Upcoming Festival

In my official "I'm Back" post, I mentioned about how my blog is a huge reminder of my teenage self. It's like a scrapbook of high school.

And while I decided to continue on with this blog rather than to start all over again, I do feel that there is a lot of work to do! The Not So Closet Geek blog needs to be updated.

My first step was dropping my high school alter-ego: bella aire. I still like the name, but I no longer feel the need to hide behind a pseudonym anymore. I'm a woman now. And I already have a woman's name: Diana. It's time to use it.

The next steps are getting a new name and updating the blog's background. 'Not So Closet Geeks' was a fun name when I was in high school, when I was proud of standing out a little, for being passionate about something. I needed that label.

But now I'm in college. A good college where everyone stands out a little and is passionate about something. Everyone is a geek. There is no closet to hide in here, so not being a closet geek is common. It no longer needs to be stated.

I've been tossing around some ideas, and I've landed on a new name that I'm really excited about. And I've found a few templates that I really love and will do my new blog title justice.

But I don't want the Not So Closet Geek blog to be forgotten. So I'm thinking of doing a good old-fashioned festival. The likes of which haven't been seen since March of 2009, when I hosted Geek Fest,  "A CELEBRATION FOR ALL THE SELF-PROCLAIMED GEEKS OUT THERE".


Geek Fest was about celebrating being a geek. My upcoming festival will not only be a celebration for geeks, it will also be about coming-of-age, transitions, and growing up.

Email me if you have any suggestions!

always,
~bella aire~
Diana

LISA KLEYPAS 3-BOOK GIVEAWAY

ONE LITTLE GIRL NEEDS A FAMILY One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word. 

ONE SINGLE MAN NEEDS A WIFE 
The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow. 

SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC… 
Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic. 

…TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home…

Giveaway:
I have acquired three lovely hardcover copies of Lisa Kleypas' Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. Lisa is romance goddess. I've posted about her goddess powers here.
So here is the deal. I want to shower my lovely readers with gifts. I figure I can start here.


The Rules:
Use the widget! Three (3) winners will receive a copy of Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor! This is a contest for US only.

Extra Entries:
+1 Leave a comment on my LISA post
+4 If you become/are a NSCG follower
+5 If you link to this contest in a post, sidebar, etc (a link to this must be left in your comment)
...and because I'm feeling shameless, and my blog is just starting up again...
+3 If you add this blog to your blogroll or sidebar (only do this if you actually like my blog, though)

This contest closes three weeks from today (April 26). The winners will be announced and contacted soon after.

Speed Reviews- Recent Romance Reads

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

Eternal Rider- Larissa Ione

All the characters in this book are flat. The reason I gave this book a try is because I thought the apopcalyse spin might make things interesting. I was wrong. This book had a very simple, boring plot and possessed no redeeming qualities. And the dialogue! It will make you cringe.

Unveiled- Courtney Milan
This book doesn't quite reach it's potential. But an author to watch...

Texas Destiny- Lorraine Heath
This book was impossibly slow. And the hero didn't deal well with life's difficulties. He just moped around a lot.

Speed Reviews- Recent Romance

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

Yours Until Dawn- Teresa Medeiros

The hero of this novel was delightfully Mr. Rochester-esque for much of the novel. Unfortunately, I had figured out the entire plot by page 10 so this novel wasn't quite as tantalizing as it could have been...

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi (Book 1)- Jill Myles
Like cotton candy- fluffy, sweet, and not necessarily good for you...
Great if you are looking for something light-hearted and fun.

Teaser Tuesday (1)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

It's Sacrificial Magic's release day! So excited.

"Her discomfort grew with every step. Which made sense, seeing as how every step took her closer to playing no-you-don't with a pair of homicidal crazies."

Private Arrangements- Sherry Thomas

Product Description:
Love has designs of its own. . . 

To all of London society, Lord and Lady Tremaine had the ideal arrangement: a marriage based on civility, courteousness, and freedom—by all accounts, a perfect marriage. The reason? For the last ten years, husband and wife have resided on separate continents. 

But once upon a time, things were quite different for the Tremaines. 
When Gigi Rowland first laid eyes on Camden Saybrook, the attraction was immediate and overwhelming. But what began in a spark of passion ended in betrayal the morning after their wedding and now Gigi wants to be free to marry again. When Camden returns from America with an outrageous demand in exchange for her freedom, Gigi's decision will have consequences she never imagined, as secrets are exposed, desire is rekindled and one of London's most admired couples must either fall in love all over again or let each other go forever.


