"Losing Hope" by Colleen Hoover

" Moments like these with people like her are what make all the suffering worth it."
-Colleen Hoover, Losing Hope

Okay, Okay. I know. I'm completely OBSESSED and ADDICTED to everything written by Colleen Hoover. She's the best. Period. Done. Over. If you are reading this review and still haven't read any of her books, HELLO??? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? Get off your tookus, purchase a copy of any of her books and get going!!!

As I've mentioned in a previous review, Losing Hope is the companion to Hopeless. Instead, the book is written from Holder's point of view. Hopeless was written from Sky's point of view. No, I won't give you the spill of the main plot again because I did that in my first review. To see the review on Hopeless, CLICK HERE!

The plot is the same of course, but everything is still different! I found out so many new details that changed the story completely! Leave it to Colleen to take a story that she's already written and add a twist that blow's the reader's mind. It sure blew mine away! Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still couldn't read fast enough to get to each new page of the story. Either I was super in love with the book, or I just couldn't get enough time with my book boyfriend, Holder. Either way, I just couldn't get enough of it!

Congratulations to Colleen on selling the rights for her books to be made into MOVIES!!! I understand it will be several years from now before it hits the big screen, but I. AM. SO. THERE!!!

This review was a little more freak out-ish than normal, so I apologize for my outrageous excitement! That just shows how much I loved and adored this book!

This is not a young adult novel. I would reserve this book for readers 18 years old and up. Because it is from a male point of view, there is much more language than the first book. Also, there is sexual content that is not suitable for young readers.

BIG shout out to Griffin Peterson for posing as Holder on the cover! He definitely gave me a visual of what my book boyfriend looks like! While we're talking about Griffin, he also has a new single on iTunes! To download his new single CLICK HERE!

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"The Mortal Instruments Book I: City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare

"Where there is love, there is often also hate. They can exist side by side."
- Cassandra Clare

One of my best friends wouldn't stop bugging me about this book all semester last spring. She wasn't going to let me get away with not reading it because the movie is coming out in August, so she said she didn't care when I read it, just as long as I did it before the premiere. Boy, am I glad that she pushed me to read this! I am head-over-heels in love with this series, and I cannot wait to continue reading! I read it on the beach, and I would literally scream and gasp and laugh out loud. I was THAT into it!

Clary, fifteen, and her friend Simon go to Pandemonium, a club in New York City one night. She's not really into the "club scene," but she loves to watch the people around her. As she and Simon are dancing, she notices an attractive boy. Her eyes follow him as he walks to the other side of the club and enters a closet with an exquisitely beautiful girl (of course). Little does the boy know, two other guys are following close behind. Clary notices that they have weapons, and she can tell they are after him. She hurries to the closet to try to stop them, if she can. When she gets there, she witness the boys with weapons murder the handsome boy. Only, this was no ordinary murder. His blood was thick and black, and his body vanished into thin air. Clary stands frozen in her place as these murderous people approach her.

They are confused as to why Clary can see them, but Clary doesn't understand why she WOULDN'T be able to see someone! One of the boys, Jace, explains that they are Shadowhunters, and that they did not just kill a human, that boy was a demon. In the middle of their discussion, Simon shows up at the door, and asks Clary where the guys with weapons went. So, Simon cannot see them even as they stand by Clary's side. Soon enough a demon enters Clary's home and tries to attack her! Jace shows up again, and she is instantly part of an entire new world! Why can Clary see them when no one else can? What does this mean for Clary? How will her life change? Find out in The Mortal Instruments Book I: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

Not only was the storyline over-the-top outrageous, her writing style was gorgeous! I know that's such a journalist thing to say, but I am what I am! She had incredible imagery and some of the best similes! The words she used to describe this story were simply beautiful. It's hard to beat that kind of writing!

I wish I could just tell you everything that happens! I went to the beach with a friend, and she was reading the same book at the same time, I was just roughly 100 pages ahead of her. I would freak out about something exciting, or some new twist that Clare threw in the story, but I couldn't talk about it! It was torture! This feels the same way! I want to tell you just how amazing this story is, but there is no possible way to do it without telling you everything! I CAN tell you that there is so much passion in this book, and I can't even tell you how much I laughed! The book is truly hilarious! The humor is flawless!

The movie premiers on August 21st, so make sure you read the book before then! Just from watching several different trailers for this film, I can tell it will be slightly different from the book. That's always expected; however, the movie looks incredible, as it should be! With a plot this extravagant, it would be hard to make a bad movie.

I believe that any age group would enjoy this book. I wouldn't go younger than a teen though. Some content may not be suitable. There is slight profanity and sexual humor. Not enough to say that I would limit it to adults, because it was written for a younger audience, but I believe that adults will love it, too!

SPOILER ALERT: THE TRAILER REVEALS THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO KNOW BEFORE READING THE BOOK!

So whether you choose to read the book, watch the movie, or both (I STRONGLY encourage both), I know that you will fall in love with it, just as I did! This is a six-book series. Five books have been released so far, with the six not too far behind. Don't worry, I will still be reading books for the blog, I will just be reading these on the side. I'm seriously addicted!

Clare also wrote a series called The Infernal Devices. It's a three-book series that serves as a prequel to The Mortal Instruments. I would suggest reading The Mortal Instruments first, THEN The Infernal Devices. Check out Cassandra Clare's site for more information! CLICK HERE

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"Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon

“The rest of the journey passed uneventfully, if you consider it uneventful to ride fifteen miles on horseback through rough country at night, frequently without benefit of roads, in company with kilted men armed to the teeth, and sharing a horse with a wounded man. At least we were not set upon by highwaymen, we encountered no wild beasts, and it didn't rain. By the standards I was becoming used to, it was quite dull.”
-Diana Gabaldon, Outlander

One of my readers suggested this book to me, and I was happy for the suggestion! Before she told me about it, I had never once heard of Outlander. When I was searching the books at the library, I finally found it. Whoa. It's huge. The cover looked old and, quite honestly, boring! My first thought: "Great. This book looks dreadful." Reluctantly, I checked it out and took it home.

Boy, was I wrong! Outlander completely took me by surprise! I know the common saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," but everyone does. Everyone. I'm glad my reader suggested it though, because this was a refreshing new book (to me, anyway) that I loved! The plot was incredibly unique, and I've never come across anything quite like this book before.

Claire Beauchamp Randall and her husband, Frank, are on holiday in Scotland in 1945. She was a British combat nurse, so they had been separated for a long time due to the war. After exploring the lands, quite a bit, they come across an ancient stone circle. Upon touching the circle, Claire is thrown back in time two hundred years! The world has changed immensely in two hundred years, so Claire takes notice to things such as (or the lack of) electricity and simple medications. Not knowing how to return to her time and her husband, Claire has to make the best of the life being put in front of her in a land that existed before her time.

Because of her peculiar knowledge of the lands, the locals keep their eye on her, accuse her of being a spy, a witch, and other things. She tries her best to make a good name for herself by healing the wounded and the sick with her skills in nursing.

Proving that she is not a spy or witch is no task in comparison to controlling her growing attraction to Jamie Fraser. She just can't help it! The fact that she and he are forced to marry for her own protection does not make the matter any easier! Can she lose herself in her growing love for Jamie, or does she hold out for her husband Frank that she may never see again?

You will never believe all that lies within this book! Well, if you've seen the actual book, you can imagine it has quite a bit since it has over 600 pages, but I was completely entranced by it! It's just so different from anything else I've ever read! I've never read of such pure love and adoration between two people!

Outlander is full of adventure, and great humor, as well! The quote I chose at the beginning demonstrates that briefly. I often found myself laughing aloud or gasping in shock while reading this book! Also, since the book takes places in the 1700s and in Scotland, the humor is quite different than it is today. Diana Gabaldon stayed true to the Scottish accents as well as the culture throughout the entire book, which made everything fall perfectly into place. It's also historically accurate, as well! This book is greatly detailed, but it's necessary to understand the time period, the culture, and the events that are taking place.

Reading this book made me feel like I had traveled back in time myself. Things were simpler, but still more complicated, if that even makes sense. Yes, it's quite a hefty read, but it's worth the time and patience! Outlander is actually the first book in a series of eight books. The final book was released early this year. Reading the first book really makes me want to finish the series, especially after what I found out on the last page!

