Review: Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt

Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt
Series: Companion to Two-way Street
Source: Borrowed
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: July 9, 2013

Can a road trip repair a romance gone wrong? Find out in this standalone companion to Lauren Barnholdt’s Two-way Street.

Here are Peyton and Jace, meeting on vacation. Click! It’s awesome, it’s easy, it’s romantic. This is the real deal.

Unless it isn’t. Because when you’re in love, you don’t just stop calling one day. And you don’t keep secrets. Or lie. And when your life starts falling apart, you’re supposed to have the other person to lean on.

Here are Peyton and Jace again, broken up but thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead…

This isn't Lauren Barnholdt's best, that's for sure.

I enjoyed Two-way Street so I was looking forward to reading this. But it wasn't as good as I hoped it to be. Right of Way is very predictable, and the story line is JUST like the one of the companion novel. And the first paragraph is almost exactly the same too. 

Peyton wasn't a great main character; more often than not, I found her to be extremely annoying. The same goes for Jace, although he's not as bad. I liked seeing Courtney, Jordan, B.J. (LOL), and Jocelyn again but it's really different reading them from a different point of view.

I didn't really understand the love between Peyton and Jace. They've only known each other for a short period, yet they're so attracted to each other. And nothing in their relationship really made much sense (like why they stopped talking, etc.).

And Jace, you're VALEDICTORIAN. Not that I understand how, but go make the stupid speech. Seriously.

The ending felt too abrupt. It ended without much being resolved and everything just left hanging. Peyton and Jace get back together. The end.

Overall, this was an okay read, nothing really special. The characters weren't likeable, the plot predictable, and everything illogical. It was enjoyable at times, but some parts bored me. This is a book I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for a good road trip book.

Buddy Reads Discussion [1]

*SPOILERS WILL BE HAPPENING. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ SCARLET, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.*

Megan: I gotta start with what I noticed first-- that beautiful cover and hardback! Did anyone else just stroke that pretty royal blue when they first opened it?

Stephanie: Mine is black!?

Sarah: Mine was black too!

Angela: Blue? Mine was black as well! 

Stephanie: Megan, are you sure you're looking at the right book? :P I just cannot believe that we have to wait until 2014!!! That is just cruel punishment! I need the next installment NOW! haha. What shall we talk about first? How about the boys?! :D

Sarah: The boys! :D

Angela: I love the boys! Wolf especially!

Megan: AHHHH! Definitely the boys!Wolf was fantastic, seriously! I love that man-- every wrong he ever did is forgiven, even though he totally betrayed Scarlet-- he made up for it. Plus, his teeth are really cool. LOL!

Stephanie: I do love Wolf, really I do. And, I agree, everything he did badly, is forgiven. However, I LOVE Thorne. :]

Megan: It's a good thing that we could never argue about boys, then. *cough*Wolf is better*cough* *clears throat* Anywho, I could see why you like Thorne. He's got that ladies man thing going for him, doesn't he? Also, he's got that slow drippin' honey way of talking. LOL.

Stephanie: And he's funny! I heard he's even better in Cress! :D

Sarah: I like them both. Though I love Wolf a little more. Thorne is totally awesome too. Why must Marissa Meyer create such swoon worthy men? :)

Angela: To the point where you can't decide. ;) But for the record, I'm Wolf all the way!

Megan: I'm totally with Angela here, y'all!! I never saw him betraying Scarlet coming, though. That surprised me so freaking much!

Stephanie: I heard a rumor that Thorne is going to be a love interest for Cress... which if that is true then I hope Marissa creates an amazing guy for Cinder, cause I'm sorry but Kai is not doing it for me. As Jackie has pointed out to me.. "Kai is a little bitch"

Megan: Oooh, really? That would be so cool! LOL, I still don't get what he did wrong! He did exactly what he had to. Maybe he'll redeem himself in y'all's eyes, though! LOL. I love you, Jackie! ;P

Sarah: I really hope Kai will redeem himself. It's just the fact that Cinder risked her life to warn him and then he does the one thing she was trying to save him from. So it's like her life meant nothing to him. That is why I'm so mad at him.

Angela: I agree with Sarah. Kai better improve in Cress. I felt like he wasn't the same person he was in Cinder. And Cinder definitely needs her own swoony guy!

