Mini Review Monday: As Long As You Love Me
As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre
Summary From Goodreads: 
Most people dream about getting out of Sharon, Nebraska, but after three years away, Lauren Barrett is coming home. She has her reasons; missing her family, losing her college scholarship. But then there’s the reason Lauren can’t admit to anyone: Rob Conrad, her best friend’s older brother.
Football prowess and jaw-dropping good looks made Rob a star in high school. Out in the real world, his job and his relationships are going nowhere. He’s the guy who women love and leave, not the one who makes them think of forever; until Lauren comes back to town, bringing old feelings and new dreams with her.
Because the only thing more important than figuring out where you truly belong is finding the person you were meant to be with.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews on Mini Review Monday! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
I received a copy of As Long As You Love Me on NetGalley along with book one, I Want It That Way which I reviewed earlier if you’d like some context. I enjoyed book one of the series quite a bit, so I couldn’t help myself and read book two already, even though it doesn’t come out until the 30th of this month. ALAYLM was a solid NA read with some good humor and plenty of sexy fun time, just like IWITW, but this time more serious issues were tackled, something that was greatly appreciated as it gave needed depth to the book.
Lauren, the MC and best friend from IWITW, takes center stage in ALAYLM as she adjusts to life back at home, a new job and online university, and an old flame. She’s not quite as funny as I found Nadia to be, but she is probably more realistic than Nadia, having some serious issues to work through that people can identify with. She has major anxiety issues, dealing with a lot of people (especially new ones) is not her strong suit, and she’s just starting to return to her usual self, unlike the fake version she forced out that was seen in book one. All of that is made more complicated when Rob comes back into her life, and she has to deal with past feelings (and new ones) coming to light.
Then there is the love interest, Rob, who is having a rough go of it in life from work (construction that he barely scrapes by on) to his relationships (a bad one with Avery). Having Lauren come back completely alters his life, from new potential financial avenues, to a potential relationship that might actually be good for him. However, Rob has his own issues, from incredibly strong self-doubt (stemming from how his parents treat him) to his troubles with opening up to people and believing them when they seem to genuinely care. He doesn’t have as much personality as you might expect from a secondary main character, but (especially those from small towns) he is extremely easy to identify with.
The rest of the cast brings up plenty of issues of their own. There are long distance relationships (and pregnancy to go with it), sexual abuse, and physical disabilities that are all brought up by various people throughout the book, and there is a wide variety of ways that all of them are dealt with which I found pretty interesting. The tone of the book is certainly more somber than IWITW, though there are still plenty of truly happy and exciting moments, but it is something to keep in mind. This isn’t your purely light and fluffy contemporary read.
Though ALAYLM was more serious, something I appreciated in some ways, I did enjoy the majority of what I read. However, there were a few negatives I should mention. The beginning of the book was a bit of a struggle as a lot of the dialogue felt repetitious and the first quarter of the book or so felt pretty rushed, not enough to be jarring, but certainly noticeable. Also, while I know that there is a lot of history between them, it felt like Aguirre might have used that as an excuse to move things forward pretty quickly in the beginning, and that was unfortunate. The story ended up getting to more of a normal pace, but if you liked book one, and book two intrigues you, I would say not to give up if you notice those same issues at the start.
Wow, this got a little longer than I planned for a Mini Review Monday post, but I guess that’s because ALAYLM covers so much ground, especially on different serious topics. Would I recommend it? It’s a good read, but there were some issues with it, and some of the sexual acts as well (the first one in particular) that didn’t sit well, but overall yes, it’s worth your time. If you want a New Adult read that isn’t all about getting your freak on and going crazy over a guy/girl, then this is for you. Thanks as always for reading.
Waiting on Wednesday #29
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by the fantastic people over at Breaking The Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we are excited about.
For this week my pre-publication selection that I can’t wait for is:
The Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre
Set For Release On: November 25th, 2014
Summary From Goodreads: 
Some people wait decades to meet their soul mate. Courtney Kaufman suspects she met hers in high school only to lose him at seventeen. Since then, Courtney’s social life has been a series of meaningless encounters, though she’s made a few close friends along the way. Especially her roommate Max Cooper, who oozes damaged bad-boy vibes from every pore.
Max knows about feeling lost and trying to move beyond the pain he’s been on his own since he was sixteen. Now it’s time to find out if he can ever go home again, and Courtney’s the only one he trusts to go with him. But the trip to Providence could change everything because the more time he spends with Courtney, the harder it is to reconcile what he wants and what he thinks he deserves.
It started out so simple. One misfit helping another. Now Max will do anything to show Courtney that for every heart that’s ever been broken, there’s another that can make it complete.
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The Shape of My Heart is the third book in the 2B Trilogy by one of my favorite authors, Ann Aguirre. I just finished reading and reviewing the first book in the series that just came out, I Want It That Way, which I enjoyed quite a bit, and that’s got me excited for the rest of the series. I’ve got book two on Netgalley that I’ll be trying to get to soon, but then it’s that waiting period for the third, and final book in the series. I’m sure it will be worth the wait.
