Review: Fairyland by J.L. Bryan

Fairyland (Songs of Magic #4) by J.L. Bryan
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Jason and Erin’s urgent mission takes them deep into the colorful and deadly wilds of Faerie, full of bizarre and rude creatures, and past the glittering volcanic islands of the Southward Sea.

In man-world, Mitch and Dred try to prepare for a live concert in front of millions of viewers while half their band is missing. The record company is furious with them, and so are a certain violet-haired fairy and her banshee wolf friend, who finally catch up with them in Los Angeles.

In Faerie, Queen Mab and the leprechaun Aonghus Mac Lobhar enter into a secret agreement over a new kind of magic that will change fairyland forever...

My Thoughts: First off, I love this cover. I think it's funky and awesome in a sparkly kinda of way. That's a good thing, in case you were wondering. Sparkly stuff is good when it's shooting out of your guitar. Or off your wings. I speak from experience. But that's neither here nor there. What I'm trying to point out is that I like the cover. It works. It works very well.

As for the book, I love love LOVE how Faerie is slightly off kilter and when someone says they have corn and bean soup they really mean candy corn on the cob and jelly bean soup. J.L. Bryan's imagination is like the kid in the candy store who bounces from bin to bin and wants to put his hands in all the sticky goodness. It's frantic and wild and a total trip to experience.

Without giving away too many details, things are definitely moving forward in the overall arc. Jason and Erin discover some interesting truths while on the hunt to rescue Jason's little sister, Mitch and Dred are dealing with missing half their band with a huge live show looming over them, and Aoide is within reach of her stolen instruments when a bombshell drops on her. Things happen, guys. BIG things.

This book ended on a suitably ominous note and it looks like Faerie and all her creatures are going to be in for a rough ride. As for me, I can't wait to see what diabolical critters J.L. Bryan comes up with next. *cue evil laugh*

Books in this series
1. Fairy Metal Thunder
2. Fairy Blues
3. Fairystruck
4. Fairyland - Paperback | Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge
Fairyland was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Thoughts: You know how some books totally hit the spot? That was Lola for me. I loved it. I loved Cricket. I loved Lola's wigs and her costumes. I loved that Lola was so irrepressibly Lola. I loved that we got to see Anna and St. Clair again. I loved all these little things and they added up to make me ridiculously happy. To the point where even though I loved how the book ended and I loved where the characters ended, I wanted more. I want to see the next phase of Cricket and Lola. I want!

I'm not going to lie, I had expectations going into this book. I loved Anna's story and I was very excited to dive into this book. But... but... I kept thinking that I loved Anna so much that there was no way Lola could live up to her. I had fears, guys. Fears! And yet those fears were unfounded. While Lola's story wasn't quite as effortlessly charming as Anna's, it still captured me and kept me enthralled.

One of the things that I wasn't enamored of was Lola's boyfriend, Max. I didn't like him. Besides the age difference (which at their age is HUGE), I just... wanted him gone. But at the same time, Lola's story wouldn't have been half as poignant if she had dropped Max like a hot potato and fallen into Cricket's arms. The buildup was slow and lovely and Max's interference in it was part of that.

Stephanie Perkins has done at outstanding job of creating characters that shine through their awkwardness. She writes people that I want to know. And she made them so ridiculously real. I'm eagerly waiting for Isla's story now so that I can be dazzled once again.

Books in this series
1. Anna and the French Kiss
2. Lola and the Boy Next Door - Hardcover | Kindle
3. Isla and the Happily Ever After

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Amazon |

Spotlight on... My sordid blogging woes!

Motivate me!

 Or the sordid tale of my dirty blogging woes

After nearly two years of book blogging, I've finally realized that I have two fatal flaws that I need to address. Some of you might be thinking it's my inappropriate humor or the dirty, dirty pictures I sometimes post on Tumblr. Well, my friends, you'd be wrong on both counts. Still others of you might think that it's my ability to quote totally useless trivia about the Nancy Drew books. I have a lot of totally useless trivia, let me tell you. BUT... that's not one of my flaws.

