Category Archives: 5 Flames

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Source: Publisher
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Westside Books (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193481315X
• ISBN-13: 978-1934813157

SYNOPSIS:

While most seniors at her high school are worrying about prom and final exams, seventeen-year-old Sam is desperately trying to save her best friend Jesse’s life. He has a rare, treatment-resistant form of cancer, and his odds of survival aren’t good; he may have only ten months left to live. Through every bit of his pain and anguish, Sam has been by his side—through the grueling, aggressive treatments and their awful aftermath, to sleeping in his room when he’s afraid to be alone. Best friends and neighbors since preschool, Jesse and Sam’s friendship is changing. Now they’re falling in love, and the bond between them grows stronger even as Jesse weakens. Will they have a happy ending…or will their story end in heartbreak? 

MY THOUGHTS:

There are books that move you, but then there are books that move you so much that you aren’t even sure where to begin in a review. This book moved me so much, that I couldn’t even bring myself to review this book until the next day because I cried so much just thinking about it.

Jesse and Sam have been friends since they were toddlers.  Everything is going great until one night during the school play, Jesse is struck with horrible pain.  While in the hospital, Jesse finds out he has cancer.  A form of cancer that will kill him no matter what treatment he undergoes.  Sam is with him the whole time. Jesse doesn’t want anyone around him except his childhood friend Sam.  There friendship is so sweet that you can’t help but cry at that alone during the book.  During his process of chemo and such, Sam is with Jesse every step of the way. Her grades are failing in school, yet she is determined to be there for Jesse.  Their friendship evolves into something more and their love is shown on each page you read.  From the beginning of page one, to the very last word on the last page, you will be swept up in the pain, love and honesty that the author brings to the book.

I had a very hard time reading this book because of the way their friendship grows into so much more and knowing in my heart what would happen.  Through Jesse’s poetry and Sam’s struggle of coping, you will find yourself struggling to just make it to the next chapter without having to grab a box of Kleenex.  I had to set the book down several times and convince myself to go on because I was crying so hard.  This book left an impression on me so much that I am still thinking about this book the next day and crying while I write this.

Finding a book that leaves an impression on you like this is a rare find for me. I usually can accept in my mind that it is fiction and move on.  Yet with this book, it left such an impression with me that I can’t stop thinking about the last few pages and instantly crying.

A book that will touch your heart and leave you with a lasting impression of true love and friendship. I am so glad to have found this book and look forward to more of this writing style from this author.

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

ALL I EVER WANTED
Author: Kristan Higgins
Source: FSB Media
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (July 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373774583
• ISBN-13: 978-0373774586

SYNOPSIS:

One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair…

and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol’ Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company’s new Miss Perfect. If that isn’t bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town’s not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark’s attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals…. So he’s formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it’s time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn’t shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont’s unlikeliest eligible bachelor…. 

MY THOUGHTS:

I love finding great contemporary romance books that capture me from the first page! Author Kristan Higgins did another fantastic job with her newest book All I Ever Wanted!

I loved the laugh out loud dialogue and the sweet and perfectly paced love story of Ian and Callie. Callie seemed a little too cheery at times but I guess if my mother was a mortician, my sister a fertility doctor, and living with a grumpy smart mouth Grandpa, I would try to be cheery all the time as well. Ian seemed a little stuffy and rude at first, but once you read into the story he grows on you and opens up as to why he is like this. I couldn’t stand the characters of Muriel and Mark. I wanted to throw the book at the wall each time I had to read their actions and dialogue! Yet, through everything that Callie and Ian suffer through, the ending left me feeling the flutters of butterflies! Their love was so sweet and the way Ian declares his love for Callie is so typical of his personality. My only two drawbacks really of the story was the ending seemed too fast paced–almost rushed, and the long detailed paragraphs that could have been shortened.

I truly can’t wait to see what the author brings us next time. I have already ordered more of her books to read and loved her writing! A great read for the romance lover at heart!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

FAR FROM YOU
Author: Lisa Schroeder

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse; 1 edition (January 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416975071
• ISBN-13: 978-1416975076

SYNOPSIS:

Lost and alone down the rabbit hole. 

Alice thought she knew
what solitude was:
Her mother—gone
Her father—remarried with a newborn
daughter.
Now…
trapped
in the icy embrace
of a deadly snowstorm
Alice faces the true meaning of loneliness.
But hope
may not be as far away
as she thinks….

MY THOUGHTS:

I am not a big fan of books written in verse.  I have a hard time finding authors who can pull it off without the plot getting jumbled.  However, as I started to read this book, I fell in love with this style of writing.

The author pulled a rabbit out of her hat and let the plot flow gracefully.  I enjoyed the characters and the author was able to tell her story through verse without the confusion that is sometimes found with verse.  I loved the journey that Alice is involved in.  I loved how she acted like a normal teenager with real problems.  I could understand how she felt about having a stepmother and new sister on the way.  You could actually feel the hurt and abandonment that Alice feels through the words on the page.

Then when they get stuck in the storm, Alice has a moment where everything becomes clear and has a new outlook on everything.  She can see the actual person behind the role of stepmother and shocks herself in her discovery.  Everything the author writes in this book is perfect. She was able to impress me with the writing style of verse.  A rabbit hole that I am glad to have fallen into and joined on the adventure.

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

FORGET YOU
Author: Jennifer Echols
Source: Around The World Tours

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: MTV; Original edition (July 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439178232
• ISBN-13: 978-1439178232

SYNOPSIS:
WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . .  AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?  There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.  But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.  

MY THOUGHTS:

WOW! Amazing! Astounding! Breathtaking! Unforgettable!

Okay I assume you are wanting more of a review than just that one line. If I were to try and describe this book though, I am afraid I would give up spoilers and basically, I also don’t think I could do it justice.  This is the first book that I have been able to read so far by this author.  I have heard about her writing and how well she can create a story, but I never fully understood what this author is capable of.  So instead of trying to describe a brilliant book, I am just going to give you my opinions on the characters.

Zoey – I actually liked Zoey. She has been through a lot. Between her jerk of a father and mom who is a little mentally unstable, she has held herself together pretty well.  The one thing I didn’t like about her though, was how she automatically assumes since she slept with Brandon–knowing his personality–that they are a couple because of one night of sex in a vehicle. 

Brandon – A football jock who thinks he is a sex God.  Yeah, that just about sums him up.  He has been friends with Zoey for awhile and they are like best friends.  He always comes to Zoey for advice on girls and she always gives it to him.

Doug – Ah, Doug. The bad boy of the book who spent time in juvie and got suspended from school for fighting. He has had a crush on Zoey for a long time, but everyone is afraid of him.  You can’t help but fall for Doug throughout the book.  I hate how long it takes Zoey to figure this out!

All I can say is if you haven’t read this book yet then you are missing out.  You really need to go buy it and dive into this book! I know I will be buying it and the rest of her books as well!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

THE FIRE LORD’S LOVER
Author: Kathryne Kennedy
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (July 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402236522
• ISBN-13: 978-1402236525

SYNOPSIS:


If his powers are discovered, his father will destroy him…
In a magical land ruled by ruthless Elven lords, the Fire Lord’s son Dominic Raikes plays a deadly game to conceal his growing might from his malevolent father-until his arranged bride awakens in him passions he thought he had buried forever…

Unless his fiancée kills him first…
Lady Cassandra has been raised in outward purity and innocence, while secretly being trained as an assassin. Her mission is to bring down the Elven Lord and his champion son. But when she gets to court she discovers that nothing is what it seems, least of all the man she married…
Then Dominic and Cassandra together uncover an unspeakable evil, one that threatens the destruction of the magical realm they would give their souls to save…

MY THOUGHTS:

I haven’t read too many books involving elves, unless you want to count the ElfQuest comics and books.  So I thought I would give this one a try.

This is book one in a series by author Kathryne Kennedy. She is a new to me author as well.   I loved the characters that the author introduced us to. Cassandra was easy to like, but Dominic wasn’t. He was cold  and closed off.  Yet, even with these characteristics, the author was able to portray him as a character that would grow on me. The author involved fantasy and historical romance that you don’t see too often.  She combined the two genre’s and pulled it off wonderfully.

This book left me wanting more.  I found a new series that has captivated me from a new author that has a new fan! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS