Gossip girl meets Hollywood in this new series by That Boy author, Jillian Dodd.
Keatyn
has everything she ever dreamed of. Her life is following the script
she wrote for the perfect high school experience. She’s popular, goes to
the best parties, dates the hottest guy, and sits at the most coveted
lunch table.
She’s just not sure she wants it anymore.
Because really, things aren’t all that perfect.
Her best friend is threatening to tell everyone her perfect relationship is a scam.
Her perfect boyfriend gets drunk at every party they go to.
It’s exhausting always trying to look and act perfect.
And deep down, she isn’t sure if she has any true friends.
To add to the drama, her movie star mom’s long-time fan has turned stalker.
An older man is flirting with her and telling her they should make a movie together.
And she’s crushing on an adorable surfer. Dating a guy like him would mean committing social suicide.
So she writes a new script. One where all the pieces of her life will come together in perfect harmony.
But little does she know, there’s someone who will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen.
4 STARS out of 5
TITLE: Stalk Me
AUTHOR: Jillian Dodd
GENRE: Young Adult
If you want a light read, try this!
This book has the ingredients for an exciting next read: catchy title, totally hot, swoon-worthy boys and a filthy, rich heroine who seriously needs to make up her mind.
TEAM CUSH all the way!!!
Halfway through the novel, I kept thinking, Keatyn can't keep bouncing from one guy to another. It was a frustrating read for me.
Even before everything was spelled out for the heroine, I already knew two things. That Sander was gay and Brooklyn did not really love her THAT MUCH. The moment I realized these things, I just want to shout at Keatyn, Get a freaking clue already! Let me tell you, she's THAT clueless most of the time.
I know that I wasn't being patient but you could just imagine my frustration when I realized that it's already past 3/4 of the novel, and she's making out with new hotties and I'm like, who do you really end up with, Keatyn, huh?
Then it's the end. I was like, WHAT?? Did this book just kept me hanging? I didn't know this was the first in a six book series until I've read the acknowledgements. No warnings whatsoever.
So consider yourself forewarned, I repeat, this book is the first in a SIX book series.
Don't expect any HEA yet. Because I did, and look what happened to me. I was totally frustrated.
But no matter how many hotties appear til book 6, I'll stay loyal to the Cushman!
Anyway, I liked Jillian Dodd's writing. Like That Boy, this is fun and easy to read. Definitely a YA chic lit at its finest.
UPDATED:
I was using mobile app for Goodreads so imagine my surprise when I opened the GR desktop site, and saw the book title with (The Keatyn Chronicles #1) next to it. Maybe, GR mobile app should show not just the book title but also the series name. Just saying.
A critically acclaimed novel that will change the way you look at life, love, and family.
In
the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no
memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards,
watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by
little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she
has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must
make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a
long, long time.
5 STARS out of 5
TITLE: If I Stay
AUTHOR: Gayle Forman
GENRE: Young Adult
At 15%, I knew that I won't be able to put this book down even if I try.
Instantly, this book captured my heart.
Years ago, my career in real life made me realize how short and precious life really is. I've seen too many people on moderate high back rest, awake one moment, then dead the next.
Even though I'm used to being a part of the medical team, it's kinda refreshing to see the scenes from the point of view of a patient. I mean, Mia's soul; the one which stayed and became a bystander.
“But seriously, how do you get over the jitters?”
Dad was still smiling but I could tell he had turned serious because he slowed down his speech. “You don’t. You just work through it. You just hang in there.”
Loved that advice! Definitely something nice to remember when I'm having a stage fright. Where I'll use it, I'll never know. But who knows?
The social worker looks exhausted, as if she wouldn’t mind crawling into one of the open beds. I am not her only sick person. She has been shuttling back and forth between patients and families all afternoon. She’s the bridge between the doctors and the people, and you can see the strain of balancing between those two worlds.
With that excerpt, I swear she does not only described the social worker but also my job as a nurse. Wow. Honestly, this book felt pretty insightful and real.
I loved the writing. It almost seemed lyrical, and the flashbacks felt natural.
I also loved how the author showed the relationship between Mia and Adam. It was realistic and not without its flaws.
I loved everything about this book. The theme is supposed to be dark, with death and coma being tackled; but somehow, it felt light and really easy to read. Not once did I cry, but it totally grabbed my heart.
Steering clear of
relationships has never been difficult for demolitions expert Cole
Bowen, but now, with his brother's engagement sending the female
population into full-blown hysterics and the town of Alden's month-long
festivities helping along, he finds himself in hell. When he discovers
Alden's new resident and the object of all his wet dreams, Christine
Sheridan, has sworn off relationships and is going to hire a gigolo to
get professionally laid, he decides to kill two birds with one stone.
Christy
is so not drinking again. Thanks to José Cuervo she has her friends
signing her up for stud conventions and Cole frigging Bowen offering sex
in exchange of fake dates, which is so out of the question it isn't
even funny. She knows the domineering man will push her boundaries, and
after battling all her life with self-esteem issues, she isn't ready for
that. Too bad he won't take no for an answer.
Cole is determined
to strip away all of her defenses but refuses to lower his ever-present
walls, so when Christy realizes she wants more, she's left with only
two options; walk away or crack his shield and risk her heart in the
process.
4 STARS out of 5
TITLE: Heavy Issues
AUTHOR: Elle Aycart
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
After one emotionally intense read, I was in dire need of a feel-good story --- and this one felt like an answered prayer.
After a long engagement gone bad -- Christy realized that she needed to dust the cobwebs off her vagina -- no-strings-attached style! And what's the most convenient way to do it? Hire a first-class stud of course! Pronto! Or is it just the tequila talking?
Enter Cole -- a rich demolitions expert AND one of the infamous Bowen brothers -- who made it pretty clear that he wasn't into relationships; but decided that Christy was hot enough for him to consider being her man-whore.
His brilliant idea? Christy gets her no-strings-attached sex, and he'll have his decoy date for the festivities. Whoa. Perfect economical exchange!
Unfortunately for Christy, she kept on thinking that she wasn't good enough:
It was easier for her to believe he was an asshole making fun of her than the possibility that he’d seriously consider having anything to do with her. That was just baffling. Mind-boggling. Out of an X-Files episode. Guys like him didn’t go hiring themselves out for girls like her. That was a fact of life.
Indeed.
But then who could resist an alpha male like Cole who keeps on pushing himself to Christy's life?
So there goes the story of Cole and Christy -- even with all the baggages between the two, the book spells FUN and STEAMY. Just the way I like it.
Well, Cole is definitely book boyfriend material. I liked his guts. I mean, who wouldn't? He's a hard, arrogant and sexy man, and he knows it. He talks smack that could make any decent girl blush and clearly runs the show here. It's not everyday you encounter this kind of guy. And If I ever meet one in real life, I would definitely act like Christy and won't ever give him the time of day. He's a walking heartbreak. And most books, as we all know, are clearly just a part of imagination. Some guys just love to stay as jerks.
This book is really good and well-written. I haven't picked this up before because this is part of a series. And books series sometimes intimidate the heck out of me. Reading the same characters for weeks makes me feel like I was missing out on other good books.
But then I read from another review that this can be a standalone. What a nice read! I'm so glad I picked this! 4 STARS!
