1…2…3 CATFIGHT!

I’m sorry, but with a title like He Belongs with Me doesn’t that just scream cat fight to you?

It sure does to me and it probably doesn’t help that the story behind this book is two twins who realize they may or may not be in love with the same guy.

My thoughts exactly.

Info on the book:

Maggie & Clara Ryder are identical twins who couldn’t be more different. Maggie was the golden girl. Daddy’s sweetheart with a prim and proper mentality, whereas Clara was the rebellious sister who has purple hair and a don’t mess with me attitude.

And then there’s Leo. Sexy, brooding, alcoholic, playboy, heir to his grandfather’s fortune & empire. Leo has always been Maggie’s best friend and Clara’s arch nemesis. However, everything changes when one night, a terrible date, tears & and a ‘high’ speed golf cart intertwine and Clara ends up realizing that maybe Leo isn’t entirely who she thought he was.

So begins the catalyst for events that will pit Maggie and Clara against each other in a war over who will win the guy’s heart. And what happens when another sexy stranger comes into town who seems all too familiar?

He Belongs with Me <—– Click to Check it out on Goodreads

Things Not Found in the Synposis:

For this book I’m loving…

Alive

by Krewella

Yep, what can I say. This book has such a fun & upbeat read and therefore requires a fun, upbeat song.

“So come on make me feel alive.” la-la-la…

Yeah, I’m not so good of a singer, as you can probably tell even by reading it on the internet. Rest assured I’ll stick with blogging.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars ****-

Let me explain first off that I had the wonderful opportunity to beta-read this book and now it’s being PUBLISHED!!! EEEP! I’m so excited for Sarah Darlington!

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book. It was so light and the tension between the characters was a lot of fun. I found myself siding with one of the twins though and therefore got all defensive when it came to the other one.

Keep your hands off b*tch he’s mine!

I guess one can say I fell into the trap of the title LOL.

Anyways, this book has got a wicked love triangle/square that leaves you laughing, frustrated, breathless and flushed (because not only is there one sexy hero, but two! TWO!). Both Maggie and Clara have their strengths and weakness as characters and reading both perspectives was great since you got to know them as people instead of just characters. You learnt about their motivations, flaws and driving forces. Sarah did a wonderful job at creating two protagonists who were twins, yet had such distinct voices you could tell who was talking without being told.

Love interests: Dean & Leo.

Dean was great. I think he truly meant well with everything that happened and I felt bad for him at times, because I thought he deserved better than what he was getting. Anyways, I’m really really with how things turned out for him.

Leo… oh Leo. What a … sweetheart. Wait. Did I just say ‘sweetheart’ when in the synopsis it sounded like he was an alcoholic douchebag? Yes, yes I did. To find out what I’m talking about… well you’ll have to read it.

So buckle up readers and get ready for a ride that’ll get you riled up with drama, catfights and a whole lot sexiness.

Cheers,

Tianna

An “Easy” Decision

Do you like bad boys?

Do you remember the good ol’ days when you’d obsess over that random guy you’ve never met, but GOD if he wasn’t beautiful to look at?

…. I better not be hearing silence because that would make me a weirdo since I remember those days far too well (the remembering part is most definitely up for interpretation though).

Anyways, this is the story of Jacqueline Wallace and how she stole my dream boy.

LOL I’m just joking. I know Lucas and his sexy lip ring, shaggy hair and piercing eyes are all hers

Moving on…

About the Book:

Jacqueline Wallace made the classic mistake of following her high school boyfriend to college in the mindset that they were each others together for ever.

When he breaks up with her, she’s too busy nursing a broken heart to realize the rest of the world is moving on around her.

One night her best friend convinces her to go to a Halloween Party and she agrees, not realizing it would be the night that would change her life.

While walking to her truck, she’s attacked, but before things get too far, she’s saved by a complete stranger.

From there it was a snowball effect that ended up with her falling in love with the guy who saved her, but in return might need some saving himself.

Easy <—– Click to check it out on Goodreads

What’s Not in the Synopsis…

The song I’m liking is….