Have you heard of this series, or the author? If you have, did you get the first book already, and did you like it? What book are you “Waiting On”? Let me know in the comments and/or leave a link to your own WoW post! Thanks for checking out my Waiting On Wednesday! ^.^
Mini Review Monday: I Want It That Way by Ann Aguirre
I Want It That Way (2B Trilogy #1)
Summary From Goodreads: 
Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she’s determined to make them come true—for her parents’ sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B….
Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can’t risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia’s and Ty’s paths cross, and soon they can’t stay away from each other.
The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can’t know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews on Mini Review Monday! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
I received a copy of I Want It That Way from Netgalley, which I was really excited to get into since it is by one of my favorite authors, Ann Aguirre. This also gave me a reason to try some New Adult, something I’ve read hardly any of, and see what I thought of it. After reading it, my first thought is that I should give this new-ish age range/type of books a shot. My second was that I’m really happy that I was able to enjoy Aguirre’s work outside of my favorite series by her, the dystopian Razorland trilogy.
That being said, I will warn potential readers that there is some insta-love involved, something I’ve been open to saying I’m not a fan of. However, it’s not quite as fast as what I’ve encountered in the past, and Aguirre made it feel as real and understandable as something like that could be. Sometimes there is that instant attraction, and once you get to know the person a bit more, and understand who they are outside of just a great set of abs or pretty face, you just connect on a deep level faster than average.
Outside of the quick love connection, the romance is very touching, sometimes steamy (in a fantastic way), and it is tested in all the right (highly believable) scenarios. The MC Nadia has a great voice, is incredibly caring and sweet, but determined when it matters. Ty is a great guy, but reserved for reasons that are incredibly obvious, and not the standard bad-boy type that plagues this type of book, something I was really thankful for.
The banter in the book is great, humor is interspersed with the serious areas to keep the reader engaged, and the supporting cast is very strong, and completely fleshed out. Some of the scenes are a bit corny or predictable, but not in a bad way, just what you’d expect from college life. I’m looking forward to reading book two soon!
If you are looking for a NA contemporary read, especially if (like me) you are a college student yourself, then this is a solid book for you to try. It comes out tomorrow, so take a look if you’re interested! Thanks as always for reading. ^.^
Sunday Post #24
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by the amazing Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
I love participating in Sunday Post because I can provide a recap of books I read, talk about what is coming up next week, and discuss any books I received in the past week!
This week I didn’t really go after too many books, but I did get a couple eBooks and NetGalleys that I’ll share. ^.^
Book Haul 
The Wicked Ever After by Kelly Apple
Depression, Love, & Swimming Pools by Leigh Wilder
I Want It That Way by Ann Aguirre (via NetGalley)
As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre (via NetGalley)
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Last Week on the Blog
Monday – Mini Review Monday: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga 
Tuesday – Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’m Not Sure I Want To Read
Wednesday – Waiting on Wednesday: The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons
Thursday – Killing My Kindle: Alexander Death by J.L. Bryan
Friday – Frodo’s Frisky Friday: He Needs Discipline by Dominic Rod
Saturday – Book of the Week: Horde by Ann Aguirre
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Another successful blogging week, and a great reading week is in the books! (Book blog puns are fun! ^.^) I finally read Horde, a book I had been saving for quite a while, and it was every bit as good as I could have hoped for. Alexander Death was a nice return to a series I’ve enjoyed and He Needs Discipline definitely satiated my naughty read for the week. Overall I was pretty happy with getting the books in that I did because the week was a little hectic.
For those who stopped by last week, you know I was dealing with some real life issues involving getting into the University, but it’s all good because I got the last appeal approved! Huzzah! I’ll be starting classes in just a couple weeks which is a bit crazy, but I’ve already got my books and I’ve been trying to study a bit to get ahead. Yay, education?! >.>
As far as blogging goes it went well as you can see since I had another week of daily posts, yay! I don’t know if that will continue when classes start and assuming I’ll have a work study job, but I’ll keep you posted. (More puns!) Thanks for stopping by, I hope you had a great bookish week, and thanks for reading. Enjoy your Sunday!
Book of the Week: Horde
Every Saturday I will talk about my favorite book that I read during the week, whether it be a review or a spotlight, or maybe having the author over to talk about it. Who doesn’t want more happy bookish goodness? ^.^
This week I’m gushing about: Horde by Ann Aguirre
Summary from Goodreads: 
The horde is coming.
Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they’re not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn’t run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade’s love.
Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn’t been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.
This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.
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Book of the Week is often one of the toughest posts that I write each week, which makes little sense seeing as how I should be able to go on and on about it, but when there is so little (if anything) to criticize all I can do is gush. With Horde it is no different. So prepare yourself for all of the positive feelings!
Horde, just like Rogue last week, is an excellent ending to a fantastic trilogy. It was the perfect blend of heartbreak and elation, thrilling action and tender romance. Horde is the type of book you stay up until 4 AM reading, and when you finish it you have to sit for another hour just to digest it all. There are so few books that have writing as powerful as Horde does, and considering the type of main character Deuce is, that is all the more impressive.
