Audiobook Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Title: Of Poseidon
Author(s): Anna Banks
Genre(s): Fantasy, Myth, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher/Date: Feiwel & Friends / May 22, 2012
Series: The Syrena Legacy (Book #1)

"Morning tide makes a great companion when you don’t want to be around people. It soothes and comforts and doesn't ask for anything. But the sun does. The higher it gets, the more I am reminded that nothing stops time. There is no escaping it.” -Emma McIntosh

Case Study 

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom... (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

Remember all the reasons I was afraid to read a book about mermaids? Well, remember the time I read a mermaid book and loved it? Yeah. This was not one of those times. I really wanted to enjoy Of Poseidon but the book had too many glaring issues for me to ignore. 

Overt Sexism

While I can appreciate what Banks was trying to accomplish by distinguishing Syrena society from human society, I didn't jive with how the female characters were portrayed. They are just these pretty little things who have no say in what they do or how they get to feel. Rayna, arguably one of the most fierce women in the book, spends all her time fighting "the man" and taking a stand. She's forced to marry Toraf against her will, without consent or even her presence. And what's worse is that in the end, she accepts it all because of a petty manipulation that incites her jealousy. And Emma, who initially backs Rayna, THINKS OF THE PLAN that wins Rayna over! Really?!

Yay, Diversity?

I would love to applaud Banks' use of diversity in this book, but unfortunately, her portrayal of a POC character leaves something to be desired. She had a great opportunity to make Chloe's character count, but instead, we're given a stereotypical shell who meets every cliché there is. SPOILER ALERT: Chloe not only dies in the first several chapters, but she dies in a less than dignified way. Her death is used solely as a device to move the plot forward. It becomes all about Emma and is totally meaningless. Not cool, Banks. Not cool.

An Unsexy Romance

The "swoonworthy" siren, Galen, is supposed to be the walking epitome of sex but I thought he was a complete douchebag. He reminded me a lot of Edward in Twilight with those "serial killer eyes" (yes, that's actually how they're described in the book), his incessant manipulation of Emma, his need for total control and the constant stalking. Seriously? Stalking is NOT sexy! There is not ONE redeemable factor about this guy, except for the fact that he's hot, and I'm sorry, but looks do not make up for a lack in personality. Galen and Emma basically have your run-of-the-mill angsty, teenage romance and I'm not in high school anymore, so I can do without the drama.

Under the Sea --- or Lack Thereof

When I read a mermaid book, I damn well expect to see a lot of the world beneath the sea. Is that really too much to ask? Of Poseidon only gives us small glimpses of the Syrena world and it wasn't enough. It's probably the only redeeming quality about the book and there's very little attention paid to it. Details and world building --- they're pretty important from what I hear. Immerse me under the sea! Also, with regard to the mythology, you do know that Triton was the SON of Posiedon, not his brother, right? Good. Now that we've cleared that up, let's move on...

Watch Your Language!

I really tend to enjoy novels that share a dual POV, which Of Poseidon does, however, there was definitely something off about it here. Banks chose to tell the tale from Emma's first person POV and Galen's third person POV and the change in tense gives the book a choppy, unpolished feel. Grammar. Tense. Structure. All components of a basic English class. Suffice it to say, I know Banks can do better.

Summary Prognosis

This book is everything I feared a mermaid book would be. Of Poseidon was a lackluster story, lacking in any real action or conflict or substance. The characters were unremarkable and in some cases, downright loathesome. Top it off with an unsexy romance and unpolished writing, and let's just say, I'm ready to release this trend back into the sea.

Rating: ★½ 

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Audiobook Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium
Author(s): Lauren Oliver
Genre(s): Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher/Release Date: HarperCollins / February 28, 2013
Series: Delirium (Book #2)

“Grief is like sinking, like being buried. I am in water the tawny color of kicked-up dirt. Every breath is full of choking. There is nothing to hold on to, no sides, no way to claw myself up. There is nothing to do but let go. Let go. Feel the weight all around you, feel the squeezing of your lungs, the slow, low pressure. Let yourself go deeper. There is nothing but bottom. There is nothing but the taste of metal, and the echoes of old things, and days that look like darkness.” -Magdalena Haloway-Tiddle

Warning: This review may contain spoilers concerning Delirium

 Case Study

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

You guys, I am totally hooked on Lauren Oliver's Delirium series. So intense. So many emotions!

