Review: Wait for You by J.Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Title: Wait for You
Author: J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Publisher: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: February 26th 2013
My rating: 4.5 stars

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

I'm probably one of the most fanatic readers of New-Adult contemporary books when it started inching out in the book blogosphere. I found myself grabbing and devouring every NA book I think I might like. However, just as fast at it have started, my enthusiasm for them has been just as short-lived. The problem, I think, was that everything has been the same. Same plot, same drama, same conflicts, same set of characters. I want new and unique. So, you see, I've been really pretty reluctant in picking up some NA lately. 

But here comes a NA from J.Lynn. As in Jennifer L. Armentrout. She's one of my most trusted author. I have enjoyed almost all her books. Sooooo I said, let see...

And boy oh boy, it was fantastic! Truthfully, I didn’t find Wait For You's plot as something new, original nor unique. But I can certainly say the opposite to its characters. JLA has this knack of making cliché or not so original plots into something very enjoyable by making her characters very very interesting. Her characters overshadowed the things that might have bothered me with the plot. They carried the story so very well that all you'd wanted to do is follow them and see what they would do with the conflicts and situation. 

Avery was a character I greatly empathize with. There was this vulnerability and innocence in her that would want you to hug her and protect her. Yet there were moments that she could be really feisty too and I really like that about her. Cam, oh boy, this guy just stole the number one spot from Daemon on my top book boyfriend list! Like Nick had said in her review, I think Cam is the swooniest hero Jennifer has created. He was sweet, caring, has an ego the size of the sun, cocky but also very understanding and patient. He has the right amount of Daemon, Aiden and Seth in him. Plus, he has a pet tortoise. Which is just so freaking cute!! The secondary characters too were never dull and never left in the shadow. Jacob and Brit are fantastic friends and I can't count how many times Jacob made me laugh so hard with all his antics and gay terms.

Another thing that made this book even more enjoyable - the great build-up and anticipation between the two main characters. I was so used to having the characters jump right into being in lust before building up any concrete relationship in most NA books I've read. Although I enjoyed some steamy stuff here and there, a good relationship build-up before anything else doesn't really hurt. And isn't it much better if everything is bottled up first and when the time comes it would just explode into so much awesomeness? Haha! I just loved how Avery and Cam's relationship developed from being schoolmates to neighbors to friends and then to lovers.

And yes, I almost forgot! The banters and the dialogues are the best! It drove me insane but also had me laughing out so loud. Seriously, do not read this late at night, it's very hard to stiffle laughter and this book definitely wouldn't let you sleep!  

Overall, this was very fantastic read. The plot may not be unique or original but the characters are definitely one hell of a lot of fun to read! I had so much fun reading this! I highly recommend this. Read this now!

And here's something for you guys that might encourage you to read this book:

I was gripping the door until my knuckles ached. “That’s… um, your tortoise?”

“Yeah.” A half grin appeared as he lifted the little guy. “Raphael meet Avery.”

Giving the tortoise a little wave, I kind of felt stupid afterward for doing so. It just stuck its head back in its green and brown shell. “That’s a very interesting pet.”

“And those are very interesting shorts.” His gaze dropped. “What are they?” Leaning forward his eyes narrowed, and I stiffened. “Pizza slices?”

Heat swamped my cheeks. “They’re ice cream cones.”

“Huh. I like them.” Straightening, his gaze drifted up me slowly, leaving an unfamiliar wake of heat behind. “A lot.”

I immediately let go of the door and crossed my arms over my chest. The corner of his lips tipped up. My eyes narrowed. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

“It should. They have my seal of approval.” He bit down on his lower lip as his lashes lifted. Those eyes pierced mine. “I need to get Raphael back in his little habitat before he pees on my hand, which he’s bound to do, and that sucks.”

Review: The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Published: October 23rd 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My rating: 4.5 stars

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

As much as I was happy and excited to see a spin-off of my favorite urban-fantasy series it was hard not to have uncertainties and doubts about it. Like everyone else who'd love the first Iron Fey series I was extremely anxious this new series might not lived up to Meghan and Ash's story. But lo and behold, this book has literally kicked my ass and has proven my doubts wrong! Kagawa has made another book that has strengthened my trust and faith in her writing skills. She's done it again and boy was it ever amazing.

