Be With Me by J. Lynn

Title: Be With Me (Wait For You #2)

Author: J. Lynn

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year--she's in love with her big brother's best friend, but he hasn't spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It's time for Plan B--college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he's not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend's incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn't have time for relationship. But it doesn't help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they're thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can't keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they're willing to risk to be together, and what they're willing to lose if they're not...

I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record at this point but, J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout can do absolutely no wrong, no matter what she writes. So of course, I absolutely LOVED Be With Me and I just couldn't seem to turn the pages fast enough.

Teresa always thought she would be going to the Joffrey Ballet School once she graduated from high school. But when a fall on stage results in a torn ACL, Teresa finds herself registering for classes at the same university as her brother, Cam. Which would be fine, if Teresa wasn't completely in love with Jase, her overprotective brother's best friend. It wouldn't be so bad if she knew Jase felt nothing for her, but a year ago they shared an epic kiss…and she hasn't heard from Jase since. Now, everywhere she goes on campus, Teresa seems to run into Jase. She knows she should stay away and not get involved with him. But unless Teresa's mind is playing tricks on her, Jase seems to also be attracted to her. Except Jase has secrets of his own he's not sure he's ready to share just yet.

To say I devoured Be With Me would be somewhat of an understatement. Once I started reading, there's very little that could have gotten me to put the book down. That might have had to do with the fact that I was dying to read the book when I got a copy of it. So it really shouldn't come as a surprise when I say that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED Be With Me. I loved getting lost in this story. It helped that I already knew the world and the characters, and I loved that all the characters I got to know in Wait for You were still around. It made me enjoy the story that much more. One thing I was concerned about with Be With Me was how it could possibly live up to what I had built it up to in my head. And I was afraid it wouldn't be as good as Wait for You was. But really, I had nothing to worry about. Once again Jennifer L. Armentrout didn't disappoint. I couldn't have asked for a better story for Teresa and Jase. And as you may have suspected, the romance was there and there was plenty of it. And I LOVED it. Because I ADORED Jase and Teresa.

When I read Wait for You last summer, I had gotten glimpses of both Jase and Teresa, but I didn't know much about them beyond the basics. And I'm glad I really got to know them in Be With Me, because I fell in love with both of them. Teresa was different than I thought she was going to be. At first I couldn't help but think of her as Cam's little sister, but I quickly stopped thinking of her that way. Teresa was her own person, and she deserved to find someone who really cared about her after everything she had been through. And though he didn't seem like it at first, Jase was absolutely that person for Teresa. Jase was no Cam, but he was something special. For most of the book, Jase was this code I was trying to crack. But once I did, I just wanted to hold him. Without revealing too much, just know there's a lot more to Jase than what you might think for the better part of the book. But know that it's worth it to take the time to peel back Jase's layers. 

If it wasn't clear, I LOVED Be With Me. It more than lived up to what I had hoped it would be. If you haven't already give J. Lynn's New Adult a try, you really should because you won't be disappointed.

Waiting On Wednesday (77)

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:

EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU BY NINA LACOUR

A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in from of--and behind--the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still.

A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.

Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She's enigmatic…She's beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi's understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

As some of my blogger & bookish friends would say, Everything Leads to You sounds like a total "Emilie book" and I would have to agree completely. Though I still have read to Hold Still (I'm working on it!), I absolutely loved reading Nina LaCour's The Disenchantments and I can't wait to read more from this author. Just from the synopsis, I know there is going to be so much for me to love about this story! And call me shallow, but that cover is just absolutely GORGEOUS and I haven't stopped starting at it since it was revealed.

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour will be published May 15, 2014 by Dutton Juvenile.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Rapunzel's tower is a satellite. She can't let down her hair--or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in two. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker--unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can. 

It's no secret that I LOVE Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. I've devoured every book so far, and with each one, I find myself loving this series more and more. As expected, Cress completely blew me away and has solidified the Lunar Chronicles' position among my all-time favourite series.

Cress has spent the better part of her life alone, in a satellite, doing the Lunar Queen's bidding. But at least by spending all this time alone with netscreens, has been able to pick up some hacking skills that have been quite helpful to Cinder, even if Cinder doesn't know it yet. Cinder is on the run with Captain Thorne, attempting to stay one step of the authorities. And with Scarlet and Wolf's help, Cinder is determined to stop Emperor Kai from marrying Queen Levana. Their only hope though, is with Cress's help. But when their rescue mission takes a turn for the worse, things become even more complicated as the group is torn apart and separated. Now not only do they have to find a way to reunite themselves, they also have to save the world in the process.

