Books and Swoons

Quote (#148)

Morning Friends,
This sloth equals me this weekend. I was totally unproductive and lazy. Sunday went by way too fast, I'm not used to this time change and I felt cheated. Anyway, on to our quotes.

“Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it.”
~Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember

“One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
~Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”
~Anne Frank

“You're going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it's always their actions you should judge them by. It's actions, not words, that matter.”
~ Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue

“We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it.”
~Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“When someone shows you who they are believe them; the first time.”
~Maya Angelou

“Nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy. Remember that.”
~Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle

Have a great Monday!

Mini Review: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher:Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Library
Review by: Nahomi

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

3.5 stars out of 5 stars

As always Sarah Dessen delivers and impeccably written novel full of teenage angst and self-discovery. I found Emaline’s story to be interesting. It’s been a while since I’ve read a story from the perspective of a character that lives on a coastal tourist town. I enjoyed reading about the town and Emaline’s life and the people around her. The characters were multidimensional and had a lot of issues going on, which kept me interested in the story.

The story itself was anticlimactic. I kept waiting for something to happen. I kept reading to see what how it would end and was disappointed. Overall the story is well written and the characters are good but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

Waiting on Wednesday (#147)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

All That Jazz by Natasha Boyd

Expected Release Date: March 22, 2016

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

There's something totally inconvenient about falling for your best friend's brother. Especially when he's turned into a pompous, arrogant, albeit annoyingly sexy a-hole that you'd like to punch or kiss to death at any given moment.

After a stupid favor that blurred the lines from friends to lovers the summer she turned eighteen, Jazz Frazer accidentally lost her heart to Joey Butler. For three years they’ve pretended there’s nothing between them anymore. Jazz is finally ready to move on with the rest of her life. She's determined that experiences and relationships will be fun, casual and easy. After all, she learned the hard way that men just don’t stick around anyway. But when her best friend gets herself into a relationship with a celebrity, Jazz has to do the one thing she never thought she'd do, call Joey and ask for help.

Repeatedly thrown together, Jazz tries everything she can to protect her heart and not fall back in love with Joey. But when Joey finally admits that Jazz is the one he's always wanted, all bets are off.

I've been waiting for this book for a really long time!!!! I can't believe it's almost here eek! March 22 can't get here soon enough.

What are you "Waiting on?"

Quotes (#147)

Source

Morning Lovelies,

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I've had a quiet weekend of just Netflix and my couch so I'm back to work a little less stressed. Let's do some quotes.

“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime...” - Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

“Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like.” - Lemony Snicket

“I know all those words, but that sentence makes no sense to me.” - Matt Groening

“If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave.” - Mo Willems, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs

“The dead can survive as part of the lives of those that still live.” - Kenzaburō Ōe, Hiroshima Notes

“In our deepest moments we say the most inadequate things.” - Edna O'Brien, A Fanatic Heart

“Love isn't an act, it's a whole life.” - Brian Moore

I hope you all have a great week!

Our Monthly Wrap-Up (#2)

For the month of February, this what went down on the blog.

I read:

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins on audiobook

REBEL BULLY GEEK PARIAH by Erin Jade Lange

THE RUBY CIRCLE by Richelle Mead

BEAUTIFUL BOSS by Christina Lauren

Nahomi read:

SWEET TEMPTATION by Wendy Higgins

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

STARS ABOVE by Marissa Meyer

RUBY RED by Kersten Gier

SAPPHIRE BLUE by Kersten Gier

EMERALD GREEN by Kersten Gier

I'm currently reading:

THE EPIDEMIC by Suzanne Young

BEAUTIFUL BASTARD by Christina Lauren on audiobook

Nahomi is currently reading:

WICKED SEXY LIAR by Christina Lauren

Reviews we posted in February:

Features done in February:

So, how was your month? What did you read/talked/swooned about? Let's chat!

Favorite Friday (#57) - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Have a favorite book? Series? One that you've just read or are currently reading? Favorite Friday is a bi-monthly meme hosted by Books and Swoons where we spotlight some of our Favorite Reads. Everyone is welcome to join. Just leave us a comment!

This week pick is: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.

Some friends just fit together.

Once there was a pair of pants. Just an ordinary pair of jeans. But these pants, the Traveling Pants, went on to do great things. This is the story of the four friends—Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen—who made it possible.

This book was one of the few books I read back in my teens, and granted, all four books were already released and the movie was being promoted, it will forever hold a special spot in my heart. The friendship all the girls share and how they struggled to keep in touch, I love this book. Have you read it?

About the author:

Ann Brashares is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, 3 Willows, The Last Summer (of You & Me), and My Name Is Memory. She lives in New York City with her husband and their four children.

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Facebook

I hope you can join us in sharing and talking about some of your favorite reads. Book talk always make us happy.

What are one of your favorite reads?

Mini Review: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red
(The Ruby Red #1)
Author: Kerstin Gier
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Square Fish
Source: Library
Review by: Nahomi

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Kerstin Gier creates a world that is easy to get lost in. Ruby Red is so entertaining that I felt like I couldn’t get enough of this story. There is so much going on throughout the story that at times it is difficult to keep all of the details straight. The historical and time travel aspects of this novel keep the story really interesting. I kept trying to wrap my brain around the different outcomes of past and present and the time continuum. This was really one of my favorite aspects of the story.

