Burned by Sara Shepard

(Pretty Little Liars series, book 12)

It’s spring break, and the pretty little liars are trading in Rosewood for a cruise vacation. They want nothing more than to sail into the tropical sunset and leave their troubles behind for one blissful week. But where Emily, Aria, Spencer, and Hanna go, A goes, too. From scuba diving to tanning on the upper deck, A is there, soaking up all their new secrets.

Emily is smooching a stowaway. Aria’s treasure-hunting partner is a little too interested in her booty. Spencer’s going overboard trying to land a new boy. And a blast – or rather, a crash – from Hanna’s past could mean rough waters ahead for everyone.

The liars better tighten their life jackets. A perfect storm is brewing, and if they aren't careful, A will bury them at sea…

First of all, I went into this book thinking it was the end of the series; it would be the last book, the story would be over, all the answers would finally be revealed. Nope. I was pissed when I got the end and found out that there is not only one more book being written, but two more books! What?!? I want to be done with this series! It should have stopped after book 8, which is where it was originally supposed to end, but they just keep tacking on book after book after book…WHEN WILL IT END?! Whew – let me take a quick breather…

…Okay, I think I’m good to continue.

The only reason I keep reading these books is because I’m so far in that I have to finish it out. I wish I could just walk away…damn it, I wish I could…but I can’t. This series started out as 4 girls getting blackmailed for relatively harmless acts; there was no doubt that they were innocent victims. Well, those girls are gone and have been replaced with actual criminals; for real. They commit actual crimes, and can’t believe A is still blackmailing them. Really? I mean, really? Y’all are criminals and A has blackmailed you for much less; how the hell are you surprised that they’re still hanging around? *facepalm*

In a nutshell – they go on a cruise for Spring Break, and of course, A happens to be on the cruise with them. Aria befriends a dude named Graham and after finding out who his ex-girlfriend is, the girls start to question his motives. Hanna and Naomi get paired as roommates and while Naomi appears to be repairing their friendship, Hanna finds out Naomi is related to someone Hanna royally fucked, and you guessed it…the girls start to question her motives. Emily gets all lovey-dovey with a fugitive stowaway on the boat who tries to convince her to run away to Thailand with her. Yeah; and that’s not even the worst part. Emily actually considers it! Because it’s always a good idea to flee to a foreign country with only a freaking knapsack and someone you’ve known for 4 days when you’re 18 years old. Christ on a cracker. Lastly, Spencer gets involved with Reefer, only to find out he was previously involved with someone she knows, and let’s all say this together now…they start to question this girl’s motives.

This series started out great, and has just taken a serious nosedive since book 9. The story lines don’t seem to flow, not to mention they are downright ridiculous and not remotely believable. The girls have lost pretty much all credibility in my book because they aren’t innocent victims anymore. And you know what happens when your main characters become the bad guys? I stop rooting for them. I stop caring if they get caught – nope, scratch that – I actually want them to get caught. I want A to turn them in. Sure, in this book they start to go grow consciences but it’s not because they want to give the families of the people they hurt some closure; it’s because they can’t handle A blackmailing them. It’s not because they are trying to do the right thing – they’ve just done so many wrong things that they are living in constant paranoia.

I hate that I have been severely disappointed in the last four books of this series, because the first 8 were pretty damn good. It just seems like they are grasping for straws to keep this series going, and it’s just getting run into the ground. I don’t really care for any of the girls anymore which bums me out. It seems like everyone is related or connected to each other somehow; I mean, I’ve heard of six degrees of separation but this is sooo far beyond that. It’s annoying. And for the love of all that is holy, we still don’t know what Aria did in Iceland. This “cliffhanger-esque” moment has been strung along for the past 4 books. At this point, I almost don’t even care what she did anymore. I’ve been strung along so long that I’ve lost interest. I understand not divulging it right away to keep the reader guessing, but making them read four books where it gets brought up but never explained?! Dumb…just plain dumb. I’m upsetting myself just talking about this, so I’m done. Another Pretty Little Liars novel, another Pretty Little disappointment.  

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Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

(Gabriel's Inferno series, book 2)

Professor Gabriel Emerson has embarked on a passionate, yet clandestine affair with his former student, Julia Mitchell. Sequestered on a romantic holiday in Italy, he tutors her in the sensual delights of the body and the raptures of sex. But when they return, their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover. When Gabriel is confronted by the university administration, will he succumb to Dante’s fate? Or will he fight to keep Julia, his Beatrice, forever? In Gabriel’s Rapture, the brilliant sequel to the wildly successful debut novel, Gabriel’s Inferno, Sylvain Reynard weaves an exquisite love story that will touch the reader’s mind, body, and soul, forever.

This just didn’t do it for me. I am clearly in the minority with my opinion, but nonetheless, I had a hard time finishing this one. I read Gabriel’s Inferno months ago, and actually liked it so I figured I’d have to like the sequel, right? Wrong. Now, before y’all start telling me I suck and throwing your e-readers at me, let me say this; there were some redeeming qualities in this book. It wasn’t awful. But it wasn’t great either. The best word to describe it, IMO, is “mehhh…”

Gabriel grated on me a lot more in Rapture than he did in Inferno. Sure, he was condescending and arrogant and kind of dick-ish in Inferno, but I feel like his pretentiousness was taken to a whole other level in Rapture. Some of the wording was just a bit much, and his proclamations of love to Julia resulted in some pretty severe eye rolling on my part. I understand that’s his personality, but for some reason it just annoyed me this time around. I was back and forth on my feelings towards Julia. She had her moments where she was a strong character, other times she seemed like a bit of a doormat. The only character I really found myself drawn to was Paul; all the others, I could pretty much take or leave.