Breathe

by Angels and Airwaves

Let me briefly explain. I read this book when it first came out – as in way back when, when it was only three dollars (Best three dollars I’ve ever spent BTW). Anyways, now, how many years later, Lucas’s side of the story is being released (in May. EEEEP!), and I was creeping on Tammara’s Blog and reading a spoiler for Breakable and  – perhaps I’ve gotten ahead of myself – but the vibes of the samples I was reading was screaming for this song! At which point I went, “Well, Tianna, it’s time to write a review for Easy.”

Overall Rating: 5 Stars *****

What can I say, this is one of the first books to introduce me to my favorite genre: New Adult. I loved this book. I loved being able to relate to Jacqueline on normal university girl stuff, from worrying about whether I’d see the hot guy that day to studying none stop for exams, all the while trying to earn some money by working.

I think she was one of the first heroines who didn’t irritate, because she was just so … normal. She wasn’t annoying and Tammara wasn’t trying to shove character traits like “brave” down my throat during times where it didn’t make sense. Instead she showed me Jacqueline was brave. She showed she was a fighter. And not even unrealistically so where she  all of a sudden became some crazy MMA chick, but she just learnt to be smarter and use what she could. I had a lot of respect for her.

And Lucas… oh my. Not only did he have me sitting back and fanning myself because of his sheer sexiness, but his story truly broke my heart. His reactions to some things knocked the air from my lungs and had me devastated for him especially because I felt like Jacqueline and knew things I shouldn’t have.

Anyways, the tension between these two was phenomenal and Ms. Webber writes make-out scenes like no body else’s business. Highly recommended book that deals with fairly mature subject matter without insulting it, but rather making it something that needs to be noticed and dealt with.

Cheers,

Tianna

The Ultimate Tear Jerker

Let me start by saying I am not a crier.

 I do not cry.

But this book… it made me cry. Like a baby.

That’s right, it managed to turn a stone-hearted b*tch into a sobbing pansy in a matter of 300 some pages.

 That… that is a job well done, Lisa De Jong. A job well done. I salute you.

I think I truly had to go through the five stages of grief with book. No joke. I honestly think I did.

I read this book probably way back in October/November of 2013 and still 3/4 months later, I feel the lump in the throat, pang in the chest, emotion crushing, tear inducing sensation that this book continues to haunt me with.

Background on the Book:

One night was all it took for Kate to lose everything.

Ever since she’s been wandering through life in darkness, unable to truly move on or open up to anyone – even her childhood best friend Beau.

When Beau leaves for college, Kate is left on her own to deal with the nightmares always churning in her head. She takes a job at the local to pass her days, and it’s there she meets Asher.

Over time, these two create a bond that helps Kate finally begin to heal and piece herself back together. But Asher has a past and secrets of his own and when they come to light Kate’s world is turned upside down in a way she’d never thought possible.

When It Rains <—- Click here to check it out on Goodreads

Things not Found in the Synposis:

To represent this book I’m liking….

Never Alone

by  Jim Brickman ft. Lady Antebellum

Yeah… not normally a fan of country, but this book was a load of “not normal” for me.

Why this song, well the lyrics to start with. Secondly, the first time I listened to the song while trying to see whether it fit the book, I originally went “Nope”. Mainly because I was like this song is a little too upbeat for something that causes tears. It has too much acceptance and wishful, happiness type thinking. But then I realized you know what? That is the note the book ended on. Just because I was heartbroken and my emotions felt like they’d been put through a cheese grater does not mean there wasn’t a “happy” ending…

So there you go, ta-da! I present Never Alone. 

Overall rating: 5 stars *****

Like I said, I bawled like a baby. To those thinking they can multi-task while reading this book… I wish you luck. I tried, let me tell you. I really did. But you know what? I have tear stains in my marketing textbook. I was crying and I didn’t even know I was crying. I couldn’t leave my house because my face was so splotchy and – god forbid – I try and read it on the bus during my daily commute. Don’t do it my friends… don’t do it.

Anyways, read this book if your looking for a Final Destination style roller coaster of a book. It’ll take you up and up… and on the trip down you’ll crash and burn. LOL I’m just kidding…

To me, it was actually a beautifully written book. Kate’s past was tragic and man, let me tell you, the ride up that rollercoaster was amazing with a breath taking view of everything that represented happiness and love. Asher loves with passion and intensity that translates through the pages in a way that left me feeling like I was Kate. I took part of the journey when Kate began to see life as something with unlimited possibilities and I could feel when she was able to finally let things go.

