Before I Go To Sleep

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me...' 

Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love — all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. 

Welcome to Christine's life.

My Review:

Completely addictive, I just couldn't put it down. While I liked the idea and the writing style, there were too many loose ends that so conveniently tied together at the end that it didn't feel possible. I followed the story's timeline well enough, but I've heard many people complain that when the timeline slows down suddenly towards the last third of the book, it felt a bit jarring, especially since it's written in exactly the same style (like a journal entry), with no change to indicate that this is present day and not her actual journal. I did enjoy the novel, it really sucked me in and that hasn't happened to me to this degree with many books. 

But I also found that there were a lot of points that were completely unbelievable and they were kind of stuck in the back of my mind while I was reading, accumulating towards the end of the story, so the ending just didn't click.

I've written out a list of the things I didn't like. This isn't a summary+commentary, it's a randomly arranged list of things that I didn't like in the novel. If you haven't read the book and are still willing to risk the spoilers, chances are the following won't make much sense anyways, as I haven't written any sort of intro/summary/character list.

Be warned, spoilers ahead!

1. Yes, her husband and son couldn't be expected to visit her regularly if it disturbs her and she can't remember them, but they can call the administration every once in a while to check that she's doing okay. Four whole months she was missing and none of her family or friends noticed?


2. The care house she was in discharged her (an amnesiac with no way of caring for herself) to a man who claimed to be her husband, without making sure it was actually him? And I don't buy the b.s. that she was found to be independent enough to check herself out, I mean, come tomorrow morning she isn't going to remember her own name, let alone where her home is, how she's going to eat etc. Also I'm assuming that there was some kind of contact info for the real Ben (or maybe Adam) in her file before Mike the impostor came around. Even if Mike told them that the information was outdated, wouldn't they call the old number to confirm it or something? Multiple holes in this part of the story,


3. Christine figures out that her husband is lying to her, about herself, about her condition, about her son, her best friend, everything, he is a known liar. She is in a vulnerable, dependent position with a man she knows lies to her regularly, why didn't she have Dr.Nash or Claire with her when she confronted him about it? She remember's Claire, she remembers how close they were, why doesn't she have some kind of backup, I mean she's suspicious enough, why not be safe too? Maybe I'm being too harsh on her, but she seemed smart enough once she calmed down about the amnesia and read her journal, she could function as though she had a normal memory.

4. The ending annoyed me. After all that reading, we don't even know if she actually made any progress or if the journal only made it seem like she did. We don't know what she was like before she started the journal, maybe she's always had the flashbacks but didn't have any way of linking them day to day. Arghh...I just feel like we deserved a more concrete ending after the rollercoaster of the book.

All in all, I would recommend it to anyone who likes suspense and mystery, as this is hands-down the best mystery/thriller book I've ever read. 

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all

Everything and the Moon

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

Seven years ago she broke his heart... 

When Robert Kemble stumbles across Victoria Lyndon in hedgerow maze, he can't believe his eyes. The girl who'd torn him in two, who let him plan on elopement and then left him standing by the side of the road, was suddenly within arm's reach, and even though his fury still knew no bounds, she was impossible to resist...

Seven years ago he left her all but ruined... 

Victoria's father had told her an earl would never marry a vicar's daughter, and he was right. Robert had promised her marriage, then danced off to London while she suffered the shame of a foiled elopement. But even though Victoria doesn't particularly enjoy her new life as a governess, when Robert offers her a job of a different sort—his mistress—she refuses, unable to sacrifice her honor, even for him.

But Robert won't take no for an answer, and he vows to make her his, through any means possible. Can these star-crossed lovers learn to trust again? And is love really sweeter the second time around?

My Review:

The first 1/3 of the book really annoyed me, I agreed with Victoria's father wholeheartedly, stay the hell away from the rich dude who only meets with you in the middle of the night, he obviously doesn't have the best of intentions. In the "7-years-later" part it felt like I was reading about two totally different characters who just happened to have the same names as those in the beginning of the book, these characters were a lot less idiotic, but over time became equally annoying. The book did have some redeeming qualities, I enjoyed the banter between the h/H, I liked Ellie's sister...yeah that's basically it.

I wouldn't  recommend this book to most of my friends, it was basically the story of a stupid girl who risked her reputation and future happiness on a spoiled rich guy. Sure, in the end it sort of paid off, but taking that risk in the first place was  on a plane of idiocy all on it's own. I can't enjoy a book very much if I'm constantly disgusted by the characters.

