Review: Rocking Her Curves by Aubrey Rose

Title: Rocking Her Curves
Author: Aubrey Rose
Series: Asher and Trixie, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 23 August 2013

What’s your temptation?

Asher just broke up with his long-distance girlfriend. When he meets Trixie, he's smitten by her curves – but she's the lead singer for the opening band: strictly off-limits.

Trixie can't help but be attracted to the tall, handsome skater who plays music with such passion. There's no way that he would be interested in someone who isn't a rail-thin model, would he? Anyway, she's heard that he has a girlfriend: strictly off-limits.

When their paths collide – literally – they're forced to look temptation in the face and ask themselves: What do I really want?

Rocking Her Curves is an incredibly quick, easy read. At just 59 page it doesn't long to fly through it. Aubrey Rose's writing is simple and easy to read, comfortable to fall into, and lets you get to know the characters.

And I did like the characters. Trixie is lead singer in her band, that's what initially drew me to request this book. I wanted to read about a female rock star. She's incredibly talented and seems determined to succeed. She's also a curvy woman, a woman with 'padding' as it's said in the story, and she likes it that way. She's comfortable with her body and I really thought that was great - especially when it didn't come at the expense of other body types; though there was the one moment where she was calling Asher's type "Barbie" that rubbed me the wrong way. I'm still not sure how to reconcile it.

Asher was this interesting combination of shy and awkward and strong and dominating all at the same time. His fumbling attempts at flirting with Trixie, his interest (and hers) in skateboarding, the way that he just stated the truth like there was nothing else to say. It really endeared me to him.

I was going to give this some slack for being part of a series, but from all I can tell it's not actually going to be a series that deals with Asher and Trixie - but with other people in the band/s. I knew going into it that it was a short story, I knew not to expect too terribly much, but I can't help but being disappointed. The characters were so interesting, and great (for the most part) that I wanted more.

Unfortunately we spend about 80% of the book with Trixie nearly hating Asher - thinking he's hitting on her while he has a girlfriend - and Asher trying to figure out how to get her to talk to him. We have two disappointing, almost painfully so, sex scenes with the main characters and other people; in a story this short they just take up space that could have been devoted elsewhere. I didn't need a play by play.

Then there are all these obstacles in Trixie's life that come up, and suddenly they're just brushed aside for her to say 'Yes' to Asher. One sex scene later and we're at a happily-for-now ending. I say 'for-now' because Trixie's life is kind of up in the air right now, and Asher's leaving to tour Europe in little over a week. The ending left me feeling kind of let down, like there was still too much unresolved. I still don't even really know what's going on with Trixie that everything went crazy with her schedule towards the end.

Rocking Her Curves has some interesting characters and I'm definitely going to be reading more by Ms. Rose, but ultimately it left me wanting more - and not in a good way.

Grade: C

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

DNF Review: Raw by Jo Davis

Title: Raw
Author: Jo Davis
Series: Torn Between Two Lovers, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 15 October 2013

TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS is a gripping and sexy romance trilogy with a unique twist: Our heroine needs your help to decide who wins her heart… RAW introduces this sizzling new series, in which two enticing men will vie for Anna’s heart—culminating in a choice that will be determined by reader vote!

Anna Claire is a prominent restaurateur, the toast of New York. She’s not one to let down her guard, but her new prep chef is gorgeous enough to cause her to break her own rules, and soon she’s tearing up the sheets with Grayson James. More than that, she’s falling in love.

Until she discovers that Grayson is no chef. He’s an FBI agent investigating a drug ring he suspects is using her restaurant. Anna is shattered to learn she was just part of his cover.

The case means everything to Gray, right until the moment he loses what matters the most—not his intended target, but Anna. Gray is devastated when the woman he loves learns of his betrayal. Especially with his greatest enemy all too eager to take advantage of her…

So, will you join #TeamGrayson or #TeamJoaquin? Make the informed choice: Don’t miss RISKY, available in November 2013.

I admit, the unconventional idea of allowing the fans to choose who Anna got her HEA with drew me to request this book. I wanted to see how the author set this up and handled something where both characters would have an equal chance - something that often doesn't happen in love-triangles.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it more than 16% into Raw because of some pretty serious issues that are incredibly personal to me.

