Neighbor Dearest Book Talk

Neighbor Dearest

by Penelope Ward

Release Date: August 15th, 2016

Spoilers

Synopsis:

After getting dumped, the last thing I needed was to move next door to someone who reminded me of my ex-boyfriend, Elec.

Damien was a hotter version of my ex.

The neighbor I’d dubbed “Angry Artist” also had two massive dogs that kept me up with their barking.

He wanted nothing to do with me. Or so I thought until one night I heard laughter coming through an apparent hole in my bedroom wall. 

Damien had been listening to all of my phone sessions with my therapist. 

The sexy artist next door now knew all of my deepest secrets and insecurities.

We got to talking. 

He set me straight with tips to get over my breakup. 

He became a good friend, but Damien made it clear that he couldn’t be anything more. 

Problem was, I was falling hard for him anyway. And as much as he pushed me away, I knew he felt the same…because his heartbeat didn’t lie.

I thought my heart had been broken by Elec, but it was alive and beating harder than ever for Damien. 

I just hoped he wouldn’t shatter it for good. 

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. Now I don't really review hardcore romance novels on here, but I enjoyed this book enough that I thought it deserved a review. 

I actually saw this book around for a while and after reading the synopsis, I wasn't all that interested. I just figured it was just another basic romance novel. It totally was, but it was still really good. I forgot how much I loved mushy, cute, sexy romance novels. I think that this book was worth every hour I spent reading it.

I noticed that there was a book about Chelsea's cheating ex, I kind of want to read it, but from this book I realized just how much I hate cheating. I don't know if I will be able to connect with the characters in Stepbrother Dearest because of this whole thing since I've now seen how much it effected the main character. I might end up reading it, but I just don't know right now. Anyway, if you've read it and you think I should give it a try, just leave me a comment, and I'll give it a try.

Damien was pretty angsty and mean at first, I thought I had his whole character pegged. I thought he was going to be the asshole, the devil may care, sort of man. He really wasn't. Maybe a bit rough around the edges, but once we got to know him better, he was really sweet and caring, a little misguided at times, but a sweetheart nonetheless. He was also the perfect amount of possessive. He wasn't like, "Oh, you can never be with anyone else, you're MINE!!!" he was more like, "I love you, I want to be with you, and I hate the thought of you being with another man, so be with me." He didn't get violent when things didn't go his way, he got a bit loud and shouty at times, but he never threw things or hit people and I think that's a huge defining point in a romance novel. Usually, the love interest is very macho alpha male that must assert dominance with fists.

I liked Chelsea. She was fun and predictable and I totally understand the way she felt about her past relationship. It wasn't just some guy she went out with for a couple weeks who suddenly just broke it off with her. It was a man who she was with for years who she thought she loved and who she thought loved her back. The man bought her a ring, he was going to propose to her, but instead he cheated on her and left her for his stepsister. I think that entire thing was pretty messed up and would leave emotional scars on anyone. I actually think she handled it pretty well, she was a bit sad and moped, but she still lived her life, worked, didn't completely fall apart over him. I mean, she held onto her past, but that's to be expected when something like that suddenly comes about. 

The one thing I didn't particularly like, was the fact that Ty kept telling Chelsea everything that Damien said to him before they got together. I like to have a bit of mystery, even if it's the tiniest bit. I also wish there was more of a confrontation between Elec and Chelsea, I feel like she needed the closure, she needed to get mad and yell at him and he had to apologize. Face to face, not through an email.

Overall, I felt like it was a very solid read.

Quotes:

“You only get one true love, one soulmate. Not everyone is lucky enough to find that person in a lifetime.”  

“You can’t have it both ways, Damien. You can’t look at me the way you do … You can’t keep me close and treat me as if I’m a huge part of your life and expect me not to get attached to you. It’s unnatural and unhealthy, and whether it’s your intention or not, you’re hurting me.” 

“Nothing has ever compared to how I feel about you. It’s made me question everything that ever came before it.”  

“You know why it didn’t work out with him?”“Why?”“Because God made you for me.” 

Top 5 Books I'm Never Going to Read

These books really aren't in any particular order, because I feel no inclination to read any single one of them at all, it's pretty hard to rank that, like "I don't want to read this book more than I don't want to read this one." I think It's a bit unrealistic of me, so these are just in a random order.