Pandemonium begins immediately after the events of Delirium with Lena's daring escape in to the Wilds... without Alex. While Delirium had the whimsy factor, Pandemonium was all about the action... and drama. Pandemonium reminded me of Catching Fire in a way --- the plot lines are similar but the stakes are higher, the revelations, bigger and bolder. Delirium introduces us to Lena but Pandemonium opens us up to so much more of her world and the politics behind it. Basically, they're headed for all out war.
  
The book is told in two sections, Now and Then and the contrast between past and present is effective in building the tension in the story. It's never confusing or boring and it really highlights the growth of these characters while providing a constant sense of intrigue. And if that's not enough to keep you reading, Oliver's beautiful prose will. True to form, every word has its place, every sentence, its purpose. No word or chapter is wasted. Every page leaves its mark. And this is why I am and will be a forever fan.

One of the most remarkable things about this book is Lena's personal journey and growth. She experiences the aftermath of losing her one and only love and is forced to deal with survivor's guilt. She has to start anew and rebuild her life in the Wilds. And that's another thing I loved, seeing the infamous Wilds. Things are hard for Lena, life there is hard in general. It's not the fantasy world that Lena originally imagined. People suffer and people die. But after spending some time in the Wilds, Lena learns to become a fighter. Her transformation is earnest, believable and not without its share of hardships. She's not handed anything and her friend and savior, Raven, sees to that. Lena earns her place with Raven and the gang and that's really rewarding to see.

I wasn't a huge fan of the romance in Pandemonium, as admittedly, I am a Lena-Alex shipper. Lena and Julian progress slowly, in a very natural sort of way, from overt wariness to gradual friendship then to something more. It's a slow, simmering sort of burn. Don't get me wrong, I understood the development of her feelings for Julian, but that doesn't mean I have to like them. It's interesting that Lena and Julian's relationship mimics the path that Lena and Alex took when they first met, only the roles are very much reversed. Lena is to Julian in Pandemonium what Alex was to Lena in Delirium. Eventually, Julian experiences the same progression that Lena did with concern to delira amor nervosa and he turns out to be a great character. He's one of those people who was initially shaped by his environment but as soon as you take him away from that, he really flourishes. Then there's Lena, who went from this scrappy, lost girl to this bad-ass, hard-edged, self-sufficient woman. She's a fighter. She fights for who she loves, what she believes in and for, well, love itself. 

  
And you've got to admire a girl like that.

Summary Prognosis

Pandemonium is everything you could want and love in a series sequel. With serious character growth, amped up stakes and lots of dramatic tension, it had me hooked from the first page. And trust me, you're gonna want to stick around for that ending --- holy cliffhanger, Batman! I think, deep down, I knew it was coming but no amount of preparation could lessen the shock of it. It's a beautiful story and has solidified itself as one of my top book series EVER. 

Rating: ★★★★½

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Audiobook Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author(s): Lauren Oliver
Genre(s): Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher/Date: HarperCollins / February 7, 2012
Series: Delirium (Book #1)

“Love: a single word, a wispy thing, a word no bigger or longer than an edge. That's what it is: an edge; a razor. It draws up through the center of your life, cutting everything in two. Before and after. The rest of the world falls away on either side.” -Magdalena Haloway-Tiddle

Case Study

Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

Guys. Guess what!? I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!

I have it bad. A serious case of derliria amor nervosa. I am completely, hopelessly and totally in love with Delirium. I know I'm a little late to the game when it comes to Lauren Oliver's books and I don't know why I've avoided this series for so long, but better late than never, right? 

In Delirium, Oliver has created a unique dystopian society, one where love and passion and feeling is a sickness, something to be avoided and feared and cured. It's really quite brilliant and so, so scary. Just imagine a world without love, and not just love, but a world without pain or hate or fiery passion. The cure for amor deliria nervosa renders people into shells of their former selves. Their vibrancy is gone. They are zombie-like. They don't feel. They don't care and people who don't care are capable of doing terrible things because they lack compassion, the ability to relate. There's no remourse or responsibility for their actions. It's all about duty and safety and security in this highly regulated society. Just think about it. What kind of life is that? A life like that, even one without pain, is not a life worth living and that's what our MC, Lena, eventually learns. 