Review:
This was my first Sherry Thomas novel, and I was very impressed by her apt writing, dramatic plot, and light humor. 


However, I had a few reservations about the hero's character. There was a certain matter that he handled rather poorly and ended up emotionally abusing his wife for ten years. I harbor a certain suppressed animosity for him, but I cannot deny that, otherwise, this book was a masterpiece of historical romance.



Highly recommended. 

In My Mailbox (1)

More Than You Know- Penny Vincenzi

Publication Date: April 3, 2012

It all comes down to love or money in a harrowing custody battle over a little girl, set against the glossy backdrop of the magazine and advertising worlds in 1960s London.

A privileged girl from a privileged class, Eliza has a dazzling career in the magazine world of the 1960s. But when she falls deeply in love with Matt, an edgy working-class boy, she gives up her ritzy, fast-paced lifestyle to get married.
     
By the end of the decade, however, their marriage has suffered a harrowing breakdown, culminating in divorce and a dramatic courtroom custody battle over their little girl. Also at risk is Eliza's gorgeous family home, a pawn in the game, which she can't bear to give up.
     
True to form, Penny Vincenzi introduces a devious cast of characters seemingly plucked from the pages of sixties- and seventies-era magazines, as she deftly maneuvers between the glamorous, moneyed worlds of fashion and advertising, and a heart-wrenching custody battle going on in the courtroom where the social mores of the time are on full display.

Royal Street- Suzanna Johnson

Publication Date: April 10, 2012

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters.

While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.

The Origins of Sex- Faramez Dabhoiwala

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

A man admits that, when drunk, he tried to have sex with an eighteen-year-old girl; she is arrested and denies they had intercourse, but finally begs God's forgiveness. Then she is publicly hanged alongside her attacker. These events took place in 1644, in Boston, where today they would be viewed with horror. How--and when--did such a complete transformation of our culture's attitudes toward sex occur? 

In The Origins of Sex, Faramerz Dabhoiwala provides a landmark history, one that will revolutionize our understanding of the origins of sexuality in modern Western culture. For millennia, sex had been strictly regulated by the Church, the state, and society, who vigorously and brutally attempted to punish any sex outside of marriage. But by 1800, everything had changed. Drawing on vast research--from canon law to court cases, from novels to pornography, not to mention the diaries and letters of people great and ordinary--Dabhoiwala shows how this dramatic change came about, tracing the interplay of intellectual trends, religious and cultural shifts, and politics and demographics. The Enlightenment led to the presumption that sex was a private matter; that morality could not be imposed; that men, not women, were the more lustful gender. Moreover, the rise of cities eroded community-based moral policing, and religious divisions undermined both church authority and fear of divine punishment. Sex became a central topic in poetry, drama, and fiction; diarists such as Samuel Pepys obsessed over it. In the 1700s, it became possible for a Church of Scotland leader to commend complete sexual liberty for both men and women. Arguing that the sexual revolution that really counted occurred long before the cultural movement of the 1960s, Dabhoiwala offers readers an engaging and wholly original look at the Western world's relationship to sex. 
Deeply researched and powerfully argued, The Origins of Sex is a major work of history.

The Self Illusion- Bruce Hood

Most of us believe that we are an independent, coherent self--an individual inside our head who thinks, watches, wonders, dreams, and makes plans for the future. This sense of our self may seem incredibly real but a wealth of recent scientific evidence reveals that it is not what it seems--it is all an illusion. 

In The Self Illusion, Bruce Hood reveals how the self emerges during childhood and how the architecture of the developing brain enables us to become social animals dependent on each other. Humans spend proportionally the greatest amount of time in childhood compared to any other animal. It's not only to learn from others, Hood notes, but also to learn to become like others. We learn to become our self. Even as adults we are continually developing and elaborating this story, learning to become different selves in different situations--the work self, the home self, the parent self. Moreover, Hood shows that this already fluid process--the construction of self--has dramatically changed in recent years. Social networking activities--such as blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter--are fast becoming socialization on steroids. The speed and ease at which we can form alliances and relationships are outstripping the same selection processes that shaped our self prior to the internet era. Things will never be the same again in the online social world. Hood offers our first glimpse into this unchartered territory. 

