READING: Twisted Palace (Paper Princess #3) by Erin Watt

Publication date: October 17 2016
Published by: TimeOut LLC
Genre:New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
1st read Rating: 

2nd read Rating: 

From mortal enemies to unexpected allies, two teenagers try to protect everything that matters most.

Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She’s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome.
Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he’ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation.

No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all.
They may be right.
With everything and everyone conspiring to keep them apart, Ella and Reed must find a way to beat the law, save their families, and unravel all the secrets in their Twisted Palace.


2nd read (April 18 2019)
Weirdly enough, I am not that disappointed in TP this time around. I thought it was a ridiculously over the top story to begin with anyway, so I didn't really have any expectations. 

Reed's imminent jail time and it bringing him and Ella closer together, I think was what this book was all about. It had the perfect balance between sweet and hot Reed-Ella moments and all the rest i.e. murder mystery, was not that important, imo. Granted, I wanted to know whodunit and the ending was satisfying enough in the sense that it killed two birds with one stone.

READING: Broken Prince (Paper Princess #2) by Erin Watt

Publication date: July 26 2016
Published by: TimeOut LLC
Genre:New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
1st read Rating: 

2nd read Rating: 

Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.
What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.
She might be right. 

Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.


2nd read (Apr 1 2019)
Much better than the dreadful Paper Princess. There were still some cringe worthy and eye rolling moments (I'd be surprised if there weren't) but I think Reed's POV gave a whole different meaning to his actions and overall behaviour. He manages to convince me that he is completely aware he screwed up and that he has been a major jerk. He appears remorseful and self destructive - my two favourite qualities in a guy 😀 Loved his fight with Delacorte at school-real badass. 

When Ella comes back, I expected him to be a creep and follow her around everywhere demanding they get back together, and her to fall for it after a couple of chapters. To my genuine surprise, that didn't happen. Instead, he was relatively calm about the fact that Ella wouldn't have him back (like I said, completely aware he screwed up) because he knew that they belonged together and at some point she would forgive him. Well, I don't know about the belonging together crap, but Ella didn't give up as easily as I thought. She had a moment of weakness here and there but come on! She lived with the guy, it was only natural and expected. They officially reconciled and got together around 70% in, which for YA-NA world, it's aaaaaaages! So, congrats for not rushing it. It would have made the epic cliff-hanger of PP kinda pointless, otherwise.

Speaking of cliffhangers-BP has an even bigger jaw-dropper than PP 😲 !

Also, I think the twins have the most interesting relationship out of all the characters in the book. Watt should make a book (or a series) just about them.

READING: Paper Princes (Paper Princess #1) by Erin Watt

Publication date: April 4 2016
Published by: TimeOut LLC
Genre:New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
1st read Rating: 

2nd read Rating: 


Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. 

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.
He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees. 

These Royals will ruin you…

THIS IS NOT A YA BOOK! STOP ADVERTISING IT AS SUCH!

2nd read (Mar 29 2019)
What.Was.I.Thinking.With.The.5.Stars 😲

This book is bad. Really bad. Apart from the bad writing, it oversexualises teenagers (so many sexual references, innuendos and sexual acts) and redeems disgusting creeps who happen to be out of this world handsome (and rich) so we shouldn't care that they are total pigs. Also, they have a good heart deep down inside and they can definitely be redeemed by the love of a decent woman. 
Barf.

Stop sending these unrealistic messages to young girls! Stop building expectations: high schools are not filled with incredibly rich, beautiful 6"4 17 year old guys, who are completely wretched sure, but are good in sex! Just stop!