I’ve taken a couple art history classes in college, so I did enjoy the parts that referenced Botticelli and other artists. In all honesty, those parts were kind of the saving grace of this book for me. I didn’t find myself horribly invested in Gabriel and Julia’s relationship, and even though I knew it was useless, I found myself wishing over and over again that Julia would choose Paul.

Who knows, I might try and read this again in the future. Maybe I have just read too many books with alpha males recently, and it’s starting to wear on me. Maybe if I would have read it at a different time my opinion would have been vastly different. I doubt it…but maybe. For now though, unfortunately, I can’t chalk this up as a good read for me.

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Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

(Catching Jordan series, book 1)

What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though – she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she’s ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he’s also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan’s feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart’s on the line?

WARNING: This review does contain a spoiler! Check yourself before you wreck yourself...

I don’t think anyone realizes how excited I was to read this book. I love football. No; love doesn’t even describe it. I fucking LIVE for football season. My dad was a football player, my brother was a football player; I grew up going to my brother’s games every week, going to Chiefs games on Sundays, KU football games on Saturdays, and watching games/highlights on Sunday and Monday nights. I've been in a fantasy football league for the past five years. It’s in my blood. To me, there is nothing better than putting on your favorite player’s jersey, drinking beer, eating incredibly unhealthy food, and cheering on your team with your friends and thousands of other people. Now maybe you have an idea of how much I love football…and because of that, maybe I set my expectations for Catching Jordan too high. Way too high.

The short of it: Jordan is a girl and the starting QB for her high school team. She wants a college scholarship to play D-1 football. Ty Green shows up and gives her competition for her position, and makes her weak in the knees. That is, until she finds out her best friend and teammate, Sam Henry, has been keeping a pretty big secret from her.

I just didn’t really buy into any of this. Now, before you start throwing flaming bras at me and calling me an “anti-feminist”, let me explain. Can a girl play middle school and/or high school football? Sure. Can a girl play D-1 football? As a kicker, maybe; as a quarterback…I don’t believe so. I’m not saying there aren’t girls capable of being great quarterbacks, but the chances of a D-1 school taking a chance on a girl are slim to none. And a school like Alabama with a top 5 football program offering a girl a full-ride scholarship just wouldn’t happen. Sorry. It just wouldn’t. I know, I know, this book is fiction but I just couldn’t ignore the little voice in my head saying, “Are you kidding me?! How is anyone supposed to buy this??”

I also wasn’t a big fan of Jordan or Henry. Jordan was arrogant, rude, and too much of a dude for my liking. I have nothing against tomboys, not a damn thing. But tomboys are still girls. Jordan didn’t ever seem like a girl to me. She was also an extreme hypocrite. She constantly talked shit on the cheerleaders for being sluts, bimbos, whatever else…and then she goes and gives up her virginity to Ty almost immediately. Honey, I don’t think you should be looking down on anyone for their sexual escapades because you aren’t a nun yourself. Speaking of that, the stereotypes in this book grated on me. Cheerleaders are automatically sluts in Jordan’s eyes and when one of them actually knows about football, Jordan acts like Hell froze over. I was never a cheerleader, but I was on dance team in middle school and high school; just because I’d rather dance than play football doesn’t mean I’m a bimbo who knows nothing about anything other than opening my legs. The stereotyping just really bothered me.

 I was never rooting for Henry. Not once. His actions pissed me off, and the fact that he was proud of being a “man-slut” didn’t help his cause. He just came off as selfish, and that made me prefer Ty over him, no doubt about it.

The saving graces in this book, IMO, were Marie, Carter, Carrie, and JJ. They are the sole reasons that kept me from giving Catching Jordan one star. I’ve seen a lot of really positive reviews, so I guess I’m in the minority with my feelings towards this book, but it just really wasn’t my cup of tea. I wanted to like it; I really, really wanted to like it. I just didn’t. 

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White Trash Beautiful by Teresa Mummert

(White Trash series, book 1)

“I’m not naïve. I know I don’t get the happily ever after. My knight in shining armor took the highway detour around this god forsaken shit hole. I’ve made peace with that. That doesn’t mean I’m going to lay down like a doormat and let every cocky prick in the trailer park have his way with me.”

Cass lives a depressing life in a small trailer park in Eddington, GA with her mother and abusive boyfriend Jackson. She works hard to barely make ends meet. One day Tucker White, the leader singer in the band Damaged, walks into her diner. He tries to show her that there is more to life than the hand she has been dealt but being with Tucker will come at a high price.

WARNING! This review contains a pretty big spoiler; check yourself before you wreck yourself...

Well, fishsticks. I think I just expected too much from this book. I saw so many people talking about it on Goodreads, and then it skyrocketed to the top 5 on B&N so I thought surely it would just rock my face off. Sadly, it didn’t. It wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t that great either.