All I can say is that this story – and it’s characters will stay with me for a very long time. And whenever it rains… Damn it, Asher! 

Cheers,

Tianna

What Do You See When You Look in the Mirror?

I LOVE SUMMER!

… what does that have to do with anything you ask – especially since where I’m from, we are months away from it being summertime, well consider it because this book always reminds me of Summer!

Yes, Sarah Dessen. I’ve read quite a number of her books, and some of them really stuck with me while some of them were just kind of “meh, I was hoping for more.”

Keeping the Moon is one of the few that really stuck with me. I read it when I was fifteen, fell in love with it then… reread it when I’m twenty-one (and let me tell you, I was terrified of ruining a beautiful memory) and I fell in love with it all over again.

Some info on the Book:

Fifteen year old Colie is sentenced to spending the summer in Colby with her quirky, crazy, out there artist Aunt Mira while her mother tours Europe promoting her exercise infomercial.

Colie had never been someone to have any friends – being overweight and teased non-stop makes her leery and introverted even with her new ‘thin’ body. When she gets thrown into working at The Last Chance Cafe she meets two girls Morgan and Isabel who happen to be the best friends with a brutally honest, sometimes rude, but incredibly loving relationship.

With the help of these two woman Colie begins to find herself and realize that maybe it’s not all about what everyone else sees, but what you see when you look in the mirror.

Keeping the Moon <—- Click to find on Goodreads

What’s not in the Synopsis…

The song I like for this book is…

Boats & Birds

by Gregory and the Hawk

Now I read this book for the first time quite awhile ago and while I was reading it I was addicted to this song. So whether this song truly truly fits the book… well I’ll leave that up to you.

I feel that it does because to me it represents loving someone enough to let them go without any form of surety about whether or not they will come back. It’s so sad :(. Now this book isn’t about letting a lover go or anything like that, but it’s about a girl who desperately needs to let go of her own self-esteem issues and truly find her happiness.

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars ****1/2

I loved this book. I loved Isabel. I loved Morgan. I loved Mira. And I absolutely loved Norman. He was such a sweetheart. Their ‘romance’ was adorable and I loved the pace of it. It was so slow and while it fell on the back burner of the book, it really stuck with me.

Through out the book, Colie made decisions that made me angry, but I couldn’t every really get mad at her. She was incredibly human – a young, inexperienced, teenage human. I don’t think a single person reading this blog can say we wouldn’t be somewhat able to related to the things she felt. I know I’ve felt them and while reading about them sometimes gets frustrating (because I swear I was never that age ;)) I truly from the bottom of my heart cannot fault her.

The book was truly a heart warming experience that held appealed to that sense of adventure that I desperately want/wanted. That sense of starting fresh and experiencing new things all while in the setting of a small beach town that reminds you of tourism, sunscreen, beach hair and sand beneath your toes.

Cheers,

Tianna

The Book that Proved a ‘Voice’ is So Much More Than Talking

This is exactly how I felt  reading this book

Holy sh*t, I can’t even describe the rollercoaster my emotions are on right now.

Up. Down. Upside Down. Inside out – and I didn’t even know my emotions could go inside out.

Anyways, back to the point of the post. Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan. If your a fan of NA reading and on Goodreads, I’m sure at least one of your friends is bound to have posted this in their TBR list – and if they haven’t, well then you should start the domino effect. This book was… WOW! I’m having a hard time getting rid of the weight in my chest.

Archer’s Voice on Goodreads <—– Click here to check it out

Some Background on the Book:

Bree Prescott is a girl with a past that she’s desperately trying to run from. In her effort to escape she finds herself in the small, quaint town of Pelion.

Here she settles into a life of getting up in the morning, fight through the nightmares that are her memories, go to work at the local diner & then take her dog out for a long walk & swim around the lake.

However, she can’t stop being drawn to the man she ran into the first day she came to town. Even with his too long hair, overgrown beard, rattly clothes,  and don’t-talk-to-me attitude she still can’t get stay away from him. When she finds herself in his yard one day trying to get her runaway dog under control, a snowball effect begins and she soon finds herself visiting him on a regular basis.