At about 9% Anna is walking home after a long night at her new restaurant; she's tired, but alert (supposedly) when she's suddenly grabbed and pulled into an alley and ... saved from being raped by a strong rescuer. Here's my first problem - why do authors feel the need to use rape and near-rape as a plot or character point? It's traumatizing, defeating, and can be so incredibly hard to come back from. Even a rape that you're saved from can have some devastating effects on a person. This portion of the series is only 80 pages, so I didn't have a lot of hope that her recovery from this traumatic experience would be at all realistic, but I pushed on.

So, Grayson turns out to be her rescuer and scares off the would-be rapist. Grayson then offers to walk her the rest of the way home...her response?

"On, that's not necessary."

Really? Not necessary? I don't care if it's just across the street, or down the block, or you're right outside your front door (in fact that all kind of makes it worse). This is independence to the point of idiocy. But fine. I keep going.

Next, Grayson mentions that they should file a report...

"I think that'll be a waste of time...

Look, I do kind of get it, but c'mon! I'm sure as Grayson was fighting him (especially as he's an FBI agent based on the book blurb) he got a decent look at him. It's just a good idea to file a report - it will likely never lead to anything (as most of them don't), it's still something that should be done. But okay, moving on...

Anna finally relents and lets Grayson walk her up to her apartment, and he starts crowding her space, and she starts getting turned on, disappointed when he doesn't kiss her. Look, I also get the whole reaffirmation of something that feels good, I get that not everyone reacts in a horrible way to such an attack, but it's now like it NEVER HAPPENED. In which case I'm left wondering why the hell was it included in the first place?

If this stuff isn't a hot-button issue for you, I freely admit it is for me, then the writing is good and I do think that the story has potential. I can't get past this though.

I quit.

Grade: DNF (at 16%) = F

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway

Title: A Study in Silks
Author: Emma Jane Holloway
Series: The Baskerville Affair, Book 1
Genre: Steampunk/Paranormal
Release Date: 24 September 2013

Evelina Cooper, the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes, is poised to enjoy her first Season in London's high society, but there's a murderer to deal with—not to mention missing automatons, a sorcerer, and a talking mouse . . .

In a Victorian era ruled by a Council of ruthless steam barons, mechanical power is the real monarch, and sorcery the demon enemy of the Empire. Nevertheless, the most coveted weapon is magic that can run machines—something Evelina has secretly mastered. But rather than making her fortune, her special talents could mean death or an eternity as a guest of Her Majesty's secret laboratories. What's a polite young lady to do but mind her manners and pray she's never found out?

But then there's that murder. As Sherlock Holmes's niece, Evelina should be able to find the answers, but she has a lot to learn. And the first decision she has to make is whether to trust the handsome, clever rake who makes her breath come faster, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything for her if she would only just ask . . .

I expected a lot from this book when I started it - it's hard not to when the author puts Sherlock Holmes in the mix, even if we are dealing with his niece. While in some aspects it didn't disappoint, in others it sorely left me wanting.

Evelina is a great character, interesting and idealistic, but with a lot to learn. I liked that I got to see some of this growth and learning in this book; small things, but important nonetheless. Evelina tends to think things through thoroughly, to the point of hurting herself and others because she doesn't want to make the wrong choice and she's not entirely sure what the right choice is. She's very protective of those she loves, and incredibly clever.

When she first decides to take up the mystery of the murder it's with less than pure intentions; she does it because she wants to clear the Roth family from scandal - hardly something her uncle Sherlock would put as a good beginning to an investigation. But I liked that regardless of her own desires and hopes she followed the evidence where it went and didn't let her own personal biases color her course of action...too much.

I can't talk about this book without mentioning the love-triangle. It seems to be a common trope in most novels these days - especially multi-book series. Fortunately, the triangle here worked for me much better than most others. Part of this was because of Evelina herself, who was so pragmatic and absolutely genuine in her feelings, the rest because of the two young men. Up until nearly the very end I couldn't definitively settle on who I was rooting for. I finally was able to, when one character did something absolutely beyond the bounds of forgiveness for me, but it took me nearly 90% of A Study in Silks to decide. That's rare in most of the triangles I've read.