Cass is stuck living in a trailer park with her mother and her boyfriend, Jackson. When she’s not waiting tables at the local diner to help support all three of them, she’s trying to keep her mother and boyfriend off drugs and attempting to cover the bruises Jackson leaves all over her body. She hates her life. Enter Tucker White; a rock star that wanders into her diner and convinces her that she deserves a better life and he is just the person to give that to her.

The premise is great and I knew there would be plenty of angst, which is why I was so anxious to read this book; the execution, however, falls a little flat. I felt like the characters lacked a lot of development, so it was really hard for me to buy into this whole whirlwind romance. Sure, we know Cass is depressed with her life and Jackson wasn’t always a drug addict that took out his anger on her…but what do we know about Tucker; that he’s a super famous rock star who makes tons of money and didn’t have great parents growing up. Do we know why they weren’t great parents? Nope, we sure don’t. I guess I just wanted a little more background on the characters, especially Tucker.

I’m also not a big fan of the relationships where they are head over heels in love after only a week. I want a good love story, a progression to the big, huge, “I love you and I’m beyond crazy about you and want to spend my life with you” moment. That didn’t exist in this book. I just didn’t really buy the romance between Tucker and Cass, and the main reason why is because I feel like it was really rushed. Oh, and one other thing that just seemed incredibly unrealistic? Tucker’s reaction to Cass being pregnant. He was ecstatic about knocking up a girl that he’s known for a couple weeks? I don’t buy it. I understand he likes her a lot (or loves her, I guess) but having that kind of reaction seemed incredibly unrealistic to me. I was also slightly confused as to how he was able to go out with Cass and not get hounded constantly if he was such a big rock star; or better yet, how Cass didn’t know who he was if she was such a huge fan of his band? I don’t get it.

Cass was really the only character in this story that I truly liked; Tucker was just alright for me. I liked that Cass was trying to make something of herself despite coming from nothing, and battling the constant nagging feeling that maybe she isn’t destined for a better life; maybe this was exactly what her life was supposed to be. She was kind of the saving grace for this book, IMO.

It’s not a bad story, but it’s just not really a good one either. I wanted to like this book so much that I think my expectations were just a little too high. I’m still looking forward to the next book in the series, and hopefully it will delve a little deeper into Tucker’s personality and what his past is all about; maybe then his and Cass’s romance will be more believable to me. Honestly, I think the best word to sum up this book for me, personally, would be “mehhh…”  

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Stunning by Sara Shepard

(Pretty Little Liars series, book 11)

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four stunningly beautiful girls are haunted by a very ugly past. Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily want nothing more than to forget Alison DiLaurentis, their former best friend who tried to ruin their lives. But someone refuses to let her memory die. A is still out there, lurking in the shadows and digging up the pretty little liars’ newest secrets.

Emily’s reconnecting with an old flame, one baby step at a time. But is she headed toward true love or another bundle of heartache? Spencer’s learning about the highs and lows of campus life on a trip to Princeton. Aria’s seeing a whole new side to Noel’s dad – and it could drive a wedge between her and Noel. And, for better or worse, Hanna’s getting in touch with her inner A.

Secret by secret, lie by lie, the girls get tangled in A’s dangerous web. A knows about everything, from their tiniest transgressions to the awful incident in Jamaica. Soon a will have enough ammunition to pull the trigger and end the pretty little liars, once and for all…

I don’t think I’ve ever felt relieved when I was so close to finishing a book series; usually I’m upset when I realize there is only one more book left to read. Guess how I felt after I finished Stunning? You guessed it; relieved. I guess there is a first for everything. I had such high hopes for this book series, which was brought on by my love of the show, Pretty Little Liars. The first 8 books were pretty good, but it has been a little brutal to finish the last three. I seriously sighed in relief when I hit the last page of Stunning. I don’t like that feeling!

The storylines are just taking an absurd turn. They have always been a little out there, but it almost feels like Sara Shepard is grasping at straws to come up with new issues for the four girls. “A” is still omnipresent and all knowing, and even though they have had quite a few suspects, none of their suspicions seem to pan out. Oh, and then you have Emily who is still convinced it is Ali. Granted, she may be right but it seems to me she just refuses to let Ali go. I will say though, I liked that we finally got to see Emily’s emotion and/or remorse towards the baby she gave away. My eyes got a little misty at the end when Emily sees her daughter with the family she gave her to; she seemed to really care that her daughter was loved, and I never got any of that from her in the previous two books. That being said, the way she gave the family the baby was f*cked up. I guess I can somewhat see why she did it, but really…? Hey Emily, your baby isn’t Harry Potter. You don’t just leave it on a doorstep with a note.

Hanna decides to start stalking her ex-boyfriend Mike, and his new girlfriend, Colleen. I think Hanna should have seen this backfiring on her considering the whole stalking idea was planted in her head by “A.” Either way, I have wanted Hanna and Mike back together for a while now and as nice as Colleen was, I was Team Hanna. I think she went a little overboard by wearing camouflage and using binoculars to spy on them in the mall, but what do I know? One aspect of Hanna’s storyline that I have really enjoyed is the new relationship she has with her step-sister, Kate. I like that they are finally getting along, and Kate seems surprisingly genuine to Hanna. Whether that’s actually here to stay or not, I guess we’ll find out in the final book.

