My Thoughts: Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt….

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year—and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister’s impending death. Can he accept Alex’s love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel.

I was SO excited when I heard that Ellen Hopkins was bringing Tilt into existence. I had read and reviewed it's adult companion, Triangles, late last year and I really enjoyed it. However I did wonder if the youth in the novel would be making an appearance in their own novel. I was sure that their story needed to be told.

There were a number of teens that Hopkins could have "picked" from when writing this novel. However, she knew what she was doing when she chose to write the stories of Mikayla, Shane and Harley. They were the perfect protagonists.

If you have read Hopkins before I am pretty sure you will not be disappointed with this novel. However Tilt is not like most of her other novels. In saying that his one wasn't as heavy or emotionally exhausting as her previous novels. Don't get me wrong. This one deals with serious issues such as aids, teen pregnancy, drugs, and date rape. But the story is less gut wrenching.

First we have Mikayla- She's 17 and rebelling strongly against all parental authority. She is also madly in love with her new boyfriend. When she finds herself pregnant she is lost and not sure what to do. She is conflicted and this is something Hopkins does well conveying these emotions. We know Mikayla is confused and unsure and we know that she feels like she has no one to turn to. As I was reading this I was heart broken for this girl. She was convinced that she loved this boy and that he loved her and they could figure this out together. it was very sad.

We then have Shane- I think Shane's story is the most heart wrenching of the book. He's a sixteen year old homosexual teenager. Who is in a relationship with a boy he adores but who is very sick. He has a broken relationship with his father due to his sexuality. So, when his sister dies Shane really loses it. I ached for this kid. Everything he had to experience was incredible.

Finally there is Harley- She was the one that annoyed me the most. This is mainly because the decisions she was making were ridiculous. She was the one who was the most insecure and therefore the most outgoing, if that makes sense. She faked it till she made it. She tried to find acceptance in all the wrong places. This really bothered me because I know that this isn't  how it needs to be. Harley is a sweet girl and she has a good heart and what she is looking for she deserves. But she's just to self involved to recognize when she's got it wrong.

Tilt is written in Hopkins' standard verse, and it's beautiful. It really adds to the story. I think that's what makes these stories so much more then your standard issues novels.  But the way she writes her stories really gets you thinking. Which is a good thing.

The one thing that I didn't really like about this novel was the timeline. Much of Tilt's timeline overlapped with Triangles timeline. So a number of the events were the same and they were expected. This is only an issue for those who have read Triangles. I wanted to know how the kids were doing after the events in Triangles. Tilt did extend past the Triangles timeline but not much. But other than that, this novel was pretty near perfect. SO go read it.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

My Thoughts: Bared to you & Reflected in You by Sylvia Day

Our journey began in fire... Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness-beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily... Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds... and desires. The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...








I read both Bared to You and Reflected in You one right after the other, and finished both within three days I think. And I have VERY strong opinions in regards to these two books and I thought I would do some mini reviews on both of them. Normally I don't review erotic novels on the blog, however, with the incredible amount of attention Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James has received I felt like I needed to address a few things.

The two books in the Crossfire series by Sylvia Day have been strongly compared to the Fifty Shades series.   The characters were the same, the plot was similar. The whole thing reeked of Fifty Shades. Upon reading the first installment in the series- Bared to You- I have to agree. It was Fifty Shades exactly. In a number of ways this isn't a smart move for any author, however for Sylvia Day I think it was kind of Brilliant. She was able to capitalize on the Fifty Shades phenomena perfectly. In all consideration what isn't great about the Fifty Shades concept? An unbelievably rich, incredibly attractive guy becoming overwhelmingly obsessed with an average, nothing terribly special girl. But wait, the guy is broken. He has serious issues he needs to work though. It's almost to good to be true.

But, I am getting a head of myself. I wanted to talk about Bared to You.

Day's writing is LOADS better than that of EL James. Bared to You introduces us to Eva an 24 year old woman living in New York with her best friend. She gets a job in a building owned by Gideon Cross, whom she meets almost right away, and begins an affair to remember. However, both have their issues, and Gideon isn't very forthcoming on what those issues are. Day knows how to develop her characters, she knows how to capture her audience with intense situations and authentic dialogue. She has the ability to engage her readers and provoke strong emotions within them. Overall Sylvia Day is a good writer, and Bared to You was a good story.

