me – Book Dust Magic

Short Book Review: Don’t Forget me by R.L. Stine

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Title: Don’t Forget Me

Series: The Nightmare Room (#1)

Author: R.L. Stine

Publisher: Algoritam (Croatian publisher)

Date: 2006

Pages: 119

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads): You hold in you hand the key to a shadow world of shivers and screams. Take a step away from the safe, comfortable world you know. Unlock the door to terror. There’s always room for one more in…The Nightmare Room. Danielle Warner was only pretending to hypnotize her brother Peter. So why is Peter acting so strange…so Terrifying? Doesn’t Peter realize it was all a joke? Danielle and her brother are about to learn a frightening lessons: It’s not a good idea to kid around–in The Nightmare Room.

What will you find in The Nightmare Room next time? Find out in book 2: Locker 13.

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Review:

After watching some booktube videos (at this time of a year, booktube is full of horror and spooky books recommendations and TBRs), I was in a mood for some horror and spooky read.
Since horror novels are something I read so rarely that I don’t even know which books are good and which ones are new, I decided I would just reread a book that made me shit my pants when I was 15.
It is also one of my all-time favorite books for the same reason – that book woke up emotions I wasn’t even awared I had in me.

Good thing is I didn’t shit my pants this time. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t even scared, but I appreciated parts that used to scare me when I was young(er).

Peter, Peter, Peter!!

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Not so good thing is that now when I reread it with more experienced mind of a reader, I saw some flaws I was blind to before (like how some scenes were illogical and some proofs couldn’t be proven ( SPOILER ALERT!!! Like that reporter said that House of forgoten makes people forget themselves and in the end be forgotten by everybody else, but if that was true, how could anyone write that article, if no one remembered those people in the first place? )

So yeah, my flawless book wasn’t perfect after all.
But, because it is still one of my all time favorite books and I still love it to bits, I am not changing my rating! 5 stars it is!!!

Book Review: Just Kiss Me by Rachel Gibson

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Title: Just Kiss Me

Author: Rachel Gibson

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK, Corgi

Date: July 28th, 2016

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: from Publisher for a review

Synopsis (from Goodreads): The latest hot and funny love story from New York Timesbestselling author Rachel Gibson, author of RESCUE ME and NOTHING BUT TROUBLE.

It’s been years since Vivien last saw Henry. She was scrubbing houses for a living, he was the gorgeous son of rich parents, not fit for the likes of her.

She had vowed to get out of Charleston, become a big Hollywood star and stick it to the snooty girls who made her cry. Vivien got what she wanted – and more – but why does her glamorous life seem so trivial?

Henry got out too . . . making it all the way to Wall Street, until his life took an unexpected twist and he traded in his cufflinks for carpentry back in Charleston.

But escaping his heritage is nearly impossible. And now he’s come face-to-face with the one who got away. He’s not looking for love. He’s not even looking for sex . . . so why is resisting her the hardest thing he’s ever done?

The one that got away just came back . . .

vrpca

Review:

Rachel Gibson is a well-known author to romance readers. She has several books out and, as it seems to me, a decent fan base.
I only read few of her books (Nothing But Trouble is my favorite and if you haven’t, I highly recommend you to read it) and from what I read, I can see why this author is the one that readers keep coming back to.
When doing my research I noticed some bloggers saying that Gibson’s books are perfect to get you out of the reading slump. Even though I haven’t been in one when reading this book, I can totally see why is that, because her books read fast and are fun, this one not being exception.

Just Kiss Me follows a story of Vivien, a woman originally from Charleston, who became a big Hollywood star.
After her mother passed away, Vivien has to go back to Charleston to arrange the funeral, see what she’ll do with her inheritance and revisit people she grew up with.
Henry is one of those people, and, even if she hated him when she was a child, the mutual attraction between the two is almost touchable.

This story warmed my heart and left me in a happy place.
You know you’re reading a good romance novel when all the time while reading you just feel happiness, even though there’s nothing happy actually going on in the story.
Don’t get me wrong, this story has more then few happy situations, but even on those pages that were far from happy, there was still that positive feeling I felt.

I decide to blame it on the writing style, because it is so easy to read, full of pop culture references that I welcomed wholeheartedly (because I am a celebrity freak!).

This novel is a romantic story, but it also holds elements of family prose.

It is written in third person, but we also get to see pages from Vivien’s diary from when she was a young girl, that were written in first person.
Although I liked those parts, I often felt like Vivien came too childish, but then again, it pictures perfectly what a sassy teenager she was.

Vivien was a really good character. I liked her most of the time even though I couldn’t agree with every move she made.
Henry was fine love interest, even though I didn’t swoon over him.

The character that left the biggest impression on me was Nonnie. At first she was not-so-likeable and was quite mysterious. However, as the story progressed, I started to admire her, as she behaved herself bigger then most people in her situation would.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book that I finished in only two days (which is pretty fast in my case).
There is one thing that I feel you should be warned about.
This book does contain some descriptive sex scenes, but they were not too much or out of taste.

I think romance lovers would enjoy this book so I do recommend it, especially if you like books with pop culture references.
I also think that family-prose lovers would approve Just Kiss Me because it does have aspects of that sub-genre.

I, personally, am really grateful that I had an opportunity to read Just Kiss Me and I can’t wait to read more of Rachel Gibson’s work.

Book Review: What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Title: What’s Left of Me

Series: The Hybrid Chronicles (#1)

Author: Kat Zhang

Publisher: Harper Collins

Date: August 13th, 2013

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads): I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Review:

Imagine that you weren’t alone in your body.
Imagine there’s another soul, another person sharing it with you.

In this unique world Kat Zhang created, everybody comes to earth with two souls.
With time, one soul becomes dominant and the other disappears.

