Review (#19): Belles by Jen Calonita

Belles
by Jen Calonita
Source: ARCycling
Rating: 4/5


Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.







I haven't read many YA contemporaries in awhile and I decided lately that I really want to take a step back from the paranormals and give the contemporaries a try.  Boy oh boy, I am so glad that I started with Belles.  

Belles is filled with so many different vengeful plots and jaw dropping moments.  I loved the alternating point of views between Izzie and her cousin, Mira.  These two are complete opposites of each other and you can always tell who's point of view you are in just by there dialogue and actions.  Izzie is such a down to earth and kind hearted girl, while Mira is your typical stuck up mean girl.  I loved seeing these two totally different girls eventually come together as one.

I also liked Brayden, Izzie's love interest, but at the same time I didn't.  I hate the way he acted toward Izzie originally but I loved him by the end.  I also loved Kellen, Mira's love interest.  He's the artsy, kind hearted, down to earth type and I wish I could personally know him.

I cannot wait to order the whole series and get my own copies so I can finish the series!

Top Ten Tuesday (1): Top Ten Series I Would Like to Start

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they post a new top ten list to be answered. If you’d like to join in go and visit their website! If you’d like to answer and don’t have a blog, please feel free to leave your answers in my comments section! This week’s list is:

1. The Matched Trilogy by Ally Condle - I got this boxed set for Christmas but I have yet to read them.  I have fallen in love with the dystopia genre and can't wait to read this series!

  

2. The Unearthly trilogy by Cynthia Hand - I saw a lot of hype about this series when the last book was coming out.  It seems interesting enough but I haven't read it yet because I'm scared that I won't like it.

3. Paranormalcy series by Kierstin White - This is another series I already have all of but just haven't started yet.  I love the mixture of fantasy elements that are supposed to be in this series.

4. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead - I'm currently reading the Vampire Academy series and can't wait to finish it and start Bloodlines.  I can't wait to learn more about Sydney and Adrian!!!!

5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I have the first in this series and I've heard a lot of people have liked it so I can't wait to get these series on the road.

6. Divergent Series by Veronica Roth - I have the first two in this series but have yet to read them!

7. Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin - Yet again, I have the first one in this series but haven't gotten to start it.  Wahhh! I have so many series I need to read!

8.  Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi - I love the covers of this series and they just sound so good!

9. The Lynburn Legacy by Sarah Rees Brennan - I have the first, but yet again have yet to start it.

10.  The Grisha Series

COVER REVEAL: Descendant by Nichole Giles

Expected Publication: May 1st, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Abigail Johnson is Gifted.

Blessed—or cursed—with Sight and Healing, Abby lives an unsettled life, moving from place to place and staying one step ahead of the darkness that hunts her. When she arrives in Jackson, Wyoming, she is desperate to maintain the illusion of normalcy, but she is plagued with visions of past lives mixed with frightening glimpses of her future. Then she meets Kye, a mysterious boy who seems so achingly familiar that Abby is drawn to him like he’s a missing piece of her own soul.

Before Abby can discover the reason for her feelings toward Kye, the darkness catches up to her and she is forced to flee again. But this time she’s not just running. She is fighting back with Kye at her side, and it’s not just Abby’s life at stake.

COVER REVEAL: An Endless Summer (Summer #2) by CJ Duggan

I am so excited to bring you guys the cover of An Endless Summer by CJ Duggan!  I loved the first book, The Boys of Summer, and am dying for the second!

Expected Publication: July 17th, 2013

Sean looked out over the lake, squinting against the sunlight. He turned to me, his expression sobering as his eyes flicked over my face in a silent study.

“Come on Amy, I saved you once, I’ll save you again.”

I met his stare unflinchingly. “I don’t need saving.”

A wicked grin formed slowly. “Don’t you?”

After a rebellious summer night that almost claimed her life, Amy Henderson – the Onslow publican’s only daughter – is sent away to suffer a fate far worse than any other punishment:

Boarding School.

Three years on, a now nineteen-year-old Amy returns to Onslow for the summer. What once was a cauldron of activity with live bands, hot meals and cold beers, the Onslow Hotel now lies dark, deserted and depressing. All fond childhood memories of loitering on the hotel stairs and eavesdropping on customers’ colourful conversations are in the distant past.