However...

Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest of pleasures. I couldn't stay away. I didn't want to. He was my addiction... my every desire... mine.

My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We’d never work. It was too hard, too painful... except when it was perfect. Those moments when the driving hunger and desperate love were the most exquisite insanity. We were bound by our need. And our passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession...






While I really enjoyed Bared to You. I HATED Reflected in You. Why? Because Gideon Cross is a horrible horrible man. I don't know if my complete and utter distaste for this novel is a wonderful example of how genius Sylvia Day is as a writer or if she is just really extreme.

With Reflected in You we are knee deep into the story. Gideon and Eva have had their troubles but for the most part are living blissfully. Right? No, not at all. Gideon Cross is the most controlling, self involved, obsessive man I have ever read about. He is very abusive, and I do not use that word lightly. There is one point in the novel where Eva wants to attend a concert with friends and invited Gideon, he goes with her, however, he states frankly that if he had been unable to attend she would not have been allowed to go. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?! He was basically telling her that she was not allowed to go anywhere without him. What is even more infuriating is that Eva just accepted it. She would resist a little than concede- Because she loved him! This is not ok. Not at all.

There were certain plot points I also did not enjoy in this novel. Gideon's games were annoying. He would do something and be incredibly vague about what he was doing and again Eva would just accept it. She barely questioned him. When Anna wanted to do something, or needed to be independent, Christian Grey would allow it, he wouldn't like it but he would hardly forbid her from doing it. However when Eva would resist, she would tell Gideon, he would turn up at night and basically screw her brains out, and then all was well.

That was a common theme in the two novels. Gideon and Eva both used sex as a band aid. Whenever there was conflict in their relationship one or the other would use their sexual prowess to convince the other that it wasn't a big deal, or to persuade the other that all was well. I can see this working/happening once or twice. But every time. Really? No. Granted this was something the therapist in the novel was addressing. Another things that was amusing about Reflected in You. Gideon and Eva have been together all of two minutes and they are already in couple counselling. RED FLAG anyone!!

In saying all this, I am curious about the third installment- Entwined with You- which is due out in May. Perhaps by this time I will have forgotten all about my fury at Gideon Cross and have zero bias when I read it. I would like to see if Sylvia Day is able to redeem this character.  Because he was seriously atrocious! It's almost funny how disgusting a human being he is- well, a fictional human being. Because at this point I would take Christian Grey over Gideon Cross any day.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

Teaser Tuesday #29

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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Seeing as today is the much anticipated release of The Evolution of Mara Dyer, and I am about a third of the way through the novel and I am completely addicted, I am going to give you a snippet of what you can expect.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

'"Sometimes, Noah, I feel an overwhelming urge to punch you in the face."
An arrogant grin crept across his mouth.
"That doesn't help."' 

(P.57 of ARC)






I have also included the book trailer for the novel- which is pretty awesome, if I may say so myself.

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

My Thoughts: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpartick

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?




There is something seriously awesome about reading a YA contemporary after an incredibly stressful week. Sitting down with a book you know is going to be chalk full of cheesy lines, encounters that make you go awww, and drama, yes lots of drama, is just so relaxing. So after the few days I had last week, My Life Next Door was exactly what I needed. I gobbled this book up. It took me no time at all to read it, and I loved it. Absolutely. Huntley Fitzpatrick is up there with Stephanie Perkins and Sarah Dessen in terms of contemporary YA authors as far as I'm concerned.

My Life Next Door begins with The Garretts moving into the house next to the Reeds. They are a large and boisterous family- as the blurb above mentions, the Garretts are everything the Reeds are not, everything Ms.Reed isn't- and she has no problem vocalizing her disdain for the family, and letting her girls know they are not to socialize with the neighbouring family. This however, doesn't stop Samantha from forming a relationship with one of the Garrett boys-Jase.

