Thoughtless by S. C. Stephens

I have been hearing so much about this series but have been reluctant to read it as I really hate cheating.  I really had no interest in reading it after reading the blurb.  But continually it popped up again and again as a recommendation in the same flavor as "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McQuire.  Kellan has been described as a swoon worthy bad boy with that absolute dedication to the woman he loves.  Curiousity made me rethink my first gut reaction and finally read it.
I have to admit I loved Kellan.  He is a damaged soul who truly is a sexy bad boy with a heart of gold.  Being the lead singer of a local Seattle Rock Band, the D-bags.  He is a man-whore who finds love in the arms of any willing females.  But Stephens has done such an excellent job of not only describing the hotness that is Kellan, but made me fall in love with him too.  Kiera, however, already has a great guy who is goofy, beautiful, and has an accent, Denny.  She is so in love with him that she leaves her family and friends behind to follow him to his dream internship in Seattle.  She transfers to the University of Washington to finish her last 2 years of college.  They plan to rent a room in Kellan's house whom Denny knows from being a foreign exchange student. 
It isn't until Denny leaves for a two month seperation that Kiera becomes to rely on Kellan.  At first Denny calls mutiple times a day, but then goes days without calling.  This isn't an excuse and Kiera remains faithful until the point that Denny accepts a permanant position in Az. Denny is like a brother to Kellan and neither want to hurt Denny but there is an unexplainable  draw between Kiera and Kellan.  I still don't like the cheating but Stephens does such a great job of making this a believeable and relatable story even to the likes of me.  The only thing that made me really frustated was Kiera being torn between them.  I wanted to shake her and scream at her to stop being such a witch and make a choice. 
In the end, Kellan and Kiera's romance won me over.  I am definitely on my way to read Effortless.  I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys bad boys with a little romance.

Almost by Anne Eliot

Jess Jordan was 'almost' raped her freshman year of high school because of on poor decision to sneak out to a senior party.  Since then, she has nightmares, doesn't sleep, and is almost normal.  Jess has perfected the bitch persona to keep others away from getting to know how crazy she really is.  Her ticket to a normal life and going off to college is an intership at Geekstuff.com.  Only she isn't the only person up for the position. Gray Porter is also a canidate.  Gray has secrets of his own--Jess's parents warned him to stay away from her after the horrible almost crime.  But the two came face to face at the interview.  Jess, being certain that Gray will win the internship and her effort to appear almost normal, desperately proposes an outrageous bargin where Gray will pretend to be her boyfriend and hang out with Jess this summer so that she can get normal points and apply to colleges.  However, they decide to lie to her parents about his identity to keep her parents from asking too many questions.  Gray feels like he has to agree because he owes Jess because he wasn't able to help her when she needed it. 
I really enjoyed this story.  Gray was adorable, sweet, and honorable.  He was brave enough to stand up for what he believes in and stand by Jess.  This story is about the trauma that can remain even if you end up being 'a very lucky girl'.  Jess can't remember and therefore tries to shut all her flashes and feeling out to keep her sanity.  She believes if she knows what really happends then she will just go crazy for real.  This was a great book for such a cheap price.  Definitely a recommended read.

Black Dawn by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires 11)

I love the Morganville Vampires and have a bit of book crush on Shane.  Let me just say I hate it when Ms. Caine messes with Shane. ;) 
I don't want to give spoilers so I won't do a huge review because truly to appreciate all the brillance behind this series you need to read it from book one: "Glass House". 
Black Dawn continues the story line of Claire, Shane, Eve, and Michael who are trying to navigate Morganville's Vampire world.  In Last Breathe, The Draug, a watery vampire enemy that frightens even the vampire's have taken over the town and the survivors are wholed up in the founder's square which has been stockpiled for just such an occaision.  With Amelie sick from a Master Draug bite, Oliver is striking back while Myrnin and Claire work on finding a weapon of mass destruction.  Choas reigns and the friends will have to rescue one of their own before the battle begins. 