Let’s start with the action because that’s what Horde is filled with. Sure, some down time happens now and again, but for the most part these people are moving it across the world at a pretty fast clip. There are major battles that were written in amazing detail thanks to all of the research Aguirre did into similar wars. Add to that some cross country style running, skirmishes in the forests with traps and cunning tactics, and so many types of weapons displays it will make your head spin, and that makes for one wild and fun ride.
Oh my goodness the characters are incredible. O_O I fell in love with all of them and Horde had me going from incredibly sad, to super excited, and then to freaked the heck out because Aguirre puts them through hell and then some. Deuce is such a different MC from anything I’ve experienced. She’s so socially awkward and hyper-focused on the battle ahead that she misses and doesn’t experience a lot of what normally is the central topics in a story, and it makes for a very interesting perspective. Deuce is fiercely loyal once she counts you as a friend/family member, one badass fighter, and the transformation she goes through from Enclave to Horde is fascinating to experience.
There are so many other great characters, from Tegan the healer, to Stalker the bad boy turned softie, to Fade the love interest. The list never really ends with this series, which is what makes the battles so freaking tough to endure. Every loss is a big blow, all of them have lasting impacts.
Since I brought up the love interest I should probably touch on the romance in Horde, and the series in general. While all of this crazy action is going on and everyone is simply trying to survive, Aguirre manages to display a wide range of romance types and developing emotions. Of course Fade and Deuce (the MCs) are going to be a big one, and their romance is fantastic, but there are so many other sweet pairings! Stone and Thimble and their easy-going relationship (beginning of the series), Momma Oaks and Edmund as the ideal parental unit (Outpost & Horde), and even a hard to read type like Spence and Tully (Horde). The diversity and beautiful nature of them all is outstanding.
All of these wonderful things are contained in an equally impressive world that Aguirre created in the series. There was the tunnels and underground civilization of Enclave, which was dark and grungy but so alive at the same time. Then came the outside world in Outpost where Aguirre was able to take a character like Deuce and show how amazing all of the little things we see every day can be to one who hasn’t experienced it before. Finally, Horde showed readers beautiful forests, a huge variety of town structures and types from garrisons to standard villages, and the wonders of an island paradise.
Every bit of Horde and the Razorland series was epic. Horde might not be the ending I wanted in terms of some character arcs (because I’m selfish and love them all), but it was the right one. To try and fight for paradise you have to make sacrifices and incur losses along the way, and Horde proves that. If you haven’t read this series and want one of the best dystopian ones out there, then this is for you. Heck, if you just want great stories then the Razorland trilogy is for you as well. Thanks as always for reading.
Ides of March Readathon
To help those doing the month long challenge Take Control of Your TBR Pile and for those who just want to participate for a few days and knock out some of those books piling up. To count towards the participation prize you must read a book published before March 1, 2014. This is an easy stressfree read-a-thon. Enter challenges, clean-up your TBR pile and make a few friends. If you would like to host a challenge please contact me!
As you all know I love readathons with a passion, and this one is being hosted by one of my favorite book bloggers, Kimberly at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, so it is absolutely perfect! This also happens to fall on the end of my spring break so it is a great time to get some extra reading in before classes pick back up. Here are some of the books I am considering reading during the readathon! ^.^
The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer
Rogue by Gina Damico
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
Horde by Ann Aguirre
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
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Currently Reading: Rogue by Gina Damico
Books Finished: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer, The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
Pages Read: 623
Snacks:
Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon Vol. 2
Wicked Valentine’s Read-a-Thon Vol. 2
The Wicked Valentine’s Read-A-Thon is a time when we all get together to dedicate the days of February 7-17 to as much reading as possible. You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile! We know real life gets in the way and even if you can’t participate more than one day, you’re welcome to join in on the fun!
In the meanwhile, we will be hosting book-related challenges where you can win some awesome prizes and have a Twitter party at the hashtag #WWReadathon! You can posts updates on your blog, Twitter, Goodreads or Facebook — as long as the profile is public and we all can enjoy your reading progress!
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I’m a huge fan of the WWReadathons and even though I know this post is going up a day late I’m still excited to participate. Unfortunately this particular readathon is during a time I’m semi-busy (I’m working the day this is posted & Monday, plus college stuff is due this coming week), but I will try to read as much as possible (as always) all the same!
I don’t really have a set list of books for this readathon simply because I wasn’t aware it was happening until the day of! So I’ll just put ten books I’m considering reading during it and update as I read. Sound good? Off we go!
Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor
Rogue by Gina Damico
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
Three by Kristen Simmons
Elemental by Antony John
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
Horde by Ann Aguirre
The Future of Us by Jay Asher
The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe
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Currently Reading: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Books Finished: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor, Three by Kristen Simmons, Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen, Split Second by Kasie West, Tommy Nightmare by JL Bryan, If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Future of Us by Jay Asher
Pages Read: 2,804
Snacks: Yogurt, Animal crackers (RIP Shirley Temple), Dr. Pepper, way too much pizza
