86 Bloomberg Place Book Series Review

   I stumbled upon this series a year or two ago when I purchased the third book in the series at a used book sale. It ended up on my giant to-be-read bookshelf, and I forgot about it. I recently tracked down the first book of the series and decided to read the series ASAP.
Warning: There may be a *few* spoilers contained in this post, but I tried my hardest not to give too much away.

Series Synopsis

   This series centers on four post-college girls who are trying to make sense of life. The books are I Heart Bloomberg, Let Them Eat Fruitcake, Spring Broke, and Three Weddings & a Bar Mitzvah. In the first book, Megan, Anna, and Lelani apply to live at Kendall's (grandma's) house. They become roommates and start to form friendships even though Kendall is a narcissistic drama queen who keeps threatening to throw them out.
   In Let Them Eat Fruitcake, the girls plan for an upcoming Christmas party while dealing with various curve balls thrown their way. The Christmas season seems to bring the girls closer as they learn more about each other. Anna has to choose between her ex and the current guy she's dating. Megan is trying to survive her first holiday season without her dad. Kendall is obsessing over an unattainable guy, while Lelani's trying to figure out whether or not she should go home for Christmas.
   Spring Broke follows the girls as they make plans for spring break. Kendall is officially broke so she (with the rest of the girls' help) decides to host a garage sale. Lelani considers going home to see her parents and daughter. Anna is trying to convince her family that even though Edmond isn't Mexican, he is still a great guy, and she is old enough to make her own decisions about her life. Megan is still struggling with whether or not she should be dating the cute non-Christian Marcus. The girls, along with Marcus, Edmond, and Gil, all end up in Maui where there is a lot of drama.
   The last book, Three Weddings & a Bar Mitzvah, details the time leading up to a crazy weekend in June. Megan's boyfriend takes off for Africa, and she contemplates their relationship. Kendall is working through her pregnancy and her long-distance relationship with Killiki. Lelani is balancing work, taking care of Emma, and her relationship with Gil and his (sometimes difficult) family. Anna is trying to retain her freedom from her family while trying to figure out if her and Edmond have broken up. All of the girls are also stressing about the fact that two of them are to be married on the same day!

My Favourite Quotes

   "...the Queen B (as in B rhymes with witch)." I Heart Bloomberg page 179. I found this to be very funny and a perfect explanation of Kendall in this book, even though this quote isn't referring to her. This is how Christian authors bypass swearing! ;)
   " 'Amelia is such an idiot.' Of course, she smiled as she said this, giving a dainty little finger wave to Amelia as they drove in opposite directions down the street." Let Them Eat Fruitcake page 85. This is the perfect summary of Kendall. Plus, this whole scene made me laugh and shake my head. Kendall is so clueless for most of the series.
   " ' It's like you're a designer original,' Megan said finally. 'God designed you perfectly and paid top dollar for you.' " Spring Broke page 174. This quote just got to me. Sometimes, I forget how precious we are as God's children. I love books that have a good story line, but also subtly remind me of God's love.
   "He [God] had truly knit their hearts together." Three Weddings & a Bar Mitzvah page 294. This is a perfect end to the series. It makes me think of that one song about friends by Michael W. Smith.

My Review

   I loved all of the books in this series! I wish it could have been longer, but the ending was really great. The first book was more of an introduction to all of the characters. I liked getting the majority of their background info from this book, but still being surprised by revelations later on in the series. The second deals with the stress of the holidays and how the girls are affected. We also see more of Kendall's idiosyncrasies, which get her into a lot of trouble. Anna dealt with some really hard stuff, and I think it helped her grow up a bit more too. There was a lot more going on in this book than there was in the first one. The third book is all about planning and going to Hawaii. There was a lot of shuffling regarding who was going to Hawaii, and who was staying behind. In the end, everyone went and they all had a part in supporting Lelani's confrontation with her parents. Mrs. Potter was atrocious. She made Mrs. Mendez (Anna's mom) look like a saint! The forth book was a really great conclusion for the whole series. We meet most of Kendall's immediate family, which really explained Kendall's previous (spoiled) outlook on life. Most questions were answered, and there was a teary goodbye. Overall, this series was very captivating.
   My favorite of the four books would have to be Spring Broke, the third book in the series. It was also cool to see everyone in a different setting supporting one of their friends. I think everyone really grew on this trip, especially Kendall! Like I've mentioned before, up to this point I found Kendall to be insufferable, but by the end of this book, I actually liked her.
   This series was amazing, and I can't wait to read it again. Are there any new adult series that you love?