I really liked how Jase and Samantha's relationship developed. While I will be the first to say that it wasn't exactly realistic and relationships don't happen like that. It was easy to fall for them both. Jase pushed passed Samantha's comfort zone, he befriended her first, invited her into his life. And before you know it, they're kissing each other. I liked the transition in their relationship and I liked how they were together. The two characters were still able to be individuals while still being together.

The characters are what made this book. Both Jase and Samantha were wonderfully written. I loved Jase's loyalty to his family. He loved them, and he was one responsible seventeen year old. The parts of the book that involved the Garretts were my favourite. What an incredible family. I am SO hopeful that Fitzpatrick will include them in her future books, because they were really great. I am sure that every review of this book will mention George, what an awesome little boy. His irrational fear of death, just about killed me laughing (no pun intended). The kid was quick and witty and how could you not love him. Andy was a hysterical fourteen year old and I loved how she had no problems talking about things such as dating and kissing with her older brother and mother. The Garretts had a special bond.

I also think Tim- Samantha's best friend's twin brother- was an incredibly diverse character. And if he were to be featured in upcoming Fitzpatrick novels I would have no problem with that either. He went through some major character development in My Life Next Door, and it was beautiful. I still believe there is a lot of work that needs to be done in his life (possible future book's plot?), but he'll be fine. I loved seeing him and Jase become friends, I loved seeing  Samantha's friendship with him evolve.

The overall plot is good, however it's not spectacular. I will say-without, hopefully, giving to much away- that Samantha has some major decisions to make in the novel and I thought that this moral dilemma was very well done, and unique.

Overall, My Life Next Door was really good. The characters were fabulous, the dialogue was quick and on the ball,and the story was good. I really enjoyed this read and Huntley Fitzpatrick is on my list of authors to keep a watch for.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

Top Ten Tuesday (5)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at The Broke and Bookish.

Top 10 Favorite Authors In X Genre

This week's Top Ten Tuesday lets you choose your favorite authors in a specific genre, be it sci-fi, romance,  nonfiction....anything that strikes your fancy! I have chosen my top five ROMANCE writers and my top five YOUNG ADULT novels- while I know young adult has many sub-genres I am being very general here. 

Enjoy. 

Romance: 

1) Megan Hart- She is a fantastic novelist. Her writing style is beautiful. Although technically her work would technically be classified would be classified as erotic fiction. It is much more than that. It really is romance and I love it. 

2) Christina Dodd- I have read three of Dodd's novels this month. I have enjoyed her work in the past, and I have rediscovered her greatness. She writes romance novels in a number of sub-genres; paranormal, suspense, contemporary and historical. I have read a majority and I have never been disappointed.

3) JR Ward- I know, I know, I sound like a broken record. But, honestly I love this woman's writing. I love how creative her is, I love the male's she writes, I love her view on love and romance. It's wonderful. I am totally and completely addicted to her books. 

4) Anne Stuart- I remember reading Prince of Magic when I was in the seventh grade (this is embarassingly young). But I attribute this novel to my love of romance. Gabriel and Liz... sigh. It makes me swoon just thinking about it. I have since read all that Stuart has published since than. Her historical, her contemporary, her romantic suspense- I've read them all. I have loved every single one of them. 

5) Rachel Gibson- I love her novels. I love how easy they are to read, and how fun and funny they are. I can usually polish one of her books off in a matter of hours. Easy reading. 

**Honorable Mentions: Diana Palmer, Christie Ridgeway & Lora Leigh**

Young Adult:

1) Melina Marchetta- After Jellicoe Road I was hooked, however The Piper's Son really made me love Marchetta. She is absolutely amazing. I dare anyone to contradict me. Her stories are beautiful and inspiring. They are heartbreaking and hopeful. 

2) JR Rowling- Harry Potter, hello. FANTASTIC. If you haven't read the Harry Potter series what are you waiting for? The world that Rowling created is... I don't even know how to explain it. She has a true gift.

3) John Green- I had a hard time with Green in the beginning. I read Looking for Alaska and wasn't terrible impressed. I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson and I was delighted, I read The Fault in Our Stars and I was amazed and a complete fan. Thinking back to Looking for Alaska, I actually liked it way more than I thought. John Green is a fantastic writer. I am glad to have read his work. 

