Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Inspiring Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Inspiring Quotes

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

I actually did this for a Life of A Blogger post. You can check it out here!

Let me know what you think and be sure to share your favorite quotes! :)

Miss Mayhem (Rebel Belle #2) by Rachel Hawkins

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and best friend Bee has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can return her focus to the important things in life: school, canoodling with David, her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie, and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.
Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him. The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an ancient trial that will either kill her . . . or connect her to David for life. 

Book Review:
Ah, this book was like chatting with an old friend. After being somewhat disappointed with Hawkins' Hex Hall series (particularly, the ending), I had decided to give her another try by picking up the original book in this series, Rebel Belle. Rebel Belle felt like the beginning of the Hex Hall series to me...exciting, engrossing, and entertaining. I was hooked. When I realized the sequel, Miss Mayhem was soon to be released, I had to get a copy STAT!

I'm so glad I did. As I mentioned before, this book was a pure comfort...like chatting with an old friend, or slipping into your pj's at the end of a long day. The story starts right off where the last book ended. Haper, David, and Ryan (and Bee), continue their journey into a world of mystery and magic. If you know me at all, you know I'm a sucker for a story based in the South. Miss Mayhem, doesn't disappoint. There's sweet tea, crazy aunts, and pageants galore! If you're looking for a YA paranormal romance, look no further! I can't recommend this series enough!

Cover Art Commentary:
Gorgeous. I love the colors, they are rather original. I can't remember when I saw a book with these colors. Also, I love the simplicity of the cover. It keeps in-theme with the first book, Rebel Belle.

Rating:

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern.
Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst.
The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future?

Book Review:
The Twittersphere was blowing up with reviews on The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert. If you know me, there is very little in life that I enjoy more than reading and cooking. The combination of the two piqued my interest almost immediately. I was beyond elated when I received a copy from netgalley to review! A romance involving a chef and food critic? Count me in!

Needless to say, The Coincidence of Coconut Cake did not disappoint! I knew almost immediately that Lou's fiance was a straight up douche. After five minutes, it was very clear that Lou was passionate about cooking and didn't want to give it up for the life of a stay-at-home wife, despite his insistence. His story of how he ended up half naked with his intern was shoddy at best. I was so happy that Reichert kept Lou strong, not falling for douche-guy and his shady intentions.

Al...where to begin. Well, I guess to start, I didn't like him. He was cynical and pompous. I caught myself thinking...how can I become engrossed in a romance when I don't like one of the characters. I loved how meeting Lou brought out the best in Al. His character arc is THE BEST in the book. I enjoyed his banter with his co-worker John, who became a beloved secondary character.

Lou and Al's story is whimsical and delightful. Their series of dates left me hungry for Wisconsin cheese curds and hard cider. Reichert hits it out of the park on all points for me. I loved the romance, the food, even the secondary characters left me smiling. If you are looking for a fun foodie romance, look no further. You wont be disappointed!

Thanks to Gallery Books for this copy.
Published July 21, 2015
This is my honest review.

Cover Art Commentary:
This cover is absolutely ADORABLE! Who wouldn't want to read this? I love the coconut cake atop of the stack of newspapers. It's absolutely perfect!!!!

Rating:

Half Bad (The Half Bad Trilogy #1) by Sally Green

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Book Review:
Where to start? I love the concept of Half Wild. A misunderstood witch; half white, half black trying to find his way in the world. It's a solid concept. I really enjoyed the back story of Nathan. Learning about his family and how he grew up in a magical world as an outcast. However, there was a lot, A LOT of violence. So much that it took away from the concept and story line of Nathan becoming his own person. I also would have liked to learn more about Marcus, Nathan's father. That story line was a bit of a letdown. However, the pacing was good, and the overall story arc was engaging, enough to keep me wolfing this novel down hungrily. I look forward to Half Wild, the next book in the series.

Cover Art Commentary: I love the simplicity of this cover. I also like that the artwork is more abstract and not too literal.

Rating:

Reading Reflections: March 2015

Books Read:
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo
Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family #1) by Tiffany Schmidt
You Are Mine (Mine #1) by Janeal Falor
Alienated (Alienated #1) by Melissa Landers
Southern Fried Wiccan by S.P. Sipal
Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School, #1) by Jen Calonita

Total Number of Books Read This Month: 7

Total Number of Books Read This Year: 19

Favorite Read:
Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family #1) by Tiffany Schmidt

Highest Rank: 5

Lowest Rank: 3.5

Overall Reflection:
Overall, it's been a solid reading month. My NetGalley requests have been on point this month! I've really been enjoying the books I've been approved for. Here's to hoping that next month is just as good!