Neither of the young men is perfect. Tobias Roth, golden boy of the Roth family, is a dissolute rake, unable to determine his path or even what it should be. Nick, the Indomitable Niccolo, from Evelina's past brings some serious issues and roadblocks for both his and Evelina's safety to the table. They both do, I genuinely believe, care about Evelina though, perhaps not as purely as they'd like to think, but it's still there. I won't say much more because I don't want to give away who I ended up rooting for (though I do think Sherlock may perhaps be leaning the same way I am!)

The real problem in this novel is the pacing. For the first 85% of the book I was mostly bored, with moments of pure anticipation popping up here and there. There was too much exposition, too many plot threads - at one time I counted six - and too many point-of-view characters - seven, maybe eight, of these. Every time I got into the story I was pulled out by some other character's unnecessary and slow scene. I think that a good deal of the intrigue and mystery would have been preserved and kept things moving if we didn't have quite such a complete picture of all the players.

Sherlock himself does make a few appearances in the novel, and he steals every single scene he's in; to the point where I was hoping for more and more of him. The mystery aspect of the book has too many moving parts, I think. It made it hard to really care about any of it. It is easy to see, finally after finishing, that several of these things are not supposed to be tied up until further on in the series which does give me hope for the next couple of books. For now, they've made the plot overly complicated and unnecessarily boring for a good portion of the book.

It's clear that Emma Jane Holloway has created and intriguing and interestingly detailed world. I definitely wanted to spend more time in it, and see what it could possibly become out from under the tyranny it's currently bogged down under. I really wanted to love this book, it had a lot of elements that I normally would love, but I got bored so frequently that I wasn't even sure I was going to finish it until things finally picked up for good around 85% in. I did like it enough, though, that I'm going to continue on to the second book. I think there may be a bit of first book syndrome going on here and I'm invested in the characters and world enough that I want to see what happens with them. All this makes it really hard to grade.

Grade: C-

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel's Legion
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunters, Book 6
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 29 October 2013

Nalini Singh, the New York Times bestselling “alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) returns to an immortal world of violent passion and lethal power…on the brink of a deadly archangelic war.

Angels are falling from the sky in New York, struck down by a vicious, unknown force.

Vampires are dying impossibly of disease.

Guild hunter Elena Deveraux and the Archangel Raphael must discover the source of the wave of death before it engulfs their city and their people, leaving New York a ruin and Raphael's Tower under siege by enemy archangels.

Yet even as they fight desperately to save the city, an even darker force is stirring, its chill eyes trained on New York...and on Raphael. Rivers of crimson and nightmares given flesh, the world will never again be the same...

Just when I think Nalini Singh can't possibly outdo herself, she proves me wrong. From the earliest pages in this book, until I turned the very last one, I was on the edge of my seat - unable to think of anything but needing to know what happened next.

I'm not even sure how to review this book without fan-girling, I loved it so much. I've read the whole thing twice now and done scenes even more.

This is the fourth full-length novel focusing on Raphael and Elena - and despite my thoughts that their story was pretty much told in Archangel's Consort, there's still plenty to explore as evidenced here. I've always loved the relationship dynamic between Elena and Raphael. There's such a huge power differential and, unlike a lot of books that will just gloss that over and make it seem like it's dealt with, Nalini Singh continues to actually deal with it. Raphael is a centuries old Archangel - one of the most powerful beings in the world - and Elena is a new-immortal, with only twenty-some years of life behind her. That alone will create a gulf that a lot of people might not be able to overcome. Yet, Raphael and Elena are continuously negotiating their boundaries...in a smart, intelligent, caring way - they talk about it. When something comes up that is going to press up against Elena, potentially leaving her in a very large power deficit, she finds the words to discuss it with Raphael and he listens. They may not always resolve it satisfactorily for them both right away, but they're always working towards that. That, right there, shows their love for each other so clearly to me.