Spencer’s storyline revolves around drugs again, and just how far she’ll go to get into an Eating Club at Princeton. While on a weekend stay, she meets Reefer (guess what his drug of choice is) and refuses to admit to herself that she could ever possibly be interested in someone like him. Well, maybe she should take his advice…”Don’t judge a book by its cover.” It turns out Reefer is more than just a pot-smoking hippie…

Aria’s big issue…is just ridiculous. She finds out Noel’s father is a cross dresser. That’s right; her boyfriend’s dad is a cross dresser. What the shit? Now, I’m not judging…you do what you do. It doesn’t affect me so live your life by doing whatever makes you happy. That being said, I think this storyline is beyond absurd. Of course “A” knows about it and threatens Aria: break up with Noel or everyone finds out his dad is a cross dresser. *facepalm*

I really, really wish I would have been able to enjoy this book, and the two prior, more than I did. I feel like my reviews might be getting repetitive when it comes to books 9-11, but it’s because none of them rock my socks off. Oh, and one final bone to pick: we still don’t know what Aria did in Iceland that is so terrible. It was brought up in Twisted, and after two more books, it’s still a mystery. This annoys me. How can you bring up something like that continually through three books, and not elaborate! I really hate to say this, but I am glad there is only one book left…and I’m glad the twelfth book, Burned, doesn’t come out for another three months. I need a break from Rosewood, Pennsylvania. 

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Ruthless by Sara Shepard

(Pretty Little Liars series, book 10)

For years, scandal has rocked Rosewood, Pennsylvania – and high school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have always been at the center of the drama. They’ve lost friends, been targeted by a ruthless stalker named A, and narrowly escaped death. And it’s not over yet.

Aria’s love life is on the fritz. Emily’s exploring her wild side. Hanna’s kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer’s past – someone she never thought she’d see again – is back to haunt her.

But none of that compares to what happened last spring break. It’s their darkest secret yet and guess who found out? Now A is determined to make them pay for their crime, and the only thing scarier than A is the fear that maybe, just maybe, they deserve what’s coming to them.

Once again, I’m left disappointed. I just want to go back to two weeks ago when I was contemplating reading the final four books and tell myself, “Don’t you f*cking do it! End it where it was originally supposed to end with Wanted.” The storylines seem to get more and more unbelievable…literally…they are not believable, and the likability of the girls seems to be in a steady decline. The book wasn’t downright awful, and there were a few redeeming factors but after I finished it, my eyes were sore from so much eye rolling. (Okay, not really…but I did roll my eyes an unhealthy amount of times.)

So, Spencer is hooked on drugs. Yes…you read that right. She got hooked on a pill called “Easy A” which is Adderall. She never comes out and says that, but the effects described for “Easy A” are exactly the same effects for Adderall. Anyway, she gets caught with them and blames everything on her friend, because her friend doesn’t have a future; well, not according to Spencer anyway. She’s the only one trying to get into an Ivy League school and if that means putting her friend in jail, then so be it. Nice Spence…real nice.

Hanna falls for a new guy unusually fast; so fast that she doesn’t even get the chance to find out who he really is before falling head of heels for the dude. I had a sneaking suspicion that there were something off about this guy…I guess it’s good to know my instincts are still finely tuned! But honestly, I felt bad for Hanna. Granted, she should probably learn to reel in her emotions a little at first…just stick your toe in the water to feel it out; don’t go diving in head first, girl! I just wish she would get back with Mike, because clearly every other guy she’s been with is a piece of crap.

Aria gets dumped by Noel for his exchange student, Klaudia. This girl Klaudia is a real “bunt cake” with C. I have wanted to punch that little trick since the conversation she had with Aria on the ski lift. Oh, but not to worry! Ezra comes back and Aria decides she wants to uproot her life and move to New York with him. Um…what? A quote from Stepbrothers comes to mind right about now: “YOU’RE F*CKING HIGH!!” I mean, really; I get that he isn’t a stranger but he’s been back in your life for 2 hours and you’re already looking for apartments in New York? Come on, homegirl…maybe you should make sure he doesn’t have a wandering eye first.

Then there’s Emily. I honestly don’t even know where to start. She got pregnant, hid it from her family and friends, had the baby and gave it away. Okay…for starters, the time span of her being pregnant was like 5 months. So she had her baby at 5 months? Something just doesn’t add up. Oh, and just a little question…where the f*ck is this baby?! There is literally nothing said about who adopted her, where they live, etc.  I have been liking Emily less and less, and this book didn’t help me change my opinion of her, especially when she tells Kelsey about what Spencer did to her. Look, I get it; you like the girl and what Spencer did was absolutely wrong, BUT that's not your place! You’re willing to turn your back on one of your best friends for some girl you just met? Yeah, I definitely want you in my core group of friends. *Shaking my head*

I’m riding out this series even though I have been disappointed in the last two books. I’m going to be real honest, the main reason I’m finishing the series is to find out what Aria did in Iceland. It was brought up in Twisted, but we still haven’t found out what she did that was just so beyond terrible. Ruthless wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t exactly good either. I guess all I can hope for at this point is that the last two books turn it around and finish the series strong. *Fingers crossed* 

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Twisted by Sara Shepard

(Pretty Little Liars series, book 9)

It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The pretty little liars have more secrets than ever – twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little “too” cozy with her soon-to-be stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do “anything” to get a swim scholarship.