Darkness Reigns by Jill Williamson

   I follow many authors through Facebook, Twitter, and their own blogs. Through one of those, I found out that Jill Williamson was looking to put together a launch team for her upcoming series. I applied and found out a few weeks later that I was accepted! I read the book, Darkness Reigns, as soon as I could, and I couldn't wait to share my thoughts on it with you!

Synopsis

   The god of the soil is furious. Volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, earthquakes--everything points to his unhappiness. At least this is what the people of Armania in the Five Realms believe.
   Amidst the unsettling state of the world around them, the princes of Armania live their lives focused more on who will claim the throne after their sickly father, King Echad, dies. That is until Prince Wilek's concubine turns up dead--beside her, a bloodied message that seems to have come from the mother realms.

My Review

   This book is a must read for anyone who like clean, fantasy reads. It was extremely hard for me to put down. The plot was enchanting and easy to follow. It was fast-paced and interesting. There was action right from the beginning. The characters were very well-rounded and real, even though this story was on the short side. I often have trouble keeping track of multiple characters, but that was not an issue with this book. Jill Williamson did an amazing job of making the characters easy to follow. Plus, the character list in the beginning of the book was extremely helpful as well. One of the reasons I love this book is because it's hard (at least for me) to find clean fantasy novels. I love books that deal with various mythologies and different realms. There is even a bit of magic in this book as well. One of the best parts of the book was all of the detailed descriptions. "A face like a cabbage" (found on page 136 of Darkness Reigns) was just one of the more remarkable descriptions found in the book. There were only two things that confused me in this book. It often mentioned first sleep, but it was never explained what it is. I'm assuming it meant a nap time, but I wasn't entirely sure. The second thing it mentioned was morning bells. I didn't know if these rang at dawn or a specific time every morning. Other than that, this book was straightforward and a lot of fun to read!

   My favorite character is definitely Mielle. I love heroines who have a lot of spunk and think for themselves. She is not a damsel in distress. Plus, she easily sticks up for Lady Zeroah, even though they literally just met, which shows true loyalty. She is also not afraid to stick to her moral beliefs. I can't wait to see what adventures lie ahead for her in this series.

   This book is set to release on December 1st of 2015. 

   I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review of "The Pastor's Daughter"

   I was contacted through Twitter by T. K. Ware asking if I would like to receive a free copy of his new book! I quickly accepted and was impressed enough by The Pastor's Daughter to share my thoughts here.

Synopsis

   An ill-advised relationship with a married man in the church sent Ebony down a path of regret, which led to an unplanned pregnancy. When the pressure of being the pastor's daughter and carrying a married man's child weighs upon her, emotions flare. Shortly afterwards, she threatens to publicize the entire affair, deciding to bear the consequences of the matter. Once her emotions settled, she saw from a different light.

   But the unexpected happens ...
   Because of shame and unprecedented conviction, Ebony is forced to confess as she battles with thoughts of betrayal to God, the church, and herself.

My Review

   I really liked how real this story felt. I truly did feel for Ebony and the mess that she was in. Although I liked seeing things from Ebony's point of view, I didn't care for the confessional chapters. I also found that there were a few grammar errors as well. I did like the way her parents and church handled the situation because it was very Christ-like. I'm afraid that that reaction doesn't happen too much in real life anymore. I also liked the sermon and Bible study parts of the story. I learned a thing or two from them and was curious enough to look up some of the verses myself. Overall, this was a nice, short read that was packed with a few life lessons.

My Opinion of Georgiana Darcy’s Diary

     There are a lot of spin offs, fanfictions, and rewrites of Jane Austen's works.  Some of them are terrible, others are alright, but, every once in awhile, you may find some that are magnificent.  Georgiana Darcy’s Diary by Anna Elliott is one of the magnificent ones.

Synopsis

   Mr. Darcy's younger sister searches for her own happily-ever-after.
   The year is 1814, and it's springtime at Pemberley. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have married. But now a new romance is in the air, along with high fashion, elegant manners, scandal, deception, and the wonderful hope of a true and lasting love.
   Shy Georgiana Darcy has been content to remain unmarried, living with her brother and his new bride. But Elizabeth and Darcy's fairy-tale love reminds Georgiana daily that she has found no true love of her own. And perhaps never will, for she is convinced the one man she secretly cares for will never love her in return. Georgiana's domineering aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has determined that Georgiana shall marry, and has a list of eligible bachelors in mind. But which of the suitors are sincere, and which are merely interested in Georgiana's fortune? Georgiana must learn to trust her heart and rely on her courage, for she also faces the return of the man who could ruin her reputation and spoil a happy ending, just when it finally lies within her grasp.