Megan: I feel kind of like arguing for Kai-- here's your options, laid out in front of you. You only have two:

OPTION 1: Do what Cinder tells you too, because she risked her life and you love her. But guess what? EVERYONE else in your kingdom will PERISH because of the Lunar Queen's vendetta against Cinder.

OPTION 2: Marry the queen and be offed, but keeping your kingdomer's alive. Under the rule of Lunars, but alive. Basically, you die they live. Kind of like Braveheart.

OPTION 3: You didn't sign up for this gig. RUN AWAY!

I actually think that he picked a good option. The only one that could seriously be considered-- he forfeits his life for theirs. That's what any good king or emperor should be willing to do. I mean, I hope that he makes some kind of miraculous escape from death, but it sure don't look good. I just felt a little like arguing my point. Yay or nay?

Sarah: No I totally get what you're pointing at. Maybe I am being a little harsh on Kai, but there's also the fact that once she has him out of the way his people will be slaves. And don't forget the end of Scarlet where she never really withdrew her troops even after he agreed to marry her. I don't think it's going to make much of a difference what he does, people are going to die.

Stephanie: Sarah is right. She will make them her slaves or kill them. Regardless people will die. So, then what makes the difference if he didn't agree to marry Levana? Regardless people were going to die. And, honestly, I'm not really sure why Kai is on my shit list. But he is. He just doesn't do it for me. I need Cinder to have a swoon worthy guy and to me... Kai is just not that... I think he is a nimrod for not realizing that Cinder is Princess Selene. He knew the information about Michele Benoit and that she lives in Rieux... then when he finds out that Cinder is in Rieux... why doesn't he put the 2 together? Anyone with an IQ of 60 could do that. Ugh, stupid, stupid men.

Megan: Okay, now I get where you guys are coming from! YES. People will die, but at least he would have made the decision to try to save them. Maybe I'm being a little too soft on Kai? I mean, Steph has a point-- he is a nimrod for not figuring out that Cinder was Princess Selene. And also for thinking that she was kinda sorta evil. Men are so dense.

Sarah: Well, maybe he has some trick up his sleeve that'll make me forgive him and then all will be right with the world :D. I don't know how anybody would willingly want to marry that nasty woman. They're obviously going to save him because Cinder is in love with Kai. Hopefully they take out Queen Levana soon, she annoys me.

Megan: DIANA! ANNIE! JACKIE! Where areee youuuuuu?

Maybe he does. You'll never know if you don't read Cress! Fat chance, right? ;P I don't think that anyone honestly would. Besides Kai, I mean. But we've already decided that he's at the wrong place. LOL. Cinder is TOTALLY in love with Kai, it is so cute. I think he loves her too, but he's just confused. DON'T SAY THAT! I actually really like Queen Levana. She's a really good villain, and I just die every time I read a good villain!

Annie: Hey I'm here! I totally agree about Kai. I think he needs to seriously step it up in Cress or I'm afraid all my hope is lost for him. :(

Sarah: LOL! As far as villain's go she's one of the best, but she's an awful person :D. I hope we get to see more of Wolf, because darn it I love that boy.

Megan: It's so wonderful to know that we all love the same man. Kind of makes it awkward, don't you think? *the rest of the world loves him too*

Sarah: It does make it awkward. There's obviously going to have to be a fight to the death. :D Whoever is left standing gets to keep Wolf!

Annie: Haha I like that idea! But Wolf is MINE!

Stephanie: Honestly, I think Queen Levana is in until the very end of the series. And, you're right, she is one of the best villains I have come across...I just hate the fact that she has auburn hair. Not all of us redheads are bad, ya know. So, obviously I was SO relieved that Marissa made it up with a fiery kickass heroine such as Scarlet. I love her. SO MUCH. I even liked her more than Cinder...

Megan: LOL, Sarah! ;D I think that you're right, Steph. She makes such a good villain that it would be kind of hard to kill her off. And, well, she's doing a good job making the series interesting. *Steph is not evil!* I LOVE Scarlet more than Cinder too. (:

Sarah: Scarlet definitely is better than Cinder. At least she doesn't run off and hide from her problems.

Annie: I totally agree. Scarlet just seemed stronger than Cinder, which is kinda hard because Cinder was awesome. I just connected more with her.

