Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Last year the entire blogosphere, myself included, flipped out over the awesomeness that is by Stephanie Perkins. As soon as ARCs of Lola and the Boy Next Door became available, I was desperate to get my hands on one, and Shanyn of was kind enough to loan me hers. While I knew it would be an enjoyable read, I’m not sure if I expected a story quite as quirky and beautiful as this one. I didn’t get into Lola and the Boy Next Door right away, it ultimately swept me away with its humor, sweetness and honesty.

Lola and the Boy Next Door is very different from Anna and the French Kiss in terms of the characters and setting. I have to admit that I didn’t love Lola as a character right away. She was impulsive, and sometimes her bad decisions frustrated me, but later I realized it made me empathize with her. If you think Perkins’s novels are all fluff, let me reassure you now that this is not the case. While she perfectly captures the anxieties and thrills of falling in love, her characters also experience real pain.

Cricket is yet another fantastic love interest. He’s incredibly quirky and lovable, and made me “awww” at oh so many points. In addition to these quirks, however, Cricket was also imperfect, and that was probably my favorite thing about him.

Of course, one of the things I loved most about Lola and the Boy Next Door was Lola’s fathers. It was nice to see two gay men living together and raising a child treated as entirely normal, because that’s what it is. Every interaction Lola had with them struck a different emotional chord in me.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Anna and Etienne cameos that are peppered into this story. Each of these characters and their relationship with each other was incorporated perfectly into Lola and the Boy Next Door. They were there just enough to add a bit of comic relief or insight to the story, but not so much that their presence felt forced.

Every time I look back on my experience reading Lola and the Boy Next Door, I can’t help but think of how lovely and wonderful it was. Stephanie Perkins has done it again. Lola and the Boy Next Door is a great novel all on its own, and Perkins has created a moving story. I highly suggest moving both of Perkins’s novels to the top of your to be read pile.

Disclosure: I borrowed an ARC of this book from a friend.

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Even before BEA, buzz about The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was circulating. Several of my fellow book bloggers came home with ARCs and the rave reviews spread like wildfire, so I asked Shanyn of Chick Loves Lit if I could borrow her ARC. Honestly? I’m not sure if I agree with all of the hype it’s getting. While Hodkin’s debut has a lot of interesting ideas, it was somewhat lacking in execution.

Even though it’s nearly 500 pages long, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was an incredibly fast paced read. For the most part, I didn’t mind the plot. A couple of plot points seemed fairly similar, and I had to wonder if some of them could have been cut. It also seemed like there were times in the novel when I was thinking, “Okay, I need to get an answer now” and Hodkin would just throw more questions my way. This is book one of a series, and I wonder if part of the reason Hodkin provided so little answers was not because she thought it was vital to the story, but because she wanted to sell not only The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer but the later books in the series.

The characters in this novel were simply meh for me. I liked Mara just fine, but I need some answers about certain aspects of her character, because otherwise I can’t connect with or understand. Without these answers in the next book I’m not sure if I’ll be able to enjoy this series. I’ve also heard a lot of bloggers rave about how awesome Noah is and honestly? I don’t get it. Sure, Noah could be a gentlemen. However, it also seemed like he became fixated on fixing Mara in so many ways that he sometimes lost sight of the good in her. Hodkin at least left room for her characters to grow, and I think this is an indicator that she has talent when it comes to character development, and that a lot of my issues are just nit picky.

The kicker in this novel for me was the writing. My pet peeve in writing is frequent (like once a chapter frequent) repetition of certain phrases, and Hodkin was guilty of this. I didn’t even think some of the phrases she used were accurate descriptors. But like I said, I read an ARC of this book, so maybe it’s changed in the final version.

I gave myself a few weeks to process after reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer before writing my review, and I’m glad that I did. The plot of this book is so crazy that I can’t decide if it’s over the top or brilliant. However, I think Hodkin’s craft needs a tad bit of honing. I think with a little less repetition and a few more answers, I could really love later books in this series.

Disclosure: I borrowed an ARC of this book from a friend.

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

When I hear either the word “faeries” or the word “Victorian London,” my ears perk up. Upon seeing all three of these words in the same summary, I pretty much went “OMGWTFBBQ!” Suffice it to say, I jumped on the chance to help promote Hamilton’s debut. While there were parts of The Faerie Ring that were a bit cheesy, it was filled with original ideas and has left me hoping for more.

For those of you who may are who are trying to imagine how the summary of this book plays out, imagine by Charles Dickens but with faeries and slightly different orphans. Since I read Oliver Twist for a class my senior year of college and watched several adaptations of it, including , I really appreciated the major nod towards Dickens. Hamilton did an exceptional job of incorporating the fey without compromising her historical setting. I loved the actual plot of this story.

Tiki is a pretty awesome main character. She has the bravery to keep pick pocketing in the harsh streets of London but the compassion to care for her family. My only problem with Tiki is that from time to time she seemed earnest in a way that bordered on cheesy. However, I loved reading about Tiki’s family dynamic in this story. There’s also a bit of romance in this story, and although it was sweet, it moved more quickly than what I typically care for.