As it turns out Archer Hale has a past of his own. A past so deeply embedded in his consciousness even the beautiful Bree might not be able to bring him completely out of his shell.

Will these two be able to help eachother overcome their demons or will their demons ultimately drive them apart?

The Things that aren’t in the Synopsis

I present to you…

Whispers

by David Baxter

“This one comes and this one goes

So here we are across the road

In whispers, in whispers

You say: let it go, let it go home

Taking all our time we rode

Through the town where we grew old

Our stories and pictures

Oh we let them go, let them go home

Oh

Whistles

Oh, I have seen your beauty grow

Where all this fades, you shine in gold

Our love will be legend

If we let it go, let it go home”

I’m sorry, I’ll usually try not to push the idea of the song on you, but in this case I couldn’t help it. Look at those lyrics!! Even the video kind of matches!

Anyways, moving on.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars *****

 This book amazed me. As I mentioned the rollercoaster it took me on held so many ups and downs I lost track of which was up and which was down. I was reading and going ‘I feel like I should be happy… yet I’m sad. Why am I sad?’

The entire book was brimming with emotion that’s why. And at the end of the day, that emotion may not have been sadness, but it was something. Maybe it was the beauty of it all. The light that Bree painted Archer in and vice versa. Maybe it’s the fact they had their own ‘language’ (I’m not sure if it’s really considered a spoiler for me to tell you what it is, but just in case…). It just created this sense of… almost nostalgia. Of something that couldn’t last forever, but you were trapped in the moment with them and finding the beauty of it with them. Even when you knew deep down something terrible was coming and there was absolutely nothing you could do to stop it.

This isn’t your classic tale of boy meets girl or even damaged boy meets damaged girl. There is so sooo much depth to this story, I could hardly take it all in. Archer’s ‘condition’ made him beautiful, even in a town that viewed it as a flaw.

An absolutely heart-stopping, heart-breaking, heart-mending read.

Cheers,

Tianna

The Circus is Coming to Town, Ladies & Gentlemen

That’s right you’ve heard correctly. And it’s not just any circus.

Here there’s no such thing as frightening clowns, bright colors, falling apart tents or worn down rides.

No, this circus is unique. It’s a feast for the senses, where acrobats perfectly catch the light as they spin and fall. Where the drinks are only made of the richest of chocolate and caramel. Where each tent has the potential to outshine and outdo the last.

Here tents are black and white and kept in the highest condition. Here is where fantasy becomes reality and where the lines of truth and science begin to blur. 

 

Here is where Dreams can Become Nightmares.

 

 I’d like to introduce you all to Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. 

As the title says it’s a circus that opens at nightfall and closes at dawn. From the ground to the sky everything is either black or white with only the bright red from the rêveurs scarves representing any form of color.

It’s a place that is literally woven with magic, that makes it both unbelievable, yet incredibly tangible.

Some Info on the Book:

“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads:
Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn

As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears.

Le Cirque des Rêves
The Circus of Dreams.
Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.”

-Erin Morgenstern

While that pretty sums up the experience that you would have the pleasure of getting into with this elegant tale, it’s also filled with romance, loss, and begs the question “How far would you go to save the one you love?”

Celia Bowen was just a young girl when her mother committed suicide and she dumped into the care of her neglectful father Prospero the Enchanter aka Hector Bowen. Incidentally, Celia is blessed – or cursed – with a natural talent of breaking things … and putting them back together. Hector sees this a prize that he can use against his competitor.

Unfortunately, his competitor also has a student who calls himself Marco.

When Celia and Marco encounter eachothers beautiful, mind altering creations that play part in the circus, what will happen when they fail to distinguish what is competition and what is a gift?

The Night Circus on Goodreads <—– Click to visit the page

Onto Review & MUSIC

The song I would choose for this book is….

Anywhere

by Evanescence

Yep, that’s right. Evanescence. Can you truly go wrong with a voice like Amy Lee’s and a vibe that’s so overall haunting, romantic and filled with melancholy? Besides, I’ve seen Amy Lee sport the Gothic outfits with the corsets and I can’t help but feel like if anyone where to represent this book… it would be her.

My overall rating for the book: 4 Stars ****- (Probably should be 3.5, but I can’t bring myself to do it)

I really really really want to give it five, just because I LOVE it so much, but I know that wouldn’t be fair. This isn’t a book you read if your expecting a wonderful plot or characters who are deeply developed.

