The Little Book of S*x Secrets by Nicole Bailey - Thoughts

 

Title: The Little Book of Sex Secrets
Author: Nicole Bailey
Pages: 140
Genre: Adult Self Help
Source: Publisher via netgalley. I received this title in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: Basic goodness 



In a nod to Valentine's Day, a saucy book of tips and tricks. Anyone who knows me, is probably raising an eyebrow right about now and wondering just why the heck I am reviewing a book about adult interaction. Umm, yeah.

Curiosity. That's it. Just curious about the title. The cover is what caught my eye as I was browsing netgalley.It's pink. The font rocks and well, I was just curious. Plus, that mask. Sigh.

This got more than one eye roll out of me to be perfectly honest but it also made me realize that the real point of the book is to be comfortable in your own skin and to have fun.

The chapters progress from tame to more erotic. It covers the basics, so to speak, as well as more advanced techniques. Be warned there are photographs sprinkled throughout.  I mostly found these to be unnecessary and quite distracting but a couple of times I wasn't sure what she was talking about and a glance at the picture would explain it.

Overall I think it is a great book to spice up your life in the bedroom and would make a fun gift for a bridal shower.

The Little Book of S*x Secrets by Nicole Bailey - Thoughts

 

Title: The Little Book of Sex Secrets
Author: Nicole Bailey
Pages: 140
Genre: Adult Self Help
Source: Publisher via netgalley. I received this title in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: Basic goodness 



In a nod to Valentine's Day, a saucy book of tips and tricks. Anyone who knows me, is probably raising an eyebrow right about now and wondering just why the heck I am reviewing a book about adult interaction. Umm, yeah.

Curiosity. That's it. Just curious about the title. The cover is what caught my eye as I was browsing netgalley.It's pink. The font rocks and well, I was just curious. Plus, that mask. Sigh.

This got more than one eye roll out of me to be perfectly honest but it also made me realize that the real point of the book is to be comfortable in your own skin and to have fun.

The chapters progress from tame to more erotic. It covers the basics, so to speak, as well as more advanced techniques. Be warned there are photographs sprinkled throughout.  I mostly found these to be unnecessary and quite distracting but a couple of times I wasn't sure what she was talking about and a glance at the picture would explain it.

Overall I think it is a great book to spice up your life in the bedroom and would make a fun gift for a bridal shower.

OD on YA?

This is one of those times that my title cracks me up. Me and my randomness.

I've been reading some really great books lately but almost everything I have out from the library or have requested from the library are Young Adult books. Nothing wrong with that I guess but I don't want to OD on them either. 

Does anyone else seem to read just one genre for a while and then switch?

OD on YA?

This is one of those times that my title cracks me up. Me and my randomness.

I've been reading some really great books lately but almost everything I have out from the library or have requested from the library are Young Adult books. Nothing wrong with that I guess but I don't want to OD on them either. 

Does anyone else seem to read just one genre for a while and then switch?

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan - Thoughts

Title: The Tragedy Paper
Author: Elizabeth LaBan (website, Twitter)
Pages: 304
Genre: YA contemporary 
Rating: Oh.my.goodness

I am going to gush. You have been warned.

From Goodreads...

Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love.

I almost cannot put into words how much I enjoyed this book. It was amazing. I have no idea how she did it but I completely lost myself while reading. I loved the dual narratives...the story within a story was interesting and made me look forward to continuing the book without a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter like some books have. Oh how I loved this story.

Tim. I wanted to both hug him and strangle him at the same time. It seemed as if he made himself an outcast in his own mind even when people did like him. Vanessa was my least favorite character because I felt like she was so very wishy washy. Probably a typical teen girl but still. Make up your dang mind already. I didn't get a feel for Duncan until later in the book and I wanted to find out just how he fit into Tim and Vanessa's story.

While it had great writing, excellent characters and wonderful dialoge, my favorite aspect of the book was the changing viewpoints. The chapters alternated between Duncan listening to Tim tell his story and Duncan's present day. Each time Duncan "was pulled back to reality" I was as well. I was completely lost in the story and completely taken with all of the characters.

Another 5 star book for me this year and I fully anticipate that this will be one of my favorite books for the entire year. Amazing.

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan - Thoughts

Title: The Tragedy Paper
Author: Elizabeth LaBan (website, Twitter)
Pages: 304
Genre: YA contemporary 
Rating: Oh.my.goodness

I am going to gush. You have been warned.

From Goodreads...

Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love.

I almost cannot put into words how much I enjoyed this book. It was amazing. I have no idea how she did it but I completely lost myself while reading. I loved the dual narratives...the story within a story was interesting and made me look forward to continuing the book without a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter like some books have. Oh how I loved this story.

Tim. I wanted to both hug him and strangle him at the same time. It seemed as if he made himself an outcast in his own mind even when people did like him. Vanessa was my least favorite character because I felt like she was so very wishy washy. Probably a typical teen girl but still. Make up your dang mind already. I didn't get a feel for Duncan until later in the book and I wanted to find out just how he fit into Tim and Vanessa's story.

While it had great writing, excellent characters and wonderful dialoge, my favorite aspect of the book was the changing viewpoints. The chapters alternated between Duncan listening to Tim tell his story and Duncan's present day. Each time Duncan "was pulled back to reality" I was as well. I was completely lost in the story and completely taken with all of the characters.

Another 5 star book for me this year and I fully anticipate that this will be one of my favorite books for the entire year. Amazing.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg - Thoughts

Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Pages: 375
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Genre: I'd say YA contemporary with a twist of paranormal since she is, after all, dead
My rating: I loved this and it will stay with me for a long time

I have to admit that I picked up this book solely because of the cover. I read the inside jacket flap but wasn't sure that I wanted to read about a 15 year old girl that was gaga over some stupid boy. This book is so much more that the story of a girl who loves a boy.
Brie's life ends right after her boyfriend, "it" guy, Jacob, tells her he doesn't love her. She dies of a broken heart. Her heart literally breaks in half. What happens next is her journey through the 5 stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, sadness and acceptance) before she can move on. She meets the adorable Patrick and he tries to help her through the stages. When Brie visits her family and friends she sees lots of secrets. Crushing secrets.
I was amazed that this was a debut novel. The writing was just plain luscious. This story was both hilarious and heartbreaking - often at the same time.
I loved the use of song titles/lyrics throughout (and she lists all the songs in the back). I loved Brie and Patrick. I loved Jacob. I loved Brie's best friends Sadie, Emma and Tess and how they were when they were together because it rang so true of friendships like that.
In the end, this story is about loving and letting go - of your assumptions, of your prejudices, of the way things "should" be.
Two of my favorite quotes:

Falling in love is pretty much the same thing as being eaten alive by a grizzly bear.

and

I’d chosen to sit and watch the storm clouds gather instead of running for cover at the first hint of rain. And I had paid the price for waiting. Because the storm became a hurricane.

 I've been on a roll with reading really great books lately. I gasped, I laughed and I cried. Loved this one.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg - Thoughts

Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Pages: 375
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Genre: I'd say YA contemporary with a twist of paranormal since she is, after all, dead
My rating: I loved this and it will stay with me for a long time

I have to admit that I picked up this book solely because of the cover. I read the inside jacket flap but wasn't sure that I wanted to read about a 15 year old girl that was gaga over some stupid boy. This book is so much more that the story of a girl who loves a boy.
Brie's life ends right after her boyfriend, "it" guy, Jacob, tells her he doesn't love her. She dies of a broken heart. Her heart literally breaks in half. What happens next is her journey through the 5 stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, sadness and acceptance) before she can move on. She meets the adorable Patrick and he tries to help her through the stages. When Brie visits her family and friends she sees lots of secrets. Crushing secrets.
I was amazed that this was a debut novel. The writing was just plain luscious. This story was both hilarious and heartbreaking - often at the same time.
I loved the use of song titles/lyrics throughout (and she lists all the songs in the back). I loved Brie and Patrick. I loved Jacob. I loved Brie's best friends Sadie, Emma and Tess and how they were when they were together because it rang so true of friendships like that.
In the end, this story is about loving and letting go - of your assumptions, of your prejudices, of the way things "should" be.
Two of my favorite quotes:

Falling in love is pretty much the same thing as being eaten alive by a grizzly bear.

and

I’d chosen to sit and watch the storm clouds gather instead of running for cover at the first hint of rain. And I had paid the price for waiting. Because the storm became a hurricane.

 I've been on a roll with reading really great books lately. I gasped, I laughed and I cried. Loved this one.

Altered by Jennifer Rush - Thoughts

Title: Altered
Author: Jennifer Rush
Pages: 323
Genre: YA
Rating: I really liked it

I am unsure where I first saw this book mentioned. I do know I would have wanted to read it because of the cover alone. Let's be honest...that guy is hot.

I am going to use the Goodreads description of the book because I can't summarize it myself.

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

I was so excited to get this one and it lived up to expectations but I didn't like Anna. I didn't understand how she "allowed" the "boys" to be kept locked in for that long without letting them go. No matter what her father ever told her. It was an interesting storyline with believable dialogue. And everyone knows how important dialogue is for me. I just didn't.like.Anna. I liked the interaction between the characters and the action, especially at the end, was awesome. The twists and turns were well done. There were several points that I gasped out loud.

Even though I didn't like Anna, I am still looking forward to the sequel. Jennifer Rush is adorable (follow her on Twitter) and I think she will continue to write interesting books that keep us on our toes.

 

Altered by Jennifer Rush - Thoughts

Title: Altered
Author: Jennifer Rush
Pages: 323
Genre: YA
Rating: I really liked it

I am unsure where I first saw this book mentioned. I do know I would have wanted to read it because of the cover alone. Let's be honest...that guy is hot.

I am going to use the Goodreads description of the book because I can't summarize it myself.

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

I was so excited to get this one and it lived up to expectations but I didn't like Anna. I didn't understand how she "allowed" the "boys" to be kept locked in for that long without letting them go. No matter what her father ever told her. It was an interesting storyline with believable dialogue. And everyone knows how important dialogue is for me. I just didn't.like.Anna. I liked the interaction between the characters and the action, especially at the end, was awesome. The twists and turns were well done. There were several points that I gasped out loud.

Even though I didn't like Anna, I am still looking forward to the sequel. Jennifer Rush is adorable (follow her on Twitter) and I think she will continue to write interesting books that keep us on our toes.