Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

    I feel that before I go on about this review I have to come clean about something... It may sadden some of you to know this but I have never read Pride and Prejudice. Ever. I have seen the movie and the BBC adaptation though. Oh stop shaking your head at me! If it makes you feel better I do love the BBC version better- sorry Kiera! Now that that's taken care of lets begin...

   I loved Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter! I cried during part of the book, actually last night when I was reading before bed. This book came out in 2007 so some of you may have read it already. I wasn't a big reader in 2007 so I don't remember it being popular but maybe it was. The back of the book reads:

   "After a string of disastrous dates, Emily Albright decides she's had it with love. She'd much rather curl up with Pride and Prejudice and spend her time with Mr. Darcy, the dashing, honorable and passionate hero of Jane Austen's classic. So when her best friend suggests a wild week of margaritas and men in Mexico with the girls, Emily abruptly flees to England on a guided tour of Jane Austen country instead. Far from inspiring romance, though, the company aboard the tour bus consist of a gaggle of little old ladies and one single man, Spike Hargreaves, a foul tempered journalist writing an article on why fictional Mr. Darcy has earned the title of Man Most Women Would Love to Date.
   Last thing Emily expected to find on her excursion is a broodingly handsome man striding across a field, his damp shirt clinging to his chest. But that's exactly what happens when she comes face-to-face with none other than Mr. Darcy himself. And suddenly, every woman's fantasy becomes one woman's reality..."

   Near the end of the book I decided to look online at reviews for the book to see if others enjoyed it as much as me. I was shocked to see so many bad reviews. For example, a lot of reviews talked about how it's strange that she dated Mr. Darcy and that it was impossible. Is it not impossible for Bella to fall in love with a vampire? Or a werewolf? Come on it's a book, use your imagination! When I finished the book I understood the dating Mr. Darcy part. After reading the reviews I stand by mine, I loved this freaking book!

   I actually randomly found it at the library. I was just walking down an aisle and I saw it or maybe it found me. Either way I am so glad I read it! I thought it was quite enjoyable and I'm even thinking about asking the library if I could buy it from them. The book came out a while ago and the copy from the library is surely loved.

    I recommend reading this book. It's very similar to Pride and Prejudice but like a modern type version. The book is almost hard to explaining because I believe it to be different. I read Austenland and wrote a review about that on this blog and when I started reading this book I thought they were basically going to be the same thing but they are different. I have to admit that I actually like this book better. I never once got bored and couldn't wait for down time when I could reach in my bag and grab my book. Have you read this book or Austenland? Which do you like better?

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

    I can not stress enough how much I loved this book! It gave me all the feels. I was at the edge of my seat and was not disappointed at any point with this book. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas is a young adult thriller. The back of the book reads:

    "SPRING BREAK. ARUBA. Swimming, sunshine, and drinks. Lots of drinks.
      It's supposed to be the best time of Anna's life. Perfect.
      But then Anna's best friend is found brutally murdered.
     And as the local police begin to investigate the gruesome crime, suspicion and evidence unfathomably point to one person- Anna.
     Now trapped in a country not her own, Anna must fight for her freedom and prove her innocence. but as she awaits the judge's decision, it becomes clear to Anna that everyone around her thinks she is not only guilty but dangerous.
     And when the truth finally comes out, its more shocking than anyone could have ever imagined..."

   As soon as this book was over I had so much adrenaline I felt like I could run a marathon. I was so sucked into the story and trying to figure who did it. Like I said above, this book made me feel all the feels. I got chills, teary eyed, sad, happy, wanting to jump out of my chair. I love the way the story is told because every chapter takes you to a different part of the story for example one chapter will be about the murder trial, and the next chapter would be about them at a party a couple of months ago, then a chapter about the first day they arrived in Aruba. Even though it skips around in their lives it comes together to make the story better.

   I seriously recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller to read. I was completely entertained cover to cover. When it was over I just wanted to shout from the roof tops about this book. I was totally fan girling over this book. Ok you are probably tired of me talking about this book. So I'll stop so you can run to the book store and get it or buy the eBook it will be faster!

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

 Edit:

    I also forget to mention that this would make a kick ass movie. I would love to see Anna Kendrick play Anna. I think she would be amazing. I know this last edit is totally random but that's kind of my life.

Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich

    I went on a trip and I wanted a good book for the plane and I found this one and I was not disappointed. The inside cover reads:

    "Holly didn't expect to be a widow at thirty-two. She also didn't expect to be so big. After her husband's death, food was the one thing she could always count on. Now, those extra pounds make flying coach feel like medieval torture- especially when she's squished next to Logan Montgomery. A personal trainer to famous pro athletes, her seatmate is so hot that he makes Holly sweat in all the right (and so embarrassingly wrong!) places.

    Though Holly doesn't make the grade on Logan's first- impression meter, he finds himself intrigued by her sharp wit and keen insights- a welcome change from the high-maintenance models he dates- so he impulsively offers to get her back in shape. A little skeptical but ready to make at least one positive change in her life, Holly agrees.

   To Logan's (and her own) surprise Holly turns out to be a natural in the gym, slimming down into a bona fide looker with killer curves- and a new kind of hunger. Before either of them can stop it, the easy intimacy of their training sessions leads to even more steamy workouts away from the gym.

    Logan's best friends, professional baseball player Chase Walker and his wife, Amanda, see that this is more than a fling, even if Logan and Holly don't. But can a man whose whole life depends on looks commit himself to a woman who doesn't fit his ideals? Now that Holly's turning other men's heads, does she even need Logan anymore? Are they a couple built to last... or destined to fizzle?"

   

 

 

    First off, I hate the word panties. People hate the word moist well I hate the word panties. Now that that's over, I quite enjoyed the book for the most part. There were some intense sex scenes I was not prepared for. Didn't realize it would be that kind of book. My favorite part was the last line but I wont spoil that for you. Besides you wouldn't understand unless you read the book. Ironically since a lot of the book is about Logan training Holly it made me feel motivated to work out.

 

    There were some parts of the book that I wasn't a fan of. Mainly Chase and Amanda's weird spanking thing which again is something you would have to read the book to understand. I don't want to spoil any part of the book. Another thing I have a problem with is a big part of the book and that's that basically even after Holly loses a lot of weight it's not certain that she's thin enough for Logan or Logan's life, thinks Logan. Excuse me, what? Boy you don't deserve her then? But some how I was still able to read the book and actually enjoy it.

 

 

 

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Giffin

    This was a very short story type of deal. It came out in 2012 and has been on my Kindle ever since. In case you don't know Darcy J. Rhone is a character from Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. This story was a cool way to get a peak into Darcy and Rachel's (also in Something Borrowed) life as teens. Even though it was written in Darcy's point of view she obviously talked about her BFF Rachel. Also a little of Ethan. Darcy is a bit foolish and naïve as well as selfish which it clearly shows in her diary. I'm a big fan of Emily Giffin's writing but she made a wise choice making a short story of Darcy's diary and doing so after Something Borrowed. I say this because since Darcy is so selfish and gets a bit annoying. I wouldn't like her so much if that's the story of Darcy Emily Giffin wrote about. I was also wondering what Rachel's diary would be like, probably a bit boring since she isn't crazy like her BFF but you could see her perspective of Darcy.

 

 

 



    If you are a fan of Emily Giffin and Something Borrowed this would be a fun little read. It's a very short story. I tried to look it up on Amazon though and it's not showing up. It's unfortunate if that's true. Hopefully if you are a big fan like me of her writing you have to read this story.

 

Thanks for Being Here,

Curious Reader xo

Flawless by Sara Shepard

    First let me say I am sorry if this post is messy I am typing it on my phone since my internet is down. Second I'm sorry to bore you guys with another Pretty Little Liars book again. I couldn't help it I really wanted to read the next one. I promise to wait a couple of weeks till I read the third.

    I am so confused in this Pretty Little Liars world. It may have to do with the fact that I am watching the series from the beginning, reading it from the beginning, and watching current episodes. Scenes are jumbled in my head but I still love it all. I thought the second book was good with a little bit more drama. Things are definitely different in the book compared to the show.

    I understand why certain things in the book were changed for the show but there are parts that are in the book that I wish played out in the show. I am definitely ahead in the show and am no longer lined up with the book.

    The books are a quick interesting read and the show is more dramatic. I would recommend both the books and the show. The show is on Netflix if you need something to binge watch.

