Review- An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life.

Release date: May 10th 2012

Published by: Penguin Books Ltd

Page numbers: 213

REVIEW: 

After having read The Fault in Our Stars, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines was the only unread John Green book on my shelf. So one day, when I was in a John Green mood (meaning I wanted to read something brilliant), I decided to pick it up and not so surprisingly, the book turned out to be super brilliant. There's just something so magical and addictive about John Green's writing and story-telling that it is both hard to put the book down and to finish it.

An Abundance of Katherines follows the story of child prodigy Colin Singleton, who after having dated not one not two, but nineteen Katherines, is working on a theorem to help prove the longevity of a relationship based on a Dumper- Dumpee approach. Now all the math love aside (which is just incomprehensible gibberish to my brain), everything about Colin made me love him. He was like most of John Green 's characters- simple, ordinary, relatable but self-centred and way too intellectually developed and enlightened for his age, who is just trying to figure himself and the world out.

Colin, along with his friend Hassan, goes on a road trip where he encounters Lindsey Lee Wells while stopping to see the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Now Hassan and Lindsey were characters that I instantly liked because of how cool they were. Hassan was probably the funniest and most adorable character John Green has written, while Lindsey was a nice and smart girl who was the most relatable as well. Colin and Hassan decide to spend the summer at Gutshot, Tennessee when Hollis, Lindsey's mother, offers them work.

A story well told and extremely well made, An Abundance of Katherines is told in the third person point of view and has a mix of both the present and Colin's past with his many Katherines. If I were fond of or even the least bit interested in math, I would've loved the whole theorem inserted very cleverly and neatly in the book; but because I'm not, it didn't really matter to me. Which brings me to the most important point: in spite of all that, the book still managed to be fun for me, because it had so much else going on which was done in a lovely manner.

If, like me, you have read a couple of John Green books, keep in mind that this is a very John Green book, so if you, like me, have liked the rest, you're bound to like this one as well.

Buy the book: AMAZON

Pre-Release Blitz- I Knew You Were Trouble by Lauren Layne

A feisty beauty must choose between winning back Mr. Right 

or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE

Oxford Series #4

Lauren Layne

Releasing June 13, 2017

Loveswept

New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with: Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.

Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL's ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday #197

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

Salvaged by Jay Crownover

Publication Date: June 20th, 2017

Summary-

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men books continues her delightfully sexy Saints of Denver series.

Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes. 

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him. 

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.

That is one gorgeous cover, isn't it? I have been really enjoying the Saints of Denver series by Jay Crownover. I can't wait for Poppy and Wheeler's book because they so deserve a happy ending.

What are you waiting on? :)

Cover Reveal- KIYA Trilogy by Katie Hamstead

Katie Hamstead's bestselling trilogy is getting a new look! Check out the new covers below!

Hope of the Pharoah (KIYA Trilogy #1)

by Katie Hamstead

Summary:

When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…

The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.

Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood. 

Mother of a King (KIYA Trilogy #2)

by Katie Hamstead

Summary:

Nefertiti has forced Naomi to flee Amarna with Malachi and the three children. But even under the protection of Naomi's family in Thebes, Nefertiti still hunts her and Tut. Nefertiti sends assassins to kill them, and while Naomi fights to protect the children, Malachi fights to keep her safe.

With three children in tow, one of which isn't her own, she is labeled the harlot outcast wife of the pharaoh and is shunned. She isn't safe among her own people, and flees from being stoned to death. Although her family protects her, she must find a way to survive.

While Naomi struggles to keep herself and Tut alive, old adversaries return as Smenkhkare takes advantage of Akhenaten's ailing health. Naomi must rely on Horemheb's promise to protect Tut's birthright, but her feelings for Malachi could cause more problems with Horemheb than she expects. 

Rise of a New Dynasty (KIYA Trilogy #3)

by Katie Hamstead

Summary:

Tut has grown into his position as Pharaoh, but he is a wild young man. Naomi fears for him, not only because of his recklessness, but because he has put his trust in Ay—the man determined to destroy Naomi—despite her and Horemheb advising against it.

