Review: Class of '98 by A.L Player (Book Tour)

Class of '98

by A.L. Player

Summary from Goodreads:

Jackie Dunn and Matt Stewart barely knew each other in high school, back when she was a blue-haired alterna-kid and he was a preppy jock. High school rules dictated they'd never hang out, or sit at the same lunch table, or God forbid, date.

But when a weird storm transports them from their ten-year reunion back to senior year, they have to work together to figure out a way to get back to 2008.

Stuck in high school, Jackie and Matt agree to tough it out. They agree to do everything exactly as they remember, even though that means staying with the boyfriend Jackie knows will betray her, or playing nice with the girl that will someday be Matt’s ex-wife. Soon, they come to rely on one other, even become friends.

Jackie’s just starting to get used to curfews and term papers again, when Matt hits her with the biggest surprise of all: he’s fallen in love with her. He’ll change the past however he has to if it means a future with Jackie. But Jackie’s terrified they’ll not only alter their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

Back to the Future meets She's All That, Class of '98 is a young adult/adult crossover that will appeal to teens and adults.

My Rating
4

My Review

I complete eat up romantic comedies and love doing so. Whether book or movie, those (somewhat) guilty pleasures hold a special place within my heart. Class of '98 was everything I hoped for and more. Cute, funny and - yes - romantic, I tore through the pages in one sitting  and enjoyed every minute of it.

First off, the plot is wonderful. Realistic fiction incorporating either time travel or mutual mind tripping? Um, yes, please. The pacing of the novel worked well with the plot, as I didn't seem to encounter any slow moments when reading. For a lighthearted read, some of the scenes got a bit intense, or at least had me leaning forward a bit, eager to quickly read on, which is refreshing.

In addition, who can resist even a possible coupling between a teenage outcast and a popular jock? I definitely can't. The romance of Class of '98 was very sweet. Matt sure had some heart-warming lines that make readers fall to their knees and furiously wonder why characters like these are solely fictional.

Although sometimes I wanted to yell at the characters a little bit, or slap some sense into them (maybe the points I thought of were not so much sensible as I just wanted them to happen), A.L. Player's use of romantic suspense and tension worked beautiful. A bit frustrating, yes, but that's part of the reason why I finished Class of '98 so quickly - it's addiction.

This is a call to romantics - whether proudly displaying your sweet and steamy books top shelf or still a closet fan - be sure to read Class of '98. It will have you laughing, swooning, and begging for more.

Review: The Enlightening (Mackenzie Duncan #2) by Adrianne James

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Synopsis: 

Mackenzie Duncan found out that pack life wasn’t for her. Now she is running for the second time in the six months since she was bitten and turned into a Werewolf. But this time, she isn’t alone. This time, she has Geoff and Liam with her, two very hot Werewolves vying for her heart.

But her companions aren't her focus. The only thing she can focus on is getting far from her old pack and their murderous ways. Only, she doesn’t just want to run. She wants to warn every pack she can that their lives are in danger too. No one should be turned against their will like she was and no other pack should have to surrender to the ideas of a centuries old, power hungry woman.

Not only does Mackenzie have to deal with her crazy ex-pack leader sending people out to kill her, she has to keep both men at arm’s length (and that proves to be much more difficult than she thought), but she finds out more about her own life and heritage than she ever thought imaginable.

And suddenly, everything makes sense...

My Rating: 5

My Review:

I was bitten by The Tempering and held captivated by The Enlightening. Whether you are such a werewolf groupie you eat rare meat every full moon or hate them so much you glare at every tanned, built and shirtless boy you see, The Mackenzie Duncan series is sure to be enjoyed.

It isn't often that I can say this, but I was able to connect with Mackenzie enough that I was starting to feel her emotions and thoughts as she did. Normally, when novels contain love triangles, I already know exactly what team I'm on to the point where I could print in on a t-shirt. This time, I couldn't decide. I completely understood her indecision, because I was having it too. But when Mackenzie started to realize who she wanted to choose, I found myself feeling the same way. (Then thinking that I always knew I wanted her to choose him, of course.)

Speaking of changing minds, there were definitely some wonderful plot twists that I did not see coming. I felt like I was really in the world and the time of the story, so I could not see any farther ahead than Mackenzie could. The plot of The Enlightening is exciting and full of action, I can't recall having any parts that lost my attention.

Speaking of action...

The Enlightening gets hot. I absolutely love the romance in this series. A combination of sweet heart-warming lines and animal desire that can get the reader dizzy, romantics will definitely be all hot and bothered over Geoff and Liam, and wanting to experience more.

The amount of tension that builds within The Enlightening is delicious, and kept me hanging off the edge of my metaphorical seat. (In reality, I was in bed, because I refused to go to sleep until I could finish this novel despite the fact that it was way past my bedtime.) The pacing is excellent, and I enjoyed watching the characters continue to grow.

I loved every minute of The Enlightening and I definitely believe that other readers will too. This is shaping up to be an excellent series and I can't wait to read more.

Review: Spellweaver by C.J. Bridgeman

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Amazon 

Synopsis:

Book One of the Spellweaver Chronicles

Felicity Lucas never really knew her mother. Even though they had lived together for all the fourteen years that Felicity had been alive, they had barely even had a meaningful conversation. It was a relationship that was far from perfect.

So when her mother dies in a car crash and Felicity is sent to live with her estranged father in a deprived London borough, she is determined to move on. It isn't easy - content with her solitude, she's never had friends before, but the most popular girl in her new school won't leave her alone and she's forced to attend counseling. To make things worse, it's obvious that her father doesn't want her around.

It is only after she discovers a book of spells and is attacked by a strange boy who can conjure flames in his hands that she starts to realise that her mother was far more than what she seemed. She had a great many secrets, secrets that promise to thrust Felicity into a terrifying world of magic and straight into the path of beings who are determined to destroy her...

 

My Rating: 3.5

 

My Review:

 

Spellweaver is a remarkable novel - a fantasy disguised in contemporary young adult, it's a true introduction to a series.

I really enjoyed the pacing and plot of the novel. Despite the vast amount of magic in writing today, Bridgeman still managed to keep the perspective unique. I liked how the story had a feel of taking place in a relatively short amount of time. That fully kept my attention while adding a strong sense of urgency.

Although some portions of the plot were a bit predictable they still worked so well that I can easily look over that. The action and suspense that especially rose I'm the second half of the book were not undermined. I also loved the explanation of the spellweaver and the mystery behind it.

The themes of Spellweaver involving friendship were very prevalent throughout the novel. So many reads tend to focus on romantic relationships and throw away friendships. The bond between Jamie, Holly and Felicity was wonderful to read about. (Although, I'm not going to lie, I definitely wouldn't be opposed to a little something more between Jamie and Fliss.)

Fliss is a character the reader cannot help but root for, being strong - although she doesn't know it, and loyal - although she never quite had the chance before to prove it. Despite her heritage and situation, she acts like a real human being and not just a character.

Spellweaver is a novel that readers can devour, and will leave them wanting more.