TTT: Books That Awaken the Travel Bug In Me

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Without further ado, here are my TTT Books that Awaken the Travel Bug in Me (And Why)!

1. I See London by Chanel Cleeton is my absolute favorite New Adult book of all time! It's the only book I've reviewed and given 5 stars. While most people were mooning over Anna and the French Kiss a few years back, I was shouting my love of this London-based book from the rooftops. Anna and Etienne just don't compare to the chemistry of Maggie and Samir in London. The characters leap off the page as does the setting, which is a character of its own. I still want to go to London and experience it after reading this book.

2. London Falling by Chanel Cleeton is the sequel, give a more grown-up perspective to Maggie and Samir's love. It's less fun and game, and more seeing into the future of what these two really could have if Samir made the choice to make Maggie a permanent part of his life.

3. French Kissed by Chanel Cleeton...Noticing a pattern? I can't help it! This not-quite-sequel to the first two books is about Samir's French cousin Fleur. Not only do you get more of what London has to offer, you get a taste of France for good measure. I HIGHLY recommend all three if you like New Adult. You won't be disappointed!

4. Love, in English by Karina Halle is another New Adult offering involving a married 38-year-old Spanish man and a single 23-year-old Canadian woman who meet in Spain for conversational English lessons. While I'm not a proponent of cheating, I did enjoy the author's authentic portrayal of both of the differences between the characters and their similarities. It didn't hurt that the entire book took place in Spain.

5. The Villa in Italy by Elizabeth Edmondson is a departure from my list of New Adult novels in places 1-4 on this list. Four different people are named in a will - Delia, an opera singer robbed of her voice by illness; George, an idealistic scientist; Marjorie, desperately poor & unable to dislodge her writer's block; & Lucius, whose personal life is in chaos. This is a tale of four strangers summoned to a grand but neglected villa on the Italian coast. The setting is grand. The mystery of why the 4 of them were chosen to inherit the villa is grand. It's quite a long, involved saga that isn't an easy read, but it is a satisfying one. It makes me wish I was one of the participants going on a scavenger hunt in hopes of inheriting the villa.  

6. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale makes me want to jump in a carriage, travel to a magnificent home, and drink lots of tea, pinky in-air, of course. I'll admit that I watched the movie, Austenland based on Ms. Hale's first book prior to reading either book, but I found her latter book much more enchanting. The characters in the original book lacked depth and style. Ms. Hale wrote Midnight using the movie's enchanting characters. Plus, I love a good mystery. If you're an Austen fan, I highly recommend this trip to Austenland!

7. Driving Sideways by Jess Riley is a heart-warming and heart-wrenching road trip book. After spending 5 years on dialysis, Leigh gets a kidney transplant from a deceased donor named Larry. She's tired of living in hospitals and wants to use her newfound freedom to meet Larry's family and thank them for their gift of life. Along the way, she picks up a teen hitchhiker, finds her wayward mother, and learns the hard way that nothing is meant to last forever. I highly recommend this one. Having a best friend in the same predicament made it mean even more to me.

8. The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham is the basis for the first episode of the British TV Show Midsomer Murders (which I'm obsessed with). While this isn't necessarily a book about travel, I do wish I could go travel to the British countryside and solve a good murder mystery. The characters in this book are so alive (and quirky) that it's no wonder it was made into a successful TV Show with 20 series under its belt. I highly recommend the show and the book!


Bonus Movie Mention: Before Sunrise and its sequels, Before Sunset and Before Midnight. All three movies follow the lives of Jesse (an American) and Celine (a Parisian) who meet by chance on a train in the first movie, and spend 24 hours together exploring Vienna. The other movies are follow-ups, with the second another meet-by-chance, and the third showing them as a couple with twins. I will admit that I haven't been able to get into the third the way I did the first and second. They're all character pieces set amidst the background of Europe. If you enjoy rambling pieces which discuss a wide array of topics and show the humanity of love, I highly suggest starting at the beginning with Before Sunrise! You won't be disappointed!

Here Kitty Kitty by Jardine Libaire

Here Kitty Kitty by Jardine Libaire

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Published by: Hogarth Publish Date: February 27, 2018
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.25 Stars
New York at night is an urban playground where glamour and danger are just flip sides of the same thrilling coin. The tough, beautiful player at the heart of Jardine Libaire's acclaimed first novel is Lee, the consummate party girl. Lee has the right designer clothes, the right job managing a stylish restaurant, and the right lover, who finances all her bad habits. As the lights go down at closing time, the energy of the city is a call Lee cannot resist, even when her Cinderella-like existence begins to unravel.

The descriptive narrative style the author uses reminds me very much of Emma Forrest's breakthrough novel, Thin Skin. The difference? I found Forrest's tale more interesting and ultimately meaningful. Here Kitty Kitty is more of a pale, whiny version of the 90's movie, Party Girl, starring Parker Posey.

Lee is a spoiled brat who's never had to rely on herself for anything. She takes no responsibility in her actions, knowing someone will bail her out of her messes, as they always do.

