"Arkansas" by Christine Lynxwiler

"The four McFadden brothers put their lives-and love-on the line. When Jake sees Brandi Delaney stranded in a rushing stream, he knows he has to save her. Will his act of mercy change both their lives? Clint is compelled to rescue Jessa Sykes from a burning cabin. Will his heart get singed in the process? Holt is attracted to Megan Watson, a woman struggling to atone for her dead husband's crimes. Will her ugly past ruin Holt's political career? Cade is asked to help Annalisa Davis find her sister. If Cade takes the case, will he lose his heart? Dare these Ozark Mountain brothers risk their hearts for love?"

One of the things I love about my mom-in-law is that she is one of a small group of people that reads more than I do. Her stash of paperbacks puts my collection to shame and then some. This is handy though since it's like having a personal library with no due dates or late fees. On my most recent visit, I found this book on my nightstand and was thankful for it since I had forgotten my nook. 

Arkansas is actually a collection of 4 books with each one focusing on one of the McFadden brothers. I loved that it was Christian Romance so there wasn't anything scandalous going on. It was very Betty Neels-esque but in a more modern world. I also loved that the characters pretty much popped up in all the books so by the time you finish the last one, you have seen the family grow from just the 4 boys to this massive extended family. And while I've seen some people complain about not liking the girls, I'll agree that they can be pretty stupid sometimes. However, if they did have their head on straight, each book would only be like 5 pages long and that's no fun!

I definitely recommend this book. It's not super exciting or anything spectacular, but every now and again, you need what my mom-in-law calls "Brain Dump Books." Totally predictable books that don't take any brain power and can let you just escape into a simpler world. See if you can find it at the library or a used book store :)

Summer Resolutions

Along with a million other things I have on my to-do list, I really want to get back to reviewing all these books that I have been reading. I have found quite a few gems out there and they deserve some good reviews! I've also started a bad (for me) habit of reading multiple books at once. Currently I'm working on "The Forgotten Locket" by Lisa Mangum (my solid book) and "City of Lost Souls" by Cassandra Clare (my nook book). Then I went and requested from the library and should be getting Tuesday both "Destined" by Aprilynne Pike and "Of Poseidon" by Anna Banks. Since they will be due in 3 weeks, they'll jump to the top of the reading line. I'm incredibly excited about "Of Poseidon" because I just spent the past half hour or so reading the Google Preview on Goodreads and now I need to know what happens next!!! I'm hoping I can get into "Destined" pretty quickly. I think it has been since last summer in Hobbs that I read the previous books in the series. Finally, I really want to finish "City of Lost Souls" because I have no idea where the story is going, and judging by what has happened in Clare's other books, there is no way I can guess until the very end. And by then, it's not guessing anyways.

Wish me luck!

September?

So... I don't know what happened to September.

Well maybe I do... A lot a lot has been going on and while I have been reading a TON - I definitely have not been posting reviews. When we get done with all this moving and other nonsense, there will be a blogging overload :-)

"The Silent Governess" by Julie Klassen

on Goodreads

"Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret.

She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything--his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears."

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I was browsing the library when I came across this little gem. Yet again, Julie Klassen was able to create a unique story with plenty of twists and turns. What I love most about her books is how well she develops her characters. You really get to know Olivia and Edward and don't have to fill in the blanks in your head. It wasn't at heart wrenching as "Lady of Milkweed Manor" but it was still moving. Definitely recommend, even if you're not yet a fan of Historical Fiction/Romance. 

Main Character: Sweet, Intelligent, Feisty, and Loyal, Olivia Keene is an excellent main character. You really get to know and understand her which is what pulls you in and doesn't let you put the book down until it is finished.

Love Interest: He's a bit like Mr. Darcy at first. He's always so hostile and rarely smiles but as the story unfolds, you finally see bits of his softer side. Also very loyal to family, he kept assuming the worst about Olivia. The story is equal parts about Edward as it is Olivia. 

The Romance: At first you wonder if there will ever be a romance in the story, but don't worry - it will come. Julie Klassen takes great care of her characters and while dragging them through heartache a few times, she makes sure that they end up in a happy place.

The Mystery: So so good! I could guess the secret near the beginning, but the depths of the secret will amaze you. I wonder if she had to write the book in reverse so that all of those plot twists would make sense....

Ending: Absolutely fantastic. I almost cried, but don't let that discourage you.

Overall Opinion: I loved it! Can't wait for her next book to be released! It also makes me want to go back and reread two of her other books I have on my nook. 

"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

@ BN

"Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?"

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This was another book that I was hesitant about reading. However, after reading quite a few awesome reviews and finding it at the library (the library!!!!) I gave it a shot. Anna wants to be a film critic, and I wish I could find where they say it so I can quote it exactly, but the gist of it is that females aren't good critics because they're too soft. So she wants to be this awesome film critic some day that people take seriously. I might have been a bit soft on some of these books, but no more! So "Anna and the French Kiss", are you ready for my incredibly fierce review???