1. Life and Death by Stephanie Meyer

I didn't like Twilight, so I don't think that reading it again with the characters as a different gender is going to change this fact. Also, I don't see anything appealing about it, maybe one day I'll get really curious and pick it up, but I don't see that day anywhere near the now.

2. Gossip Girl

I watched the first episode of the tv show and wasn't really interested, I've tried reading many book that were changed into tv shows and for the most part I haven't exactly liked them, so I feel like if I didn't even care about the show, there is no way I would care about the books.

3. The Rest of the Pretty Little Liars series

This is one of those books made into tv series, while I like the show, I read up to three of the books and that was more because I forced myself to read them and I actually really disliked them so I don't think I'm ever going to read the rest. I can actually say this with certainty.

4. The Little Princess

I don't really know what this one is about, but I saw the movie when I was really young and I did not like it at all, so I feel no inclination to read the book no matter how short it is.

5. Matched by Allie Condie

My one friend read it and then told me everything that happened, from what she told me I really wasn't interested. Plus, I really hate love triangles and from what I heard, people were not happy with who she ended up with. I would rather spare myself the pain of reading about a sinking ship.


Also, my wrap up is going to be a couple days late because I had a long flight today and finished some books, so I have to write some reviews first, it won't be that long, I promise.

The Dream Thieves Book Talk

The Dream Thieves

by Maggie Stiefvater

Book Two of the Raven Cycle

Release Date: September 17th, 2013

Spoilers (Also, slight Shiver Spoilers)

Synopsis:

If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.

Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake.

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 5 stars. It was amazing, blew my mind, I enjoyed it so much. What I love about Maggie Stiefvater's writing, is that, characters from one book series, aren't exactly the same in another series. Like, you know how sometimes when you read a lot of books by one author, you can see a lot of similarities between characters, like "oh this one character is almost exactly like this character, they just have different names and look slightly different." Maggie Stiefvater doesn't have that problem and I actually really love it.

To start off, I need to say oh my god, I called the whole Ronan being gay thing. He just never seemed interested in women, and I thought he had some tension going on with Kavinsky, that didn't happen, but I thought that there was something there for a while, those thoughts are gone now. Adam. Holy shit, I thought that he hated Adam at first, well not hate since he helped Adam out with his rent payment and stuff, but I thought it was just pity or slight friendliness. A good deed. Nope. This was not the case. Ronan has a crush on Adam, and I actually really love that. Now, I read a spoiler accidentally, so it was definitely confirmed that it was a crush that Ronan had on Adam, so I'm not just reading too deeply into things. I swear.

I loved the fact that Gansey and Blue's relationship started to heat up a bit more. We know that they are going to get together. From the one scene in the first book, we know that they are going to kiss sometime in the next two books. I love the anticipation it leaves. When I read the Mercy Falls Wolves Series by Maggie, you probably know it as Shiver, I loved Grace and Sam, but they got together in the first book, so it was like all the anticipation that I love, never really happened, I just got more interested in the whole Isabel and Cole dynamic and Sam and Grace were a bit forgotten. It's like working hard for something, it makes it so much sweeter than if someone just hands it to you. Blue and Gansey's almost kiss was definitely one of the highlights of the book. I also just have to add in that I love that Gansey calls Blue, Jane. Usually people have really normal names and you give them something completely weird, but Gansey did the opposite since Blue's name is already a little strange. I just think it's really cute.

When Blue and Noah kissed, I wasn't mad or jealous for Gansey, I was happy for Blue. Your true love shouldn't be the only person that you ever kissed. She's a teenage girl and she deserves to go out and kiss people if she wants, especially since she knows if she kisses Gansey, he's going to die. I'm just a bit busy here wondering if Noah has feelings for Blue or if he just really cares about her. I feel like it could go either way.

The whole Mr. Gray thing was interesting. I'm a bit confused, like was his skin grey? Did he just wear a lot of grey? I'm pretty sure that it was specified that his skin was grey, but if he was grey, what's wrong with him. I'm almost certain that grey skin is not a normal occurrence unless you're an elephant. Okay, moving on from he grey skin, I liked the fact that he wasn't just a stone cold killer, I mean he was, but he also wasn't a bad guy. He had morals even if they didn't come out all that often. He barely knew Ronan, but he was willing to risk his own life so that Ronan wouldn't lose his. He even faced his fear of his psychopathic brother. I was very proud of him. 