She's come to a crossroads in her life. Her best friend, and former partner in partying, has grown up and settled down. Her much older sugar daddy of a boyfriend has a health scare which prompts him to put a ring on her finger. Still, she's spending money like she has it, ignoring her rent, drinking and drugging her days and nights through, and assuming it will all just go away if she wills that to happen hard enough.

While there is a brief turning point when a new guy enters her life, it is unbelievable. She suddenly decides to sober up and even breaks it off with the guy because she realizes she needs to learn to be on her own. The catalyst for this 180 turnaround was just not enough for me to get behind this change in her behavior. I just felt "meh" about the whole thing.

If you are looking for a character study, this honestly isn't it. It's more of a showcase for the author's quick-witted word-smithing rather than an actual plot piece. While I admire the style, I wanted more. I gave it 3.25 stars for the actual writing. That's all I could muster.

Absinthe by Winter Renshaw

Absinthe
by Winter Renshaw

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: August 6, 2017
Genre: New Adult
Rating: 3.75 Stars
The name on the screen was “Absinthe.”

But I knew her as the sultry voice blowing up my phone for late night chats about Proust and Hemingway interspersed between the filthiest little … mutually satisfying exchanges ... I'd ever experienced in my life.

We’d never met.

Until the day she walked into my office, her cherry lips wrapped around a candy apple sucker and an all too familiar voice that said, “You wanted to see me, Principal Hawthorne?”

Halston Kessler is an 18-year-old senior, newly transferred to her Uncle's school district after a tumultuous upbringing. Her parents were drug addicts who had a meth operation in their basement for much of her life. She went without food and heat and basic human love for many years before her uncle was forced to take her in. Although she now has a place to stay, she doesn't fit in with her perfect cousin or her aunt and uncle who find her rough around the edges.

Enter Ford Hawthorne, the new principal at school. He's in his late 20's intent on growing his career in education, not his love life. He decides that since he's new in town, he'll try a dating app called Karma. He never intends to meet any of the women on the app - he's simply looking for a little anonymous fun. He ends up "meeting" an interesting woman who goes by the handle, Absinthe.

They spend time discussing books and sexting, progressing into a relationship neither of them saw coming. Ford ends it once he learns they've crossed the line from flirting to having real feelings for one another, as it's not what he needs in his life. He also doesn't want to hurt her, as he's never been good at commitment. All bets are off, however, when Halston walks into Principal Hawthorne's office and recognizes his voice.

This was one of those books that I really loved up to a point and then wanted more from 3/4 of the way through. I've struggled to rate it. On the one hand, I loved the concept (the student in question was almost 19), the deep discussions Absinthe and Kerouac had via the dating app, the natural tension, and the feelings between them. On the other, I felt the ending was contrived, that Ford basically used her for angry sex near the end and made her cry, and that there were years of repetitive exposition I could have done without. The scene in which Halston asks Ford to have sex with her is a tough one for me. While it was consensual, he did things to her that he knew she wouldn't be comfortable with which in my opinion, made it non-consensual to a point. It just bothered me.

That said, I would try another book by this author. Have you tried one? What did you think?

Waking Olivia by Elizabeth O'Roark

Waking Olivia
by Elizabeth O'Roark

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: March 12, 2016
Genre: New Adult
Rating: 4.5 Stars
A college track star with nothing to lose.
A coach who may lose everything to save her.

Will Langstrom has a failing farm, his father’s debt and a struggling college track team. The last thing he needs is Olivia Finnegan, a beautiful but troubled new transfer student.

Olivia Finnegan is her own worst enemy, with a past she can't seem to escape, and the last person she wants help from is a cocky track coach she can never seem to please.

Refusing to be pushed away, Will is determined to save her.
And determined to resist an attraction that could destroy them both.

I read this book as an ARC quite some time ago via NetGalley, but I just realized I never reviewed it on here. It was one of my favorite New Adult novels, so I knew I needed to get this review up on my page.

This is a character piece with a well-built relationship arc between Will and Olivia written in. I could tell the author spent a lot of time planning the narrative before she began writing. That's the mark of a truly great writer, in my opinion.

Both Will and Olivia are fully-realized with back stories that shape themselves and their relationship to one another. I liked the comparison to Olivia as a track star and the fact that in her sleep, she literally runs away from her demons, sleep-running only to wake up and not know where she is. Will decides to help her by letting her sleep at his family's farm so that he can prevent her nightly escapes. He truly cares about her and wants her to succeed in track and in life.

The romance between them was slow brewing which made it more believable and less taboo than most authors have the talent to portray. I was rooting for them the whole way through.

If you like new adult fiction, do yourself a favor and read this one immediately. You won't regret it.