Who we are is, in short, a story of our self--a narrative that our brain creates. Like the science fiction movie, we are living in a matrix that is our mind. But Hood concludes that though the self is an illusion, it is an illusion we must continue to embrace to live happily in human society.

Conquering the North Face- Hap Klopp (with Brian Tarcy)

Conquering the North Face: An Adventure in Leadership is about a new kind of leadership in business and in life. Founder and 20-year CEO of The North Face, Klopp presents an irreverent and iconoclastic challenge to conventional ideas about leadership, and offers an invitation to create a wide-open, have-fun approach to business. Using stories and metaphors from his personal involvement in the world of adventure, Klopp explains not only how to lead but why you should. Designed to be read in no more than a single cross country airplane flight, this uplifting, refreshing book provides memorable tools and strategies for leaders everywhere to employ to conquier their own personal mountains, and to have fun while scaling the peak.

Speed Reviews- Recent Romance Reads

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

Deadly Love- B.D. Joyce (Book 1)
*I would not classify this as traditional romance*
Absolutely incredible. An excellent blend of historical-suspense with a hint of romance. I love series with their slow romantic build-up, and this book is more of a boil-over than a build-up. An original.

Awaken Me Darkly- Gena ShowalterThis was so, so bad. I've never encountered such flat characters in my life. If you possess any modicum of intelligence, avoid.

Flowers From the Storm- Laura KinsaleThis began with so much potential. However, by the end, I was extremely tired of the heroine's inconsistency in deciding to stay with her marriage. Even after marriage, she accused her husband of being wicked. This book rehashed old themes more times than Blair and Chuck have broken up on Gossip Girl. I'm rather disappointed because the first half gave me such high hopes.

Beautiful Disaster- Jamie McGuire

Product Description:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand. 

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Review

This was the strangest book. You could give it any number of start- 1 or 5 or anywhere in between- and be correct.

This book is so wrong and so right. It's a train wreck. The male protagonist is basically insane, and everyone knows it. Normally, I wouldn't condone his behavior. Actually, I don't condone his behavior. I would never allow an impressionable younger teen to read this. We have the delightful stalker-esque behavior that is oh-so popular in YA fiction and so damaging to a young woman's psyche. I completely agree with the 1 star reviews that rant about how his behavior is textbook for future abuse. We have the obsessive behavior, the jealous rage- not only directed at other men but also the female protagonist, violent outbursts, and the classy "I can't let you wear something that revealing" scene.

And yet...the story is enthralling. And the author throws in these absurd plot twists that I can't decide are a pro or a con. Is a shocking plot twist still good if it's only shocking because it is so out-there?

Overall, the author created this sort of dreamlike atmosphere so everything seemed to fit together. Oddly, it kind of worked. So I went with 4 stars. In terms of quality...it's probably a 2. In terms of classiness, it's a 1 (there is a MRS. ______ tattoo involved at one point, a 19 yo Vegas wedding, and the nickname 'Pidge'). But for entertainment? Priceless.

That being said I don't recommend this to anyone under 16. And I'd suggest taking a few womens' rights classes first, as well. Just so you know to run if anyone ever acts like...well, ANYONE in this book.

Speed Reviews- Recent Urban Fantasy

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

Blood Rights- Kristen Painter (Book 1)
This book should've been really good; it had tons of potential. However, there is an inexplicable disconnect in the characterization. Something is missing. I still hold hope for it's sequels.

One Salt Sea- Seanan McGuire (Book 5)
Absolutely brilliant. So far I've been reading this series for its potential to be something incredible. Finally my hopes have been realized.

Looking for a Guest Blogger

Is anyone interested in doing a guest blog? If so, send me an email at not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com.

Speed Reviews- Recent YA

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

Shatter Me- Tahereh Mafi (Book 1)
This book had potential. But I just couldn't shake the feeling that this author is young. She made some errors in her writing craft such as experimenting with artistic writing not quite successfully. It made me wish she had waited a few more years to publish this novel...or that she had a better editor.

Overall, a solid YA dystopian novel. I look forward to seeing this author grow in her future work.

The Decoy Princess- Dawn Cook (Book 1)
How is it that not every one gave this book 5-stars? It's definitely an extremely strong novel in it's genre. The characters are captivating. Also, an interesting note: Dawn Cook is a pseudonym of Kim Harrison!

