Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover
Published: August 2014
SYNOPSIS:
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly
MY REVIEW:
Brilliant. Heart-wrenching. Sexy. Addictive. Rewarding. Flawless. Butterflying Awesome.
Colleen Hoover is an amazing writer. She never writes the same thing twice and I find it mind-boggling that she is so consistently flawless in every book. I butterflying love everything she writes. I know I've said this before, but I'd freaking read her grocery lists if I had the chance to because they'd probably have some sort of hidden genius and humor in them too. I always think there is no way CoHo can top the last book she wrote. But then I crack the spine of her new release and her words are so perfect and I want to hold her characters in my heart forever and I can't put the book down.
Ugly Love...it was so beautiful. At first I thought that the use of water and liquid as a theme in Tate's and Miles' storylines was just clever, a nice little juxtaposition of their feelings and emotions for each other. But then when I got to the end of the story and finally knew the full truth of what water meant to Miles and his broken heart....I wanted to fall to my knees in front of CoHo and worship the perfection of her writing.
And it wasn't just the words and language of CoHo's writing that was so lovely together, it was the way that those words were placed on the page. Cascading, centered, repeated, emphasized...the layout of the words was just as poetic as the words themselves. This book was poetic, truly poetic.
I'm in love with this story and the characters. I want to jump right back in and read it all over again
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: Ignite Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me Series
Published: 2014
SYNOPSIS:
The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”
With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.
The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and satisfying end.
MY REVIEW:
This book was so incredibly perfect in every way. The writing, as always, was poetic and haunting and gorgeous.
I enjoyed seeing Juliette come full circle and grow as a character, able to look back at herself in the past and find answers and explanations in her behavior and choices.
And Warner. God how I loved Warner's character. He was the ultimate tortured, cocky, bad boy...my favorite. There was so much action and craziness at the end that I truly feared I would not get my happy ending. But this book was flawless and I loved, loved, loved it.
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: Unravel Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me Series
Published: 2013
SYNOPSIS:
tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life
MY REVIEW:
Tahereh Mafi's writing is, in one word, poetic. This is just one of my favorite passages:
"So I have to keep remembering that Warner and I are 2 different words.
We are synonyms but not the same.
Synonyms know each other like old colleagues, like a set of friends who've seen the world together. They swap stories, reminisce about their origins and forget that though they are similar, they are entirely different, and though they share a certain set of attributes, one can never be the other. Because a quiet night is not the same as a silent one, a firm man is not the same as a steady one, and a bright light is not the same as a brilliant one because the way they wedge themselves into a sentence changes everything.
They are not the same."
I'll let her writing speak for itself. Except to add this....I love the tortured-soul bad boys, always have. So although Adam was the true love of book one....I'm beginning to see why Juliette is so attracted to Warner.
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me Series
Published: 2011
SYNOPSIS:
I have a curse
I have a gift
I am a monsterI'm more than human
My touch is lethalMy touch is power
I am their weaponI will fight back
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
MY REVIEW:
This book was impossible to put down. The language and writing were so poetically beautiful. I loved the odd combinations of words that almost created a new language of heartache, loneliness, love....thoughts of a truly shattered person. Gorgeous. I found the crossed out text to be intriguing, the love scenes were steamy, and the storyline unexpected. I want to read it again immediately just to experience the beautiful writing again.
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: Alienated
Author: Melissa Landers
Series: Alienated Series
Published: February 4, 2014
SYNOPSIS:
Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.
Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.
Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.
But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.
Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.
MY REVIEW:
This book was so different and fun. A foreign exchange student from another planet...what an unusual idea. And it totally worked. Cara was the perfect heroine -- strong, smart, and feisty. Aelyx was the strange love interest -- a brilliant guy from another planet who didn't know anything about love or compassion or sacrifice...until he met Cara. And when he finally learns to love, it's with the power of a thousand stars. Ah...the swoony first kiss scene...a perfect mix of sweet and sexy. I don't know what else to say. Read it, you'll like it!
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun news.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: These Broken Stars
Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound Trilogy
Published: December 10, 2013
SYNOPSIS:
It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.
Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.
--
A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.
MY REVIEW:
This book is so much better than the ratings give credit. The writing was fantastic, the characters were well-developed and likable, and the plot was interesting.
When the story first started, I kept thinking how much it was like the movie Titanic...luxury ship, poor boy rescues rich girl, boy and girl save each other...but These Broken Stars was so much more than that. It wasn't insta-love. It was love made from suffering and surviving, discovery and acceptance, and most of all...trust.
** spoiler alert **
I have to admit that when I got to the part after they blew open the door to the building and Lilac became something else, I was nervous. I felt a bit like I did reading The Host...not sure if I could like a character that maybe wasn't Lilac anymore. But Kaufman and Spooner fixed it up nicely. I loved the ending and I'm excited for the next book
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: Abandoned Courage
Author: Jill Daugherty
Series: Courage Series
Published: July 28, 2013
SYNOPSIS:
“I’ll take on Balor—I’ve resigned myself to that fate—but I can’t take these girls anymore.”
“So, just to clarify: Most evil faery known to all of faery-dome—no problem. A bunch of snide and petty girls—that you’re not up to?”
“Bingo.”
“Seriously, cushla macree, we need to have a discussion about your ranking system.”
Maggie O’Neill had a rough junior year…
She fell in love with Simon.
She found out Simon was a faery.
She hung out with her dead ancestors.
She was stalked by an evil faery.
…but that was nothing compared to what’s in store for senior year. She’s the new girl at faery boarding school and is subjected to something she never thought she’d have to deal with in her entire life—mean girls. To make matters worse, she’s seeing less and less of Simon, her faery guard is smothering her in their efforts to protect her, and the evil faery is still stalking her, determined to kill her before she can kill him. She starts to wonder if she’ll make it to graduation. Then the unthinkable happens and she wonders if she’ll be able to survive even one more day.
MY REVIEW:
I love when Indie books turn out to be really wonderful....and leave me scrambling to buy the next book in the series.
The boarding school theme is a guilty pleasure for me because without adult supervision, the characters have more opportunity to screw up epically and that means a wild ride of a read. And Maggie doesn't disappoint. She tries to do the right thing, but she keeps making mistakes and her mistakes have dangerous and monumental consequences.
I loved how her relationship with Simon progressed in this book, it was sweet and perfect.
My last thought....those last few paragraphs of the book? WHY Jill Daugherty? Oh....I thought you broke my heart in Chapter 30....but now it's kind of shattered. I hope it can be repaired.
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
Title: Making Faces
Author: Amy Harmon
Published: October 2013
SYNOPSIS:
Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore. Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us
MY REVIEW:
I couldn't make myself stop reading this book. The depth of the characters, the beauty of the writing, and the wisdom born from tragedies....it all captivated me so completely.
I got home late last night and since I needed a new book to read, I picked Making Faces out of my to-read pile and decided to read a chapter or two before bed. Five hours later, I had gone to bed....with the book. I didn't stop reading until my husband finally turned the light out on me. And as soon as I got a chance to read the next day, I was hungrily finishing the book, stuffing myself with its gorgeous language and perfect lessons long after I was full.
Making Faces was touching, and tragic, and so painfully beautiful in its pain and happiness. I loved this book. I loved the characters. I loved the messages it bestowed on me. This was such a surprisingly wonderful read and I will be putting the rest of Amy Harmon's books on my to-read list.
SUM IT UP:
Follow me on Goodreads to see all of my reviews.
Visit my website for more information on my books, giveaways, and other fun stuff.
www.christinemanzari.com