How had her dad let it come to this?

With the new threat of putting the Onslow up for sale, Amy reluctantly turns to a local tradesman for help: Sean Murphy, the very same Onslow boy who saved her life all those years ago. With his help and that of some old friends, the task is clear: spend the summer building the hotel back up to its former glory or lose it for good.

In an endless summer, Amy soon realises that sometimes in order to save your future, you have to face your past, even if it’s in the form of a smug, gorgeous Onslow boy.

ARC Review (#18): The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

The Nightmare Affair (The Arkwell Academy 
       #1)
by Mindee Arnett
Source: Netgalley
RATING: 5/5 STARS!

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.
_________________________________________________________________________________
I've been pining for this book ever since I first saw the cover and read the synopsis.  It's plot sounded so unique that I couldn't just pass it up.  

I loved the main character Dusty! She is so rebellious, a smart aleck, but the most caring person.  She is so funny and Arnett did a great job creating her.  I seriously wanted to be her best friend!  She's so quirky and unique, not like any other characters I've read about.  

I really like both of Dusty's love interests, well til the end of course.  Paul seems so handsome and gentle, almost perfect for Dusty.  But then there is Eli and he is a freaking hottie!  He starts off the book coming off as arrogant but as we get to know him, we see that softer side of him.  Eli was definitely my favorite, he made me laugh just as mush as Dusty did.

Arnett had so many unique aspects in this book.  Who ever thought a main character of a book could literally be a nightmare? That's so creative! No one has ever touched on this subject before.  I also like how the computers and chairs and other things are "animated".   They'll actually talk, move by themselves, go to sleep whenever they want.

Book #1 came to an end quite fast and I cannot wait for the second one.  I loved Dusty and I will be missing her until the other one comes out!

IMM #16 and STS #10

YA Book Exchange:

Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3) by Kierstin White

Mind Games by Kierstin White

COVER REVEAL: Second Chance Boyfriend by Monica Murphy

Second Chance Boyfriend (Drew + Fable #2)

by Monica Murphy

Release Date: April 2013

Cover Designed by: Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound Blog Tours

Summary from Goodreads:

Lost.That one single word best describes my life at this very moment. I lost thelast games of the season and both my team and my coach blame me. I lost thelast two months because I drowned in my own despair like a complete loser. AndI lost the only girl who ever mattered because I was afraid being with me woulddestroy her. 

Butnow I realize how truly lost I am without her. She has become my story…and eventhough she acts like she’s moved on, I know she still thinks about me just asmuch as I think about her. She’s beautiful, sweet—and so damn vulnerable, all Iwant to do is help her. Be there for her.

Loveher… 

Ifonly I could convince Fable to give me a second chance. Then I wouldn’t feel solost anymore, and neither would she. We could be found together.

Forever.

*** 

Take a look at the revamped cover ofOne Week Girlfriend:

One Week Girlfriend (Drew + Fable #1)

by Monica Murphy 

Release Date: 01/11/13

Summary from Goodreads:

NewAdult Contemporary Romance
**Mature situations and sexual content - recommended for ages 17+**

Temporary. That one single word best describes my life these last few years.I’m working at a temporary job until I can finally break free. I’m my littlebrother’s temporary mother since our mom doesn’t give a crap about either ofus. And I’m that temporary girl all the guys want to get with because I give itup so easily. According to the rumors, at least.

But now I’m the temporary girlfriend of Drew Callahan, college football legendand all around golden guy. He’s beautiful, sweet—and he’s hiding way moresecrets than I am. He’s brought me into this fake life where everyone seems tohate me. And everyone seems to want something from him. The only thing he seemsto want though is…

Me.

I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is, I think Drew needs me. AndI want to be there for him.

Forever.

About the Author

Monica Murphy is a writer,a wife and a mom. She drinks too much coffee and spends too much time in frontof her computer. She likes to read, she watches bad reality TV and shesometimes acts younger than she really is. Though most of the time she's sureher kids think she's a complete buzz kill.
One Week Girlfriend, a new adult/contemporary romance, is Monica's firstbook. 

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ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND available NOW