Just for Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.

Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!

In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.
Expected Publication Date:  July 3rd 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

Okay, I always pick up the books in the Fins series by Tera Lynn Childs a little reluctantly each time, but Ialways end up enjoying them. So chances are, I’ll pick up the third book during this summer. Perfect for reading poolside.

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.

Expected Publication Date: July 10th 2012 by MTV Books

I haven’t read as much Echols than I would like, but I’ve been meaning to go through her book list. I don’t know if I’m liking the idea of a possible love triangle between brothers, but I have enough confidence in Jennifer Echols to at least give this one a shot. I absolutely love this cover as well…

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

In this humorous love story from the author of Two-Way Street, an unlikely romance is the best sort of surprise—but the wrong secret can ruin everything. Kelsey’s not going to let one mistake ruin her life. Sure, she got kicked out of prep school and all her old friends are shutting her out. But Kelsey’s focused on her future, and she’s determined to get back on track at Concordia High.

Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.

When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before…But nothing’s ever completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that can ruin it all: the truth.

Expected Publication Date: July 10th 2012 by Simon Pulse

Like Jennifer Echols, Lauren Barnholdt is my other go-to when it comes to contemporary novels. Two-Way Street is one of my favorite contemporary novels ever so I’m always looking forward to the next Barnholdt book.

Meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

1 comment

Be the first to like.

Like

Unlike

Permalink Memes, Waiting on Wednesdays - Author: Jennifer Echols, Author: Lauren Barnholdt, Author: Tera Lynn Childs, Book: Just for Fins, Book: Such a Rush, Book: The Thing About the Truth | 1041 words

WATCH ME by Lauren Barnholdt Book Review (Previously published as Reality Chick)
Publication Date: June 20th 2006 by Simon Pulse
Rating: – Acceptable |

Book Summary: She thinks she has nothing to hide…

Ally has everything under control. She’s about to move into a house full of strangers and have her life broadcast to the world, but as long as she still has her long-distance boyfriend, Corey, nothing can go wrong. Nothing, that is, until Ally starts spending time with her housemate Drew, the hot and sensitive guy who always seems to be around when she needs someone the most.

As suspicions and lies start pulling Ally and Corey apart, she’s not sure if she can trust anyone, not even herself. Ally is about to learn the hard way that life is what happens when everyone is looking, and it doesn’t always capture her good side….

Book Review Overview:

• Love that WATCH ME features college-aged teens
• If you take out the cameras, WATCH ME is a realistic portrayal of a long-distance college relationship
• Ending was sweet and satisfying, but it isn’t my favorite Barnholdt

WATCH ME by Lauren Barnholdt is a quick, fun contemporary read. I’ve had WATCH ME sitting on my shelves for a while, and I finally picked it up when I decided I needed a good Lauren Barnholdt fix.

On a side note, title changes are confusing. WATCH ME by Lauren Barnholdt was originally published under the title Reality Chick with a different cover. I had a difficult time finding it on GoodReads at first since WATCH ME is still under its original title.

Minus the fact that Ally is on a reality television show, I think that the premise of WATCH ME is pretty realistic. I think from the very first page of the novel, readers can guess that Ally and Corey’s relationship is going to go downhill. It’s inevitable. Ally experiences a ton of insecurities about her relationship with Corey despite the fact that they’ve been together for almost two years. The distance is a problem, plus the fact that college is an overwhelming experience that changes you. I think that at the end, Ally was very mature about the way she handled her relationship with Corey.

Like a good reality television show, WATCH ME is full of fun and interesting characters:

• Jasmine: the sexy, flirty girl who doesn’t want to be tied down by a boyfriend
• Simone: the soft-spoken virgin
• Ally: the girl with the long-distance boyfriend
• James: the ghetto guy who claims he’s a player
• Drew: the hot, Abercrombie type

As far as first impressions go, I didn’t like Jasmine. She’s just the kind of girl that I don’t see myself being friends with. But as the novel progressed, I grew to like her. She’s fun, comfortable with her body, and she’s extremely loyal to her friends. She was definitely my favorite secondary character.

