Desperately Wanting Wedensday #1

Title: Spies and Prejudice
Author: Talia Vance
Publisher: Egmont Publishing
Publication Date: 2013 (Don't know specifics yet)

At sixteen, Berry Fields knows everything she needs to know about love. It sucks. As an employee for her dad’s private investigation company, she’s seen it firsthand. Men lie, cheat, leave. Even Berry’s dad is love’s victim, having never fully recovered from the death of his wife eight years earlier.

When Tanner Halston transfers to McHenry High, Berry is not impressed. She knows the type - good looking and full of himself. And it doesn’t help that Tanner always seems to catch her at her worst moments. But when Berry’s best friend hits it off with Tanner's brother, it becomes impossible to avoid Tanner.

Spurred by a charming boy who seems to want to help, Berry embarks on her own investigation into her mother’s death. As she gets drawn deeper into a web of lies, she finds herself fighting against everything she thought she knew, about her mother, herself, and her growing attraction to Tanner Halston.

So I decided to start this meme with a book that is not even released, yes I know you can even put books on here that are previously released but I saw this one being shown on Twitter and the comments the tweeter made about it being like Pride and Prejudice and the TV show Veronica Mars makes me really hope that it is just as great.

Scholastic Book Club

I remember while in Elementary School the teacher would hand out these paper magazines filled with books that were for students to read.  I loved these magazines, but it was really hard for me to convince my mom to let me get books from the magazine, but it did not keep me from reading the books that were on it.  We had some pretty good library books in our school library and if you wanted to read something out of the "big kids" room in the elementary library that was OK.

But parents keep an eye out for this magazine, I loved it as a kid, and I know your kids will love it too.

REVIEW: Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Title: Vampire Kisses
Author: Ellen Schreiber
Source: Library, I support them with late books all the time

The mansion on top of Benson Hill has been empty and boarded up for years. But a new family has moved in. A family that never ventures out during the day. Who are these creepy people -- especially the handsome, dark, and elusive Alexander Sterling? Or rather, what are they? Could the town gossip actually be true? Are they vampires?
Raven, who secretly covets a vampire kiss, both at the risk of her own mortality and Alexander's loving trust, is dying to uncover the truth.

 
My Review:

Welcome to Dullsville.

Where you are either from the wrong side of the tracks or the right side of the tracks, but Raven Madison is neither, she is the town’s social outcast ever since kindergarten when she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up and answered...Vampire.  Now at sixteen she is still the social outcast that wishes to be a vampire.

When the Sterling family moves in to the mansion on the hill Raven grows excited as the rumors grow about the family.  With a teenage son who is said to be a vampire from the rumors based on facts such as he hangs out the cemetery late at night and he does not eat garlic Raven has never been so excited.  Now her long time dream can come true she can become the vampire she has always longed to be.  But is it really a Vampire that she is after to be or is just someone who really understands her.

This is the first book in a series of books where we get to meet the town of "Dullsville".  This is a great group of characters, we have ex-hippie parents Sarah and Paul Madison who after having their second child dubbed "Nerd Boy" by Raven have turned into the everyday "Suburban Neighborhood" parents.

There is also Becky that best friend that you have that will do just about anything for you, even if it is something that could possibly be dangerous, because they know when the time comes you will stand up for them.

Lastly there is Trevor who is that All American Guy who has everything, popularity, money and friends.  Then there is this other side of him that because he has it all, that he needs to control everything else.

The characters were great and so was the story line, making me really look forward to getting my hands on some of the other books in the series and since I got this one from our local library I will most likely get the next books in the series from there as well.

Rating: A-

Live-In Position by V.S. Tice

Let me just start with that this book is a very long read, almost 600 pages estimated by Amazon.com.  But I did enjoy the book.

Twenty-five year old Sophia Ashwood, part-time nanny, has just graduated college and is ready to write the next best seller; however, she needs a full time job flexible enough for her to fulfill her dream.

When Sophia steps into the Bishop home to care for emotionally neglected Victoria, she’s positive Dr. Collin Bishop, aka The Anti-Christ, despises her. The intensity of his glare is unsettling and frustrating.

Sophia’s determined to bide her time until she can gain publication and freedom from the Bishop’s snobbery. However, the longer she cares for Victoria, the more wrapped up in their drama-filled lives she becomes.

MY REVIEW

Recent college graduate Sophia Ashwood is applying for the position that best friend Miranda is giving up, because she is soon to be married.  Working as the nanny to Victoria gives her the perfect opportunity to work while writing her first novel.

Of course with a boss like Dr. Collin Biship "The Anit-Christ" nothing is to go as planned.  Victoria has no emotional connection to any member of the Bishop family which drew the mother hen of Sophia to protect and love her.

Though I do classify this book as a romance novel it does take a while to get that point.  If the twists and turns had not kept me interested I would have put the book down early on.  I will also admit to this book being more "chic-lit" less romance but I have a really hard time classifying anything that does have romance scenes as "chic-lit". 

Though a couple of times I really did seem to hate the back and forth character thoughts of Sophia she was decently written along with the rest of the characters.  Victoria who plays a huge role in the relationship of Collin Bishop and Sophia Ashwood is another good character, along with her personality which is great from having a hard time with Sophia and the change of schedule at first (can't expect a child to adapt real quick).  And Collin Bishop just makes me want to hit my head into a wall at first, I can not seem to wrap my head around what we learn about him from the prospective of Sophia.

The supporting characters are great, my favorite would have to be Allison, who is very strong while everything is going wrong in her life.  Husband Johnathon is cheating on her.  In order to protect herself she is bitchy but it is great.  Though I so wanted to hate her, I just had to LOVE her and feel sorry for her when she is having her whole world torn apart around her and no one seems to think she can do it on her own, when she knows that she can.

I give this book a rating of:   B-
Purchase: Amazon.com