Book Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

The Distance Between Us 
by Kasie West
Release Date: July 2nd, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
ebook, 312 pages
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Get a Copy:
       Amazon | B&N | Audible

Goodreads Summary: Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Cindy's Review:

At a Glance/The Cover:

This is the type of book I love to read. Those carefree, romantic reads for your reading humps during the summer. And Kasie West is exactly the author you would need to find, because she writes a lot of these amazing YA contemporary novels I'm so fond of. 

And jeez. It's a cute cover. :) Everything about the author and the book makes me smile.

The Characters/My Opinion: 

Caymen Meyers - She's an amazing narrator full of humor. She is hilarious and definitely fun to get to know and follow along with. Caymen grew up as a poor girl who lives above her mom's doll shop. Her rich father left her mom and her when she was younger and so her mom Susan dislikes anything rich. Or more like anyone rich. But soon, Caymen meets Xander but can't help but fall for her charm. 

Xander Spence - Of course, it's always the element of boys to make things a little more interesting. At least for me. :) I love nicknames. I think they're actually really special. Or the other way around. Like you have a special dear name for someone special to call you. Okay. Overuse of specials, but Alexander over here was definitely a real charm. He was a fun guy. And honestly, I think he replied to all of Caymen's sarcastic comments really well. So well that they're seriously flirting if this was real life. :D 

So yep, another fun contemporary read. Probably one of my summer rereads when I'm feeling down or when I could use some excitement in my life again. :D 

Overall Thoughts:
I am so glad I found another author to read. An author that writes books just the way I like it and a whole stack of them to read plus more coming!

I CANNOT wait for The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West because *squeals* that sounds SOSOSOSO cute. I just can't help but gush. :D 

The Rating: (1-10): 9
Happy Reading~

Blog Tour: Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Welcome to my stop on the Forbidden Blog Tour
hosted by I Am a Reader.

Forbidden (Forbidden #1)

by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Release Date: November 4th, 2014

Blurb: In the unforgiving Mesopotamian desert where Jayden’s tribe lives, betrothal celebrations abound, and tonight it is Jayden’s turn to be honored. But while this union with Horeb, the son of her tribe’s leader, will bring a life of riches and restore her family’s position within the tribe, it will come at the price of Jayden’s heart. 

Then a shadowy boy from the Southern Lands appears. Handsome and mysterious, Kadesh fills Jayden’s heart with a passion she never knew possible. But with Horeb’s increasingly violent threats haunting Jayden’s every move, she knows she must find a way to escape—or die trying.

With a forbidden romance blossoming in her heart and her family’s survival on the line, Jayden must embark on a deadly journey to save the ones she loves—and find a true love for herself.

Set against the brilliant backdrop of the sprawling desert, the story of Jayden and Kadesh will leave readers absolutely breathless as they defy the odds and risk it all to be together. 

Cindy's Review: 

At a Glance/The Cover:

I always to seem miss all the blog tours I'm actually interested in. Then, I'll have to end up buying the book because I want to read it so badly. So it was a huge surprise when I got to be on this blog tour! ion I'm so honored! :)

I absolutely love historical fiction. They have believable forbidden romances with perfect gentlemen in addition to royalties and story of the past we don't live in our everyday lives. 

The Characters: 

Jayden - Jayden was easy to follow along and fun to read about. She is slightly humorous and a little unsure of what she should do with herself. In Forbidden, we slowly start to see Jayden choose her decision between a life or for family. One of the other. 

Kadesh - Kadesh was this total stranger. But soon, he found a place in my heart. A modest, kind, and handsome young man. Now I sound like an old granny. Why can't they exist in everyday life like this? Or maybe in everyday teenage boys? 

Horeb - I was really prepared to like this boy. I was hoping Jayden would forget the 'forbidden' and realize that she can have both love and family with Horeb. But boy was I wrong. Entirely wrong. Horeb is more like a controlling, evil ex-boyfriend. You do not want him in your life. He uses sympathy of others to manipulate situations. Anyone who can kill someone without blinking or feeling anything is not worth even thinking about. 