Also, Ella. She is the heroine, the main female character. This girl had been through so much in her past, having to do a lot of very difficult and uncomfortable things to survive and support her sick mom, and good on her that she did. She also appears very street smart which I guess you would have to be having been though all that.
Now, are we supposed to believe that she completely ignores how much these guys suck and how horrible they treat her and hook up with not one, but two of them in one month? And for what? So she can live in a mansion and have a car, money and food? Well, I guess she can blame it on survival, but I am pretty sure she could survive without being the Royals' bitch because that's what she ended up becoming. Showing you have respect for yourself doesn't mean throwing down (in your underwear, like you do) with one spoiled, entitled little girl that insulted you at school. It means standing up for yourself whenever anyone insults you, belittles you, or makes you feel unsafe, especially in this case, where the boys have apparent power over Ella in every aspect and they are taking full advantage of it. The scene when Easton propositions Ella in the kitchen in the most disgusting way and Reed is looking at them smiling, would make any reasonable person either punch the guy, kick him in the nuts or leave. Ella decided to make out with him instead. And then with his other brother. That is what vulnerable and impressionable young adult minds can take away from this book. 

One thing I will say though, this book is highly addictive and unputdownable. I don't know what that means for such a bad book, but there you go. 

Unfortunately, I never change my ratings after re reads so this will have to remain as is 😠
I am determined however to read the rest of the books and see how far this absurdity goes.

1st read (Nov 4 2016)
I know I probably shouldn't but I can't help the 5 stars. I just couldn't put it down. Way way over the top and slightly sexist but at the same time extremely entertaining. Definitely a book I love to hate!

READING: Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn #3) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publication date: September 16 2014
Published by: Simon&Schuster books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, High School, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery
Rating: 

New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.

After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same. 

Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?




2nd read (Mar 2019)
I am angry upset at the ending of this book and the whole series. I can't believe I let it slide the first time.
I wanted to slap Lilia for being such a spoiled princess (I want you, no I don't, but I still want you, no I don't really. I mean...)
I wanted to shake Kat for not following her dream just because. I don't buy that she wanted to stay with her friends. What friends??
Reeve was actually the only one that showed emotional growth. He was horrible to people before and that led to a tragic incident, but even then behind all the bravado and arrogance, he was still tortured by it. The conclusion to his story was really disappointing, as if yes, he finally got punished and got what he deserved. 

Like Rennie dying.

I wouldn't object to it, if Fire with Fire was not all about him changing and becoming a better person and him and Lilia falling in love.
As for hers and Alex's ending, I can't even. Did not like at all.

Verdict: 👍 I still love the series and it definitely stands the test of time, but the ending just killed me-and not in a good way. I don't care for all my endings to be HEA, but these kids have been through too much to not have one. 
For me, Fire with Fire was the best of the bunch, with Burn for Burn close second.

1st read (Feb 2016)
I can't believe how sad the ending was!!! Definitely not the HEA I was expecting!! Still it was beautiful, loved every minute of it.
I feel like I could read about Reeve, Lillia, Kat and Alex forever. This is a must read series for sure and without a doubt one of my favourites ❤️

READING: Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publication date: August 13 2013
Published by: Simon&Schuster books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, High School, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery
Rating: 

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.
And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...


2nd read (Mar 2019)
Couldn't wait to start reading this every day. I'd never think that I would still enjoy YA books, but I guess some of them have just struck a chord with me.

Where the book really shines, is Reeve's smooth transition from basically a self absorbed asshole, to a troubled, love struck boy. I remember being so shocked the first time I read it, when I found myself starting to like Reeve against my better judgement. What he did to Mary was unforgivable and inexcusable. He obviously has some issues he needs to sort out which became more apparent in this book when we learn a little bit about his background. He ends up accepting his fate after the accident at homecoming because he knows deep down that he deserves to be punished for what he did, even though for me personally, the whole thing is morally blurry. I am glad that what happened to him gave him clarity and a different perspective, but the way it happened was just wrong any way you try and twist it.

Poor Alex was the only one that did absolutely nothing wrong and I feel like he's owed a huge apology by Lilia and Kat. Especially by Lilia who emotionally manipulated him just a tad (a lot).