No, my flaws are simple - I have a tendency to let to my reviews pile up until I look at the list of books I've recently read waiting for me to review them and want to cry - and - I am terribly, horribly, awfully neglectful of my Google Reader.

I decided to tackle my first flaw the other day by offering myself incentive as I wrote each review. "Kelly," I told myself, "you have five reviews to write. You're going to write one and as a reward you can read a chapter of your current book."

This seemed like a solid plan. I wrote my review and I was feeling good about myself. I picked up my book for the reward chapter and THREE HOURS LATER I HAD FINISHED THE BOOK WITHOUT WRITING ANOTHER REVIEW!

Wait. What?

Now, my problem might have been that my reward book was Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent and it was really good. Or my problem might have been that I have zero self-control around books. I don't know. I do know that I ended up that night with exactly the same amount of books to review that I started with. *frowny face*

It's clear that the answer to this problem is that I need to read books that suck. Right? If I don't want to get back to reading them, the reviews will be like the reward and I'll actually write the darn things in a timely manner.

Or not.

Anyway. Flaw #2. My Google Reader. I can't be the only one who forgets about the thing. Can I? Ohmahgod. I am the only one, aren't I? And by admitting to this I've now violated Google's TOS and I'm doomed to a Google-less existence from here on out! MY GOOGLE-FU WILL BE WASTED! *weeps*

Yeah. Okay. The other day, I realized that I had forgotten to check my reader in 3 days. 300+ posts were staring at me when I opened the damn thing up. I closed that page down so fast that my fingers were still smoking 5 minutes later.

Unlike my first fatal flaw, I don't have a fix for this one. I could write myself a note but I'd probably ignore it for three days and end up in the same boat I was before. I could... no, that was my only idea. I'm tapped, folks. Done.

I want to know how you guys motivate yourselves. It doesn't have to be about book blogging, review writing, Google Reader-ing. Tell me what silly, fun, yummy, or otherwise motivating thing you use to get things done.

Now I'm off to find a bad book and make myself write some reviews.

Review: Body and Soul by Stacey Kade

Body and Soul (The Ghost and the Goth #3) by Stacey Kade
Synopsis (Goodreads):

The Ghost
I’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily...or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am, or if who that is is good enough. I need out of this mess. Now.

Will and I have been looking for a solution, one that would separate me from Lily without killing her. But it’s not going well. Then, when it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, we run into Misty, my former best friend and boyfriend-stealer extraordinaire, who claims she’s being haunted...by me. Seriously?

I’m determined to get to the bottom of who’s pretending to be the spirit of Alona Dare (while I’m pretending to be someone else) and then get the heck out of this body. Or die trying...

The Goth
I’ll admit it. It’s really weird to look at Alona but see Lily. I do know the difference, though, contrary to what Alona might be saying. And Alona is more than a pretty face to me, not that she would believe that.

Our one lead for some help in this messed up situation might be a page torn from the yellow pages-—the “Psychics” section-—I found in my dad’s stuff. One of the “fakes” seems a bit more real-—and odd-—than the others. Before I can investigate further, though, Alona is off and chasing a ghost that’s probably nothing more than a figment of Misty’s guilty imagination. Now Lily’s family is freaking out because she didn’t come home, my mom is ordering me to stay out of it, and something is definitely wrong with the person formerly known as Lily “Ally” Turner...

My Thoughts: *sniffles* I don't know if I'm ready for this series to be over. I like this world. I like Will. I like Alona. I like Will with Alona. I like the idea of ghost-talkers. I'm going to miss dipping into these books. It's okay. I'll get over it. I'll work through my issues. I'll cry myself to sleep tonight when nobody's looking. DON'T FRET! I'LL BE FINE!

