Review Time #33

Dare You To by Katie McGarry 

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

This is Beth and Ryan's story, we've heard Echo's and Noah's, now it is time to hear about Beth & what she is going through. 

“Screw what Mom and Dad think. Screw the rest of the town. Screw perfection. This girl is mine.” 

Who would ever think that a single dare could change someone's life? Ryan's friends dare him to get Skater's Girl (aka Beth) number & name, what he didn't realise is what the dare turned out to be, attraction. Beth knows she feels the same, however, with everything going on in her life can she just be?

“Fine," I say. "Dare accepted."

Game on, Skater Girl. Game on.” 

After loving Pushing the Limits and falling in love with McGarry's writing, I knew that I couldn't wait for Dare you To. Her writing captures you and doesn't let you go... I should know seeing as I starting reading and didn't finish until 1am. There is no denying that Ryan and Beth are from different groups, socioeconomic groups and neighborhoods, Ryan is your town's golden boy & jock with secrets of his own, Beth the new girl with dark & hidden secrets. 

“I like you. I. Like. You. I'll admit you're annoying. Sometimes you agitate me to the brink of insanity, but you can throw it back at me like no one else. When you laugh, I want to laugh. When you smile, I want to smile. Hell, I want to be the one to make you smile.”

Beth's life with her aunt and uncle is for the better, being away from her alcoholic and drug addict mum and her abusive boyfriend is for the best. Isaiah makes a few appearances in this one, while Beth wants to runaway like she always does, Isaiah knows that it is better for her to just stay. Isaiah knows that he has to let her go, no matter how much he loves her, he wants what is best for her. The scenes between these two are heart breaking and will emotionally get to you. Ryan's perfect life isn't as perfect as it seems, he maybe the town's golden boy on the outside, on the inside he is hiding secrets just like Beth is. 

“You're falling for me like I'm falling for you. That's why you're pushing me so hard.” 

The rollarcoaster ride this book takes you on is one that you will never forget, the way that these two find out each others secrets and begin to understand this relationship that is forming between the two. McGarry's writing just takes you away in this one, Dare you To is an emotional & brilliant ride that you just have to read in one go!

Thanks to Harlequin (UK) Limited for the review copy on netgalley!

Rating: 5/5

Keely xx

April Wrap Up!

Hey everyone, I'm here today with my April wrap up! So this is basically my IMM for the month (IMM is hosted by Kristy @thestorysiren)!

What I bought!

Paperbacks:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ebooks:

• Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines
• Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry
• Unbroken by Melody Grace
• I'll be here by Autumn Doughton
• Falling for Hadie by Komal Kant
• Die for her by Amy Plum

What I received!

e-arc:

• The collector by Victoria Scott
• Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer
• Confessions of an almost girlfriend by Louise Rozett 
• Untraceable by S.R. Johannes 
• Rouge by Leigh Moore 
• Scarred by J.S. Cooper 

Birthday presents!

• Shatter Me and Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
• The statistical probability of love at first sight and This is what happy looks like by Jennifer E. Smith
• Between the Lines by Tammara Webber
• The Elite by Kiera Cass
• Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

So that is my awesome book haul and April wrap up!

So what did you receive this week/month? Let me know!

Keely xx

Fantastic quotes that you must know!

Hi everyone! Today isn't a normal book review, but a list of fantastic quotes that I myself love! At Uni in my room I've got a quote wall going and I need a few more to help me complete it, but I've become stuck on what else to write. So here is the list of quotes I have so far!

You don't ask how long it takes to get down from a place like that. You ask how long can you stay- 

Gracie from Gracie Faltrain

You can't play like you do, pick things up as quick as you do, be as funny as you are, if you're not smart- 

Dan from Gracie Faltrain

There are no guarantees you have the skills but you have to learn how to use them- 

Gracie from Gracie Faltrain

Life is what happened while we are busy making other plans

God knows we're all drawn to what's beautiful and broken- 

Clockwork Prince

You have to fall in love to be in love, but falling in love isn't the same as being in love- 

Just One Day

We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day- 

Just One Day

The question is what colour will everything be at the moment when I come for you? What will the sky be saying?-

Death from The Book thief

It's funny the things you think you're scared of until they're upon you, and then you're not-

Just One Day

He showed me how to get lost and then I showed myself how to get found-

Just One Day

I think everything is happening all the time, but if you don't put yourself in the path of it, you miss it-

Will from Just One Day

The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe that it is possible-

Alice in Wonderland

You don't need anyone's permission to do what you love. You should just do it

-Catching Jordan

Either we're a team or we aren't. Either you trust me or you don't-

Hale from Heist Society

The more you know know you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you-

Anna and the French Kiss

You can't put your life on hold, it doesn't wait for you-

Charlie St. Cloud

I know you aren't perfect. But it is a persons imperfections that make them perfect for someone else-

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Love hurts worse than getting slammed by a 250 pound linebacker-

Catching Jordan

The Quote Wall!