Megan: I feel like I'm sensing a theme...I wonder why we all like Scarlet better? Is it *dunt dunt dah* JOHN GREEN BRAINWASHING? o.O

Angela: LOL, Megan! It's definitely John Green brainwashing! I'm hoping each following book is better than the previous. I don't doubt that'll happen.

Megan: Teehee. I don't doubt that it'll happen either-- we're watching you, Marissa!

Sarah: LOL Megan! John Green XD. I don't doubt it either.

Stephanie: What do you mean by John Green brainwashing? I have yet to read one of his novels. I own Looking for Alaska but I haven't been able to tackle it just yet...

Megan: Well, it's an inside joke of me and Sarah's. Basically, we read The Fault in Our Stars together, which you know is like hugely popular, and we weren't big fans. So we decided that John Green is brainwashing everyone, because everyone of his books is BIG. Like, super big. And we're not great big fans. Dumb joke, but it's ours. ;)

Stephanie: haha, well, anywho. Back to the discussion at hand. :] What do you think or hope will happen in Cress? Personally, I would love some more Thorne action! I love him so much! :]

Megan: I don't know, actually. I've been thinking about the names of the first two, Cinder and Scarlet, which each turned out being main character names. Now I'm completely curious...why a name like Cress?

Sarah: I was wondering the same thing Megan! But guys, I was just on Goodreads and the release date is apparently February 4, 2014 O_O so far away. I really can't wait to see how she does a Rapunzel story though :)

Megan: OMG, Rapunzel? YOU'RE FREAKING JOSHING ME. That's awesome!! *fangirling is da BOMB*

Sarah: Nope, definitely not kidding. Go look on Goodreads.

Annie: Why does it have to be so far away? :( It makes me so sad, but usually waiting forever makes the book even better. (Example: Clockwork Princess!)

Stephanie: Cress, I think is short for Crescent Moon. At least, that's what I HEARD. It could be wrong. And yes, Cress is about Rapunzel! lol.

Megan: *looks* WHAT KIND OF A TERRIBLE PERSON CALLS THAT A SYNOPSIS? lol, I can't wait to read it! :D

Stephanie: I know, right? It's completely vague!! So what do you guys think will happen in the next book?

Megan: I'm not sure-- I don't think that I even really want to guess about it-- nothing I come up with will be as awesome as the real thing, right? ;P

Angela: Cress is the computer hacker that works for Queen Levana. She's stuck in a satellite orbiting Earth rather than a tower. It's sounds amazing already, doesn't it? :D

Sarah: Definitely! I want it right now :D.

Annie: Well, all I can say is that Marissa is a genius. I can't wait to see how Cress connects with everyone in Cinder and Scarlet. And hopefully we get a new boy for Cress! <3

Stephanie: I agree,  I can't wait until 2014! This book is definitely at the top of the list to get as soon as it gets released!!!! Let's see when is that... February 4... UGH SO FAR AWAY!!!!

Megan: Strangely, I think we may be all talked out about Scarlet. o.O

Sarah: I think so.  O.O

Angela: Agreed.

Megan: *starts maniacally humming It's the end of the World as we know it*

Mini-review: Butterface by Gwen Hayes

Butterface by Gwen Hayes
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: April 21, 2010

Lucky has a secret--if he doesn't bring Beth to the "dog dinner" party his roommates are having, he's off the team. The soccer scholarship is paying his college tuition--he HAS to stay on the team. But if Beth ever finds out she's his entry in the contest for ugliest date, he stands to lose even more.

A lot more.

Butterface was a short and sweet novella. I enjoyed the characters of Beth and Lucky, and I loved that their relationship never seemed forced or like they didn't have chemistry. They were so cute with each other. My only real problem with Butterface was that it was so short and that everything happened so fast. All in all, it really was a cute story, and I liked it.

Review: Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer

Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Elemental, #0.5
Source: Borrowed
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: March 27, 2012

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.

As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily’s family doesn’t just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead.

I really liked Michael’s story. It’s nice to see his point of view of things. Becca made him seem very intimidating and indifferent in Storm, but he’s not that way. Elemental  really gives insight to why Michael acts the way he does presently. It’s so sad, because he’s gone through so much when he was young. As much as his parents say they’re there for him, they’re really not. Not in the way he needs them to be. Michael has to go through all these difficult things himself, without anyone to help.

