Showing posts with label Tammara Webber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tammara Webber. Show all posts

Monday, December 31, 2012

NINJA GIRL'S BEST OF 2012

Happy (almost) New Year everyone!!   Here's my list of the best books/authors I discovered in 2012.  Yes, I was a little late to the party on some.  But they still kicked major a** :-)
 
BEST YA CONTEMPORARY:
 
 
BEST YA PARANORMAL/FANTASY:
 
 
BEST ROMANCE:
 
 
BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE:
 
 
BEST NEW YA SERIES:
 
 
BEST ADULT SERIES:
 
 
BEST NEW AUTHORS:
 
1) Ilona Andrews (I devoured the Kate Daniels series)
2) Stephanie Perkins (will read anything by her after AatFK)
3) Courtney Milan (the woman knows romance <3)
 
BEST HERO:
 
Three-way tie: Lucas (Easy) and Ash Turner (Unvelied) and Gavriel (Grave Mercy).
 
 
BEST HEROINE:
 
Kate Daniels (aka the most kick-ass chick you'll ever meet :p)
 
 
Hope everyone has an awesome New Year's!!
 
Ninja Girl



Saturday, November 3, 2012

WILL YOU ROCK THE VOTE?


So, yeah, I voted today (early voting, gotta love it).  But here's the real news: The Goodreads Choice Awards 2012 are now underway!

I didn't have trouble with most categories.  Picking a winner out of the YA noms was simple for me.  I'm thinking John Green has that one pretty much locked, but I voted for Easy by Tammara Webber.  1) Because I loved it so much, and 2) Because I kinda want to see what'll happen if an originally self-pubbed New Adult book takes the YA category.  Will chaos erupt?  Will gumdrops and cupcakes fall from the sky?  Will I wake up to find a "New Adult" section in my local BAM?  Time will tell.

But the hard part came when I got to the Paranormal Fantasy category L

Briggs, Carriger, Estep, Evanovich, AND Andrews all in the same category?!?!?

Seriously, Goodreads, are you trying to kill me here?!?  They are all so, so good!  Ultimately, it came down to Patricia Briggs and Gail Carriger for me.  Those are two of my favorite authors.  It was tight--but I had to go with Timeless by Gail Carriger for the phenomenal finish to one of my favorite series ever.  But the unforgettable, kick-in-the-teeth ending to Fair Game made it tough.  Really tough.  I'm still going back and forth in my head.

Thank God, J.R. Ward and the Black Dagger Brotherhood was put in Romance.  That would've made the choice impossible, true? ;)  Hope everyone rocks the vote, and good luck picking the best.  It nearly broke this ninja's heart.

Ninja Girl

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

EASY by Tammara Webber


This book totally rocked my world.  By defying convention, Easy by Tammara Webber surprised me and impressed me and made me want to read it again.  Immediately.  That's a rare occurrence, especially with as big a TBR pile as I have J.

 I'm not gonna lie.  The story had a couple of things that usually put me off.

1) An MC who follows her boyfriend to college and has lost her identity b/c of a guy. 

Um yeah, no need to explain why this independent woman wouldn't like that.

2) Heavy subject matter with the possibility of whiny-baby drama and preaching.

As a reader, I want to escape, to be entertained and ultimately a story with a spectacular HEA.  Usually, I steer clear of the heavy.  And preachy books pretty much turn me off.

Luckily, Easy took everything I'd come to expect from this kind of book and flipped it on its head.  Drama that was never preachy, romance that redefined HOT, and enticing characters that grow throughout the story yet stay true to themselves.  Why yes, you can have it all.

Easy centers around Jacqueline, a sophomore in college whose boyfriend has recently broken up with her.  She followed him to school instead of pursuing her dream as a concert bassist.  Jacqueline thought Kennedy was her one.  She never saw his betrayal coming.

After a frat party, Jacqueline--who was the designated driver for the night and completely sober--leaves by herself and is sexually assaulted by Buck, one of Kennedy's frat brothers.  (*Sidenote: If there's a better name for a sicko rapist, I don't know it.  Right on, Webber.  Right. On.)  Lucas, a complete stranger, saves Jacqueline right in the nick of time, beating the sh*t out of Buck before he can rape her.  But the close call changes Jacqueline forever.  She just wants to forget it ever happened--but how can she with Lucas popping up all the time?

I can't say enough about this book.  All of the characters were incredibly well developed.  It was believable that Jacqueline would commit to this relationship and lose a bit of herself.  I think this probably happens to so many young girls.  Not necessarily the following to college bit, but the loss of self.  It was believable.  It made her believable.

Instead of looking down on her for her vulnerability, I liked her more for it.  Jacqueline was willing to risk her heart, and quite frankly, Kennedy was the asshole.  That much was clear.  His reason for breaking her heart: He wanted to hook up with as many girls as possible before settling down so as not to ruin his future political aspirations.  Blech.  I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

Whereas Lucas…well.  He was absolutely delectable J.  Prepare yourself, ladies.  A bad boy with a tragic past and a protective instinct for women--which was totally endearing and not at all possessive-stalkerish?  *Cue angels singing*  Thank you, Lord, for Lucas.  He was so sexy, so smart, so incredibly attractive on every level.  If he was real, I'd be all over that.  Seriously.

This romance is a must-read.  I know everyone under the sun has pretty much recommended this book, but I'll add my voice to that.  Easy was a great read by a great author with a very powerful message.  No girl deserves to be raped.  Ever.  For any reason.  Period.

If I ever get a chance to thank Tammara Webber for writing this book, I will.  And if you're a woman--or if you have women you love in your life--you should, too.

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl

Sunday, October 14, 2012

STACKING THE SHELVES (5)

 
Hi everyone!  This week I got some really great books, mostly urban fantasy/paranormal and one really great contemporary.  Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

 
List of books:  Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff
                        Vampire's Kiss by Veronica Wolff
                        Bloodfever by Veronia Wolff
                        Grave Memory by Kalayna Price
                        Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster

 
List of eBooks: Easy by Tammara Webber

I won the Veronica Wolff books in a giveaway over at Paranormal Indulgence--which is totally awesome!!  Since I already own and reviewed Book 1 (Isle of Night), I'm planning to donate a copy to my local library so that others may partake in the fantastic series.  Just finished Kiss of Steel, and it was WOW!  The cover drew me, but the story rocked.  Easy by Tammara Webber was a pleasant surprise (review to come shortly ;D), and I just think I got a great haul.

Hopefully you all had as great a week in books as I did!

Happy reading,

Ninja Girl