The last bit at Rennie's party was a page turner and Mary's realisation heart breaking, with a shocking and unexpected ending.

All in all, as good as I remembered it and more!

READING: Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Publication date: November 10th, 2015
Published by: Simon & Schuster Australia
Genre:Young Adult, Suspense, Mystery
Rating: 3/5

Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life. After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer. But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly?  Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows. As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…  

I will start off by saying that I was pleasantly surprised by Dangerous Lies right from the start. Fitzpatrick's previous books were not among my favourites I must admit, but this one I liked straight away.

Apart from the unputdowanable element that exist in all of Fitzpatrick's books regardless whether you enjoy them or not, Dangerous Lies does not really depend upon mystery and suspense aspects but more on character development, and that is what I think was missing from Fitzpatrick's previous work. We could see Stella's transition to a mature and grown up individual throughout the whole book. Her relationship with Carmina, who I must say was my favourite character, was very well written without resorting to cliches and the inevitable sappiness.
The romance element was still present, this time featuring a male character so different from Fitzpatrick's Patch or Mason. Chet is as casual and chilled as they come and that's what I loved about him. He was not over the top or dominating in any way. He is just a good looking guy who falls in love with a girl he meets over the summer. It may sound plain but if you ask me, normality was a breath of fresh air compared to all the over exaggerated romantic relationships in YA I'm so tired of. Secondary characters were not left in the background either, each one of them different and distinct, playing an important part in the story (see Carmina).

What I would have liked however was a better ending. I felt a bit unsatisfied in the end and slightly disappointed at how everything wrapped up so quickly. I would have preferred the bad guys to be as bad as advertised and not just some run of the mill thugs who just popped in to finish the story.

Those of you who are sceptical about Fitzpatrick's books, don't be: Dangerous Lies will definitely appeal to you. I really hope Fitzpatrick will write more books like this in the future.

*This book was provided by Simon & Schuster Australia and NetGalley

READING: Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

Publication date: May 26th, 2015
Published by: Dutton
Genre:Young Adult, Revenge, Mystery
Rating: 2/5

I’m the daughter of murdered parents. I’m the friend of a dead girl. I’m the lover of my enemy. And I will have my revenge. In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.  

 What a disappointment! I was so looking forward to reading this because a)Carrie Ryan b)revenge, and I feel so let down and actually kinda sad.

 Plot holes in this book were the size of my head (and that says a lot!). Apart from the original back story which is completely non-believable by itself, there were other separate small parts that added even more to its unbelievability. First, why Frances changed her identity and became Libby? To save herself? Um Libby was on the ship as well. So what difference does it make if she is Frances or Libby? If the bad men coming after her was the problem, they would come after either Frances or Libby. Also, when Frances was saved everyone on the rescue team saw Cecil crying over his daughter's dead body. It didn't occur to either of them that so many people have been witnesses to the actual Libby dying? Lawwwww-gic!

 As far as the revenge part is concerned, let me clarify: there was none. What Frances wanted was to get back with Grey, a guy she met on the ship. She only knew him for 4 days (maybe less) but Frances felt an all consuming love for him, even though, according to her, he was responsible for the attack on the ship. But really, what do 300+ lives matter in the face of true love eh? We get to read about how Frances wanted him even after all these years and how excited she got when she felt him naked on the other side of a bathroom door (eye roll).
 Also, for a girl whose family was murdered and who is so hell bent on revenge preparing herself and doing extensive research for 4 years, she full on sucked at it. From the moment she returned from Europe she kept making these stupid mistakes in an effort to hide her true identity that you had to be really stupid not to notice. Important facts would come up and she would sound surprised that none of that came up on her research. Well, did you do any? Like, at all?

 There was absolutely no character development. Shepard and Cecil's character were like non existent, no point being in the book. We got no background on Senator's or Grey's lives and the "revelation" about some eco group something or other was ridiculous.