Emily was an okay character. I wanted to know more about her when reading Storm (yes, I read this out of order), and hoped that this would tell more. But with only fifty pages, you can't really. We definitely see more of who she is in this novella, but it’s not a lot at all. I would have liked it to go more in depth. For her whole family, actually. Because this is so short, no one’s character is really developed very well.

And just a random note: Michael's brothers were cute even when they were just 10 and 11. :D

I’m sort of disappointed at the ending. In a way, it’s like Storm. They finally get together and you don’t know what happens next. Well, you technically do, because it's explained in Storm, but still. I wanted to see the accident, which I guess wouldn't be a very nice thing to read, but come on. Wouldn't that be cool?

Overall, I really liked this, but hell, it’s way too short. I’m not used to reading novellas, and this ended too soon. 50 pages go by before you know it. But read it, definitely.

The Flirting Games by Stella Wilkinson

The Flirting Games by Stella Wilkinson
Series: Flirting, #1
Source: Free on Amazon
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: March 23, 2013

Eleanor Parkhurst is determined to get in the way of Nathaniel Naverly seducing her sweet cousin Rose. Nate has a history of treating girls badly and Ellie suspects his intentions are far from honorable. Getting Nate to switch his attention to her seemed like a good plan, but Ellie didn’t foresee that she might have to protect her own heart from his schemes as well. The game is proving a challenge. Midnight meetings, fighting or kissing, it’s all part of the fun of flirting. Set in an English boarding school, Ellie and her American new best friend, Flora, discover that boys are more complicated than classes, and you have to play the game well or you might just get played!

.5

At nearly fifteen, you didn't let boys see you going about looking like a scarecrow.

Flirting Games was just your average YA contemporary, but shrunk down to novella size. I found myself wishing that it had been longer, because I was really enjoying the sweet/not-sweet love that was forming between Nate and Ellie. My only problem with this book was that it was just a tad too short-- that, and there were some random grammar mistakes. But I'm not very worried about them, because seriously, grammar isn't one of my strong points. ;)

Nathaniel was a jerk at first, and I didn't like the way that he played with girl's emotions, but as the story went on I began to appreciate the complete 180 that he was doing over Ellie. I love it when guys like that fall in love-- it's always ridiculously intense! Their love came a little too fast, but I'm willing to overlook that because of the novella status of THE FLIRTING GAMES.

I liked Ellie. She cares for her friends, and I enjoyed the ridiculous lengths that she was willing to go through to stop Nathaniel from playing her friend Rose. I loved that she was willing to stand up for herself when she needed to, and that she wasn't so easily impressed by Nate. I liked their banter, especially the P&P references!

I also liked the interconnected love stories that hint at the next books-- they were sweet. My only problem with that is that I wanted to just focus on the main couple.

All in all, THE FLIRTING GAMES was a very sweet, cute read. I really enjoyed it. (:

Review: After Math by Denise Grover Swank

After Math by: Denise Grover Swank

Scarlett Goodwin’s world is divided into Before and After.

Before she agreed to tutor Tucker price, college junior Scarlett was introvert, struggling with her social anxiety and determined to not end up living in a trailer park like her mother and her younger sister. A mathematics major, she goes to her classes, to her job in the tutoring lab, and then hides in the apartment she shares with her friend, Caroline.

After junior Tucker Price, Southern University’s star soccer player enters the equation, her carefully plotted life is thrown off its axis. Tucker’s failing his required College Algebra class. With his eligibility is at risk, the university chancellor dangles an expensive piece of computer software for the math department if Scarlett agrees to privately tutor him. Tucker’s bad boy, womanizer reputation makes Scarlett wary of any contact, let alone spending several hours a week in close proximity.

But from her first encounter, she realizes Tucker isn’t the person everyone else sees. He carries a mountain of secrets which she suspects hold the reason to his self-destructive behavior. But the deeper she delves into the cause of his pain, the deeper she gets sucked into his chaos. Will Scarlett find the happiness she’s looking for, or will she be caught in Tucker’s aftermath?

After being scheduled for the blog tour for the second book in the series, Redesigned, I realized I hadn’t read the first…so I got right on that. And I’m sure glad I did. New adult for the win again!

