Switched by Amanda Hocking
*****

I really, really liked this story! This story is not really all that new in concept but delivery was awesome. Mrs Hocking has a way of just pulling you in and keeping you there until you are finished or absolutely have to stop (in my case I had to go pick up kids from school, eat, and sleep)I wanted to know what was going to happen to Wendy, Finn and Reese. This story makes you feel, you feel their emotions and are not just told about them. This was a fun story in the sense that trolls are the paranormal characters of interest, I haven't run across to many with them as the focus. I enjoyed exploring a world/town full of them.
Wendy has a rough childhood due to who she is, however no one but her mother knows who she is or isn't in this case. Her mother hates her, but her brother Mathew loves her and is very protective of her. Wendy starts to notice Finn a student at school, she is drawn to him and creeped out by his constant watching her. He tells her things that will change her life forever. I loved there relationship it is a little insta-love but still really enjoyable. Finn is very swoon worthy,lol, handsome, smart, and protective. Wendy is strong yet week at times, she is beautiful, and kind. This was a fun, nice, entertaining quick read. Loved it!

content:
language handful
clean read

heads up the first two books are clean and the last book not so much

Refuge by Carole Rummage
***.5 stars

Laney is a sweet and sad girl she just lost her family and has gone to live with her aunt and uncle who she knows but not well. They don't have any of there own children and are glad to have her. Laney struggles with depression of having lost so much so young. She does manage to find peace and reprieve from the loss as she walks in the woods near her new home. While out walking one day she meets Gabe who is an artist and extremely handsome. They enjoy their new found friendship and help each other out with the pressures of life. Gabe has an illness *cough, cough*. Their friendship does grow into something more but is strained by all the secrets. This story was a fun read, but it is very predictable, and I am not a big fan of lets reveal everything in the last couple of chapters, again that is just me.
3.5 stars

content:
clean read

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson
****

I really liked this story about the Valkyrie and all the old Nordic folklore. I like that this was a little different take on the whole paranormal romance story. The story was engaging, entertaining and written well. Really a fun read.
Ellie doesn't know what she is all she knows is that she can do some interesting things. She and her brother Graham, and his friend Tuck all head over to Norway to spend some time with Ellie and Graham's grandmother Hilda. Things start to happen to Ellie that shake her up and send her to her grandmother for answers that she knows she has, but Hilda is very aloof with her. This really drove me a little crazy because her grandmother doesn't answer her but rather makes her think she is just imagining things. Hilda does redeem her self later, but I would be frustrated if I was Ellie wondering what the heck is going on with me and everyone else. Ellie over time comes into her own and with that comes great responsibility. Boys are missing and she has the ability to help will she? It means going up against Odin the god of War. Will she make alliances with the wrong people and who should she trust? There were all sorts of wonderful things going on in this story. I loved the characters too especially Tuck he is gorgeous and knows it but yet he really isn't cocky about it. I really liked his relationship with Ellie lots of bantering between the two of them. There is definitely more to him than meets the eye. Graham is great as well he is very handsome and is the very overprotective keep you safe big brother. Their father died so he takes this to a whole new level of annoyance, guys are actually fearful to ask Ellie out. Astrid is another great character one of those you love to hate kinds. She is beautiful and one intense kick-butt kind of girls. Can't wait for the next one. This one really did finish up nicely no huge cliff hanger, thank you Mrs. Paulson.

content:
language handful
clean read

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
****

This was a really fun and cute, cute story. Right from the start it pulls you in and you don't want to stop reading in my case listening. Poppy is newly engaged and at a restaurant/hotel with her bridal party. When she losses the heirloom ring that is her engagement ring. After looking high and low for the ring she gives her cell number to hotel management. She then proceeds to step outside for a moment to make a call when her cell phone is stolen. I think this is a sign that you are having a crappy day. Poppy is frustrated at losing her phone an realizes that it is her life line to everything and everyone, and also how is the hotel going to contact her when they find her ring. Well she happens to find a phone in the trash. With the thought if it is thrown away it is free game. She starts to get emails and phone calls from Sam who's assistant the phone Poppy has once belonged to. Poppy is a happy go lucky person, where Sam is much more uptight, reserved. They make a nice balance for each other. The predicaments that Poppy gets Sam into because of some of the emails were funny. Their banter was cute as well. Poppy is able to help Sam solve a pretty major problem for his company as well. As for the fiance........you will just have to read it to find out. Really a enjoyable light read, with a twist. I like the use of a common house hold item like the cell phone as the means for the story. Well done!
Audio book: good narrator

content:
clean read
language overindulgence of the F word

The Sky is Every Where by Jandy Nelson
***

This story was just okay for me. I had a hard time relating to the main character Lenin and how she deals with life. Lenin and Baily are twins and the bestest of friends. Then one day the worst possible thing happens Baily dies. Lenin is grieve stricken and ends up in the arms of Baily's boyfriend. I understand we all grieve differently, maybe because they are twins and act similar it could happen, but still.......I just can't imagine ever going there. Lenin doesn't love him, but because of her actions it almost costs her the boy she is in love with. I did really like the random writings that Lenin leaves on random objects, and at the end of the story something pretty cool happens with them.

Audio book: good narrator
content: language mild, lots of sex talk wanting to give up virginity, sex no details

The Secret of Ella & Micha by Jessica Sorensen
*****

Talk about identity crisis poor Ella. Ella grew up in town that has fallen on hard times, which changes the social economics of this community. No the story isn't about that, but it helps to understand why everyone is a little whats the word a depressed over the top in some of their actions. Actually it is a story of love, patients, endurance and self discovery. Ella and Micha are best friends and next door neighbors. They tell each other everything, well almost everything there is one little thing or I should say huge thing they have never discussed. When Micha expresses how he feels Ella makes a radical decision which impacts both their lives. I have to say it was really rather mean, couldn't believe she did it. Ella has a lot of pain in her life do to choices her parents have made, and she somewhat feels responsible for, so on her road to self discovery she tries to forget who she really is. I really liked Ella she is pained, sad, but yet she keeps the pain inside she still gets out there and lives her life. Micha is swoonable, he is a guitarist and singer to small gigs around town, he would do anything for Ella. I loved that they are best friends since they were children. They can't try and lie or pull one over on each other because they really know each other. Once their true feelings are known all sorts of things start to happen, and changes for the better. Can't wait to see were this goes with the next two books.

Content: adult read, not clean

 

My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron
*****

I really enjoyed this story about Hunter and Taylor. It was intense, and sweet. Hunter and Taylor attend the same university and end up spending a lot of time together do to certain circumstances. Theirs is a love hate relationship. Well really Taylor does almost but not quite hate him. Taylor has a secret that haunts her and makes her over react,angry and she doesn't trust men. Taylor is pretty amazing underneath all of the anger, and hurt. I was glad I was able to watch her character grow and change and become more of who she wanted to be. Hunter is awesome from the get go, he does come on a little strong though, but it works because he immediately identifies with Taylor and her pain and sadness. He knows what she needs even before she does. I loved how patient he was with her. Man she was down right mean at times, but Hunter could see past all of her insecurities to the beautiful person beneath it all. Hunter has his secrets too which at times made things really interesting between the two of them. He is afraid of her reactions to past events in his life as well. In the end it all works out awesomely though.


content: moderate language
adult read not clean