Then there is his budding relationship with Maura. I don't know if I like them together or not, I have to meet Blue's father first to really know how I feel about everything. I mean, Maura has spent years trying to find blue's father, would she really give up this decade long search for some other guy she has just met? I just don't know how this whole thing will play out. I feel like I might really come to love Mr. Gray with Maura, but for now I'm on the fence.

Quotes:

“In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them.Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness.Her raven boys.”  

“I wish you could be kissed, Jane,' he said. 'Because I would beg just one off you. Under all this.' He flailed an arm toward the stars.”  

“He was brother to a liar and brother to an angel, son of a dream and son of a dreamer.”  

Adam's response was buried in the sound of the second-story door falling open. Noah slouched in. In a wounded tone, he said, "He threw me out the window!"Ronan's voice sang out from behind his closed door: "You're already dead!”  

“Flustered, she replied, "You're not my - my - grandmother, or something.""You'd talk about this with your grandmother? I can't possibly imagine discussing my dating life with mine. She's a lovely woman, I suppose. If you like them bald and racist.” 

Top 5 Books I Want to Read Before the End of the Year

Sorry for not posting for a while, but I couldn't exactly post a top 10 yesterday cause I wasn't close to my computer and I was really busy all day. I'll do a tag to make up for it.


5. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm on the second book in the Raven Cycle series and I want to finish the series by the end of the year.

4. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

I started reading this book, I'm about halfway through and I still haven't continued it and I seriously need to read it. It gives me anxiety.

3. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

It's a tiny book, but I find it a bit daunting because of it's reputation and I've heard some people didn't like it and other's loved it. I really want to get that done before the year is out.

2. Midnight by L. J. Smith

This is the final book that L. J. Smith wrote in the Vampire Diaries world herself. There are more books about them, but they were by ghost writers and such. I've read all the other books by L. J. Smith in this world, all except this one and I just want to get it done.

1. Under the Dome by Stephen King

I started this book 2 years ago and I put it down because I just wasn't getting it done, but now I have 3 Stephen King books and I will not let myself read the others until I have finished Under the Dome.


So what books do you want to get done by the end of the year? Leave me a comment. I like those.

The Mark of Athena Book Talk

The Mark of Athena
by Rick Riordan

Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

Spoilers

Synopsis:

Annabeth returns in the third installment of the biggest series yet from Rick Riordan, author of the #1 New York Times best-selling Heroes of Olympus, Kane Chronicles, and Percy Jackson andamp; the Olympians series.

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land--Greece itself--to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery...

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

My Thoughts:

I have this book 5 stars. It was fun and exciting, and a tremendous telling of Greek Mythology. I'm getting deeper and deeper into the whole Percabeth ship, and I'm excited to continue on in the series.

Sadly, I have had the ending of the book spoiled for me, I was on Instagram and someone made a post about Percy and Annabeth falling into Tartarus, so that kind of ruined the weight of that plot twist. I still loved the book and the fact that that was spoiled didn't ruin the book for me in any way.

I love Percy, he is just so funny and sweet. His reunion with Annabeth was my favourite, they ran into each others arms, and then Annabeth judo flipped him over her shoulder and everyone around them was like, "WTF?! Is he okay? Is she going to do that to me next?" and then everyone that knew Percy and Annabeth were just there like, "Nahhh, everything's fine, this is just them being cute together." Tell me that is not the truth. Tell me.

I really wish Grover was here. I miss him. I wish the gang would be back together. I really hope in one of the next two books there is a whole Percy Grover reunion scene too because it's been too long. 

The bromance boiling between Jason and Percy is just so fabulous (I'm running out of adjectives). And the sismance (is that a thing) between Piper and Annabeth were heartwarming. The worst thing that could have happened in this situation would have been that they hated each other a lot and were forced to work together and then everything would fall apart. Thankfully none of the happened and it was a mostly joyful book. 

What I love about Rick Riordan's writing, is that he never exhausts a certain thing. They don't constantly fight the same god or group. They have a new fresh face in each book, Rick has managed to stretch out all of the Greek (and Roman) mythology into 3 different book series'. I think he has done a wonderful job and I will continue to read his books until the time when he stops writing them, probably a lot of rereads after that too.

I feel really bad for Leo, he's just so lonely. He is the seventh wheel, everyone else is dating each other, and whenever there is a partner up sort of thing, he's usually just paired with a couple or left to man the Argo. Even from his point of view you can tell that the loneliness weighs on him, especially after everything Nemesis spouted about him being an outsider in the group and everything.

