Jenuine Cupcakes

For the record, this is just a small sample of the books I read and thoroughly enjoyed this year. Even the ones in the chorus are my favorites, except maybe the one that made me sad.

Thank you Miranda Kenneally for another great addition to the Hundred Oaks Series! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'll read anything you write.

What I Loved: When I think of gargoyles, I tend to think of the creepy little pewter statues my husband was so fond of when we first met. Not anymore. Jas and Dez are anything but creepy in this intriguing new series about the ghoulish looking guardians. 

Jas has spent the past three years trying to put Dez behind her. They used to be BGFs (Best Gargoyles Forever) and were even supposed to be mated, but then he left and broke her heart. No calls, no texts, no random fly-bys, nothing.  When Dez returns and claims Jas as his own, she is not exactly ready to fly off to make little gargoyle babies. Dez will have to prove himself to Jas and he only has seven days to do it.

I loved how the "real" world and the spiritual realm, where evil formerly presided, are combined and we get to see humans interacting with the mythical creatures.

We glimpse a few of the characters from Book One - White Hot Kiss (2/2014), but this novella is a story all it's own. 

What Left Me Wanting More: Nothing. It was the perfect segway into the next book.

Final Verdict:Exciting start to a new series! Aliens, Demigods, Nephilim and now Gargoyles...I'm pretty sure Jennifer L. Armentrout could write a book about spiders and find a way to make them swoonworthy. ;)

Thank you Harlequin and Little Bird Publicity for this ARC!

I am a HUGE Kristan Higgins fan and THE BEST MAN (Blue Heron #1) is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I had the chance to read this one, I jumped on it.

What I Loved: A colorful cover with obvious romantic flare. Tom is British. The accent alone should entice you to read this book. Did I mention that he boxes, too? With Levi, from THE BEST MAN. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor, and wipe the drool off my chin. 

One of the things I enjoy about Kristan Higgins' writing, is that I never fail to connect with at least one of the characters. Regardless of whether it's the uptight slightly intimidating Honor, or a smooth talking British professor like Tom who finds solace in a glass. There is always something to identify with and pull me further into the story. 

Like all of Higgins' books, this one has a strong family focus and centers around the Holland family which is made up of a colorful cast of characters. But she also sheds a positive light on Tom's relationship with Charlie which is born of love and not blood. 

The romance that develops between Honor and Tom is not an easy one and begins out of convenience on both their parts. However, it quickly (and hilariously at times) evolves into something honest, strong and ultimately helps them both overcome some of the issues they struggle with.

What Left Me Wanting More: I am always a little sad to see a Kristan Higgins' book end. 

Final Verdict: Humorous and heartwarming addition to the Blue Heron Series. I'm excited for the next installment!

Favorite Quote(s): "One! One beeg mistake! Two! Two bad knees!" (Think, The Count, from Sesame Street.)

Thank you Ksenia Winnicki for providing me with a finished copy for review! Thank you Gabrielle Zevin for such a wonderful end to this series!!

What I Loved: I have to say that I was afraid of how this would end. Like, legit scared I would end up in a corner somewhere mumbling about chocolate and coffee, which is why, I did something I rarely do - I read the last chapter first. Once I saw how it all ends I was able to take a breath and start at the beginning. 

This is one of the best final books I've read this year. The character development is so good you feel as if you've taken this journey right along with them, especially Anya.  We've seen her grow and mature over the course of three books and this one spans several years making her story feel that much more real. 

Her struggles to make the right choices (the first time, all the time) for both herself as well as her family was often difficult to watch. She's so stubborn but she's also selfless, regularly putting the best interest and wants of others before her own.Her relationship with Win Delacriox matures too, and even though they spend the majority of this book separated by distance and circumstances, their emotional connection is always there. Their text messages were some of my favorite parts. I literally "LOL'd". The scene with the strawberries was one of the most heart-achingly beautiful things I've read! *clutches chest*

Anya finally learns it's okay to ask for help and to let yourself be loved and the ending was perfect. 

