Book Review: Pink is a Four-Letter Word (Toronto Series #11) by Heather Wardell

Summary: 

Nothing ever comes easily for Larissa, a makeup artist who both loves and fears pink and all things feminine. She longs to start her own business as her late dad had wanted but never quite gets there, her attempt to host her best friend's son's christening is a disaster, and the only dates she can get are dreadful.

When she's offered a job teaching English in Kuwait, at first she says no because her life is bad enough at home without throwing sand and camels into the mix. But when everything goes wrong at once, she can't stay in Toronto another second so accepts the job in the hopes that she will be a new and better person there.

But can she really leave her psychological baggage behind, or is it true that 'wherever you go, there you are'?

Release Date: April 4, 2013

Age Group: Adult

Source: Review copy from author

Review:
I've read all of the books in Wardell's Toronto series, and have always liked Larissa as a character.  I found her intriguing and wanted to know more about her.  So I got really exited when I learned that Wardell was featuring Larissa in Pink is a Four-Letter Word.  

Larissa is like so many women in that her inside feelings don't match her outside shell.  She puts up a facade to the world, and shows them a confident, self-assured woman who never makes mistakes.  She's cool, collected, and confident.  But the real Larissa is much different.  She doesn't have great self-esteem and her inner critic is turned all the way up to high volume.  Larissa criticizes everything she does and feels that she makes all the wrong choices.  These wrong choices extend from her choice of boyfriends, career, to even small things like accidentally misspelling a name for a baby gift.  

Larissa is constantly beating herself up and eventually gets to a point where she realizes that she needs to completely escape her life.  She is a makeup artist but on a whim decides to take a position teaching English in Kuwait.  The school does not require teachers to have a teaching background, so she decides that if she moves to another country she can start completely over and be a different person.  

But, her choices (which are really the highest level of denial of her true self) come along to Kuwait with her and Larissa sees that the old adage: 'wherever you go, there you are' really is true.  It's not until Larissa starts to recognize her true self and stand up for herself, defending her choices to those who would criticize her, that she grows as a character.  She moves from one extreme (self-loathing) to another, and finally ends up in a state of self-acceptance and self-love.  I loved this theme, and Larissa's journey was my favorite thing about this book.  Wardell's best talent is writing her characters in a way that the reader really sees herself in the characters' thoughts, actions, and feelings.  Even when I am completely different from Wardell's characters, I can always see myself in them, and I love that.

The one thing I didn't love about Pink is a Four-Letter Word is that there was too much casual sex in it for my liking.  I like intimacy to go alongside of characters being in love, but that's just me.  I know much of the people in today's world don't think that way.  

Besides Larissa's story, the story arcs of the minor characters were well fleshed-out and added a lot to the book.  I especially loved Larissa's students, and thought that Wardell did a great job bringing her classroom to life.  

Pink is a Four-Letter Word is one of my favorite books out of the series, and I highly recommend it, and all of Heather Wardell's writing!

Book Review: Mom at Last: How I Never Gave Up on Being a Mother by Sharon Simons

Summary: 

Her biological clock ticking louder each day, Sharon Simons felt her heart sink as yet another “Mr. Wonderful” turned out to be a frog---not the prince she was waiting for. But when the right man did come along, their journey toward parenthood seemed more like a machete trail through a jungle than the smooth path of her dreams. Enduring multiple failed IVFs and the loss of their unborn twins, Sharon and her husband decided to adopt---taking a whirlwind trip to Russia and navigating the rough waters of international adoption red tape. Their journey ended, or rather began, when two baby boys were placed in their arms for the long trip home.
Part love story, part adoption memoir, and all heart, Mom at Last is the story of one woman’s fierce determination to become a mother. Full of setbacks and emotionally devastating pitfalls, ultimately the journey leads her to true love and pure joy. Mom at Last will inspire women who find themselves on that sometimes difficult journey to motherhood, giving hope that motherhood is possible and encouraging women to never give up on their dreams. While every journey to motherhood is different, Mom at Last lets women know they are not alone in the struggle toward motherhood.

Release Date: August 1, 2013
Age Group: Adult
Source: Review copy from publisher

Review:

What a great read!  Books like Mom at Last make me want to read more nonfiction.  Being a mother to a two-year old, I could really identify with Sharon's desire to become a mother.  I can't imagine not having my baby, and the thought of being physically unable to have children is heartbreaking to me.  Mom at Last made me appreciate motherhood even more than I already do.

I liked Sharon right from the start.  She is strong, decisive, and smart.  What really made me fall in love with her, though, was how she triumphs despite her hardships.  No matter the circumstances, she never gave up on her calling to be a mother.  When I read about how Sharon lost her twin boys halfway through the pregnancy, I cried for her.  I could not believe the turn of events that lead to that heartache.  