4) Cynthia Hand- She has only written the two books- Unearthly and Hallowed- but they are so completely incredible. Amazing stories and wonderfully written. I will probably read everything she writes, and I can't wait to see how she ends the above mentioned series. 

5) Jenny Han- I loved her Pretty series. They are like Rachel Gibson's novels for me, but in YA form. They are fun and light, and they don't take me very long to read. I am so looking forward to reading Burn for Burn. 

**Honorable Mentions: Lauren DeStefano & Ellen Hopkins**

Series Review: Darkness Chosen by Christina Dodd

A thousand years ago, a brutal warrior roamed the Russian steppes and struck a sinister bargain. In return for the ability to change at will info a coldhearted predator, Konstantine promised his soul—and the soul of his descendents—to the devil.

Then one day a dangerous prophecy reveals the truth: One family has been chosen to battle the darkness—or face damnation.

I am a romance reader. I love romance novels. I love love. However, since starting the blog I have not read as many romance novels as I used to (maybe because I don`t really enjoy reviewing them). However in the last couple of months I have gone back to my romance novels and I have been reading them like crazy.  

Like most novels out there, romance novels also come in series, and I recently finished one by an author I love- Christina Dodd- I really enjoy her paranormal romance novels. They are fun, and full of alpha males and strong willed females. They are a pleasure to read. 

The Darkness Chosen series by Dodd is not the series I recently finished, but it is my favourite of the ones I have read. Here I present to you four small reviews of each book in the series. 

The series follows the Wilder family. Kontantine and this wife Zorana and their four kids (three boys and one girl). As you may have already guessed, each of the four novels in The Darkness Chosen series follows one of the Wilder kids. 

Book One: Scent of Darkness

Ann Smith loves her dynamic boss, Jasha Wilder, but her daring plan to seduce him goes awry when she encounters a powerful wolf who, before her horrified eyes, changes into the man she adores. She soon discovers that she can't escape her destiny, for Jasha is Konstantine's descendant, and Ann is the woman fated to break the curse that binds his soul.

Of the four I have two that I enjoyed better than the others and this is number one. I loved the way this book introduced the story and the legend. I enjoyed how we got to see tidbits of what was to come and how Ann was involved with fulfilling the prophecy. There was, absolutely, some things missing in this book, however, this was only the first of four books, and needed to keep readers waiting a little. 

What I enjoy the most about this series are the characters. I love the way Dodd develops her characters and their individual personalities. I loved the patriarch of the faimly, Konstantine and his wife Zorana.  They loved their kids and worried about their roles in breaking the curse. 

Book Two: Touch of Darkness

Handsome, powerful Rurik Wilder holds the power to transform himself into a fierce bird of prey-a gift that's caused death and destruction.

At last he's offered the chance to redeem himself. Only one woman stands in his way-a beautiful writer determined to wreak revenge on the assassins who murdered her family. Assassins, it's been rumored, who have powers no human should ever possess...

Of the four books Touch of Darkness is the one I liked the least. I feel like Scent of Darkness was the introduction novel, Touch of Darkness had that second novel syndrome. Although this novel did not feel like a filler novel. It was definitely a necessary addition to the series. However I did not connect with this brother, and his relationship with his love interest, Tasya, was unimpressive. I did appreciate how the story progressed in Touch of Darkness. I just wasn`t believing the romantic part of it. 

Book Three: Into the Shadow

Blessed or cursed with the ability to change into a sleek panther, and driven by a dark soul he`s accepted as his fate, Adrik Wilder abandons his family and his honor to pursue a life of wickedness. He excels at every vice, including kidnapping Karen Sonnet to use for his selfish purposes.

But Karen`s spirit and passion make him question the force of his family`s curse. And when a new evil emerges, Adrik must choose whether to enact revenge on his enemies and redeem his soul, or save Karen from a fate worse than death?

Into the Shadow was my favourite of the four. I found this one to be a perfect mix of steamy romance and crazy adventure. Adrik was my favourite Wilder brother, and I loved how he was the black sheep of the family. Touch of Darkness almost felt like a different novel-a different series. It was a different setting and the people involved were slightly removed from the standard characters. Their presence was there but they weren`t central. I liked Karen, I really liked her spunk. She was a fighter and could take Adrik when he crossed the line.  