Cross Your Heart by Kierney Scott

Cross Your Heart
by Kierney Scott

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: April 25, 2018
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Three young girls are missing. All of them cold cases. All of them forgotten. But when Detective Jess Bishop identifies a disturbing link between them, she’s determined to find out what happened, and fights to re-open their cases. At the scene of each abduction the kidnapper left a clue – a small bag of candy – in place of the missing child. And then a fourth child is taken. Eight-year-old Ava is snatched from her hospital bed and when a bag of candy is found in her room, Jessica knows it’s the same kidnapper. As the pressure to solve the case pushes Jess and her team to breaking point, Jess takes a personal risk she fears she’ll live to regret. But she has no choice. Out of hospital, Ava can only get sicker: Jess is running out of time. Can she find Ava before it’s too late?

I typically like thrillers about detective work, cold cases, missing persons, and protagonists with a past. This book had all of those elements, so I was looking forward to reading it.

Immediately, I felt as if I should have read Book 1 in the series prior to reading the Book 2. I received this one as an ARC and was slightly confused about the references to the first installment, including what exactly happened to Detective Bishop to cause the mutilation to her hand. The author mentioned she cut it on glass while trying to escape from the perpetrator in the first book, but it was very foggy and unclear. I would have liked more of an explanation to tie it to her issues of PTSD in present day.

While she was on leave from her injuries, Det. Bishop spent time looking over cold case files. She found 3 cases in which there was a common denominator: blue cotton candy under the fingernails of the deceased children. Predictably, upon her return to work, none of her colleagues believe there is a serial killer out there targeting children by giving them blue cotton candy. Even more predictably, the next day, a fourth child is taken and blue cotton candy is found at the scene.

With those obvious issues with the beginning of the story, I was tempted to stop reading. I was worried that the plot would be transparent and wouldn't keep my interest. However, I pressed on.

Ultimately, I never saw the ending coming. The identity of the killer was surprising and unique. I enjoyed that twist.

While I found the story driven and surprising, I only gave this 3.5 stars as I don't think I'll be reading any more books in the series. I fear I'd have to go back and read the first one in order to really know what's going on in the overall arc.

It's Been Awhile . . .

Life has been a bit dramatic the last 2 years. I haven't been reading as much as usual, because I've been focusing on things like mental health and my eating disorder. Fun stuff. Although I'm not going to review them, I am going to list the books I've read with a few short comments on them for your reading pleasure. I promise to review my next read.

1. The Wall by Mary Roberts Rinehart - The house called Sunset has been Marcia’s summer home for her entire life. Both of her parents died there, and she and her brother spent their youth exploring its rambling hallways and seaside grounds. They love the old house, but Marcia’s sister-in-law has never taken to it. Juliette loathes the sea, and soon comes to loathe her husband, as well. After they divorce, Juliette pays a final visit to Sunset, demanding alimony. She is there for a few tense days before she disappears. It takes them a week to find her body.

The peace at Sunset has been shattered, and Marcia must work quickly to keep her beloved childhood home from being forever spoiled. Somewhere in the creaky old mansion, a murderer lurks. Will Marcia be accused of the crime? Or will she be the next victim? 

Mary Roberts Rinehart was to mystery novels in America what Agatha Christie was to mystery novels in the UK, however, MRR published 14 years prior to AC's first book. This book was easy to follow (another of hers which I read first and will post below was a tad confusing), and I highly recommend it if you enjoy AC. You can even download ALL of Mary's books for .99 cents on Amazon (which I recently did) here (no affiliate link).

2. The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart - As far as Carol Spencer is concerned, the war has spoiled everything. She and Don had been engaged for years and were on the verge of marriage when he was shot down in the South Pacific, leaving Carol on the verge of spinsterhood at twenty-four. She wants to take some kind of job in the war effort, but her invalid mother demands that Carol accompany her to the family’s summer home in Maine. But when they arrive at the faded mansion, they find it completely locked up. The servants are gone, the lights are dark—and there is a body in the closet.

There is a killer on the grounds of the abandoned Spencer estate, and the police believe it is Carol. As war rages across the seas, Carol Spencer fights a private battle of her own—to prove her own innocence, and to save her mother’s life. 

This was the first book of MRR's I read and as I stated above, I found it a bit confusing at times. I felt like I was missing something. Characters often seemed to appear in two places at once which I couldn't understand. Maybe it was just me, because as I said, I've been a bit out of it for 2 years. I still recommend this one, however. It's only $1.99 on Amazon at the moment.

3. White Bird in a Blizzard by Laura Kasischke - When Katrina Connors' mother walks out on her family one frigid January day, Kat is surprised but not shocked; the whole year she has been "becoming sixteen"—falling in love with the boy next door, shedding her baby fat, discovering sex—her mother has slowly been withdrawing. As Kat and her father pick up the pieces of their daily life, she finds herself curiously unaffected by her mother's absence. But in dreams that become too real to ignore, she's haunted by her mother's cries for help. . . .

I got this book from the library soon after it first came out in 1999. I was all of 21/22 at the time, and something about this book really struck me. I'd been wanting to re-read it for some time, but could never remember the name of it. I finally figured it out when I found the movie version on Netflix starring Shailene Woodley. It was a horrible movie. Don't watch it. I did decide to re-read it. Although it didn't strike me in the same way that it did almost 20 years ago, it was still a solid read. I'd recommend it for anyone who likes interesting coming-of-age stories. It's not always an easy one to swallow, but it says important things about family dynamics.