At least, that’s how it should be.
But even though the body she came with is now seventeen years old, and her sister Addie is the one having control over it, Eva never disappeard.
She still lives, but other people can’t see her.

Nobody but her sister knows it.
They are keeping their secret from the rest of the world because, otherwise, they would be in a serious danger.

Written in first person, narrated by Eva, the soul that shouldn’t exist anymore, What’s Left of Me is one intense read that kept me on the edge from the first to the very last page.

What I liked the most about this book is the idea of the world that was builted in it.
Two souls in one body and the government trying to suppress the natural evolution of humans, was interesting to read about.
And even though, in my opinion, in a war with evolution the evolution always win, I couldn’t help but be curious how the government would react to hybrids and even though I pretty much understood their reasons, I still wanted to read about them.

Unfortunatelly, in this book, the first in the series, I didn’t get many answers to my quasi questions.

Another thing that I kept thinking about is how it would be interesting to see what kind of religion those people in this world would have, if that aspect was explored.
I know this is not important at all because two souls in one body was justified with scientific reasons, but since I, personally, refer soul with faith, I couldn’t stop my thoughts that lead me to those questions…

The characters in this book were pretty likeable and interesting, but I can’t say that any of them made me want to know more about them.

This book, even though I say it is unique, still reminded me of The Host by Stephenie Meyer, so I think that fans of that book will probably enjoy reading this one too.

The book is the part of triology, but it ended with pretty opened end and I, personaly, could live without reading the rest of the series and be pretty satisfied.

In my mind, this could also be a standalone with an open end.
However, some people probably wouldn’t agree with me.
In the end, it is on the reader to make his decision after he finishes the ride that this novel gives.

Book Review: Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Title: Take Me On

Author: Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing the Limits

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Date: May 27th, 2014

Pages: 544

Format: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she’d never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can’t stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she’d stay away from. Yet he won’t last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it’s his fault his family is falling apart. He can’t change the past, but maybe he can change Haley’s future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they’ll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

Review:

In this, fourth novel in Pushing the Limits series (that can be read as a stanalone) we follow Haley and West.
The story is written in first person, switching from Haley’s to West’s POV.

Haley‘s life is not an easy one. After her father lost his job and her family lost the roof over their heads, they moved to her uncle’s house. Living with her uncle is not easy. He has strict rules they all have to obey and he verbally abuses them on regural basis.
Some time before, Haley was a kickbox champion but then, after something terrible happened to her, something that left her with the bitter taste in her mouth, she decided to leave fighting once and for all.

West is a troublemaker. After stealing money from his sister, the money she needed badly and ended up in a car accident because of that, he can’t stop blaming himself for what happened to her.

I loved protagonists of this story. I can honestly say that Haley is now my favorite character Mcgarry created.
She is strong and smart, never gives up and even though people around her bring her down, she doesn’t allow them to change her own opinion about herself. She knows she is worth.

West we already met in Crash Into You, book three of the same series.
There, he wasn’t the guy you would root for. However, giving us the chance to look from his perspective, McGarry made us understand him and therefore I changed my opinion about him and ended up really liking him.

As for characters impressions, author didn’t stop there. From the beginig of the story (and even in previous book) she made us dislike a certain character. I honestly think some readers even hated that same character. But, as the story progressed, and more reasons behind actions showed, as well as some secrets have revealed, McGarry got us to understand that character, and to look at him not as a bad, but as a good guy.

The writting style didn’t disappoint. It was beautiful just like always, although it wasn’t poetic as it was in Dare You To.
Maybe I should stress out here that I came to conclusion that the writing style in Dare You To has more to do with it’s narrator Beth. In the end, she is the one who presented the story to us in that book.

The chemistry between main characters was captured very well, I could feel the intensity between them and I enjoyed reading how they fell for each other slowly and then how that love developed pretty fast.

Although this is a love story, it also has many famly issues and family situations.
I will even be brave enugh to call it a love story with elements of family prose.
That, family aspect of this story, I liked a lot and it made me appreciate this novel even more.

Overall, I think everyone who likes McGarry already will enjoy reading this book, but I would also recommend it to everyone who likes to read ya contemporary about love, but with the darker atmosphere in it.

Waiting on Wendesday (# Lucky 7): Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane

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Waiting on Wendesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait to read.

This week I am eagerly anticipating:

who's that girl

Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: April 7th, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

An achingly funny story from the author of the bestselling YOU HAD ME AT HELLO

What’s the one thing you DON’T do at a wedding?

When Edie is caught in a compromising position at her colleagues’ wedding, all the blame falls on her – turns out that personal popularity in the office is not that different from your schooldays. Shamed online and ostracised by everyone she knows, her boss suggests an extended sabbatical – ghostwriting an autobiography for hot new acting talent, Elliot Owen. Easy, right?

Wrong. Banished back to her home town of Nottingham, Edie is not only dealing with a man who probably hasn’t heard the word ‘no’ in a decade, but also suffering an excruciating regression to her teenage years as she moves back in with her widowed father and judgey, layabout sister.

When the world is asking who you are, it’s hard not to question yourself. Who’s that girl? Edie is ready to find out.

Why am I waiting?

When I saw one of my favorite authors, Lindsey Kelk, talk about this book and say she feels an “author jaleousy” when it comes to McFarlane’s writing, I knew I had to check it out. I mean, when an amazing author says she wishes she could write like that, that has to be something, right?

The premise of this book sounds really interesting and the sentence “Will make you laugh out loud.” makes me want to read it even more.

This chick-lit should be over 500 pages long, which means I’ll probalby spend a lot of time having fun while reading it.
I just can’t wait to finally read it!

Author Website * Amazon UK * Amazon US * Goodreads * The Book Depository