I found myself again entranced and fascinated by this world Kagawa made. I enjoyed exploring this intricate and dangerous world of fey yet wonderful and enthralling at the same time. It's clear that Kagawa is really expert when it comes to the world-building of Feys. I love how she never ran out of twists and turns that would make it even more interesting and intriguing. Other than that it was her characters that just made everything more captivating.

Ethan is a character I have connected so very well. I never met such character in which whatever he felt I felt. I was never angry at him nor did I question his take and feelings on things. Now that may sounds like I'm totally biased but what I thought was that I was just only able to completely put my self in his shoes thus making it easier to understand his every intents, emotions and actions. So when he got pissed with Tod I was pissed too; when he was annoyed with Kenzie I was too; when he got angry with Meghan I was too; when he was anxious, when he was hurting; when he was please, delighted, happy, I was too. He was a character that is easy to like, connect and understand. I see where all the bitterness and sadness were coming. But he's a character with such strong-will and very passionate heart. It was great to see this scared and vulnerable little boy on the first Iron Fey book to grow up into such a brave and wonderful character.

I didn't like Kenzie right away. I felt like she was nosy and too meddling for her own good. But I kept telling myself that it wouldn't go more interesting if her character wasn't like that. As the story went on I soon find myself warming to her and was surprised by how well she handled herself despite all the unbelievable things that she'd experienced and witnessed. She was genuinely kind and caring and very understanding. Her braveness was impressive and I admire how she took every moments preciously (I later found out why that is). 

What I also enjoyed most was meeting Keirran, Ash and Meghan's son! He was definitely a mixture of the two. I can't help but love and adore him too. Yes yes, long haired guys aren't my thing but I'll make an exception for him (along with Christian McKeltar and Legolas). He was so charming and genuine which is so Meghan but when things got a little intense and he gets all serious and cold, he was so like Ash. 

Overall, I am very much happy to say that The Lost Prince is a very wonderful and fascinating read. With the captivating world-building, surprising and full of twists plot, awesome and fantastic characters I can say that this new series has a lot of potential to be as successful as the first Iron Fey series. I am definitely looking forward for more. I recommend this. You're gonna love Ethan and Keirran!

Thank you Netgalley and HarlequinTeen for providing a review copy of this amazing book!

Review: Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Title: Past Perfect
Author: Leila Sales
Published: October 4th 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Read Synopsis: Goodreads

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Past Perfect was a fun and delightful read. I didn't expect that I's be able to enjoy this book so much. I found myself staying awake until 3 am just to finish this book even when I have a 7:30 am class tomorrow (Luckily, class got suspended today! I was literally dragging myself to take a bath this morning when it was announced that there were no classes today. Hurrah!). I laughed, swooned, and grin like a mad man on all the cute and funny stuffs in this book. This book also offered really insightful thoughts that made me nod in agreement.

Chelsea was an adorable and easy to relate character. She's funny and witty but sometimes she gets pretty whinny and frustrating. Throughout the story Chelsea was dealing on getting over with her break-up with her ex-boyfriend, Ezra. What Chelsea did was to remember only the good stuffs about Ezra, as her best friend had said "For someone who’s supposed to be an expert at history, you just suck at remembering what’s real." She refused to remember the bad things and glossed it over thus making it even harder for her to accept the break-up.

Lots of thing had happen, bad and good, before she was finally able to realize what was wrong and developed herself. I loved how she was finally enlightened on things especially when her dad explained her the thing about the past and history which was really insightful.

"What really happened doesn't matter. What matters is how we agree to remember it"

"Although things actually happen, we don’t remember them the way they actually were."

The romance was cute and sweet! I love Dan. He's a sweet heart and I just wish we had learned a lot more of him. There were those really swoon-worthy bits that made me smile a lot and grin hard.