The overarcing plot of the book, I'll admit, had me in tears more than once. The first scene with angels falling from the sky was heart-wrenching, the aftermath as much so. It's clear for most of the book that things are coming to a head; there are overt signs of war, and insidious signs of something else - something that's nearly stalking Raphael, and we're not quite sure what it is. It's a challenge for him, though, that's for sure - and again, it's Elena that helps keep him grounded, a little bit mortal, if you will. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book; I had to know what was going on. The last 100 or so pages are so intense that I stayed up until 2am just to finish; I immediately turned to the beginning and started again so I could take the journey a little more leisurely.

Also, we finally get to learn more about Naasir - and can I just say what he manages to do with just two other people in the climactic scene was amazing, and made me grin completely unexpectedly. Raphael's Seven, and Elena's friends play important roles in this novel, and as always I'm left wanting more. They're, each and every one, fantastic.

Archangel's Legion is a thrill ride of a novel, heart-wrenching, exciting, beautiful, romantic and absolutely game-changing. I was blown away, and I can not wait to see what's next!

Grade: A+

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: Dragon Rising by Jaime Rush

Title: Dragon Rising
Author: Jaime Rush
Series: The Hidden, Book 0.6
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 1 October 2013

Clues left by her missing father lead Lyra to a gorgeous, mysterious Caido, a descendent of fallen angels. When she discovers that his brother is also missing, she's determined not to let the exasperating man shut her out.

The last thing Archer needs is an emotional Dragon at his side, especially one whose heat reaches beyond the icy walls he, and all Caidos, must erect for good reason. Working together? Smart. Falling in love? Foolish…and inescapable.

Dragon Rising has a lot of potential I think. Even though it started rough for me, the world quickly intrigued me and made me want to know more. A lot more, something I think the length of the story affected and left me somewhat disappointed.

I've got to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of novellas to start out series, especially paranormal series. There's too much world-building to do, too much to introduce, to really make it happen in novella format. Dragon Rising had me confused and more than a little lost in the first 30% or so while I tried to take everything in; special names like Caido, Crescent, dhagger, Mundanes...what the Crescents (dragons) actually looked like, and how they were created. I still don't know how they age, procreate, or even how they transform. In fact, when they're transformed the only picture I really got was a human with a long tail and scales. I don't know if that's accurate, but there was never a description given.

Crescents are dragons, but also Deuces - which I think also means demi-gods - and Caidos are fallen angels, but can also be considered Crescents and maybe even Deuces? I'm honestly not sure. Lyra's a Crescent though, a yellow dragon which means she's more emotional than others, and ends up needing the help of the unemotional Caido, Archer. There's a very clear draw between them, but what I couldn't figure out was why. Apparently, humans and Crescents are drawn to Caidos, some sort of Thrall, and Lyra often wrote off her attraction to Archer as such throughout the story. Archer, after initially wanting her nothing but further away from her, can't resist touching her - regardless of the consequences for him.

The overall plot comes crashing to a climax within a few pages, with everything tying up so quickly I'm still not quite sure what happened. There were many names thrown at me, with an expository explanation of what happened and a tiny bit of action. I had been intrigued as the mystery deepened, but by the time it all was cleared up I felt like I didn't know much more than what I had at the beginning.

Despite my above complaints I was really interested in this world. I think I was so disappointed because I see so much potential here and I want to see it developed more, perhaps in a full length novel. I like the different mythologies presented here, the absolutely fresh - to me - world created.

Grade: C-

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez

Title: Dead Sexy Dragon
Author: Lolita Lopez
Series: Dragon Heat, Book 1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 6 August 2013

The last thing dragon shifter Stig Wyvern needs is his dead friend's kid sister showing up on his doorstep. He's just minutes away from entering a mating phase. Sharing his isolated house with the young woman he's desperately lusted after for quite some time is a recipe for disaster.

But Cora Cardenas has nowhere else to go. She's in deep trouble with some really nasty people and Stig is the only one who can protect her. That he’s deliciously sexy and makes her tingle with the simplest of smiles is just a bonus.

Cora quickly realizes Stig is hiding something from her. To make matters worse, she's plagued with breathtakingly naughty dreams starring a shadowed lover who bears a startling resemblance to her host. And just what the hell is going on down in the basement at night?