I LOVED IT! Holy cow. In all seriousness I really really did. Right up there with "The Lady of Milkweed Manor" and "North of Beautiful". I'm trying to develop a format for reviewing so I make sure I give each book a thorough review. Lemme know what you think and if there are any other spots I should touch on.

Main Character: Anna! Annabel is easy to relate to. She gets yanked out of her life in Atlanta and transplanted to SOAP (School of America in Paris). She's awkward and nervous and almost starves until she learns the foods in french. I really like that she has some standards too. I don't like it when the main girls have super sassy attitudes with swear words flying everywhere and icky nasty trash for thoughts. Anna was perfect. I felt like I knew her character really well and I went on her emotional roller coaster with her. Well done Stephanie!

Love Interest: St. Clair was a good pick. I really like that he was flawed according to society. He's kinda short, doesn't have the perfect teeth, and is ridiculously afraid of heights. Add in his current girlfriend and dad and their screwed up relationships, and you really feel like this is a real guy. He screws up a lot, but he makes up for it.

The Romance: I hate it when they fall in love instantly and you can't see how or why. I also hate it when they take forever and 5 years to realize they have a thing for each other (Hermione & Ron....). Anna & St. Clair have it perfect. They develop their friend side which I think is really important because it gives them a strong foundation to be all romantic later on. Well looks like it's time to quit talking at risk of spoilers...

Ending: Very happy :)

Overall Opinion: Go get it! It's funny, sad, sweet, and angry at one point or another. I definitely want to add this to my collection.

"North of Beautiful" by Justina Chen Headley

@ BN

"As he continued to stare, I wanted to point to my cheek and remind him, But you were the one who wanted this, remember? You're the one who asked-and I repeat-Why not fix your face?

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

Written in lively, artful prose, award-winning author Justina Chen Headley has woven together a powerful novel about a fractured family, falling in love, travel, and the meaning of true beauty"

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Wow.

Hands down, this book is in my top 3 of favorite books I've read this year. It has everything a good book needs. Major obstacles, character transformation, love, adventure, and empowerment. 

Justina knows how to build a character and make you feel like you are Terra, birth defect and all. I wanted to protect her mom, I wanted to knock her dad's lights out, and I wanted to ditch the loser she calls her boyfriend for the goth who sees her how she is. 

My only warning is to not start this book if you have anything important coming up. Luckily I started this Thursday night, had a slow Friday, and a lazy Saturday. I would have gone nuts if I started it next week when I'll only have a spare hour each day (if that even) to read. 

I love, love, love this book. I want to buy it. In hardcover even. That's how much I love it. The strange thing is that even though the story is about Terra, and it's a pretty awesome story for her, I felt this story belonged equal parts to her mom. Also, watch out for the end. You will probably cry, even if it is only a few tears. At the very least, you will get all sentimental and choked up. 

I didn't expect to find something so moving in the Young Adult section, but there it was. Picked out for it's neat cover art and simple plot, it turned out to be a read that I will remember for quite some time. 

Go read it. It will make you smile like this :-D

"What Happened to Goodbye" by Sarah Dessen

@ BN

"Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move - four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself - whoever that is. Perhaps her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out. Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading."

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A couple months ago, some book I was buying (I think "13 Little Blue Envelopes") suggested that I might like Sarah Dessen. Well whoever wrote the program behind those little suggestion boxes are stinkin geniuses. She is now in my top favorites along with Julie Klassen and others as I think of them. I bought "Along for the Ride" when in C-Bad and thought it was awesome. When I got to the library here, they had a stash (more than 5 I think), and I've been getting one each time I go. I was about halfway through her collection when I realized a few things seemed familiar. Not only did some of the books happen in the same places, but characters from different books pop up randomly! Apparently these are called "Easter Eggs" and she puts them everywhere. Each book has probably about 8 references. Read them, find them, love them.


Okay, so on to this book. Surprise, surprise, I loved it. In each of Dessen's books, the girl has something going on in her life that really gets her confused. For Mclean, it is her identity. Moving around from place to place gives her the opportunity to be someone else. Yet this time, she's forced to being someone she didn't choose - herself. Both Mclean and Dave were really great characters. Dave is a genuine good kid who helps Mclean get to where she can be who she is and enjoy it. I really loved the ending. Had me at the edge of my seat because I honestly had no idea which way it would turn at the last minute.


This is a definite recommendation whether you get it at the library or shell out the 8 bucks for the paperback. If I have a girl someday, I'm gonna make sure we have Sarah Dessen's works so she can read them and hopefully get some guidance/inspiration through the craziness of high school.