There is somewhat a love triangle, but from the beginning, you can obviously see who would be a better choice. Who would be the most logical and realistic. So all in all, the decision comes down to FAMILY or LOVE? 

Characters and romance aside, I really enjoyed the setting and historical mentions. Obviously, there isn't enough Mesopotamian history to really know what happens during this time period and what the nomadic tribes do. The author's imagination with it was amazing and I really enjoyed. I love the historical mentions especially of big cities they stop by and the neighboring lands. I'm taking APWH and I feel so proud I'm actually keeping up with everything! :D 

Overall Thoughts:

A definite must-read for historical fiction lovers. This compelling novel is filled with romance, morals, and deep-thoughts of a young girl living in the Mesopotamian world. 

The ending was certainly an open ending. I would call it a cliffhanger, but there is some cushion base of moral lessons right at the end. It's how I would like to end my essays. Life lessons and penetrating words of advice. Nothing of a sudden fall off the cliff. 

The Rating: (1-10): 9.5~

Happy Reading~

Book Trailer: 

Author Bio: 

Kimberley Griffiths Little was born in San Francisco, but now lives in New Mexico with her husband and their three sons. 

For such award-winning middle grade novels as When the Butterflies Came, The Last Snake Runner, The Healing Spell, and Circle of Secrets, her writing has been praised as "fast-paced and dramatic," with "characters painted in memorable detail" and "beautifully realized settings." 

Kimberley adores anything old and musty with a secret story to tell and makes way too many cookies while writing. 

She's stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed on the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria.

Links: 

Author Goodreads

Website: http://www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

Book Review: Sleeping Beauty and the Beast by Melissa Lemon

Sleeping Beauty and the Beast 
by Melissa Lemon
Release Date: June 24th, 2014
ebook, 202 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy-tale retelling
Get a Copy: 
      Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Trapped in a cursed sleep, the only experiences Princess Eglantine has are the ones in her dreams. There she meets Prince Henry of Fallund, a neighboring kingdom on the brink of war. 

Meanwhile, Prince Henry's brother Duncan discovers a vicious beast imprisoned for murder. Captivated by her, he works to free her from both the prison bars she's locked behind and the ones surrounding her heart and mind. Sleeping Beauty and the Beast reinvents and seamlessly intertwines the classic fairy tales Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast. 

Cindy's Review:

At a Glance/The Cover:

I've been reading a lot of fairy tale retellings lately, especially ones about Beauty and Beasts. This one is pretty unique. Both beauty AND the beast is a girl, so this is actually about two couples and follows two person's stories. 

The Characters/My Opinion:

Eglantine - Though there are two main characters and the protagonists' story intertwines, I still insist that Eglantine is the main character. She is the sleeping princess cursed to sleep forever unless her brother releases a beast. The only problem is that she doesn't have a brother. At all. 

Eglantine is a fun character. She gets to visit places in her dreams. And for some reason, she visits Fallund and meets Prince Henry. Say it's fate but Prince Henry is the only one who could see or hear her. 

Olivia - I'm pretty sure that's her name. This is the beast. The daughter of the witch who cursed Eglantine. But Olivia doesn't know it and now she is in the dungeon of Fallund, trialed for murdering someone. 

Olivia interested Prince Duncan, the brother of Prince Henry, and throughout the whole story, Duncan tries to befriend Olivia and get her to talk to him. 

Overall Thoughts: 

I did have an idea of how this book will end, seeing there are only so many possibilities, but I was still interested to see how things played out. :)

I especially adored Henry and Eglantine's story, although they did get married a bit too fast for my taste. But it's in the land of prince and princess's. What did I expect? This happens in Hollywood! With way less divorces. 

Definitely a fun fairy tale read. I enjoyed it immensely. :)

The Rating (1-10): 7.5~

Happy Reading~

Blog Tour: Who R U Really? by Margo Kelly

Welcome to my stop on the Who R U Really? Blog Tour

hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer.

