Taking It One Page at a Time: June 2015

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Monday, June 29, 2015

Review: At any Price by Brenna Aubrey

At any Price
(Gaming System,# 1)

by Brenna Aubry

New Adult
Asked to Review

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.96

Published by: Silver Griffin Associates

Published on: December 19, 2013

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Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin

When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills.

Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO

Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside.

She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: The book was quite predictable. I guessed everything that was going to happen from about the third chapter. However, if you are like me and predictability isn't that big of a turn off, then you will discover this one to be a fun read.

The book plot was easy for me to unravel and the characters were pretty much cookie-cutter. However, the book did have some moments of depth, and was an enjoyable read.

If you are looking for a fun book that doesn't require much thought, then this one is a fun one.

The Characters: The characters could have been more multifaceted. I thought that they all conformed to pre-established ideals.

Major Strengths: Fun and cute. It was entertaining.

Major Weaknesses: Predictability. While normally I don't consider this a weakness, this time I did because I felt like the novel could lacked originality due to the predictability.

So why 3 stars? It was a fun, quick enjoyable read that I found entertaining. I do want to see how the next book in the series goes. However, I hate when there are three books about one couple.

Warnings/Side-notes: By the nature of the book, I think you can guess that this one is 17+. The book contains sexual content and language suitable for 17+.

The Wrap-up: Another fun beach read.

Love,

Danica Page

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Help: Expanding to contemporary/modern poets

Hello Fellow Page Turners,

I'm trying to branch out and broaden my reading habits. I've read a lot of old classical poetry, but I want to read more modern/contemporary poets.

Basically we'll say anybody from 1900 to the present day.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Danica

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

WOW: Faking Perfect

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The point is to share a book that hasn't been released yet, but one that you are dying to read.

The week's pick is Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips. It comes out on June 30, 2015 and is being published by Kensington.

The synopsis:

When Lexi Shaw seduced Oakfield High's resident bad boy Tyler Flynn at the beginning of senior year, he seemed perfectly okay with her rules:

1. Avoid her at school.
2. Keep his mouth shut about what they do together.
3. Never tease her about her friend (and unrequited crush) Ben.

Because with his integrity and values and golden boy looks, Ben can never find out about what she’s been doing behind closed doors with Tyler. Or that her mom’s too busy drinking and chasing losers to pay the bills. Or that Lexi’s dad hasn’t been a part of her life for the last thirteen years. But with Tyler suddenly breaking the rules, Ben asking her out, and her dad back in the picture, how long will she be able to go on faking perfect?

Why I'm waiting? I actually received a copy of this. I just haven't got to it yet. It sounds really good. I'm really excited to read this one.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf.

And that's my pick. But enough about me, what book did you guys pick? Please leave your link in the comments section. I love hearing from you guys.

Love,
Danica Page

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Top 10 of the top 10 Meme

Hello Fellow Page-turners,

Top 10 of the Top 10

1. Top 10 Childhood Faves-
who doesn't love rehashing the old favorites.

2. Top 10 Most Frustrating Characters ever-
Always good to vent and get it off your chest.

3. Top 10 Things I dislike about Romance-
Seriously still bugged by some of these too. Ugh!

4. Top 10 Books for People who Want to like Classics-
I still get asked about this post.

5. Top 10 Book-Related Problems I Have-
It was good to learn I wasn't alone with
all of these problems I have.

6. Top 10 Books to Read in a Day-
Always fun to just read all day.

7. Top 10 Sequels I still haven't Read-
Finally made some progress.

8. Top 10 That Broke My Heart-
Seriously love these though.

9. Top 10 I wish would Write Another Book-
A few of these actually did write more books. Yay!

10. Top 10 That Elicited a Strong Reaction-
Some books...

And that's all for me. What was your top ten? Did you have as hard of a time picking as I did? Please feel free to leave your link in the comments.

I love reading them. :)

Love,

Danica Page

Monday, June 22, 2015

Giveaway: $30 Amazon Gift Card

Fellow Page Turners,

I have some great news. To say thanks for all of your support, I'm hosting a giveaway that you don't want to miss.

I'm giving away $25 to Amazon to one lucky winner as well as one book of the winner's choosing.

Thanks for your support and for all of the love.

Love,

Danica Page

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

WOW: Teens, Terrorism, and Romance

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The point is to share a book that hasn't been released yet, but one that you are dying to read.

The week's pick is Watch Your Back by Tracy Blien. It comes out on July 21, 2015 and is being published by Tulip Teen.

The synopsis:When sixteen-year-old Kate hears the boom that ends her parents’ life, she doesn’t even realize it has anything to do with her. Until the police arrive at her front door.

Sent to live with her aunt at a ski school in Vermont, Kate tries to adapt to her new life. But then Kate’s aunt is hit by a speeding car and a rogue FBI agent tries to force Kate into his car at gunpoint. She’s saved by Ryan, the risk-taking skier she’s only just met.

On the run, the two must unravel the truth about her parents’ murder in order to stop a terrorist plot and save their own lives.
Why I'm waiting? It sounds epic and just like an awesome read. Teens, terrorism, and romance? Sounds like something I'd adore. Can't wait to read this one.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf.