Let me get this out of the way before I say anything else: if you haven't already started reading the Lunar Chronicles, go do so now because you are missing out big time. But in all seriousness, Marissa Meyer and her books are amazing. And so it goes without saying that I absolutely ADORED Cress. Marissa Meyer always manages to capture my attention right from page one. In this case, Cress picks up right where Scarlet left off, so right away I was thrown into the middle of the action. And from there, the story just kept on getting better. I loved the way Marissa Meyer re-imagined Rapunzel's story, and I'm happy with how that story played itself out. When I started reading, I was worried that Cress would just spend most of the book stuck in her satellite, but I should have just trusted Marissa Meyer because she did not disappoint me. My only concern now is the year-long wait for Winter, the final book in the series.

Out of all the fairy tale characters Marissa Meyer has introduced so far, I think Cress is my favourite. I don't really know what to say other than the fact she was just relatable. Basically, Cress was like any teenage girl who's ever had a crus on someone famous (except she got to meet, said person). And I loved her, and how innocent she could be. But at the same time, she was a lot smarter and stronger than people gave her credit for. And I loved the side of Thorne she brought out. Because as much of a jerk as he can be, I kinda love Thorne anyway. And of course, I loved getting to know the other characters even better than I already did. Cinder now is so different from the girl I met in the first book, but at the same time, deep down, she's still the same person. And Scarlet is a lot stronger than I initially gave her credit for. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Scarlet in the final book. Regardless of the character, I'm sure there are plenty of surprises in store for us. 

I've said this before, but if you haven't already started reading the Lunar Chronicles, you should really get on that. Cress was truly amazing. There's not a single page of it I didn't absolutely love. I can't wait to see what Marissa Meyer has in store for us in Winter, even though I really don't want this series to end.

Belladonna by Fiona Paul

Title: Belladonna (Secrets of the Eternal Rose #2)

Author: Fiona Paul

Publisher: Philomel

Release Date: July 16, 2013

Source: From publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. 

But Luca seems to have his own secrets. When he's arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass's life is once again thrown into chaos. She must save Luca, and that means finding the Book of the Eternal Rose--the only evidence that will prove he's innocent.

So begins her journey to Florence, a city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose. And home to Falco, who is working for the Order's eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself. 

Can Cass trust her heart to lead her to the truth this time?

Nothing is as it seems in this seductive thriller, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.

Other than with a few exception, I do this thing with series where I'll read the first book and then promptly forget that there are more books to come. And that's why Fiona Paul's Belladonna had been sitting, unread, on my shelves for the last six months. After having now read it though, I remember why I love this story and these characters so much.

Cassandra is determined to forget Falco, the artist who ran to Florence and took part of her heart with her. After everything that's happened, Cass is ready to start the calm and stable life she had been promised when she was engaged to Luca. But things once again go off course when soldiers come to her aunt's palazzo in the middle of the night to take Luca away. Now it's up to Cass to do what it takes to save Luca before it's all too late. To do so, Cass must travel to Florence in the hopes of finding the Book of the Eternal Rose, the one thing that can help prove Luca's innocence. But in Florence, Cass can also find Falco, but after everything can she really trust him. And will her heart survive it all?

I said this back when I reviewed Venom, but I love the Renaissance. It's always been one of my favourite periods of history to study. So it's almost guaranteed that I'll read any story set in Renaissance Italy. And reading Belladonna, I was reminded of why I love those stories so much. The way Fiona Paul writes, it's almost as if the setting comes to life. As I'm reading, Renaissance Venice and Renaissance Florence take form and I was able to picture both cities as if I were right there. It allowed me to completely lose myself in the story, allowing me to enjoy it that much more. Beyond just the vivid setting, what kept drawing me back into the story was the intrigue and the mystery. This is the kind of story that constantly makes you question everything you know, and everything you're being told. Every step of the way, I felt like I just kept getting more and more confused. Until it was all laid out in front of me, and even then I still didn't trust what I was being told. I guess I'll just have to read the third book, Starling, to find out how it will all end.