I loved watching Lena's transformation from a silly, obedient, little girl into a strong, vibrant, self-aware woman. At first, she was kind of hard to relate to. She was so young and naive, not questioning anything or anyone around her. It was frustrating. But it was also authentic given the narrowness and control required to live in her world. The more you start to understand her world, the more she starts to grow on you. She's more than just a shell and as you get to know her, you unearth this dazzling fighter. She fights for what she believes in and for the people she loves. She's inspiring. And while we're speaking of love, I LOVED her friendship with Hana. I LOVED her relationship with Alex. There is depth to each of these relationships, they're layered and they aren't perfect which lends to their believability.

I really enjoyed the intros to each new chapter. Oliver begins with a relevant philosophy of the time or commandment from The Book of Shh, which added to the authenticity of the dystopian environment. And she's done a great job of crafting such a scary world with her vivid imagery and incredible world-building. This truly has to be one of the most beautifully written stories I've ever read. Oliver has a way with words, a way of making a sentence seem like it's the most lyrical and poetic thing in the world. I also have to give Sarah Drew some serious cred for her narration of the audiobook. She is definitely one of my favourite narrators. Everything about her performance was perfect, she added so much dimension to the words, so much soul. 

My experience with Delirium was a little like Lena's journey --- I started out wary, scared. But the more I read, the more I learned, the more I was wooed by Oliver's gorgeous prose and engaging characters, the more I began to fall. It was like fireworks exploded within me. It touched me and it's hard to put into words just how much it blew me away. This book is a profound whirlwind of depth and beauty and emotion. This book makes you feel things, amazing things, so much so that you want to cry and laugh and live. It's been a long time since a book has really made me feel this way and it's so freaking incredible. THIS is the power of words. THIS is why I am and always will be a reader. Because of books and authors and moments and feelings like this.

Summary Prognosis

Delirium is a thought-provoking, gorgeous story about passion and love and fighting for what one believes in. This book will make you think and feel things and want so much more. Oliver's prose is poetic and her characters, layered and relatable. And the narration by Sarah Drew is incredible --- she's one of the best narrators I've ever heard. It's been a long time since a book has made me feel so much and I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. Oliver has found herself another unabashed fangirl and I can't wait to finish the rest of this series.

Rating: ★★★★★

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Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Cruel Beauty
Author(s): Rosamund Hodge
Genre(s): Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher/Date: Balzer + Bray / January 28, 2014
Series: Stand Alone

“You were sent here to die. You were the one that was not needed, was not wanted, and they sent you here because they knew you would never come back.” -Ignifex

Case Study

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

Beauty & the Beast is one of the world's most recognized fairy tales. But have you ever wondered what this whimsical tale might look like if you fused it with the brutality of ancient Greco-Roman mythology? You'd get a story that's resoundingly familiar yet undeniably unconventional. You'd get Cruel Beauty.

Cruel Beauty garnered quite a bit of buzz in the YA community in that people either loved it or they hated it. Books like this are always a gamble but I'm a big fan of fairy tales and mythology so I decided to give it take the chance. I'm really glad I did.Though Cruel Beauty is marketed primarily as a retelling of Beauty & the Beast, I found it to be more Greek myth than fairy tale. And if you're familiar with Greco-Roman mythos, you'll see notes of it everywhere. It's in the bones, from the setting to the history and definitely in the romance.  Cruel Beauty is one of those books that's inspired by rather than retold, and for that, I admire it.

Based on some of the other reviews, I was expecting grandiose info dumps and an overly convoluted plot. Fortunately, I didn't see much of that anywhere. I thought the world-building was concise, enough for me to get a good sense of what the kingdom looked like and how it functioned. There's a lot going on and it's easy to get lost so I saw the descriptiveness as a necessary thing. Like I loved the imaginative descriptions of the Gentle Lord's house. I loved how it changed and flowed and had a life of its own. The house feels like a living, breathing, sentient being. Through Hodge's rich descriptions, the house becomes a character in its own right and THAT is the mark of a talented author.

But probably my favourite thing about this book is its characters. Nyx is quite the unlikeable character. In fact, she's downright mean. But she's also incredibly complex and given her situation, being raised as a sacrifice, you totally understand why she is the way that she is. She's bitter and angry and vengeful and I totally felt for her. It makes her hard and hostile and bad-ass. I mean, she punches her demon husband in the face. PUNCHES. HIM. IN. THE. FACE. And I totally want to be her BFF because of it. And then there's Ignifex, the Gentle Lord. The bad guy of all bad guys. But he's not really so bad. Well, he is but he's got his reasons for being so devilish. He's a tortured guy. Like Nyx, he's suffered and that suffering has turned him into an unforgiving, iron-fisted ruler. And it's that suffering that makes him and Nyx the ideal couple.

Oh yeah. Speaking of Ignifex and Nyx, let me just talk about their romance for a second. I don't typically like stories solely for the romance, but man, I TOTALLY did here. I ship Nyx and Ignifex SO hard. I loved everything about them --- their cruel banter to the gradual softening towards one another --- it was incredibly entertaining. They go from hate to tolerate to mutual understanding to love in a beautiful way. Now there is a love triangle in the book, however, it's not your average love triangle. It doesn't permeate the whole of the story and, thankfully, is resolved quickly and in a unique sort of way. As for Shade, I wasn't really a big fan. Like the other characters, there is more to him than meets the eye but I was never really sure what to think of him.

Aside from the incredible character development, I also have to give Hodge mad props for the uniqueness of this story. She blends fairy tale elements and classic mythology in a way that's fresh, exciting and new. There's a lot going on in this book but she fuses it together in a way that makes sense. You get lost in it entirely. And this is why I think a lot of us love fairy tales. Because they entrance you and encapsulate you in a fantasy, in a thing of beauty. And this is what makes Cruel Beauty so successful. It's whimsical and terrifying and beautiful and cruel all at the same time. So yes, while Cruel Beauty does have its issues, generally speaking, they didn't hinder my enjoyment of the overall story. This is one of those books where its strength lies more in its characters than in the plot. There's magic in it, everywhere, and it completely captivated me, like any good fairy tale will do.

Summary Prognosis

Cruel Beauty is an interesting blend of fairy tale and mythology. Though the foundations of the story are somewhat familiar, the character and scenery are unforgettable. There are parts to the book (i.e. - the ending) that are a tad confusing, but overall, Hodge has given us something fresh and beautiful. My fondness for the book lies more in its character and breathtaking world building than its convoluted plot. This book has the SHIP of all SHIPS, so if you're looking for something to sail then this book is definitely for you!

Rating: ★★★★½
 

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Will You Be My Fictional Valentine?

It's no secret that we all have our favourite book boyfriends, but this Valentine's Day, I'd like to take some time to honour a few of my very first fictional loves. Before there was Sturmhond there was Casey Jones. Before there was Ignifex, there was Inigo. Before Peeta and Four and Ronan there was Shawn (Hunter) and JTT and Zack (Morris). And you know what... almost 15 years later, they still hold a special place in my heart.

So how about it, fellas, will you be my fictional Valentine?

Casey Jones (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride), Uncle Jesse (Full House), Jonathan Taylor Thomas (from anything), Shawn Hunter (Boy Meets World), Clark Kent/Superman (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) & Zack Morris (Saved By The Bell)

Happy Valentine's Day! So tell me, who were some of your first fictional loves? Do you share the same passion for 80's and 90's boys as I do?

Mini Reviews: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by HP Mallory & Club Monstrosity by Jesse Petersen

Title: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble
Author(s): H.P. Mallory
Genre(s): Chick-Lit, Paranormal Romance
Publisher/Date: Self-Published / February 20, 2012
Series: Jolie Wilkins (Book #1)

Life isn't bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn't have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend. Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she's a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost's demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life! Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Summary Prognosis

Honestly, I don't even know where to start when it comes to this book. So much to say and none of it positive. What I thought might be an entertaining blend of Beautiful Creatures meets True Blood ended up being a train wreck of shallowness, misogyny and flimsy plots. Mallory is an ineffectual storyteller in that she doesn't show us anything, instead, we're smacked in the face with every little fact/detail, so frequently that it's somewhat insulting. She lacks the subtlety and consistency that is characteristic of more seasoned writers. And for the magic in the story to be believable there has to be a set of rules in that world and in this case, there are none. Everything happens too conveniently. There are no limitations and I just wasn't buying it. Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble doesn't deliver anything new in the genre. It's one of those books where you've seen it all before. 

