Heartstopper by Joy Fielding

From Goodreads:

"Welcome to Torrance, Florida. Population: 4,160. As Sheriff John Weber would attest, the deadliest predators to date in his tiny hamlet were the alligators lurking in the nearby swamps. But that was before someone abducted and murdered a runaway teenage girl...and before the disappearance of popular and pretty Liana Martin. The pattern is chilling to Sandy Crosbie, the town's new high school English teacher. With a marriage on the rocks, thanks to her husband's online affairs, and a beautiful teenage daughter to protect, Sandy wishes she'd never come to the seemingly quiet town with shocking depths of scandal, sex, and brutality roiling beneath its surface. And as Sheriff Weber digs up more questions than answers in a dead-end investigation, one truth emerges: the prettiest ones are being targeted, the heartstoppers. And this killer intends to give them their due...."

My Thoughts:

Sorry guys, but this is a review that I've been putting off forever. How I fell so far behind I cannot say but this review was pushed to the back burner which is why I borrowed Goodread's summary. This is only my 2nd book by Fielding and it was just as good as the first book. Fielding has a knack for writing page turners that keep the reader guessing throughout the story. And I was definitely guessing...trying to figure out who the killer was while I was reading. Heartstopper is told through multiple viewpoints which may throw some readers off but for me it added to the story. I liked seeing the other character's thoughts and felt that the different viewpoints added to the mystery of the story. Sandy was an interesting main character as she wasn't always likeable for me but I still wanted good things for her and for her to find some self confidence. This book had a lot of emphasis on looks, beauty, and the things that people will to attain beauty. At times I felt that the author was pushing the point a bit much but overall it was a good read. I didn't see the ending coming by a mile and never did figure the killer out. As I was turning pages as fast as I could, it ended up being an enjoyable read for me. I will most certainly be reading more from this author in the future.

My Rating/Recommendations: 3.5 out of 5 and recommended to anyone who enjoys a good thriller!
Challenges: 100+ Book Challenge, 2nds Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("H" Title)

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

From Barnes and Noble's website:

I FELT LIKE I WAS TRAPPED IN ONE OF THOSE TERRIFYING NIGHTMARES…For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella ever could have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning. . .

My Thoughts:

Sorry guys but really do you need more of a description than that? Everyone in the world seems to have already read these and of course I'm behind the times. My opinion on this book basically comes down to this: I liked this one better than Twilight. It still wasn't amazing or anything but I found myself enjoying it and wanting to pick it up again after setting it down. I've read the reviews and a lot of people find Bella annoying in this one. It didn't bother me that much but I found myself wanting her to look at Jacob as more than a friend. What it comes down to for me is that they are teenagers with those kind of emotions, and reading these books brings me back to all of it. I was less dramatic than Bella as a teenager but I remember being completely in love for the first and the first time that my heart was broken. Maybe that is why these books are so successful, because we identify with some of the emotions that the characters go through. Notice I said some and not all :) I like the way that we got to see the experiences that Jacob goes through in this book and by the end I was definitely rooting for him over Edward. Although I am pretty sure that Meyer is going to take it in the opposite direction. All in all, a good but not great book and I'll eventually get to Eclipse.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Challenges: 2nds Challenge, YA Challenge, 100+ Book Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("N" Title)

Wicked By Any Other Name by Linda Wisdom

Wicked By Any Other Name introduces us to Stasi Romanov and her best friend Blair Fitzpatrick. Stasi is being sued in wizard's court by a vindictive customer who says that she ruined her marriage. Then Stasi meets Trevor Barnes, the wizard she will be going up against in court, and realizes that there is a lot more important things that she needs to worry about including the little red hearts over Trevor's head.

Wicked By Any Other Name is a continuation of Wisdom's Hex series and a great addition. Although the previous two books focused on Jazz Tremaine, in this one the focus is on Stasi and it was a great change of pace. I was happy to see that Jazz was still a part of the book and loved seeing all of the old characters from the previous book. The characters are one of the things that makes Wisdom's books so fun and such good books. I love all of them and they are all different and original in their own way. My newest favorite character was Horace the gargoyle, and I hope that she continues to keep him in future books. He was a hoot to read about and you couldn't help but like him.

Trevor and Stasi had a really great chemistry and I was rooting for them the entire way. I loved the red hearts idea and while I don't want to go into it further as to avoid spoilers, it was fun to read about. The tie in to the Salem witch trials was a great idea and I was hooked with this book. All in all, a great read and addition to this series.

My Rating/Recommendations: 4 out of 5; Recommended to paranormal romance lovers but start at the first book!

Challenges: 2nds Challenge, 100+ Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("W" Author), Romance Reading Challenge

**Thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks for sending me such an enjoyable read! Be on the lookout for a guest post from Linda Wisdom tomorrow :)

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

What is it with so many books having two guys chasing after the same girl? On the risk of going off on a bit of a tangent rather than reviewing this book, I have to say that it is becoming quite common. I mean Jacob and Edward in the Twilight books, Adam and Samuel in this series, Ranger and Joe in the Plum series (I haven't gotten to that point in this series but have heard about it) and I'm sure there are more out there. Quite the dilemma for the heroine. I suppose it is the idea of two guys fighting over the girl that is appealing but anyways before I get off track... :)

Give a brief summary:

In the 2nd installment in the Mercy Thompson series, Mercy helps Stefan out and gets herself into a worldwind of trouble. Now she is dealing with sorcerors, demons, vampires, and werewolves and has her hands full. Plus, she is still trying to sort out her feelings between Adam and Samuel.

Likes?

Everything about this book and this series so far. Mercy's character is unique and likeable and I love that she is so headstrong. The world that Briggs creates draws me in and I get lost within the book. I love the chemistry between Adam and Mercy and am hoping that they eventually find each other. I also enjoy all of the other elements that Briggs includes within these novels including the fae, vampires, and other things that go bump in the night. This story was fast-paced and intense with a bit of edge to it that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could.

Dislikes?

None. Other than I am ready for some resolution between the Adam-Samuel-Mercy triangle that is going on. But it doesn't detract from the story in the least in my opinion so I can't really count that as a dislike. I just want to know which guy she chooses! Chalk it up to my impatience but it will be one of the reasons why I pick up the next book sooner rather than later.

Additional thoughts?

Hmmm...give this series a try! It is a great start if you haven't tried any urban fantasy in my opinion and might get you more interested in this genre. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the 3rd book in this series. I'm liking this series so much that I might have to buy copies for my keeper shelf (which is rare for me).

My Rating/Recommendations: 4.5 out of 5; Recommended to urban fantasy and paranormal romance fans!

Challenges: Support Library Challenge, 100+ Book Challenge, 2nds Challenge, A-Z Challenge ("B" Author)