Goodbye, Google Reader...Hello, Bloglovin'

As many of you have probably heard, Google Reader is shutting down tomorrow. Oh no! But do not despair, because there are still possible ways to follow Peace Love Books! First option: 

Bloglovin' is super easy to use, so I would definitley recommend following this way if you're going to switch over to a different program. If you prefer not to use Bloglovin', then there's always the option to follow via email! Just enter your email address into the little email box on the right hand side bar. 

As always, thank you so much for following and supporting Peace Love Books! Blogging just would not be the same without all of my amazing followers :) 

Book Review: Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Bared to You

By Sylvia Day

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Source: Own Copy

Summary: 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...

Review: I know, I know. This book came a year ago and the third book is coming out soon, but hey, at least I finally got to it! I've heard so much hype surrounding Sylvia Day and her steamy Crossfire books, so I couldn't wait for the chance to finally read Bared to You and see what the fuss was all about. 

From the very first moment she laid eyes on Gideon Cross, Eva cannot get the powerful, sexy man out of her mind. Who was he and how could someone possibly be that gorgeous? After learning he is, in fact, the owner of the company she's now working for, Eva doesn't think there's a chance of anything happening. Add on the fact that Gideon isn't afraid to tell her exactly how bad he wants her too, and Eva isn't sure she can handle such a powerful, up front guy. But as they spend more time together and discover they share more demons than they think, Eva finds herself opening up to Gideon and is forced to decide just how many emotions she can handle before things get too dangerous. 

I knew very little about the actual storyline going into this book, so I was pleasantly surprised with how sweet, yet powerful Gideon was throughout the book. I hate books where the guy goes on a power trip with the girl and walks all over her. In Bared to You, Gideon holds some power, but he really cares about Eva and she doesn't let Gideon get away with crap other girls would. She's such a strong character with a damaged past, which I think made her so vulnerable and such a likable character to read about. And Gideon shows a soft side too, and who doesn't like a little vulnerability in a man now and then?

While the physical side of the relationship was definitely there, at times the chemistry or real life side of the relationship was missing. Their getting together happened so fast that I kind of missed the huge chemistry that Eva said she was feeling. Then, there were times where I wished there was more substance to their relationship beyond the physical and just talking to each other. I wish they did more stuff out in the real world as opposed to having these ups and downs they continuously talked about. So I would have enjoyed more of an active plot line along with the development of their relationship. 

Overall, Bared to You was an enjoyable read. While it wasn't as fantastic as I was expecting, it was still a good story backed up by really great writing from Sylvia Day. I really liked the characters and how they were all independent, especially Eva. I really wasn't a big fan of Cary, Eva's roommate, and how messed up he was, but other than that the other side stories added more intrigue to the story as a whole. If you haven't already, I'd recommend checking out Sylvia Day's Crossfire series. You're in for a pretty good romance with a very yummy man to enjoy.

Stacking the Shelves (56)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what they got throughout the week!

From Used Bookstores

I honestly should not be buying books while I'm in London, but I just can't help it! I discovered this little strip of three bookshops right outside of Chinatown where they sell used books at each store. How could you expect me to go to a used book store and NOT buy something? But I did limit myself! I think the first book looks so adorable and I'm really excited to read something inspired by Jane Austen. The second book I actually got for free from outside of a library while I was walking around with my friend. Now I know I can't say no to free books! Then, I found Gone With the Wind for only 90p in the basement of one of the bookshops. I've always wanted to read it, so now that I have a copy maybe I finally will! I'm surprised I managed to keep my stack to three books because there were so many books being sold for only one pound that it was so hard to resist! But I had to be realistic and I do not want to pay overweight baggage fees for the trip home. So three books it is :)

From Netgalley

Words can't even begin to describe how excited I am for this book. I saw on Facebook that Colleen Hoover posted Losing Hope was on Netgalley. After having a mini freak out, I went straight to Netgalley and downloaded a copy. I read Hopeless last week and completely fell in love with the story, and now I have the second book! Yay! I can't wait to get into this one and see what's in store for Holder and Sky!

That's it for me! What did you all add to your stacks this week?

Follow My Book Blog (93)

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: What is your preferred reading format? Hardcover, ebooks, paperback, ect? 

Answer:

While I own a Nook and absolutely love it, there's just nothing like the feeling of being surrounded by paperbacks. I love the smell of books and being able to hold the actual book in your hand as you make your way through the pages. Looking at my bookshelves makes me so happy because my books are my babies and I love every single one of them. I prefer paperbacks to hardbacks because they take up less room in my purse and I'm much less afraid of ruining the cover of a paperback than a hardback. There's nothing like snuggling up with my favorite worn-out paperback after a long day to make me feel happy :)

Book Review: The Star Attraction by Alison Sweeney

The Star Attraction

By Alison Sweeney

Release Date: May 14, 2013

Source: Publisher

Summary: "Can you blame a publicist for blurring the lines between what's real and what's a dream, when her client is a gorgeous actor?

