Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Published: January 3rd 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Page Count: Hardcover, 378
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.
So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life... and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.
It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last... - Good Reads

Useless fact: Back in my younger years I was a hardcore fan of figure skating. Irina Slutskaya, Alexei Yagudin, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were a few of my faves. I still have almost any competition that ever came on television recorded on VHS and in a box packed away somewhere at my Moms. I totally should have been a figure skater. Unfortunately that didn't work out, so now I just read about them. 

Important facts: Bittersweet is about a girl named Hudson who is a figure skater with a bright future, but when family problems arise, she walks out on it leaving not only her figure skating aspirations behind, but also her best friend. Hudson takes her sorrows out with cupcake making in the family diner. Each chapter has a lovely little cupcake description that will really make you want to experiment in the kitchen or hunt down a cupcake place and eat at least five different kinds. I found myself pausing at the beginning of each chapter and trying to imagine how I could re-create these cupcakes. Mmmm... 

Anyway! Enough about cupcakes! 

So, this book is a very typical Young Adult contemporary. A girl who has fears, a girl who has a dream, young love, etc. I loved the setting and Sarah Ockler is a talent at descriptions and the dialogue was very good. The characters were also snappy, which I like! I think one of my favourite parts about this book was that the main character Hudson is flawed. I don't need a heroine to be the epitome of perfection or to make all of the best moral choices and Hudson makes many choices that are definitely not best-worthy, but the important part is that she learns from them. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD BY AVA DELLAIRA
Release Date: April 1st 2014

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because she thought he’d understand since he died young just like her sister, May, did. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people—Janis Joplin, Amy Winhouse, Ameilia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more—although she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about what it’s like going to a new school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time, how her family splinters apart after May dies. She even writes about the abuse she suffered—while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May, and to see her as the person she was: lovely and amazing and deeply flawed. - Good Reads

I love pretty covers and of course that was my original draw to this book, plus the title! And reading the description, it sounds like it's very much up my alley! I can't wait to read it. 

Meme: Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday is an original feature/regular meme hosted at The Broke and The Bookish!

 Top Ten Things That Make Your Life As A Reader/Book Blogger Easier

I can't wait to see everyone's posts this week! Hopefully I'll learn something new!

1. The Library: Libraries are amazing. I especially love that there are online catalogs. I can log on, download e-books, audio books or I can open up my GoodReads to-read list and search for books I'd like to read and request them! I love going in and having all my books waiting for me. I love libraries, but I don't like imposing on anyone trying to find some peace and quiet in the library with my spawns of uncontrollable noise (my children).

2. BlogLovin'. I recently came back to blogging after a long break and discovered BlogLovin'. I really love the layout of it and I've been subscribing like a madwoman! It's so much better than my Blogger feed! Leave me a link to your blog on BlogLovin' and I'll follow! 

3. RaffleCopter: Makes giveaways incredibly easy peasy. Heck yeah!

4. Kindle: I have moved. A lot. And when I say a lot, I really mean it. In the past year I've lived in Russia for a while, Colorado, Kansas and then we finally drove our car to Virginia and settled here last month and it's not out of the cards that we might leave the country again in the next year. My Kindle really keeps me happy because my books stay with me and not left behind because they are too bulky or heavy to drag along. I did have a dark moment last year with my Kindle though. It died completely on me in Moscow at my cousins right before a flight to New York. It was very, very sad. I wouldn't be lying if I said I might have shed a tear or two.

5. GoodReads: As I mentioned in #1, Goodreads. I'm 100% sure anyone reading this post is aware of GR since it's such a valuable website for those of us who love to read. It's great for keeping track of what you have read and what you would like to read. Before I read a book I always go to GoodReads and check the rating. Most of the time I scroll down and see what some of the people on my friends list had to say before/during or after I've read. I love exchanging opinions with others on what I've read and that is why I began book blogging. 

6. Twitter: If you do not have a twitter account, wait no longer. Go sign up! It's so, so important if you want to keep up with other bloggers, authors, publishing companies, etc. People tweet book news, news relevant to the books, giveaways, reviews, etc. Tons of great material to be had there, as well as a chance to spread the word of your blog! I have had some really fun conversations on twitter!

7. Amazon.com and The Book Depository: Amazon.com is where I go for all my e-books, of course. I also sometimes buy used books there as well. For instance, my IRL bestie needs to read Vampire Academy or else we decided last night on the phone, so I hopped over to Amazon while we were talking and ordered it for her for $4. Total. With shipping! The Book Depository ships to many, many countries for free. And sometimes the deals there are really good. I love using them for giveaways, because it opens up the giveaways to international readers because the shipping is free and therefor affordable!

8. Calendar: I'm no longer planning on really bogging myself down with ARCS, because that is a part of what burnt me out and caused me to take a break. Now I only request on NetGalley if I really want to read something and not because I feel I have to to keep up or be successful or what have you. But for those requests, a calendar can be a very useful tool in reminding you when you post a review. Especially helpful if you use Blogger, because my schedule post "helper" has been acting like a dick lately and I have to double check it posts because it's so unreliable. 

9. Nap Time: I'm running out of helpful suggestions, so I'll definitely say that for those of us who have children, nap time is a very beneficial time to get in some blogging and reading!