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all

Rakes and Radishes

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

When Henrietta Watson learns that the man she loves plans to marry London's most beautiful and fashionable debutante, she plots to win him back. She'll give him some competition by transforming her boring bumpkin neighbor, the Earl of Kesseley, into a rakish gothic hero worthy of this Season's Diamond.

After years of unrequited love for Henrietta, Kesseley is resigned to go along with her plan and woo himself a willing bride. But once in London, everything changes. Kesseley--long more concerned with his land than his title--discovers that he's interested in sowing wild oats as well as radishes. And Henrietta realizes that gothic heroes don't make ideal husbands. Despite an explosive kiss that opens her eyes to the love that's been in front of her all along, Henrietta must face the possibility that Kesseley is no longer looking to marry at all...

My Review:

Good God! All of the characters (the secondary one's too) were annoying, the story moved along at a snail's pace, the interactions between the hero and heroine were stilted and unnatural. They're "best friends" with no apparent adult supervision throughout their friendship and yet they're about as familiar with each other as strangers. I just can't explain how much I disliked this book, might as well be titled "A Tale of Selfish Idiots and Whiney Fools". All the characters took turns either pining after someone, or being a reluctant pinee (seriously, Henrietta/Kesseley, Kesseley's mom/Lord Damien, Sara/Edward/Lady whatsherface...e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e.). They also all realized that they didn't know who they wanted, trading partners like pokemon cards. 

This opinion was formed completely disregarding the fact that I had to read the entire novel in a state of suspended disbelief, seeing as nothing that happened in the novel could possibly have happened in real life. No young, proper girl's parent's are going to let her romp around with a young man with no supervision all the time, no earl's parent's would let him spend all of his time with people of no social standing, no proper unmarried young woman would be allowed into a gaming hell, no Duke would beg a random gentleman he's only just met to marry his beautiful daughter who has no lack of suitors, etc. I could go on but won't, as it would be a waste of time...

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all

The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

Amber Walker and her older brother, Jake, have an abusive father. One night her brother's best friend, Liam, sees her crying and climbs through her bedroom window to comfort her. That one action sparks a love/hate relationship that spans over the next eight years. Liam is now a confident, flirty player who has never had a girlfriend before. Amber is still emotionally scarred from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. Together they make an unlikely pair. Their relationship has always been a rocky one, but what happens when Amber starts to view her brother's best friend a little differently? And how will her brother, who has always been a little overprotective, react when he finds out that the pair are growing closer? Find out in The Boy Who Sneaks In My Bedroom Window.

My Review:

I don't think I've had this many issues with one book before. 

First off, the grammar was atrocious. Seriously, subject verb agreement errors? Was there no editing/proof-reading at all? I know some people don't care about grammar as much as the actual plot, but to me, if this book is being sold for actual money, I expect it to be edited well. 

I didn't like Amber...like, at all. She came off as a supercilious, judgemental bitch 90% of the time, and a clueless airhead the other 10%. She is also the epitome of a Mary-Sue character, pretty but she doesn't think she is, "A" student, athletic, perfect body, no parental supervision whatsoever, the list goes on and on. 

Liam is basically Amber's boy-toy/slave, he sleeps in her bed every. single. night. for 8 years to stop her from having nightmares, he makes her breakfast every morning, he drives her around, tells her she's the most beautiful girl in existence, but all this means absolutely nothing to Amber, because she hates "man-whore" Liam. This same "player" sleeps in her bed every night, not random girls' beds, but he's still a player somehow.

The whole sexual abuse aspect of the story seems like it was added for the sole purpose of reeling people in when they read the blurb on the back of the book. Amber says she's traumatised but shows absolutely no sign of being so. She sleeps with a guy in her bed every night, cuddling up to him and his ever-present boner, has no problem at all with sitting around in her bra andthong in front of him (this was before they were together), has no issues with constantly making-out-with/dry humping him. Unless of course she remembers that she was molested as a child and puts a stop to the making-out/humping sessions. This happened twice in the entire novel, without any kind of conversation afterwards or progress or even an acknowledgement by Amber that she should see a psychiatrist and deal with her issues, or even that she has issues.

There were too many misogynistic words/phrases thrown into the dialogue carelessly by the characters. I think one of the worst moments for me was when Liam, the guy who supposedly loves and respects Amber says "don't you worry your pretty little head", like in a serious tone, not being sarcastic, and she just accepts it.

There were too many variations of "ho/whore/slut" used to describe basically all the females in the book...I don't think even one female character escaped unscathed.

Did I mention the complete and utter lack of parental supervision throughout the novel? They may as well have been college students, living on their own like that. I honestly don't understand why they had to be high school age if they didn't act at all like high school kids. No high school kids live with that little parental influence. No school would allow students to ditch that often without so much as calling a parent. Everything that happened at school sounded like it could have happened at the mall, there were no references to actual classes or actual teachers so much as the cafeteria and everyone ogling/fighting over/betting on the hot guys on campus. 

Another thing I don't get is the mother, if she was abused by her husband for years and is basically cowering in fear every time he sets foot in the house, and then she is freed, he's gone, why didn't she report her husband to the police? Get a restraining order while she can without the threat of violence hanging over her head? No, she decided to get a job that keeps her out of town for 3 weeks per month, leaving her (then 15 and 13 y/o) teenagers alone at home for 3 week stretches while their abusive angry MIA father is on the loose. Totally rational.

Then there's the fact that the abusive (alcoholic?) father waschased out of his home by a pair of 15 year old boys...I'm sorry, but I can't see that happening, ever.

Also, Liam and Jake are both supermodel-athlete good looking and have hordes of admiring female fans who follow them around because, being female, teenage, secondary characters, what else would they do at school? What do you mean attend classes? There are classes in high school you say? and teachers too? no way! 

Lastly, there were the completely random story arcs that didn't contribute a thing to the novel, except maybe to make it seem longer and more complicated. The whole pregnancy thing felt so out of place...like the author was planning on ending the book with a HEA+baby and changed her mind but decided to keep the chapters in there anyways. The Kate/Johnny/Jake love triangle-ish thing was distracting and ended up fizzling out. Multiple male characters waltz into the story, attempt to maul Amber, get intimidated/beaten up by Liam and waltz right back out. It just feels like a bunch of random things stuffed into the novel that don't get elaborated on and just exist to add to the word count.

The only redeeming factor in the entire novel is "night Liam", which is how Amber refers to Liam when he's being sweet and not a jerk, and the one star is for his sake alone. I'm using the term to refer collectively to all the cute things Liam does throughout the book. I can't honestly say that I liked Liam as a character because the author couldn't seem to make up her mind about his personality and he ended up coming across as having multiple personality disorder. One minute he's an absolute ass and the next he's comforting Amber.

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all

Cry Wolf

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer—and son—of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf—a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

My Review:

I don't know if I missed something, maybe the prequel was essential to the storyline or something, but it felt like I was reading a sequel, not the first book. The story starts off suddenly, and picks up after a conflict, I felt like the past deserved to be told as a separate novel/separate preceding chapters. It was a bit jarring to start off with interactions between two characters who aren't really introduced. The first few chapters especially felt like I'd opened a book in the middle without reading the first half.

The story itself really sucked me in, the characters are very likeable, the writing is really good and the history and world setting were wonderfully described. The only thing that really bothered me was the abrupt start, which doesn't really matter, I suppose, as the story goes on and things become clearer. But even when the book ends, there are still quite a few things that were left unsaid about the past.

Some of the specific (Read: SPOILERY) things that annoyed me:
<spoiler>

-There is no real "flashback" about how Charles found out about Leo the abusive alpha after years of Leo going undetected.

-The entire past was kind of mentioned in passing but not in detail in one go, which kind of annoyed me, you have to piece together the shreds of information as you get them.

-We don't find out why their mating wasn't complete after sex and suddenly becomes complete after fighting the witch.

-Asil never tells Charles the stuff about being mated with an omega like he was planning to.

-It bugged me that Anna seeing her family again was mentioned so casually, I mean give it a proper scene with dialogue, the poor girl hasn't talked to them in 3 years!

-Basically the entire book was jarring, you're dropped in the middle of a story, no gradual introduction to the setting/characters, then you follow them around for what is essentially a single event (witch hunt) and *poof* door slams shut in your face. Any history you've managed to glean during your short stay with the characters is obtained purely by chance. If someone thinks about the past, you hear about it, otherwise you're kind of left in the dark.