Stig needs to get Cora out of his house but his inner beast has other ideas. He’s found his mate and she’s not going anywhere...

I love dragons. I don't know when it started, but I've always been obsessed with them. Sexy dragon shifters seemed like it was right up my alley when I requested this book from NetGalley. While I was really looking forward to Dead Sexy Dragon, I did have some issues that kept me from really enjoying it.

At just 128 pages, Lolita Lopez tries to pack a lot of story into this book - and I think that's where the majority of my problems stem from. There were four obstacles to Stig and Cora getting together, and each one was quickly, and much too easily, dealt with. In just a day and a half they were exchanging "I love you"s. Everything just rocketed along, and I wanted a moment for the characters to come to terms with the momentous changes happening in their lives.

Stig and Cora were both, honestly, pretty flat characters. I can't think of any really defining characteristics about them - other than the normal for a quick, sexy paranormal book. Although, I did really like that the book started with Stig doing to the dishes; it just made me grin and ridiculously happy to show a man doing something so mundane when they hardly ever are shown to do anything of the sort in romance novels. I would have liked more time to get to know them both and maybe understood why they were falling in love so quickly.

The sexual chemistry between Stig and Cora is blazing hot! They light sparks off of each other, in dreams and reality.

Ms. Lopez has created an interesting world here. You have the Dragons and the Knights - locked in a centuries old feud. The feud is apparently never-ending, though the dragons are nearly immortal and the Knights simply human. Stig is part of a group of warriors fighting against the Knights, so it's safe to assume there will be sequels featuring the rest of the dragon warriors. I'd like to understand more about the dragons and their different abilities, some of the changes the Stig experienced, and how this feud manages to stay strong so many years later - through so many human generations.

Dead Sexy Dragon is an easy read that has some great sexy times. I would have liked a bit more depth in the characters and the world, but this is the first book in the series. I'll likely give the next a read and see where the author decides to take this.

Grade: C

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: The Chief by Monica McCarty

Title: The Chief
Author: Monica McCarty
Series: The Highland Guard, Book 1
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: 23 March 2010

An elite fighting force unlike the world has ever seen...

Scouring the darkest corners of the Highlands and Western Isles, Robert the Bruce handpicks ten warriors to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule. They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. And to lead his secret Highland Guard, Bruce chooses the greatest warrior of all.

The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland's war against the English. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not to his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his command of the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to Tor's bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.

Although her husband's reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes that something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina's reckless bid to win her husband's love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and to open his heart—before it's too late.

What a perfect book at the perfect time for me! I'm glad a whim made me decide to start this, because a good historical Highlander romance was just what I needed.

Christina is a young woman stuck in a bad situation - her father's one of the biggest a-holes I've ever had the displeasure to read. He abuses her, uses her, and dishonors her. That she still manages to have a kind, giving, optimistic soul after years of his treatment is something of a miracle. Her fantasies of a knight in shining armor were showed her to be incredibly naive, but I liked the journey she went on - from a frightened rabbit that's incredibly naive, to a strong woman who knows her worth. Her decision towards the end literally made me cheer, because she put herself first, knowing that she deserved so much more than what she was being given.

I simply adored Tor. He's gruff and stubborn as hell, but - like Christina - I saw through to the generous, caring, loving soul beneath. He's hardened himself to nearly everything because that's what he thinks it takes to make his clan prosper, and survive...until his new wife starts breaking that down, softening him. That he didn't even realize what was really going on was pretty humorous at times. I wanted to smack him upside the head a couple of times because he was being so thickheaded, but I understood it, too. He needed the brutal kick to realize exactly what he had, and when he did I loved how he went for it, to hell with everything.

In addition to two great characters that I was rooting for to find a way to be what they both deserved, this story marks the start of a series about the best warriors that Scotland (and England) have to offer in the coming war between Edward Plantagenet and Robert Bruce for the kingdom of Scotland. Each of these warriors will be getting a book, and I can easily say I'm very much looking forward to reading about this unconventional team.

