Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.
But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them. Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.) But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets-then makes the mistake of falling in love with-Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for. The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able look into her own. And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.
Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future. . . .
If she even has one.                                                   -Chapters Canada

Having read almost all of Meg Cabot's other books (and loving all of them!), I had really high expectations for this book. It was only alright.

I didn't really know much about the book when I picked it up (my trust in Meg Cabot is pretty high), and was pretty surprised to find that it was about vampires (which, in retrospect would have been pretty obvious if I was observant enough to look at the cover!). As I have read and loved many other vampire-based books, I decided to give it a chance. Although I am pretty close to being over the whole vampire craze, this book was different enough to keep me interested, set with an independent heroine and funny characters. It did come off as kind of spoofish though, which I'm not sure was intentional or not. Alaric (name of a vampire hunter on The Vampire Diaries) Wulf (wolf? hello... always hate vampires) who is a vampire killer in the book, kind of tipped me off. And then there were lots of True Blood and Twilight references to keep a salivating paranormalist happy. In any case, it did lighten the theme of the book, and I still enjoyed the plot and the romance.

Overall, I think that Meg Cabot fans will still enjoy this light, fun, if supernatural, chick-lit read, that has all the humour and spunk of a usual Meg Cabot novel.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

As soon as I started reading Insatiable I knew where the plot was going. Average girl meets tall, dark, handsome stranger; soon finds out he's a vampire. What I did like though, was that our Meena actually had second thoughts when she discovered Lucien's secret. Which should be a knee jerk reaction, people! It was plausible, and I liked this aspect. Something I didn't expect also, was Alaric becoming a romantic interest, although this does ring true with mocking other books in the genre (especially seeing as his last name is Wulf!). Anyway, the love triangle seems interesting, and for once I can't really decide how it's going to play out, or how I want it to either. Since this book is the first in a series, I am totally looking forward to seeing who Meena chooses.

Aside from the romantic themes going on, there were also very interesting plotlines woven into the story, with a whole slew of secondary characters that were just as interesting as Meena and her beaus. Her brother Jon's story is far from over, and I really hope that we see more of Leisha and her baby, and Emil and Mary Lou Antonescu.

After reading Insatiable I really am looking forward to learning more about Meena's life, even if this isn't my favourite Meg Cabot novel.

He vants to suck her blood!--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

A powerful, provocative novel about marriage and motherhood, love and forgiveness.

Tessa Russo is a stay-at-home mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie-a boy who has never known his father. Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, they are strangers to one another and have little in common, aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.

This is the moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.

                                                                    -Chapters Canada

Being a huge fan of Emily Giffin's novels (well mostly just Something Borrowed and Something Blue) I was really looking forward to Heart of the Matter. Let me just say that I was kind of disappointed. It wasn't very fun and it took me so long to read it! But once I got over my disappointment (and myself, for that matter!) I was able to experience the beauty of it. (It did take me the time I would usually spend reading about 5 books, but whatever, I shall put that aside starting now).

Heart of the Matter was a heartfelt book that took me inside the workings of family and marriage, and Emily Giffin shows her amazing insight and writing abilities again, just dealing with more subdued subject matter. Which happened to not be my cup of tea. I did love, as I do in all of Giffin's books, the incorporation of past characters which is always welcoming and promises cohesiveness throughout seemingly stand-alone novels.

I would recommend this book to someone a little bit older than me, or someone who is married and can relate more to the theme of the novel. I can tell that the book is deep, emotional, insightful, realistic, and so very true, I just think it was not for me.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

The book did start off with some momentum, and I could tell just by the intricate style of Emily Giffin's writing that the book would ring true and be very soul-touching. But as I read on and realized that yet another one of Giffin's book would be about adultery in some form, I found myself forlorn and not really wanting to pick up the book.

The style of narration was good, I enjoyed living the lives of both women, and seeing their different interactions with Nick in all situations. This really gave me insight into the reality of affairs and family dynamic as a whole. And I felt that that theme was portrayed wonderfully and truly. I just really didn't relate to it.

The affair took me on such an emotional rollercoaster, always getting me to think in different ways. At first I loved the seemingly secure marriage that Tessa and Nick shared, but also found myself rooting for the love blossoming between Nick and Valerie, even though I have a very firm stance on adultery already. And then when things started coming to light with Tessa and Nick, I came to enjoy the denouement of the book, which really investigated the true relations in love, family, and life. I really do appreciate the messages that Heart of the Matter offers.

Overall, I think that Emily Giffin is a wonderful author and has the rare quality of just knowing exactly how to tug on one's heartstrings. She effectively creates a world that is so real. Whether she has experienced it or not, I don't know, but she always seems to write from someone on the inside of the story, and shares that with her audience, which I always appreciate. Family and marriage and love is never simple, and never as black and white as people think. This novel made me rethink things I was certain of before, and has changed me for the better :)

A little bit enlightened--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

When Pasquala Rumalda Quintana de Archuleta (Paski)'s father returns to Taos from a business trip wearing a velour Juicy men's track suit, she knows her life is taking a turn for the worse. Paski and her father move to Southern California, where his comic strip has been optioned for a movie. 

At her new high school, money is everything and the haters rule - especially beautiful, cruel Jessica Nguyen. While Paski tries to concentrate on mountain biking and not thinking too much about ultra-hot Chris Cabrera, she is troubled by visions. Her psychic grandmother warned that ignoring her gift would lead to trouble. Can Paski ever find a home in the land of the glamorous haters?

                                                                                                                       -Fantastic Fiction

Like many others, this book has been on my shelf for a while, and what really pulled me into buying it was the amazing cover and the synopsis that seemed to promise an edgy and unusual twist to the typical YA high school drama novels. It didn't really deliver the edginess and uniqueness that I longed for, but it was still an O.K. novel that I recommend to readers who don't mind the over-done cheesy high school plot.

Having said that, probably my most favourite element was the romantic relationship that ensued between our heroine and Chris, and Paski's Dad's reaction to it as well. I found that it was so well executed and realistic, and I can tell that the author's views on sexuality are the same as mine, and I loved the subtle incorporation into the book.

So the book jacket did also promise some psychic abilities on the part of Paski, but I don't know if it was just me, but I think I kind of ignored that in favour of the 'Haters' aspect mentioned. I think I pictured more of a darker bullying theme, rather than the quite inconsequential and light mean girls aspect that was woven throughout Paski's odd struggles with clairvoyancy.

Overall, I think that the messages in the novel are great, even if some are a little bit too predictable and unrealistic. This book should be read by young readers who enjoy mean girl themes with a little bit of supernatural tied in. The message about sexuality is definitely the selling point, and I think that it can be related to every reader, and sends a very realistic and strong message that should not be ignored, and really should be present in all YA novels!

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

So the book starts out rather predictably with Paski moving to a different place after her (quite weird) father gets a movie deal for his comic book series. Of course Paski has trouble adjusting, but I was hoping for a less cliché aspect to be present, which kind of peeked out a little bit at me, but never really delivered completely.

For instance, I loved how twisted Jessica Nguyen seemed when she practically tries to kill Paski and throws her in the pool after her friend drugged her. But the reactions and developments of the characters never seemed to encompass the dysfunctionality that I was expecting. I think that the author was trying to convey too many important plot aspects, and didn't really have time to develop any of them into greatness. The visions were probably the thing that I could've done without the most. They seemed way too cheesy, and I didn't really expect them to be so out there throughout the novel. I hated how Paski seemed so blasé about them and how she just went around telling people without repercussions. It came across as very tacky.

Probably my favourite part, as with any book, was the romance aspect. At first, the relationship between sexy Chris Cabrera and Paski seemed cliché and predictable with a hint of unrealistic, but I was willing to overlook that in favour of the amazing allegorical themes that a young reader would hopefully take away from the book: that sex should be talked about, and it is OK to see it in young adult novels. Nothing about it was vulgar or obscene like our society dictates, and what teens really need to know is the exact sentiment expressed by Paski's father: that sex is something great shared between two people who love each other, and is perfectly normal, as long as the proper precautions are taken in preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The hook-up scenes seemed so realistic, and I kept thinking to when I was in high school, and it was like she took the memories right from my head! Valdes-Rodriguez definitely hit the nail on the head by going beyond regular YA novels. I felt that just the right amount of awkwardness was present, and it depicted perfectly the struggles that teens face today, in regard to dealing with their sexuality.

