Review: Love Like the Movies

Love Like the Movies by Victoria Van Tiem
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

In this irresistible romantic romp, movie fanatic Kensington Shaw is thrown into love—Hollywood-style—when her gorgeous ex presents a series of big screen challenges to win back her heart.

What girl wouldn’t want to experience the Pretty Woman shopping scene? It’s number two on the list. Or, try the lift from Dirty Dancing? It’s number five. One list, ten romantic movie moments, and a handful of shenanigans later, Kenzi has to wonder . . . should she marry the man her family loves, or risk everything for a love like the movies?

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Now, I don't normally review a lot of romantic comedy books, or even that many that aren't young adult, but "Love Like the Movies" by Victoria Van Tiem seemed too good to pass up. I may not read a lot of rom com, but I do watch them at theatres, and this book is the best of both worlds.

Kensington Shaw has an obsession with romantic comedy movies, so much in fact that she could quote all the major ones from memory. She's always wanted a love like the ones she sees on the big screen, complete with the "meet cutes", romantic gestures, and overall feeling of love and happiness that the women in those movies always seem to experience with their leading man.

I loved Kensington. She was a character that a lot of women could relate to. She was nearing 30, freaking out about her future, and still working hard to find herself. Kensington was fun, a good friend, and would do almost anything to gain her family's approval. What woman reader couldn't relate to some part of that personality? Kensington is extremely likable as our main character, and you can't help but root for her to find the happiness she's been searching so hard for.

Book Blitz: Transformed

Transformed by E.V. Fairfall
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre:Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Since the beginning, two entities have had complete, unquestioned control over Thea: the Earth and God.

But when Thea suddenly figures out that the Earth has trapped her within a forest, she discovers that the only way to set herself free is to break God’s one rule; she must forsake her animal form and become human.

The result is nothing she could ever have expected. Lost within the torrent of human emotions, Thea starts to lose who she is and even begins to fall in love with the one thing she always hated: a hunter.

As her act against God proves more problematic than anticipated, it is only a matter of time before her punishment may prove to be worse than Earth’s entrapment.

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Exploring the subplot of Transformed with E.V. Fairfall:

Hey you guys, E.V. here. I wanted to tell you a little about my book Transformed because, aside from the typical coming of age story, it is a book of self discovery in many other ways. The subplot of Transformed has an aspect of religion.

Religion is a huge part of the world; not only are there many religions out there, but also within each religion people believe and adopt different practices.

That is the reason why I felt compelled to incorporate it, even though another part of me wanted to leave it alone. Through the course of writing Transformed, I’ve studied religion. I’ve taken cultural diversity classes and religious studies classes.

Book Blitz: White Hart (White Hart #1)

White Hart (White Hart #1) by Sarah Dalton
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: March 5, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Mae never asked to be craft-born. She never wanted that burden.

The realm needs magic again, and the the King of Aegunlund has been waiting for the first craft-born girl to marry his son, Prince Casimir.

In Mae's town of Halts-Walden, the ambitious miller claims his daughter Ellen is craft-born. Mae knows this is a load of hogwash, but she's glad Ellen will have the unfortunate pleasure of becoming queen instead of her. 

All she has to do is sit back and wait until Casimir and Ellen are married, then she will finally be free of the threat of her fate. But on that day an event so shocking and terrible occurs that Mae finds herself entering the neighbouring cursed forest on a quest she never thought she'd have to follow.

Join Mae as she rides her white stag through the Waerg Woods with a pampered prince at her heels. She's out for revenge and nothing, no one, will get in her way.

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Excerpt:
Father and I live on the edge of the gloomy forest; close enough to smell the leaves, hear the rustle of animals, and sense the dangers within. Darkness hangs below the knotted canopy of branches. I stand and watch in awe, following Anta’s hoof-prints. It’s late. The sun sets.

The grey of dusk descends over Halts-Walden with the threat of rain in the dark underbelly of clouds. The prince may well be greeted with mud and rain in the morning. The thought makes me feel rather gleeful. I imagine some pampered, puffy prince on the back of a regal horse, riding into the village in search of the red hair of maidens, quaint flowers, and those who bend the knee to him.

“Come in for stew, Mae,” Father says. “You should have a bath, too, if the prince is arriving.”

“I thought the whole point was to make sure the prince wouldn’t want me,” I reply, shooting him a glance.

Review: Soul Control

Soul Control by C. Elizabeth
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: December 1, 2012
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Words of truth for seventeen-year-old Saydi Gardiner upon discovering her ancestry. 