I'm pretty far from an expert in this era in history, however I was completely immersed in the reality of the time in The Chief. It's clear that Monica McCarty knows what she's talking about, I was always comfortable in her history - my thoughts readily confirmed by the details of liberties taken and actual historical notes in the Author's Note at the end.

The Chief is the first book in The Highland Guard series, with the eighth due out in February of 2014. I have a lot to catch up on, and it's going to be my absolute pleasure. Ms. McCarty pens a wonderful romance, full of characters I can root for, set at a pivotal moment in history. I can't wait to dive back into her world.

Grade: B+

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: Cake by Lauren Dane

Title: Cake
Author: Lauren Dane
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 15 September 2013

She won't be satisfied with just one bite...

Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.

But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she's determined to show him that just one taste won't be enough...

This is a story that's incredibly easy to read and get immersed in. Both main characters are likeable, and I was glad to watch them find their way together. However, something was missing. I can't even really lay a finger on it, but something kept this from being an amazing read.

Wren is a great heroine, one that's secure in herself, determined to go after what and who she wants, and not afraid to work hard to get it. I really admire her actually - a huge bonus after some of the previous books I'd read. The chemistry with Gregori was pretty intense, too. Their flirting was some of my favorite points in the book.

Gregori is a fairly stereotypical artist - temperamental - and brilliant. He's also incredibly stubborn and commitment-phobic (though perhaps after his ex-wife, he has a good excuse). I really enjoyed how he genuinely thought of Wren as a friend and cared about her that way.

There's not much of an overall plot, except for the commitment scare issues that come up about 3/4 of the way in - the rest of it is a pure, simple romance. There are plenty of smexy times, and I think that might be something that actually kept this from being a higher rating for me - I started to get bored, and the sexy times weren't so sexy to me after a while. That's likely a "it's me, not you," thing though.

Overall, I enjoyed this uncomplicated romance with two nice characters. I think this is the first thing I've ever read by Lauren Dane and I can definitely say I'll be digging deeper into her backlist now.

Grade: C+

Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads

Review: Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Title: Pretty Girl-13
Author: Liz Coley
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: 19 March 2013

Reminiscent of the Elizabeth Smart case, Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing and powerful psychological mystery about a girl who must piece together the story of her kidnapping and captivity.

Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she's returned home...only to find that it's three years later and she's sixteen-or at least that's what everyone tells her.

What happened to the past three years of her life?

Angie doesn't know.

But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren't locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her "alters." As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible?

Liz Coley's alarming and fascinating psychological mystery is a disturbing - and ultimately empowering page-turner about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love.

I can't remember exactly why I requested this book for review, it's not the type of story that I normally go for as there are too many things that could possibly go wrong with the telling of it. I was both happily surprised and slightly disappointed when I got to the end of Pretty Girl-13; a well-told story, interesting and easily readable about an incredibly difficult subject, however some parts seemed to easy, too quick, too neatly tied up, for me.

Three years are missing from Angie's life. She disappeared from Girl Scout camp one morning when she was just thirteen and reappeared at her home, now sixteen, with no idea what happened, where she'd been, or who she'd been with. I can easily imagine her fear and confusion - the author paints it so clearly - and I was really expecting an incredibly heart-wrenching journey from here on out. The deeper we got into the story, the deeper that we dug, the more I felt like things were being glossed over. Angie was healing a little - or a lot - too quickly. There were rough patches, there was a 'miracle' medical cure, there was revelations and set-backs, but it always felt slightly rushed.

The personalities that Angie developed were fascinating and interesting to meet and learn. I only wish we'd had more time with them, that Angie'd had more time with them. The problem I had with this is that Dissociative Identity Disorder rarely resolves so quickly, cleanly, or easily. It has made me want to read more on DID, and the integration process but as I was reading it I felt it hard to believe that all her problems were solved in a matter of months.