10. Coffee: The energy it gives is undeniable! And one of my favourite things to do upon waking is to get a cup and sit at my laptop to see what's new with all the blogs I love to read! 

Link me your Top Ten Tuesdays! I want to see! 

Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

Published: May 14th 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Page Count: Hardcover, 297
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Find the Author: Twitter, Blog, Tumblr
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.
Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.
Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 
Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as theNew York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance! - Good Reads

Based on my previous experience with Rachel, I knew I had to grab this book. I loved her Hex Hall trilogy. And this book even managed to exceed my expectations! The first few pages of a book are almost always tough for me to get through. Usually once I make it past, no one can pry the book away from my face, which is what happened with School Spirits.

Rachel Hawkins is a fabulous writer. Buckets full of green envy splurges out of me when I read her books, because she has such a knack for writing humour and banter! 

I absolutely loved Izzy. I found it very easy to relate to her despite us being wildly different. You know, since I haven't had the opportunity to kill any monsters and the lack of red hair. I loved Izzy's development throughout the book and I found the relationship between Izzy and her Mother to be a very nice touch to the overall storyline as well. 

The romance of the book was nice and light. As usual, I'm always shipping the "wrong couple". But seriously, Izzy + Torin = THEY NEED TO GET TOGETHER RIGHT NOW! MAKE IT HAPPEN! I'm serious. 

I would recommend School Spirits to those that enjoy a lighter paranormal read laced with plenty of humour and romance. Please read it and tell me I'm not the only one daydreaming about Izzy and Torin ending up together! 

UPDATE: I was under the impression that there would be more than one book. After further investigation I have discovered that this will be the only book. 

Review: A Want So Wicked (A Need So Beautiful #2) by Suzanne Young

A Want So Wicked (A Need So Beautiful #2) by Suzanne Young

Published: June 26th 2012
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Page Count: Hardcover, 282
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Blog, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is. 

After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose effect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really? - Good Reads


Second books are often a big slump, but not this one! I liked reading A Need So Beautiful, but I felt it was too rushed for me to truly love the characters like I could have and I was disappointed it felt so short. I might not have been so harsh in my review had I known it would continue into this book. I barely skimmed the blurb before diving in, and I assumed it was about a different Forgotten, and that Charlotte and Harlin's story was over. It is so not over! and I now officially have Harlin fever! This book also featured a lot of character growth and a more in-depth look at the characters from the last book and their back stories, though it still felt much too short, just like the first book in this series. Seriously, Suzanne - WRITE MORE! YOU'RE KILLING ME! 

I have to say that, despite the shortness of the book, I still couldn't put it down. It was glued to my face until I finished! I'd definitely recommend this to those that are drawn to paranormals that contain angels - while the A Need So Beautiful series isn't about an angel in the classical sense, it is very similar, but without an almighty deity, religious structure or wings.


                                               

                                                          5 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Waiting on Wednesday: This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

THIS WICKED GAME BY MICHELLE ZINK
Release Date: November 14th 2013

Claire Kincaid’s family has been in business for over fifty years.
The voodoo business.
Part of the International Guild of High Priests and Priestesses, a secret society that have practiced voodoo for generations, the Kincaid’s run an underground supply house for authentic voodoo supplies. Claire plays along, filling orders for powders, oils and other bizarre ingredients in the family store, but she has a secret.
She doesn’t believe.
Struggling to reconcile her modern sensibilities with a completely unscientific craft based on suspicion, Claire can’t wait to escape New Orleans – and voodoo – when she goes to college, a desire that creates almost constant conflict in her secret affair with Xander Toussaint, son of the Guild’s powerful founding family.
But when a mysterious customer places an order for a deadly ingredient, Claire begins to realize that there’s more to voodoo – and the families that make up the Guild – than meets the eye.
Including her own. - Good Reads

As she bands together with the other firstborns of the Guild, she comes face to face with a deadly enemy – and the disbelief that may very well kill her.

I adore Michelle Zink and her writing and I'm really looking forward to this book! I'm actually not even that interested in voodoo and normally I'd probably skip over that subject, but because Michelle wrote it, it's a must-read! 

Review: A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

Published: June 21st 2011
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Page Count: Hardcover, 267
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Blog, Twitter, Facebook
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...
Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences. - Good Reads

I've been enchanted by this cover since this came out and it's always sounded like it's right up my alley, and I've had in my possession more than a few times, but it always ended up going back to the library without being read for various reasons.  

A Need So Beautiful is about a girl named Charlotte who has "The Need", which are random compulsions to talk or help someone. It's definitely in the angel realm of books, which I really love! 

Charlotte's character was likable enough as were the supporting characters: her best friend, foster family and her boyfriend Harlin. I liked that she had an existing boyfriend. When I read books, I often expect a romance to unfold within the book - it bodes well for feeling invested in the romance, but in this one it did work well for the story. This is a story about Charlotte and the struggles she needs to overcome, not just Charlotte and Harlin and their love, even though he is a great addition to the book.  

I think that the biggest issue I had with this book is the length. A Need So Beautiful could have been much more fleshed out. It felt very short and rushed. Had it been longer, I think I could have rated it much higher. Despite feeling rushed though, it did bring me to tears towards the end and was touching.

I am definitely interested in reading the next book, A Want So Wicked. I'll be picking that up next. 

                                                 3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin