Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire

Title: Beautiful Disaster 
Author: Jamie McGuire 
Rating: 3.5/5

Abby is new at college and actually planed on leaving her past behind, but what she didn't expect was to fall for a guy, that is everything but sweet. In fact, Travis Maddox's body is covered with tattoos and he sometimes takes part in fights that aren't all too legal. What both don't know when they set a bet that makes Abby stay with Travis a month, both of their lifes will change dramatically. Who thought falling for someone can be that nerve-wrecking?

The first thing that came to my mind when I finished this book was Hmm... I really didn't know what to think of it. I loved some parts, I thought some parts were okay, I hated some parts, etc. I'll come to those points later.

Abby is a good girl but has a horrible background. Her father drank and played too much, also risked too much, and that's why she left home and went off to college with her best friend America. When I read someone saying "Mare" I first didn't know who was meant, until I realized that is the short version for America. That happens when you have friends with names that aren't that English and when they can't even pronounce and say your name, because you happen to have an English name. But enough name talk. She wants to leave it all behind, but then when she meets bad boy Travis, she knows she can't resist for long. In the end, she is just a sucker for bad boys as everyone else is.

So, I didn't really get this bet thing. I mean, I liked it, it was the main point why Abby stayed with Travis, but whatever.

Abby's on-and-off date material Parker was a little weird. First, he seemed like a nice guy but during the story I found him annoying. To me, it seemed as if he tried to buy Abby instead of trying to show her how much he liked her by actually being himself and counting on that and not on his money or the expensive presents and dates. However, he once said a very smart thing that I found kind of cute in a way, but also very mature and I don't know what else.

“No, it’s a car. The love of my life will be a woman with my last name.”

 Travis really scared me at some parts. I mean he had a lot of temper and not in the "I hit women and I'm okay with it" way, but in the "I am psycho!" way. It was really crazy. For me, his life depened too much on Abby. I mean, make a girl the center of your universe, I am all up for that, but you have to draw a line. He was not just crazy about her, he was obsessed. And also, he is a men's slut. I'm just glad he changed, because you wouldn't want anything to do with a person like that. I still liked him, don't get me wrong. It was just that sometimes he scared me and I thought he lost his mind.

I like authors with hope that boys actually love a girl so much, they'd change their whole world for them. Every good story involves that bad guy (which you immediately fall for. Me aswell) that is turned good by the beauty he waited for his whole lifetime. Well, after reading such stories, I hate waking up and realize I am stuck in world that is nothing like that. I repeat myself all over again, but at least I know no one who is like that. Sure, it's nice to read about the perfect world where true love actually still exists and the couple gets their happily ever after. I love to read stories like that! But also I hate to face the reality after that. Rise and fall, so to say.

I am fighting with myself. I liked this book a lot, I really did, but somehow . . . I don't know but something was missing. I am a very complicated and complex person, I know that and so I guess that is the reason why I am still not completely satisfied with this book. I read so many good things about it, it's a natural thing I set high expectation on this one. While I didn't get disappointed, I also didn't get what I was hoping for. Leave out the positive things I wrote about above. I don't know if it's the lack of the character's backgrounds, or if I'm tired of reading about love-triangles, which actually happens to seem ridiculous to me. No one could ever get tired of a well written love-triangle disaster. I am a sucker for romance, but I think it took over. That's probably what felt not all too right with me in the end.

On The Fringe - Courtney King Walker

Title: On The Fringe
Author: Courtney King Walker
Rating: 4/5

Claire's world isn't the same after Daniel, who happens to be her brother Matthew's best friend but also her secret crush, gets murdered. While everyone else is living their lifes, almost as if nothing happened, Claire can't forget about Daniel and her lost. On her sixteenth birthday, she drowns but get saved by Daniel. Somehow, while she was dead he and her connected and she was able to see him. Now, being alive again, she is the only one who can see him and this time she is not willing to lose him again. But at some point the two of them got to face that their connection could be very dangerous too.

It was pretty easy to connect with Claire as the reader and a teenage girl. Her fears are very realistic and her deep love for Daniel is just wonderful and powerful aswell. Also, I think, it's great how much she cares about all the people around her. At least it felt that way to me. Of course, the person, or better said former person, she cares about the most is Daniel, but seriously, who wouldn't want to know what really happened when he died and is now stuck "on the fringe"?

I don't know what it is, but I always fall for male characters in books (especially when the author writes from a guy's point of view, too). I know, there are a lot of girl who have crushes on book characters. I wouldn't call it crush, but I can't help but notice their cuteness. See, in this book, Daniel never really paid much attention to Claire. He saw her and afterwards he has a lot of memories shared with her, but she was always just Matthew's little sister. Then, suddenly, he is dead and realizes how things could have been between him and Claire. It's tragic, really. And so sweet! He is so protective over her when it comes to Aden (who died and is now a ghost aswell).

The scene I loved the most was probably the one when Claire and Daniel figured out they had that four-and-a-half-minute connection. I found that really interesting, though as I write it down now like this, it sounds kind of lame. I suggest, you read this book yourself, so you can see it isn't as lame as it sounds with all my "interesting" and "great" and all that.

During the book, there are some facts that will warm your heart or shock you a bit. I liked the balance of both things and I'm glad that the romance didn't shrink with it.

At first, I wasn't so sure if I should give this book four stars or not. When I started this book and went through the first chapters, I was quite confident that it'd end up with four stars. Now that I finished it, I have to admit that I am not very happy with the ending. To be fair, there are probably only three books out of hundreds, with whose endings I am happy or almost happy, so endings are always a little difficult for me. In the end I decided to be gentle and give it four stars anyhow. I mean, it all worked for me: The characters appeared real, the writing was great, it was a very, very good debut novel and I am glad I picked it up. The fact that I have an issue with endings, shouldn't do this book any harm, so four stars. Let me one more thing: On The Fringe was even better than I expected it to be. It was an experiment I am grateful for I dared. :) Now go and do too!

Nothing Like You - Lauren Strasnick

Title: Nothing Like You
Author: Lauren Strasnick
Rating: 3.5/5

Holly doesn't feel anything. There are as good as no emotions ever since her mom died a couple of months ago. So, it's not big deal for her to love her virginity to Paul, someone she doesn't even know that well and how has a girlfriend too. That thing with Paul should have been a one-night-stand, but now Paul keeps visiting her during night times and for Holly it's nice to be a person that gets attention. Unfortunately, her guy isn't really her guy. He doesn't want to break up with Saskia, and now that Saskia is becoming one of Holly's friends, it's even harder for her to see the thin line between right and wrong.

It's bad to start with a negative espect at first, but I just have to say it: Holly is a little bitch! (Excuse my language, please!) I didn't hate this book, not at all. It's nice not to read about the girl next door all the time, but now Holly really crossed a line for me. It's fine if you want to lose your virginity to some guy you don't even know that well, or love or whatever. I don't want to know how people do that, I just know that I don't agree with them when it comes to that kind of theme. I can understand that an event like your mother's death can turn your universe upside down, but why does that have to lead to sleeping with a guy who doesn't really care about you? Who happens to have a girlfriend who is a nice girl and who didn't do anything to you? I don't know if I'm trying to get to any point, I don't think there is one. I just wanted to start with the things that bothered me.

I, however, liked that, at some point of the story, Holly didn't want to let go of her mother and wanted to try to get a connection with her. I don't believe in all that hokuspokus-stuff, but in Nothing Like You it showed that Holly wasn't as numb as she saw herself or other people saw her. It was her desperate trying to do anything at all. What I found a little strange, but also funny, was the fact that she called her dad by his name. And now you can guess what I loved the most? - Nils, of course! Actually, my review doesn't make any sense. I explained Holly to be a bitch in my eyes, but most readers will think the same of Nils. I've got to admit, he is a heartbreaker and I don't like that. He sets his eyes on a girl, dates her, gets bored, dumps her and starts looking for a new one. Yeah, that's not the perfect way, no doubt about it. But he is a great best friend, I think, and he and Holly would have been an amazing couple. Luckily, this is another open-ended book, or so it seems to me, so you can think of your own ending.

So, the other small things I want to mention are: I felt sorry for Saskia. She was such a nice girl and I like Holly for at least trying to stay away from Paul because of Saskia. I'd like to know what happens to Paul in twenty years. He seemed like the type of guy who'd betray his woman, well, mainly because he betrayed Saskia, so he already did that and why would a guy who loves himself as much as he does change that? I really didn't like him, though he tried to act sweet and cute sometimes. As I said, he acted to be that way. It was just a dumb trick.

I know, this review is not very good. I am sorry. It may seem as if I didn't enjoy this book and regret reading it. Well, I enjoyed this book and I do not regret that I read it. I liked the story, but I didn't feel so good about the characters itself. That's it. That's what bothered me. I mean, it's good if a book brings out your emotions and you write about the things you got mad about during the story and the things you felt good about, right? So, what? This is the perfect book if you want to feel emotions while you read! I wouldn't have called the book Nothing Like You, but probably that is just because I still don't know why it's called that. My top guess is that everyone always told Holly how much she looked like her mom, but that was all they had in common. Both had their own personalities and were nothing like the other one. After all is said and done now, I'm really excited to read Lauren Strasnick's other book - Her and Me and You.

Getting Over Garrett Delaney - Abby McDonald

Title: Getting Over Garrett Delaney
Author: Abby McDonald
Rating: 4/5

Sadie has been in love with Garrett Delaney for two years now. Unfortunately, he is only her best friend and doesn't know about her feelings for him. This summer, Garrett gets accepted for a summer literary retreat and Sadie does not. All she ever wanted him to see is that she is the right one for him. But now, he falls for another girl and Sadie is left alone and heartbroken. Time for her to get back on train and start a new life: A new life that doesn't involve her best friend as her crush, but one that involves a new job and new friends. By creating a 12-step-system, Sadie is trying to get over Garrett Delaney.

I absolutely loved Sadie as a character. Some may say that she was way too obsessed with Garrett, yet I loved that about her. I loved to read the first few chapters the most because she was crushing so hard on him, though she had to act in front of him all the time. Can you actually imagine someone doing that two whole years? If someone believes in love, it's Sadie! You feel sorry for her because her love isn't returned the way it should be and worse she is just seen as the best friend and has to listen to all of Garrett's girl stories. You read about them a little in this book, but at some point Sadie mentions that her best friend and long-term crush is a huge heartbreaker and never really taking a relationship that serious. You'll figure out as much by the end. I would love to spoil now, but I won't!

Small note here: Sadie had an advantage because her mother is a therapist. I guess it's not easy when your mom always wants to talk about your problems in life and all that, when she should trust that you'll come to her by yourself if you feel like you need help. I didn't really like that she talked to Sadie as if she was one of her patients. She sometimes seemed so cold and I found that really horrible. Not that it did this book any harm, no, but I wouldn't want my mom to talk to me like that.

Now when it comes to Garrett, I loved him in the beginning. He was very sweet and let's not forget that he remembered Sadie's birthday. So, even though he might has his bad sides (which includes such as being blind about Sadie's love for him, etc.), it's a nice surprise that he rememberes a birthday as a guy. Who wouldn't want that in real life too? Also, you read way too seldom (I have big problems with the English language right now. I need new words!) about guys that read poetries and write them aswell, about guys who love old music and good classic films, I think. Even though he somehow forces Sadie into all of that stuff, it's nice to rea about a guy who likes those things. I just tried to picture some of my male friends to read poetry or write them - yeah, good joke! During the middle of the book, I wanted him gone. Now, this is funny because he was gone in some way, but Sadie kept thinking about him, so he was content all the time, more or less as a shadow in the background. So, when he came back for real, I was really mad. Sadie finally managed to get a new life and clear her thoughts and for what? Absolutely nothing! And that's when he got annoying. He always wanted her to spend time with him. Obviously, that is just another prove that guys are blind: If he would have listened to Sadie a little more carefully, he would have got the hint that she was trying to avoid him. *sigh* So, after loving him in the beginning and being annoyed in the middle part, I felt so sorry for him by the end of the book. Again, it's really hard for me not to spoil, but let's just say that by the end I doubted that he clearly understood what love means. If you read the book and come to that part, you'll understand what I mean and probably feel the same way as me.

I wish there was as much or almost as much to write about Josh. But there isn't. I loved him during the whole book. He was such a funny guy and I loved that he went for his dreams and didn't care what other people thought of him. That's it. There is nothing more I can say, because, honestly, I wished for more scenes with him. If you read the book you might say that there were enough scenes with him, but I don't think so. I wish the connection between him and Sadie would have been deeper. I always wanted them to be together, but I never read anything that'd lead to a relationship between those two. When I finished this book, their connection was just like the ones you have with close friends, but not those kind of close friends. However, you can think of an ending for yourself, which is good. If you didn't want them to be together, you can just imagine they go seperate ways and that's it. I, however, like to think that they somehow got together and had the connection I was hoping to read and somehow did, but on the other hand didn't. It's complicated.