But the most enlightening part of this book was the portrayal of Sharon's journey to adoption.  I had no idea that Russian adoptions are handled like that!  I was shocked at the cost, the organization of the Russian authorities (or lack thereof) and how long the entire process takes.  I knew adopting a child was a very long and arduous process, but I had no idea just how many steps future parents have to take and how many hoops they have to jump through.  It boggles my mind that it's so hard for good people to adopt a child, but any woman can get pregnant and have a baby, no matter how seemingly unfit of a mother she may be.

The other thing I learned from Mom at Last was how arduous IVF really is.  I always thought of it as daily hormone shots and then getting your eggs harvested at the end of your cycle, then having the fertilized embryos implanted later.  I never realized just how many injections are involved, how painful they are, and what the side effects are.  Sharon went through several IVF cycles and I felt so badly for her.  It is truly a draining process, both emotionally, physically and financially.

The only thing I didn't love about Mom at Last was that it felt didactic at times.  I wanted more emotion and less instruction---but I got tons of emotion at the end of the story.  I was so happy for Sharon to finally become a mother, and for her sons to have a loving, secure home.  I would definitely recommend Mom at Last.  It's a great, powerful read, perfect for Mother's Day!

Book Review: A Shade of Blood (A Shade of Vampire #2) by Bella Forrest

Summary: 

When Sofia Claremont was kidnapped to a sunless island, uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet, she believed she’d forever be a captive of its dark ruler, Derek Novak.

Now, after months of surviving an endless night, the morning sun may soon rise again for Sofia. Something has possessed Derek’s heart and he offers her a gift no human slave has ever been given in the history of his cursed island: escape.

High school, prom and a chance to move on with her life now await her.

But will she be able to forget the horrors that steal her sleep away at night? … and the feelings that haunt her for that tormented prince of darkness?

Release Date: April 8, 2013

Age Group: YA

Source: Review copy from author

Review:

I really enjoyed A Shade of Vampire, book one in the series, and was excited to receive a review copy of A Shade of Blood.  I love Forrest's voice, emotions, and characterization.  I thought I was pretty much through with vampire stories, but I guess I'm not!  

I found A Shade of Blood to be somewhat predictable.  I was able to predict events far before they happened.  While I prefer to be surprised, I still enjoyed the story.  My other complaint was that parts of the story didn't flow well.  

My favorite part of this story was Sofia herself.  I like her strength, and when she decided to trust her instincts, the story really took off.  I enjoyed the minor characters, especially Vivenne and Cora.  I thought that all of the characters were very well-developed.  

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the alternating points-of-view.  Not only were the two main characters the narrators, but some secondary characters as well, which really deepened the characterization for me.

What I liked outweighed what I didn't like, and I thought A Shade of Blood was a solid installment to this fun series.  I'm looking forward to book three!   

Book Review: The Elephant of Surprise (Russel Middlebrook #4) by Brent Hartinger

Summary: 

People aren't always what they seem to be. Sometimes we even surprise ourselves.

So discovers seventeen-year-old Russel Middlebrook in The Elephant of Surprise, a stand-alone sequel to Brent Hartinger's landmark 2003 gay young adult novel Geography Club (which has now been adapted as a feature film co-starring Scott Bakula and Nikki Blonsky).

In this latest book, Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar are laughing about something they call the Elephant of Surprise -- the tendency for life to never turn out as expected. Sure enough, Russel soon happens upon a hot but mysterious homeless activist named Wade, even as he's drawn back to an old flame named Kevin. Meanwhile, Min is learning surprising things about her girlfriend Leah, and Gunnar just wants to be left alone to pursue his latest technology obsession.

But the elephant is definitely on the move in all three of their lives. Just who is Wade and what are he and his friends planning? What is Leah hiding? And why is Gunnar taking naked pictures of Kevin in the shower?

The Elephant of Surprise includes Hartinger's trademark combination of humor and romance, angst and optimism. Before the story is over, Russel and his friends will learn that the Elephant of Surprise really does appear when you least expect him—and that when he stomps on you, it really, really hurts.

Release Date: March 30, 2013

Age Group: YA

Source: Review copy from author

Review:
I really enjoyed this book!  What a fun read.  The Elephant of Surprise was light-hearted, funny, and sweetly optimistic.  I loved Russel's voice and his outlook on life.  I read this book during a rough time and it really perked up my spirits.

Russel is the narrator (boy, I just love a first-person POV) and I really enjoyed seeing the world through his eyes.  He's got to be one of the most positive, endearing characters I've ever encountered.  Russel and his closest friends have coined a phrase: "the elephant of surprise" meaning that things never turn out how you expect.  People aren't who you think they are and act much differently than you would expect them to.  The crux of the book is how Russel and his friends react to the surprises life throws at them.  

The love story aspect of this book was very sweet and well-handled.  It was definitely appropriate for YA literature.  I'm really happy I read The Elephant of Surprise and would definitely read Brent Hartinger again.   

 

Love In Bloom Giveaway Hop

As part of the Love In Bloom Giveaway Hop, we're happy to offer 3 winners:

 A Kindle version of  

The Parts I Remember by A.K. Mills 

This giveaway is open internationally and anyone can enter to win!  

I've read The Parts I Remember and thought it was an emotional and thought-provoking story.  It's a contemporary New Adult fiction, a genre I'm loving lately.  Read my review of The Parts I Remember here.

Summary for The Parts I Remember:

Act first. Think never. Remember nothing.

Welcome to Kelly Rockport’s existence at Haysville University, where responsibility is just an elective. After all, fake IDs, alter egos, and one-night stands are all part of the college experience, right? So what if she blacks out from time to time? Memory is overrated.

When freshman year lasts about as long as a one-night stand and is quickly followed by the Year of the Blackout, Kelly projects junior year to be nothing shy of amazing. But as shots, beer, cocaine and men mesh together in an intoxicating haze, Kelly’s reckless ways get her into serious trouble. The only problem is, she can't remember what happened.

As she hovers along the edge of consciousness, Kelly forces herself to think past her pain to piece together the shards of her life. This is her story, told in her words: The Parts I Remember. 

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Visit the other blogs participating in the hop here.
 

Book Review: The Parts I Remember by A.K. Mills

Summary: 

Act first. Think never. Remember nothing.

Welcome to Kelly Rockport’s existence at Haysville University, where responsibility is just an elective. After all, fake IDs, alter egos, and one-night stands are all part of the college experience, right? So what if she blacks out from time to time? Memory is overrated.

When freshman year lasts about as long as a one-night stand and is quickly followed by the Year of the Blackout, Kelly projects junior year to be nothing shy of amazing. But as shots, beer, cocaine and men mesh together in an intoxicating haze, Kelly’s reckless ways get her into serious trouble. The only problem is, she can't remember what happened.

As she hovers along the edge of consciousness, Kelly forces herself to think past her pain to piece together the shards of her life. This is her story, told in her words: The Parts I Remember.

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Source: Review copy from author

Review:
I like the premise of The Parts I Remember.  It is sort of a cautionary tale about what not to do in college.  It's told in flashbacks, a writing style that I really enjoy.  I like it when main characters recount previous actions with the wisdom of experience, knowing that they would have made different choices if they knew then what they know now.  

Kelly's story starts with a car accident.  She wakes up in the hospital and has no idea how she got there or what happened.  As Kelly thinks back to what she does remember, the book goes back in time to the beginning of her freshman year in college.  

I was your stereotypical 'good girl' in college, more like Kelly's obnoxious religious roommate, Angela, than wild child Kelly.  So, I had a hard time understanding some of Kelly's choices.  To drink to the point of blacking out is foreign to me.  I've only had a few drinks in my life and wasn't impressed with the ones I had.  (Maybe I was doing something wrong?)  

Anyway, Kelly was an enigma to me.  To not have any direction in your college career, to just be there to have fun and get drunk/high all the time is inconceivable.  Kelly had a lot of casual sex as well as the drinking and drug use.  I know that this happens all the time now, and I am probably considered a prude (in fact, I have been called as such here on this blog), but I just hate reading about casual sex.  To take something so meaningful and intimate and make it so casual makes me sad.  

I had a hard time connecting with Kelly because of these issues.  She took so, so, long to finally learn from her many bad experiences, that by the time she did change, I was emotionally distanced from her.  

I think The Parts I Remember was a good read, and would definitely recommend it.  It is a new adult book and would be a great for anyone about to go into college.  The Parts I Remember was very powerful and emotionally charged.  I liked the ending and that Kelly finally learns from her actions.  I liked Mills' writing style and would definitely read her work again. 
    

 

Book Review: But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

Summary: 

Sometimes at night, I wake up and stare at the heart for hours. I think of how I collected each piece from the beach, how I glued it all together into one big sculpture. I wonder if Connor realizes what it means, that he'll always have a piece of me no matter what happens. Each piece of glass is another piece of myself that I gave to him.

It's too bad I didn't keep any pieces for myself.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved - and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything - and everyone - in its path.

This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.

Release Date: May 8, 2011

Age Group: New Adult

Source: Purchased

Review:

What a powerful book!  I started But I Love Him after reading Amanda Grace's latest book, The Truth About You and Me, and falling in love with her writing.  I adored both books, and will definitely be reading Amanda Grace's other novel, In Too Deep.  