My Favorite Quote

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young lady of rank and property will have packs of money- or land-hungry suitors yapping around her heels like hounds after a fox."  ~Georgiana Darcy's Diary page 34 (in the Nook version)  I love this quote because it is reminiscent of the opening line of Pride and Prejudice.  I also like the fact that this quote shows a more sarcastic side of Georgiana.  Plus, the imagery is quite hilarious!
"It's just that it seems to me that what is a terrible hardship to one person may seem trivially small to another, but that does not necessarily make the hardship any the less hard to bear for the one who suffers it."  ~Georgiana Darcy's Diary page 287 (in the Nook version)  I think that this is so true and profound.  I have seen situations where someone is completely devastated by something that I wouldn't bat an eye at.  I guess it just comes down to what each person values in their life.

My Review

   This was the second book that I read that was written in diary form, and I believe that it is really well done!  [Although, I find my own diary very dull next to this piece of art.]  There are vibrant descriptions of various characters and of the area around Pemberley.  I found it very easy to imagine the various gowns that were described throughout the book.  The author does an amazing job of sticking to how Austen originally portrayed her characters.  I think she got Aunt de Bourgh spot on!  I also liked that she made Caroline Bingley more relatable, and we got to Anne better too!  Sketches are also occasionally included in this book.  Besides a few grammar mistakes, this is an amazing read!  [Note: the mistakes I'm talking about could just be from the fact that the version I have is an e-book.]  I thought I could guess a few of the twists in the book, but it turned out that I was only partially right.  This book was peppered with the right amounts of drama, surprises, and romance.  The one thing that made me love this book is the fact that it was from Georgiana's point of view.  I loved getting to know her better, and I hope you give her a chance as well!

Note: The last time I checked, this book was free for Nook.  Here's the link:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/georgiana-darcys-diary-anna-elliott/1111619145?ean=2940044982086

Just One Summer Book Review

I recently finished reading Just One Summer by Nicole Deese, Tammy L. Gray, Amy Matayo, and Jenny B. Jones.
Synopsis
Four Best Friends. Four Love Stories. Just One Summer.


Four college girls, best friends since childhood, have found one constant in their ever-changing lives--summer. Every June the girls choose a destination to reconnect, only this summer is different. This year, each one must face life's challenges on her own, overcome fear and failure, and learn the beauty of falling in love for the first time.

My Favorite Quote
I actually found two different parts in this book that stood out to me.

   "...how do you explain fear to a person who freely runs toward the future?  You can't." (A Summer Remade by Nicole Deese page 129)  I like this quote because I think a lot of college age people feel this way.  We fear what will happen in our futures and if we are currently making the right choice.  I really like reading stories were I can identify with characters on a more personal level.

   "People just like me, but with different shells.  But shells are just that -a personalized way of presenting ourselves to the world-a world that's spinning and moving and changing and filled with so much exterior color that often people forget to stop running and take a second to look around." (A Painted Summer by Amy Matayo page 246)  This quote I found interesting because I've met people who may look different or even scary on the outside, but they turned out to be some of the nicest, most kindhearted people I have ever met.  I also loved that the author used the word "shells" to describe one's outward appearance.

   Note: I'm not pretending to know what the authors meant by these bits that I extracted.  I'm just sharing how each quote made me think about my life and the world around me.

My Review
   I picked up this book because one of my favorite authors wrote one of the short stories in it.  I had previously never heard of any of the other authors, but I thoroughly enjoyed each novella.  Since each story had a different author, all of the girls had a distinct voice and personality.  Joss' passion is interior design, but she's afraid to follow her dreams.  Sydney's trying to escape controlling parents and an ex-boyfriend who won't take no for an answer.  Darby's living on her own and working at a job that she doesn't quite know if she approves of morally.  Avery is unwillingly reconnecting with a grandfather she's never met.  Each girl sorts through her own life's drama while trying to balance her love life and keeping in touch with her other best friends.  I enjoyed Avery's story the most, because stories of families working through their problems and finding redemption always make me tear up, but in a good way.  My favorite male lead was Lennon, Darby's love interest.  I like guys who may look like the bad boy on the outside, but actually is super sweet.
   I also really enjoyed this story because it was about people my own age.  Clean New Adult books are hard to find, but this one is definitely what I've been looking for!

Links
   http://www.amazon.com
   http://www.barnesandnoble.com