Cass has always been a surprising character to me. She's not exactly what you have in mind when you think "Renaissance" and "teenage girl." Basically, Cass is the total opposite of what you would expect. She isn't afraid to do what it takes when it comes to the people she cares about, even when that means putting herself in harm's way. But still, I admired her bravery and her determination. What could use help sometime, is Cass's heart. After Venom, I would have said I was all for Cass being with Falco, but I'm not so sure about that anymore. But that's not to say that I'm completely sold on Luca either. Each boy definitely had his own merits, but it seemed like neither one of them was ever fully honest with Cass. It will be interesting to see how it will all play out in Starling. And hopefully, I'll finally get to see more of Luca. 

If you like intrigue and historical fiction, I strongly recommend you try reading Fiona Paul's Secrets of the Eternal Rose series. I loved reading Belladonna and I can't wait to see how the story will come to a close in Starling.

A Mad, Wicked Folly Blog Tour - Author Interview

Today I have the pleasure of participating in Penguin Canada's blog tour for Sharon Biggs Waller's debut novel A Mad, Wicked Folly. Sharon has been kind enough to answer some questions on behalf of Will Fletcher, one of the characters (and love interests!) in the story. To find out more about him and his story, just keep reading.

What is it like being a police constable in London in 1909?

The suffrage movement took up a lot of police time. 1909 (and the years of suffrage movement in general) was a strange and confusing time for a lot of constables because they weren't used to dealing with the arrest of women. Most women they encountered were members of the working class, namely prostitutes. When the suffragettes came along, constables found themselves dealing with women who were often socially superior and who wouldn't go quietly. The constables were instructed to "act with firmness as well as tact." But sometimes constables were forced to handle them roughly anyway. Many police officers hated treating women in this way, but others relished it. The suffragettes had an odd relationship with the police. They needed them for protection from hostile crowds, but the police were also enforcing rules that suffragists found unfair.

What is is about the Suffragettes movement that made Will want to help them, even though all other police constables seem to be against it all?

William Fletcher is a young man who believes in fairness and in helping people. He feels he's tasked to keep the peace, but he doesn't agree with preventing people from fighting for their rights. When Will became a police constable he promised to protect victims, not create them. In addition, as he tells Vicky, he doesn't see the point in denying half the population the right to vote.

How has Will's job as a police constable helped him write his story?

As a police constable Will sees the suffering of people up close, and so he knows the destructive nature of poverty and how class can hold people in poverty. He's also seen how destructive inequality can be. His beat lies in the wealthiest parts of town, but he lives in a poorer one. Most people in Edwardian England remained in their own area and didn't usually frequent places where other classes lived. But Will moves through all faces of London every day, both in his work life and his personal life. He's able to see and experience life from many angles, and that helps him create believable characters.

What did Will think when he first made Victoria Darling's acquaintance?

I love this question! I thought about it a lot because when Will first sees Vicky, he looks at her like he knows her. I think we all feel this way when we first meet people we have a natural connection with. We get this feeling of, "oh, there you are!" I imagined Will saw the intensity on Vicky's face when she was drawing and recognized that in himself. Here was this potential dangerous situation and Vicky wasn't backing down. Rather, she was frantically trying to capture the scene, like any fervent artist or writer would. (Of course, Will thought she was beautiful, too!) When he heard Vicky denying she was a suffragette, he was intensely disappointed because he had this idea about her, and now he was wrong, and that caused him to act like a rotter. Will hates a coward.

What was it like working and collaborating with Victoria? The two seem to have quite an unusual relationship.

Both Vicky and Will support each other's talents wholeheartedly, and so they both feel encouraged and accepted when working together. You are right that this is unusual because they are both of different classes, but art and literature has a way of transcending class and gender, so if you look at their relationship from this angle it makes perfect sense. Of course, that comes back to bite Will on the bum. He forgets they are from two different worlds and starts to see her as something other than a collaborator.

What does Will hope for in the future?

He hopes that Vicky will be happy to keep collaborating with him and that they will be able to earn money from their work. As far as life with Vicky goes, Will is going to keep that one to himself. :)

Thank you Sharon for being kind enough to answer these questions on behalf of Will. It was great getting to know more about him. If you are interested in seeing what I thought of A Mad, Wicked Folly, be sure to check out my review.