So that is it for my quotes! Let me know your favourites and help me fill up my wall!

Keely xx

Review Time #32

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

Book two of the Blood of Eden chapters and we are just a few months after   what happened at the end of book one. This time it is Kanin in danger not Allie, a new virus is killing humans and making feeding very hard for the vampires to feed and Zeke. Yes Zeke. Jackal is back, but not necessarily for revenge, which is suprising, Allie's blood brother is crazy and has tried to kill her before but this time he is on her side... for now.

Kanin has been captured because Sarren believes that he can solve the problem on the Red Lung virus seeing how it was him who was apart of the group who created it. Zeke is back, looking for a cure of the Red Lung virus before it can affect the human population at Eden and looking for Allie. Jackal, well he wants to virus gone and like Allie has felt Kanin's call to him. This time around, Jackal isn't trying to kill Allie which is a surprise after everything that happened in the previous book. 

The Eternity Cure is full of twists and turns, you never know what is going to happen next, who will fall sick to the Red Lung virus, who has survived from before and most of all who will survive the virus outbreak. Now my favourite quote from Eternity Cure would have to be Jackal because even in the dark plot Kagawa has managed to keep his humor throughout the novel:

"Did the entire world just get turned on its head? Now we're going to save a bunch of dirty meatsacks from a bunch of cannibals? Why don't we rescue some orphaned kittens and put food out for stray puppies while we're at it?- Jackal"

Rating: 4.5/5

Keely xx

Review Time #31

Georgetown Academy Book Three by Alyssa Schwartz and Jessica Etting

Thanks to netgalley and Coliloquy for the review copy!

The frosty chill that’s settled over Georgetown Academy isn’t just from the winter weather—growing up in the D.C. fishbowl isn’t for everyone, but a break from the Beltway might just restore some sanity.

Ellie Walker’s suffered through a lifetime of scandal in a few short weeks, and now must watch her true love fall for someone else. But will a dose of fresh New England air—and an irresistible newcomer who plays by his own rules—provide the change of pace she so desperately needs?

Riding high after her smashing D.C. debut, Taryn Reyes hatches a plan to cement her relationship with Gabe. But she may get more than she bargained for when she enlists Brooks’ help.

Evan Harnett would do anything to protect her friends. But one moment of weakness, and now she’s on the outs with both Hunter and Ellie. Hot on the trail of a new story, she’s heartbroken to find it leads straight back to Ellie. Can she save her friend and their friendship?

Brinley Madison’s Clinton-esque downfall was bad enough, but between family obligations, protecting her friends, and managing local gossip, will she be able to regain her social standing without losing her peace of mind?

Privileged kids in a posh hotel with nothing to do but scheme and ski—and they thought D.C. was a pressure cooker? One thing’s for sure: what happens in Vermont definitely won’t stay in Vermont.

Two weeks have passed since the events of the Follow the Stars happened, in preparation for the ski trip, Ellie's mum has set her up with Weston Morris, son of someone who could become one of America's most powerful women. Brinley's parents are making her keep her stint in rehab a secret by saying she has mono. Evan is still pretending to be Luke's boyfriend until the ski trip plane ride. Taryn is with Gabe, but he can't DTR (define the relationship) and then there is Brooks who is hanging around Taryn.

Ellie is over as she can be about Hunter, she can't move on from the fact that Taryn and Gabe are always together, then there is Weston senior at one of the other top private schools in D.C. The ski trip is a chance for Ellie to let loose, however, information about Weston ruin her chances of moving on when she finds out the reason why he left his school mid-year when he had gone there since Kindergarten. 

Brinley wants to move on and relax so she doesn't resort back to her Adderall habit. Her mum on the other hand wants her act like everything is normal and find a new suitable boyfriend for her. But Brinley has other ideas, the cute town guy who works at the ski resort wants to take her out on a date, but lying to Ellie is always the hardest part for her. 