What Left Me Wanting More: The only thing that could've made me happier (which is not the same as making the book better) is if Win Delacroix had been worked into every single scene. ;) 

Final Verdict: Great end this series! 
  
Favorite quote(s): "Because if you love someone, you love them all the way. You love them even when they make mistakes. That's what I think." 

"So I will wait, because I would rather wait for you than waste my time with someone who isn't you." 

I'll be honest, this is an incredibly difficult review for me to write. DIVERGENT is one of my favorite reads (EVER) and while I know a lot of people didn't like it, Tris' journey from Abnegation to Dauntless resonated with me on a deeply personal level.  

I've been waiting a year and a half for the conclusion of Tris and Four's story (just like everyone else) and I was expecting a gut-wrenching thrill ride, but not like this. This book has left me heartbroken and disappointed for so many reasons. 

Yes, the choices the characters make are consistent with who they are (mostly) and I "get" how the story comes full circle with Roth's faith woven into the fabric of it all. But the WAY it ends felt like it was done purely for shock value and just seems pointless. 

Thank you Harlequin and Little Bird Publicity for this ARC!

I am a HUGE Kristan Higgins fan and THE BEST MAN (Blue Heron #1) is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I had the chance to read this one, I jumped on it.

What I Loved: A colorful cover with obvious romantic flare. Tom is British. The accent alone should entice you to read this book. Did I mention that he boxes, too? With Levi, from THE BEST MAN. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor, and wipe the drool off my chin. 

One of the things I enjoy about Kristan Higgins' writing, is that I never fail to connect with at least one of the characters. Regardless of whether it's the uptight slightly intimidating Honor, or a smooth talking British professor like Tom who finds solace in a glass. There is always something to identify with and pull me further into the story. 

Like all of Higgin's books, this one has a strong family focus and centers around the Holland family which is made up of a colorful cast of characters. But she also sheds a positive light on Tom's relationship with Charlie which is born of love and not blood. 

The romance that develops between Honor and Tom is not an easy one and begins out of convenience on both their parts. However, it quickly (and hilariously at times) evolves into something honest, strong and ultimately helps them both overcome some of the issues they struggle with.

What Left Me Wanting More: I am always a little sad to see a Kristan Higgins' book end. 

Final Verdict: Humorous and heartwarming addition to the Blue Heron Series. I'm excited for the next installment!

Favorite Quote(s): "One! One beeg mistake! Two! Two bad knees!" (Think, The Count, from Sesame Street.)

It is now 2:30a.m. and I have spent the last three hours reading this (cover to cover). I'm still not entirely sure what happened but morning is going to hurt, bad. (Originally read in Aug. 2013)

Initial Reaction: I don't even...what just happened? (Mind you, this was at 2:30a.m. after I had just finished reading this cover to cover.) 

What I Liked: I wish the cover would have shown up on my Nook because it's brilliant and all of the little squares represent a scene in the story. *squints*

PERFECT LIES picked up where MIND GAMES left off and the story is still told from both Fia and Annie's POVs which I enjoyed. However, the timeline combined with the multiple variations and changes to the outcome thoroughly confused me in that, "This author is a million times smarter than me." way. Fia was my favorite character in book 1 but Annie and Cole were the two who won me over in this book. (Annie's humor helped to offset Fia's cray-cray and wound some much needed continuity into the storyline for me.)

Fia and James' relationship was as unstable as ever and despite my rooting for them, for him especially, I wasn't at all surprised with how things turned out. 

What Left Me Wanting More: So much focus was put onto Adam in book 1 but then by the end of this one, he had faded into the background. I almost wish there had been a epilogue, I wanted to see what happened a few years down the road.

Final Verdict: Unputdownable, mind-twisting sequel.

What I Liked: I have enjoyed all of the books in this series and was excited to read this one. As always, Cora Carmack gives us a well written story that's entertaining and characters who are easily relateable. She isn't afraid to tackle the tough issues either, but manages to do it with humor and grace.