But I Love Him gripped me from the very beginning, and didn't let go until I finished the book.  I tore through this book in one sitting, it was just that good for me.  I really felt for Ann.  At times I could not believe what was happening to her!  

I didn't think I would be a fan of a story told in reverse, but flashbacks were ideal for this subject, because it allowed me to be more objective about Ann's decision to stay in an abusive relationship.

I loved the ending and was really happy with Ann's decision.  I wish there would have been an epilogue, though, so I could know what happened with all of the characters.  My one complaint about But I Love Him was that the story felt repetitive at times.

But I Love Him is not an easy read, and it's definitely not a 'warm and fuzzy' read, but it's a book that should be read by all teens and their mothers.  It serves as a realistic portrayal of a dysfunctional, unhealthy relationship, and would be a great teaching tool  for teens who are just starting to date.  I recommend this book, and Amanda Grace!

   

 

Getting Organized...

Fellow bloggers, do you have a certain way you organize your review requests?  I have always saved the emails from authors and publishers and tried to keep track of pending review requests that way.  But, when my inbox started to overflow, I started losing track of which books I was supposed to read, and when.  When I'm part of a blog tour, that takes my panic to a new level: I am always terrified that I'll forget to post my tour stop in time.

Today I decided to make a spreadsheet to organize myself.  I ended up with columns for title, author, and the following dates: requested, received, publication, when I read the book, and review date.  It took me the better part of two hours to discover that I have 44 pending review requests, only 14 of which I have finished reading.  ***massive panic attack***  One of the pending books is from July 2012!   ***hangs head in shame***

I have resolved to be better at knowing my limits for accepting review requests, and to try harder with new books, instead of going with books that I know I'll love.  

Have you ever found yourself in this predicament?  How do you keep track of your review requests?

Book Review: Screwed by Laurie Plissner

Summary: 

Grace was the girl who always did everything right, until the night she fell for a boy's sleazy line and became pregnant. Nick couldn't care less about pretty math-geek Grace or the baby he fathered. He's had a dozen girls like her, and he'll have a dozen more. When Grace confesses to her super-religious, strait-laced parents, they deliver a shocker: They've scheduled an abortion. All they want is to pretend this never happened.

When Grace balks, they literally throw her out in the street. A rich, elderly neighbor takes her in, and, with the help of the friendship she needs in Charlie, the old woman's great-nephew, she must make the toughest choice of her young life. The people she believed in were only playing a role, while others, in an unlikely way, are true heroes.

Grace can never have the life she planned, but she has one chance to be the person she will have to live with for the rest of her life. Her choice will cost her, big time, either way--and no one can make it except her.

Release Date: April 18, 2013

Age Group: Mature YA

Source: NetGalley

Review:

I love the premise of this book, and overall really enjoyed Screwed.  I felt so badly for Grace.  Didn't we all made mistakes at that age?  She made a mistake and has to pay for it in a big way, while Nick, her baby's father, wants his identity as the father to remain a secret.  Grace has one good friend, Jennifer, who is on her side.  Everyone else, even people she thought were friends, shuns her.  The worst betrayal is from her own parents, who can only see the damage to their social standing when Grace refuses to get an abortion.  Grace's parents kick her out, and before she endures any physical trauma, her kind neighbor takes her in.

I really enjoyed Grace and the other characters in this book, especially Helen and Charlie.  I wish that Screwed would have been a first person narrative, with Grace as the narrator, because I think that would have made for a more personal book.  I couldn't help comparing Screwed to Karen Hart's Butterflies in May (read my review here), another coming-of-age story based on a teen with an unplanned pregnancy.  

One thing that really bothered me about Screwed was the language.  There was a lot of cursing, especially the f-word, which started to get to me.  I don't like it when cursing is used too liberally in teen books; while I understand that four-letter words are a big part of most teens' vocabularies, I think too much of it cheapens the book.  

My favorite thing about Screwed was how Plissner resolves the conflict at the end of the book. I  loved that Grace, Charlie, and even her parents experience a lot of character growth and positive change throughout the story.  I really enjoyed Grace's trip at the end of the book and thought it was a fitting end to her journey.  

Overall, I enjoyed Screwed and would recommend it to fans of coming-of-age novels and fans of mature YA.  I would definitely read Laurie Plissner again.

  

Book Giveaway!

Are you a fan of actress Lauren Graham?  I sure am.  I love her in Parenthood!

Did you know that she's written a novel?  She has, and we're giving away two copies!

Two winners will receive a copy of 

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham.  

This giveaway is open to residents of the US only.  Thank you to Random House for providing this giveaway!

Fill out the form below to enter.

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