Before I try to put down in words how much I liked this book, I got to make a huge compliment to Abby McDonald! Now, sure her writing was great and stuff, but what I really, really, really loved in the first place was that she used two of my favourite girls name ever: Kayla and Sadie. I know, it sounds like a weird compliment, but it is one anyway.

I'd recommend this book to everyone who once loved someone without being loved back the same way, and I think that makes almost everyone on the planet. No, seriously, the 12-step-system was really great and I think young girl, old girl and even grandma's would think that system is helpful. Basically, it has all the points you know yourself, but it's good to read them and think of it like a task and not an action you have to do in order to forget someone because you want that so bad. I don't know how to describe it. Whatever, I was dying to read this book and I liked it a lot. The beginning is fabulous, I think, and even though that fabulous-thing fades a little during the middle and end, it's worth at least one reading, though I might re-read this some time soon.

Halflings (Halflings #01) - Heather Burch

Title: Halflings (Halflings #01)
Author: Heather Burch
Rating: 3.5 - 4/5

Thanks to Zondervan via Netgallery for accepting my request on reading this book.

“ After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret-and the wings that come with.

A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world. „

This is the first time I am using the Goodread summary. I loved this book, but I can't write a summary this time. It's too hard. There are too many things I'd write. It wouldn't be a summary anymore once I finished it.

Nikki is an ordinary teenage girl, but she loves to draw. Not that that's so unordinary, but it's a talent. Her best friend Krissy wants her to be more girly like. You know, such as making make up and clothes the center of your universe. Luckily, Nikki is just herself and Krissy secretly loves her for that, even if she tries her best to convince her best friend to wear a little bit more make up and care a little more about the boys at school. BOOM! That's when three new boys, Mace, Raven and Vine come to her school. She instinctly knows that at least one of them saved her from an attack not all too long ago. Now it can't be possible that they, plus her savior, come to her school by accident, right?

What she soon discovers is that Mace, Raven and Vine are halflings that were sent here to protect Nikki, since she seems to be the target of some evil powers.

Of course it doesn't take too much afford to fall for one of them - her savior Mace. She can tell that Mace feels the same way about her, but then there is Raven as well. He seems like the wild type of guy and Nikki knows she should stay away from him, yet she always finds him when Mace lets her down or disappoint her (even if he sometimes doesn't really understand why exactly he disappoints her).

It was so easy to fall for each character in this book. Nikki was a really interesting character. Seriously, when do read about a girl who is into karate and art? Right, never. It's a very nice mix. You can also relate to her when she is confused about what happens to her and she just seems so real. Mace is the sweet one, really, he is so sweet! But then again sweet is boring at some point and that's why Raven is so easy to love. Girls who love to read books with bad guys will love him. So, I guess that makes all the girls then. And also Vine has something special about himself. Though he seems kind of quite sometimes, he is pretty clever and I think he and Krissy would make a great couple! (Too bad Krissy seems like a girl who won't fall for a guy who is younger than her, even if it is just two years.)

At first, I found this book quite confusing. I had to get used to read books that were written in third person again, since I read a lot in first person now. The writing was incredible. I get jealous on writings so easily, really. Also, I normally hate books that are in written from more than one or two point of views, but I didn't mind it in this on at all. I enjoyed all point of views, especially Raven's. And while I also happen not to like stories of angels, fallen or heavenly, Heather Burch probably used some kind of magic on this book, because the whole angels story was interesting after all. I'd recommend this book to all fans of the "Wicked Lovely" series by Melissa Marr, because sometimes Halflings reminded me of it. I can't wait to read the next book!

The Truth About Guys - Chad Eastham

Title: The Truth About Guys
Author: Chad Eastham
Rating: 3 - 3.5/5

Thanks to Thomas Nelson via Netgallery for accepting my request on reading this book.

It's really hard for me to rate an advice book. When I first heard about this book, I thought it was a novel. Also, it took me some time to finish it, but I'll tell you about the reasons for that later...

While I enjoyed reading the stories that lead to the chapters itself, I thought that some things were repeated way too often. "You are vulnerable" for instance. As an atheist, it isn't easy for me to read about God so often (which is one of the reasons I didn't finish this book right away). I don't want to read quotes from the Bible and all that since I have a different point of view on those things. So when Chad wrote about all these Adam and Eve stories, or said that guys acted a certain way because God created them like that, or girls should love themselves for who they were created, I stopped, clicked on exit and had to take a break from that book for the rest of the day. Believe in what you want, but it just doesn't work for me that way.