4. Emma in the Night - by Wendy Walker - One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime.

The ending was definitely a twist for me. I did suspect one part of it for a long time, but the way in which the ending occurred was not what I predicted at all. I like stories of missing people returned and things of that nature. I watch a lot of ID channel. If you like that type of mystery, you'll enjoy this.

5. The Killing: Uncommon Denominator by Karen Dionne - When firefighters respond to a suspected meth explosion at a trailer park, they discover a man's body, unburned but with terrible head wounds. Meanwhile, another man is discovered in a shipping container at the Port of Seattle, shot execution-style. For Homicide Detective Sarah Linden, two cases soon become one, and she must unravel a complex web of addiction, greed, and betrayal to reveal the killer.

This is a prequel to the TV show The Killing (all seasons can be found on Netflix). Loved the show and I wanted to read this book. It gave a bit of incite as to how Linden and Holder became who they were by the first episode of the first season. If you've ever seen the show, you'll want to read this gem!

The Weight of Lies by Emily Carpenter

The Weight of Lies

by Emily Carpenter
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Published by: Lake Union Publishing Publish Date: June 6, 2017
Genre & Subject Matter: Women's Fiction,
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reformed party girl Meg Ashley leads a life of privilege, thanks to a bestselling horror novel her mother wrote decades ago. But Meg knows that the glow of their very public life hides a darker reality of lies, manipulation, and the heartbreak of her own solitary childhood. Desperate to break free of her mother, Meg accepts a proposal to write a scandalous, tell-all memoir.

Digging into the past—and her mother’s cult classic—draws Meg to Bonny Island, Georgia, and an unusual woman said to be the inspiration for the book. At first island life seems idyllic, but as Meg starts to ask tough questions, disturbing revelations come to light…including some about her mother.

Soon Meg’s search leads her to question the facts of a decades-old murder. She’s warned to leave it alone, but as the lies pile up, Meg knows she’s getting close to finding a murderer. When her own life is threatened, Meg realizes the darkness found in her mother’s book is nothing compared to the chilling truth that lurks off the page.

It's been quite awhile since I've reviewed a book on here, but after spending a frenzied, sleepless day and night poring over Emily Carpenter's second offering, I just had to get my thoughts down on paper. The Weight of Lies was quite a ride!

Emily Carpenter knows how to tackle a doozy of a tale. She appears to plot rigorously before settling into writing, making sure there are well-hidden clues throughout the piece that make the end all the more satisfying.

This book goes back and forth between sections of a book called Kitten, written by main character Meg's mother, Frances Ashley, and the present-day. Meg's mother wrote the book based on a real life murder that took place on Bonny Island where Frances spent a summer when she was nineteen. The character of Kitten is even based on a little girl named Dorothy whose father owned the hotel at the time.

As the fortieth anniversary of the best seller looms on the horizon, a book editor approaches Meg to write a tell-all about her tortured life with her mother, a Mommie Dearest-type. Meg's early twenty-something angst takes over and she agrees to share her childhood with the Kitten Cult readers. In order to learn more about her mother's time on island, she contacts adult Dorothy ("Doro"), who now owns the hotel, and descends on the island, eager to learn everything she can about what truly happened back in the 1970's. Was Doro truly the murderer as the book and Kitten Cultists suspect, or was it Frances herself? The deeper Meg descends into the mystery, sorting fact from fiction, the more she discovers about her mother and about herself.

The characters of Meg, Frances and Doro aren't short on dimension. Their mannerisms, back histories and the way they intertwine are all satisfyingly explored in the book. I loved that each chapter started with a paragraph from the book, Kitten, giving the reader a glimpse of the fictional account of the events surrounding the murder. Present-day events soon followed, giving the reader more pieces of the puzzle, sometimes contradictory to the information in Kitten. It truly is a Who-Dunnit until the very end, although I suspected things weren't as natural as they seemed with one of the characters.

I felt that the author tried to fit in too many twists involving too many characters. Almost every single character in the story had some kind of unknown-to-the-reader motive for being on Bonny Island. In my opinion, Koa's, in particular, seemed a bit of a stretch and without a ton of explanation, as did Koa as a character. He was very 1-dimensional. At the end of the book, you know what his goal in coming to the island was, but it didn't have a strong hold on me. There needed to be more depth to that storyline.

A couple of things were a bit far-reaching, like the lead poisoning, but I liked the book so much to gloss over those parts.

I've put a SPOILER warning on the information below the break. The plot will not be revealed, however reading below will give you one piece of insignificant information about two of the characters. I just wanted to mention my dislike.

Ten Below Zero

Ten Below Zero
by Whitney Barbetti
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Published by: Whitney Barbetti Publish Date: August 25, 2014
Genre & Subject Matter: NA, Cancer, Female being Attacked
Rating: 5 Stars
My name is Parker. My body is marked with scars from an attack I don’t remember. I’m indifferent to everything, everyone. The only emotion I feel with any kind of depth is annoyance, and I feel it often.