The Demon King- Cinda Williams Chima (Book 1)
Read it. Now. That is all.

Upcoming Release: Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane

Sacrificial Magic is fourth in Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series. This series is one of my all-time favorites, and I really cannot recommend it enough. Since Sacrificial Magic will be released this coming Tuesday, I've decided to share the book description with you here. Get excited! You have just enough time to catch up with the series before publication day.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess. 

Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks. 

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

Speed Reviews- Recent Urban Fantasy

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

Magic in the Blood- Devon Monk (Book 2)

This barely made the cut, but hints of an intricate future plot tip this book into the four star category.

Blood Lust- Michelle Rowen (Book 2)
This book is good. It could have been a four star- the plot had incredible twists and turns and momentum. However, the book felt rushed in the character and emotional aspect. 

Overall, I would recommend that you read this. I hold hope that future books in this series will increase in strength.

*NOTE*
Because the first book felt so short, this review is actually for the first and second book in this series.

Mind Games- Carolyn Crane (Book 1)
A solid idea, a solid execution...but there is something missing in characterization. Where Packard is concerned, I feel like the problem might be telling, not showing.

Stacia Kane on the "Friend Zone"

This is an excellent post by author Stacia Kane on the ‘Friend Zone’. Important for both men and women to read. Click here for full article on her website.


I'd also love to hear any feedback that you have. 

Lisa Kleypas: Romance Goddess

Special note at the end of this post.

Reasons why Lisa Kleypas is fabulous...

• Her first novel was published at 21. I'm 20. And my first novel has about 10 pages. And is unpublished. 
• She was MISS MASSACHUSETTS. Miss America contestants have to know a lot about romance, right?
• She still has a sparkly crown that she won.
• RITA finalist. Hello.
• RITA finalist again.
• RITA winner.
• RITA RITA RITA.
• Her books are smexy.

So yeah, it's kind of a fun, casual list. But you need to know that the way I feel about Lisa Kleypas isn't casual. 

I discovered Ms Kleypas a few years back, when I was rather bored with the romance genre. I had lost faith. And then I discovered LISA.

LISA with her broody, delicious, non-cliche heroes, smooth writing, and fun plots. 

LISA whose last name I keep misspelling. Not sure why it's so difficult for me, but I digress.

I feel like every LISA reader has her favorites. I'm partial to her historical romances. In particular, Then Came You (my first LISA), Tempt Me at Twilight (whose hero could easily be confused with a villain), Dreaming of You (DEREK CRAVEN), and Suddenly You (so much deeper than I expected). 

So. What are your favorites? And if you haven't read LISA before, then it's about time!

I've actually acquired a handful of beautiful LISA hardcover books. A contest is forthcoming. Commenting will result in extra entries. ESPECIALLY if you comment before I even officially announce the contest.

For All the Bloggers Out There...

It's been a long time. A very long time.

And honestly, after all this time, I wasn't sure I wanted to come back. Looking at this blog, looking at some of my older reviews...it's like looking at an entirely different person.

I know some of you, if not all of you, can empathize. I believe a side effect of blogging that few people ever anticipate is the record- no scrapbook- of your life that you create. Looking back on your blog? It's an incredible feeling. But it is also incredibly bittersweet.

I've been cleaning up some outdated areas of my blog, like my 'fantabulous blogs' list (speaking of outdated...'fantabulous'?). And I've noticed a lot of my old friends have quietly retired from reviewing. Many died out the way I did; their last post says they know they've been absent lately, but that they will soon start posting more reviews. Most of those last posts are over a year old.

Why did I ever leave blogging? It's quite simple. Despite my protestations of too much homework, the real reason is that I burnt out. Reviewing had lost it's joy. I began to resent the pressure of reviewing.

I began my blog during my sophomore year of high school. It was my little secret. My corner of the world. I originally posted reviews of books I already owned. And then I received my first review request. And I discovered ARCs.

I established some publishing relationships and regularly received ARCs in a friend's PO box. You see, not even my parents knew of my blogger involvement. And that's the way I liked it.

But one day they found out. And while they limited my internet use, ultimately it was fine. Because reviewing books looks good on college resumes. It made me look like the kid who enjoyed book reports.

That's when things changed. As I applied to colleges, I had to censure what I wrote. My romance reviews got set to draft. And it wasn't my blog anymore. It was...homework.

