIOS, you see that they know this, and they need us to get the words right. To keep them in our hearts and minds and care and most importantly-don't rob them of more time than they have, by treating them like they're already gone. They need to laugh and connect and know that they matter not because of what they have, but who they are. This book isn't a 'How-to-handle-terminally-ill-people' guide, but it's definitely got enough what NOT to do's in there and should be read for that merit alone.

I was struck by a conversation near the end between Hazel and her friend. Her friend inquires : 'What was it like?' Yet she's not asking of the tragedy, but of the romance. And I thought : 'Aahhhh....you got it right.'

The fault In Our Stars made me want to 'get it right'.

It's a fantastic book with an epic love story that eclipses most others. It's funny and touching and as close as I can imagine a 'realistic' cancer-riddled life would be. I don't know-I'd love to know what teenage-cancer victims think of this. Maybe they don't care at all about some bloody book written by a perfectly healthy person while they're so sick they're wishing for death, and rightfully so. But their opinions matter regardless. 

If I had to compare it to anything, I'd recommend smushing together 'The Perks Of being A Wallflower' 'My Sister's Keeper' and 'The Silver Lining's Playbook.'
Not everyone is going to love this. There's a looooot of referencing a fictional work of fiction and a lot of quotes and re-cycled poetry. In fact, over-quoting by writers can make me twitchy-if you're so hung up on what someone else wrote that it's robbed you of your own ability to think of something significant then why bother writing at all? Why shouldn't I just read that thing you're quoting from? But luckily, John Green has enough 'Damn! he said that now I think it!' moments to get away with it of his own. There's a lot of suffering here, but not as many tear-jerking moments as you might expect. I know My Sister's Keeper had me RAINING tears for at least an hour and a half solid but the moments that will make your eyes water in this will make your heart swell as well so it's worth it. The final three pages, especially. Not so much 'Boo-Hoo' as 'Woo! Boo Hoo.... Woo!'

I love these characters. I love how they interact and I have a special soft spot for Isaac. Their dialogue, admittedly, is a wee bit educated for a bunch of teenagers, and reminds me a lot of Dawson's Creek. It's not realistic (well, for the teenagers I know) but like Dawson's Creek, it is entertaining. And you can't help but think that if you were dying, and moving was so difficult and breathing a chore and hope a commodity-wouldn't you use your words to leave your mark? Besides, who wants to read a book of realistic dialogue? 'FML-I have Cancer. Like for a confession?' Pass!

And I find myself obsessing a bit about Amsterdam-a country I've never given a second thought beyond a horrific scene in 'Eurotrip' so well played John, well played! Clogs and white asparagus and making out in Anne's attic anyone???

I'm going to give this book 5 stars because it changed the way I think about a lot of things. There wasn't an unlikeable character in it. Though a bit predictable, this isn't the kind of book you should pick up expecting plot-twists anyway, but a book you should endeavour to read so you understand something that is in desperate need of understanding. 

I highly recommend!!! Put down your werewolves and your shirtless tattooed bad guys with hearts of gold and give this not so long book your time! Put down the fourteen year old saving us all from dystopian hell, your alpha with handcuffs, your blood-suckling sultry sirens and read this. And to the legions of you reading my own bestseller (Bless all 4 of you ;) ) put it down and read the fault In Our Stars! It's worth it. 

Before I sign off, I'd like to take a minute to PLUG the audiobook version-which I listened to. This chick is INCREDIBLE! I don't feel so much that I read it, as that i went to the movie in widescreen! I read a lot of audio too, so I know what I'm on about here! I couldn't turn it off. In fact I snagged myself on a lot of inanimate objects via headphone cord because of it and unabashedly, cranked it up so I couldn't hear my kids babbling whenever we were in the car ;)

They Won't Take Forbidden As An Answer

The Marked Ones - S.K. Munt Three Rings - S.K. Munt

Mermaids have three purposes in life: To protect their environment from the humans, to cultivate their bloodlines, and to keep the knowledge of their species a secret-at any cost. 

For a thousand years they have depended on the Court family to keep their species thriving, and Ivyanne is the next in line for the throne- a direct link to their creator, and their princess. 

Ivyanne is the embodiment of the mermaid fantasy-beautiful, kind and chaste. But she has a secret, and when she returns to the mainland to live and work as a human, she finds herself facing him again-the only man she has ever loved. A human, and forbidden. 

Ivyanne has been running from the Siren within her for decades, ignoring all of the urges that might jeopardize her arranged marriage to an eligible son of The Marked Ones-urges that the other mers within her kingdom embrace. It was easy to do in the sea, under her parent's watchful gazes...

But Ivyanne is on the land now, and there is more than one temptation vying for her heart. 

And they won't take forbidden as an answer.

The Marked ones is a paranormal romance for the big girls who have always dreamed of being mermaids, and big boys who always dreamed of being with one. Set against the beautiful Great Barrier Reef, packed with drama and action and humming with sexual tension that will have you squirming, this is a modern fairytail unlike any other. Be seduced.

Source: http://www.skmunt.com

My First mermaid Read

So as someone who's written a mermaid trilogy, I made the decision not to read a book within the genre until my own vision was complete. But now that part 2 is online, I decided to dip my toe into salty waters at last.
There was so many to choose from so I started with the only one I could find in paperback form locally-'Wake' by Amanda Hocking.
It's YA, and focuses more on Sirens than mermaids, but I've got to say that I'm pretty impressed. It wasn't your cookie-cutter fantastical tale that I'd anticipated. there were quite a few sinister elements that I appreciate. In fact, if it wasn't for the POV switching like mad and without warning and a few pacing issues, I probably would have rated it 4 stars.

I don't know that I'll be rushing off to read part 2 straight away, there are a few others on my TBR list I'd like to finish or start first, but on the whole, this was an entertaining read :) And I was lucky enough to do it on an island :)