A text message sent to the wrong number proves to be my undoing.

His name is Everett, but I call him rude. He’s pushy, he’s arrogant, he crowds my personal space, and worst of all: he makes me feel. He chooses to wear all black, all the time, as if he’s waiting to attend a funeral. Probably because he is.

Everett is dying. And he’s spending his final days living, truly living. In doing so, he’s forcing me to feel, to heal. To come face to face with the demons I suppressed in my memory.

He hurts me, he fulfills me, he completes me. And still, he's dying.

This is my new favorite author! I have no idea how I ran across this book on Amazon, but I'm SO GLAD I took a chance on it in spite of it's foreshadowed end. This is literally the only book that's ever made me cry, yet I can't sing its praises enough!

We've all read books with the "terminal illness" trope and/or the "broken people who overcome things" trope, and hopefully, we're all ready to read a fresh and uncharted version of those. That's what Ten Below Zero is. While those are strong themes in the story, they are by no means the reason that this story resonates. The realistic characters and the journey they embark on that shaped this book in a way that no other has for me.

Parker has blocked out the terrible incident that caused her scars. In order to maintain that wall, she's turned off all of her emotions and is simply surviving instead of living. I completely identify with her, and not just because I've had my own attack experience. The author made me identify with her character through her carefully chosen words and descriptions of Parker.

Everett has a terminal illness and is choosing to fully live until the end. He's in the exact opposite place than Parker, and after a wrong number on his part and an impulsive move on hers, he is determined to show her how to feel and how to live.

The two set off for a road trip, Everett's last hurrah. Will Parker thaw? Will Everett find what he's looking for? You'll have to read to see. I do not want to give away any spoilers as it is best to let the story unfold naturally for the reader.

Let me know if you've read this one!

Flat Out Celeste by Jessica Park

Flat Out Celeste
by Jessica Park
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Published by: Create Space Publish Date: May 22, 2014
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.5 Stars
For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation. But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe. Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him. Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED Flat Out Love by Jessica Park, and have had this follow-up on my TBR pile for awhile. I finally got the chance to sit down and read it. I was not disappointed.

Jessica Park has a knack for making her characters seem like people I know in real life. I know a lot of people write things like that in their reviews, but I REALLY mean this. I feel like I could hang out with Celeste or Matt or Justin and feel comfortable with them. Celeste likely has Aspergers while Justin has some type of ADHD. She brings a natural calm to him, and he accepts her for who she is. Matt and Julie of Flat Out Love also make an appearance. I won't go into too much detail as reading it is much more gratifying than the review I'm writing. I just can't do Jessica Park's books justice.

Just a Bit Wrong by Alessandra Hazard

Just a Bit Wrong
by Alessandra Hazard

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: September 14, 2015
Genre: M/M Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 Stars
Zach Hardaway is one of the best physiotherapists in Europe.
Tristan DuVal is a young soccer star with a groin injury.
They despise each other from the moment they meet.

As far as Zach is concerned, Tristan is a rich, spoiled brat who is too used to getting his own way. 

As far as Tristan is concerned, Zach is a bossy, presumptuous jerk. Tristan hates Zach. He does. The problem is, he also wants to shove Zach against the nearest wall and climb him like a tree.

As soon as I finished reading Book 2 in the Straight Guys series by this author, I went right on to this one. I skipped #3 because I wasn't sure if it was healthy for me to read, but since the same characters overlap in this book and in Book #5, I think I will go back and read it.

The characters in this book could not be more different. Zach is straight in every way - straight-edged personality (or so he portrays), straight to the point physiotherapy, and someone who doesn't like games. Tristan, on the other hand, is a spoiled brat who gets off on manipulating people until he has no friends or family. He can certainly be annoying and a handful, but he was a well-written character.

While Zach and Tristan do get their HEA, there is a lot of depth to this book. We learn some about Tristan's background in this novel, but in the next (that I'm currently reading), we learn much, much more about why Tristan is the way he is. This is a stand alone novel, but I would keep reading to learn as much about these characters as you can.

The only thing negative I have to say about the series is that I don't like any of the book covers.

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

From the Broke & the Bookish
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Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

1. Yours Truly by Annabel Pitcher - Zoe has an unconventional pen pal -- Mr. Stuart Harris, a Texas Death Row inmate and convicted murderer. But that's okay, because Zoe has an unconventional story to tell. A story about how she fell for two boys, betrayed one of them, and killed the other.

2. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - A novel about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmother’s fairy tales.

3. The Truth Commission by Susan Juby - A story about easy truths, hard truths, and those things best left unsaid.

4. Left Drowning by Jessica Park - (Or anything by her, really!) What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?

5. Hot Head by Damon Suede - Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181, Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish.

6. Seven Letters from Paris: A Memoir by Samantha Verant - At age 40, Samantha Verant's life is falling apart-she's jobless, in debt, and feeling stuck... until she stumbles upon seven old love letters from Jean-Luc, the sexy Frenchman she'd met in Paris when she was 19. With a quick Google search, she finds him, and both are quick to realize that the passion they felt 20 years prior hasn't faded with time and distance.

7. Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagen - During the summer of 1968 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, eleven-year- old Shenandoah Carmody's mother disappeared. Her twin sister, Woody, stopped speaking, and her once-loving father slipped into a mean drunkenness unbefitting a superior court judge. As the first anniversary of their mother's disappearance nears, her father's threat to send Woody away and his hints at an impending remarriage spur a desperate Shenny to find her mother-before it's too late.

8. Jane and Austen by Stephanie Fowers - Meet Jane and Austen. First there's Jane—an impractical, starry-eyed wedding planner; if love can’t match what she’s read in a book, she doesn’t want it. And then there’s Austen—a pragmatic, logical-to-a-fault financial consultant; even if he were interested in someone, he wouldn’t know.

9. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma - Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As de facto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love.

10. Sneaking Candy by Lisa Burstein - A graduate student by day, an erotic romance author by night, a forbidden attraction I can't deny...

Just a Bit Obsessed (Straight Guys Series Book 2) by Alessandra Hazard

Just a Bit Obsessed
by Alessandra Hazard

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: December 4, 2014
Genre: M/M Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 Stars
Alexander Sheldon likes order and control in his life. He isn’t happy when his girlfriend invites another guy for a threesome. Alexander believes in monogamy, and he’s never been good at sharing his things. It doesn’t help that Christian rubs him the wrong way from the beginning.

But what starts as animosity turns into something else. Something unexpected and very wrong.

He was never supposed to touch Christian. He was never supposed to feel possessive of the guy. And he most definitely wasn’t supposed to want Christian more than he wants his girlfriend.

It’s a recipe for disaster.

I stumbled on this book quite by accident on Amazon, but I've found that my straight-girl-self totally likes M/M romances. It sounded interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try. I wasn't disappointed.

Before buying it on Amazon, I noticed that it was only 160 pages long. I usually don't read books that short, but was pushed into buying it by all of the fabulous reviews. I quickly learned that the author has an incredible knack for getting right to the point. As a wordy-writer myself, I am always trying to lighten up my writing - just say what I need to say. This author did just that - and very effectively at that!

The beginning of the book gets right into the storyline. There's really no need for background on Alexander, Mila or Christian because the author lets that come out naturally as the story plays out. It was quite refreshing. I don't really want to post spoilers and I feel if I keep reviewing the book, I will give things away. I will say, there is definitely a HEA and 5 more books in the series. I'm definitely going to read another one right away.

More Than Comics by Elizabeth Briggs

More Than Comics
by Elizabeth Briggs

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Published by:  Elizabeth Briggs Publish Date: February 23, 2015
Genre: NA, Romance
Rating: 4.5 Stars
NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

They're best friends online - but can they be more in real life?

Writer Tara McFadden has been best friends with artist and drummer Hector Fernandez for years, long before his band became famous on reality TV – yet they’ve never met in person. They finally have a chance to connect offline when they’re both sent to Comic-Con to promote the graphic novel they collaborated on.

Hector's secretly been in love with Tara for as long as he can remember, and once they meet, she sees him in a new light. All the years of longing lead to an incredible night of passion after one of his concerts, but neither is sure if their online relationship can translate into a real life romance – or if this will ruin their friendship forever.

Over four crazy days at Comic-Con, Hector and Tara must decide if they want a future together. But when their story seems to be over, it’s up to Hector’s entire band to make sure he and Tara get their happy ending.

I was privileged to review More Than Music by Elizabeth Briggs earlier in the year, so I jumped at the chance to read this novel as well. I'm so glad that I did!

I, myself, have met quite a few online friends in real life. I've had some good experiences and two really horrible experiences that literally changed my life forever, yet, the concept of this novel really intrigued me. Although I don't let it show, I think I'm a romantic at heart and really wanted to read a happy ending to the internet friends to real life situation. I was very pleased with how this book arced.

The setting was Comic-Con, something I don't know much about in real life, but I really enjoyed the way the author laid it out. It was the perfect setting and time period (4 days) to give the main characters time to adjust to one another in person, and also create background detail. It was rather brilliant.

Tara had absolutely no idea that she liked Hector as more than a friend, but as she thought about it, she realized that he was the first person she thought of every day, the person she talked to every day and the person she told her secrets too. Perhaps she had been in love with him the entire time, but just didn't know it.

I really liked Hector. He wasn't your typical white alpha male main character and it was refreshing. Although he was a softie on the inside, he was a man of few words on the outside. You never really knew what he was thinking. His band of friends (pun intended) were like a family to him and pushed him out of his comfort zone to get him to go for what he truly wanted.

Overall, the plot arc had a depth that you don't usually find in the new adult genre. The main characters, as well as the peripheral characters, were well-defined and unique to furthering along the story in their own way. Everyone had an integral part in the joining of Tara and Hector. I'm definitely game for reading the next book in the series!

TTT: Top 5 Best Books I Read in 2015

From the Broke & the Bookish
I'm a new book blogger, so please follow me!