But if she has doubts, further confirmation is forthcoming and it comes in the form of a wickedly gorgeous Nathanael Braxton, when he steals her heart and cuddles into her soul – the last place the boy should be.

Nineteen-year-old Nathanael’s unrelenting good looks aren’t the only thing that make him dangerous – and he knows it! However, his caring human self struggles with a loyalty – a loyalty that binds him to the hunt for the soul that will give his family the power they seek. There’s only one problem: When he finds her, Nathanael falls in love with his prey – Saydi

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After I finished reading "Soul Control" by C. Elizabeth, I had to sit down for a bit and think about how I felt about it. Yes, I enjoyed the story while I was reading it, but was that enough? After some contemplating, I decided that I did like the book, even if there were some things I would have liked to seen altered for a better telling of the story.

This is very much a story of Good vs. Evil of biblical proportions. Elizabeth created a world where Tovs (gods) and Pyres (demons) exist and they're fighting a battle over human souls. I liked that the author tied in some biblical back story and kind of did her own thing with it. It gave the characters the ultimate motivation and fueled all of the action that was about to happen.

A downside to the biblical back story was that sometimes while it was being explained to our main character, Saydi, things seemed a bit muddled. I don't know if it was the writing style that was being used or if I was just personally having a hard time understanding it, but all of the stuff that Saydi learns from an ancient book and a scroll went over my head at points. They talked about the device (or whatever it is) that is supposed to destroy Saydi's "Light" and in turn make the Pyres victorious. However, I still don't really know what the point of this contraption is and exactly how Saydi fit in to its discovery. I just wished things were a bit clearer in the explanation.

TV Review: The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries

Channel: The CW

Day and Time: Thursdays at 8/7 EST

Release Date: October 3, 2013

Buy Links:

Amazon 

TV Show Description:

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is the story of two vampire brothers, obsessed with the same girl, in a small town where supernatural beings live in secret amongst its residents. Season Four begins with the knowledge that everything is in transition. Elena faces her worst nightmare when she awakens after the accident and finds she must now endure the terrifying transition to become a vampire – or face certain death.

Stefan and Damon are torn even further apart over how to help Elena adjust to a life she never wanted, and everyone has to cope with the chaos Alaric created when he outed the vampires and their supporters to the Mystic Falls Council and local church leaders. season five begins, Damon and Elena have spent a blissful summer in love, unaware that Silas is free and Stefan has been suffering agonizing pain every day for months.

Damon believes Stefan is staying away because it would be too painful for him to see Damon and Elena as a couple, but Elena can’t escape the uneasy feeling that Stefan needs their help. While Elena is reluctant to leave Damon and Jeremy, she is also thrilled to be heading off to a new start at nearby Whitmore College with Caroline as her roommate. Still unaware that Bonnie is dead, Elena and Caroline are waiting for their friend to join them at college. Jeremy is the only one who can see and talk to Bonnie who is trapped on the Other Side.

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"Gone Girl" 03/06/14 - Review by Helena E. Eseloma

The truth is out and the Mystic Falls Scooby Gang know Katherine has been travelling in Elena's body. They devise a plan to get her to the boarding house, but Katherine is dealing with Nadia being bitten by Tyler. She enlists Dr. Wes' help to create an antidote. Only the not-so-good doc has other plans.

Damon is still chained up in the basement, but not for long. While Tyler is babysitting Damon antagonizes him bringing up Caroline and Klaus. That has him falling into Damon's trap and he's able to feed off Tyler then knock him out and escape. He finds Dr. Wes and kills him


When the gang can't get Katherine to come of her own free will Damon suggests they do a locater spell. Bonnie and Jeremy go in search of Liv to help them and she flirts with Jeremy, but does locate Katherine in a church. Stefan takes Nadia back home.

Promotional Event: My Name is Rapunzel

My Name is Rapunzel by K.C. Hilton
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy tale
Release Date: November 22, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

My tale has been told again and again, and I’ve heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions.

Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children…but the children wouldn’t have laughed if they’d known the real story. 

It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did.

My name is Rapunzel. I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth.


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Excerpt:

Just go, Henry. Save yourself. I tried to shout, but my mouth wouldn’t give way to sound. I was paralyzed. Was it with fear, or something else? The cackling witch at the tree line convinced me it was her doing.

I heard Henry continue to shout for me to flee, but I didn’t respond. I didn’t move. I didn’t run. I was frozen like a lifeless statue in a cold museum. With only the movement of my eyes, I pleaded with him to help me. A tear escaped one of my eyes then rolled down my cheek.