Unlikely Allies by Tiffany King Book Review

 Title: Unlikely Allies

Author: Tiffany King
Cover Opinion: Not exactly how I imagined Mason to look nor Kimberly (maybe a bit more beach bunny?)

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥-  ohmygosh you just have to read it!

Eighteen-year-old Kimberly gets the shock of her life when she learns the father she thought was dead is not only very much alive, but never even knew she existed. Angry with her mother for lying all these years, Kimberly flies to Colorado to meet the father she knows nothing about before heading off to college in the fall.

Her father’s world turns out to be nothing like she expected. Rather than the typical nine to five lifestyle, Kimberly’s father runs a summer foster camp that teaches young children skills to build their confidence and self-esteem. The Colorado Rocky Mountains are a different world than the sunny shores of California, taking Kimberly completely out of her element, and causing her to second-guess her spur of the moment decision.

Never being one to quit anything, Kimberly is determined to show her father that a surfer girl can fit into this rugged mountain wilderness. That is if she can deal with Mason, an arrogant nineteen-year-old guy who has made it his mission to point out every mistake she has made since her arrival. While she would love nothing more than to rub it in his know-it-all face, Kimberly can’t deny the feelings he stirs up inside her, or the chemistry between them, even during their verbal assaults.

When a tragic accident leaves them stranded in the mountains, Kimberly must use her shaky skills to save Mason and survive the elements. Suddenly, fighting is the last thing on their minds as they must rely on each other if they want to live. In their struggle for survival, they realize what they thought they knew about each other isn’t true after all.

This is the first book I’ve read by Tiffany King and it sure won’t be my last :)

Her last summer before she leaves for college to do art, Kimberly (Kimmie/Kimbe/Beach Bunny) finds out that her father never abandoned her as she had been told by her hardworking (but forever lying) mother, he just never knew that she existed.

Feeling betrayed Kimberly cancels all her summer plans and goes from sunny California to frosty Colorado to spend time with her newly acquired father, where she meets Mason. And thus it begins. ‘It’ in this case not being I-love-yous and flowers at sight but instead something more like mixed feelings and harsh words. Mason (Greeky/Greek God) doesn’t want her there so Kimberly’s going to do all she can to prove him wrong and that a beach bunny can survive in cold temperatures.

I loved all of the characters in Unlikely Allies, but I have to say Amy was my favourite.  She is such a bubbly and happy person it made me smile. As one of the ex-campers and being a foster kid she could have turned out to be cursing society for her luck, but instead she was making her life beautiful by looking out for others and moving on. I'm secretly (or now not so secretly?) wishing for a sequel about Amy.

 I quite liked Kimberly’s strength of character, having soon adjusted of the idea of having a father she was determined to make him proud. Rather than succumbing to Mason’s criticisms of her work she worked harder, even though she already was not so self-confident.

Mason was put into foster care after becoming orphaned. Having seen his father’s reaction to his mother’s death he wanted nothing to do with love and especially not a city-girl like Kimberly. However unlikely the relationship, it does begin to slowly bloom in the dark. Not so much later, Mason pushes Kimberly away as he tries to come to terms with the changes life have to offer him. Ever accepting Kimberly waits.

But will she ever become tired of waiting?

Love

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My Picks this Week:

The Casual Vacancy 

by J,K, Rowling

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Goddess Inheritance (The Goddess Test #3)
by Aimee Carter

Now this book does not have a summary yet nor a release date but I just had to mention it. The second book left me on such a cliffhanger that I can't wait to know what happens. (I'm not a very patient person!)

Finding Sky by Joss Stirling Book Review

Title: Finding Sky (Benedict #1)

Author: Joss Stirling

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Tagline: Discovering your soulmate has never been so dangerous
Cover Opinion: I love how the design is like an intricate maze to your soulmate.

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥ - You should read it

(summary from goodreads)

When Sky catches a glimpse of Zed for the first time, lounging against his motorbike at school, she is drawn to him just like every other girl in Wickenridge. But Zed sees something special in her that the other girls don’t have. Zed tells her they are both Savants – people with special powers like telepathy and the ability to see into the future. Not only that, she is a Savant too, and his soulfinder – meant to be together.