Sophie is a Hollywood publicist who has a fabulous job, a fabulous boyfriend, and a fabulous life. She even scores her PR firm's most important actor client and every woman's dream—Billy Fox. 

But will a steamy make-out session in a restaurant alley with her big-name client cost Sophie her job? And does she really want an escape from her life and her loving, if imperfect, relationship with her investment banker boyfriend? The Star Attraction takes us on a wild ride through one woman's daytime soap come to life. 

Review: I absolutely love Alison Sweeney as the host of The Biggest Loser, so when I saw that she had written a book, I was really excited to see how it would turn out. I love chick lits and this one sounded like it was going to be the perfect chick lit to cuddle up on the couch with. 

Everything in Sophie's life has been going great. She's got a gorgeous boyfriend of two years, a job as a publicist she loves, and friends who are always there for her. But when hot-shot Billy Fox walks into the office and Sophie is assigned to be his publicist, everything Sophie was so sure of in her life comes crumbling down. Is Jacob really as invested in their relationship as she is? Can she really handle everything thrown her way at her job? As soon as these questions pop into her head, Sophie can't seem to let them go. With a hot new celebrity giving her attention, Sophie has to decide what she really wants from her life. 

I really really wanted to like this book. Like I said, I love chick lits and I am a big fan of Alison Sweeney. But NOTHING HAPPENED in this book. I read another review that described reading this book like reading someone's diary, and that is so true! I felt like I was getting over 200 pages of Sophie's diary of her thoughts and explanations about every detail in her life, and barely getting anywhere with the actual story. I wish there was just more to what she did and went through instead of having maybe two major events in the book. By the end, I was skimming because everything she was saying was so repetitive and I was tired of hearing her complain about her life. 

Not only was there no action or oomph to the plot, I really wasn't all that big of a fan of Sophie. There wasn't that much chemistry that I felt between her and Billy, yet that's all she could talk about. Add onto that how she was constantly drinking and then complaining about how Jacob pointed that out. Honestly, Jacob was my favorite character and everything he said that was supposed to make him seem like the bad guy only made Sophie look like the worse character. Her complaining and whining about every other person in her life was annoying too. Not to mention the whole relationship with Priscilla, her enemy at work, was cliche and really predictable by the end. 

In the end, this book really missed the mark with me. It was slow going and I really was not a fan of the characters. As much as I wish I could have enjoyed it, the cliche storyline just could't hold my attention. If you're looking for a good chick lit to read out on the beach this summer, I'd skip this one for now.

Waiting On Wednesday (97)

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Leap of Faith

By Jamie Blair

Release Date: September 3, 2013

Summary: Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read. Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?

Ah this sounds so good. There's so much mystery. Who is Faith? Why did she steal her baby? How are things going to work out with her and Chris? Oh boy I know this one is going to be a pretty emotional book, but I can't wait!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I've Read So Far in 2013

This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books I've Read So Far in 2013

Well, considering I just did a post with this same exact topic last month for the freebie week, my list is going to probably be very similar. But I have read some more really excellent books, so here is my list, one month later, of my favorite reads so far in 2013. 

1. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

2. Just One Day by Gayle Forman

3. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5. Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

6. Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

7. Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

8. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

9. Reckless by SC Stephens

10. Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Weekly Roundup [6/18-6/24]

What? It's Monday? That means I have less than a week left here in London before it's back to the States for me! While I'm going to miss London like crazy, it's going to be so nice to see my family (and my puppy!!!) and get all of the books that have been piling up for me the past five weeks. Knowing some really awesome books are waiting for me at home has been killing me while I've been here! All I know is I'm going to have one awesome summer left reading some seriously amazing books. I can't wait!

Book Reviews

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Memes

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On the Top of My Summer TBR List

Waiting On Wednesday (96)

Follow My Book Blog Friday (92)

Stacking the Shelves (55)

Book Review: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Point of Retreat

By Colleen Hoover

Release Date: February 25, 2013

Source: Own Copy

Summary: Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart. 

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

Review: I have been on a New Adult kick lately, so it only made sense to pick up the second book to the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover. I read Slammed last summer and absolutely loved it, and needless to say I was really looking forward to see what would happen next between Will and Lake!

Will and Lake are FINALLY together after being put through so many trials, and things couldn't be more perfect. But when an ex from Will's past shows up, Lake starts to question why Will loves her in the first place. Is it because of her, or because of how similar they're situations are? Will has no idea what to do or how to win Lake's trust back. How can he prove to her that he loves every single thing about her, no matter who or what stands in their way? 