Book Four: Into the Flame

Brutally handsome cop Doug Black is determined to find the birth family who left him with nothing but a terrifying inheritance: the ability to change into a savage golden cougar. His search leads him to a woman as dauntless and exotic as her name. Firebird Wilder is bitterly familiar with supernatural gifts, and flees on discovering his secret, leaving Doug alone once more. But no one can escape a wild cougar on the hunt. When he finds her, they must decide which is more powerful — the love that binds them together…or the secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

The conclusion to The Darkness Chosen series was a little underwhelming. I found that the story was a bit rushed. I think there were a number of elements to Firebird`s story that were there but not explained. I did like the book, but I expected more from the finale. I thought Doug was a little whiny. He got the short end of the stick- we know that, but he needed to get over it and relax. But the story moved along well, and I was pleased with the twists that took place. 

I liked the the way the whole story ended. Things wrapped up well, and according to me there were no question left unanswered. This is not always the case. Dodd did a wonderful job with this series. I thought it was creative and well executed. 

I have reread The Darkness Chosen series a number of times and I probably will reread them a couple more times. I would encourage those who like romance novels and paranormal romances to check this series out. It is well worth it. Her other series- a some what spin off of this one-The Chosen Ones series is pretty good as well, just not as good as this one. 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

Top Ten Tuesday (4)

So this week is Rewind week for Top Ten Tuesday- That means I get to pick a topic I missed. Since this is only the fourth time I am taking part in this meme there are a number of topics I missed and get to chose from. Whoop whoop.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at The Broke and Bookish.

SO I chose:

Top Ten Book Romances That You Think Would Make It In The Real World (outside the book).

1) Lanny and Dr Luke from The Taker by Alma Katsu

2) Jonah and Taylor from Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

3) Belly and Conrad from The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

4) Josh and Emma from The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

5) Noah and Echo from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

6) John Matthew and Xhex from Lover Mine by JR Ward

7) Sam and Anna from Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

8) Hazel and Augustus in The Fault in our Stars by John Green

9) Emmaline and Johnny from Collide by Megan Hart

10) Isabel and Cole from Linger/Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 

I love love and I was excited to share my favourite book romances. Don't forget to leave links to your TTT down below. 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

Stacking the Shelves (5)

Well, it's here again. Stacking the Shelves. I hope you enjoy this months book haul. And forgive my hair. I had just come home from work and it was CRAZY windy out. 

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. 

Books mentioned: 

eLibrary: 

The Secrets of Bella Terra by Christina Dodd

Fifty Shades Freed by EL James

Library: 

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins 

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Review: 

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (My Thoughts)

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

Bloggers mentioned:

Aylee at Recovering Potter Addict 

That is all for me this week. 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

My Thoughts: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
** eARC received through NetGalley and HarlequinUK**


Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry has been everywhere! I am fairly certain it is the most talked about contemporary novel since Anna and the French Kiss. Although I wouldn't compare the two stories, they are VERY different. However, in terms of most talked about contemporary books... well, you know what I mean. It's been very popular, and I now understand why.

I am just going to come out and say it. Every good thing that has been said about this book is true! It is a completely amazing story. I don't know what else to say. It is incredible. It totally lives up to the hype. Absolutely. I hummed and hawed about this book for weeks. I remember even picking it up at Walmart to buy, but thinking better of it and put it down. WHY? I am really disappointed that it took me so long to read this book.

Because there are SO many other reviews out there and everyone and their sister has read it. I'm not going to go very deep with this review.  I do want to talk about some of the things that made me really enjoy this novel.

I really love seeing characters grow in a novel. I love seeing them mature and realize themselves. However, authors often forget to do this or they simply don't know how. McGarry definitely knows how to develop her characters and she writes them to their fullest potential. It was an absolute pleasure to read.