Am I the only one who thinks that Nemesis may be up to something? It's just one of my hunches, she probably isn't even up to something, but I just feel like she is a bit too suspicious. She showed up out of nowhere and told Leo that if he used the fortune cookie she would help him with something. She didn't even want anything in exchange for her help. I know that because of this Percy and Annabeth fell into Tartarus, but that isn't really anything for Nemesis to gain from, unless she has that ulterior motive and that's just where she wanted them.

I''ve have now officially waited 3 books for Solangelo to become a thing. Seriously, when is it going to happen? I know that this is definitely a thing because Tumblr and Instagram. I feel like they are going to be so cute and I need that in my life, because I love the whole grumpy grump falling in love with someone who's very chipper and sunshiny. Sounds like otp material to me.

Quotes:

“We're staying together," he promised. "You're not getting away from me. Never again.”  

“I try not to think. It interferes with being nuts.” 

“Like water leaking through a dam," said Piper."Yeah," smiled Percy. "We've got a dam hole.""What?" Piper asked."Nothing," he said. "Inside joke.” 

“Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. “Ah… yes. John Green.”“Jason Grace.”“Whatever,” the god said. 

Annabeth wanted to sob. She wanted someone, anyone, to be here for her. She wanted Leo with his fire skills, or Jason with his lightning, or Hazel to collapse tunnels. Most of all she wanted Percy. She always felt braver when Percy was with her.

A Monster Calls Book Talk

A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness

Release Date: September 27th, 2011

Spoiler Alert

Synopsis: 

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 5 stars. It was beautiful and touching, it was exciting but at the same time it was sad. It spoke of how things aren't always black and white, good and evil. Everyone has their flaws and strengths. This won't be an incredibly long review, because it wasn't a very long book, and I don't want to get too metaphorical with you guys and analyst every single thing that happened in the book and what I think it means, I am not your English teacher. I'm pretty much going with obvious things. 

I originally got this book because I found it eat my local book store for only 6 dollars, and I couldn't decide which book I wanted to get, so I ended up picking this one up. Also, I hear that there is going to be a movie adaptation, and it has Liam Neeson, I think. I could be wrong, but I am excited for the movie nonetheless.

This book starts out with a boy, and right from the start, you can tell that something serious is wrong, he has had to grow up so much for just a 13 year old boy. 

It's books like this that are a bit harder to categorize. It's a book about a boy coming to terms with his mother dying and in order to help him, a tree monster comes to visit him every night at 12:07 A.M. It takes form from the Yew tree that is kept in Conor's backyard. Each night it comes to him and tells him a story. 

The first story is about a king, his wife is dead so he remarries. Unknowingly a witch, she is wicked, but she quite likes being queen, so when the king dies and all of his heirs, but one, also die, she hatches a plan to marry the final heir once he reaches age. Now this young prince has fallen in love with a farm girl, she is sweet and fierce and smart. One day they run off to elope, taken over by passion they do "it" under a yew tree. The prince wakes the next morning to find that his soon to be wife, has been brutally murdered. He then starts a charge against the queen, since she is obviously the culprit. The towns people uproar and are determined to burn her at the stake for witchcraft. The yew tree decides to take action and goes to the castle, picks up the queen and takes her far away, so she doesn't die. It turns out that the prince, knew what would happen if the farm girl died, so during the night, he killed her and in the morning blamed it on the queen. He was a much loved kind, a good one too. Not everyone is good or bad, they are a combination of two. That is what the story told me.

The second story is about a a parson or something like that and an apothecary who don't exactly get along. The apothecary wanted the Yew tree in the parson backyard because they have many healing properties and such that could save lots of people. The parson refused saying that he wouldn't let him tear down the tree just to use it for medicine. The parson doesn't agree with anything the apothecary stands for. At first you think of the parson as the good guy because he is kind and good and tries to save the Yew tree in his backyard because it is still a life and all that. And then the apothecary is mean and grumpy, but he saves lives, but the preacher has taken away a lot of his work. One day the parson's daughters get sick and he is desperate so he goes to the apothecary. The apothecary asks him if he would give up all his beliefs if the apothecary would save his children, the parson said yes. So the apothecary did nothing. The yew tree then came alive and shook down the parson house. The moral of the story was that not everything was black and white. While the apothecary was old and mean, he still saved lives, and the parson who was kind and faithful, could have saved many lives with the one tree in his backyard, plus, he threw everything he believed in out the window for his daughters.