I went to college. My reading tastes changed. I got a Goodreads account to keep track of my reading. But never posted a review. My blog gathered dust.

And then...I signed up for an English major prerequisite class. And it is amazing. It's taught by two of the most talented professor that I suspect I'll ever meet. Their class is more riveting than a play. And a musical. But perhaps slightly less riveting than an opera (don't knock it 'til you try it).

I started posting very short, to-the-point reviews on Goodreads (this is actually where 'speed reviews' come from).

And, quite suddenly, I missed it. I missed my blog. I missed the camaraderie between those who love reading more than breathing because reading is a choice. Breathing is a function. 

So I tentatively posted a few reviews, just to see if I really wanted to return.

And the answer is yes. I want to. I want to come back.

I've missed this. I've missed you.

So if you are out there, old friends- or even old acquaintances...or anyone who ever read my reviews or remembers my blog- say hi. It can be in comment or email or in a creepy notecard left out my bedroom window (actually, not that last one). And I wouldn't mind hearing from some new people, too.

It's just been a long journey, and I'm happy to be home. And I want to check out how the neighbors have been doing since I'll been gone.

Speed Reviews: Recent Urban Fantasy

*Please note that 'Speed Reviews' are reserved only for self-purchased books. Books from publishers get full length reviews.

The Isis Collar- Cat Adams (Book 4)
I really was hoping for more development in this novel.

Bad Blood- Kristen Painter (Book 3)
I feel like some of the characters weren't quite true to their original personalities. I also seem to forgotten (during all the character ambiguity) why I originally really liked Chrysabelle. Gorgeous cover, though.

Shadow City- Diana Pharaoh Francis (Book 3)
Even though I truly loved the previous two books, the alternating viewpoint in this one drove me mad. Every time I got into a storyline, I was yanked out and thrust into a new one. Also, I'm frustrated by losing some more beloved characters.

Speed Reviews- Recent Urban Fantasy

Here are some quick reviews for some of my recent urban fantasy reads!

Urban Shaman- C.E. Murphy (Book 1)
I'm not really sure why some people were harsh with this book. The heroine was likable, the plot was well-paced, and there was so much room left for development later on in the series.

And best of all, while this wasn't exactly urban fantasy (I'd call in modern fantasy), it didn't turn out to be a sneaky paranormal romance. Hate it when that happens.

A Sliver of Shadow- Allison Pang (Book 2)
Wow. I thought the first book was so-so, so I was surprised by how incredible this one was! If you are on the fence about continuing with this series, I highly recommend that you keep reading.

Vicious Circle- Linda Robertson (Book 1) 

Despite occasional lapses in writing quality, this book really picks up at the end. Overall, a strong opener in a series despite it's uneven writing.Vicious Circle- Linda Robertson (Book 1) 

Perfect You- Elizabeth Scott

Kate really can't imagine her life getting any worse. Her best friend ditched her for the popular crowd. Her older brother moved back in after college. And now her father has quit his normal job to sell Perfect You vitamins at the mall. Vitamins that no one wants to buy. Vitamins with horrible infomercials and carrot hats. As her family's financial situation becomes increasingly precarious, Kate works with her father and sells vitamins at the mall. While there, she runs into popular boy Will, the guy she can't stand…or stop fantasizing about. Soon their verbal sparring becomes something more- and Kate's never been more confused.

Perfect You is a truly touching novel. Readers will recognize their own doubts and confusion magnified in Kate. Her self-doubt continually sabotages her relationship with Will, a situation that is easy for readers to empathize with. Kate is remarkably relatable…I mean, who hasn't fantasized about that out-of-reach guy in biology (…not that I have. Much.) or felt completely confused by their own feelings? Elizabeth Scott has a unique voice and the strong ability to bring a story to life. This was the first book I've read by her, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

~bella aire~



Perfect You can be bought from Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-You-Elizabeth-Scott/dp/1416953558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225410284&sr=1-1

**Elizabeth Scott has been added to the NSCG's List of Favorite Authors

Triple Shot Bettys in Love by Jody Gehrman (review)

Geena's life tangles up rapidly in Triple Shot Bettys in Love. She's completely out of her comfort zone with the way things are heating up with her first boyfriend, Ben, and she's having difficulty keeping up. Then there's Sophie, Ben's "old friend" who is back in town with the appearance of having every intention of stealing Ben away. At school, things aren't any less simple when the gorgeous and profound new English teacher steals away all the female hearts, including that of Geena's best friend, Amber. Amber gets Geena's help to put on a sophisticated front to capture his interest. Geena, a bit besotted herself, agrees to compose messages and texts to be sent to him. In great contrast to Geena's muddled relationship with Ben is her mother's stable relationship with her new boyfriend. Nothing seems to be going right for Geena as her life grows more intricate and abstruse.

