Reasons I Fell For The Funny Fat Friend by Becca Ann

Amazon | Goodreads

It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips.

She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with.

But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke.

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.

This book was just so friggin' cute! It was a light, fun, fluffy read, and I read it in two sittings - which would have been one sitting but I really was in need of sleep so I could function properly at work. I don't think I've actually read that many romances told from a male narrator, so was refreshing for me. Yes, I'll admit that you can still easily tell that the book was written by a woman, but eh, it was cute, and I still really liked Brody.

What I Liked Best:

The chapter titles. Each title was reason why Brody fell in love with Hayley, which I thought was really cute. I enjoyed reading through his perspective, and watching him struggle at getting Hayles to see that the feelings he was developing for her were real. I was rooting for him the whole time I was reading.

What I Liked Least:

The author never really gets into a lot of the bigger issues occurring in her characters' lives. We know that Brody is upset with his brother, and that Hayley's mom is really mean and is probably the cause of her insecurities, but those issues are never really dealt with. I know they were added to show why Hayley and Brody were the way they were, and helped drive the story, but I really would have enjoyed seeing a bit more depth to the characters, and seeing some sort of resolution between Brody and his brother, or Hayley and her mother.

Overall Thoughts:

Despite my disappointment at not having some of those issues delved into further, I really loved reading this story. It was insanely cute, and I smiled a lot while reading it. Brody and Haley were super sweet together, and I'll give their story 4.5 Stars! I know I'll be picking this up again when I'm in need of a light, pick-me-up  kind of a read.

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Amazon | Goodreads

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

Holy crap, I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. Wow. Ms. Rossi is an amazing story teller - every scene in this book was woven so well that I was completely engulfed in the story. I always rave about how I love it when an author writes from different character perspectives, so when I discovered that this story would be told from both Aria's and Peregrine's perspectives, I was so ecstatic! I immediately found myself loving them both immensely, and I'm sure that I would not have enjoyed reading this as much if only one side of the story were told.

Aria is a really awesome heroine - she has brains, and even though she finds herself in a situation she has never encountered before, she doesn't just go around complaining about everything, she adapts. Peregrine also appears to be so withdrawn from others, but he's really so caring and protective of his friends, and I enjoyed reading about his life in the Tides and his relationship with his nephew, Talon.

What intrigues me most is that they grew up in a world where there are terrible Aether storms, but it's never really explained exactly where the Aether came from or what it really is. I'm sure the author will explain it more in her coming novels, but for now I just like how you're just expected to accept that the Aether is there, and that's that. I like it. And I want more! Definitely getting the second one, ASAP! But I know there's a short story out about Roar & Liv, so I must get to that first...

5/5 Stars

Oh, and in case you were wondering why I chose to use the UK cover over the American one, it's because I feel it gives a better representation of the characters. I was uber-pissed when I saw the cover for the second book, because the dude on the cover is white! Perry is not white! He's supposed to be a dark tan-skinned color, and his hair is supposed to be blond and a bit knappy. He is not supposed to look like he just walked out of Abercrombie & Fitch. GAH! Makes me want to hold off on buying the second book. Maybe I'll just get the kindle version until a version with a better cover is released. Did anyone else get upset when they saw that cover?

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Amazon | Goodreads

16-year-old Zoë's life is falling apart; her beautiful mother is dying of bone cancer and her best friend, Lorraine, is drifting away. So when the mysterious and handsome Simon comes along with a more profound loneliness a tentative friendship is formed. But does Simon have serious problems, Zoë wonders when she finds him with blood on his face, or is he just plain crazy, when he claims to be a 300 year old vampire? And is he right about the identity of a serial killer who has been leaving his mark on her formerly quiet hometown? Soon, Simon is the only thing Zoë can hold on to when everything else is falling apart. But what will become of him, the half mad vampire, once he has avenged his mother's death...Or if he fails?

Wow, this was a super fast read! It's been a while since I've read a book written in the 90's, and I have to say that I found it to be a bit comforting and nostalgic to read a book with characters that don't have cell phones and actually write letters to each other via snail mail.

What I Liked Best:

This story was told from two points of view: Zoë's and Simon's. I always enjoy it when authors alternate perspectives as they change chapters, since it gives you a better understanding of how each character is feeling. I especially liked that Simon was a realistic vampire: he still feeds off humans, but struggles with trying to remain his human self, and tries to feed off animals when he can. If he isn't to careful, the monster inside of him will take over. Plus, it was entertaining to read about vampires who can turn into bats, have trouble crossing running water, and can be harmed by the cross - it's been awhile since I've read about "classic" vamps.

What I Liked Least:

The story moved too quickly, and while Klause did her best to form a bit of a romance between Simon and Zoë, it still didn't sit well with me. I mean, at least Zoë had the sense to be constantly freaked out at what Simon was, but the fact that she just accepted this all quickly after he told her his life story was, in my opinion, a bit lame. I also felt that the ending was rather rushed, what with Zoë coming to terms all of a sudden with the fact that her mom is dying of cancer. 

