Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

Title: Landry Park (Landry Park #1)

Author: Bethany Hagen

Publisher: Dial

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Downton Abbey meets The Selection in this dystopian tale of love and betrayal.

In a fragmented future United States rules by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dress of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty--her family and the estate she loves dearly--and desire.

You compare something to Downton Abbey, you can be sure I will want to read it. I'm not going to lie, that's mainly what made me want to read Bethany Hagen's Landry Park. And though I wasn't convinced at first, I still really enjoyed this story.

Madeline Landry has always known what her future would look like: she would marry by the time she was 21, and when the time came, she would take over the running of Landry Park. But that's not the future Madeline wants; she wants to go to the university, despite what her father says. When she gets a glimpse into the life of those below her in society, Madeline begins to question everything she has ever been told about her family and her world. The more she questions, the more Madeline finds herself drawn to the mysterious David Dana, until the two find themselves getting involved in a revolution. Through it all, Madeline has to decide if she wants to continue to protect her family, or finally allow herself to follow her heart.

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't convinced at all when I first started reading Bethany Hagen's Landry Park. In hindsight, that probably had to do with the fact that a lot had to be explained before we could get to the good part of the story. And it's true, once all the explaining was done, I found myself enjoying the story a lot more. The concept as a whole really intrigued me. This was a story about a futuristic society, but at the same time there were many times when I felt like I was reading a story set in the early 20th century. If it wasn't for mentions of technology, I would actually forget that this was taking place in the future and not the past. At the same time, this really made me think. What happened that eventually led to Madeline's society sounded like something that could happen to us in the not-too-distant future. Ultimately, that was a large part of what kept me reading. That, and the mystery that Madeline was working to solve over the course of the story. So really, my curiosity kind of got the best of me when it comes to Landry Park.

As much as I had trouble getting into the story, I connected with Madeline right away. I saw a lot of myself in her and for that reason, I was rooting for her from page one onwards. I was hoping she would get to go to the university, I was hoping she would get what she wanted and deserved when it came to David. And I wasted Madeline to find a way to break out of the life she was stuck in, even if, on the surface, that life looked pretty good. As much as I connected with madeline and wanted her to get the guy, I found David to be a little infuriating. Sure, in the long run his behaviour all made sense, but at first he really annoyed me. I just couldn't figure him out and didn't know what to make of him. One minute he acted like there was nothing he wanted more than Madeline, and the next he acted like a complete and total jerk. Now that I know what it was all about, though, I'm willing to forgive David for some of his behaviour, and I actually really liked him. I'll have to read the next book in order to see if David continues to be the David I actually like and want Madeline to be with.

Once I got past the initial explanation of the world, I really enjoyed Bethany Hagen's Landry Park. This is a story that really made me think about what our future could become and I loved that aspect of the story. I can't wait to see where Bethany Hagen will take the story next.

Something Real by Heather Demetrios (Giveaway)

Title: Something Real

Author: Heather Demetrios

Publisher: Henry Holt BYR

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

There's nothing real about reality TV.

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV--she and her twelve siblings are the stars of the one-time hit reality show Baker's Dozen. Since the show's cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it's about to fall apart…because Baker's Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™'s mom and the show's producers won't let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own--even if it means being more exposed than ever before. 

All you really need to know about Something Real by Heather Demetrios is that you should read it, because it's awesome. In case it wasn't clear, I absolutely loved it. And hopefully, by the time you finish reading this review, you'll be convinced you should read Something Real. Also, I apologize in advance if this turns into me just gushing about the book.

Chloe Baker thought she wouldn't have to be Bonnie Baker ever again. At least that's what her parents promised when their hit reality show, Baker's Dozen, was taken off the air. But now, her mother has decided the family should be back on the air. Just when she thought she was finally having a normal life with normal friends, the cameras are back to capture every moment of Chloe's and her twelve siblings' lives. With the cameras around, Chloe is afraid everything she has worked so hard for is going to fall apart. But in the middle of all this comes Chloe's chance at a real relationship with the boy she's always wanted. How can she have something real, though, when everything about reality TV is fake.

Guys, I loved this book. Like hugging-it-and-babbling-incoherently-about-it-to-my-roommate loved this book. Contemporary is always a safe bet for me so I knew I would enjoy Heather Demetrios' Something Real, I just didn't know I would love it quite as much as I did. Once I started reading, I just couldn't seem to stop. There was just something so compelling about the story. The concept as a whole is what initially drew me in: seeing how reality TV affects the people who are behind the camera. And as expected, that made for a very heavy and dramatic story, which I loved. But there was also a good amount of humour thrown in, which I loved even more. But what really made me love Something Real was the characters.