On 4/6/15 I traded in my Swagbucks for a $100 Amazon Gift Card. No lie. LOVE LOVE Swagbucks!! Join here or read below for more information!

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5 Best Books I Read in 2015
For NA:

Prick: A Stepbrother Romance by Sabrina Paige - HEA for young adults is sometimes hard for me to swallow, but this author made it feel realistic. It was HOT.

Schooled by Piper Lawson - I'm reading the second book now! Lex is a smart, interesting MC who falls, though she tries not to, for her best friend's little brother Dylan. It was well-written and made me want to read more by this author!

Everything Has Changed by Mia Kayla - Atypical of NA, this wasn't a hot and heavy book, but rather a natural journey showing two people who know each other so well but are so close that they can't actually see that the other loves them as more than a friend. Worth the read.


Memoir:

The Reluctant Psychic by Suzan Saxman & Perdita Finn - While there were times that I really couldn't identify with the things Suzan was into, including the men she was interested in, the book showed her natural journey to self-discovery as an oracle and finding her place in the world. It was grounded, which I wasn't expecting.


Thriller/Mystery

Sparrow 59 by Devon Ashley - I'm pretty much dying for the 2nd book to come out! It was labeled "The Bourne Identity meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith for the new adult crowd," and I loved every second of it!

Cannon by Sabrina Paige

Cannon
by Sabrina Paige

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: May 31, 2015
Genre: NA, Step-Siblings
Rating: 4 Stars
You might think you've heard every story of forbidden love. But you haven't heard ours. Hendrix "Cannon" Cole is a damaged, sexy-as-hell ex-Marine. And he's my stepbrother. I'm a country singer in the spotlight. Our history is complicated. I used to hate him. Then I loved him. Then I hated him again. When he joined the Marines five years ago, I thought he was gone forever. Now he's back. I have everything to lose. He has nothing left. The heat between us is explosive. And both of us may wind up getting burned.

This is my third stepbrother novel by Sabrina Paige, having read Prick and Tool before. I wasn't a super fan of Tool, but am glad I tried Cannon because I really enjoyed it.

I didn't really believe the opening situation in which Hedrix and Addison found themselves in. It seemed like a flimsy excuse to put these two together. Addison is caught in tabloid photos hanging around other VIPs who are drinking and doing drugs, although Addison herself wasn't partaking. Her parents then decided that her stepbrother Hendrix, a former marine, would be her bodyguard aka the person who would keep her reputation on the straight and narrow. It just didn't ring true for me since Addison wasn't even doing anything wrong.

That said, the heat and push-pull between Hendrix and Addison was spot-on. I wanted to see them get together. Each character was well fleshed out and someone I cared about. I'll definitely read Sabrina's fourth book in the series next.

Tool by Sabrina Paige

Tool
by Sabrina Paige

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: April 3, 2015
Genre: NA, Step-Siblings
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Gaige O’Neal is nicknamed “Tool” because of what he’s packing. Rumor is that he’s well equipped. He’s a cocky, entitled, insufferable jerk who’s as reckless with women as he is with that stupid motorcycle he races. It's been four years since I've seen him. Four years ago, he was the bane of my existence. And my best friend, my biggest confidant, my first love. My stepbrother. It’s just my luck that the first time I see him in four years, he’s buried beneath three scantily clad blondes. Now I’m stuck here under the same roof with him while he recovers from a racing injury. An injury that clearly hasn’t affected the use of his tool. The problem is, as much as I despise him, I just can’t help myself. I want to find out what kind of tool he's working with.

As soon as I finished Prick by Sabrina Bailey, I immediately bought the second book in her stepbrothers series, hoping for older characters and just-as-hot chemistry as Prick brought to the table. I was a tad disappointed in Tool.

Gaige was engaging, cocky, and sexy-as-hell with a Southern drawl on top instead of a cherry. He was commanding in the bedroom and and in everyday life. Loved him.

Delaney, his stepsister, was quite another story. She really had no personality, no "oomph" if you will. She felt like a piece of dry toast to me and I was never sure why Gaige wanted her over the other women he had access to. I just didn't feel like the author really fleshed out this character. I wanted more.

Despite the fact that I didn't love this book, I did buy the next one, Cannon, which I will review next.

Book Subscription Boxes for the Book Lover!

I'm vaguely in love with reading as well as fun, monthly subscription boxes. What's not to love? I thought I'd post a few options to send to your favorite book-lover or even yourself!! Post this on Facebook and say "hint hint" . . . Maybe someone you love will send you one. :)

Once Upon a Bookcase

Choose your MONTHLY plan... phone size...and style! Either way, we have you "Covered". $26 per month

Each Book Box includes a different style phone case with a small gift such as a necklace, notepad bookmark etc. Along with a 5" x 7" quote print.
Valued at $50 per box
Fashionable Bookish accessories
Phone cases for men and women!!
Choose your style!