Out of the Dark by Quinn Loftis (Prince of Wolves 4)

Out of the Dark continues the compelling story of the Romanian Wolf Pack and the three girlfriends, Jacque, Jennifer, and Sally.  The pack finds themselve in the midst of a war with Serbian Pack.  Not only is the Serbian Pack trying to topple the Romanian Pack by employing a witch who has just burned down the mansion.  Jen is trapped in a cave at the bottom of a ravine bleeding and broken just as her mate bond has formed with Decebel and they are able to mindspeak.  Not only must they rescue Jen and stop the most powerful witch ever but the witch sets a curse on Decebel taking all of her is good memories of Jen and making it impossible to find Jen. 
As usual, Ms. Loftis has spun another exciting chapter in the Prince of Wolves series with the same action and smart-mouthed talking girls who interplay with the alpha wolves.  The romance is hot and the are quipping.  This book is the fourth in the series and should be read in succession.  I would recommend this series for anyone who loves YA Romance and Werewolves.

Pushing the Limit by Katie McGarry

Echo Emmerson is crazy, at least that's what all her peers whisper when the walks down the hallway.  She is labeled a cutter because of the scars lacing up and down her arms.  Echo had once had it all: a popular basketball stud boyfriend, the popular lunch table, and Dance team.  But all that shattered 2 years ago in an event that she cannot even remember, her memory a black hole.  The story opens as she is being a part of new theraputic program at school with a new counselor, Ms. Collins. 
Noah Hutchinson was a basketball star and honor student until the night a fire killed his parents and ripped his little brothers away from him to put him in a foster care system that fails him at every turn.  Noah also becomes a patient of Ms. Collins and wants nothing more than to find out who his brothers foster parents are so that he can hope to gain custody of his brothers by proving they are an unfit placement like so many of his homes. 
Echo and Noah meet when Ms. Collins sets up tutoring between the overachieving Echo and the seriously slacking Noah.  They immediately dislike each other until they realize they have more in common than they thought.  Drawn together by tramatic secrets in a goal to steal information that will lead them to the answers they so desperately want. 
I loved this book!!! The story is so multilayered with well fleshed out characters that brought on a roller coaster of emotions.  Noah was the bad boy who had a heart of gold.  He is definitely my latest book crush.  He falls for not only Echo's beauty but her bravery for being able to try for normal.  This book is definitely going on my keeper shelf for re-reading.  Although a completely original story, I was reminded of the emotional romances of "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McQuire and "Slammed" by Coleen Hoover.  Don't miss what is sure to be the next bestselling YA Romance.

Change of Fate by Jayme Morse and Jody Morse (Briar Creek Vampires 4)

In this installment of the Briar Creek Vampires, Lexi and Dan have gotten sucked into the book.  They fall into a strange world that after some investigation turns out to be Briar Creek in the 1800's.  With some luck, Lexi ends up finding Albert Hunter and the witch who curses the town.  Lexi must figure out a way to change the curse so that she will no longer be in danger of being attacked.  She also learns to trust Dan and that maybe he isn't so bad after all.
Gabe and Austin are searching for a way to get Lexi and Dan back to their own time.  Their search takes them to rescue Lexi's Dad from being kidnapped and back to Huntington.  Rhonda, the vampire that Gabe accidently made, comes into some very important powers and is going to make big waves. 
Briar Creek Vampires is such a great series.  The Morse Sisters continue to write books full of twists and turns that make each book impossible to put down and unpredictable.  One running theme of the series is the romance between Gabe and Lexi.  This books injects even more obstacles in the form of Dan and Rhonda.  Rhonda is just a grade a witch who is going to be very dangerous.  Dan has really grown on me.  I never really identified with him too much in the first couple of books really feeling like he was on the town's side and thinking Austin was insane to trust him.  This book really shows a protective side to Dan which has me rooting for him. 
I can't wait to see where this series will go from here.  Also check out the Howl series which is another excellent series from the very talented sisters.