Book Review: Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Summary: If you loved Alex Fuentes, wait until you meet his brother Carlos...

Carlos Fuentes idolized his older brother, Alex, when he was a member of the Latino Blood. So when Alex chose to get jumped out of the gang for a chance at a future with his gringa girlfriend, Brittany, Carlos felt shocked and betrayed. Even worse, Alex forced Carlos to come back from Mexico to join him on the straight and narrow path. Trouble is, Carlos just wants to keep living on the edge. And ties to his Mexican gang aren’t easy to break, even hundreds of miles away in Colorado.

In Boulder, Carlos has to live with one of Alex’s college professors — and he feels completely out of place. He’s even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor’s daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he’s usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.  (-book jacket sleeve)

Review: I loved Perfect Chemistry with Alex and Brittany because of their romance.  And... Rules of Attraction did not disappoint.  Carlos story is right up there with older brother Alex, but if you're a hopeless romantic, you might favor Perfect Chemistry over Rules of Attraction.  But if you're into adventure and another bad boy/good girl story, you'll enjoy this one even so.  

Carlos and Kiara are a fun mix.  This book had laugh out loud moments because Kiara is a lively character and Carlos reaction towards Kiara's paybacks are down right hilarious.  I loved Kiara more than I did Brittany (in book one).  Kiara has a quirky toughness to her, and her love for over-sized t-shirts, hiking boots and old cars just about balances out the cocky wisecracks that Carlos is so well known for.

Pick this one up for sure.

Rating: 4/5

Swooning over the Fuentes brothers much?

Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Summary:  Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.  (-back of book)

Review:  My very first glimpse into the mystical world of fays.  Although, The Iron King did not dissapoint, neither did I find it amazing.  I felt Megan was a weak heroine, compared to other leading ladies like Katniss (Hunger Games) or Yelena (Poison Study).  In fact, Megan was quite aggravating... the idea of  'me against the world'.  But I think that is what makes Megan unique to this story,  because soon enough she does grow on me as the story continues.  She becomes more self less and a bit more concern about others and I was pleased to see her change of heart and her maturity level grow.  Still, her qualities are far less than desirable in a heroine.  Her stubbornness and inability to make a rational decision maddens me to the core.

I am baffled by Puck's (Megan's best friend) and Ash's (Prince of the Winter Court) attraction to Megan.  The author never really quite reveals why either of these two, swoon worthy characters, would feel any flicker of love interest in Megan.  Puck is mischievously delightful, and down right lethal.  Ash?  He's witty, dangerous, mysterious, yet vulnerable.  With that said, this is the first time I am conflicted with which male character I'd be rooting for.  I am leaning towards Ash, but I find myself cheering for Puck most time. 

While the story-line is unimaginative, her world is vivid and Mrs. Kagawa does a darn good job with attention to details, which makes her quite masterful when it comes to bring the characters to life.  Megan's missing memory has got the best of my curiosity.  The duel and bantering between Puck and Ash is amusing and witty.  The well-paced romance between Megan and Ash  is fresh and not your typical lust or love at first sight.   

Within the pages of The Iron King, you definitely get the feel of Alice in Wonderland-esque with the cat, Peter Pan with the Nevernever, Romeo and Juliet with the forbidden love of Megan and Ash both residing on the opposite end of the courts, and Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream with Puck, King Oberon and Titania.  Obviously, a lot of influences and inspiration drawn from differently folklore and tales from around the world.

I was teetering between the rating of 3 and 4.   Three simply because I felt that although it was a good book, it was not great.  Four because a good book got me interested in wanting to pick up the next book, that counts for something right?  I have to say it's a book worth reading if you want to give faeries a shot.

Rating:  3.5/5  

Puck or Ash?

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Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Summary: Set in the 1960's.  Three characters, their lives, and their journey to write a book about the stories of the maid of Jackson, Mississippi... all the bad, the ugly and the beautiful moments. 

Review: I may just be the last person to finally say that I have read, The Help.  I picked up the book a year ago, started reading, and put the book down because I was on over-drive with fantasy, paranormal romance, and sci-fi novels.  Yes, I am disappointed that I decided to pick up the book again over a year later, because it is a great book.  I liked this book because of its "story-telling" effect it had on me.  The writing is brilliant and well written.  The story-telling itself is not necessarily about the plot, but really the characters and their world.

The book is written in perspective of the three main characters, Skeeter (a 22 year-old college graduate), Aibileen (wise, and a woman of strength), and Minny (Aibileen's best friend, and the sassiest woman of Mississippi).  Books that have chapters told from one characters' perspective, usually has me drawn to one character in particular, but not this one.  I cared, cheered and rooted for them equally.  Even the minor characters, I couldn't help but feel curious about Celia, and the love-to-hate, Miss Hilly.

In an unequal world of segregation, the story takes you back and gives you a sense of what it would have been like to live in such a time.  The characters feel real and made me wish that Aibileen was my grandmother or care taker when I was a child.  This book keeps you in wonder, even far after you're done reading it.  We're there a lot of maids like Aibileen in the real life of 1960's of Mississippi, where black women loved and cared for white children?  In the end you're left with happiness, a reflection on life and empowerment.

A spoonful of serious, a dash of comical, with a sprinkle of attitude equals a light hearted story that I can recommend to anyone looking for a smart and inspiring read. 

Rating: 4/5

Have you seen the film adaptation of The Help?  Will you watch it?  What did you think?

Book Review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Summary:  
Keep Your Head Down.  Don't Get Noticed.  Or Else.

I'm Trella.  I'm a scrub.  A nobody.  One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers.  I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops.  So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels?  The only neck at risk is my own...until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. (-back of book)

Review:  Loved Maria V. Snyder's, Poison Study, which lead me to this book.  Been a big fan of science-fiction, so when I read that Mrs. Snyder had written a dystopian novel, it was right up my alley.  This book has been sitting on my 'to read' pile for quite some time, slowly making it's way up to the top of the stack.  I dove into it with no expectations, nonetheless, I was left disappointed.  The plot had great potential , but just could not pull through.  The writing and the characters felt one-dimensional, lacking personality, and were underdeveloped.  I found it difficult to connect with the characters and I never really get to know Trella and the other characters.  The dialogues between the characters struggle to evoke a sense of chemistry.

I wanted to like this book, I really did, because Snyder is such a wonderful writer and one of my favorite authors.  But I just could not lose myself in the story.  The first half of the book felt dragged, and could have done without it, or shorten within a few chapters.

Even thought the book ended with a major cliff hanger, which normally would tug at my curiosity as to what is outside, I will not be picking up the next installment, Inside Out.

Rating: 2/5