 I just can't believe that Carrie Ryan of The Forest of Hands and Teeth wrote this. Bummer.

READING: Black Iris by Leah Raeder

Black Iris by Leah Raeder

Publication date: April 28th, 2015
Published by: Atria
Genre:New Adult
Rating: 3.5/5

It only took one moment of weakness for Laney Keating’s world to fall apart. One stupid gesture for a hopeless crush. Then the rumors began. Slut, they called her. Queer. Psycho. Mentally ill, messed up, so messed up even her own mother decided she wasn't worth sticking around for. If Laney could erase that whole year, she would. College is her chance to start with a clean slate. She's not looking for new friends, but they find her: charming, handsome Armin, the only guy patient enough to work through her thorny defenses—and fiery, filterless Blythe, the bad girl and partner in crime who has thorns of her own. But Laney knows nothing good ever lasts. When a ghost from her past resurfaces—the bully who broke her down completely—she decides it's time to live up to her own legend. And Armin and Blythe are going to help. Which was the plan all along. Because the rumors are true. Every single one. And Laney is going to show them just how true. She's going to show them all 

 This book is quite different than anything I've read before. I don't think it fits into any defined category: YA-impossible, New Adult-close but still no, Adult-not quite. So where does that leave Black Iris? Nowhere and everywhere.

 Black Iris was a really dark, sexy, intense book which I found myself thinking about long after I finished reading it. If I'm being honest, I didn't think I'll like it 100 pages in. I found the writing pretentious and over the top, only to realise later that that's exactly how it's supposed to be and that writing style fits this book perfectly. 
I must admit I found the different timelines a bit confusing, at the point where I had to write down the years and put the events in chronological order to make some sense of them. As for the writing, yes it was definitely over the top, but once you got used to it there were some scenes in the book that just left me breathless. And I'm not talking about the steamy sex scenes which were ridiculously well written.

 This book is about Laney's revenge against the people she thinks wronged her and their struggle (not hers) with her sexuality. Laney just couldn't understand why something that came so natural to her, was so hard for so many people she didn't even know to realise and accept and eventually it started eating away at her. All that rage and anger started to get hold of her mind and heart and led her actions. I know that part of Laney's struggle reflects Raeder's own personal experience as she explains in the Acknowledgments part of the book, so I don't think I have any right to criticize and express my opinion on what is basically someone's own soul and heart on the paper. I won't even pretend to understand what she went through so I'm finding it impossible to judge Laney's feelings and dark thoughts. 

 However!
SPOILER those that hurt Laney did not kill her mom. They did not force her to take the pills. They did not force her to change her mom's medication. That was all Laney. She did it for semi selfish reasons (she did it for her brother too, so she was not entirely selfish) and because there was something innately wrong with her. She hang around with her worst enemy, who she asked to get her the pills to use on her mom and then almost beat him to death because it was somehow his fault. I'm not saying Z was innocent, far from it. And I know that Laney admits that what happened to her mom was her fault but does she really believes it? Or is she so wrapped into "everyone hates" me world that she thinks that whatever happens to her is always someone else's fault? SPOILER END 

 That's what I didn't like about the book. How Laney continued to live in a world of hate even after everything that happened to her and even after she started to feel love from someone she loved herself. Unfortunately, that did not quenched her thirst for violence and hurt not even a little. She said from the beginning that she is "no heroine" and "fuck forgiveness". See, I am not ok with that. Violence against violence is never the solution no matter how much you have been wronged and no matter how much your whole body wants to hurt someone bad. That much hate will only leave you hallow and destroyed, and in the end there will be nothing left. Apparently, that doesn't bother Laney at all or Blythe for that matter. But if we are not to care for the main character what was the point of the story with her mom and her lovely brother if not to feel even a little bit of sympathy for Laney, some hope? I particularly disliked how very appealing and exciting this "eye for an eye" way of dealing with things was presented, like as long as we can get away with it, we'll hunt down and mess up any mother *ucker that hurt us. Nope, completely opposed to that.

