Feature & Follow Friday #28

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Today's question is:

Confess your blogger sins! Is there anything as a newbie blogger that you’ve done, that as you gained more experience you were like — oops?

My answer:

Janhvi and I are still newbie bloggers and we make tons of mistakes! It's hard to list a few! 

We verify everything with each other (or Google) before going ahead with it. 

 We try getting our tips and tricks from all you fellow bloggers as we are still getting our own experiences. 

What sins have you committed? ;)

Follow us and we'll follow back! 

Happy Friday and happy reading, everyone! 

Sarika

Review- Tell-All by Nell Carson

Summary-

In Tell-All, New York City writer Kat Callahan is just finishing an explosive unauthorized biography of Hollywood's 'It' couple, Alex and Victoria Janssen, when they mysteriously disappear along with their 7-year old son, Jeremy. Now Kat's publisher is hot on her heels to finish the book to cash in on the free publicity. Little does Kat know the charming cowboy who's just strolled into her life is actually Alex Janssen's brother, Luke, dead-set on stopping the book. He knows it will reveal a fiercely guarded secret that could destroy the lives of all four Janssens. Now he'll stop at nothing to ensure that doesn't happen.

Review-

Tell-All  by Nell Carson was a cute and short read. The story was fairly simple with not many complications and one in which you just know you're gonna get a happy ending. Sometimes you just need to read one of these books and I enjoyed Tell-All.

New York city writer Kat Callahan is finishing a biography of Hollywood's 'It' couple, Alex and Victoria Janssen when they mysteriously disappear along with their 7-year old son. The biography would get the publishing house all the free publicity they needed and after Kat completed this she could get into the world of publishing to actually get a real book out.

Somehow the Janssen's get to know of this and Luke Janssen, Alex's brother, goes out to live with Kat under a false name to stop the book from coming out. What Luke doesn't expect at all is that he would fall in love with the writer herself.

Kat was a nice character. Learning about her painful past just makes you sympathize with her all the more. Her situation is understandable. Luke was just as good. He wants to do nothing more than to protect his family even if he goes all wrong about it. The romance was slow and extremely sweet. We get to see Kat's vulnerable side and how she and Luke fall for each other.

The writing is well paced and for a comparatively short book Tell-All manages to leave you well satisfied with the outcome. This was a cute read with a little bit of drama. But its mostly about two people falling in love under the most unlikely circumstances.

Janhvi

Waiting On Wednesday #28

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

Across A Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows The Stars #2)by Diana Peterfreund

Publication Date- October 15th 2013

Goodreads Summary:

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

In this thrilling adventure inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine.

My review of For Darkness Shows The Stars

That cover and title are gorgeous just like the first book! 

I cannot wait to see what author Diana Peterfreund has in store for us with this one! 

Sarika

Teaser Tuesday #28

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

                                                       Here's my teaser-

"There was no reason to act like I was okay. Until I knew Blaire was okay, I was never going to be okay. She may not forgive me. Hell she may never look at me again but I needed to know that she was healing. I needed to know something. Anything."

-Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

Summary-

He had held a secret that destroyed her world. 

Everything she had known was no longer true. 

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.
Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again. 
What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? 

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

                                                                 What's your teaser?

                                                                    Janhvi

Review- The Gingerbread House by Nell Carson

Goodreads Summary:

After a tumultuous past, Greta Kendall has focused mainly on her bridal shop, located on the first floor of her beloved Queen Anne Victorian near Aspen. For two years she’s fought to save her house from Stephanie Harwood of Harwood Development, who is intent on razing her home to build a new mall. But now Greta’s running out of time. The town council is about to approve the final plans for the mall.

When Gray Daniels walks into her shop, Greta is immediately attracted to his rugged good looks and midnight blue eyes, until she learns he’s Stephanie Harwood’s fiancé. She’s furious to find they’ve tricked her into a publicity stunt aimed at garnering support for the mall. So now her little war has a new front: Gray Daniels. If only she could also fight her growing attraction to him.

A knock on the door brings a return of old danger, and Greta must now put aside her anguish over the house to discover if she’s at last capable of looking the past in the eye and overcoming it—and if she’s finally free to love again.

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of The Gingerbread House from author Nell Caron in exchange for an honest review. We thank Nell for the book! 

Author Nell Carson's The Gingerbread House is a very sweet and heartwarming read. 
Greta Kendall and her mom Adele run their family's traditional bridal wear boutique. Greta is fighting to save the only home they've known, popularly known as The Gingerbread House by locals which Stephanie Harwood is keen on demolishing and in it's place, Stephanie wants to construct a mall just to prove herself to her businessman father. 

When Gray Daniels and Great Kendall meet in her shop, sparks immediately fly but it really seems worthless since Gray is there with a single purpose- to fix the wedding gown passed down by the beautiful ladies of his family for his fiancee, Stephanie Harwood. 
Greta was a good woman who stood up for what she believed in and did her best to protect The Gingerbread House. Her past was really terrible and it was so good to see her try  to overcome her fears with the help of those close to her. Her relationship with her mother Adele was wonderful. Their moments together were emotional and simply cute. 
Gray was a kind man who realised he was foolishly in love only with the girl he knew and not the woman she had become. It was so good to see him get out of it and finally find his peace and solace. 
Greta and Gray shared a wonderful relationship full of sparks, ups, downs, ons, offs and everything that basically goes into making a relationship steady and sweet. I did have a little problem getting into the story. I found myself rereading a few lines to know what was going on. 

Nonetheless, author Nell Carson's neat and simple writing, a groovy plot, an unforgivable past, a not so stable present, a bright future, a tender romance and an ample amount of humour make The Gingerbread House a lighthearted and awesome read that's short and sweet with a honeyed ending that left me smiling. 

RATING:

Sarika

Review- Point Of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Goodreads Summary:

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart. 

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

Slammed series:

My review of Slammed (Slammed #1)

REVIEW:

Slammed had me go all 'oh.... wow' and I had the exact same reaction while reading Point Of Retreat. Seriously, these books are so full of fun, laughter, heartbreak and emotion, they make you feel great. Just like Slammed, Point Of Retreat was also an all-rounder- the perfect read.

Point Of Retreat kicks of a year after where Slammed ended. You can read my review of Slammed here. 
Layken and Will have fallen into a nice routine and are now used to having each other around when some unexpected reappearances and basic questions about the foundation of their relationship lead to heartbreak. 
Point Of Retreat is from Will's point of view and the guy's POV is always fresh, raw, uncut, clean and super cool. Will's was no different. This book has only made me appreciate and admire Will even more. This book has truly made Will a swoon-worthy hero. I loved his maturity, his sensibility, the way he treated those who are important to him with care and respect. But above all I loved how much he was into Lake and everything that he did to show her he loves her and prove his dedication to her. 
Some really major events take place in Point Of Retreat and Will was so controlled, calm and cool. His relationships with his brother Caulder, Lake's brother Kel and their new, adorable and hilarious neighbour Kiersten were really smooth and lovely. 
Lake's role is Point Of Retreat was just as significant as Will's. Having read Slammed from her point of view, it was easy to understand why she did certain things in a certain way. I really appreciated how Lake handled all the situations and her love for her brother Kel and Will's brother Caulder was visible. 
Lake's best friend Eddie and her boyfriend Gavin (who is now Will's best friend) were again their adorable selves. In spite of their own personal problems, they again proved their selflessness by constantly sticking with both Lake and Will. I seriously hope against hope the adorable couple get their own story! Please, Colleen!  
Caulder and Kel were superb in this one. It was really nice to see them grow up and yet at times, it was totally heart wrenching to see the two innocents go through so much and yet smile like nothing has happened. Their new neighbour, Kiersten was pure entertainment, she was endearing and her mom, Sherry was very helpful and kind. Will and Caulder's grandparents were such warm, kind-hearted and simply genuine people. They brought a homely and slightly amusing touch to the story. 
One of the best things about Point Of Retreat is that there are many side stories going on save for Lake and Will's. However, each of these stories have been given equal attention, they are all happening and they are all  extremely gripping. 
Author Colleen Hoover again writes in a very simplistic and realistic manner. Her writing is truly superb. The poetry again makes everything so attractive and Will's little diary entries or Lake's mom's little quotes bring a vibrant and fresh tinge to the book. 
I absolutely loved Point Of Retreat. It made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me cry. It was an absolutely serious, simple and superb story. 
The Slammed series has left me speechless, made me me an emotional wreck and I am so glad I read it. Really, these books are simply stunning, they're nothing less than absolutely perfect. 

RATING:

Sarika

Review- Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Goodreads Summary:

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope. 
Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.
Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

REVIEW:

Oh. Hmm... Wow. Slammed has left me... I don't know... awestruck maybe. The book was everything that I thought it would be, in the sense that it had everything I look for in a book and it made me feel everything I like to feel when reading a book; yet there was an indescribably unpredictable aspect to it that made it the perfect read. I can't put into words how enthralling it was to read it. 
I was so totally looking forward to reading Slammed and when I actually got to it, I knew why. It was such an emotional, pleasant and lovely read. It is a super nice and super sad story about love and loss. It is the kind of book that makes your heart melt. It is an adorably messed up read, which I love love love!
Slammed is the story of Layken, whose father passes away due to heart-attack after which Layken, her mother and her littler brother, Kel  move to Michigan. The real reason behind their mother's decision to move is so heart-wrenching. It really moved me to the core.
Layken's family was so close-knit and affectionate. Her mom was tender and caring and Layken's recaps of her dad only showed how great a man he was. Kel was so adorable. His backward days, his talk, his coolness, his curiosity, his 'basagna' (it's what he calls lasagna) and him just being himself was so cuddle-some. He finds a friend in their Michigan neighbour, Caulder, who happens to be the younger brother of Will, Layken's love interest. 
Caulder was also super adorable. The two boys made a great and fun team. 
Layken was an excellent girl. She was going through so much and it was so nice, intelligent and practical of her to put her family first. Her protectiveness towards her brother was simply awe-inspiring. Her new best friend, Eddie (who is a girl, FYI!) and Eddie's boyfriend Gavin were both really superb and selfless  people. 
Will himself was, oh my God, so excellent. He was caring, hard-working and understanding. His devotion to his brother was also clearly visible. How he takes care of his brother after their parent's death was simply stunning and swoon-worthy. 
Layken and Will have a super complicated yet super lovely relationship. The day they meet each other, something just feels right, but things don't work out the way they (or even us readers) would have liked to. Nonetheless, their story was adorable. Their togetherness, albeit messed up, was just so captivating and their chemistry was silent and loud at the same time.  
Author Colleen Hoover's writing is astounding, deep, stunning and simple. It's the kind of easy yet thorough that make you fall in love with the story and the characters. It makes you think that writing and performing poetry is so easy, the inclusion of which was absolutely attractive. The perfectly wow song lyrics by the band, The Avett Brothers at the beginning of every chapter just lit up the whole write-up. 
It is so hard to express in words the indescribable wonder of this book. It was perfect, it was everything, it was soulful and lyrical. 
I absolutely loved Slammed. 

RATING:

Sarika