Now, I guess that was harsh for all the religious people reading this and I am sorry. The good thing is that you learn a lot about why guys act the way they do and learn to see things from a guy's point of view. Even though this book was made for girls to read, I think Chad described certain types of girl perfectly well, so it'd do good if guys read this book aswell. You might aswell learn more about girls here than you do about guys in fact.

I really liked to read Chad's own stories about him and his friends. I also liked that by the end of each chapter, he captured the things once again and made you think about them once more by creating the "discussion stuff" area. That area would be really great to actually discuss when you read this book in school. And even if it might seem like I couldn't get along with this book at all, it's not true. There were a lot of parts where I agreed with Chad. Oh, and there are also sometimes statistics that you'll be shocked about. I was, at least.

I don't know what else to say. I haven't read a lot of advice book. This is my second actually, so I don't really have a lot to compare this book with. I probably would have liked it much better without these God talks and all that, but it was nice anyway.

One more little point that I didn't like so much, or probably understood wrong: Chad always said that girls shouldn't do stuff, such as sleeping with a guys, just because their boyfriends wanted it. He made pretty clear that girls should wait for sex until marriage, but W A I T ! - How come I never once read that guys should wait aswell? How come they get a free ticket to sleep with every girl that comes along the way, and how come they even have a chance to do that, if all girls should wait until marriage? It doesn't really make sense to me. While the idea to wait until the right one comes around might be charming and romantic, it is really unrealistic in the present world. I'm just saying...

The Summer of Skinny Dipping (Summer #01) - Amanda Howells

Title: The Summer of Skinny Dipping (Summer #01)
Author: Amanda Howells
Rating: 4/5

Mia is feeling miserable. First, her love Jake dumps her and now she has to spend the summer with her cousins, which wouldn't be such a bad thing if they hadn't changed so much. Mia feels like she doesn't fit in anymore... Until she meets Simon. With him, the summer doesn't seem so bad anymore, but nothing lasts forever. That's something that even Mia fears after all.

I really suck at writing summaries, I know. Whatever, really. The first thing you'll notice when you start this book is the beautiful writing. It's one of the most beautiful writings I've ever read, to be honest. I'm also quite jealous over the fact that I can't write like that. Good job Amanda Howells!

Mia is a character everyone can relate to, I think. If not for her smartness, then probably for her need and wish to fit in. Nobody wants to be left out alone, right? That's why I couldn't get along with her cousins Corinne and Beth and Corinne's friend Gen. Typical case of rich sobs here. They think they have it all: The money, the friends, the look and all that kind of stuff. But late at night the doubts take over. You already see, the same old thing. And even though it is such an old thing, I always get mad with characters like this because they remind me of the people who are like them in real life. Ugh.

Also, I couldn't stand Mia's mom in the beginning. She was described perfectly well: She seemed to force her daughters to be something she never was, or she was in this case actually. How much love for yourself can a person bear? Best prove done here: A LOT. You'll think different about her mom by the end, which I am grateful for, because I wouldn't have liked to read about another mom, who tried to reach her dreams through her daughters.

And now Simon. You will absolutely love him! He is thoughtful and funny. I love characters like his. Totally easy to adore him. He makes Mia feel special and accepted for what she is, though she discovers who she is also because of him in a way. So, if you like this guy as much as I did, you'll be shocked by the end. It'll tear your heart apart more or less. I'm happy that Mia writes down the certain three words on a piece of paper by the end of this book, because I missed these three words during their time together.

Who you'll always like is Mia's aunt Kathleen. Sometimes Mia finds herself wishing her mom was like Kathleen, but at some point of the story she has to see that Kathleen "isn't exactly mother Teresa" as Corinne would say now and every mother is doing her best to support and love and care about her child.

As I said, the writing is beautiful which made me like this book so much. Some parts bore me, especially the start. Some things seemed like page-fillers (is that a word?), but I'm glad that Mia didn't repeat herself over and over again. Once she was done with a theme, she was done. It's a perfect summer read, and though I read this in winter now, I think I'll take it with me if I find myself sitting by the pool in summer or else where. As long as the sun is shining, this book will seem like a summer dream to you. I love when books create a special atmosphere and Amanda Howells succesfully did that.