Meanwhile, death and slavery hang over Naomi and her family. With fear of the booming Hebrew numbers causing talk of enslaving them, conscription is reinstated and Naomi fears for the lives of her other children. Especially since Ay's children are now adults, and just as dangerous as their father. They threaten to take Itani, conspire against Tut, and push for power.

But Tut is in trouble. While Ay's daughter draws Horemheb's attention, and Naomi deals with the struggles of her family, everyone's distraction could spell death for the young Pharaoh. 

You can find the series on Amazon HERE!

The Author has signed copies of the original covers on sale! Check that out HERE! 

About the Author:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.
After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing.
When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels now available, and is published through Curiosity Quills Press, Soul Mate Publishing, and REUTS Publishing.
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Author Links:

   

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Review- Midnight Target by Elle Kennedy

Summary-

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Score and Midnight Revenge...

Four years ago, Cate’s entire life changed when she discovered she was the daughter of a supersoldier. But Jim Morgan’s overprotectiveness has pushed her away. These days, she’s working as a freelance photographer and living the dangerous life Jim never wanted for her.

When Cate snaps a photo linking a corrupt South American politician with the leader of a notorious drug cartel, her mercenary father leads a team to rescue her—only to get shot and critically wounded in the process.

As Morgan’s operatives rally together on a revenge mission, they’re faced with new alliances and old heartaches. Cate is forced to work with David “Ash” Ashton, the man who broke her heart two years ago, while Liam Macgregor and Sullivan Port resurface after years apart to finally try to deal with everything they’d left unsaid.

Soon it’s all-out war between the cartel and the mercenaries—with two couples caught in the middle of the blood feud. Love and redemption are within their reach...but first they have to make it home alive.

Release date: April 25th, 2017

Published by: Berkley Books

Page numbers: 384

Review-

I was a little nervous but a lot more excited before starting Midnight Target by Elle Kennedy. The Killer Instincts series by Elle Kennedy is actually one of my favourite romantic suspense series of all time. I love all the couples and the action packed plots. Midnight Target is the final book in the series. Also, it contains not one but two love stories. So obviously I had high expectations and I'm happy to say Elle Kennedy met them all.

Cate is Jim Morgan's daughter. All her life she's wanted to be included, to be a part of the bigger picture. But because of her over protective father she's distancing herself from family. When Cate finds herself in trouble she turns to her father for help. She doesn't know what a shit storm she's unleashed until its too late and Jim is critically injured. Thus begins the story where everyone starts coming together to get to the bottom of it.

I loved Cate as a heroine. Yes, she was young and impulsive but her heart was always in the right place and at the end of it she is Jim Morgan's daughter. Kate has always been in love with Ash. But one too many rejections from him have made their relationship tumultuous at best. When Cate is forced to work with Ash both their feelings spill over. You'd think Ash is a total asshole but he isn't. Not really. He respects the hell out of Jim Morgan, a man who has given him a place to stay and made him feel like family. He knows his feelings for Kate are forbidden but he leaves no stone unturned when she is in danger.

Side by side to Kate and Ash's romance we also FINALLY get Sullivan and Liam's story. These two were best friends once upon a time. They could read each others mind. But feelings for each other have muddied the waters. I loved Liam. He was the one willing to take a step forward, willing to take a risk. Sully on the other hand was more cautious. But that didn't stop either of them from getting together. I am not a m/m reader but I still very much enjoyed Sully and Liam's story.

You definitely come to a full circle with Midnight Target. We get to meet all of Jim's crew and Noelle's assassins. I loved seeing how everyone was doing and seeing everyone together on a mission, working towards a goal. It made my heart happy. Midnight Target is filled with action and romance. Not everyone gets a happy ending and things get bloody fast. But I think Elle Kennedy has tied all the threads together with this. This is a massive book but one I loved reading. I didn't want it to get over. The Killer Instincts series is an amazing one and I would highly recommend the entire series.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.