Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

No. of pages: 357
Rating: 7/10
Series: Perfect Chemistry (Book 1)

Synopsis: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

Review: Brittany has worked hard to make sure everyone thinks she's perfect and has a perfect life. Alex on the other hand is a gang member from the bad side of town, and everyone knows it. So when Alex's friends bet him to hook up with Brittany, he decides to put 'perfect' Brittany in her place. But as Alex slowly gets to know Brittany, and the cracks start to appear in her perfect life, and they find a connection neither thought would ever happen...

Perfect Chemistry turned out to be so much more complex than I thought it would be. At first glance Alex is exactly what you'd imagine a gang thug to be, and Brittany is the typical 'rich bitch' who everyone admires but secretly hates too. I wasn't sure where a story like this could go, but the characters became so real as the story went on, when you slowly started to see the cracks in their lives and the reasoning behind their actions. I thought Simone Elkeles did an amazing job with the characters, and it's almost like the story was irrelevant, the only important thing was Alex and Brittany and how their lives were changing because of each other. The story is a common one, the forbidden love, and how they overcome it, but the characters truly make this anything other than common. Definitely recommended for people who like character driven books, or want to read something a little out of the norm.

The Other Countess by Eve Edwards

No. of pages: 333
Rating: 7/10
Series: Tudor Historical Romance (Book 1)

Synopsis: It's 1582 and eighteen-year-old Will Lacey's family is in trouble. After years of wasteful spending, his late father has run Lacey Hall to near ruin. ...more It's 1582 and eighteen-year-old Will Lacey's family is in trouble. After years of wasteful spending, his late father has run Lacey Hall to near ruin. Tasked with marrying his family back into fortune, the new Earl of Dorset is all set for a season at court to woo not just the Queen but potential brides with his jousting skills. But when Ellie – a strong-willed girl with nothing to her name but a worthless Spanish title – catches Will's eye, he faces a bigger battle than he could ever have anticipated.

Review: Will Lacey's father drove the family to the brink of poverty before his death, so now it lies upon Will's shoulders to bring his family back to wealth by marrying a rich lady. So Will goes to the Queen's court, where he sets about trying to find a wife, but there he bumps into Ellie, a gorgeous witty girl that he's instantly attracted to. But Ellie has nothing but her title, being that her father has spent every penny of their fortune, so it's impossible for them to be together, isn't it...?

Historical fiction is not a genre I tend to read that often as I'm not a huge fan of the 'olden days' way of talking. So that coupled with a slow beginning of The Other Countess meant it took me a little while to get into the book, but once it got past the Queen and court section, I was pretty much gripped by the story of Will and Ellie. They were both great characters to read, and I was rooting for them all along, even though I also loved Jane, and was kind of torn about who I wanted Will to end up with. The story flicks between the perspectives of Will, Ellie and Jane, so you get to see all different levels of living within that time which I found really interesting, and I thought it was all so fantastically written. I'm really looking forward to the second book in the series The Queen's Lady, which will be about Jane, so I will definitely be picking a copy up! Definitely recommended to fans of period books, or just a good old romance story.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

No. of pages: 452
Rating: 7/10
Series: Fallen (Book 1)

Synopsis: There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Review: Lucinda Price has been sent to the Sword & Cross boarding school after her involvement in a strange accident. As they strip Luce of everything from the outside world, including her cell phone, she can only assume S&C is going to be hell. That is until she meets Daniel Grigori, who she finds oddly alluring, especially as he seems to hate her. Luce becomes obsessed though, and is determined to find out about Daniel and get close to him, even if doing so will kill her...

I have to admit, it was the cover that drew me to this book. I think it's stunning, and it really intrigued me as to what the story was about. The story itself is nothing unique though, and I actually found the first half of the book a tad too slow going, which made it a bit hard to get into. But when it finally got to the revelations, the story picked up massively, and became a lot more enjoyable to read. The characters were okay, I feel like it would have been easier to get to know them if you knew more about each of them. Penn and Luce were the only ones I really felt you ever got to know more than basics about. Even when it came to Daniel, you never really learned nearly as much as you could have, but then I guess that's probably been saved for later books in the series. I will be reading the next book which is released later this year, as in theory now that it's all been revealed, the next book will be much more interesting and action packed. For people looking to read a book like this though, I would point them in the direction of Hush, Hush, which has a similar storyline, but in my opinion is a much better story.

Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay

No. of pages: 466
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: When the Cutter family's next-door-neighbours, the Langleys, are gunned down in their house one hot August night, the Cutters' world is turned upside down. That violent death should have come so close to them is shocking enough in suburban Promise Falls, but at least the Cutters can console themselves with the thought that lightning is unlikely to strike twice in the same place. Unless, of course, the killers went to the wrong house... At first the idea seems crazy - but each of the Cutter family has a secret they'd rather keep buried. What was on that old computer teenage Derek and his friend Adam Langley had salvaged? And where is it now? What hold does a local professor and bestselling author have on Ellen Cutter? And what does Jim Cutter know about Mrs Langley that even her husband didn't? To find out who killed the Langleys and why, everybody's secrets are going to have to come out. But the final secret - the secret that could save them or destroy them - is in the one place nobody would ever think of looking...

Review: When the next door neighbours are murdered, the Cutter family are horrified, but then they start to wonder, did the killer go into the wrong house by mistake? Each of the Cutter family are hiding their own secrets, and it's about time they all came to light...

This was better than I was expecting it to be, I thought the ending was going to be a let down like it was with No Time For Goodbye, but it wasn't as bad as that luckily. The plot line was interesting enough, there were a few surprises in there, and a few correct guesses by me as well, although I didn't guess who the killer was. I thought some of the secrets were a bit unbelievable, and the story got a little unrealistic at times. My main annoyance with this book is that the author tried to be too 'hip' with his writing I felt, considering it was meant to be from the point of view of a man in his 40s, it sounded more like it was coming from a teenager. The amount of swearing bothered me a little too, generally swearing doesn't bother me at all, but it just seemed so pointless in most instances in the book and I felt that ruined it a little for me. Despite that though, it was a quick and easy read, and on the most part an enjoyable enough way to pass a few hours.

The Girlfriend Experience by Rebecca 'Bea' Dakin

No. of pages: 386
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: Rebecca Dakin - or Bea, as she is known to her clients, is an honest, friendly and vibrant woman. She is a fun-loving lady who oozes passion and is a slender, natural blonde. In short, she is every man's dream... She specialises in offering what she calls 'the girlfriend experience'. A date with Bea is a million miles away from the sex-fuelled romps that most people imagine when they think of escorts. She prefers longer and more relaxed dates and expects her dates to be a two-way thing. Here for the first time, a modern-day escort is prepared to put her name and face to her story and reveal exactly what she gets up to behind closed doors. Dispelling the myths and preconceptions that surround her job, Rebecca tells all - the glamorous, the grim and the downright hilarious. A frank memoir, with no detail spared, this book gives a unique insight into the intimate adventures of one of Britain's most notorious escorts.

Review: A frank behind the scenes look at what it's like to be an escort, specifically one that offers the 'Girlfriend Experience'. The GFE entails more than just sleeping with a client, it includes a dinner date, maybe a walk or a show, and acting more like a couple. The book's chapters alternate between memorable clients/stories and her life outside of escorting, with regards to relationships with family, boyfriends and friends.

For some reason I wasn't expecting this book to be quite so frank, with regards to the sexual stories about clients, and intially I was surprised. But I quickly got used to the way the book was written and it was really interesting to read more about what happens behind closed doors when it comes to the escorting life. Some of the stories told made me laugh and others made me cringe, for example, when Bea went on a date with a guy who when eating, had fish all around his face. I would find that incredibly repulsive and think Bea is a better lady than me to put up with such disgusting manners! I also think it's a brave thing to bring out a book such as this, because of the bad 'slutty' reputations escorts can have, but Bea shows it doesn't have to be like that at all. An enjoyable read, although one definitely not for teens because of the sexual descriptions. If you're interested in what goes on the behind closed doors of an escort, or are just generally curious, this is the book for you, it's very open and shows you the warts and all aspect of the escorting profession.

The Possessed by L.J. Smith

No. of pages: 232
Rating: 7/10
Series: Dark Visions (Book 2)

Synopsis: A second volume in the Dark Visions trilogy follows Kaitlyn Fairchild and her four friends as they listen to the psychic voices calling them and travel to an isolated house, where terror awaits.

Review: Kait and the gang are travelling across the country, looking for the beach house they keep seeing in their dreams, but the journey is not easy, and there are lots of surprises in store...

I didn't think this was as good as the first book, but it was still an easy and interesting read. In this book the group face a different set of challenges and problems, and fight to overcome them with the support of each other. The characters and relationships with each other are starting to develop more as the series goes on, and after the cliff hanger at the end of this book, I interested to see where the final book in the series will take the group.

Girl Missing by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 271
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: The first body is a mystery. She's young. She's beautiful. And her corpse, laid out in the office of Boston medical examiner Kat Novak, betrays no secrets - except for a notebook clutched in one stiff hand, seven numbers scrawled inside. The next body is a warning. When a second victim is discovered, Kat begins to fear that a serial killer is stalking the city streets: a shadowy madman without mercy or apparent motive. The police are sceptical. The mayor won't listen. And Kat's chief suspect is one of the city's most prominent citizens. The final body...might be hers. With the death toll rising, Kat races to expose a deadly conspiracy and the brutal killer at its heart - a killer who will stalk her from the dangerous streets of the inner city to the corridors of power. Because he's closer than she ever dreamt. And every move she makes could be her very last.

Review: People start dying from overdosing on a new drug, one that's never been seen before. When Kat tries to tell the police and the mayor, she gets brushed off. So she decides to get to the bottom of it herself, but will she get out of it alive?

Before writing thrillers, Tess Gerritsen used to write romantic thrillers, heavy on the romance. Girl Missing is the first book in where she tries to make the transition to mainly thriller and not so much romance. Whilst not as good as her more recent books, there is a noticeable difference between this book and her more romantic type books. I liked the characters of Kat and Adam, and the thriller side of the plot was pretty good, gripping enough that I read it in one sitting, although it was a tad predictable. Worth a read I think if you're a fan of Gerritsen's or of romantic thrillers.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron

No. of pages: 304
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the returned book slot at the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director, Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived a lot herself. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility, (for a cat) and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.

As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state, and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming town pulling its way slowly back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

Review: When Vicki Myron goes to work one freezing January morning, the last thing she expects to find is a tiny kitten in the overnight returns box of the library she works in. However, that is exactly what she found, and there in started the story of Dewey Readmore Books, the library cat of Spencer, Iowa. The book chronicles the 19 years Dewey spent living in the library, and also the life of Vicki Myron, the author of the book.

A sweet, funny book about a crazy cat who loves being the object of so much love and attention. Starting with finding Dewey in the library overnight drop off box, the book tells about how the library board allowed Dewey to remain in the library as a library cat, and how Dewey became famous the world over because of his story. Definitely an enjoyable read, although I don't really understand why the author felt she needed to write about her childhood and family problems, when the book is marketed as being a book about just Dewey. I just felt it was unnecessary and took away from the main story that was trying to be told, however, it is very clear that Vicki Myron adored Dewey. Some of the hijinks that are written about did make me laugh aloud, he seemed a very happy cheeky little cat, and this is a lovely summary of his life. Recommended to fans of cats, or animals in general, and to people who enjoyed Marley and Me.

By The Time You Read This by Lola Jaye

No. of pages: 321
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: This is a manual for my daughter Lois. Here are the rules:
1. You must only read each new entry on your birthday, there is one for every year until you are thirty.
2. This is a private manual between you and me.
3. No peeping at the next entry unless it's your birthday!

When Lois Bates is handed the manual, she can barely bring herself to read it as the pain of losing her dad is still so raw. Yet soon his advice is guiding her through every stange of her life - from first love and relationships to her career.

Review: When Lois is 12, she is given a manual that was written for her by her dead father. Inside the manual, her father guides her through life by the way of letters written for her to read on every birthday until she's 30. But while she is clinging to her father and his manual so hard, how will Lois ever learn the lessons he writes about?

This was a comfortable read, something you can just sit back and relax with because it's not very taxing. The story itself is interesting enough, there are a few twists and turns to keep the story flowing, but it's nothing particularly amazing. The plot is along the lines of P.S. I Love You and Things I Want My Daughters To Know, so if you like those books this might be something you'd be interested in, although I wouldn't consider this one to be as good as either of the ones I mentioned. I really disliked where the author tried to be a 'teen' at the beginning, the way she made Lois talk was so stupid and I don't remember talking like that when I was 12, but maybe I'm just old now! I also thought Lois was a rather shallow and selfish character, so I found it hard to become attached to her. Overall, it was an okay book, worth a read but not something I'd read again.

Tempted by P.C. & Kristin Cast

No. of pages: 319
Rating: 7/10
Series: House Of Night (Book 6)

Synopsis: Zoey needs a break after some serious excitement. Sadly, the House of Night school for vampyres doesn't feature breaks on its curriculum - even for a High Priestess in training and her gang. Plus juggling three guys is no stress reliever, especially when one is a sexy Warrior so into protecting Zoey that he's sensing her emotions. Wider stresses lurk too, and the dark force in Tulsa's tunnels is spreading. Could Stevie Rae be responsible for more than a group of misfit fledglings? And Aphrodite's visions warn Zoey to stay away from the immortal Kalona and his dark allure - but they also show that only Zoey can stop him. She's not exactly keen to meet up, but if Zoey doesn't go to Kalona he'll exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. She just has to find the courage to do what's necessary, or everything that's important to her will be destroyed.

Review: When Aphrodite has another double vision, Zoey must stand up and decide what to do for the best. Can she resist Kalona's allure enough to destroy him? It's time for her to make some tough decisions...

I found Tempted to almost be a replica of the past two books, same exact storyline with nothing really solved. I think that if they stopped focusing on all the boy drama, which is pretty boring by now anyway, and focused on advancing the storyline a bit more, it would be much better. However, I did really enjoy the fact Stevie Rae played a much larger role in this book, she's one of my favourite characters, so it was good to read. Instead of being just Zoey narrating through the whole book like previous ones, in this book it flicks back and forth between Zoey and Stevie Rae and it worked really well, I also thought the direction they're taking Stevie Rae's storyline is a very interesting one, and for that I'll probably keep reading the series. I'm pretty bored of Zoey now though, and I think they need to bring something different to her storyline, which I'm hoping they'll do after the cliffhanger ending.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

No. of pages: 533
Rating: 7/10
Series: Millenium Trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, truculent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet's disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

Review: I have mixed feelings about this book, some aspects of the story were really good and kept me gripped, others made me want to put it down and never pick it up again. When Mikael Blomkvist is sued for libel, he needs to get away from his life for a while, so he accepts a job offer from Henrik Vanger to find out what happened to his great-niece Harriet Vanger when she disappeared 20 years earlier. He is positive she was murdered and wants to know how, but doesn't hold out much hope of anything after so long. So when Mikael actually stumbles across a new lead, Henrik is very surprised, and as Mikael starts to get closer to what happened to Harriet, it's clear someone will do anything to stop him finding out.

The beginning of the book starts with a lot of talk about financial journalism, of which I have no interest whatsoever, and I thought it was just plain boring to read about. I put the book aside, not sure whether I'd pick it up again, but I decided to give it another go in the hopes when I pushed past the financial section of the story it would pick up, and it did. Once it got to the start of the Harriet investigation it was enjoyable to read, there are lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing who it may have been that killed Harriet. The twist at the end of the Harriet section took me by surprise, and I really enjoyed finding out the truth of what happened. I loved the character of Lisbeth Salander, I thought the way she was portrayed was amazing, and she fast became my favourite of the story. With so many family members being talked about, most with the same surname, it can get a little confusing at times, but it's not too hard to keep the main group of characters straight. I wish they'd kept the Swedish title of Men Who Hate Women, I think it's more appropriate to the storyline, rather than The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, being that there is one very brief mention of said tattoo, and it's nothing to do with the book really. If they had cut everything about Wennerström and the financial stuff out of the book, and just kept in the Harriet storyline, then this book would be a 5/5 in my opinion, I just found that it clouded the story and just wasn't needed at all.

Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman

No. of pages: 283
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: Jorie and Ethan Ford are a golden couple blessed with an 11-year-old son, Collie, living a decent, quiet life in small-town Massachusetts. Ethan is a pillar of the community--a handsome, good man, whose life revolves around his family, his work as a carpenter and his roles as volunteer fireman and Little League coach. Since he first walked into her home-town, her life and her bed 13 years before, Jorie has never lost the feeling that she is special, singled out by fate to live a charmed life with a man she still desires and a son she adores. And then, on a glorious Monday morning in June, Jorie's fate turns and her life as she knows it is changed. One wonders whether the hand of fate will offer her any kind of salvation and if she can come to terms with the unimaginable.

Kat Williams, Collie's next-door neighbour and best friend is mature beyond her years. In her short life, she has had to cope with the loss of her father, a distant mother and a sister who attracts, and dispenses with, boyfriends as flies to a light, but who has taken to self-mutilation to heal her numbness. Is Kat the only one who can instinctively feel when something, or someone, is wrong? Charlotte, Jorie's best friend since childhood, knows when something is amiss, but her own terrible losses and lack of self-worth cause her to mistrust her feelings and internalise blame.

Review: This is a book that has me torn, I almost gave up on it after a few chapters as the writing style was just so different for me, Hoffman writes so descriptively it's almost enchanting, yet 3 sentences on how beautiful a flower looks is just not for me, yet I decided to push on and I'm glad I did as the story drew me in, almost against my will. The story seemed so real, Jorie not some perfect heroine, but a woman torn about forgiving her husband for the terrible thing he did. The relationships are really put across well, even with such a range of people, issues and emotions. I was very surprised at the ending, I expected it to go in a completely different direction, but after reading it, it was the perfect ending, and you're left feeling glad it ends the way it does.

I gave it a 3.5 because I really disliked the writing style, and it's a shame, because the story is actually a very good one. If there's such a thing as being too descriptive, this is it. I just found it very unnecessary really, it was just too fussy and I felt like it slowed down an already pretty slow moving story. But the characters are really well developed, and like I said the story is a good one, so I would recommend this to people who don't mind lots of descriptive writing.