    I guess I should tell you what happened in Flawless by Sara Shepard now. A still is black mailing the girls to do what he/she says. Hanna and her Dad's relationship could be in danger and that pesty cop is still in her kitchen. Aria and Ezra could be crumbling thanks to A and Aria's home life hangs by a thread. Emily finds herself in trouble when she bring Tobey to the school dance. Spencer gets a message from A threatening the lives of her loved ones. Someone might not make it out alive.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

    I love the show Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family but I never read any of the books. It seemed like there are a lot of books and I didn't want it to ruin the suspense on the show of knowing what would or possibly happen but I'm not sure if the book align with the show perfectly. I started watching the show when it first started years ago but then I got behind and it was too confusing since I missed too much. I started rewatching last season and now I am once again sucked in. The whole doll house thing is super creepy but makes for really suspenseful TV.

 



    I read the first book in the series called Pretty Little Liars and I loved it. It was definitely not as suspenseful as I thought it would be but it's only the beginning of the story. The fact that I've seen the show I believe is helpful in reading the book because I can picture Shay Mitchell as Emily in the book and the little isms that Shay does as Emily can now come across in the writing if that makes sense. I have the second book called Flawless and I can't wait to continue on! If you watch Pretty Little Liars I would recommend reading the books they give a little more detail on the story and pretty easy read.

    The book that I have is a two-in-one with Pretty Little Liars and Flawless together. The back of the book reads:

    "Among the gorgeous Victorian mansions and perfectly manicured lawns of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, everyone has something to hide- including four high school juniors who happen to be very pretty little liars. Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily have been hiding their secrets ever since their best friend Alison DiLaurentis, disappeared three years ago. But now they've started receiving threatening notes from someone who goes by "A"- someone one who seems to know everything, from their tiniest fibs to their deepest, darkest mistakes. There's only one person who knows them this well, but Ali's long gone... isn't she?"

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender

    Inside cover reads:

"Lately, it seems she's seeing things. Like a dead body in her swimming pool. Frantic, scribbled messages on her walls. A reflection that is not her own. It's almost as if someone- or something -is trying to send her a message.

Meanwhile, a killer is stalking Los Angeles- a killer who reenacts famous movie murder scenes with his victims: pretty teenage girls. Could Willa's strange visions have to do with these unsolved murders? And whom can she confide in? There's Marnie, her new best friend, who may not be totally trustworthy. And there's Reed, who's ridiculously handsome and seems to get Willa. There's also Wyatt, who's super-smart but unhealthily obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.

All Willa knows is, she has to confront the possible ghost in her house, or she might just lose her mind. And if she doesn't untangle the mystery of the Hollywood Killer... she might just lose her life.

Acclaimed author Katie Alender puts an unforgettable twist on this chilling tale of murder, mystery, mayhem- and the movies."   

 



    I bought this book when it first came out in October 2014 but as usual I had a lot of other books I wanted to read first. Can't believe I put this book off because it was amazing! Last night I was finishing the last bit of the book and I was in tears from the fear and anticipation of what was to come next in the book it was that good! It's also a little scary reading murder mysteries because how can the author get that intense about it. Surprised I didn't have nightmares last night...

    When I first started reading the book I wasn't sure I would like it because Willa, the main character, is doing a séances of sorts to reach her dead father and séances just aren't my thing. Also Willa's house is haunted and I believe my house is haunted so it was scary to think of the ghost in my house doing what the ghost in Willa's house was doing. I thought the author was going to write more about the average life of a high school student in a private school but luckily it didn't go there. It didn't need to because there was a better story.

    I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good book to get sucked into. Every page leaves you wanting more! You will get the chills and love every moment of it. If you know someone who isn't too into reading I would recommend this book because it's interesting, attention grabbing, and realistic details. Back when I was younger I hated reading because the stories never pulled me in so I got bored but books like this helped me find a whole other side of reading!

 

 

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg

 

    I was so excited for Girl Online by Zoe Sugg aka Zoella to come out on November 25 that I bought it the day it was released so why did I wait till now to read it? I'm not sure the answer but I can say it was worth the wait. I stayed away from spoilers that were online from people tweeting Zoe or commenting on her YouTube page luckily. To me, Zoe is such a creative genius. She's basically doing it all with her YouTube channel, a blog, her own line, and a book. One of my favorite things I like about her is that she chose to write a fiction book instead of a beauty guide type. I'd rather read fiction over a beauty book. I'm not here though to talk about how much I enjoy all of Zoe's creations I am here to talk about Girl Online.



 

    The inside cover reads:

    "Penny has  secret.
   
