Manwhore +1 by Katy Evans | Rating: ★★★★★ 

Be safe with me. Reckless with me. Be who you are with me.

Much like with its predecessor, I found my expectations surprisingly shattered in the best possible way with Katy Evans lovestory. Manwhore +1 is entirely as fun and steamy as Manwhore and this time, there's a lot more romance and resolution to be found. While the story at its core is highly clichéd and a bit unbelievable, it is still likable and captivating. And if you loved the first novel in the series, you'll be positively enamored by the sequel and all the love and growth that materializes before our eyes.

Manwhore +1 is ultimately more heartfelt in its central plot that the first book. It takes a look around and improves itself--the main romance is expanded after they are reunited and make peace with the article and its aftermath. Everything in this novel is put to the test and the growth we see looking back at the start, to that ending, is a great example of what romance writers can learn. I found myself rooting even more for Rachel and Malcolm, something I thought not possible--as I was already cheering them on in the first installment.

Are you ready to be a sinner? Because I know I am. Full of steamy moments and sharp dialogue, Manwhore +1 is in it to win it.

Fireworks by Katie Cotugno | Rating:  ★★★★☆ (4.5)

A copy of this novel was provided through Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

I've never read anything by Katie Cotugno but I have always heard good things about her work. After almost constantly hearing nothing but sweet things about her writing, and finally picking out something of hers to try, I can see why she has such steady fans. Fireworks is a breath of fresh air and pleasantly surprised me when it comes to its genre--it could have gone horribly wrong but something about her prose just makes the experience all the more good.

What made me enjoy Fireworks so much was the nostalgia of it all--Cotugno captured an era I remember fondly and did it a solid. I'd say it falls right smack dab in the middle of clichéd and not. Somehow, it all worked and tangled together spotlessly and kept me feeling a kind of warmth to it. I'm not going to lie and tell you guys this is the most moving novel you'll ever read but it is worth a second look. It reminded me of a lot of childhood memories but it also stays connected with its target audience--while it will feel nostalgic to people my age, it will feel just as captivating and relevant to a younger audience, too. A lot has changed from the 1990s to today--that is time itself--but not enough to make teenagers feel disconnected to the general story.

Hunted by Meagan Spooner | Rating: ★★★★☆

A copy of this novel was provided through Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. 

I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings. I'm an even bigger sucker for the types of retellings that sprinkle in fresh takes on standard tales and a whole lot of mythology. I find there just isn't enough in terms of re-imagining Beauty and The Beast. At least, not many that I like. In the case of Hunted, Meagan Spooner tells a tale that is instantly classic and new to our eyes--a lot of twists and turns, it's very high stakes and action packed, and also smart. I liked knowing what was going to happen but seeing it unfold in a way that is newer to me. 

That's what sets Hunted apart from its counterparts--you can guess a lot of the twists but they don't necessarily play out exactly as you'd think. Then there's the characters and the way Spooner works around tropes and plots that could have been utterly clichéd and dully familiar. Let's take our newly rediscovered Beauty, Yeva. She is very much like her fairytale counterpart but with a few notable differences. I liked that she was a hunter and full of strength and a bit of vulnerability. I.E: she is real and far from one dimensional. 

Kissed by the Rain by Claudia Winters | Rating: ★★★☆☆

A copy of this novel was provided through NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Despite the concept and general speed, I wasn't all that impressed by Kissed by the Rain. I thought it was a solid release but also very, very standard in terms of plots and characters--almost feeling familiar in the wrong sort of way. You know the type, right? It's a decent enough book (and the writing is quite velvety and smooth) and all, but I had this feeling the entire time that I'd already read it several times before. For me, that makes reading the novel itself very tedious and because of it, I almost put the story down on more than one occasion. 

This isn't to say that it didn't have its good parts--I did find myself enjoying a few scenes and characters, which is why it's right in the middle in terms of my own rating. You've got to remember while reading my thoughts on it that they are mine and mine alone; it doesn't determine your taste or the overall quality of the novel. I did like the twist of mystery in it--the whole idea that a ring was something that would determine the fate of our main character. Something about this superstition lifted the quality higher and put the plot in a direction that gave it a much-needed boost. 

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur | Rating: ★★★★★

As a note, Social Book CO provided a copy of this novel for review purposes. This does not effect my opinions in any way. 

Where to begin, where to begin, where to begin? Oh, bother. I feel like I have to stress that Amanda's thoughts on this novel is the exact feeling I possessed upon finishing it: if you are to read only one collection of poetry in your entire life, make it Milk and Honey. Rupi Kaur captures the essence of life in such a breathtaking way, you literally feel it in each line of her prose. One of the first thoughts that comes to mind when looking back is that it's such an intimate look into her soul, you can't help but to pause and say wow.

Milk and Honey is a raw, honest-to-its-core journey of life. Kaur casts a spell on her readers with an ease that isn't often accomplished at any age. There are four parts to the collection and each part is better than the last. Just when you think her writing couldn't get anymore honest or captivating, it draws you back in and you quite frankly lose your breath. It reminds us why we read  and write poetry. It's a promise of what brilliance is to come. It's exactly the kind of poetry you'll feel connected to in an instant--be sure to keep tissues and tabs on hand, because there are so many standout moments in the collection that will require it.

Private by Kate Brian | Rating: ★★★★☆

Here were buildings of brick and stone, topped by shingled roofs and spires, tradition and pride oozing from every dated cornerstone. Here were ancient, weathered, arched doorways, thick wooden doors on iron hinges, cobblestone walks lined by neat beds of flowers. Here were pristine playing fields of bright green grass and gleaming white lines. Everything I saw was perfect. Nothing reminded me of home. 

With the arrival of autumn and the days to winter growing closer, I tend to get very nostalgic. I repeat: very nostalgic. Back in my early years of high school, I had been obsessed with books in the similar vein as Private--the idea of boarding school life, the juicy drama of Gossip Girl. I remember just wandering the shelves at Barnes & Noble with the lunch money I had saved up (instead of eating school lunch? Yes, please.) and there was this little end cap with the first book in a new series that was so obviously targeted at girls my age. When I read the summary of Kate Brian's latest, I was in it to win it or whatever it is they say.

When I picked up the book the next morning during study hall, instead of doing my French homework, I knew I was a total goner. I haven't really touched the entire series in years but the books have had their place of display on my bookshelf for years and they just felt so appealing. Picking up Private again after so many years felt like coming home--I missed Reed Brennan and her adventures at Easton with the Billings Girls. Kate Brian's writing is just a smooth, fluffy and fast paced as I remembered it.

Academy Girls by Nora Carroll | Rating: ★★★★★

“Words once memorized came back to me: the more things stay the same, the more they change. A line among many lines I was led to believe would be worthwhile to remember. But that was a long time ago, when I was a girl in a circle of girls. When all of us believed that words mattered as much as money, flesh, and blood.”

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Ah, yes. Academy Girls, in spite of its borderline cheesy name and a summary that doesn’t do itself justice, it has earned a slot on my top reads of 2015–and of all time. Prepare to get swept away. There’s something realistic and dark and sweet about it that just makes you feel something you can’t explain.

So get your tabs or highlighters ready before reading this one, you’ll find yourself making note of a lot. I’m confident that it will catch many readers eyes more than once.

But how can I describe Academy Girls? Beautiful, brilliantly crafted, surprising, long lasting and full of genuine human emotion. It’s likely that it will haunt me in the days that come and it will take me a while to shake this story.