When a soulfinder speaks telepathically to her partner, it’s like all the lights coming on in a building. You lit me up like Vegas. But for Sky it’s just not that easy – she’s a mystery to herself, haunted by nightmares from her past before she was adopted, and riddled with doubt and insecurity. Just when Sky is slowly coming round to the idea of being with Zed she is kidnapped by a family of criminal Savants. In a chilling twist, Sky and Zed’s relationship is put to the ultimate test and the fate of those she loves lie in Sky’s hands. Will Sky have the strength to embrace her power and be brave enough to control her own destiny, or will the dark demons of her past prevent her from realising her true potential?

A friend recommended this book to me and I was reluctant to read it. After going through every paranormal book I could get my hands on, I was a bit bored of the usual 'He's a vampire' 'Oh look he's a vampire too' and 'I think she's a witch'. Now I didn't know what the whole 'savant' thing was but no way was I going to read that book. But I did. And no I totally don't regret it!

Sky Bright - Now I may not like her name, but she is a likeable character. After being abandoned at a young age because she can see people's auras, Sky has a poor self-image. She thinks she is 'bad' and unlikable and is more shocked than anything when Zed announces his feelings for her. As the book progresses, Sky's character strengthens as she begins to believe in herself. Sky may start as nothing more than a petite blonde with 'bambi eyes'  but she ends up as a girl who knows her mind.

Zed Benedict - The youngest of seven (equally hot) brothers all with names beginning with one of the last seven letters of the alphabet, Zed has issues. As the seventh son, he is more powerful than his siblings and having a power to read one's mind may seem fun until you can see everything your savant siblings can as well. After a while good and bad can seem to become one. To prevent that Zed needed his other half, his soulfinder. Queue Sky's timely arrival at a new school in America and their meeting. Voila. 

Or maybe not, Sky's in denial about her powers and Zed's just fifty shades of messed up. They have to get through that and then have to deal with accepting a relationship which quite frankly Sky has no belief in.  Throw in some hot brothers, bad guys and family troubles and make the perfect book.

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik Book Review

Title:  Epic Fail

Author: Claire LaZebnik

Publisher: Harper Collins

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ (you should read it) 

(Summary from goodreads)

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Cast in point:

- As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school - not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

- As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn't exactly on everyone's must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise's beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince's best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Warning to all Jane Austen Fans (well to everyone really) this book is based upon Pride and Prejudice!!!

I’m a big Austen fan, Pride and Prejudice is one of my most re-read and loved books, so before reading this I was skeptical. Honestly can you re-write one of the most loved romance books and modernize it, whilst not angering all Janeites (Jane Austen fans)?

Well I guess you can. Though it is a lot harder with the whole expected storyline.

The story is based at Coral Tree Prep, a school or as Claire LaZebnik put it ‘basically a country club masquerading as a school’ where Louboutins are just casual daywear.

Elise Benton (the modern Elizabeth Bennet) is the new girl who’s just moved there and for her casual daywear means jeans and sneakers. Of course this makes Elise stand out. On top of that she’s the principal’s daughter. A principal who’s trying to introduce new and unwanted school rules. So why should she be accepted into high school society? Well her sister Juliana (Jane) has caught the eye of Chase Baldwin (Bingley)much to his sister Chelsea’s distress, so she’s automatically ‘in’. I liked Elise’s character even though at the start she did not seem as strong as Lizzy, by the end of the book you could see similarities in the characters. The differences did help me see Elise as her own character and not just a flat, photocopy of Lizzy.

Derek Edwards (Mr. Darcy eeekk!)is the son of Hollywood royalty, so he’s the unofficial ‘Coral Tree Prince’. He’s used to people staring at him (especially hot girls) and when he see’s Elise he expects her to be just like all the other attention seekers out there. Someone who loves him only for his status. I could empathise with Derek which I quite liked. I could understand why he was so hesitant to make new friend, or admit that he liked Elise.

As a modern version of Pride and Prejudice this book was pretty good, but at the end of the day that’s all I’ll remember it as ‘the high school Pride and Prejudice’ not as ‘Epic Fail’. The author’s writing style made me want to continue the book even though I knew nothing unexpected was going to happen.

Keep reading,

Why haven't I blogged for such a long time?

Now most of you have been asking me why I haven't blogged for a while and I replied, but to those who I didn't inform, here's the story.

For some crazy reason (and I still don't know why) when I was logging in my code was being texted to someone else. So for the past month (I know, a whole MONTH!) I haven't been able to post my reviews. There's a pile to type up and hopefully they'll be done soon! Apart from an apology this is a little thank-you to all of you who gave advice and tried to help me work this out.

Lots and lots of love