Worst of all: last spring break in Jamaica, they did something “unforgivable.” The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore…eventually.

The only major unanswered question at the end of Wanted was whether or not Alison survived the fire in the Poconos. All the other major loose ends were tied up in a nice, little bow; the four girls were all friends again, they had their lives back, we finally figured out who “A” really was and learned the real reason why she tortured the girls for so long. I would have been fine with the series ending after the chilling last line in Wanted. THAT BEING SAID…I was just too curious! I couldn’t just blow off the last four books; I just needed to know what could possibly happen after all this shit went down in Wanted.

Sadly, I was a little disappointed in Twisted. Now let me explain before you start send threatening messages to me signed with “-A.” (Yep, that was cheesy and I don’t even give a crap.) I just feel like the story has taken a ridiculous turn. Sure, there were plotlines that weren’t exactly believable in the prior 8 books but this one is a little too much. After we finally figure out the whole “Ali-Courtney-Real Ali” situation in Wanted, the “Real Ali” tries to kill the girls…once again…by burning down her family’s house in the Poconos while the girls are locked inside. Oh, and Spencer’s sister Melissa is locked in a closet in the house with…wait for it…Ian Thomas’s dead body. So yeah. The “Real Ali” was A from the beginning (with Mona’s help) and she’s the one who killed Ian, Jenna, and her twin sister Courtney…who everyone thought was Ali. Christ on a cracker, I can’t even explain that whole thing or we’ll be here all fucking day. If you want to know, read Wanted. Back on topic: the girls manage to escape the burning house and Ali burns inside the house. Or does she? They never find any remains and there are “Ali sightings” everywhere. So did she burn or is she still out there seeking revenge on the four little liars? THAT’S a badass ending to a series!

Then there’s Twisted. I was really hoping that maybe Sara would take the story in a different direction and she…did not. The girls do something terrible while on spring break in Jamaica; something they can never tell anyone. Well, someone finds out and like clockwork they start getting texts from “A” again. So, if Ali died in the fire…who is still out there threatening to ruin the girls’ lives by revealing what they did in Jamaica?

First of all, the whole Tabitha/Alison thing was just a little too ridiculous for me. Is Alison secretly a cat? Is she a fucking robot? Because those are the only explanations I can come up with as to how the hell she would ever still be alive; she has nine lives or she runs on batteries and can only be killed by ripping the main wire that leads to the central battery in her chest. Or she’s a vampire and needs to be staked. I digress. I’m a little over the girls constantly “seeing” Ali, especially Emily.

Emily has grated on me for the past few books and I’m just about fed up with her. The girl is still wetting her panties over Alison. Umm…excuse me? This crazy bitch tried to kill you in a fire not once, but twice, and has made your life a living hell for years! Move the fuck on. She still has Ali up on this pedestal and it drives me crazy. Oh, and Emily drops a BOMB of a secret. I can’t even really talk about it right now because I don’t even understand how it happened…and how in the world she could physically keep it a secret. I don’t buy it. Maybe there will be more answers in Ruthless…scratch that…there better be some answers in the next book.

Aria is dealing with the super-hot foreign exchange student living with Noel Kahn and his family…and by dealing with, I mean she’s crazy jealous of her. I feel like Aria gets shafted on the storylines; can she have one that doesn’t involve her love life going to complete shit?

Hanna apparently is big on trusting strangers…strange guys, to be more specific. Her father is running for Senator and because of her lack of judgment, there are now pictures of her out there that could damage her father’s campaign. That being said, I actually did feel bad for her. I get mad at her for being a snob every now and then, but at the end of the day she’s still my favorite character.

And then there’s Spencer; this is the first time I’ve really found myself annoyed with her. I guess I’m just a little confused as to why anyone would make a move on their soon-to-be stepbrother? Gross. I mean, I get that you’re not blood-related but come on, girl! You’re better than that! Their whole relationship is just weird and I can’t say I’m a big fan of Zach.

This was my least favorite book of the series, but I am still going to finish it out and read the last three books. I think Sara Shepard wrote these final four books simply because of the popularity of the TV show, Pretty Little Liars, but I feel like they could continue the show without these last four books. The show follows the books loosely…and I mean loosely. There are so many differences; Caleb isn’t in the books but he and Hanna have been together on the show for a while now, Aria and Ezra went their separate ways a long time ago in the books and have never really been apart in the show, Toby was killed off in the second book but he’s still around and dating Spencer in the show, Jenna is killed in the books but in the show she gets her sight back and starts dating Noel Kahn…I could continue but I won’t. Now that you’ve spent your entire afternoon reading this review, I’ll sum it up by saying this: I really hope the last three books are better than Twisted or I’m going to regret not stopping at Wanted.

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A Whisper To A Scream by Lauren Hammond

(The Sociopath Diaries, book 1)

Sometimes love…can be deadly.

Ellory Graham detested high school. She relished the fact that she was a rebel. A wild, carefree, type of girl. She basked in the glory of being the type of girl who stood up to authority. Unfortunately for her, her upfront, honest and bitchy nature always managed to land her in some kind of trouble.

Adam Jacobs was everything Ellory was not. Not only was he beautiful, but he was smart, artistic, and sweet. To almost every girl he seemed like the total package – that all around perfect guy. But in a town where nothing particularly interesting happens, and gossip seems like the only fun thing to do, sometimes those perfections become flaws. And it doesn’t take long for Ellory to find out, even Adam has secrets.