Though this book is a sequel to Gehrman's earlier Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, reading the first book is not a necessity for enjoying Triple Shot Bettys in Love, though it may prove helpful. I found this novel to be one of the most delightful I have read in months and was extremely pleased. For one thing, Geena had an impeccable taste in reading (in my opinion), with Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre ranking amongst her favorite books.
I loved the dynamic relationship between Geena and Ben and watched in horror as Sophie sabotaged it. And Sophie was truly the boyfriend stealing demon from every girl's nightmares. She proved a fashionable, sleek, and provocative opponent for a not-so-fashionable, slightly insecure skater girl like Geena. At first, readers may be unsure of Geena's views of Sophie stem from Geena's insecurities or from actuality. But by the end, readers will have no doubts of Sophie's true motives. Though Sophie may add to the problems between Geena and Ben, the greatest enemy is Geena's insecurity which is magnified when the Sophie-catalyst is added to the equation. Her feelings of inadequacy are emotions thousands of teenage girls can empathize with.

Gehrman's presentation of the steamy physical aspect of Geena and Ben's relationship was flawless. She aptly described how awkward and almost amusing certain moments can be with one's first boyfriend while other moments are delightfully intense. I felt Amber and Geena's fascination with the new English teacher a little over the top, but not so much that it distracted overly much from the general tone of the novel.

Reader's who decide to pick up Gehrman's Triple Shot Bettys in Love should not be disappointed.
~bella aire~

Triple Shot Bettys in Love (released in late January) can be preordered here:
http://www.amazon.com/Triple-Shot-Bettys-Love-Gehrman/dp/0803732481/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226615477&sr=1-2

and the first book, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, can be bought here:
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Triple-Shot-Betty-Gehrman/dp/0142412686/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226615454&sr=8-1

Undone: Outcast Season Book One by Rachel Caine (Review by Bella Aire)

Cassiel was once Djinn. But when she refused to do what she was asked, she became human.

Cassiel doesn’t like or understand humankind. To live, she has to use the power of the human Wardens, so she is partnered with the Warden Manny. Manny is somehow different from what she expected. He gives her a chance when no one else will, and he trusts her enough to introduce her to his family. As Cassiel watches Manny and his family, her views of the human race begin to change. She can no longer observe humankind distantly; now Cassiel is a participant. She forms a bond with Manny’s young daughter, Isabel, and a different sort of connection with Manny’s intense brother, Luis.

Cassiel is content to remain distant from it all until a tragedy occurs, and she is forced to partner up with Luis to prevent an unknown disaster from occurring.

I loved Cassiel’s fresh perspective as a human who doesn’t like…humans. She begins as a very cold protagonist, but that changes as the novel progresses. The longer she is human, the more kind and caring she becomes. This is especially apparent as Cassiel’s understanding of right and wrong develops, and her feelings for her fellow humans form. I loved the contrast shown between the early and late Cassiel. What surprised me was how much I liked her throughout. She doesn’t come off as the likeable sort, but I understood the choices she made in Undone.

The world Rachel Caine created, full of Wardens and Djinn, had a tremendous amount of depth and her characters were extremely convincing. Undone started off fast and never really slowed down. Putting down this book was near impossible and with good reason. A question is formed in the reader’s mind during the first few pages that isn’t answered until the closing few. Though some questions are answered, Undone doesn’t really reach a true resolution. Instead, the novel wraps up with a classic cliffhanger. One thing is for sure- Rachel Caine knows how to keep her fans reading.

It is clear that Rachel Caine knows what she’s doing where writing is concerned. When the rest of the series comes out, I will be reading them. I’m excited to have come across such superb series recently…particularly since some of my old favorites (Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Twilight Series, etc.) came to a close this past year.

Order Undone here: http://www.amazon.com/Undone-Outcast-Season-Book-1/dp/0451462610/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232504963&sr=8-4

Check out Caine's website here: http://www.rachelcaine.com/