    Under the alias Girl One, Penny blogs her hidden feelings about friendship, boys, high school drama, her quirky family, and the panic attacks that have begun to take over her life. When things go from bad to worse at school, her parents accept an opportunity to whisk the family away for Christmas at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. There, Penny meets Noah, a gorgeous, guitar-strumming American. Suddenly she is falling in love-and capturing every moment she spends with "Brooklyn Boy" on her blog.

    But Noah has a secret, too, one that threatens to ruin Penny's cover- and her closest friendship-forever."   

    I loved the book so much! I really liked the character Penny. She was vulnerable but not weak. There were times when she was supposed to be perceived as weak but I thought she was strong because she was being so vulnerable, if that makes sense. The inside cover of the book talks about a fling with Brooklyn Boy aka Noah. I wish I could have a fling with Noah because he sounded so dreamy and the description of him was so detailed, love it. There were parts of the book where I was mentally yelling "shady" but after the plot twist I knew why. Don't worry I am not giving it away but I was surprised by the plot twist which is always good. It was very creative.

    Last thing I want to add is how descriptive she was of NYC. Since she is from England you would think she wouldn't understand NYC but I thought she described it beautifully. I've been there tons of times and I'm assuming Zoe has been there too to be able to write certain details like she did. Great job Zoella, now please, write another? Thanks!

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

 

Austenland by Shannon Hale

    I have been very bad. I have been caught up in reading and such that I have forgotten to blog about them. Since I've read a couple books I'm going to start blogging about them with my favorite one first which is Austenland by Shannon Hale. There is a movie and a book which came out years ago so you might have seen or read Austenland already. I saw a preview for the movie and thought it looked so good so I looked it up and saw there was a book so I decided to read it first before I watch the movie. I have to be honest and say I haven't read many Jane Austen books, I know I know, that needs to change.

    I loved the book so much. I'm glad how the character Jane was not like a crazy single woman who fell in love with every guy she meets. Ok she might have a little bit of the falling for every guy she meets but she is also an independent woman who isn't looking for a guy to complete her. The author could have wrote the character Jane as a woman who throws herself at everyone and can't do anything for herself. I'm just glad she wasn't written like such.

    The ending of course was my favorite part. I had thought the book was going a different direction and I was surprised by the ending. I want to go into more detail and explain every little thing I loved about it but if you haven't read it or seen it I don't want to ruin it for you.



    This is the overview for the book:

    "Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

   

    Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen--or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?"

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo

 

 

 

Have you seen the movie? I haven't yet so I was wondering if it's a good movie.



Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison

    "Ten years ago, Quinn Barton was on her way to the altar to marry Burke Morrison, her high school sweetheart, when something derailed her. Rather, someone derailed her- the Best Man, who at the last minute- and with shocking revelations- begged her to reconsider the marriage. Quinn, stunned, hurt, and confused, struggled between ignoring what she was told- or running away.
    She chose running. With the Best Man. Who happened to be Burke's brother, Frank.
    That relationship didn't work either. How could it, when Quinn had been engaged to, in love with, Frank's brother? Quinn opted for neither, and instead, spent the  next seventeen years working in her Middleburg, Virginia, bridal shop, Talk of the Gown.
    But when the two brothers return to town for another wedding, old anger, hurt, and passion resurface. Just because you've traded the bad guy for the good guy for no guy doesn't mean you have to stay away from love for the rest of your life, does it? Told with Beth Harbison's flair for humor and heart, Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger will keep you guessing and make you believe in the possibilities of love."

 

 

    I received this book in a package and was so intrigued after reading the back of the book which is written above. It seemed like the book would have a lot of twists and turns and it did. It wasn't all that predictable and there were definitely things Quinn did that I wanted to yell, "no! Don't do it!"

 

    In the beginning though I wasn't really into it but then it got really good and the end was amazing. I may have shed a few tears at that part, isn't that a sign of a great ending? There were certain parts where I was a little confused on where the author was heading which was probably at the parts where I wanted to yell no to Quinn.

 

    This is the first book by Beth Harbison that I have read. Of course I have seen her books before on the shelf in the stores but I have to say I really enjoy her writing. She is very detailed which makes for a great story because you can picture every little detail of what's going on in the story perfectly. I will definitely be buying other books of hers. The most disappointing thing about the book was that it ended and I wanted more.

 

 

Thanks for being here,

Curious Reader xo