But Adam’s secrets are the kind of secrets people die for…

I really wanted to like this book, really I did; I just recently read two other books by Lauren Hammond and I just absolutely loved them, so I was hoping I would love this one just as much. *Le sigh* I didn’t. Maybe it’s just not my cup o’ tea because the majority of the reviews I have read were positive, but there was just too much I couldn’t get past. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Ellory is a rebel with a mouth like a sailor and a just-don’t-give-a-damn attitude. She sneaks out of the house, gets drunk at high school parties then proceeds to make out with random dudes, and generally doesn’t care for anyone except her two friends, Wren and Molly.  She doesn’t want to be in a relationship…ever…because she refuses to even entertain the idea of possibly getting her heart broken.

Adam has issues. Not small issues like he doesn’t like the circus because clowns creep him out, or he thinks there is a zombie under his bed; no…the dude is obsessed with blood. It starts when he sees his dad cut himself shaving, then he escalates to killing animals, and then…well… he starts wanting to slit girls’ throats. He is accused and acquitted of murdering his former girlfriend in Chicago just before his parents pick up and move to a small town in Ohio. He’s trying to keep his “urges” under control, and Ellory is the only girl he can be around and not want to slice her throat. Charming. Any who, he tries to hide the fact that he’s a monster from her, but how long can he keep his urges at bay…and if she does find out what he really is, will she run away screaming? (Um… she should!)

This book just didn’t do it for me. I think part of it was the fact that him being a sociopath was kind of downplayed, and Ellory was just like “Oh, you’re a sociopath? Ain’t no thang!” I get that she’s in love with him, but the fact that she seemed to accept this maaaajor issue with the solace of knowing he would never hurt her just bothered me. I couldn’t get past it. I like female characters that have a backbone and are independent, as opposed to the ones who act like they need a man to survive (I’m looking at you, Bella Swan) but I just didn’t really care much for Ellory. Not to mention, if she’s such a b*tch to everyone, how in the world did she end up on the homecoming court? It’s not like she has a ton of friends, she seems to sleep through quite a few of her classes, and doesn’t go out of her way to be friendly to her classmates. I’m…confused.

I still don’t quite understand the end. I may go back and re-read the last 15 or so pages just to try and maybe figure out what in holy hell actually happened…but that’s a solid maybe. I know it’s a self-published book, but even so, there were an extreme number of typos and words left out of sentences all together. I try not to let that stuff bother me because I love indie authors, but it was a bit excessive in this book.

Oh, and there’s a quote that explains Adam’s skills as a quarterback, saying he can “throw a football like Jerry Rice.” I’m a huge sports fan and maybe that’s why this bothers me…but Jerry Rice wasn’t a quarterback. He was a wide receiver. Not just a wide receiver, but probably the best wide receiver to ever play in the NFL! He’s doesn’t throw the football; he catches the football. I know, I know, I feel like I’m being a nitpicker (and I’m really not trying to be, I swear) but that just killed me!

Now there were some redeeming qualities about the book: I liked Wren, even if she wasn’t a huge character, and there were some really sweet moments between Ellory and Adam; but the dude is crazy. The suspense and mystery surrounding Miss Miller was intriguing, and honestly, that was a big part of why I kept reading. I needed to know what the sh*t was up with this weirdo teacher!

Overall, this just didn’t do it for me. Like I said, I loved the other two books by Lauren Hammond that I’ve read, so I really wanted to like this; I just couldn’t. Clearly a lot of other people enjoyed this book so maybe I’m just not getting something, who knows. I hate giving bad reviews, especially to authors who have written books that I love, but I just can’t pretend to like a book if I don’t. I just can’t do it.

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Lean On Me by Cherise Sinclair

(Masters of the Shadowlands series, book 4)
Andrea wants to submit, but not to just any so-called Dom. He has to be tougher than the slum-bred bullies she grew up with. She’d given up finding a true Dom when her friend finagles her a place as a trainee in an exclusive BDSM club with the powerful Shadowlands Masters. Andrea’s thrilled…and terrified.

Forced to accept an unknown submissive into his carefully run trainee program, Master Cullen is furious. Not only is the young woman new to BDSM, but she’s unsuited to her role – armored in leather like a Domme, she’s more liable to punch a Dom than kneel. He decides to push her right back out the door. But as he ruthlessly intimidates her, punishes her, then comforts her, his glimpses of the woman inside the emotional armor intrigue him and her utter surrender captures his heart.

Although Master Cullen is famous for his unfettered lifestyle, Andrea believes he might be interested in her, until she discovers he’s not just a bartender – he’s a cop. Maybe he’s overlook her past brush with the law, but when another trainee accuses her of stealing money, Andrea’s sure she’s lost the Master she wanted with all her heart.

WARNING: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and a strong BDSM theme.

Well, shit. I think i jinxed it when I said in my review of Breaking Free that there hadn't been any main characters I didn't like so far. After this book, I'm sad to say I can no longer say that. I did enjoy some parts of the book, but this one was by far my least favorite of the series so far.

