Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire

*First reads win, Nov 2010*


Ok- so this story gets almost 4 stars... call it 3.5. It was a really good read and I enjoyed it a lot, but there was just something keeping me from giving out that full fourth star.

The storyline was definitely a winner. Very suspenseful and intricate enough to keep me turning the pages. Sure it was a little cheesy at some parts, but we're talking about a romantic suspense, so you know there's going to be a certain degree of cheese at some point (whispering words of love in Italian during "you know what"... CHEESE).

The main characters were likeable and engaging. I didn't love Sam, but I didn't dislike her either. She was a good enough MC. And I, of course, loved Zach. The bad boy with a heart of gold, and a tortured soul. Swoon!

I think what has me hesitating is a) the supporting cast. It seemed like this book spent way too much time setting up for future books (with "The Guardian Angelinos") and it didn't seem authentic and sometimes didn't really flow with the storyline. And b) the love story evolved a little too quickly for my liking. One minute they couldn't be together and it was torturing them and then they just were and it was all happy and kisses. It was a little rushed for me.

Other than that, I really did enjoy the book. It was a nice change of pace from my last book and I couldn't wait to get home in the evenings to crack it open while soaking in the tub.

Another fun first-reads win!

The Summer of Skinny Dipping- Amanda Howells

Goodreads/First Reads Win- June 2010

Wow.     Wow.

I cannot explain how happy I am to have won this book. This isn't something that I would have picked up on my own, but it was a perfect summer read. The story is so heartbreakingly honest and real.... I devoured it.

Never have I identified so strongly with a character. Mia's feelings, insecurities and quirks mirrored my own from my teenage years to a tee... and I know that I would have fallen for Simon if I were in her shoes too. There were moments that I literally found myself thinking "I know exactly how she feels".   I was thinking about this book long after I finished the final pages.

This is not a light read, but it's very real and Amanda Howells has a way with words that just speaks to me. She touches on a lot of tough topics that are a reality for teens as they come into there own, and she does it in a way that would hopefully convey to them that they are not alone. Everyone has struggles, no matter how perfect they seem to be, and everyone deals with life in their own way. Everyone has flaws... no one is untouchable.

I can't say much more because I don't want to spoil this story, but I will be recommending this book to everyone I know... YA fans or not.

Awesome read. I can't wait to see more from Howells.

Through the Fire by Shawn Grady

The best way to describe this book is to say that it has a 2 star beginning and a 4 star ending. I decided to meet in the middle for my final review.


I wasn't really sure where the story was going for the first half. Everything seems to jump around and it didn't feel like a plot was coming together. But, around page 200 it started to jive and the last 100 pages definitely caught my attention.

You can tell the author was (is?) a firefighter. Lots of fire jargon that was interesting, but then it got old quickly. The whole thing felt a little repetative through the middle, but by the end I was hooked and was anxious to find out what happened.

I loved the fact that I had no idea who the arsonist was right up to the end. Normally I can catch on to these things.

All in all, this was a good read. The beginning wasn't great, but the end made up for it and I enjoyed it enough.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffen

Part I- No Spoilers:

GoodReads/FirstReads ARC win.... I really, really enjoyed this book. Once I actually had a little time to devote to it, I found myself flying through it. I just HAD to find out what happened next and what resolution, if any, there would be.

The alternating POV's, one in first-person and one in third-person, was a very interesting dynamic. It forced me to really analyze all sides of the story and also to waiver in which characters I was rooting for at different points throughout. I found myself identifying/sympathizing with everyone involved instead of with just one side. It was a very effective method of conflicting (and therefore engaging) the reader.

I seem to really enjoy Giffen's writing, even as someone who does not like much chick-lit. This is definitely a book I would recommend as a really good read.

Part II- spoilers:
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I had no idea that this book was going to go in the direction it did. I picked up on the looming affair fairly early on (but to be honest, if I had thought about it and really read the description on the back of the book I would have been prepared for it) and I was a liitle off-put at that fact that we were going in the same direction as the other 2 Giffen novels I had read, but as I continued I realized that this was a very different story. The dynamic of an affair and possible seperation/ new relationship becomes completely different when there are children involved and that made this story completely opposite from Borrowed or Love the One You're With.

What I found most interesting reading through this was that I flipped back and forth between supporting Tessa and then rooting for Valerie (whose name I hate by-the-way). There were times when I would get to a Tessa chapter and think "ugh... I wish Nick would just leave her, I just want to get back to Val & Charlie" and other times it would be the opposite. I found that I wanted to cheer for Tessa, but had a soft spot for Valerie as well. The multiple POV's was definitely a factor in this.

I hated Nick and loved him at the same time. I hated what he was doing to his family, but I loved reading about the way he was with Charlie. I wanted both Valerie and Tess to leave him, and yet I wanted them to be together. It was this back and forth that kept me to invested in the story.

My only complaint about this book was the final conversation between Tess and Nick where he assures her that Val never loved him and that he wasn't sure that he loved her. I had a hard time believing this because we don't know how he got there. There's such a gap between his final conversation with Val in which he tells her he loves her (on the same day he confesses to Tessa) and then this explanation of confusion that I found it difficult to accept. I wish there had been more development on his side of the story. And, I guess I would have enjoyed a little more detail on how things turn out for Valerie and Charlie because I really did like them and couldn't bring myself to hate Valerie as the other woman.

But, when it was all said and done I really enjoyed this book and spent a delicious day devouring it.