Who R U Really?

by Margo Kelly

Release Date: September 18th, 2014

Blurb: Thea’s overprotective parents are driving her insane. They invade her privacy, ask too many questions, and restrict her online time so severely that Thea feels she has no life at all. When she discovers a new role-playing game online, Thea breaks the rules by staying up late to play. She’s living a double life: on one hand, the obedient daughter; on the other, a girl slipping deeper into darkness. In the world of the game, Thea falls under the spell of Kit, an older boy whose smarts and savvy can’t defeat his loneliness and near-suicidal despair. As Kit draws soft-hearted Thea into his drama, she creates a full plate of cover stories for her parents and then even her friends.

Soon, Thea is all alone in the dark world with Kit, who worries her more and more, but also seems to be the only person who really “gets” her. Is he frightening, the way he seems sometimes, or only terribly sad? Should Thea fear Kit, or pity him? And now, Kit wants to come out of the screen and bring Thea into his real-life world. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless to resist Kit’s allure, and hurtles toward the same dark fate her parents feared most. Ripped from a true-life story of Internet stalking, Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea’s life spins out of control.

Cindy's Thoughts: 
At a Glance/The Cover:
I wasn't really sure where I was going with this book. It isn't like my usual reads about romance and high fantasies. Who R U Really? is a deep novel that expresses the everyday concerns of life. This book speaks up about issues of internet stalking and cyber stalkers. And what makes it even more noteworthy is that this is based on a real event.

That just proves how much internet stalking actually happen these days. This book was based on a game online, but it can definitely happen on other websites, especially social media networks. 

The Characters/My Opinion: 
Thea - Well, Thea's a somewhat normal girl, with a best friend. And some crushes. Boy problems. School. The normal everyday teenage issues. Then, she gets introduced to a game. She gets obsessed. Literally obsessed. She meets new people. This is the type of game where players can chat online. Kind of like xBox and Play Station stuff. Yeah, normal. 

But when a playmate gets super close and friendly, Thea befriends them and slowly falls into his trap. Keep in mind that Thea is about 14 or 15 years old. That's about my age. #scary.

Kit - Thea doesn't really know much about the guy she meets online. She thinks she does, but honestly, it doesn't seem enough. She learns that Kit is 19 and he has issues. And then she shares her number with him.

Personally, I have so much issues with this. Okay, playing a game online. Fine. Meet new friends. No problem. Befriending a 19-year-old guy. Okaaaay. Ummm. Okay. I guess. Then he asks for your number? Ummm. No way. First off, you have to stalk their Facebook first. Look through all their social media websites. Check out their friends. Help yourself get an image of him. What he's like. 

Thea does none of these. None. Well, if your parents area as overprotective as Thea's and doesn't let her do anything without adult supervision, then I guess it makes sense she doesn't know anything about social medias. 

Next, when your friends start doubting things you do.....well, things get serious. When people around are freaking out about the things you're doing, then you're probably doing something wrong. Another thing, sharing numbers with someone? Why don't you give them a texting app number first? I understand Thea did use email to talk to Kit, but why give them your number so fast? 

Finally, when he starts getting clingy, asking about your personal life, wanting more, saying i love you. No freaking way. That's when you ignore them and never talk to them again. Hopefully they will go away. In this case, it doesn't happen.


I have so much thoughts and feelings about this topic in general. And it's sad to say it does happen in everyday life: bribing girls away. This kind of give me the creeps, since i can be that protagonist myself. 

But Who R U Really? teaches people things. Me things. Be on your toes while online. Don't just befriend anyone. Don't share your number. They can be a total different person behind the computer screen. 

Overall Thoughts: 
Who R U Really? gives a huge moral lesson to all girls out there, don't be so quick to trust someone, especially when you don't really know them. 

Besides that, I mean obviously, there are actually real people out there that are genuine. You can meet other people online. I've known some people who met online and ended up getting married. It works. But just be sure to double check there background information. And really get to know them. 

Even though this is categorized in the YA section, I think this works for middle grade too. Young kids go online all the time nowadays without supervision and who knows what crazy people are out there? Better to start educating kids early and give them an idea of how to protect themselves. 

The Rating: (1-10): 8.5

PS. I think I spoke a whole lot more about the topic than about the book, so here's some opinion of the book. 

Who R U Really? definitely kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. I had an idea of how things were going to work and I dismissed it. It was really suspenseful and the ending was somewhat satisfying. One phrase: the world is smaller than you think. 


The Author: 
Margo Kelly loves to be scared … when she’s reading a good book, watching a good movie, or suffering from the hiccups. She loves writing thrillers for young adults and hopes her stories give you the goose bumps or the itchies or the desire to rethink everyday things. Margo is represented by the not-so-scary, but totally awesome, Brianne Johnson of Writers House.



Links:
Website: http://www.margokelly.net
Goodreads
Amazon
B&N

Delightful December Releases~

I can't believe the year has flown by so fast!

One more month till 2015! 

Can you believe it?

Let's end this merry month with some awesome end-of-the-year releases. :)

The Queen (The Selection #0.4)

by Kiera Cass

Release Date: December 2nd, 2014

Thoughts: It's time for Queen Amberly's story! I don't really know what to say about this. I just want more of America and Maxon. I'm not really that interested in Maxon's Dad....forgot his name...Charles? No. I forgot. But maybe learning about Amberly will lead to new things. :) So final thoughts: would I read it? Probably. Why not?

No Place To Fall

by Jaye Robin Brown

Release Date: December 9th, 2014

Thoughts: Well. Here's another new release! And for once, I actually read it before it came out and own the copy! Woot woot! You can find my full review for No Place to Fall HERE.

Tagline: A girl. A dream. A choice.

Princess of Thorns 

by Stacey Jay

Release Date: December 9th, 2014

Thoughts: Another fairy tale retelling~ Well, somewhat. Not really? It's more like a fairy tale spin off, where the story after the 'happily ever after is told'. With some twists. Either way, it involves princesses. And princes. And romance. And some villians. Perfect. After I read Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay, I had to try another one of her books! :) And this one sounds great also.

Tagline: Sometimes you must fight for happily ever after.

Wicked (A Wicked Saga #1)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: December 8th, 2014

Thoughts: Another new series by Jennifer L. Armentrout! The synopsis is kind of vague. You get a broad idea of the characters and and idea of what kind of book this is. Paranormal. Supernatural. Suspense. Secretive. Wicked. I love the title. Just the word wicked makes the book sound amazing. And that cover is kind of hot. :) Should I read it though? Hmmm. Not really sure, since I'm not that into NA books. Especially ones with supernaturals and paranormalcy, so....maybe.  

You Were Mine (Rosemary Beach #9)

by Abbi Glines

Release Date: December 2nd, 2014

Thoughts: Well, I must say, Abbi Glines got a lot more popular now. Her book is even featured in the Popular New Releases list! I was there since the first book of the Breathe series and the first book of the Rosemary Beach series. I loved them. But then, it started to get to be ALL about the romance the NA scenes are turning into legit Adult ones, and I just slowly stopped reading the series. Nothing against it though. I mean, I love romance, but I'm not THAT obsessed. Either way, I think it's those very descriptive love scenes that turn me off. But willing to promote anyways. :) 

Inspire

by Cora Carmack

Release Date: December 15th, 2014

Thoughts: This is a random book I fell upon while looking around Goodreads. You know, those random titles with interesting covers. Then you read the blurb and you find out that it actually sounds pretty interesting. Inspire does. And it releases in December. Supposedly. So famous phrase: why not?

Love the dress cover. And the romance sounds quite interesting. Kind of reminds me of The Siren by Kiera Cass.

Tagline: Creation & Destruction. These are things I inspire. 

Well, that's all I have for this month. :)

Not as much as I expected, since most of them are releases to a series.

Anyways, hope you guys are excited for more holidays coming right up!

I'm excited for that long break~

Happy Reading~