Bleed Like Me

Goodreads blurb:
From the author of Fault Line comes an edgy and heartbreaking novel about two self-destructive teens in a Sid and Nancy-like romance full of passion, chaos, and dyed hair.

Seventeen-year-old Amelia Gannon (just “Gannon” to her friends) is invisible to almost everyone in her life. To her parents, to her teachers-even her best friend, who is more interested in bumming cigarettes than bonding. Some days the only way Gannon knows she is real is by carving bloody lines into the flesh of her stomach.

Then she meets Michael Brooks, and for the first time, she feels like she is being seen to the core of her being. Obnoxious, controlling, damaged, and addictive, he inserts himself into her life until all her scars are exposed. Each moment together is a passionate, painful relief.

But as the relationship deepens, Gannon starts to feel as if she’s standing at the foot of a dam about to burst. She’s given up everything and everyone in her life for him, but somehow nothing is enough for Brooks-until he poses the ultimate test.

Bleed Like Me is a piercing, intimate portrayal of the danger of a love so obsessive it becomes its own biggest threat.

Bleed Like Me by Christa Desir

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

When I saw that I’d gotten approved for this on Edelweiss I was like:

Really.

If I had a happy-o-meter with me, I’m sure it would’ve spontaneously combusted from all the high waves of exuberance I was sending off. It was like a dream come true. I almost peed myself.

Good thing I didn’t, though. Not only would it have been extremely embarrassing, but it also wouldn’t have been worth it because this book… it didn’t exactly turn out to be the all-time shit.

I mean, shit! WHAT the ever-loving crap was this all about? Did the author think she’d deliver some sort of special YA message with that crappy storyline and even crappier ending? Did she think lots of teens could relate to the bull spewed on those pages? Tell me! BECAUSE THIS BOOK FAILED TO MAKE SENSE TO ME AND IT MADE ME SO ANGRY!

Oh-ho. Okay I’m ranting – not good. I started this review trying to be all civil and fuck but I just couldn’t… this book was just sooo frustrating. Especially the ending. (I can’t explain why without giving any major spoilers. Just trust me – it was bloody awful.) It can’t even be called an ending – it gave no justice to any of the characters. I felt so sorry for Gannon and Brooks.

The disappointment is thick. I am so sorry I ever read this.
(ARC given to me for free by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)

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WWW.WEDNESDAY (AUG. 20, 2014)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

This week I am currently reading Dangerous Girls. My last read was Queen of Someday and my to-read book is Get Even.

Finding Home

Goodreads blurb:
Moody, atmospheric, and just a little bit punk, Finding Home takes contemporary YA to a new level of grit…

When Amy’s mum dies, the last thing she expects is to be kicked off her dad’s music tour all the way to her Aunt Lou in a depressing hole of a seaside town. But it’s okay — Amy learned how to cope with the best, and soon finds a hard-drinking, party-loving crowd to help ease the pain.

The only solace is her music class, but even there she can’t seem to keep it together, sabotaging her grade and her one chance at a meaningful relationship. It takes a hard truth from her only friend before Amy realises that she has to come to terms with her past, before she destroys her future.

Finding Home by Lauren K. McKellar
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had high expectations for this book after reading its blurb and, well, look at where those got me. (AGAIN.) I expected so much from this book and after I got approved for it on Netgalley, I started it with a degree of enthusiasm even higher than what a shopaholic would feel with a new credit card in a classy boutique. My good mood only made it as far as chapter ten though. Hey-ho the mighty-o, let the rant begin below!

So. What was the problem with this one? Among many things, it was unrealistic.

Like, seriously. Seriously? The protagonist’s supposedly close to eighteen but she acted/thought like someone way younger than her age. Her experiences didn’t add up to her personality. She’d been exposed early to PARTIES, HARD LIQUORS and GROUPIES – how the heck can she still be so INNOCENT after all of that?! She’s supposed to have a larger knowledge of how the real world works – not a smaller one! Where the f*ck is the sense?

And that thing with Luke. O-M-G, how can you not see the asshole-ness radiating from every single pore on his skin? It was ridiculously obvious that he would say – and do – just about anything just so he could cram Junior into you! The level of stupidity is so high, I just can’t.

The way the main character dealt with her drinking problem was also unrealistic. She just decided NOT to drink anymore and yeah, that was that! Goodbye whole bottles of vodka! Ha – excuse me, but it doesn’t work that way. It’s not that easy to let go of your alcoholic tendencies. Ask anyone who’s ever been to an AA Meeting. Duh?