Ok, moving on... I mostly found the book well done, if a little predictable. The ending did seem to wrap up rather suddenly, some of the dialogue was a little cheesy, and at times I felt that our heroine, Paski didn't deserve as much sympathy as she thought she did, but I think this book is worth reading!

Yay for sexuality!--Cheers & Enjoy♥

The Midnight Twins by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Meredith and Mallory Brynn, are mirror twins born on either side of midnight one New Year's Eve. They have always been inseparable. But after they are nearly killed in a mysterious fire on their thirteenth birthday, the bond that has always joined them unravels. They begin to have visions and dreams that reveal the deep secrets kept by the people around them.

Meredith and Mallory realize they have each been given a gift: Mallory can see deep into the past, Meredith can see the future. But when they discover that one boy is not what they imagined, their lives will be changed forever. If they can survive...

                                                                                                                -Fantastic Fiction

The Midnight Twins is the first book in a series by Jacquelyn Mitchard, which explores themes of twin telepathy and the 'sight'. I thought that this book was simply O.K. I have had it for a while, sitting on my bookshelf, and finally decided to read it when resident book picker, Cait, chose it over all the others.

I am kinda at a loss for words here... I guess I had a little bit more expectations for it all, but I think overall, it came across as a little too confusing. Everything was explained in the book, the girls always being joined by twin telepathy, and then losing it or gaining it, or it was always there, now there was extra senses added. The whole book went on like this without really achieving anything. I guess it felt more like an intro to a book then a whole book in itself.

Having said that, there are more books to come, so I am hoping that those books go more in depth, and really complete the showcased ideas in The Midnight Twins. I'd also like to mention that there wasn't a whole lot of romantic development between any of the characters, more like a little seedling of an idea, which I'm hoping develops further in the books to come.

I recommend this book to teens looking for a new series that includes an element of super- or paranormalcy, but it is not, by any means, crazy unplausible or really out there.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific plot details!

So the book starts out with a good intro and background information about the two twin girls, Mallory (Mally) and Merideth (Merry), but never really takes the next step into full-blown novel. The girls are born, yada yada yada, and right off the bat, they are different from other people in many ways; their mother notices that they have some kind of unspoken bond between them in which they can communicate, they are pretty tiny (not even reaching 5 feet), and they also share a secret language (which I never really understood the importance of...). Within themselves though, despite that they are twins, there are significant differences, almost complete opposites of one another, which is pretty paramount to the plot, I think? Merry is popular, and sweet; she really cares what people think, and has lots of friends. Mally is sporty and has a 'don't care' policy, keeping more to herself. They were also born in different years, on New Year's Eve, one at 11:59, one at 12:01. This seems to become more significant as the story progresses, but like I said, I still don't really understand the significance.

As the book went on, it just seemed to stay in that intro stage, never progressing through the regular story 'map' if you will, with no set crisis or denouement. The fire seemed like it could qualify, but then that was still demonstrating the initial idea of the plot: that the two girls lose their ability to see each others dreams. Which, to tell you the truth, I never really understood the significance of either. When they were described as having twin telepathy, I interpreted that as being able to talk without words, in their heads, essentially. At some point I think I missed that this also dictated that they were able to see each others dreams as well, which even hearing after the fact seems so very unimportant. Then when the girls lose the powers, I thought that they couldn't hear each other at all; they had lost the ability to communicate in their heads, because in the hospital they both were frantically listening to see if the other one was ok. Then, as the book progresses, at some point they can all of a sudden hear each other again, but not see their dreams?? This whole thing just seems like a jumbled mess that I was never really able to wrap my brain around. 

Then they start seeing the future and past, or something.. But I had a difficult time understanding this concept as well. In some ways too much time was spent explaining everything, but somehow not enough information was evident, and the story was not clearly understood. Then there was the whole thing with David. I guess this would be considered the main event of the book, but once again it wasn't that evident. There was so much time spent after his death that just seemed to contribute more to the intro.