Right from page one, I loved Chloe. She was flawed and damaged and perfect. And she was real. More than anything I wanted her to find a way to escape everything her crazy family was putting her through. And I adored her relationship with her brother Benton. So often, good sibling relationships aren't really portrayed in YA. Here, you could tell that Benton and Chloe really needed and relied on each other when the rest of their family just turned a blind eye on their struggles. In general, though, I loved the whole support system Chloe built for herself. I loved seeing her with Mer and Tessa, her two best friends, or with Benton and his boyfriend Matt. And when they finally clued in to the fact they both liked each other, I adored her relationship with Patrick .Because Patrick was perfect. he was there for Chloe and didn't try to make her do anything she didn't want or be anything she wasn't. Be he also didn't just sit back and let Chloe jerk him around; he made her fight for what she really wanted (hint: him). And so Patrick was perfect and adorable, and him and Chloe were perfect and adorable together. And I would also like to take this moment to claim Patrick as my new book boyfriend. I'm pretty sure if you read the book, you'll be doing the same thing.

In case it wasn't clear enough, I more than loved Heather Demetrios' Something Real. Believe me when I say that this is a book you won't want to miss out on. And don't be surprised if you find yourself unable to put the book down once you start reading it. 

Giveaway

Because I loved Something Real so much and want to share the love, I'm giving away a copy of the book. All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open internationally, wherever the Book Depository ships.

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Waiting on Wednesday (78)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to reading.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:
SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE BY MORGAN MATSON

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend--the one who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There's just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try…unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple picking at night? Ok, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Wait…what?

Getting through Sloane's list would me a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny dipping? Um...

Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer broke me when I read it two years ago and I can't wait to read more from her. Since You've Been Gone sounds like it has so much potential both when it comes to making me smile and breaking my heart. And the premise makes it sound like it will be lots of fun. I honestly cannot wait to read it. 

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson will be published May 6, 2014 by Simon & Schuster.

Cover Reveal: Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker

As you may know, I absolutely loved K.A. Tucker's Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie, and I can't wait to read the copy of Four Seconds to Lose that's sitting on my nightstand. So I'm incredibly excited to be taking part in the cover reveal for the next book in this series, Five Ways to Fall. Keep reading to see the piece of the puzzle I'm revealing, and be sure to visit K.A. Tucker's website tomorrow to see the whole cover.

About the book:

Sometimes you can't change--and sometimes you just don't want to. Discover Ben's side of the story in this fourth novel by the beloved, top-selling indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths, One Tiny Lie, and Four Seconds to Lose.

Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she's made plenty of them in her twenty-odd years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it's time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well..aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.

Football scholarship and frat parries with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris's plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has the brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny's Palace, he's ready to lead a more mature life--until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn't stopped thinking about.

If Ben truly were a smart guy, he'd stay clear of Reese. She's the boss's stepdaughter and it's been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she's trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it's so good looking...

Pre-order Five Ways to Fall: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

About the author: 

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farther thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brook of four legged creatures.

Find K.A. Tucker: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Title: Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter #2)

Author: Megan Shepherd

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island--and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebidding the life she once knew and trying to forget. Dr. Moreau's horrific legacy--though someone, or something, hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father's creations may have also escaped the island She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer--Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we'll go to save them from themselves. 

Unlike when I was reading the first book, I knew what I was getting myself into when I picked up Megan Shepherd's Her Dark Curiosity. And though I had some trouble getting into the story at first, I still found myself loving it by the time I finished. 

Despite having been back in London for a few months, Juliet can't seem to stop thinking about everything that happened on her father's island…especially the moment Montgomery pushed her away on that dinghy and chose to stay behind and hunt down her father's creatures. Juliet is trying to move on and stop thinking about her father's experimentation, but it's difficult to do when she still has to find a way to cure herself of her illness. And when people who have wronged her in the past start getting murdered, Juliet can't help but think some of her father's creatures could be involved. Determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard, Juliet has to decide just how far she'll go to save herself and those she cares about. 

Her Dark Curiosity was quite different from the first book, The Madman's Daughter. Where the first book was more focused on Juliet's quest to find out the truth about her father and discovering what he had been doing on the island for all that time, this one was more introspective, in a way. Her Dark Curiosity was alpa bout Juliet coming to terms with who she was, and thanks to her father's experiments, what she was. Because of that, there were many moments when the story felt darker, sometimes going further and darker than I thought Megan Shepherd would take it. But in a way, I really enjoyed reading the darker parts of the story because it allowed me to see a different side of the characters. It will be interesting to see where the story will go in the next book, especially since it's supposed to be inspired by the story of Frankenstein.

For better or for worse, Juliet is her father's daughter and that's something she struggled with all through Her Dark Curiosity. It was interesting to see her inner battler, watching her come to terms with the fact that she had darkness in her, and accepting that "darkness." The character that surprised me the most, though, was Lucy. I had only briefly seen Lucy in the beginning of the first book, but I got to now her more this time around. I didn't think she would end up being such an important part of this story, but I'm glad she did. It's hard to talk about the other characters that play an important part in the story without giving some of it away, but I will say there were parts that made me really happy, and others that broke my heart a little. So make of that what you will. Again, it will be interesting to see what will happen to everyone in the final book.

Though I may not have been completely convinced I would enjoy it when I first picked it up, the more I read, the more I loved Megan Shepherd's Her Dark Curiosity. And like with any series, I'm excited to see how it will all come together in the third and final book.