Revenge season 2.

[WARNING: Possible spoilers for those who have not yet seen Revenge season 1. You can find my review of season 1 here.]

Ashley and Daniel? *horrified expression*

Has Emily found herself a new hunk?

Dancing with Death by Andrea Heltsley. 

Title: Dancing with Death
Author: Andrea Heltsley
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal romance
Publication Date: 8th August 2012
Goodreads Summary: Murders have plagued the woods in the past, making them a place of fear. Eighteen year old Wendy and her friends become worried when a new string of murders come to their high school. After a horrible car accident, Wendy returns to school, going from wallflower to popular overnight. As the murderer edges closer to Wendy she realizes things are changing. She is afflicted with nightmares that are all too real and she herself is undergoing unnatural changes. Learning the truth about her past, could be the key to saving her future.





{ Review }

I absolutely love the cover of this book and that's the main reason that I signed up to be part of its book tour; however, I'm not really sure relevance it has to the book. Nonetheless, it is beautiful. The cover; however, is the only thing that I really liked about this book as I was thoroughly unimpressed by the rest of it and here's why:

This book started out great, but as time went on I began to lose interest. The dialogue between the characters was really formal at times and I didn't really feel any emotional connection between them. I thought that the conversations also went round and round in circles repeating the same things over and over again even when the characters were presented with different scenarios. The plot got into a groove quite early on and in the latter part of the book the only thing that really happened was mindless and repetitive kissing scenes and discussions about what outfit to wear to school next day. At the end of the book you find out that there was kind of a purpose to all of this - but not really.

I didn't feel that much emotion whilst reading this book to be honest, and that is why I'm not giving this book a particularly high rating because I read books for the emotional intensity that they bring. At the beginning of the book I felt the usual excitement about which guy she was going to pick and which literary character I would fall in love with, but this feeling did not last. The only other point in the book where I felt anything was when Wendy had a creepy nightmare and I literally felt a shiver down my spine. That for me was the best part, but again, this feeling did not last.

I found the protagonist, Wendy, incredibly irritating as a character because cheating is fundamentally wrong, no matter what the circumstances, and she didn't really seem to feel as much remorse or guilt as much I would've thought one should. Again, the main focus of her day was her wardrobe choice and complaining about her guy issues which just made me really annoyed. The novel climaxes at the end of the book and whilst something (kinda) dramatic was going on, Wendy's decision making and train of thought were just bizarre and incomprehensible.

The guys in this book start out hot. Then they just turn into sappy, repetitive weeds that fall over backwards for Wendy, though I couldn't see why. As I didn't like Wendy much either it meant that the central plot didn't appeal to me much at all. I was much more interested in the love story between Jackson and Hallie which really wasn't part of the plot at all.

Whilst this book had potential, it was ultimately a disappointment. As the book approached the climax, I didn't feel any sense of excitement or anticipation and the characters themselves seemed to glance over major events in their lives. All in all, I wasn't particularly fond of the characters or the plot, but maybe this just wasn't the book for me.

The Hungry Heart by Brenda Gayle. 

Title: The Hungry Heart (Heart's Desire #1)
Author: Brenda Gayle
Publication Date: 7th September 2012
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Goodreads Summary: A burned out association executive spices things up with Santa Fe’s playboy celebrity chef.

Child advocate Nora Cross doesn't have time for the private cooking lesson her sister won at a charity auction. Hunter Graham, the young chef, is the last person she needs telling her she's forgotten how to have fun. So why can't she get the very hot, very eligible man off her mind?

After a stellar debut in New York City, Hunter's back in Santa Fe to open a new restaurant. He lives a charmed life and he knows it. He isn't interested in a workaholic who's glued to her smart phone. So why is he trying to convince Nora to relax and enjoy life—with him?

When Nora's apartment and office are ransacked, Hunter comes to her rescue, surprised to find himself playing knight-in-shining armor to the uptight executive. But when it becomes clear Nora is no random target, Hunter realizes he'll do anything to keep her safe.

{ Review }

After seeing the brilliant ratings that this book was given on Goodreads, I just knew this was a book tour I had to participate in. The Hungry Heart isn't your average romance novel filled with all the clichés but a real love story that had me rooting for Hunter and Nora's relationship from the start.

I absolutely love relationships between mismatched couples because it just reinforces the idea that love is inexplicable and Hunter and Nora are very different people. Whilst Hunter is a playboy, Nora is a very driven and hardworking woman but the chemistry between this pair was electric.

My favourite character was, predictably, Hunter. I mean just the name itself has me quivering at the knees! Hunter is one of those smooth talking ladies man who you know that you shouldn't fall for but you just can't help it. I was reading an article the other day about how food has become a fashion which just reiterated Hunter's hotness.

This book is full of romance and intrigue. You're introduced to the main characters at the very beginning but you find out about their lives and their past as the story unravels. It's so easy for romance novels to be unique and special nowadays because it's all been done before, but The Hungry Heart was brilliant and got my heart pounding.

Whilst the bulk of the novel is focused on Hunter and Nora, they are not the only characters in the book. There are many other characters floating around Hunter and Nora who also have really interesting stories. Many love stories are solely focused on the main couple and whilst it makes it all the more intense, sometimes it's nice (and more realistic) when there are other people in their world.

A book always leads a character on a journey and this book sees Nora go through a transformation. I'm mainly focused on Nora's character because I feel that one day I might be able to relate to her. She realises that there's more to life than just work and that when life gives you lemon you've got to make lemonade! There are still a few lose ends that need to be tied up but I expect that will done in the subsequent books. The Hungry Heart is a brilliant start to a new series and I can't wait to read more about Hunter and Nora!

Novel Publicity Blog Tour Notes

  Wanna win a $50 gift card or an autographed copy of The Hungry Heart? Well, there are two ways to enter...

1. Leave a comment on my blog. One random commenter during this tour will win a $50 gift card. For the full list of participating blogs, visit the official Hungry Heart tour page.
2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest! I've posted the contest form below, or you can enter on the tour page linked above.

About the author: Brenda Gayle has been a writer all her life but returned to her love of writing fiction after more than 20 years in the world of corporate communication—although some might argue there was plenty of opportunity for fiction-writing there, too. A fan of many genres, she is drawn to contemporary romance and enjoys writing deeply emotional stories with elements of mystery and suspense. Her first book, Soldier for Love, was a recommended read by a number of reviewers. Her new book, The Hungry Heart, is the first in her Heart's Desire series, which chronicles the difficult road to finding love and family acceptance for the three Graham cousins. Brenda lives in eastern Ontario with her wonderful husband, two fabulous children, two Siberian Huskies, a rescued cat, and assorted aquatic wildlife. Connect with Brenda on her website, Facebook, or Twitter.
  a Rafflecopter giveaway