The third story was about an invisible man. He wanted so dearly to be seen, and he lashed out, he became invisible. He then realized that being seen was worse than not being seen at all. 

Conor's truth, was hard, but it was a very relatable one. He wanted the suffering to be over, his mother's and his own. It was a hard realization to face, and he was incredibly brave to come face to face with it. 

I don't think I would like to be any character in this book, I either don't like them, or they are going through too much emotional trauma, that if I were in their place I would probably break my back from the weight of everything. It's a very heavy book while still remaining a quick read.

Quotes:

“There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between.”  

“Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.”  

“Stories are important, the monster said. They can be more important than anything. If they carry the truth.”  

       “Because humans are complicated beasts, the monster said. How can a queen be both a good witch and a bad witch? How can a prince be a murderer and a saviour? How can an apothecary be evil-tempered but right-thinking? How can a parson be wrong-thinking but good-hearted? How can invisible men make themselves more lonely by being seen?     

 "I don't know," Connor shrugged, exhausted. "Your stories never made any sense to me."  

The answer is that it does not matter what you think, the monster said, because your mind will contradict itself a hundred times each day. You wanted her to go at the same time you were desperate for me to save her. Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.” 

Goodreads Book Tag

I almost never do book tags, which is a shame since I actually really love doing book tags. Well, I'm doing one today, and hopefully I will do more in the future because that's always fun. Also, if you have no idea what Goodreads is, you should really check it out, I'll leave a link here.

1. WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU MARKED AS ‘READ’?

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. I finished this book a couple days ago, I'm kind of behind on my reviews, but I swear I will have it done either by the end of today or tomorrow, I swear.

2. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. I recently read the Raven Boys and I really wanted to continue on as soon as possible. So far so good.  

3. WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU MARKED AS ‘TO READ’?

The Dream Dancer by Leslie Hachtel. It just sounds really cool, a historical fiction crossed with a sort of paranormal twist.

5. DO YOU USE THE STAR RATING SYSTEM?

Obviously...

6. ARE YOU DOING A 2016 READING CHALLENGE?

Of course I am. 200 books. I had to lower it from the 300 I had it at last year, because I realized that I do in fact have a life. I'm sorry, this list has high sass levels apparently.

7. DO YOU HAVE A WISHLIST?

My TBR is pretty much just my wishlist. If it's on there I probably want it.

8. WHAT BOOK DO YOU PLAN TO BUY NEXT?

I really want to get Chasing Impossible by Katie Mcgarry, I've been meaning to get it for so long, but I just keep forgetting to get it. Definitely next time.

9. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE QUOTES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A FEW?

Why, of course I would. 😉
“Of course you can have a true Shadowhunter name," Will said. "You can have mine."Tessa stared at him, all black and white against the black-and-white snow and stone. "Your name?"Will took a step toward her, till they stood face-to-face. Then he reached to take her hand and slid off her glove, which he put into his pocket. He held her bare hand in his, his fingers curved around hers. His hand was warm and callused, and his touch made her shiver. His eyes were steady and blue; they were everything that Will was: true and tender, sharp and witty, loving and kind. "Marry me," he said. "Marry me, Tess. Marry me and be called Tessa Herondale. Or be Tessa Gray, or be whatever you wish to call yourself, but marry me and stay with me and never leave me, for I cannot bear another day of my life to go by that does not have you in it.” 

“Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."
"He's the sun god," I said. "That's not what I meant.”  

“I did not make a pie,” Alec repeated, gesturing expressively with one hand, “for three reasons. One, because I do not have any pie ingredients. Two, because I don’t actually know how to make a pie.” He paused, clearly waiting. Removing his sword and leaning it against the cave wall, Jace said warily, “And three?” “Because I am not your bitch,” Alec said, clearly pleased with himself.” 
“We accept the love we think we deserve.”  

“Ah,” said a voice from the doorway, “having your annual ‘everyone thinks Will is a lunatic’ meeting, are you?
“It’s biannual,” said Jem. “And no, this is not that meeting.”

Okay I might have gone a tad overboard, but I couldn't decide which one I loved more. Also, I may or may not be sorry that three out of four of these quotes are Cassandra Clare.