Scarlett is an introverted math major with a slim amount of friends and no social skills. And she much prefers it that way. When she is forced to tutor Tucker, the schools resident soccer player and playa, she realizes that he is not the same guy that everyone thinks he is. Inside he is very lonely and tortured, and Scarlett recognizes a kindred spirit in Tucker. But will all of his lies and secrets push Scarlett away for good, or will they survive all the impeding destruction?

Scarlett, despite her shyness and awkwardness, is internally strong. She may not seem like it, but she’s been through some really rough patches and I admire her tenacity. She’s beyond smart and very driven and knows exactly what she wants. I thought she would shy away from any kind of relationship and get scared, but she really held her own with Tucker and it was nice to see.

Tucker is a pretty misunderstood guy. During their first few meetings, I caught a glimpse of the inner Tucker, the one he keeps hidden from everyone else. And I loved it. But what I didn’t like was when he kept reverting back to his bad boy ways, but I understood why. I didn’t like how he kept crucial secrets from Scarlett, when I thought he could have easily told her.

Caroline, Scarlett’s best friend, was very wary of Tucker at first because of his previous ways. She was like an angry guard dog watching the front door every time he came home so he didn’t take advantage of her BFF. It was admirable.

I wished there was a bit more of a plot other than the trials and tribulations of their relationship. Something outside of the two of them, ya know? But alas, it didn’t take much away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. I also did wish that we got some Tucker POV for my enjoyment, but that’s just me being selfish. The romance was special because they went through their whole life not connecting with anyone, and then BAM! They meet. Epic connection ensues. Smexy sparks fly. But who knew the university bad boy was such a sweetheart?

I’ve read Caroline’s story already, and I liked it even more than this one. It’s got a very sexy math major nerd who sure was experienced in other…subjects. ;)

Favorite Swoon-worthy Quotes: His lips find mine, tentative at first, as though he took my words to heart and he’s afraid I’ll shatter if he’s not gentle. His tongue works slow magic on my lips before discovering the inside of my mouth. He’s slow and tender, coaxing my tongue to join his. My stomach tingles, and an ache deep inside my abdomen catches me by surprise. I release a tiny gasp, and Tucker wraps an arm around my back, pressing my to his chest.

Rating: 4/5 Ravens!

Thank You, Mrs. M by Kate Rothwell

Thank You, Mrs. M by Kate Rothwell
Series: N/A
Source: Free on Amazon
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: September 9, 2009

"I wasn’t the only one telling a story. My anonymous Mrs. Moneybags tried to hide from me. Too bad I’m smart, Mrs. M, and I got you figured. But know what? I can keep your secrets. You and me—we made it work."

Benjamin Evans takes charge of younger siblings, but still finds some time for college--especially after he receives an offer of a full scholarship. The deal is he must share details about school and some private facts about his life. As he talks into the recorder over the months, Ben's curiosity about his sponsor increases.

.5

The sleek silver oval lay in the palm of Ben's hand.

Thank You, Mrs. M was one of those books that I really wasn't sure about-- to the point of being unsure as I clicked "Buy with one click". But for some reason, it was the first book I picked to read when I got my Kindle. I was hooked from the very first page.

I loved the mystery of Mrs. Moneybags; I spent most of the book guessing about who she could be. But once I figured it out (and only because I was told) I was absolutely shocked! It ends up being a person that I never thought she could be. I didn't see it coming at all.

You know what else I didn't see coming? My kindle magically deleting all my notes. Now I'm left with only my brain for company, and that's really not good for reviews.

I found Ben to be a very good narrator. He was honest, and I liked how true to life he was. He didn't feel flat like most characters with problems do, just like I never found myself annoyed with his decisions or thought processes. I liked reading from his point of view.

Of course, that brings up another thing-- I loved the unique way that Thank You, Mrs. M was written. It was very interesting to only get the story from Ben talking to tapes that he sends to Mrs. Moneybags. It could be called unreliable, but I thought it was neat!

I also enjoyed the slight romance-- Ben just had a way of saying things that made me downright swoon, seriously. I didn't expect this to have romance, and while it wasn't the kind I'm used to, I enjoyed it.

All in all, Thank You, Mrs. M was a unique read.