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Thursday 22 August 2013

Update and Mini Reviews: The Distance Between Us, Into The Deep, Skulk

Hey guys!

This is my first time doing mini reviews altogether in one post. Sorry for the short reviews and for how quiet this blog has been for the last few weeks. I'm seriously thinking of going on another blogging break as it's starting to feel like a chore and it's not supposed to be. So from now on, the blog will be quieter and posts will be limited to the blog tours that I've already said yes to. 




The Distance Between UsTitle: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Release Date: July 2nd, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 320
Source: Bought


Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

:~ MY THOUGHTS ~:
 
This awesome book by one of my new favourite author Kasie West is by far the best YA contemporary romance I've read this year. It's got something special that I think most are missing. It's so humorous and light but at the same time, it has a great depth to it . In my opinion, it's the perfect balance of a story and just the kind of story I was looking for. 


The romance between Caymen and Xander may seem cliche to a lot of people - just the "poor girl meets rich guy and then falls in love blah blah blah" - but I thought it was executed in a different fun way. I love the challenges they had with each other and hurrah, their interactions are actually really believable and so not cheesy. The romance is definitely my favourite part of this book.

The setting is another element that I absolutely loved. Caymen and her single mum lives above their doll shop and runs their business there. The whole idea with the dolls was just too cute and another that made it different. I honestly couldn't find a fault in this book, maybe more Xander time? :) 





Into the Deep (Into the Deep, #1)Title: Into The Deep (Into The Deep 1)
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: August 9th, 2013

Publisher: self pub
Genres and Age: NA, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 276
Source: Bought 


Live young. Live hard. Love deep.

Charley Redford was just an ordinary girl until Jake Caplin moved to her small town in Indiana and convinced her she was extraordinary. Almost from day one Jake pulled Charley into the deep and promised he was right there with her. But when a tragic incident darkened Jake’s life he waded out into the shallows and left Charley behind.

Almost four years later Charley thinks she’s moved on. That is until she takes a study year abroad in Edinburgh and bumps into none other than Jake Caplin at a party with his new girlfriend. The bad-boy-turned-good attempts to convince Charley to forgive him, and as her best friend starts spending time with Jake’s, Charley calls a truce, only to find herself tumbling back into a friendship with him.

As they grow closer, the spark between them flares and begins playing havoc with their lives and relationships. When jealousy and longing rear their destructive heads, Charley and Jake struggle to come to grips with what they mean to one another.

And even if they work it out, there is no guarantee Charley will ever trust Jake to lead her back into the deep…

:~ MY THOUGHTS ~:
 

I love the author's adult series (On Dublin Street) and when I found out she was writing an NA, I was so stoked. While it may have fallen short a bit on my expectations, it's still worth a read and does stand out from the other NA books that's in right now. 

This is quite possibly the first time I didn't like the love interest until the very end. Jake is a complicated one. I hated him from the start and even though I now know why he did what he did, I still don't really forgive him and certainly not forget. I felt as though Charlie was a little bit easy on him. If it was me, I would have slapped the guy. Or cut off his balls. Anyway, so yeah, the main characters weren't my fave in the bunch. Luckily, we had our two side AMAZING friends Claudia and Beck. Oh my gosh those two need their own book asap. I preferred them 100%... 

I do like a story about second chances and all that, and I did appreciate the use of flashbacks in this novel and certainly gave me a better understanding of everything. Surprisingly, I never could have guessed what the "tragic incident" was. There's going to be sequel and while this book didn't have the greatest of starts, I still am impatiently waiting for the next. 








SkulkTitle: Skulk
Author: Rosie Best
Release Date: October 1st, 2013

Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Genres and Age: YA, Paranormal
Pages: Unknown
Source: For review


When Meg witnesses the dying moments of a shapeshifting fox and is given a beautiful and powerful stone, her life changes forever. She is plunged into the dark world of the Skulk, a group of shapeshifting foxes.

As she learns about the other groups of shapeshifters that lurk around London – the Rabble, the Horde, the Cluster and the Conspiracy – she becomes aware of a deadly threat against all the shapeshifters. They must put aside all their enmity and hostility and fight together to defeat it.

:~ MY THOUGHTS ~:
 

Isn't it the best feeling ever when you start a book and had no expectations at all, and when you finish you're like OMG THAT WAS ONE EPIC BOOK?! You all should be preparing for when this hits shelves in October, trust me, you'd want this book! Shapeshifters, London, betrayal, action - everything that you'd want in your paranormal. 

First, I adore that this book is set in London. Like, how many books mention London colleges and schools? I felt so cool when I was reading about them and I'm like I live near there! I know that place! Lol. And the main character Meg seems like a person that is realistic and relatable. She's a very normal teenager and has the usual problems. Also, even though I love romance in my books (and don't worry, this book does have romance), it wasn't too much. It didn't distract from the story at all and it's really just a beginning of a relationship. And, they're both artists! Double yay! 

The whole shapeshifters and their groups was very fascinating to learn about. Can I be a butterfly please? :) The action and suspense throughout the book was never missing and there's a whole lot of twists and betrayals that you would never see coming. I really do hope you give Skulk a read when it comes out as it's such a worthy and enjoyable paranormal! 





 


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