Okay. When last we left our intrepid duo, Alona was stuck tight in Lily's body and Will was without his faithful spirit guide. Or at least his brutally honest, slightly snarky spirit guide. Alona's trying to adjust to living another girl's life but things are tense. She's worried she's going to do or say something that will give her away and turn a slightly bearable situation into an epic mess. Meanwhile, Will is trying to adjust to having the girl he has feelings for in the body of one of his friends who he didn't have feelings for. It's very tangled and complex. I like it.

Alona has come a long way from the school princess in book 1. She sees the way Lily's family loves Lily and she doesn't want to hurt them unnecessarily. She tries to get Will to grab hold of his destiny and not let the ghosts walk all over him. She's pragmatic and blunt but she's not cruel for the sake of being cruel.

I'm sad to see the end of this series but I really like how things turned out. For a series about death and ghosts and consequences, it's surprisingly upbeat and I zipped through each of the books to see how they ended. Farewell, Will and Alona! We'll miss you!

Books in this series
1. The Ghost and the Goth
2. Queen of the Dead
3. Body & Soul - Hardcover | Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Review: Inside Out by Lauren Dane

Inside Out (Brown Siblings #3) by Lauren Dane
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ella Tipton is a survivor. In the wake of an attack that nearly left her dead, she has spent each day putting her life back together. Once vibrant and outgoing, she's needed to reclaim the best parts of who she was while retaining the hard-won lessons. There hasn't been room for any romantic entanglements, even if she were ready. Still, it doesn't mean she has to stop sneaking looks at Mister Tall, Dark and Tattooed himself.

Security professional Andrew Copeland isn't quite sure when his jones for the lovely and decidedly skittish Ella developed. He's known her for years, has watched her triumph over the pain she's been dealt. Cope is no stranger to women, but he knows the nervous flush he gets every time he talks to Ella is different from any attraction he's had in the past. Determined to get Ella to let him in, Cope does the one thing he can think of to get close: he offers her hands-on training in self-defense.

While Ella's sure Cope is just being nice, the prospect of being able to touch him and and gain the tools to push away the last vestiges of her fear is more than she can resist. Soon enough, Cope shows Ella his feelings are far more than friendly, and he reignites something deep inside her. It isn't long before desire and love turn them both inside out.

My Thoughts: I swear to you that I say this every single review I write for a Lauren Dane book but I LOVE HER CHARACTERS SO DAMN MUCH! The women are strong enough to survive their own personal hells and the men are strong enough to be there for them when they need them the most. Plus... the men tend to have tattoos and piercings. Need I say more? I think not.

Cope and Ella are another fantastic example of a couple who are perfect for one another. It doesn't hurt that they're so damn hot they practically steam up every room they're in. Ella's fought her way back from a horrifying attack by an ex and she's finally reached a place where she's ready to have a relationship. Cope has had a serious crush on Ella since the first time he saw her but he's kept it to himself (or so he thinks) to give her time to heal both physically and emotionally. Their courtship (which sounds so wonderfully old fashioned, doesn't it?) is a sweet, lovely dance that builds on their friendship and explodes into something that take both of them by surprise.

Of course, the Brown siblings and their various partners and friends are there to support them and watch them light up when they get around one another. I honestly love the supporting cast of characters in this series so much. They're all fabulous. They step in when they're needed and step back when they're not. They offer advice and a shoulder to cry on. They hold each others' hands during a crisis and eat cake to celebrate the joyous moments.

This series as a whole is one of my favorites. I'm ready for sexy Adrian's story now.

Books in this series
1. Laid Bare
2. Coming Undone
3. Inside Out - Paperback | Kindle
4. Never Enough
5. Laid Open

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Review: Taking Chase by Lauren Dane

Taking Chase (Chase Brothers #2) by Lauren Dane
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Cassie Gambol is on the run. In what seems like another lifetime, her ex-husband nearly ended her life and effectively ended her successful career as a vascular surgeon. But even though the justice system found him guilty of attempted murder, he fled while awaiting sentencing and Carly Sunderland became Cassie Gambol.

Fleeing Los Angeles, she heads to small and off the map Petal, Georgia to start her life again. Shane Chase, a man who's held himself away from commitment since his fiance dumped him several years before knows the beautiful newcomer is hiding something. He's wildly attracted to her strength and her underlying vulnerability as well.