I mentioned the alters that Angie had developed, but there were a few other secondary characters that stood out just as much to me. Kate is a friend that Angie finds, again, after her return; friends before the abduction Kate is the perfect steady rock of friendship for Angie to have. I loved seeing how absolutely unruffled Kate was in the face of Angie's issues, how determinedly she stood by her side and made her feel more secure, better about herself, and comfortable in what she was experiencing. Kate was a safe harbor for Angie in her healing. As most of this story really took place in Angie's head, with her personalities, there weren't a ton of secondary characters. I did love Dr. Lynn who really exemplifies everything a therapist should be, with her patience and understanding, her compassion and strength. Angie's relationship with her parents was heart-wrenching to me. It was difficult and fraught with land-mines. Each person in the relationship had issues they had to work through - such a traumatic event left none of them unaffected. I was happy with how well rounded the characters were though. Even the two that could have easily fallen into caricature managed to stay just on the other side of it.

Despite what the blurb says I didn't find this to be much of a psychologically mystery, I think nearly anyone could have guessed what happened from pretty much the beginning. Details could vary from each person's imagination, but the essence of it would be the same - and it was. I did read this as a character driven book though. The characters of the alters and Angie finding healing. Which is probably why the lack of time and depth on those things disappointed me. I wanted to read more about who they were - not just what they'd experienced, but who they were as personalities, as people. I really appreciated how the author gave each of the personalities a, very, different voice. How the disorder manifested itself felt very real and absolutely terrifying. Angie's reaction to her personalities also felt real and understandable, even if I didn't agree with all her sentiments - which I most definitely did not.

Pretty Girl-13 was very easy to read with some highly emotional moments, quick and very straightfoward. In spite of the issues I had I greatly enjoyed this book. The voice was easy to ready, letting me fly through it in a couple of hours, and the story was compelling. I wish it had a bit more depth, and would have liked some more mystery, but overall I'm glad I read it and will be looking for more from Liz Coley.

This all makes it hard to rate. On the one hand I enjoyed it, but on the other I was hoping for so much more.

Grade: B-/C+

Review: Unteachable by Leah Raeder

Title: Unteachable
Author: Leah Raeder
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Release Date: 27 July 2013

I met him at a carnival, of all corny places. The summer I turned eighteen, in that chaos of neon lights and cheap thrills, I met a man so sweet, so beautiful, he seemed to come from another world. We had one night: intense, scary, real. Then I ran, like I always do. Because I didn't want to be abandoned again.

But I couldn't run far enough.

I knew him as Evan that night. When I walked into his classroom, he became Mr. Wilke.

My teacher.

I don't know if what we're doing is wrong. The rules say one thing; my heart says screw the rules. I can't let him lose his job. And I can't lose him.

In the movies, this would have a happy ending. I grow up. I love, I lose, I learn. And I move on. But this is life, and there’s no script. You make it up as you go along.

And you don't pray for a happy ending. You pray for it to never end.

The feels this book brought out in me! I'm not even sure I can do a review justice. So I'll apologize for the stream of consciousness feel to this post.

This book has some of the most amazing writing I've read from a new - to me - author in a very long time. Then there were the beautiful, painful, devastating, wonderful moments that resonated so deeply with me. This brought me back to my intense loves, first loves, painful moments, and awkward moments and made me feel the feelings that I had at those times - sometimes the feelings I still have.

There are some incredible moments of clarity from Maise, an eighteen year old girl that is - in some ways - much more mature than other young women her age and at the same time so very much a child in her thoughts and ways. There were times when I was in absolute awe of her, and others when I wanted to shake her and tell her to grow up. No matter what I was with her throughout the entire painful, ecstatic journey.

The characters are what drug me through this story. The three main characters have an incredible depth; they had flaws that made them real people, with histories and futures and I'm sure I've known each one of them - maybe even been some of them - at different points in my life. I won't say too much about anyone other than Maise because I really think they're best learned as you go through the story.

My one issue, if you could even really call it that, is that there's a bit a slow spot coming up to the halfway point in Unteachable. I was reading in fits in starts, on breaks at work, so that could have affected how I felt about the story - but to me, it felt like there was nothing really happening.

One small thing, but it didn't much matter though because I was utterly entranced by the writing and the journey these flawed characters were taking. I'd recommend this without reservations to anyone that wants to read a beautifully written, intensely emotional story. I know I'll be picking up anything by Leah Raeder in the future.

Grade: A-


Amazon | BN | kobo | Sony | Goodreads