Andrea is a mouthy, independent sub who can’t seem to find a Dom that she’s willing to submit to. Given her background of growing up in the slums with an alcoholic father who always taught her to stick up for herself and taught her to fight when she was just 10 years old, being a sub isn’t something that naturally comes easy for her; that is, until she becomes a trainee at Club Shadowlands and meets Master Cullen. He’s intimidating, big, and just the type of Dom she needs to make her truly submit. Andrea begins to develop feelings for Master Cullen, but there’s one problem: he never gets involved with his trainees. Well, he never has until now. As much as he tries to talk himself out of it, he finds himself wanting to pursue Andrea beyond the Master/trainee relationship. He becomes frustrated with her attitude at times, but just when it seems that they may be able to take their relationship to the next level, Andrea finds out Master Cullen’s day job is in law enforcement. She has kept her background from everyone except her best friend, and had her previous records sealed in an attempt to forget that part of her life. Unfortunately, her past comes into full focus when fellow trainee, Vanessa, accuses Andrea of stealing her money from her locker. Master Dan, also in law enforcement, manages to obtain Andrea’s record and what he finds in it only backs up Vanessa’s claim that Andrea is a thief. After being kicked out of Club Shadowlands, Andrea fears she will never see Master Cullen again, and worse…he will never want to see her again after he finds out about her past.

Okay. I was so excited for this book because I have liked Master Cullen since the first book, but I was actually kind of disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, there were still some parts of the books that I loved (I’ll get to that a little later) but Andrea just ruined this book for me. I really did try to like her, I promise I did! I just couldn’t. Her whole attitude was more Domme than sub, and her unwillingness to show fear or ask for help at all was just beyond ridiculous. Not to mention, I lost track to how many Doms she accidentally punched just because they touched her. If you want to be a sub, you miiiight want to get used to Doms touching you without freaking punching them! She was just super annoying to me and if I had to hear her say Dios one more time, I was probably going to lose it. I get that she’s Mexican, but cripes…I thinks the word Dios is on every other page. She’s by far my least favorite sub so far…as if you couldn’t already figure that out.

I liked Master Cullen, but not quite as much as I thought I would. He seemed so much wittier and outgoing in the previous three books. My favorite parts of the book were actually the scenes with the other Doms and subs: Master Z, Master Dan, Master Nolan, Jessica, Kari, and Beth. I love that Dan and Kari are married now, and I still think Jessica and Kari are my favorite subs.

I didn’t hate the book, but I didn’t love it either. I didn’t even really like a lot of it, just because Andrea wasn’t my cup of tea. I thought it was okay. The saving grace was the incorporation of the characters from previous books, who I all love. The BDSM content seems to get a little more intense with each book, although there hasn’t been anything that made me really cringe yet…thankfully! Overall, the book was just alright. Am I still looking forward to the next book in the series? “Yes, Sir.” ;)

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Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse series, book 9)
Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, knew little about vamps – and nothing about Weres. Until now. The Weres and shifters have finally revealed their existence to the ordinary world, and the backlash may have claimed the life of someone Sookie knew. But her determination to find out who is responsible for the murder is put aside in the face of a far greater danger. A race of unhuman beings – older, more powerful and more secretive than vampires or werewolves – is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too-human pawn in their battle…

After the clusterfuck that was From Dead To Worse, I was really hoping for something good from this book. Sadly, I wasn’t that impressed. I really hope things turn around with the next book because I’m starting to almost lose interest. There are just too many plotlines jammed into each book that it’s a mess to keep up. I could barely wrap my head around one “HOLY CRAP!” moment, and then I’m smacked in the face with another “WHAT THE HELL?!” twist. It’s almost exhausting.

The one major storyline that I did like was the Weres and shifters finally revealed their existence to the public. The reaction over the vampire reveal was mixed, so I knew there would be some people wigging out after the big reveal of another mythological creature. Of course, I was right. Someone close to Sookie is brutally murdered and left in the Merlotte’s bar parking lot, but were they killed simply because they were a shifter? I’m always honest in my reviews, so I don’t see any reason to start holding back now. I wasn’t upset about who got killed. There! I said it! That being said, I was very surprised when it was revealed who actually committed the murder and I did enjoy the mystery of that storyline.

I honestly don’t even know what to say about the Fae War. I have found myself often disinterested in the whole Faery world and all that comes along with it. Sookie’s great-grandfather bothers me, and her Fae cousins are boring to me. I can’t really say too much without giving away spoilers, but several people are killed during the war, and after it’s finally over, the Faery world will never quite be the same…and neither will Sookie’s.

I was hoping the blood bond created between Eric and Sookie would be explained in more detail: how long does it last, can it be broken, can either one of them end it, etc. No dice. Not only that, but I got so tired of Sookie constantly questioning whether her feelings for Eric were real or a result of the blood bond. It just made their whole relationship feel contrived, and I loved them together! Oh, and Eric’s sneaky little trick to make sure Felipe de Castro can’t acquire Sookie to use her telepathic talents for his use is super scandalous. I loved it!

This book was alright but after two somewhat sketchy books in a row, I’m getting a little frustrated. I was so enthralled with this series for the first six or seven books, and now I feel like I’ve read the past two books just to get through them; I didn’t really enjoy them all that much. I know I’m going to finish the series regardless, but I really with the next book Harris returns to the stories and structure that made me fall in love with this series to begin with. 