Some parts of the book are not fit for young readers. There are very mature scenes, as well as very graphic scenes dealing with torture and punishment (remember the time period). Some of the details even made ME cringe! (But that's great writing)! Also, due to the complexity of the novel, it may even be confusing to young readers.

Please let me know if you have read or are planning to read this book! Definitely consider reading Outlander! It really will surprise you! I'm interested to hear what you think about this one! I would really love to hear from someone who has finished the entire series!

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I loved that one of my readers introduced this book to me! She wanted to know what I thought before she started it. Got any books that you are curious about? Leave your suggestions on my Facebook page, and I will review a book for you!

"Hopeless" by Colleen Hoover

"Not everyone gets a happily ever after. Life is real and sometimes its ugly and you just have to learn to cope."
- Colleen Hoover, Hopeless

Okay, so I've fallen in love with Colleen Hoover because of the Slammed series, so when I discovered Hopeless, I jumped on it. So, sorry for the lack of variety, but I WILL be reading and writing about her again soon. I know my readers must love her, too! So, that's okay!

Hoover doesn't write the typical predictable love stories. That's what I love the most. In Hopeless, Sky finally talks her adopted mother into letting her attend public school for her senior year. She figured it couldn't be as bad as her books make it sound. Well, it turns out that, for the most part, her books were right. Everyone already created a reputation for Sky before she even got there. Luckily, she found a friend the first day that would help her through school, since her best friend was across the world in a foreign exchange program.

After the first day, Sky needed to do some grocery shopping. While at the store, she saw a guy that instantly got her heart racing and her stomach turning. What?! She never got this way over guys. Never once had she ever had any feelings to a guy. She always just felt numb around them. She wasn't sure why this guy did this to her, but it made her nervous. Trying to leave as fast as she could, he approached her in the parking lot. Still terrified, she turned to talk to him anyway. He asked for her name because she looked familiar to him, but she knew she had never met him. Soon enough they parted ways.

Shortly after her trip to the grocery store, she went out for her run. Typically, she runs in the morning, but she didn't today because it was the first day of school. During her run, she saw the guy from the store. He was running, too. Shirtless. If she wasn't getting faint from the heat before, she definitely was now!

He ended up in her first period class the next day. She just counld't get away from this guy! Sky really didn't know if she wanted to get away from him though. They end up being running partners, and she started to really like Holder. Well, Dean Holder, but everyone calls him Holder. They hit it off so well. They talk like they've never been strangers. Holder acts like he has Sky figured out so well, but she needs to figure him out..

Think you know how this story goes? Think again! Just when you think the story is going to go the way you imagine, Hoover takes you for a loop. Go ahead: think of the best twist that could possibly be in this story. You lost, Hoover has you beat, and she will shock you! Read Hopeless to see just how this story spins and why it is hopeless.

Make sure to share your thoughts, favorite part, favorite quotes, or anything in a comment at the bottom of the post!

After you fall in love with Sky and Holder in Hopeless, make sure you stay on the lookout for Losing Hope! It is the follow-up book for Hopeless. It will be Holder's story instead of Sky's.

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"Walking Disaster" by Jamie McGuire

"Even though we'd put each other through hell, we'd found heaven. Maybe that was more than a couple of sinners deserved, but I wasn't going to complain."
-Jamie McGuire, Walking Disaster

After months of impatiently waiting, Walking Disaster was finally released this week. Naturally, I stayed awake until midnight, just to make sure it downloaded to my Kindle. I read one chapter then fell asleep. I know: only one chapter?? I was tired!!

I didn't really know much about this sequel except for the fact that it was not going to be through Abby's point of view like Beautiful Disaster. It was going to be in Travis's point of view. I didn't know if the story was going to pick up from where Beautiful Disaster left off, or if it was going to just be the same story but told by him. I quickly found out that it was the latter.

Needless to say, I don't need to give you a summary! You can read my review about Beautiful Disaster for that! Also, you can watch this fun video (click here) of a scene from Walking Disaster! The two people in the video have not read the book, so they acted it out as if they were on Whose Line Is It Anyway? making the video pretty fun to watch! Now don't be discouraged from reading this sequel! To be honest, I was hoping for a continuation of the story; however, I was incredibly pleased with what McGuire did with this book. When I read the first book, I remember constantly wondering what Travis was thinking. Well, now I know! It adds so much color to the story!

Even though I knew the basic story line, the book still had me gasping, and I never wanted to put it down! Seeing everything through Travis's perspective put things in a whole new light. I honestly can't decide which version I liked better! Now that I have finished both of them, everything just seems to fit and flow into one big story.

We all fell in love with Travis and his bad-boy image, his tattoos, and his complete devotion to Abby in Beautiful Disaster. Well, brace yourself, ladies, you will fall much farther and harder this time around! Seeing Travis the way Abby sees him is one thing, but getting to know the depths of who Travis is, is another.

Jamie McGuire is one of those author's that creates the guy that all the girls want, making it hard for guys in the real world. Sorry, boys, but you've got to step it up if you even want to compare to Travis Maddox. Honestly, I don't believe that many guys think the way Travis does in the book. Who knows, maybe there are guys out there that go to the flower store and decide that one bouquet is not enough, so they buy enough to fill an entire room. Maybe there are guys out there that see a girl and think, "The fall clouds cast a gray shadow over everything, but [her] smile was like summertime" (Travis, Walking Disaster). Maybe. Maybe not. McGuire did a great job as a female author, though! The mood is so different in Travis's book than in Abby's. No woman will ever REALLY know what is going on in a man's head, but I will definitely give her credit, because this book is phenomenal!

It's always interesting to see love stories through the guy's point of view; however, those stories are often written by female authors. It would be great to know what is ACTUALLY going on in a guy's mind. So, feel free to write that for us, fellas!

Walking Disaster is a refreshing addition to its prequel, and the epilogue provides good closure for the readers. And what a great ending! I did not expect that to be the turn out!

 So, Jamie McGuire fans, what did you think? Leave your comments here!

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"Slammed" by Colleen Hoover

"Push your boundaries...that's what they're there for."
- Colleen Hoover, Slammed

Layken, along with her younger brother, Kel, and her mother, Julie, moved from Texas to Michigan after her father died. As soon as they pull the U-haul into the driveway, Kel sees a boy his age and instantly begins fighting him with an imaginary sword. Layken decides to sulk in the driver's seat, not excited about her new house -- not home. Kel approaches her and tries to bring her into the games. She hops out of the truck to chase after her little brother and his new friend when she runs into the little boy's older brother. His very cute older brother! There is an instant attraction between the two, and oh, what do you know? He lives across the street. PERFECT!!

After a few encounters over the next couple of days, Will, the cute boy across the street, asks her on a date. No dinner, no movie, but no disappointments. Layken couldn't have asked for a better date, and she couldn't wait to see him again.

Monday morning rolls around and Layken has to go to her new school. Lost and looking for her third period class, she sees Will! Not sure why he is there, she gets excited anyway and runs to him and hugs him. He pushes her away, wide-eyed. Why is he being so weird? She begins to assume he is there to visit his girlfriend, so she storms off, angry. He tells her to wait, just as a student comes outside of the classroom: "Mr. Cooper?"

OH. MY. GOSH. He's the teacher??

Sure, we've all had a crush on our teacher at some time. You get to class on that first day, and the teacher is young and SO cute. Don't deny it, it's happened to all of us! Especially for the boys. Countless times have I heard of the new "hot" teacher. Normally we just sit in our desk and drool over the teacher; we don't necessarily go on a date with him/her.

To be fair, Layken didn't know. What now? There is no way a teacher can date a student! They somehow have to stay away from each other, but how will that work when they live across the street and her desk is in the front row of his third period class? Find out in Slammed!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AN EXCERPT FROM "SLAMMED!!"
http://jschool.troy.edu/~advtech115/required.html
(I recorded this myself!)

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After reading Hoover's Slammed, make sure to read the sequel, Point of Retreat. It's from Will's point of view instead of Layken's but it picks up where the first left off. I didn't think Slammed could be topped, but Hoover proved me wrong! These books are "butterflying" amazing!

Let me know what you think! I hope you love these books just as much as I do!