I will say though that the plot is predictable in respect to certain aspects of the story. I had a love hate relationship with Gwyneth, because she can be so dense sometimes. On occasion she was really self-deprecating which is really annoying. I felt bad for her because she was thrust into this strange situation with no preparation or warning what so ever.

Overall the Ruby Red is really interesting and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.

Swoony Boy of the Month - Ansel from Sweet Filthy Boy

Swoony Boy of the Month is our new feature where we spotlight a favorite swoony boy from the books we have read.

For this month swoony boy we are going French. Ansel Guillaume in Sweet Filthy Boy by the awesome writing duo Christina Lauren. Ansel sold us with his accent and the way he fell head over heels in love with Mia. Let's swoons on Ansel.

“He’s the guy who’ll do a ridiculous robot dance to make you laugh, who’ll lick the tip of your nose, make a fool out of himself for a smile. I’m sure if I tried to wrestle him to the ground, he’d let me win. And enjoy every minute.” - Christina Lauren, Sweet Filthy Boy

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“Mmpf. You’re so heavy. Do you have bricks in your pocket? Get off me.”
“But you’re so warm,” he whines. “And soft. And you smell so good. Like woman and sex and me.” - Christina Lauren, Sweet Filthy Boy

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“What you feel, Cerise? I feel it, too. Fuck, Mia, I feel everything for you.” - Christina Lauren, Sweet Filthy Boy

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“You just implied you’re banging me tonight.” His grin gets bigger as his hands snake around my waist.
“Play your cards right.”
“I forgot my cards … But I did bring my penis.” - Christina Lauren, Sweet Filthy Boy

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“I’m not sure I ever made a woman come with my mouth before I met you,” he admits. “I love kissing you there. And I love your ass, it’s perfect.” With this, I feel his length stir against my stomach as his hands squeeze me. “I like any kind of sex with you, but I prefer being on top of you . . . You make missionary feel dirty the way you grab and move under me.” - Christina Lauren, Sweet Filthy Boy

Sweet lord Ansel is one hot frenchman. Isn't he swoony??

Review: Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren

Wicked Sexy Liar
(Wild Seasons #4)
Author: Christina Lauren
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Gallery Books
Review by: Jenn

For two people ambivalent about dating and love, they sure get naked around each other an awful lot . . .

London Hughes is very content to surf daily, tend bar, hang out with her group of friends, and slowly orient herself in the years after college. Everything’s going great and according to the non-plan.

But when a wave knocks her for a loop one morning, then Luke Sutter’s flirtatious smile knocks her for another that evening, she veers slightly off course…and into his path. Sure, he’s a total player, but theWhy not—it’s only one night is a persistent voice in her ear.

For his part, Luke’s been on hookup autopilot for so long that he rarely ever pauses to consider what he’s doing. But after an amazing time with London, he realizes that he hasn’t been moving on from a devastating heartbreak so much as he’s been drifting to wherever—and whomever—the current takes him. With London he wants more.

Every relationship involves two people…plus their pasts. And as much as she enjoys her fling with Luke, when London learns about his past—more specifically, who’s in it—everything becomes the brand of complicated she strives to avoid. It’s up to Luke then to change some things in order to try and ensure he’s not something she’ll outright avoid as well.

4 stars out of 5 stars

I enjoyed Wicked Sexy Liar so much more than I did the last Wild Seasons book and, just like London, it was such a breezy, laid back easy read. When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I recognized Luke's name from somewhere but I couldn't pinpoint from exactly where. Once I realized where Luke comes to us, I was super excited to see where this story took us.

Luke is sexy and totally adorable because he just lets the women in his life run him and he just goes along with their shenanigans. Reading London and Luke story was such a fun time but I'll be honest, I liked reading Luke's character more than London's. I can't quite put my finger on why I feel that way but being in his head was a lot more fun. I'm not sure why I feel that way, considering I can relate to London on some level. I think the problem might be is that she reminded me a lot of Lola and I wasn't the best of fan of Lola's and Oliver's book.

This being a Christina Lauren book, we got to see how our favorite characters from the previous books are doing and to be honest, that always my favorite part. But my favorite part of this book? Not-Joe! We get to see him some more and actually learn of his real name! Like always, Christina Lauren gave us exactly what we were expecting in their book which is some flirty, sexy banter, with some flirty, sexy times, and a happily ever after.

Quotes (#146)

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Morning Swooners,

I had a great but exhausting weekend and now I'm so damn tired it's not even funny. But alas work and responsibilities await. Here are some quotes to start the week off on a good note.

“Worse than not realizing the dreams of your youth would be to have been young and never dreamed at all.”
~Jean Genet

“Heaven would never be heaven without you.”
~ Richard Matheson, What Dreams May Come

“Love is or it ain't. Thin love ain't love at all.”
~ Toni Morrison, Beloved
“You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”
~Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon

“Don't ever think I fell for you, or fell over you. I didn't fall in love, I rose in it.”
~Toni Morrison, Jazz
“As you enter positions of trust and power, dream a little before you think.”
~ Toni Morrison

“All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.”
~ Toni Morrison

Have a wonderful week!

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