Review + Giveaway: Velvet by Temple West

Velvet

Author: Temple West

Publisher: Swoon Reads (Feiwel and Friends)

Publication Date: May 12, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love.

After losing both her parents before age seventeen, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before the terrifying encounter with a supernatural force. Then, she learns that her hot bad-boy neighbor, Adrian—who might have just saved her life—is actually a half-demon vampire.

Suddenly Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart?

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Special thanks to Bibliophile Soprano for lending me a copy! :)

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Review:

First of all, I don't regret borrowing this book from my sister. (Thank you sooo much!) After reading this book, I became emotionally attached to the copy and I wanted it to be on my own shelf.

The book cover is ultra gorgeous. I enjoyed tilting the book just to emphasize the glossy Velvet!

Caitlin Holte was this tragic and depressed girl, and I really liked her development throughout the book. I enjoyed being in her world. Her POV was so relatable and laugh-able, and thanks to that, there was no dull moment. Her reaction to her mother's death was realistic, but it made me not like her at first. Her friends were good cool and funny (Trish and Meghan!)!

Speaking of "there is no dull moment," the writing. It's sooo natural. Like Temple West is talking to you. And I ALWAYS ENJOY BOOKS LIKE THAT.

Now Adrian. He's so cute and awkward and he has a much longer line of patience compared to Caitlin. He's the type of character that's certainly likeable. In fact, he's now part of my mental Favorite Fictional Boys! AND I WANT MY OWN ADRIAN.

Temple West's idea of vampires is interesting. The science looked really serious and original and awesome.

Velvet is a fun read, and I love the humor. I normally don't like chapter titles, but the titles in Velvet were part of the things that kept me reading on. I read this book faster than my normal rate because I simply can't put it down. Caitlin and Adrian's moments were so adorable! The focus of the story was more on the romance than the demon threat thing. And, thank goodness there was no evident love triangle.

I definitely recommend this book, and I WANT MORE. I need the sequel right now!

RATING: 6.25/5

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This giveaway is affiliated with Fay of Bibliophile Soprano.

Alex as Well by Alyssa Brugman

Title: Alex as Well
Author: Alyssa Brugman
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Goodreads Summary:

Alex is ready for things to change, in a big way. Everyone seems to think she’s a boy, but for Alex the whole boy/girl thing isn’t as simple as either/or, and when she decides girl is closer to the truth, no one knows how to react, least of all her parents. Undeterred, Alex begins to create a new identity for herself: ditching one school, enrolling in another, and throwing out most of her clothes. But the other Alex—the boy Alex—has a lot to say about that.　Heartbreaking and droll in equal measures, Alex As Well is a brilliantly told story of exploring gender and sexuality, navigating friendships, and finding a place to belong. 

Review:

"There are moments in life when something happens and it changes everything forever. You make one decision, and after that you can't go back. It doesn't even have to be a big thing."

When I read that, I was instantly like "Wow." Books just get more fabulous when there are quotes in them. This book is loaded with lessons. Plus, I didn't worry about boredom while reading Alex as Well because the chapters are short and well-divided. 

I wanted to read this book the moment I saw the cover. IT'S GORGEOUS! The huge pink lips attracted me. It’s simple, and it matches the plot.

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NOTE: I'm not really sure what to use: he or she, but I'm going with she, since that's what Alex wants.

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The story was told in Alex Stringfellow's point of view. What I liked about it is that it's like Alex is speaking to the reader. It's amazing how she's fully aware that I was getting some sort of confused with the whole two-Alexes thing. To show her mother's reactions and opinions and some other stuff, there was this motherhood forum which was extremely exciting to me, especially the comments (You'll understand once you read it)! The comments showed how other people saw the situation. It seemed like a real website to me.

Alex's parents didn't know how to react when she decided to be a girl. She has been taking testosterone for a long time, and then suddenly decided to stop. Aside from her parents, almost nobody even knew her situation. She had ovaries and a noodle. Her parents decided to make her a boy (someone has to decide on something), but she didn't feel like it. It looked like she was never happy with herself. 

Alex has a strong personality and it shows. She can be disrespectful, and I think that's one of the reasons why her parents get so stressed when it comes to dealing with her.

"I've always dreamed of having a little girl, and going clothes shopping with her, and this is some creepy perversion of that dream. It's horrifying, and I know I'm not dealing with it well at all."

I think that her parents want to be good ones, but they just don't get their daughter/son (and vise versa). Alex can be confusing. She actually became a girl that can actually be a boy who chose to be a girl but suddenly like-likes girls. 

The summary's right: Alex as Well is heartbreaking and droll in equal measures, and I'm satisfied with this read.

RATING: 4/5

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Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark

Title: Finding Mr. Brightside
Author: Jay Clark
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Goodreads Summary: 

Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins. 

Review:

"He's the best thing she happens to be avoiding."

Abram and Juliette fit together. They make each other better. I ship them!

Except for the fact that they're actually neighbors, their lives were connected by their parents. They've tried really hard to put their lives back to normal after the car crash and the revelations. After meeting at the neighborhood pharmacy (which was a coincidence), he decides to invite her to Taco Bell, then she agrees. Juliette soon realizes that Abram isn't really someone to avoid.

The plot actually looks like something that's some sort of cliche, but the characters cancel that out (especially Abram's mom!).

I can't find the right words for Abram, but all I can say is: he's a good person. And, for Juliette, what I can say is: she's fabulous! That was pretty shallow, but I really do think that it's the exact word to describe my opinions. She just seemed so real to me. She doesn't seem like some girl from a fantasy story.

After what they've been through, it's good that the story didn't become full of grief and bitterness and all.

Now, let's talk about their [living] parents.
Suzy, Abram's mom, was not like the typical-bitter-parent-like-the-ones-in-cliche-stories (when I talk about typical-bitter-parent-like-the-ones-in-cliche-stories, I'm talking about those moms that think that the like-mother-like-daughter or the like-father-like-son principle is true). Therefore, if Suzy's that kind of mom, she would go hating on Juliette and think that Juliette doesn't deserve Abram because she's totally like her mother. She's not like that, so I'm satisfied. She couldn't be better.

Ben, Juliette's father, has been writing The Dollhouse Killer for ages. Now, plus points for Juliette being the good daughter not slamming the fact that her father's story was "like a written version of a CSI episode he doesn't remember watching" on Ben's face. But sorry, I kind of think that he doesn't pay enough attention to Juliette and her life, but I guess it's a side effect of their loss.

This story is a well-written one narrated through two perspectives. The cover is such a masterpiece! It looks good and it fits the book as well. You'll know what I mean once you read it, so I want you to get your hands on the book right.now.


RATING: 4.5/5
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