But the last thing Cassie wants is another big, overwhelming man who wants to control her life. A battle begins between Shane, who knows what he wants and Cassie, who knows she needs to do everything she can to keep a distance between herself and the very handsome sheriff.

But Cassie's ex is back and he wants her dead.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed book 1 in this series when I read it last year so I was raring to go when this one popped up at the top of my TBR pile. Frankly, it didn't disappoint. We got to meet up with the hunky Chase boys again, watch their wacky (but loveable) mama charm the town despite her crazy driving ways, and dip into the small town life that thrives in Petal.

Shane was the commitment phobic brother who dropped Maggie like a hot potato in book 1 (thus paving with way for Kyle to end up with the lady of his dreams) and has shied away from serious relationships since he caught his fiancee with his best friend several years before. He's a little shocked when he finds himself pining for Cassie as soon as she moves to town - especially since he knows there's a whole lot more to her story than what she's telling.

Cassie... Wow. What she had endured was heartbreaking enough. That she lost everything, including her identity and career, because of one seriously deranged man who should have loved her and kept her safe was even worse. Yet, she's a survivor and she isn't about to let panic attacks or fear destroy her life. And she blossoms in Petal. She learns that she can have a normal life and be a normal person and it's liberating. No, it's not an easy road for her to reach that point, but she fights for it.

I honestly love the slice of small town life we're given. I love how everyone knows everything within a day (or a few hours) of it happening and they rally around when one of theirs is in need. Lauren Dane does a fantastic job of bringing the family dynamics to life and building the relationships between the brothers. Fun, sexy, sad, scary - you get a little of everything with those Chase boys.

Books in this series
1. Giving Chase
2. Taking Chase - Kindle
3. Chased
4. Making Chase

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge

Review: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent
Synopsis (Goodreads):

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.
The good news? He didn't get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

My Thoughts: Holy Hannah! There was the... and then the... OMG! NO!... Wait!... More!... Yes!... OMG!... RUN!... NOOOOOOOOOO! *flops back* That was intense. I mean, flailing, arms akimbo, can't sit still because otherwise the bad things will get me intense. I think I need a drink after finishing that book. Or a reaper of my own. Rawr!

Where to begin with that that won't give all the good stuff away? I love love LOVE Tod with Kaylee. I love how he is. I love that he's not afraid to tell her how much she means to him. I love that she makes his existence worthwhile. On the flip side, I love that Kaylee feels so much when she's with Tod but at the same time she needs to find a way out of her funk and learn to live when they're apart. Yes, this disconnect from reality is normal (as all the reapers keep telling her) but it's hard to watch this normally exuberant girl fall into such a terrible depression and have to fight every day to act normal so that she doesn't scare all her friends and family. As an aside, Rachel Vincent's portrayal of Kaylee's depression was wonderfully done. She's struggling so hard to find the will to care about what's happening around her. For those that have ever had to deal with bouts of depression, this can be debilitating and finding an even keel is hard. So, thank you, Rachel Vincent. Thank you.

I loved that we got to see how the events from Sophie's short story tied in to the big picture. I LOVE that Sophie is finally part of the Scooby gang even if she's a reluctant member. I really do think it was unfair of her dad to keep all the Netherworld badness from her when the Netherworld was so much a part of their lives. I also love that there was a such a big shake-up with the core members of their gang. SO MANY THINGS HAPPEN!

At this point, book 7 can't get here soon enough. Kaylee's story might be drawing to a close but it's going to be a brutal finale and I'm very excited for it!

Books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Reaper
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly)
1. My Soul To Take
    Double Take Review
2. My Soul To Save
    Double Take Review
3. My Soul To Keep
    Double Take Review
4. My Soul To Steal
    Double Take Review
5. If I Die
    Double Take Review
5.5. Never to Sleep
6. Before I Wake - Paperback | Kindle
7. With All My Soul

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |