Rakes and Radishes by Susanna Ives

Title/Author: Rakes and Radishes by Susanna Ives
Publisher/Date published: September 13th by Carina Press
How I got this book: I got it from the publisher through NetGalley
Why I read this book: I felt like reading some old fashioned romance and this sounded like just the thing for that!

NetGalley summary: "When Henrietta Watson learns that the man she loves plans to marry London's most beautiful and fashionable debutante, she plots to win him back. She'll give him some competition by transforming her boring bumpkin neighbor, the Earl of Kesseley, into a rakish gothic hero worthy of this Season's Diamond.
After years of unrequited love for Henrietta, Kesseley is resigned to go along with her plan and woo himself a willing bride. But once in London, everything changes. Kesseley - long more concerned with his land than his title - discovers that he's interested in sowing wild oats as well as radishes. And Henrietta realizes that gothic heroes don't make ideal husbands. Despite an explosive kiss that opens her eyes to the love that's been in front of her all along, Henrietta must face the possibility that Kesseley is no longer looking to marry at all..."

First of all, let me say how much I appreciate this cover! Look at the couple, there's tension there, but no bodice-ripping or exposed six packs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against looking at nice abs, but on the cover of a book they can be really tacky. And part of the problem of people calling romance novels trash. Also, not even my grandmother could have been offended by it.

Anyway, the main storyline here is that Henrietta fancies she's in love with her cousin, a handsome brooding poet, who in turn goes to London only to fall in love with the most celebrated debutante there. Henrietta's neighbour and childhood best friend Kesseley has always loved her and takes her with him and his mother to London for the Season. He's trying to forget about her and find a wife, but of course he can't forget about her with her staying in the same house. So with all this bumping into eachother sparks sure do fly and there's a whole lot of drama involved.

Henrietta is naive. She turns Kesseley down time and time again and insults him by saying he has to change his clothes and hairstyle in order to land himself a wife. Men generally don't like this and neither does he. She's also a bit flaky, one moment she's crying because her poet is in love with someone else, the next she's crying because she can't believe she's in love with Kesseley. I think this happened in the span of one day. Henrietta cries a lot. I would have liked to have seen her be a bit stronger and pull herself together enough to fight for her man.

Kesseley has daddy issues. His father wasn't a nice man and hurt his mother and he's afraid he'll turn into him. Which is why it didn't really make any sense that he turned into something of a rake, gambled and then hurt his mother himself (not physically). And then he tries to push Henrietta away because he doesn't think he's good enough anymore. This was a bit confusing. I also didn't really appreciate what he did with one of the married hostesses of a party near the end of the book, that was horrible!

Besides these issues, I did enjoy this book, I thought Kesseley and Henrietta had a solid basis to build there relationship on and I loved that it wasn't a love at first sight but something that had been growing since they were children. I did think the drama could have been cut short some, both had admitted they loved the other, there can still be some difficulties after that, but a lot less than there were. I thought the ending was really sweet though.

And I cried. A lot. Romance novels make me cry. Especially when the couple has arguments or when the love is unrequited and they had their fair share of this to be sure. I'm a sap, I know. But if such a novel doesn't make me cry at least once, it's not a very good one and didn't make me connect with the characters.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Top Ten Favourite Couples

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, check it out and join in on the fun!

This week's Top Ten:
Your Top Tep Favourite Couples

I always appreciate a bit of a struggle for the couple to get to that happy place. There's no need for bloodshed or anything, but a little difficulty can go a long way in my book. My boyfriend and me were sort of love at first sight, but it takes way more than that to build a relationship.

Also, I'm sorry about any spoilers, but some of my favourite couples can't make the list otherwise.

1. Me and Mr. Darcy: well, I can dream, can't I? ;)
Of course Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy made my number one! Pride and Prejudice is my all-time favourite book and I just love them as a couple, I think they're great together and would make beautiful babies.

2. Lyra and Will from His Dark Materials: I love them and I cried, that's all I'll say about this couple.

3. Emma and Mr. Knightley: my second favourite book by Jane Austen, I love the growth in their relationship and how Emma finally came to realise that all she ever could want had been waiting for her all along.

4. Katniss and Peeta from the Hunger Games: at first I was Team Gale, until I reread the first book and switched (sorry Gale) and am now a firm believer that Katniss and Peeta are meant to be together. He sees her for who she is and loves her, warts and all as they say.

5. Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind: so dramatic and tragic! They are so perfect for each other and I won't accept the ending of Gone With the Wind! (though I love the book) I'm much happier with the one Alexandra Ripley wrote in her Scarlett.

6. Noah and Ally from The Notebook: how can you not love this couple who prove that love can really conquer all, even Alzheimer? Even if it's just for a little while.

7. Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter: I love how Hermione was not so patiently waiting for Ron to see what she already knew: that they would be perfect together! I know there were probably some people who hoped she would end up with Harry, but I never saw how that would be possible.

8. Alanna and George from Song of the Lioness: he's not trying to turn her into something she's not and has loved her for a long time. It just took her some time to realise he was perfect as well.

9. Gemma and Kartik from the Gemma Doyle series: I loved Kartik. And I cried. That's all I can say about this one.

10. Robin Hood and Marianne: I've idealised this couple since I was a kid, I see no reason to stop now ;) I love their story.

After checking everyone else's list out, I'll probably be like "why didn't I add those couples??", but that's half the fun right?
What are some of your favourite characters?

It Started With A Dare by Lindsay Faith Rech

Title/Author: It Started With A Dare by Lindsay Faith Rech
Publisher/Date published: September 13th by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
How I got this book: I got it from the publisher through NetGalley
Why I read this book: the summary sounded interesting.

Summary: Like probably every other teenager, CG Silverman is figuring out who she is and who she wants to be. She sees moving to a new town and going to a new school as her opportunity to reinvent herself and cuts all the ties to her old life, even telling the boy who was her best friend and almost boyfriend she's not interested anymore. The leader of a group of 3 popular girls takes to CG and at first things sail smoothly, sure CG has to lie and pretend she's something she's not, but all's fair in love and the war for popularity right?
Even messing around with the older brother of one of your new 'friends' and chatting up your English teacher on an online dating site. Everything is soon spiralling out of control, what will CG do when her lies start to catch up to her? How will she explain it all to the one true friend she's made since moving, who's not in the in-crowd, and let's not forget her parents?

At first Rech paints a realistic world of a high school were the social clique exists of the queen bee and her two minions, soon joined by CG. They're all 15-year old girls who each have their own set of issues. The Queen Bee, Alona, seems kinda clueless and is actually not that evil and nasty, she just likes things going her way. On the other hand, there's Grace, who is definitely the mean girl in this group. She not only gives her 'friends' crap, but is generally not a very nice person, she's actually the most intriguing character of this book, because she's got some real issues that aren't all that clear right from the start.

CG herself is a mess, she's all over the place trying to get Alona and her friends to like her and keeping it that way. She pretends to be some kind of rebel and after a slightly altered game of truth or dare, she's in. She develops a huge crush on Jordan, Alona's brother, who's in college and already has a girlfriend. She juggles him and the online flirting she has going on with her English teacher (pretending to be 25 instead of 15).

I must say I didn't really like CG, she said things just to be cool and I know that there are probably whole boatloads full of people who do that, but it's not very pretty. She was however believable in her teenage heartbreak over Jordan, but she seemed very fickle in her affection for her English teacher and even the boy she left behind in her old town. The only reason she seems to clean up her act is that of course she's found out in the end. I thought it was strange that she picked the most unpopular girl in school to form a real friendship with, as she was trying very hard to be popular herself and this doesn't seem to fit in. The only time I really believed she wasn't being selfish was when she seemed to snap out of it long enough to worry about a friend's health.

I remember being 15 and thinking everything that happened was a huge drama, when looking back, of course it wasn't such a big deal. However, I don't remember betraying my friends and messing with people's lives and generally being nasty. I like to believe that at 15, people have a moral compass. Sure they make mistakes, but especially the part with the English teacher went too far in my book and seemed like something that would never happen like that.

This wasn't really my kind of book, I couldn't relate to the main character and didn't really understand the way she acted.
My rating: 2.5 stars.

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan

Title/Author: The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan
Publisher/Date published: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 4th 2010
How I got this book: I got it as an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley
Why I read this book: same reason I read any book: I wanted to.

Summary from NetGalley: "There's something drawing Lena to the water. It's making Lena sleepwalk to the beach. It's compelling her to surf even if it means putting herself in grave danger and going against her father's wishes.
A woman emerges from the waves — a woman with a silvery tail.
She has a message.
She has a key.
When Lena finds a brown leather sea chest and uses the key to unlock it, she has no choice but to look into the watery depths of her secret past through the mysterious mermaid's mirror... Lena's life will never be the same."

I've probably watched the Little Mermaid a thousand times as a kid, I think it drove my parents nearly crazy. I can probably still sing along with all the songs, I was always particularly fond of Part of Your World and Under the Sea.
So I was really excited to be reading a YA fantasy about mermaids for a change! They're so much more graceful and colorful than all those vampires and werewolves roaming around.

Lena has always loved the sea and goes there with her best friend Pem and boyfriend Kai (who used to be her other best friend) all the time, watching them surf. Her father nearly drowned while surfing once and because of that doesn't want Lena learning how to.
Other than that Lena's home life is pretty nice, her mom died when she was 4 years old, but her stepmom Allie fills the void she left behind. And she has a baby brother who she loves very much.
Things start to go wrong when Lena finds herself sleepwalking to the beach, to
Magic Crescent Cove in particular, where only the most experienced surfers go and also seeing a woman with a silvery tail in the water.
She struggles with the concern of her family, the awkwardness that exists between her, Pem and Kai ever since she and Kai got together and with being with Kai in general.
Lena decides it's time she learned how to surf herself and takes lessons from Kai's sister. She's a natural and in no time is surfing by herself, of course at Magic's. Sure enough, this goes wrong and she's rescued by someone who no one on the beach remembers seeing afterwards, who also gives her a golden key.
Now Lena must find the lock the key fits to and discover what's really in her family history.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was so refreshing that Lena has a stepmom, but loves her very much and she generally has a healthy family situation. You come across so many books these days where this isn't the case. Of course, there are fights and secrets, but those aren't there just for the sake of drama, they really have to do with the main storyline. I also loved Cole, Lena's little brother, who in the end plays an important part, though he probably doesn't know it.

The scenes with Kai and Lena were uncomfortable, not that they did anything other than kissing, but I didn't feel like Lena really wanted to be with him. This is explained further along in the book, but upon first reading these it was a bit awkward. Major props to the author for not being overly obvious, but still managing to instill a feeling of unease.

The part I loved best was from the moment Lena finds the mermaid's mirror, then the story is really propelled forward and is just heartbreakingly beautiful. I thought the ending was a bit rushed and I'm sad this isn't part of a series, I could have explored this world for much longer. I'm hoping Madigan will write a sequel because I want to know what happens to Lena and her family! The images Madigan paints from the underwater world are beautiful and I was transformed back into a kid admiring Ariel's world.

All in all, Lena was a likeable character and my love for mermaids is renewed after reading this book.

My rating: 5 stars

It's my birthday!

Today is my birthday! :) I've turned 23 and feel really, really old now (but that happens every year, and every year I get over it in about 10 minutes, so not to worry).
My boyfriend already gave me a beautiful necklace with a purplish pendant, which I love! It's probably my favourite color right know and I'm so happy he remembered. Right now he's attending class, so in the meantime I'm going to watch Pride and Prejudice so Mr. Darcy can keep me company till he gets back. And later tonight we're having dinner at one of my favourite restaurants. I'm hoping to have something like that cake for dessert! (doesn't it look amazing??)
Today is a good day :)

Manifest by Artist Arthur

Title/Author: Manifest by Artist Arthur
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin, August 1st 2010
How I got this book: I got it from the publisher through NetGalley
Why I read this book: same reason I read any book: I wanted to.

Goodreads summary: "When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.
But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener — and everything she'd ever want — except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door — Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?"

Life was going just fine according to Krystal, right up until the point her mother told her she was leaving Krystal's father and they were moving back to her hometown: Lincoln. Sure, Krystal was hearing voices of dead people even before then, but otherwise life was just peachy.
And now she has to live in a small town where she has no friends and also has to deal with her mother's annoying new husband, who she thinks hates her.

Krystal has big issues with her family life right now, she's angry at her mother and as the ghost Ricky describes it 'has a doom and gloom attitude'. At the start of the story, she's very self-obsessed, thinks she doesn't need anyone and because of that, she's not really inclined to help Ricky. He's been murdered and needs Krystal to find his killer so he can get closure and move on.

I thought Krystal's reaction was more realistic than someone saying 'Sure, I have my own stuff to worry about, but I'll drop everything just to help you out!' That said, I could understand her reaction to what was happening, but she did wallow in her self pity, which isn't very attractive. She treats her mom very badly. I'm happy to say that in the end she redeems herself somewhat in all these aspects by stepping up and trying to make things right. She gets a major reality check and manages to learn from it.

Though I don't like the way Krystal handled the situation with her mom throughout a huge part of the book, I don't approve of her mother's actions either. You don't tell teenagers it's 'grown-up business' when you turn their life upside down without any kind of explanation.

I really liked Jake, I hope that he and Krystal will develop some kind of relationship in the books to come. I thought he was really sweet and a great character. Some of the ghosts creeped me out, but I think Arthur handled them really well. I hope to see Krystal developing her powers in the next book.
I saw who killed Ricky coming, but it wasn't that obvious, maybe I'm just good at guessing.

I enjoyed this book very much and thought it had one of the best opening lines ever (even before the first chapter). The connection between storms and people getting powers that may date back to Salem is really intriguing!

My rating: 4 stars

Top Ten Book Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, everyone is welcome to join in on the fun!

This week's Top Ten:
What are your favourite book quotes?

I love quotes from books, but I have a hard time putting which one is my absolute favourite first, so this will be in no particular order:

1. "I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.."
— Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook)

I love the Notebook and this always remembers me of the neverending love Noah has for Ally and that true love really exists.

2. "To live would be an awfully big adventure."
- Peter Pan

Peter Pan is one of my favourite characters and stories and I've heard him say this in the movie too many times to count.

3. "When you play a game of thrones, you win or you die."
- George R.R. Martin (A Game of Thrones)

This statement truly encompasses the hard society that Martin shows us in this wonderful start of his epic fantasy series.

4. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
- J.K. Rowling (The Prisoner of Azkaban)

How I love Harry Potter and the Marauder's Map. This just gives off such a mischievous air.

5. "If you have never spent whole afternoons with burning ears and rumpled hair, forgetting the world around you over a book, forgetting cold and hunger--

If you have never read secretly under the bedclothes with a flashlight, because your father or mother or some other well-meaning person has switched off the lamp on the plausible ground that it was time to sleep because you had to get up so early--

If you have never wept bitter tears because a wonderful story has come to an end and you must take your leave of the characters with whom you have shared so many adventures, whom you have loved and admired, for whom you have hoped and feared, and without whose company life seems empty and meaningless--

If such things have not been part of your own experience, you probably won't understand what Bastian did next."
— Michael Ende (The Neverending Story)

So this is a long quote, but it's one that made me feel more normal when I was a kid and already knew I read way more than others in my class. This describes my passion for reading perfectly.

6. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being, with an independent will; which I now exert to leave you."
— Charlotte Brontë (Jane Eyre)

That's my girl! A strong woman who knows her own mind.

7. "You must know... surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I'd scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."
- Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)

I won't start ranting about Pride and Prejudice yet again, but this passage always sends shivers up my spine. I think I would faint in delight if someone ever said this to me.

8. "Every book has a soul, the soul of the person who wrote it and the soul of those who read it and dream about it."
— Carlos Ruiz Zafón (The Angel's Game)

I believe this to be true.

9. "A good story is always more dazzling than a broken piece of truth."
— Diane Setterfield (The Thirteenth Tale)

I love books about books and this line just seems appropriate.

10. "You love me. Real, or not real?"
I tell him, "Real."
- Suzanne Collins (Mockingjay)

I can't really say anything about this one without having major spoilers, but I love this quote.


So that's my list. I could have gone on and on with quotes from Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and all those other books I love, but I decided to keep it to one a book.
What are your favourite quotes?