Nothing but a two-star rating for this one, and that’s me feeling generous.

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and Escape Publishing.

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Other Words For Love

Goodreads blurb:
It’s the mid-1980s, and Ari Mitchell feels invisible at her Brooklyn high school. Her hair is too flat, her style too preppy, and her personality too quiet. And outside school, Ari feels outshined by her beautiful, confident best friend, Summer. Their friendship is as complex and confusing as Ari’s relationship with her troubled older sister, Evelyn, a former teenage mom whose handsome firefighter husband fills Ari’s head with guilty fantasies.

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York—and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn’t think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari’s family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future.

When misfortune befalls Blake’s family, he pulls away, and Ari’s world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I couldn’t connect with the characters, I couldn’t find myself to care about what was happening to Ari, I was constantly annoyed with the people around her… this book was a total bust. Ari (the main character) was absolutely boy-crazy, to the point that it was downright disturbing. She was drawn to every single male character that was introduced to the book, except for maybe her father.

She was terribly negligent when it came to her friendships, ditching Leigh like she was last week’s lasagna when she and Blake started getting closer, and turning down her long-time friend Summer’s numerous invitations to hang out together. I wasn’t satisfied with how Ari ended things with both of them.

From the moment Blake (Ari’s love interest) was introduced, I was wary of him. I sensed his good-guy act was just that, an act, and I wasn’t too far off. He was a bloody arsehole. With all that being said, I couldn’t get thoroughly sucked into the book and read right up to the very last page just for the sake of finishing it.

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Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction

Goodreads blurb:
Here, in their own official book, Harry, Niall, Zayn, Liam and Louis each tell the story of their amazing journeys in full – from teen hopefuls auditioning for ‘X Factor’ to pop superstars in the making, and now to living out their dreams.

“It’s hard to believe how much has changed for us in just a few months. From five guys who didn’t even know each other to making it to The X Factor final, heading off on our first tour, recording our first album, and releasing our own music, we’ve written this book so you can get to know who we really are, where we came from, and where we’re going next.

This is our story of life as One Direction so far, and we’re really proud to share it all with you!

It’s no exaggeration to say we’re having the time of our lives right now, and it would not be happening if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for all your unbelievable support.” – from Dare to Dream

One Direction: Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction by One Direction
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I give it a rating of five stars because of three obvious reasons:

1. I love One Direction, like really really love them. These five boys are my world. They are the ones who light up my world like nobody else. They are the ones who stole my heart. I’ve fallen for them since Torn and I’ll keep falling for them no matter what they do (even if Harry shaves his head and Zayn gets rid of all of his tattoos, I’ll still love them).

2. They are breathtakingly handsome. They are beyond perfection. I have a feeling that they’re actual sex gods who came down here from Heaven to rip out our ovaries and permanently damage our vocal cords and

3. I’m a dedicated Directioner. Of course I’d love it. I saw this book on display and I couldn’t stop fangirling for five minutes straight. And even though this book cost me about half my savings, I have no regrets. None at all. ♥

Other reviews can also be found on Goodreads

Dangerous Boys

Goodreads blurb:
Three teens venture into the abandoned Monroe estate one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense? Or murder?

Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces…

Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My heartfelt thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children’s Books.

I think I’m developing a real taste for books with unreliable narrators. I had such a thrill reading this book because of the protagonist’s topsy-turvy state… it was so difficult to put down! Looking at the blurb, I thought this would be just another overly-clichéd love triangle with a few reckless Gossip Girl scenes put in. But boy, was I wrong! The storyline had a much darker tinge to it.

The style of writing was choppy and abrupt so it took me a lot of getting used to, but after I got a handle on it, I found myself getting deeply pulled into the story. I can’t say much about the major events without a spoiler tag or two (or three or four or five) so I’m not going to bother including any of them in my review. Let me just say this: if you are a fan of dark psychological thrillers, then purchase this book the very minute it gets published!

I’m curious to see if the author has more works like this one… if she does, I’m all up for it! Overall, four thrilling stars out of five.

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The Moment Collector

Goodreads blurb:
A haunting mystery, romance in the vein of The Lovely Bones by New York Times bestselling author.

“The yard of this house is a graveyard of moments and everything left behind is a clue. And I am here to dig.”

There’s a ghost haunting 208 Water Street. She doesn’t know who she was, or why she’s still here. She does know that she is drawn to Maggie, the new girl in town, and her friends – beautiful, carefree Pauline and Liam, the boy who loves her.