Evan is single, no longer are her and Luke fake boyfriend and girlfriend, she has a chance on the ski trip to be with Hunter, whom kissed her two weeks before. Evan's internship boss has other ideas on what she will be doing on the ski trip: finding out the reason why Weston Morris transferred mid-year. With Ellie sort-of dating Weston she is worried that this will worsen their relationship even more. However, when she finds out the real reason why she has to go to the one person who will listen to her about Ellie: Brinley. 

Taryn is confused about Gabe as to whether or not he wants to be with her or is he still hung up on Ellie. Wanting to make Gabe jealous she uses Brooks who is more than willing to go out snowboarding with her. When she starts to not care about making him jealous she realises that he still wants to hang out with her. But when Gabe runs off to help Brinley & Evan with Ellie, Brooks is the one there to save her when she hurts herself snowboarding.

Hunter, Gabe, Weston, Luke and Brooks all play important roles in the girls time at the ski resort whether it is to make or break them.

Drama, Secrets come out and Relationships crumble, who will be left standing all in one piece after the ski trip is over? The addictivness of this series just makes you want to see what happens next and what political scandal is coming out now. 

Rating:4.5/5

Keely xx

Waiting on Wednesday #5

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. For this week, I am eagerly anticipating - Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

I love the body finder series, make no mistake there and I just cannot wait to see what happens with Violet & Jay, also Rafe and the gang. The mystery is what makes these books awesome! Out: 16th April 2013!! (6 DAYS!!!)

Keely xxx

Review #30

Georgetown Academy: Book Two by Alyssa Schwartz and Jessica Etting

In the halls of Georgetown Academy, gossip and rumor abound. But when photographic proof shows up on the front page of The Huffington Post? Then it’s a national scandal.

While Ellie tries to put her life back together, Evan just might get everything she’s ever wanted—the perfect boyfriend and her dream career. But her loyalties will be put to the test when it turns out to be the very people she’s closest to who are standing in her way.

Brinley is determined to find out who is behind the photo leak, all while her own dirty secret spirals out of control. And California girl Taryn is sick of being walked all over and ready to start playing by the rules of D.C., for better or for worse.

In a world where reputation and appearances are everything, knowledge is power. But you’ll have to learn how to use it if you want to come out on top. 

Book two continues where book one left off, Ellie dealing with the photo of her and Gabe, her mother ignoring her and Hunter who is completely avoiding her. Taryn dealing with the rumor that Brinley started & Gabe who had asked her out days after making out with Ellie. Brinley is struggling the her addiction to Adderall and the truth about who leaked the photo of Ellie. Evan is keeping secrets from her boss about her best friend Luke who is gay but no-one can know because of his father's political career playing girlfriend with him while she is crushing hard on Hunter whom she is partnered with.

The Follow the Stars party is the main function where everything major happens. Ellie is dealing with the issue with Gabe and strongly believes that he is behind the photo scandal and refuses to talk to him. Ellie is content on not going or showing her face at the event, but when Hunter turns up asking her to the dance & getting back together, something that she had wanted since they broke up. However, of course secrets come into play and Ellie's night is turned into shreds. 

Someone knows Brinley's secret, her brother Brooks whom wants her to end it before someone finds out. Taryn who is Brinley's history partner hears this, threatening to tell the press. But Brinley's father being who he is releases a story to cover up truth about her addiction and Brinley's escapes free of everything that could have been released. The Follow the Stars event see's Brinley unravel everything that she has kept a secret for a long time, expect the one she is hiding from Ellie.

Taryn has the juiciest piece of information on Brinley but cannot bring herself to release the information not wanting to stoop to her level. Gabe is still on her mind and for some reason she cannot get rid of him. Wanting to be with him Taryn lets the Follow the Stars event to allow her to be herself, unlike so many others who just pretend. 

Evan is in the middle of one the most covered up secrets in Georgetown Academy. Luke is gay, only she and Gabe knows the truth about it. Wanting to keep it that way her and Luke pretend to be together. She helps Ellie and Brinley to get Hunter to at least to consider to get back with Ellie, even though she likes him. However, when her and Hunter kiss it makes everything worse, especially with what she is told by Hunter at the Follow the Stars event.

Secrets come out, relationships bloom and fade, and everyone is hiding something big. The series just keeps on getting better, at the end you just want to know what will happen next.

Thanks Coliloquy and netgalley for the review copy!

Rating: 5/5

Keely xx