It’s a book you read when you want a truly immersive experience that will leave you dreaming and wanting something that is impossible. The Night Circus is an experience book. It appeals to your senses, not so much your emotions. It creates an entirely new world that is mysterious, whimsical and dark.

However, like I said… the plot… it’s a little weak and at times a little hard to follow – not overly so, but you have to be paying attention. The characters are developed enough to get you through, but their general motivations were a little lacking to me. I don’t know what drove them other than the pressure from their mentors. But other than that… I didn’t have much to go off of. I knew they fell in love – and if I had a guy making the tents that Marco made, Hell yes, I’d probably fall in love without meeting him too – but this being said… it could be a little hard to digest. However, they were still interesting in their own respects and I was invested in them as a couple.

Anyways, overall the circus itself was amazing, and for me, made up the possible pitfalls this book could have fallen into. When I’m rich and famous (because we are all going to be rich and famous right?) I will create The Night Circus.

Cheers,

Tianna

Steampunk + Shapeshifters = Awesome

Can you honestly go wrong? I mean at look at this cover art!

For those who are a little bit confused about what exactly the ‘Steampunk’ genre is, consider it a sexy Victorian mélange of corsets, clock gears, mad scientist, parasols & so much more.

What’s that? Do I have your attention? I thought so.

Let’s Start with a Little Bit About the Book Shall We?

Five years ago Sera Czedar, a panther shape-shifter, left her family, friends & home behind.

It was the day of her mating ceremony, where she would be chosen by her lover to become his life partner – his mate, his other half. Or was it?

When things go terribly wrong Sera is forced into fleeing from everything she knew and, instead creates a new life for herself in Varselles, the City of Outcasts. There she is a fighter, a woman who is feared in the ring and out of it. Her life begins to fall into place among the shadows and anonymity of the large city, but it isn’t long until her past begins to catch up with her.

When the man she left in a humiliating position while on the eve of their mating ceremony comes to find her, Sera is faced with the fear of facing everything she left behind and hurting those which she swore to protect.

Age is 17+ due to mature subject matter & sexual content.

Homecoming on Goodreads <—- Click  to check out the full summary

Anywho, moving onto MUSIC & Review

Now, the point of this blog is hopefully to connect great books, with epic songs. Going through my iTunes, I realized that the song I feel best represents this books is…..

Cosmic Love 

by Florence + the Machine

 What can I say, I’m a romantic. 😉

 This short story was a lot of fun. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and the sexual tension gave me crazy whiplash! It was sooooo hot, and then something would interrupt it making me angry and frustrated at the cold. It was like torture! I almost couldn’t handle it.

The tension between the MC’s was breath-stealing, captivating & primal. I couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know what happened!

Let me tell you, when the official book 1, Rise comes out, I will be holed up on my couch plowing through it because all this short story did was get me crazy invested.

While the pacing was a little slow at times, it was necessary due to the amount of world and situation building needed. In my understanding the story is a prequel to the series The Cloaked Devices and therefore you don’t learn a huge amount about said devices – which means the true story has yet to begin. How exciting.

Overall rating: 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟-

It was intensely original, I’ve seen very few books out there in the steampunk genre, and let me tell you, I personally think it’s a genre underused. There’s so much potential there and I can’t wait to read more about this amazing world that “Homecoming” has set me up for.

Cheers,

Tianna

PS. Do you feel like cyber stalking and seeing what else this author has to offer? Check out Cecilia Robert’s Blog for more information on books, promotions and more!

New Blog!

Oh boy, here we go.

So I’ve decided to join the movement of starting a blog. Eeek! How exicting!

Anyways, until I figure out this website, I’ll just tell you a little bit about me.

I’m a reader. I’ve always been a reader.

I’ve started writing my own book and it’s a NA supernatural story, so keep your eyes peeled for more information.

Just recently I’ve gotten really into beta-reading for authors and it’s become so incredibly addicting. I just can’t stop. The experience of helping an author achieve their dream is so much fun and amazing.

I’m thinking this blog will be about books, books & books… and everything books. From the creating process to the publishing process!

Cheers,

Tianna