</spoiler>

All in all, I enjoyed this enough to read the prequel and sequel. The world-building is amazing enough that I added the author's other series set in the same world (the Mercy Thompson series) to my TBR list.

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all

Tall, Tatted, Tempting

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

She’s locked up tight. But he might be the key.

Logan Reed is tall, tatted and tempting. Kit’s a woman with a mean right hook and a secret.

Kit wants a tattoo, but Logan sees more than she intends to share in the drawing of the tat she wants. He sees her in ways no one ever has.

Logan’s not disabled; but he hasn’t spoken in eight years. He hasn’t needed to. Until he meets Kit.

Logan doesn’t know everything about Kit. Kit doesn’t know anything about herself, until she has to sacrifice all she ever wanted to save what’s most important to him.

My Review:

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

This book had the most anti-climactic, sudden ending I've ever seen. The buildup was enjoyable, but the ending was very underwhelming. So many annoying eye-roll moments, unrealistic plot points and magical solutions to unsolvable problems.

Kit annoyed the hell out of me, she was such a drama queen/martyr. Ok, you're homeless, you're scared of going home with this guy because you don't know what he expects in return. He hauls you over his shoulder, your response? Well I may as well just hang here like a sack of potatoes because he's deaf and wouldn't hear my protests. I can't argue with such faultless logic.

She mentioned that she's been away from home for "so long now" that she couldn't imagine going back? Imagine my surprise when her mother says it's been 6 months...that isn't a "long time" for a 19 year old to have run away for. I also don't get why she didn't just get a job at McDonalds or something and rent somewhere...why this absolute shutdown? Either I go to Juilliard or I'm homeless? There's no middle ground? Also she's a rich kid with her own trust fund etc. why not plan your escape more carefully? Withdraw enough money to keep you afloat, keep in with you in cash, that would still be untraceable to her father, but at least she'd be safe. If she's defiantly trying to prove to her family that she isn't stupid and that she's responsible enough to make her own decisions, this isn't exactly going to help her case. Endangering yourself when you have every opportunity to plan ahead and NOT put your safety at risk is stupid.

With the amount of worrying she does about people finding out about her true identity, I thought her dad was in the mafia or something. If her identity was such a secret, how did Paul know she was rich in the first chapter? "not one of us" and all that?

Also, Matt has cancer. Second round of chemo, he collapses, the doctor's say it's only a matter of time. But oh! Wait, there's this new magical treatment that can help an end-stage cancer patient and has a super high success rate! What mystical witchcraft is this? It's true, but it's expensive and will cost "hundreds of thousands of dollars". Yeahh..no. Such a hurried "perfect" solution, where nobody actually sacrifices/pays/learns anything screams of an impending deadline set by the publisher.

That being said, this is still a perfectly acceptable fluff book. You know the kind, mood boosting light reading material.

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all

The Duke is Mine

Blurb from Goodreads.com:

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can't he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear.

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Quin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.

To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul…

Unless it's already too late.

My Review:

   This is the third book in Eloisa James' Fairy Tales series, which is one of the better historical romance series around. I'd definitely recommend the series as a whole for people who enjoy historical romance as E.J. is, in my opinion, one of the best authors in this genre. In general, I enjoyed this book, probably more than I enjoy the average historical romance because of the polished writing style and the wry humour, which, despite my less than stellar review to come, I did appreciate. 

   This book is all over the place, the author has a few witty phrases and clever ideas that she wanted to write into a book, so she smushed them all together into this one. Yeah, individually they were funny/entertaining/dramatic/good, but all in one book...can you say multiple personality disorder? So let's stuff a disabled character (who is first made fun of, then pitied, then taken advantage of, (highlight to see spoiler) then killed, a "perfect" twin sister, a duchess exam type thing (princess and the pea element), Justin Bieber, dead loved ones (you have to give the characters baggage!), physical insecurities, Asperger's?, and top it off with a mission impossible-esque finale. Just...no. I thought there were just too many sardonic inside jokes (multiple Justin Bieber references for one thing) that distracted me from the main plot. 

   Personally, historical fiction is my choice of escapism in literature, the lack of modern anything is one of the aspects that I enjoy because I can pretend that real life doesn't exist beyond the pages that I'm reading.

Ever Yours~

The Know-it-all