My other big problem with this book was the characters. Every one of them is unlikeable because they're either stupid, vapid or utterly useless. Jolie, our MC, is the a-typical ordinary girl with extraordinary power who cares more about a man's looks than his actual personality. And the men, nearly every one of them is controlling, arrogant or evil. The best example of this is our main man, Rand, who stoops to using the temptation of sex in a vain attempt to control our MC. If I'm being frank, the only thing this book succeeded in doing was making me want to throw it at the wall. I bought this audiobook hoping for something craptastic --- light and fun --- instead, I got something that was TERRIBAD. So yeah. This series is not for me.

Rating: ★½  

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Title: Club Monstrosity
Author(s): Jesse Petersen
Genre(s): Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Vampires
Publisher/Date: Pocket Star / April 29, 2013
Series: Monstrosity (Book #1)

Natalie’s one of Frankenstein’s creations and works in a New York City morgue. So of course she needs therapy. She and her friends—er, fellow monsters—have formed the world’s most exclusive, most dysfunctional support group. What could go wrong? Undetected in the modern world and under pressure to stay that way, Natalie Grey, Dracula, Bob the Blob, and others (including the fetching wolfman Alec) meet regularly to talk about the pressures of being infamous in the Big Apple. Topics include how long it’s been since their last sighting, how their “story” creates stereotypes they can’t fulfill, and—gasp—sometimes even their feelings. But when their pervy Invisible Man, Ellis, is killed in a manner reminiscent of the H.G. Wells novel, it’s clear someone’s discovered their existence and is down for some monster busting. Led by Natalie—and definitely not helped by Hyde’s bloodthirsty tendencies—the members of Monstofelldosis Anonymous band together for security and a little sleuthing. And maybe—maybe—if they don’t end up dead, they’ll end up friends somewhere along the way. (synopsis from Goodreads)

Summary Prognosis

I've been a long-time fan of Jesse Petersen's Living with the Dead series. Her books are some of my go-to reads --- witty, entertaining and snarky as hell --- so it was a no brainer for me to pick up Club Monstrosity. The concept of monsters in a self-help group is so great. C'mon, it's MONSTERS IN A SELF-HELP CLUB! We get to see how a Frankenstein's monster, the Blob, the Invisible Man, a mummy, Dracula, a werewolf, a swamp monster and Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde are all coping in modern day America, that is, until they start being offed in the same fashion as in their horror stories. Hell yes! Where do I sign up? This book was pretty much what I expected it would be --- quick, easy and fun. While it wasn't quite as gripping as Petersen's other series, I definitely enjoyed reading it. The only real quirk that got me were the random POV swaps between two of the main characters. They occur right in the middle of scenes so it makes it difficult to discern who's speaking. Other than that, I found it to be a quirky concept with some really cool characters. While I do prefer Petersen's other books, I will definitely continue reading this series too.

Rating: ★★★

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Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author(s): Jennifer E. Smith
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher/Date: Poppy/Little Brown / January 2, 2012
Series: Stand Alone

“The idea that their paths might have easily not crossed leaves her breathless, like a near-miss accident on a highway, and she can't help marveling at the sheer randomness of it all. Like any survivor of chance, she feels a quick rush of thankfulness, part adrenaline and part hope.” -Hadley Sullivan

Case Study

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? 

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row. 

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more? 

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

Anyone who knows me knows that I scoff at the idea of "love at first sight." I'm sorry but I just don't buy it. Insta-love = insta-turn-off. I guess I'm cynical like that.

So if that's true, you're probably wondering why on earth I'd read a book like this. Well, I'll tell you why. Because I was once a single, young girl who traveled on a plane and met a nice, single, young boy. Between our time in the air and a lunch date at the airport, we spent 6 awesome hours together. We connected. No, it wasn't love and we never had a happily ever after. We did keep in touch online for about a year but that was all. It was merely a connection and a memorable story. So when a book comes along about a girl meeting a boy in an airport, naturally, I was eager to check it out (and maybe compare it to my own experience).

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is more than what it seems. Though it may be a love story upon first glance, there's so much more to it if you're willing to dig beneath the surface. It's a deeply personal story about maturity, growth and forgiveness. It's a story about between a daughter and her estranged father. Honestly, I was more taken with the relationship between Hadley and her father than I was with the one between Hadley and Oliver.