Book Riot YA

The Subscription Box: Book Riot YA QUARTERLY Box
The Cost: $50 a box + shipping (ships every quarter)
The Products: At least 2 YA books in every box plus book-ish goodies. (No overlap with the original Book Riot Quarterly box).
Ships to: US and International

Muse Monthly

As the only subscription box of its kind, Muse Monthly delivers a unique experience for lovers of literature and tea. Every month, you will get a new novel and a full box or tin of tea on your doorstep! So go ahead: curl up and enjoy! $21 per MONTH

Average value of $40
Full size tea tins
Newly published novels (occasionally hardback!)
Great community and customer service

Prudence & the Crow

$27.57 per MONTH - Starting on the 13th of every month we send out exciting book boxes to our wonderful subscribers containing a vintage paperback book, a handmade book bag, a library card to catalogue their growing collection and added surprises!

Lit Cube

A MONTHLY subscription box that contains bookish items, including a t-shirt! $34.99 per month including tax! The December box's theme is Mr. Grinch.

The Bookworm Box

Get 2 autographed books + bookish items each month! I'm not sure on the pricing.

The Book(ish) Box

Every box includes a t-shirt in your size from Appraising Pages Shop, and 3-5 items. Each box has a cute theme & will feature new small shops. Expect to see home, beauty, and fashion items with the geeky, but stylish lady in mind. $29.99 per MONTH.

2016 Inspiration, Guidance & Accountability from Leonie Dawson!

Need inspiration, guidance, and accountability for your life or business in 2016? I highly recommend Leonie Dawson​'s 2016 Shining Life & Biz products! I get one every year.

You can choose either the Shining Life system or the Biz System . . . or Both! If you so choose, please use my affiliate link. :)

Here is a screenshot from my 2014 Shining Life Workbook. It's 100 Things I wanted to accomplish that year.

Here's a screenshot from my Biz Workbook:

CLICK HERE to learn more about your 2016 SHINING YEAR!

Prick by Sabrina Bailey

Prick
by Sabrina Paige

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Published by: Amazon Digital Publish Date: February 10, 2015
Genre: NA, HOTT, Step-Siblings
Rating: 4.25 Stars
Caulter Sterling is a prick. A filthy-mouthed, womanizing, crude, spoiled, arrogant prick. The tattooed, pierced, ridiculously hot son of a celebrity. I hate him. He's slept his way through practically every girl at Brighton Academy. Except for me. I'm the good girl. The responsible girl. The 4.0, class president, studied-so-much-she-never-lost-the-big-V girl. And in celebration of graduation and adulthood, I just made the worst decision in the history of ever. I lost my V-card to the devil himself. It was just one night. So what if it was mind-blowing? Hit it and quit it. Except I just found out that my father - the Senator, the Presidential hopeful - is marrying Caulter's mother. Oh, and this summer? We're hitting the campaign trail. One big happy family. I'm totally screwed.

The ONLY reason I gave this book 4.25 stars and not higher was the fact that the MCs are only 18 years old. I'm kind of over the "high school kids falling into forever love" thing (I'm an old lady of 38). It's just not realistic for me, HOWEVER, besides the tiny fact that these two are young (and sound young) this book was HOT HOT HOT! I love the step-siblings trope, loved the push and pull of Caulter and Kate, loved that they hated to love each other, and actually loved that the ending happened the way it did. It made things a bit more realistic for me. HEA of young adults is hard to swallow sometimes, but the author did a great job of making it believable and making me glad it actually happened for them.

The author has 3 more stepbrother books out there and I already ordered the next one! The others seem to have older characters, so I'm hoping I'll just love those even more! :)

No One Knows by JT Ellison

No One Knows
by JT Ellison

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Published by: Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books Publish Date: March 22, 2016
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Rating: 3 Stars
NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The day Aubrey Hamilton’s husband is declared dead by the state of Tennessee should bring closure so she can move on with her life. But Aubrey doesn’t want to move on. She just wants Josh back. It’s been five years since he disappeared, since their blissfully happy marriage—they were happy, weren’t they?—screeched to a halt and Aubrey became the prime suspect in his disappearance. Five years of emptiness, solitude, loneliness, questions. Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Who anonymously sent Aubrey her favorite cocktail at the bar where Josh stood her up? Was he murdered? Did he run away? And now, all this time later, who is the mysterious and strangely familiar figure suddenly haunting her new life?

As her heroine faces the possibility that everything she thinks she knows about herself, her marriage, and her husband is a lie, New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison expertly peels back the layers of a complex woman who is hiding dark secrets beneath her unassuming exterior. In a masterful thriller for readers who love Gillian Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and Paula Hawkins, Ellison pulls you into a you’ll-never-guess merry-go-round of danger and deception. Round and round and round it goes, where it stops…no one knows.

This is a hard book to review. I thought the book was well-written overall, the 3-dimensional characters, the conflict among them viable, and the mystery that kept me interested. I won't say anything more as I don't want to give anything away. For my taste, then end was . . . well . . . a little too Gillian Flynn Gone Girl for me. It seemed rushed, and while their were clues along the way that vaguely explained what happens to Aubrey at the end, I just didn't buy it. I didn't buy any of it. You'll have to read and decide yourself.