Review: This is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Strohmeyer

Title: This is My Brain on Boys
Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Kindle, 352 pages
Published: March 10th 2010
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genre: YA - Contemporary Romance
Source: via Edelweiss

Addie Emerson doesn’t believe in love, at least for herself. A straightlaced, brilliant girl, she’s more interested in getting an A than falling in love. But Addie is determined to prove the science of love—because Addie Emerson does believe in science.

Science tells her that “love” is nothing more than the brain’s state under the influence of certain chemicals. And by artificially stimulating those chemicals, the brain can totally be tricked into falling in love. So Addie decides to apply that knowledge—and make her classmates fall in love—to win the coveted Athenian Award for Science in her elite private school. One way to speed up the process—adrenaline—she’ll put her classmates in dangerous, high-risk situations . . . and research the fallout.

But a mysterious new guy keeps messing with her plans. And she kind of can’t stop thinking about his gorgeous brown eyes. With backstabbing competitors—including her former lab partner, the preppy, wealthier-than-thou Dex—and more than one pair of star-crossed lovers—can Addie manage to salvage her experiment and win the Athenian? And what happens if she does the unthinkable—and falls in love?

Purchase at: Amazon | B&N | TBD | Kobo 

This Is My Brain on Boys is an unusual book in that the manner in which the main character speaks reminds me of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, and I'm not sure if that works for written novels.

What I didn't like:
1. The three robots: There are 3 people in this book who speak like Sheldon - Addie, Dex and Mrs. Brooks. I mean, I think it would have been understandable if Addie was the only one who was like that, but no, there are three of them. That made it unrealistic.

2. Tess and Addie's friendship is pretty weird: I think I would have liked it if there was an explanation as to how these two became friends because I don't think it's realistic. Addie is Addie, while Tess is more of the popular girl kind - wears makeup, worries about her boyfriend, etc.

3. Kara and Kris' relationship: Kris is a jerk because he went on kissing another girl while he is still in a relationship with Kara. Granted, Kara is a bitch and threatened him with whatever, but he still should have broken up with her nonetheless.

4. The ending: What is up with the ending? I expected some kind of reaction with Kris, but there wasn't any explanation in the end. The ending felt like a nice close to the book, but I am not satisfied with it.


What I Liked:
1. The experiment: The experiment is very interesting for me, and I liked it because we discussed a similar concept in my Social Psychology class last term. I like the fact that the author didn't just invent something up, but chose something that actually has basis. Being subject to scary situation indeed increases our heart beat and we tend to associated this to attraction.

2. It's an entertaining novel: Despite the fact that I didn't like many aspects from this novel, I have this strange fascination with it. I didn't just want to leave the novel as a DNF because I felt this need to finish it. 

2 stars. Ah, it's okay. 

Read More

EXCLUSIVE Graphic Teaser Blitz (WOW): THE DARKEST TORMENT by Gena Showalter & Pre-Order Giveaway!

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST TORMENT, the eagerly anticipated twelfth novel in her Lords of the Underworld series, available May 31, 2016! Pre-order your copy today!

Preorder THE DARKEST TORMENT here!

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Nook | Book Depository

GooglePlay | iBooks * BAM | Kobo | IndieBound

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with her most explosive Lords of the Underworld tale to date, about a fierce warrior on the brink of sanity who will stop at nothing to claim the exquisite human with the power to soothe the beast inside him…
Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he's back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he's unable to withstand the touch of another…and he's quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride—just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she's taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she's plunged into a war between two evils—with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them…and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she'll have to teach him to love…or lose him forever.

Check out this exclusive graphic teaser we have for 

THE DARKEST TORMENT!

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

Pre-order your copy of THE DARKEST TORMENT by Gena Showalter, and each week, be entered to win 1 of 4 darkly dangerous prizes! Just fill out the form right HERE! 

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook!    

 

Find Gena: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

ARC Review: Suffer Love by Ashley Blake

Title: Suffer Love
Author: Ashley Herring Blake
Kindle, 360 pages
Published:  May 3rd, 2016
Publisher: HMH BOooks for Young Readers
Genre: YA - Romance - Contemporary

“Just let it go.”

That’s what everyone keeps telling Hadley St. Clair after she learns that her father cheated on her mother. But Hadley doesn’t want to let it go. She wants to be angry and she wants everyone in her life—her dad most of all—to leave her alone.

Sam Bennett and his family have had their share of drama too. Still reeling from a move to a new town and his parents’ recent divorce, Sam is hoping that he can coast through senior year and then move on to hassle-free, parent-free life in college. He isn’t looking for a relationship…that is, until he sees Hadley for the first time.

Hadley and Sam’s connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret that could ruin everything. Should he follow his heart or tell the truth?

Purchase at: Amazon | B&N | TBD | Kobo

Oh hell, no! You did not just give me that ending! After tearing my heart into bits and pieces, that's the ending that I get? This book convinces me that authors are evil and they enjoy seeing their readers get completely attached to the story and characters, only to break the reader's heart in the end and make them cry their eyes out. Mine did break, by the way.

Suffer Love, oh what do I even say about this book? Suffer Love is a heavy-issue book, and I tend to avoid heavy-issue books, so I don't know what got into my head when I read this one. It did what I predicted it would do - make me completely attached and feel every single feeling the main characters were feeling. As cliche and unrealistic as this book seems to be, I still loved it.

Hadley and Sam's love story was doomed from the start. Their parents had an affair with each other - Sam knows, Hadley doesn't. We all know how badly this is going to end, but that didn't stop my heart from breaking anyway when it happened. I hurt for both Hadley and Sam, I hurt for the parents and for Livy who got thrown in the middle of it all. I hurt for Kat and Ajay, who got thrown into the mix anyway.

I really loved all the friendship in this book. How close Sam and Ajay were to each other, in the way that they shared everything with each other. Oftentimes in YA, boy-boy friendships show how boys only talk about shallow stuff and how they would call each other pussies at the mention of real feelings. Ajay and Sam's friendship is full of teasing each other and giving each other crap, but at the end of the day they know everything about each other and are not afraid to be intimate with each other.

Hadley and Kat's friendship, on the other hand, is far from perfect, but they do try. They're willing to say sorry and admit their mistakes, and Kat is always willing to give Hadley the harsh truth no matter what. We still know that she has Had's back though.

And of course, my favorite relationship of all is Sam and Livy's relationship. How willing they are to protect each others backs. How Sam never complained when he had to do all the things for Livy - cooking, looking out for her, etc. Livy, in her own way, also looked out for Sam. I just loved the dynamics between the two - the closeness between two siblings.

Reading Suffer Love is a unique experience that you won't get from just reading any other book. Although I've encountered a lot of heavy-issue books, even books with cheating parents, this one felt different somehow. I don't know what it is about this book, but I sure enjoyed reading it, even though my heart was being torn into a million pieces as I flipped each page onto the next.

 Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

Read More

Blog Tour: The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry | Review + Giveaway!

The Girl I Used to Be
by April Henry
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Release Date: May 3rd 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Suspense

When Olivia's mother was killed, everyone suspected her father of murder. But his whereabouts remained a mystery. Fast forward fourteen years. New evidence now proves Olivia's father was actually murdered on the same fateful day her mother died. That means there's a killer still at large. It's up to Olivia to uncover who that may be. But can she do that before the killer tracks her down first?

The Girl I Used to Be is the first book I've read by author April Henry. When starting any new books by an author I've never read before my expectations going into it are somewhat natural but this time, I was really hoping I would love it. I've always been a big fan of YA thrillers and mysteries so I wanted this book to be an exciting read and thankfully I was not disappointed in the least. In fact, I was totally mesmerized by it. From page one until the very end. It was one big thrill ride throughout. There were twists and turns I never saw coming, leaving me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. Every time I thought I knew what would happen next or who the killer was I shocked to learn it was the exact opposite. 

The story takes place in a small town where Oliva, or formally known as Ariel once called home. When she was 3 years old her parents were killed in front of her while out looking for a Christmas tree. Her Mother's body was found but her Father remains missing and presumably was assumed to be the killer, still at large. Ariel then went on to live with her Grandma until she passed away a few years later. After that, Ariel was tossed around in foster homes throughout most of her childhood and by one family she was renamed, Oliva.  Tired of living in the foster system, Oliva decides to become an emancipated minor and goes on to find a job and small apartment to call home. One day she gets a knock on her door and opens it to find two police officers standing there with news about her parent's case. She comes to find out her Fathers bones were found miles away from where her Mother's body was found 14 years ago, proving her Dad was not in fact the killer. With this game-changing new evidence, Oliva decided to go back to her hometown to in hopes to find out herself what really happen all those years ago, and who killed her family. 

Oliva soon learns the key to unlocking the truth may lie in her own memories.... but sometimes the secrets we want to forget are the ones that are most frightening to remember.  

Will she be able to figure out who the killer is in time or will the killer find her first....

Well... you'll have to read the book to find out! 

Oh, and you're going to want to! Trust me, this book was outstanding! It truly was. I was quite amazed by how much I really loved this book.  Oliva's narration was written perfectly. I really felt her emotions in the words. Her dedication to finding out who killed her family and the reasoning behind it almost became an addiction for her. She never gave up even when things were looking grim and lost. She would do anything to find out the truth, even tapping into her own subconscious. 

Every new chapter held a new piece of evidence, a thrilling build up to the very end where the truth becomes revealed. There was never a dull moment, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to reading more books from the author that's for sure! 

I highly recommend The Girl I Used to Be! If you're a fan of psychological thriller and mysteries then this book is perfect for you!

4.5 STARS -  Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

Follow the The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry Blog Tour and don't miss anything! 

Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

I write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.

If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.

When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.

My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 13 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into six languages, been named to state reading lists, and short-listed for the Oregon Book Award. 

I also review YA literature and mysteries and thrillers for the Oregonian, and have written articles for both The Writer and Writers Digest.

Prize: Win (1) finished copy of THE GIRL I USED TO BE by April Henry (US/CAN Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Blog Tour: Infinite Dolls by Emalynne Wilder | Guest Post + Giveaway!

Welcome to the Infinite Dolls by Emalynne Wilder Blog Tour!

Infinite Dolls by Emalynne Wilder 

Publication date: May 3rd 2016

Genres: New Adult, Romance

Born to be the best.

Head of his class.

No strings attached.

The third year of medical school is supposed to be the hardest, but Callum Trovatto has no idea what he’s about to face when Everly Anne Brighton stands between him and a passing grade, shaking up his world with her secrets, and digging into his dark past.

Hopeless.

Trapped by her father’s rules.

Longing for freedom.

Expected to die before her twenty-first birthday at the hands of a rare medical condition, Everly Brighton begins to defy the carefully crafted routine her father enforces to keep her alive, despite the fact that it could kill her.

INFINITE DOLLS is an emotionally charged love story about finding faith, coping with loss and living in the preciousness of Now.

Purchase at: Amazon | B&N | iBooks

Favorite parts of being an author and least favorite parts

The creation is the best part. I love the feeling of a new story. I love gathering up all the bits and scribbling them into a journal. I love exploring a new world.

I was a really quiet kid and no one knew why. Most chalked it up to being shy. That was kind of true. In certain situations I am painfully shy. But mostly, I was dreaming. I was watching. I wanted to know the inner workings of people. My mother would have her girlfriends over for cheese Danish pastry and coffee. I’d sit in her lap and press my ear to her chest and listen to her speak through the vibration. It comforted me. Just sitting there, practically as a prop, as people spilled all their dirt.

As I got older I did the same thing, sans the sitting in the lap part, and would just scribble down things I heard into my journal. I found people interesting— and even cooler—the ones who weren’t, I could make interesting if I wanted.

All grown up trying to write novels as a career choice is a world away from my childhood eavesdropping. I have deadlines. And contracts. And…eww…rules! Also, there’s that editing thing.

To create a manuscript is a bit like finger painting as a child. A smack of the palm here. A swipe of your fingers there. Creating a finished novel is like asking yourself to stop scrolling Facebook, put down the burrito, and become Picasso.

Sometimes I worry I’ll lose too much of what I love about writing as I try to become an established author. I don’t want to get swept up in the business and forget that I’m here first and foremost to create. I was once given a good piece of advice by a dear friend. “What matters the most shouldn’t fall victim to what matters the least.”

So on the days I want to finger paint and nothing more … I do just that. I remain an artist.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Emalynne Wilder is the voice of the Broken-Hearted. The Forgotten. The Unheard. Painfully shy in person. Unapologetic on paper. She’s the girl listening to your dirt from the corner of the room as she plots how to turn tragedy into triumph.

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More