Echo and Noah were broken. They were sad and hopeless. Both had been dealt a bad hand. They both had issues-serious issues- that they needed to sort through, they couldn't move forward until they did. What's really cool about Pushing the Limits is that Echo and Noah don't save each other. The author doesn't make their relationship the miracle cure. That is AWESOME. I hate when a girl finds herself and is suddenly healed because a boy loves her. This is not reality. What is reality is how they are able to be a friend to one another. They are able to be supportive and understanding. This isn't how it starts and their friendship and eventual romantic relationship isn't perfect. It has struggles and they are each insecure in their own way. It was endearing.

The struggles that Noah and Echo are dealing with are very real and very hard. I want to say that Mrs Collins the school psychologist is the most amazing character. I loved her. I wanted her to be my school psychologist. She was incredible and she was able to be all that both our protagonists needed. So supportive. her encouragement and words of wisdom often brought me close to tears. I loved her.

One thing we need to remember is that Pushing the Limits is a contemporary YA novel. So it has it's fill of corny and groan worthy parts. Of course it does. Usually this bothers me. I dislike the cliches and the lovey dovey stuff, it drives me insane. But I was so engrossed in the story to care about this stuff.

Overall, Pushing the Limits has an actual story and real issues. I would encourage you all to read this novel. You will not be sorry. I can't wait to read more from McGarry.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

**Don't forget to check out my Banned Books Week Giveaway- Opened internationally.**

Top Ten Tuesday (3)

It's TUESDAY again!! I am REALLY excited about this week's topic, as it gives me the opportunity to talk about some of my favourite books. So I hope you enjoy and add some fantastic novels to your TBR.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at The Broke and Bookish.

This week's topic:

Top Ten "Older" Books You Don't Want People To Forget About (you can define older however you wish. Basically just back-listed books you think are great. Basically the point is to share books that could be forgotten about in the midst of all the new releases)

1) The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Neffenegger- This was such a FANTASTIC novel, however I believe the movie was SO bad it destroyed the beauty of the novel. But do not be swayed my reader friends. The Neffenegger is a beautiful novel. 

2) After by Amy Efaw- This was a novel about teen pregnancy. It has a really interesting take on the approach on the topic. I think this book flies way under the radar. I would recommend it to everyone interested in teen pregnancy in the their YA novels. 

3) Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neil- This was a great book. I read it a number of years ago. It is not for the faint of heart; it is a heavy read. But it is hopeful. 

4) Summer Sisters by Judy Blume- Judy Blume is known for her coming of age YA novels. The pushing the limits kind of books. However she has authored a number of adult novels and they are just as amazing as her young adults. Summer Sister is one of those novels. It was SO good. I reread it every couple of years because I loved it so much. 

5) The Druid's Tune by OR Melling- Another novel I had read when I was young, but still very good. A wonderful YA novel that take you to a different world. 

6) The Outcast by Sadie Jones- This novel take place in the 1920`s and 30`s. It was good. I loved the story. And not many people on my Goodreads list has read this novel. This makes me sad because it really is a great novel. It`s romantic but not a perfect romance. It`s troubled, but it`s okay. 

7) Public Secrets by Nora Roberts- We all know Nora Roberts. We all know that she is a mega superstar in the romance novel world. She`s written like a million novels. This was a GREAT book. I loved it. For those who have never read Nora try this one, I think it`s one of her best (and I have read a lot of her novels). Thinking about it now makes me want to go and reread it. 

8) Dirty by Megan Hart- This is one of my favourite books. I remember seeing it the bookstore one day and skipping out on it. Going back another time and finally buying it. Reading it and being totally SURPRISED by what I was reading. Dirty is  NOT FOR KIDS (extreme adult content). But the story is beautiful. I have passed it on to a number of friends and they have really enjoyed it. 

9) The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson- I read this book by accident a few years ago. I liked the cover so I picked it up, was intrigued by the cover and read it. It was wonderful (I liked it so much I believe I`ve added it to previous TTT). The author hasn`t written anything else since The Gargoyle and I fear that people will forget about this novel because of that.  

10) Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James- This is a WONDERFUL novel. I feel like it`s not talked about enough. I barely see it in the bookstores (and if I do, it`s not very man), and hardly anyone has read it. I don`t understand. It`s a great story and the writing it FANTASTIC. You all should read this novel. 

That`s it for me this week. 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

**Don't forget to check out my Banned Books Week Giveaway- Opened internationally.**