Sure, I enjoyed watching the journey unfold between Hadley and Oliver. Their romance was cute, a far cry from insta-love. But Hadley's journey towards reconciliation with her father was much more touching and relatable. To say their relationship was tense is an understatement. It was downright hostile. Divorce is hard, especially when one parent seems to be moving on more quickly than the other. As a kid, it's a difficult thing to experience so I can really appreciate how tough a journey acceptance can be. I think Smith handled the topic with honesty and grace. Both Hadley and her father made mistakes along the way but I liked that, by the end, they were able to reach an understanding and start forgiving one another.

“Hadley realises that even though everything else is different, even though there's still an ocean between them, nothing really important has changed at all. He's still her dad. The rest is just geography.” 

There you can really see just how much Hadley has matured. And for someone as cynical as me, that personal journey was so much more satisfying than the romantic one. How great is that!? I went into it hoping for a small reminder of times past and came out with so much more.

Summary Prognosis

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a quick, cute and easy read. Though the romance may be what initially draws you in, it's the compelling and troubled relationship between a girl and her dad that will keep you there. Full of poetic prose, it promises lots of quote-worthy quips and sound advice. I recommend it for lovers and cynics alike!


Rating: ★★★★


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Book Review: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

 

Title: Beautiful Bastard
Author(s): Christina Lauren
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance - Erotica
Publisher/Date: Gallery Books / February 12, 2013
Series: Beautiful Bastard (Book #1)

"Something in our relationship was shifting, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it No matter how many times we said it never happen again, it would. I was terrified that this man, who was all wrong for me, had more control over my body than I did, no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise. I didn't want to be the woman who sacrified her ambitions for a man.“ -Chloe Mills

Case Study

An ambitious intern.
A perfectionist executive.
And a whole lot of name calling.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He's exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family's massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who'd been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he's never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe's so tempting he's willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they're willing to lose in order to win each other. (synopsis from Goodreads)

The Game's Afoot

Let me just preface this review with the following statement: never did I ever imagine I'd read erotica, and not just any erotica, but erotic FAN-FICTION. I've never really understood the appeal. I had friends who read 50 Shades of Grey and barely made it out alive so my plan was to stay far, far away from the genre. But look at me now. I'm reading erotica and I LIKE it. Yep. Go me!

Beautiful Bastard was just the sort of mindless entertainment I was looking for. It's the story of willful, career-oriented Chloe Mills and the sadistically sexual relationship she has with her asshole boss, Bennett Ryan. Let me sum up the general gist of their relationship for you:

In other words, it's SO not healthy!

Yeah. Not good. And where I imagine in most other erotic fiction, this is considered sexy, to me, not so much. Then again, this isn't your typical erotica. The key difference is that Chloe Mills is a dominant, strong-willed and career oriented kind of woman. When she enters into this sick relationship with her boss, her legitimate concerns don't fly out the window, it's not all about the guy. She is her own person and she never loses sight of that. And where Bennett initially holds all the cards, the power shifts over the course of the book and ends up in Chloe's hands. I won't go as far as to say this is the deepest story I've ever read, but there is more substance than what I initially expected.

Beautiful Bastard's roots come from Twilight. That's right. It's Twilight fan-fiction. And where I can certainly see the parallels now, it doesn't smack you in the face as being a total ripoff either. Honestly, if you didn't tell me, I probably wouldn't have even known which is a good thing.

But what you're probably wondering about most is the sex, because it is erotic.

Between fitting room romps, panty-hoarding and blue balls, it's hot. Rather, it starts off hot but slowly transitions from just sex to love. Beautiful Bastard is smexy, deliciously trashy and a whole lotta fun. And after pulling a 60 hour work week, it was just the kind fluff I needed. I certainly enjoyed the story, which goes to show you, don't judge a book by its genre.

Summary Prognosis

Beautiful Bastard surprised me---partly because I never thought I'd enjoy erotica but mostly because the content actually wasn't bad. The writing was decent, the story was hella entertaining and the smexy parts were kinda hot. Kinda, It's one of those stories you pick up because you know you're not going to have to think, and despite all that, you still walk away feeling oddly satisfied (in more ways than one). WINK WINK.


Rating: ★★★½


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