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From Dead To Worse by Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse series, book 8)
After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the man-made horror of the explosion at the vampire summit, Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But her boyfriend, Quinn, is among the missing. And things are changing, whether the Weres and the vamps in her corner of Louisiana like it or not. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death…and, once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood has ceased flowing, her world will be forever altered…

Holy biscuits. This book is jammed packed full of storylines, which I can only assume are all leading up to the following books. I understand the need for a transition book in a series, but this one was almost a little too much. There is a war between the vamps for control of Louisiana, the Weres of Shreveport go to war against rogue Weres seeking to overtake their pack, Sookie learns where her telepathic powers come from and discovers a long lost relative, Quinn reveals information about his family that could jeopardize his relationship with Sookie, Sookie stops all communication with her brother, Jason…whew. I need a breather. None of the storylines flowed together, and I actually found myself annoyed for the first time during this book.

Alright, grab some popcorn and take seat. In a nutshell, Felipe de Castro, the vampire King of Nevada, begins a campaign to gain control of Louisiana and Arkansas. In the aftermath of the explosion at the summit, Sophie-Anne, vamp Queen of Louisiana, is unable to protect her land due to injuries.

Sookie witnesses the war between Were packs, where Alcide is named pack leader. Um…the ritual after someone is promoted to pack leader is so strange, and after seeing it I can understand why Sookie feels differently about Alcide. She also finds herself drawn to Eric, mostly due to the blood exchange that took place in the previous book. Nevertheless, she has to decide if she wants to stay with Quinn after learning about his family problems, or tell the weretiger to kick rocks and act on her feelings for Eric.

Some messy stuff goes down in the werepanther community between Jason and his wife, Crystal, that puts Sookie in a terrible situation which forces her to stop all communication to her brother. I never understood her rage towards Jason in this situation; he wasn’t the problem, Crystal was.

I can’t go into too much detail regarding the information on why Sookie has telepathic powers, but I’ll just say I wasn’t really surprised. It seemed to make sense considering some of the other characters we have been introduced to in the past books.

 This was my least favorite book so far. There were just too many storylines packed into this one book that it felt like the second I was getting into one plotline, Harris killed it and started another plotline. Sookie also seemed irritated throughout this whole book, which is very unlike her character. I get that she has a lot on her plate, but that has been the case since the beginning of the series and she has never reacted like this; she usually takes it with a grain of salt and maintains her sweet self. I don’t care for the new Sookie attitude. Here’s to hoping the next book gets my excitement about this series back on track. 

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Fifty Shades Freed by E L James

(Fifty Shades trilogy, book 3)
When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and ultimately, repelled by Christian’s singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.

Now, Ana and Christian have it all – love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.

Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.

WARNING: This book contains very graphic sexual situations, and frequent profanity.

I really wanted to love this book. I have been on the fence about this whole trilogy since I started reading the first book, and I can honestly say that I’m not really impressed. I think my favorite part of this book were the bonus chapters at the end where it takes you back to him meeting Ana during the interview, and visiting her at Clayton’s…only it’s narrated by him. Now THAT was enjoyable!  

You know, I think I just got annoyed with their whole relationship by the middle of this book. I know it was designed to be tumultuous and clearly they both have to find a middle ground if they want to make it work, but I found myself irritated. I got tired of watching Ana constantly run around trying to discern if he was angry with something she did. They are married, and yet she is walking on eggshells around him. Not only that, but when Ana did stand up for herself (which was incredibly rare) she never stood her ground. Christian would immediately resort to using sex in an effort to distract her from the argument, and he’d have her under his spell hook, line, and sinker. It just frustrated me. One of the most overused lines by Ana in this whole trilogy: “Please don’t be mad at me.” He says over and over he didn’t marry a submissive, but honestly…I think he kind of did. Ana didn’t bother me much in the first two books, but she wore on me in Freed. I got sick of hearing how absolutely, breathtakingly, beautiful Christian was. I get it...he’s smokin’. I already had the emblazoned in my mind after reading the first book, and yet I’m still constantly being reminded how she just can’t believe how gorgeous this man is. Once again…I get it. Oh, and the amount of times Ana cried in this book was about five too many.

I was never sold on Christian throughout the first two books, and Freed didn’t really do much to change my mind. His possessiveness and over-the-top controlling ways just grated on me to the point where I almost didn’t want to finish this book. The incident with the hickeys on their honeymoon, for example, pissed me off just reading about it! Oh, and the way he lost his marbles all because Ana went out for drinks with Kate while he was out of town. Are you kidding me?! I could go on and on, but I digress. The main reason I have never really rooted for Christian, is because I don’t care for guys that treat their wives like their property. He feels like his opinion should be the “end all, be all” and it doesn’t really matter what Ana thinks.  I didn’t even mind the controlling Christian when it was in regards to him being a dominant in the Red Room of Pain (those scenes were always pretty hot) but the way he feels the need to control every aspect of her life is just tiring.

A couple positives: The ending was good, the epilogue was fantastic, and the bonus chapters at the end with Christian as the narrator were great. I liked them because they are from Fifty Shades of Grey when he was still looking at Ana as a possible submissive, and it was fun to see the effect Ana had on him in his own words. Overall, the trilogy was alright but not as great as I expected and this book in particular was kind of a hot mess and almost exhausting to read.

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