 I recommend Black Iris to readers bored of the same cookie cutter NA college reads, who want something completely different, fresh and exciting. For those that have read Unteachable and want to read something similar, this is not the book for you.

READING: Scandal (The Ivy #4) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Publication date: February 26 2013
Published by: Greenwillow Books
Genre: Young Adult, College, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 

You know you're not the author of the "Ivy Insider" articles.
But how are you going to prove it?

Callie Andrews returns from spring break to find herself facing expulsion. Someone has framed her as the author of a series of anonymous articles vilifying an elite social club and now, unless she can prove her innocence, she can kiss her college education good-bye. So who is the Ivy Insider?

Callie's made more than a few enemies during her freshman year, but can she count on her true friends—and the (missing, just-maybe-meant-to-be) love of her life—to pull through?





2nd read (2019)
Stupid Microsoft Edge lost my whole review. Pissed off to no end atm 😠
Anyway.
Apart from book #1, I didn't really enjoy the rest as much as I did 7 years ago.
Callie was not as nice as advertised, always finding fault in others and judging them so harshly when she is no better. The guy she claims to be in love with is at risk of financial ruin and the only thing she could think about was that he should have broken up with his then girlfriend first, and then worry about his stupid money problem. What a catch, right?
Also, I never really got the constant misunderstandings that kept surrounding Callie for no reason, other than the fact that she was actually unable to communicate properly with anyone, and that means friends and boyfriends. She always seemed to wait from other to come and talk to her, apologise or make the first move and why? Because she's queen Callie and that is how it should be. Um, no.
Some slut and body shaming as well, which back then I was not educated or aware enough to even detect.
Gregory and Mimi were still amazing, the books' only saving grace.

Verdict: 👎 I am really and truly sorry, but this series didn't stand the test of time :/

1st read (2013)
Not as good as its predecessors (no Gregory girls :( but still pretty good. I would have liked it to be more Callie - Gregory focused and not Ivy Insider focused, especially when Insider's revelation was anticlimactic at best. Oh well.

READING: Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

Publication date: May 1st, 2012
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA Historical Romance
Rating: 2/5

It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been…even as their carefully constructed faÇade rapidly comes undone.  Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one…the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something. Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever.  When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long.

Um…you guys! Where is the rest of the book?? You know, the one with all the character development and the not ridiculous plot line? Because I can't seem to find it anywhere and what I read just didn't cut it.

Wentworth Hall is a YA historical fiction, so it was only natural that as soon as I got my hands on it I would read it immediately, no question. I have read so few YA historical, that I immediately jump at the chance when one comes out and I really thought Wentworth Hall would be the one. It wasn't, though. It didn't even come close.

Grahame did an OK job as far as the writing goes (just OK though), but unfortunately failed at everything else. The characters were not likable at all, not even one, and in 276 pages they had no time to change being busy doing whatever mundane stuff they were doing throughout the whole book. I found it impossible to relate to any of the characters and I didn't believe their relationships for a second. For example, the great romance between the stable boy and the Lord's daughter was laughable, at best. There was no background story to back it up, nor could the reader detect the character's feelings at all. It was like they were actors pushed into a role they hated and they played it badly. Also, why have Maggie's mother help with the baby situation only to have Maggie describe her as a cold and detached parent later? It doesn't make any sense!

As for the plot, it had enormous gaps. What happened with Therese and Wes? What happened to the twins? What went on with Ian and Lila? And most importantly what happened to Wentworth Hall?? I kept thinking there has got to be a book 2 but it turns out there isn't and I don't think there will be one in the future (shocking!).

Granted, Wentworth Hall is readable and a really quick read, if you're interested in something like that. Even if you only want to pass the time though, I suggest you look elsewhere. This is only gonna bring you pain, suffering and frustration!