The first thing that struck me when reading this book was that it was told from Will's point of view. While it was really nice seeing things from his perspective, I almost wish they alternated between the two because I was dying to know what was going on in Lake's mind half the time. Because we only got Will's view on things, Lake seemed a little too insecure over things that weren't that big of a deal in my eyes. 

When looking at the other parts of the story, though, I absolutely loved all of the other characters. Kiersten is so fun and I loved how an 11-year-old can have such a prominent part in their lives. Caulder and Kel are awesome too and their relationships with their older siblings is so strong. It was so adorable how they kept on getting into trouble but Will and Lake had no idea how to scold them because they thought their pranks were funny too. 

Colleen Hoover has a way of thinking up really cute details for her books, which I absolutely love about her writing. For this one, it was the jar of stars, Lake's ugly shirt, and all of the butterflying butterflies. How does she come up with such random objects/things and make them into the cutest moments ever? I've got to tell you, Colleen Hoover sure knows how to write a romance that is sure to win over any girls heart. 

Overall, I think this book was pretty good but definitely not the best from Colleen Hoover. Some parts moved pretty slowly and sometimes it seemed like your typical get-jealous-and-insecure-because-of-the-ex-girlfriend kind of story. But about 2/3 of the way through things are completely thrown off track and finally gets interesting again. If you're a fan of New Adult and Colleen Hoover, I'd definitely recommend reading this one eventually, but I'd start with either Slammed or Hopeless first. Those two are New Adult books that are beyond amazing, while this one was simply an enjoyable read.

Stacking the Shelves (55)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what they got throughout the week!

From Edelweiss

Only one book for me this week, but boy does it look good! I am so in love with historical romances and this one looks like it's going to be an especially steamy, yummy story. I'm excited to get into it because I haven't read a historical romance in a while and I miss them!

That's it for me! What have you all added to your shelves this week?

Follow My Book Blog Friday (92)

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: Share your favorite literary quote!

Answer: Oh goodness, there are so many good quotes out there. But the book I've read that has the most quotable, touching moments would have to be The Perks of Being A Wallflower. Gosh darn it, I loved that book. And the movie was so good! All of those moments created so much emotion and I just loved them. Charlie is such an amazing character and he says the things everyone relates too, even if they're too scared or cool to admit it. So here are three of my favorite quotes...

Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars

By John Green

Release Date: January 10, 2012

Source: Own Copy

Summary: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Review: I have heard so many amazing things about this book and John Green in general that it's about time I picked it up. Can you believe this was my first time reading a John Green book? Yeah, me either. So I had way huge expectations going in and I was ready to have my mind blown. 

Hazel has been ready to die for years from her terminal cancer, but for some reason she was not meant to go just yet. Going through life as the girl with cancer, Hazel is used to being that girl. But when she meets Augustus Waters at her cancer support group, everything she's ever known about life and herself changes. This gorgeous, quirky guy teaches Hazel exactly what it means to live and love, helping her discover life before their time runs out. 

I'm normally not a fan of serious books, especially ones about people dying of cancer. But John Green has a way of making his characters so quirky and amazing that it's okay to be reading a sad book because you don't really realize it's sad until the extremely sad parts happen. Does that make sense? Well, I really liked Hazel's character and how she was so not what you'd expect a terminally ill cancer patient would act. And Augustus. Oh Augustus. I absolutely loved his character and how mature and fun he was. Why can't I meet someone like him who is so not like every other guy in this world? He knows exactly what to say to make Hazel smile and isn't afraid to let her know exactly how he feels. 

While I really loved the characters and wasn't at all bothered about the seriousness of this book, it just didn't get me emotionally like I knew it should have. I know people who cried their eyes out when reading this one, but I was just content when I finished. I guess I should have read this at a time where I could really focus and get into the story instead of reading it all in one sitting where I was forcing myself to stay awake to finish it at the end. But unfortunately I didn't and I think that took away from the emotional impact this book supposedly has on a lot of its readers. So that's why I'm giving this one four stars instead of the five. The emotional reaction I knew I was supposed to have just didn't happen.

Don't get me wrong, this book was really good and I'm definitely going to be picking up more John Green books in the future. He knows how to make intriguing, witty characters who are unlike anyone else I've ever read about, the emotional side of the story just didn't click. The whole story with Hazel's favorite book though, was really unique and it was cool to see how that all unfolded and really taught them a lesson about life. There are so many quotable and lovable moments in this book and I'd definitely recommend it to everyone who has or has not read John Green before. The Fault In Our Stars has a powerful message with special characters that will forever live in your heart, long after you've read the last page.