Overall, reliving it all whilst I explain it, the book is more and more frustrating and really so unclear. Just not at all crisp or clean or organized. The thoughts were so all over the place, and I'm not sure what I was supposed to take away from the story in the end. I'm hoping that things start to make sense in the following books.

Still making sense of it--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Fishbowl by Sarah Mlyknowski

Allison, Jodine and Emma set their apartment on fire. No, they didn't do it on purpose. What kind of lunatics do you think they are? And don't go worrying. No one got hurt, although they did go to the hospital. Unfortunately, there was no one in white yelling stat!, no one climbing aboard a gurney to thump life back into someone's heart and no hot paramedic performing artificial respiration.


What they do have now is one giant repair bill and no money. Problem? No way! Not for three bright women with a great fund-raising idea—they'll organize swanky soirees and dating seminars.

Perfect. How could this possibly go wrong…?

                                                                                                                      -Chapters Canada

This book has been on my list for a long time (like seriously more than 5 years, I swear), and I decided it was just time to buy it already, so I could cross it off my list. Also it is set in Toronto, CANADA! Wooo-hooo!

It did not disappoint. I was again surrounded by the author's witty humour throughout, and love this about Sarah Mlynowski.  Just like her other books, this one was very light and fun, definitely for those who enjoy devouring chick-lit. This book was very directed toward college/university students, and I think was very relatable. The only thing I found myself being a little disappointed with was the ending.  Somehow it just didn't seem to sit well with me. There were some parts that were predictable and some that weren't, so I'll give her that.  But I still wasn't completely satisfied with how the girls ended up.  Having said that, I guess that the ending was very realistic though, and what I imagine would happen in this type of situation. So kudos on that....

Something that I cannot really decide if I liked or not was the omniscient narrator that we got to see a few times.  Can't decide if this was genius, or just plain confusing and unnecessary... Overall a pretty good read, for something light and funny.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!


So the book is based on three girls who are just entering adulthood, and are moving in together without knowing each other first. Allie, Emma, and Jodine are all very different, so right off the bat there is tension and humour. All of the girls have boy issues, which do seem to be annoyingly predictable, but do not really end up that way.

Jodine just kind of ignored me with her woes about Manny, and because of this, I wasn't really sure if I was rooting for him or not. When George the bartender was introduced, I thought for sure he would end up being her prince charming and curing her of her obvious psychopathy. But this was so far from what happened, and she didn't end up with anyone. I was kind of hoping she would. Emma was pretty much just a slut. I mean we obviously knew she wasn't going to end up with 'Nick the Prick', who was hot, but that was the only thing going for him. What Emma does to Allie, though, is completely unforgivable. Which brings me to Allie. I felt sorry for her the whole time, even though it was so obvious that she would end up with the cute handy-man with the undying love for her.

The main conflict though: the girls completely scorch their kitchen, and none of them have insurance.  So they have to come up with $10,000 to cover the damage, lest their landlord finds out. Although this is supposed to be the focus of the book, I found that it didn't really read like that to me. I found the dynamic between the girls to be the most interesting, which is why I was slightly disappointed in the ending, because it was just kind of anticlimactic for me. And I found myself really pissed at Emma (and still do) because of what she did to poor innocent Allie.  And she really didn't even feel that bad. But I will say again, that however lackluster the ending was to me, it did ring true with how I imagine this scenario would play out in real life.

Not epic or extraordinary by any means, but worth picking up for light entertainment.

Hitting the books--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Milkrun by Sarah Mlynowski

Must think happy thoughts. Julie Andrews dancing. Cadbury's chocolate Easter eggs. But no amount of positive thinking changes the fact that Jeremy-—the man of my dreams, the man I would marry, the man who should spend his whole life worshipping me and lavishing me with kisses-—went to Thailand to find himself.

Obviously I''m not as cute and witty as I thought I was, since while I''ve been sitting around every weekend, he's been sleeping with half of Thailand. And then he found Someone Else. That someone not being me.

I have been pathetic.

But now I will date. I will become the queen of dating. I will forget all about him.

Single in Boston, that's me. But not for long…

                                                                             -Chapters Canada

I have wanted to read this book for just about forever, and decided to just buy it already!  It wasn't a huge disappointment, but let's just say I wouldn't be lacking some earth shattering awesomeness if I had put off buying it for another little while.