And that's my pick. But enough about me, what book did you guys pick? Please leave your link in the comments section. I love hearing from you guys.

Love,
Danica Page

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Review: Hockey is My Boyfriend Part #1 by Melanie Ting

Hockey is My Boyfriend
(,#1)

by Melanie Ting

Young Adult/New Adult
Asked to Review

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.74

Published on: May 27, 2015

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Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

What happens when ice meets heat?

Kelly Tanaka dreams of playing hockey for a top university team and even winning a scholarship. To achieve that, she’ll need to focus hard and switch to a new competitive team. An initiation prank forces Kelly to kiss Nick Ericcson, a handsome blond hockey player. And that kiss leads to her first relationship and a host of other distractions.

Phil Davidson is tall, dark, and irritated. He’s been Kelly’s best friend since they laced up skates together as kids. Although he’s had lots of girlfriends, he’s never forgotten Kelly’s promise that she would tell him when she was ready to date. And now, he’s determined to force a substitution and become her new boyfriend.

Hockey Is My Boyfriend, Part One is a funny and passionate journey into first love. This is the first book in a trilogy follows the adventures of Kelly as she stickhandles her way through life and love.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I adore sport books. That's what originally drew me to this novel.

I especially love when the girl is the athletic one. This book actually moved really quickly for me. The pace was fairly quick, and it didn't really drag at all.

I thought that Kelly Tanaka was a great main character. She was easy to relate to and I loved her diversity when compared to other lead characters. I thought she was interesting to read about.

I really liked Phil as well. I'm annoyed by the things that Kelly and Phil did, but I liked them both individually a lot.

The book wasn't without its problems, but it was a cute, fun read.

Major Strengths: Interesting characters set to hockey.

Major Weaknesses: Seemed like almost any other book I've read in the genre.

So why 3 stars? While I enjoyed it, it just really didn't stand out in any meaningful way to me. It was a cute read, however.

Warnings/Side-notes: 17+. Strong langauge, sexual scenes, etc.

The Wrap-up: It was interesting enough that I'm going on to read the sequel. One that I recommend to fans of realistic young adult/new adult that deals with sports.

This series started out young adult, but it is quickly moving into the new adult territory.

Love,

Danica Page

Review: The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

The Devil You Know

by Trish Doller

New Adult
Asked to Review

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.79

Published by: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Published on: June 2,2015

Pages: 256

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Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-old Arcadia wants adventure. Living in a tiny Florida town with her dad and four-year-old brother, Cadie spends most of her time working, going to school, and taking care of her family. So when she meets two handsome cousins at a campfire party, she finally has a chance for fun. They invite her and friend to join them on a road trip, and it's just the risk she's been craving-the opportunity to escape. But what starts out as a fun, sexy journey quickly becomes dangerous when she discovers that one of them is not at all who he claims to be. One of them has deadly intentions.

A road trip fling turns terrifying in this contemporary story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I picked this one up purely because it was written by Doller. I've loved her earlier work and was intrigued to read her latest.

This novel is set in a genre that I normally don't read. The beginning was a little bit slow for me. It took me awhile to get into it. However, the writing was fantastic and I loved the characters.

The book was original, and Doller did a great job at developing it. I thought the pacing was slow at times, but overall, I enjoyed it.

I thought that the book was an intriguing look at the South and of all of her characters.

It was a fun read; different than her other works but still enjoyable.

Major Strengths: Doller always does a great job at creating original, poignant stories.

Major Weaknesses: Slow beginning and the pacing dragged a little for me.

So why 3.5 stars? It stood out of the pack, but it wasn't quite good enough to get a 4.

The Wrap-up: Different than her other novels, but it was still really good.

Love,

Danica Page

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Review: Crave the Rose by Karen Kincy

Crave the Rose

by Karen Kincy

New Adult
Asked to Review

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.51

Published on: February 14, 2015

Pages: 117

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Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

Cassia’s a tattooed bad girl, a bitch, hurt one too many times to believe in a happy ending. While studying abroad at Oxford, she loses her boyfriend in an accident--the night after she catches him screwing another girl.

Bram’s an Irish charmer whose wolfish smile hides his darkest secrets. He knows how it feels to be broken. He’s no alpha male, but he’s sweet, sexy, and the only man who makes Cassia feel anything but numb.

Together, they work on Wolfenwold Hall, a crumbling manor house tangled in a garden run wild, while the attraction between them blazes out of control. This is sex, nothing more, with three little rules:

No cheating.
No lies.
No falling in love.

But rules are made to be broken...

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This book was very different than I thought it would be. First, I was way off on the timeline of this story. Second, I thought this would dive into the characters more. Third, I thought that the novel would happen more on a college campus; it didn't.

I thought this story had a lot of potential, but it just fell a little flat for me. I didn't feel like the characters had a lot of chemistry and it was too instant love.

The synopsis made me think I was getting an emotional, intense read as the characters dealt with illnesses and overcoming those obstacles to fall in love. I thought those parts of the plot were covered superficially at best.