Hamilton’s debut novel is unlike anything else I’ve read this year. She left a few loose ends, and which I hope means that readers will get to see more books in this world. I think The Faerie Ring is perfect for any YA reader who likes their historical fiction with a a little something extra.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book through .

***THIS IS BOOK TWO IN A SERIES AND THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR ITS PREDECESSORS. CLICK TO READ MY REVIEW OF THE FIRST BOOK, LILY OF THE NILE***

Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra's daughter is the one woman with the power to destroy an empire...

Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.

The magic of Isis flowing through her veins is what makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra's daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother's throne be more than she's willing to pay?

Last winter, as Minnesota received roughly eighteen inches of snow over the course of twelve hours, I stayed indoors with my Snuggie and devoured Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray. So naturally, as soon as the cover and synopsis were released for Song of the Nile, I knew I’d have to pick up a copy and find out where Cleopatra Selene’s story went. While I didn’t adore every detail of Song of the Nile’s plot, it’s intricacy and quick pace kept me satisfied.

As the novel begins, Selene is starting a whole new chapter of her life. I loved Selene because as a character, she raised quite a few questions. Are her actions based on her love of Egypt, Helious, Isis or pure selfishness? Dray has created a female protagonist that feels real and three dimensional.

Song of the Nile moves along at a nice pace. The story was packed with action, and even as I turned the pages, I found myself wanting more. I loved the intrigue that filled every page. I will admit that the romantic aspects of the novel struck me as particularly odd, and I’m still not sure what to make of them. I’d be happy to see where all of her characters end up in a third book.

Dray has written yet another novel that has satisfied my desire for historical fiction yet left me wanting more of her characters. I’m eager to share these books with my friends who are intrigued by this particular historical period. If you like intrigue, sex and magic mixed in with your historical fiction, I highly recommend picking up Dray’s novels.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publicist in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

In my mailbox is hosted by Kristi of .

Hi everyone! Today I have Kiki Hamilton, author of The Faerie Ring, here to talk about her favorite things. Here's what she has to say.

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

Top Ten List About My Favorite Things

1. Magic

2. Milk Chocolate

3. My daughter

4. Music

5. Mysteries

6. Friends and family

7. My characters and their stories--written and yet to be written

8. Good books

9. London

10. Laughing

Thanks so much for stopping by, Kiki! Be sure to stay tuned, because my review of The Faerie Ring will be up in just a few days.

In a world where nothing is certain, a little magic couldn't hurt...right?

When Erin Channing's favorite aunt dies, Erin is bequeathed a pink crystal ball and a set of weird instructions. Granted, Aunt Kiki (aka Aunt Kooky) always lived "outside the box." But now Erin and her two best friends are convinced that the pink crystal ball holds the key to their future-or at least the key to getting dates...

Consider Your Fate to Be Sealed . . .

Absolute knowledge is not unlimited; let the planets be your guide to the number. There are sixteen ways to die, but four of them you will never see. The future belongs to you alone. Other voices will be disappointed. One rotation is as far as you can see. Only uncertainty lies beyond.

As soon as I saw the cover of The Secret Society of The Pink Crystal Ball, I knew this was a book I had to pick up. Although I am not obsessed with the color pink, it has a tendency to make me happy, and I am almost always up for a girly read. Even though I was excited for The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball, I was worried that I might find flat characters and an unrealistic storyline. Thankfully, it far surpassed my expectations. Much to my surprise, I have a feeling I’ll be talking about The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball for months to come, describing it as one of the fastest chick lit stories I’ve read in quite some time.

If one of your first thoughts when looking at this cover was “light read,” like one of mine was, think a little harder. The book starts out with the death of Erin’s Aunt Kiki. Although the premise of this book is very sad, I liked that there were cuter, happier plot points throughout the story, and I thought Green did a great job both with the amount and timing of lighter material.

Erin is a fantastic protagonist. While I love characters that have interests and passions, I think YA needs some characters that find themselves asking, “What is interesting about me?” because I feel that most people ask themselves this question at some point in their lives. I also really enjoyed the snark in Erin’s voice because it reminded me of things I might think to myself.

For me, what held The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball back from being a truly amazing read was a few plot points. While I enjoyed the story surrounding Aunt Kiki, at times it felt too similar to the plot of Maureen Johnson’s to be entirely fresh. Also, the ending of the novel felt as though everything tied up a bit too neatly. However, the romance in the story was quite sweet.

Sadly, The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball falls just a few steps short of being an outstanding chick lit novel. However, I became so engrossed in for a few short hours that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this one. Risa Green surprised and charmed me, and I found both of these emotions to be very refreshing. If you’re hesitating to pick this one up, go ahead and try it. Maybe you’ll feel the same way I did.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publicist in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!