Overall Thoughts:

Despite the fact that this story moved at warp-speed, it was still an enjoyable read. I enjoyed reading about the oddball vamp Simon, and actually laughed when he secretly followed Zoë home and peed on her front door - I mean, what the hell? Was he marking his territory? What a weirdo. It was just an entertaining read, and it had a good message about dealing with death. I recommend you give this a shot if you have the free time and enjoy vampire romances, though it isn't a must-read.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Amazon | Goodreads

"Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house. . . ."

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wit and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

Let me just start by saying that this was one of the creepiest children's stories I have ever read. I admit, I saw the movie when it came out and I loved it, which is partially why I decided to read the book. The other part is that I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan - not just Neil Gaiman, the writer, but Neil Gaiman, the person. He's just awesome!

The thing about Coraline is that it is written so perfectly. And I don't know how to describe it, but the story just has this magical feeling to it, which, when combined with the creepiness of the other mother, makes me feel as though I should be reading this while wrapped up in a blanket by a campfire in the dead of night. If that makes any sense. I love all of the worlds that Gaiman creates through his writing, and this one is no exception.

I really feel as though I would have liked having Coraline for a best friend - she's quite a clever child, and very witty and brave. Even though the other mother was scary as hell, Coraline still managed to stand against her, no problem. This was yet another instance in which the book far outshines the movie, if only because I feel that this story is best experienced through Gaiman's writing. Though, for other aficionados of the film, I must say that the biggest difference (to me) between the movie and the book was that Wybie was not in the book - he was a character specifically created for the movie. The book didn't really need him, either, as it fits Coraline's personality to be more independent.

A highly recommended book - especially around Halloween!

{January Releases} Happy New Year!!!

I hope you all had a great time ringing in the new year! I figured what better way to bring in the new year than by taking a look at some of the great new releases for this month. If you've noticed, there is a new tab beneath my header for my 2013 reading challenges. Since I have only started blogging last year, this will be my first time participating in some of the yearly challenges I've seen around the blogosphere. I've decided that this year I will start out each month by looking at that particular month's releases, as it will help me choose what books to read for my challenges, and may help you out as well. So, without further ado, here are what I found to be some of the most interesting new releases for January 2013:

*Click the book covers to check out their descriptions on Goodreads*
 

All of the above books are either standalone novels or the first in a new series. So, what are you looking forward to the most this month? For me, it's gotta be Splintered.

{Top 10 of 2012} Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2013

Today is the last day of the Top 10 of 2012 event, and I think that the topic is an absolutely perfect end to the event. There are so many great-sounding books coming out next year, that it was of course difficult to choose only 10, but somehow I managed. Here are the books I can't wait to start reading:

*Click the pictures to read the Goodreads' synopsis*

And also the 2nd book in Susan Ee's series Penryn & The End of Days!!! It doesn't have a cover yet so it's my "honorable mention." Actually, there are a TON of other books I'm looking forward to, but I'm only giving you these ten for now.

So, are any of these on your list? Leave the link to your list in the comments and I'll go check 'em out. My TBR list is always hungry for more! (In my spare time I like to endlessly read book descriptions on Goodreads. Does anyone else do this or am I too far gone?)

{Top 10 of 2012} Best Book Boyfriends of 2012

*Squee!* I am so excited for this topic! I must admit, I do read an awful lot of books which feature romances, even if the romances are only in the background or part of the sub-plot. And let me tell ya, a lot of the guys in those books are so swoon-worthy, I'm glad I can reminisce while compiling a list of the year's favorites. Sorry, but there's just no way I can make this list base purely on books released in 2012. It would feel as though too many were missing. So, here are my top picks for the best book boyfriends from books read in 2012:

  1.  Mark Darcy (Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding)
        Especially because I still picture him as Colin Firth in my head...
  2.  Augustus Waters (The Fault In Our Stars by John Green)
      Because he is made of complete awesomeness.
  3.  Sebastian Lamarliere (Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton)
      A nice guy, a great friend....and he has cool powers.
  4.  Raffe (Angelfall by Susan Ee)
        The McSteamy of the Angelic race.
  5.  Étienne St. Clair (Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins)
      Half Brit, half French, complete yum! And I love his name!
  6.  Travis Buchanan (The First Days by Rhiannon Frater)
      A total sweetheart, and the boy-next-door type of man.
  7.  Prince Kai (Cinder by Marissa Meyer)
      Just read his description and tell me you're not into him.... I dare ya.
  8.  Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee)
      So what if he's years older than me...age ain't nothin' but a number.
  9.  Noah Hutchins (Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry)
      He may look like a bad boy, but he's one of the good ones!
10. Jace Wayland (City of Bones by Cassandra Clare)
      I may not care for this book series, but I still like him.

I hope this list isn't too pedophilic, as 6 of those guys are teenagers, but hey, what can I say? I'm sure many of you are guilty of this, too! Plus, in my mind I picture them as being a few years older, as high school boys now-a-days seem too young and immature for me. Probably because they are. (I'm 23!)

So, what about you guys? Any book boyfriends (or girlfriends) for 2012?