However, I thought the writing was good and I did enjoy the novel. It isn't one I'd probably recommend to most people or one I'd reread, but I don't regret reading it.

For fans of new adult who don't mind a little bit of instant love and superficiality, then give it a go.

The Characters: I felt like they could have been more developed. I felt like the author did a good job of creating interesting backstories for the characters. I just would have liked to see a little more depth as they worked through their issues and a little bit more chemistry.

Major Strengths: Great backstory and good writing.

Major Weaknesses: Lack of chemistry between characters and explorations of characters' pasts.

So why 3 stars? Enjoyable but not one that managed to suck me in.

Warnings/Side-notes: References to sex and drinking. Instances of drunkenness. 17+.

The Wrap-up: It had potential, but I just expected a little bit more.

Love,

Danica Page

Friday, June 12, 2015

Review: Days Like This by Danielle Ellison

Days Like This

by Danielle Ellison
A Landslide Novel

New Adult
Asked to Review

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.64

Published by: Bookish Group Press

Published on: June 2, 2015

Pages: 220

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Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

Almost a year ago, nineteen-year-old Cassie Harlen had a lot to deal with. A stack of college acceptance letters waiting for answers, a proposal from the boy next door, and a mother whose most recent bipolar episode left Cassie hurt and confused. Tired of cleaning up the messes caused by her mother's disorder, of resenting her mother for not being there, and scared of being trapped by an inevitable future—which included marrying Graham Tucker—Cassie did the only thing she could think of to keep from ending up like her mother: she left.

Graham never knew why Cassie walked away. He woke up one morning and she was gone—along with the life that he’d created around her. After eleven months, Graham has a new plan for his future. One that doesn't involve Cassie Harlen.

When Cassie's mom nearly burns down her house, Cassie’s forced to return home. Back to a mother she’s tried to ignore and the guy she’s been unable to forget. Graham doesn't know how he's going to spend the whole summer living next door to the person who broke his heart without letting those old feelings push through to the surface.

Neither does Cassie.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received an e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I didn't really go into this novel with any expectations. I'd never heard of the author or the book, but I decided I'd take a chance on it anyway.

I love second chance romance stories, so I figured "why not give it a go?"

This book was one that surprised me. The novel actually tackled some pretty serious, deep issues. Bipolar disorder isn't something I feel like I've read a lot about when it comes to fiction.

I thought Ellison took an intriguing look at the disease and created a memorable story surrounding it.

I enjoyed the characters and the writing. My only complaint was that I thought the novel was a bit slow at times. Other than that I enjoyed it.

The Characters: Both main characters were complex and flawed, which is always a plus. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters.

Major Strengths: Tackling a hard issue and using interesting characters.

Major Weaknesses: Slow plot line at times.

So why 3 stars? It definitely caught my attention, and I enjoyed it. However, it didn't really stand out to me enough to warrant a 4.

Warnings/Side-notes: 16+. Talk of sex and drugs. Fairly tame as far as new adult goes; however.

The Wrap-up: An interesting book with a surprising depth to it.

Love,

Danica Page

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Review: These are the Moments by Jenny Bravo

These Are The Moments

by Jenny Bravo

New Adult
Asked to Review

Average Goodreads Rating: 3.65

Published by: Bravo Publishing

Published on: April 30, 2015

Pages: 348

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Before I get into my review, here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

You can't go back. You can't go back. You can't go back.

Ten years ago, Wendy Lake fell in love with Simon Guidry, who grew up and went away. Now, not much has changed. She's back at home, back from college, almost back to normal.

Until Wendy's best friend gets engaged, sending Simon ricocheting back into her life, and leaving Wendy with the questions she's been struggling to ignore. Do people ever really change? Do two people, who can never make it work, actually make it right? And most importantly, does she even want to?

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Yet another book that was nothing like I thought it would be.

This book made me frustrated, excited, hopeful, thoughtful, and intrigued. That right there is a good book.

Like I said, this isn't your typical new adult book. I won't give any spoilers away, but this is different than most books I read in YA or NA or just romance in general.

This book isn't exactly a romance as much as it's a book about self-discovery and enlightenment.

I really enjoyed this one. I thought the author did a good job of combining the backstory with the current story. However, I do always find that technique a little bit risky. At first, it was a little bit of a struggle for me.

This was an interesting read and one that left me thinking long after I turned the last page. Any book that can do that is a keeper in my book.

The Characters: They were so frustrating at times. I just kind of wanted to beat all of them over the head and yell "what are you doing?" The characters made the story work yet.

Major Strengths: Thought-provoking and intriguing plot line. This book was not predictable and stood out from the crowd.

Major Weaknesses: Pacing was slow at times.

So why 3.5 stars? It stood out and it wasn't predictable. I really enjoyed this one.

Warnings/Side-notes: 16+. It's New Adult, but it's also kind of a young adult story. The novel only vaguely mentions sexual activity. It's on the tamer side of new adult, but it is still meant for a more mature audience.

The Wrap-up: A great review. Jenny Bravo has definitely caught my attention with this debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Love,

Danica Page