It was very light and is definitely chick-lit.  Very girly with pretty equal parts friendship, family, and romance.  One thing I did really enjoy was the humour of the author, and I think that must be why her books are still on my list.  This just wasn't one of my favs.  I found the intro to kind of last forever and was pretty disappointed in the ending.  I just found myself not satisfied, but still worth reading.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know specific book details!

So the book starts out with what I would call a pretty lengthy introduction.  Like I get that the inciting incident happens to be that this pretty cheesily pathetic guy, Jeremy (who we know all too quickly is not a winner), breaks Jackie's heart, which is kind of just sad for me, because he is totally skeevy, and really does not deserve all the attention.  So right off the bat I was kinda annoyed with our female protagonist.  I was however happily distracted with the uncanny similarities to my life, which are described quite humorously. I know this is not especially for me, but it definitely got my attention.

This launches Jackie (and eventually her much more likable roommate) into the club scene, and a few pretty terrible dates, which Jackie definitely does not foresee.  I actually found it kinda endearing how naive she was. And the dates were a pretty humorous addition, although I could tell that Andrew was her perfect match all along. If only she would have been stronger and realized it, as well as staying away from her skeeze-bag ex-douche-ball.  But probably the biggest let down was the ending. These light, fluffy books do not usually disappoint me! That's usually one thing I can count on: a happy ending that wraps up like a perfect little amouse-bouche. But not this time folks.  We had to have ambiguously disappointing instead. Boo!

Not much else really happens. At least not that I can remember, which seems pretty bad ... but it's just the truth.  Definitely not something for a reader who is looking any deeper than a $2 scratch lotto ticket...

More Momentarily--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Read My Lips by Teri Brown

Popularity is as easy as a good secret.

Serena just wants to fly under the radar at her new school. But Serena is deaf, and she can read lips really well-even across the busy cafeteria. So when the popular girls discover her talent, there''s no turning back.

From skater chick to cookie-cutter prep, Serena''s identity has done a 180...almost. She still wants to date Miller, the school rebel, and she''s not ready to trade her hoodies for pink tees just yet. But she is rising through the ranks in the school''s most exclusive clique.

With each new secret she uncovers, Serena feels pressure to find out more. Reading lips has always been her greatest talent, but now Serena just feels like a gigantic snoop...

                                                                                             -Chapters Canada

So I have been wanting to read this book since, I think even before it came out, which was in 2008.  At this time, I was in High School, and even though my reading choices have evolved since then, this book was still a pretty good read.  The plot was a pretty novel idea, at least as far as I've seen, which is always mucho importanto to me when I choose books I want to read.  There was, however, a liiittle too much teen content for me to totally give myself over to the plot.  I liked the romance aspect (aka: It got heated, and I dig it!), but if you are looking for something deep, this book is not for you.  It deals with preppy high school issues that make for very light, fun reading.



Spolier Alert: Don't read after this point if you don't want to know specific book details!


So the book started off well, though neither boring nor amazingly intriguing.  Typical teen girl trying to fit into a new school.  So why then was it such a novel idea?  Because Serena is deaf.  But this does not leave her completely communication-less; Serena can talk almost normally, and has hearing aids that allow her to pick up on deep voices.  She can also read lips better than pretty much anyone.  Cue gossip-hungry teen females.

So, pretty much the rest of the book is based on how the popular girls recruit Serena to spy on anyone and everyone.  Their teachers, boyfriends, enemies, friends... you name it.  Of course there was some romance thrown in, and even though it was never really developed fully, it did serve as a good palette cleanser to all of the preppy teen, cloak & dagger sorority nonsense that never seems to fully make sense.

In the end, everything wraps up quite nicely, and I must admit it happened not a minute too soon, as there is only so much teen heavy petting that will keep me interested lol.  There was a problem with the sorority, with the boy, with the friends, with the parents... but it all worked out very nicely into a pretty mediocre package.

I'm just glad that I'm pretty sure there will not be a sequel because I would hate to feel obligated to read a book that I really don't want to.  Which usually ends up happening, due to my book-anal-osity.

Stay tuned for more--Cheers & Enjoy♥