“We shouldn't be doing this." Dan broke the silence, his voice low. "We would both get in trouble." He stood up. "Let's go back."

"We shouldn't be doing what?" I scrambled to my feet. "What exactly are we doing?"

"This."

"You mean consorting?"

"Sure, consorting. Cavorting. Carousing." He paused to take a deep breath.

"Kissing." Then he leaned in and pressed his mouth to mine.”

Other characters like Fiona, Chelsea's best friends, was really lovable. I love how she had been a very great friend for Chelsea, for keeping on supporting her and help her realize thing about herself.

The war between the Colonials and Reenactment land was really funny too. It was silly and ridiculous but I enjoyed how everyone of them were so dedicated with it like it was a real war. The things they did was quite unbelievable but nevertheless it was still amusing and really entertaining. Bits of historical stuff were also narrated in this book so I was able to learns some historical stuffs too.

Overall, this was a very fun and insightful read. It was a really charming and adorable read. The story wasn't complex but you'll still be able to learn great stuffs in here. :))

Top 10 Week: Top 10 Characters of 2011

Top 10 of 2011 is an event that runs from December 26-30, 2011 hosted by Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and Lisa from A Life Bound By Books and co-hosted by Rachel from Fiktshun and Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books. Today's top 10 are the my best characters of 2011.

Tris

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

Read My Review

Tris is one of the most admirable character I'd ever met. She's brave and strong. I love how independent she is and how she faced all the obstacles she had. 

Puck

The Iron Fey Series

by Julie Kagawa

Read My Review

Even though I have been on Team Ash from the start I grew to love Puck too throughout the series. He's definitely a very wonderful character. He's so loyal to Meghan and even to Ash. And of course, what I absolutely like about him is his sense of humor. Puck never failed to make me smile! :))

Katy

Obsidian

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Read My Review

Kat is really adorable and wonderful. She runs a book blog and well, with that only she already was able to gain lots of love from readers. I love how she cares for her friends. She does good and brave decisions. And I love her snappy comebacks at Daemon whenever they're having a banter! :))

Clara

Unearthly

by Cynthia Hand

Read My Review

Clara is a very likable character. She knows what she really is, accepts it and do whatever she has to do. I love how she loves her family, her mom and her brother. And even though I'm on team Christian, I admire how dedicated she is to Tucker.  ^^ (But  still I'm rooting for Christian! XD)

Penryn

Angelfall

by Susan Ee

Read My Review

Penryn is one hell of a kick-ass character! I could actually line her up to big star heroines like Katniss of Hunger Games and Tris of Divergent. This girl sure knows how to fight. Mentally, emotionally and physically. I admire her determination to save her sister and her loyalty to Raffe even when it can actually cost her life! :))

Sophie 

Hex Hall Series

by Rachel Hawkins

Sophie has this great sense of humor that never really failed to make me laugh so hard. She's hilarious and her sarcasm is perfect! lol. She's loyal to her friends and protects them.

Simon Lewis
The Mortal Instrument Series
by Cassandra Clare

I love how Simon's character developed throughout the series especially in the City of Fallen Angels. It was actually Simon I was looking forward when I read CoFA. I saw a more confident, more sure, and braver Simon on that installment. If you went back to the first book you would really notice how big his character development was! And yeah, baby, yeah! Simon has a sexy vampire mojo! :DDD

Juliette
Shatter Me
by Tahereh Mafi

Read My Review

Despite living a hard life and being treated by everyone as a monster Juliette was able to remain her dignity, found love and realize her ability could be use for good.

Will Herondale
The Infernal Devices Trilogy
by Cassandra Clare

Read My Review

Will had been a total jerk during the first installment of ID but when the Clockwork Prince came out we found out his real story and who he really is. Well, that just left me almost crying. I wanted to jump into the book and hug him and tell him that everything will be okay. Now I have more reason to love him! :))

Adam Wilde
Where She Went
by Gayle Forman

Read My Review

This guy was the first ever to made me cry over a book. He had flaws and made mistakes but I admire how much he loved Mia and even after three year his love for her never fade. :))