But the ghost isn’t all that’s lurking in Gill Creek… Someone is killing young girls all across the county. Can the ghost keep these three friends safe? Or does she have another purpose?

*Also called The Vanishing Season in some editions.

The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My heartfelt thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Children’s Books.

What a beautiful cover… but such a sad story.

I felt so conflicted reading about the characters. I wanted to hate Pauline for everything that her indecisiveness had caused to both Maggie and Liam but I couldn’t get that feeling of absolute dislike to rise up within me because, in a way, I could understand – and relate to – her fear of monumental change.

How many times have I woken up and thought, “Hey, I’m going to be bolder, livelier, and more assertive than I usually am!” but then spend the next fifteen minutes agonizing over the consequences that my new behaviour could bring? I’ve done that countless of times – and usually had not gone through with the attitude adjustment – and I couldn’t blame Pauline for being the same.

I also had the same case with Liam – I couldn’t regard him with contempt, even though what he did to Maggie was so painful – so unbelievably raw – to the core. It was enough to guarantee him the “Douchebag of the Year” award but I know that if I was in his position, I would honestly use Maggie as a rebound, too. (Panakip butas, in my language.) Anything to forget the person I loved but couldn’t have.

As for Maggie… she reminded me of Tiger Lily. I felt nothing but tenderness towards her in the story and I was absolutely devastated when I got the end. The denouement gave her no justice! It was so unexpected… and the reason why the story lost another star from me.

Overall, a sad, poignant ghost story.

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WWW Wednesday (June 18, 2014)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

This week I am currently reading The Memory Collector. My last read was My Not So Sweet Life and my to-read book is Dangerous Boys. 🙂

Zombie Halloween

Goodreads blurb:
The infamous, Most Wanted Goosebumps characters are out on the loose and after you. Just in time for Halloween, a super special edition!

Kenny Manzetti was the new kid in town. His family moved back in to an old house to help take care of his grandfather. Everyone in his new neighborhood is obsessed with zombies–even Grandpa Mo. But then a new family moves in next door and there choice in furniture is…interesting.

Kenny is convinced that there is something strange about the new neighbors but his parents won’t listen to him. So Kenny and his friends go in for a closer look. A bad idea on any day but definitely the wrong choice around Halloween. Will Kenny survive long enough to go trick or treating?

With an extended page count this special edition is a scream!

Zombie Halloween by R.L. Stine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**I received a free copy of this book in exhange for an honest review. My heartfelt thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic Paperbacks.

Oh, R.L. Stine! You still haven’t lost your amazing storytelling skills! I loved this Goosebumps installment just as much as I loved the previous ones. I’ll probably still be reading (and rereading) ’em even when I’m so old I have bad vision and rheumatism. (Whaaat? Don’t give me that judgy look. It’s Goosebumps!)

Everything in here was meant to send tingles down your spine. The creepy haunted house setting, the main character’s weird neighbors, the exciting cliffhangers at the end of every chapter… it was fantastic! All the enthusiastic talk about zombies was also much appreciated. (Mark my words, people, the zombie apocalypse will happen and it will happen very soon.) I was always a step ahead of the characters but that didn’t lessen the excitement I felt while reading.

A highly recommended read as always!

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Sweetheart Sunday (June 15, 2014)

Sweetheart Sunday is about reading romance novels or love stories that you wish you had.

The book I’ve chosen for this meme is My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris:

Goodreads blurb:
Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Cat, I understand your need to explore the possibilities with your mom.” His voice is low and gentle in my ear, and another tear falls. “But never forget that you’re already loved. Unconditionally. Chase whatever you need to find, get your closure. But whatever way this turns out, know that it doesn’t affect us. There’s no need to fear me leaving or ever hurting you.”

I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t too keen on reading this. I wholeheartedly loved the two books prior to this one and I was worried that maybe this third installment would ruin the series for me. My distress was all for nothing, though. This was a delightful conclusion to Lucas and Cat’s story!

I wasn’t a big fan of Cat’s here – she was constantly letting her insecurities get the best of her and turning a blind eye to the things right in front of her. She got her much sought-after closure with her mother in the end though (hooray!) which then allowed her to open up to Lucas.

Speaking of Lucas, he was nothing short of swoon-worthy here! I was glad his father finally accepted his talent, as well as his passion for art, and he let Lucas pursue his dreams. Not many parents are supportive for careers in art so I couldn’t resist doing a happy dance when his dad gave him the thumbs-up for college.

I have a feeling this won’t really be the end of the time-travelling books though. Ransom, I just know it’s your turn in the stars!

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