I thought that the ending of WATCH ME was sweet and satisfying. However, I don’t think that WATCH ME comes even close to the level of my favorite Barnholdt novel, Two-Way Street. There was chemistry among the characters, but WATCH ME lacked romantic tension because Ally was in a relationship for almost the entire book.

Despite the fact that I thought WATCH ME was just okay, this is not stopping me from reading the rest of Barnholdt’s novels. I’m determined to read the rest of her books until I find another one that I love just as much as Two-Way Street.

I would definitely recommend WATCH ME by Lauren Barnholdt to those who are fans of contemporary romance, reality television, and juicy gossip. Read WATCH ME if you like books by Elizabeth Scott or Jennifer Echols. And of course, if you are a Lauren Barnholdt fan, you should definitely still check this one out.

Why I’m Biased: I’m a big Lauren Barnholdt fan ever since I read Two-Way Street.

Other Book Reviews:
Escaping Through Books
Paranormal Indulgence
Reading Lark

1 comment

1 person likes this post.

Like

Unlike

Permalink Book Review, Three Stars - Audience: Young Adult, Author: Lauren Barnholdt, Book: Watch Me, Borrow It, Genre: Contemporary, Genre: Romance, Publisher: Simon Pulse | 1131 words

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Expected Publication Date: January 10th 2012 by Dutton Juvenile

I know I’ve only read one John Green book ever, and I’m really not the biggest nerdfighter out there, but there has just been so much excitement building up for this book. I’ve already got this one pre-ordered so I’m to receive it ANY DAY NOW.

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets . . .

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.

Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them . . . even her heart
Expected Publication Date: February 28th 2012 by Avon

Sarah MacLean easily won me over with her Love by Numbers series. I’m excited to read more of her stuff! I hope I enjoy this series just as much.

Thumped by Megan McCafferty

It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day!

Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances.

To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.

The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous:

Tell the truth.

Expected Publication Date: April 24th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

I was a bit hesitant about reading something new by Megan McCafferty but I was anxious for no reason. I love Bumped and now I eagerly await for its sequel.

The Traitor in the Tunnel by YS Lee

I Queen Victoria has a little problem: there’s a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary’s onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary’s most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn’t be higher – and she has everything to lose.

Expected Publication Date: February 28th 2012 by Candlewick Press

I’ve already read this one but it’s one of those books that I need to have a final copy of!

Other Notable Titles

These are some that I am extremely looking forward to, but it is still early for them to have covers and/or descriptions:

1. Written with My Own Heart’s Blood (Outlander, #8) by Diana Gabaldon – You know this means that I have to do an epic reread of the entire series in 2012 but it will be SO WORTH IT. Oh my god, I am so excited just writing about it.
   
2. Shadows (Ashes, #2) by Ilsa J. Bick – Ashes left off with me wanting more. It was probably one of my favorite books this year and I can’t wait to get back into the world Bick has created!
   
3. Untitled (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #2) by Laini Taylor – Again, another series that I started and loved.
   
4. Rebel Heart (Dustlands, #2) by Moira Young – Yet another sequel that I’m on the look out for in 2012. I started so many series in 2011, and this is one of the few that I plan on continuing. More Saba and Jack please!
   
5. The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt – Huge Barnholdt fan so I’m excited for anything that she puts out. This one has a cover, but no description yet. Whatever it’s about, I’ll probably read it regardless.
   
6. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins – Do I really need to explain this one?
   

8 comments

Be the first to like.

Like

Unlike

Permalink Memes - Author: Diana Gabaldon, Author: Ilsa J Bick, Author: John Green, Author: Laini Taylor, Author: Lauren Barnholdt, Author: Megan McCafferty, Author: Moira Young, Author: Sarah MacLean, Author: Stephanie Perkins, Author: YS Lee, Book: A Rogue by Any Other Name, Book: Isla and the Happily Ever After, Book: Rebel Heart, Book: Shadows, Book: The Fault in Our Stars, Book: The Thing About the Truth, Book: The Traitor and the Tunnel, Book: Thumped, Book: Written with My Own Heart's Blood, Series: Ashes, Series: Bumped, Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Series: Dustlands, Series: The Agency | 1489 words