Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant {book three} by Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Number of Pages: 526
Genre: Young Adult Dystopia
Source: borrowed from local library

Summary {via GoodReads}:
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

She thinks: WWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!?!?!

{via gemini-dragon-gifs.tumblr.com}

I'm mad at this book. I'm grieving over this book. I just don't understand why this book had to end the way it did. It's just not fair.

That aside, that book is written well, and it is beautiful. I thought the political turn the book took was weird and unexpected. But, I guess you should always expect the unexpected, right?? Meh.

I don't even know what else to say about the book. I guess I'll add that I'm glad Tobias faced some of his fears head on. That is all.

When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

When It Happens by Susane Colasanti
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: May 4, 2006
Number of Pages: 287
Genre: Young Adult
Source: borrowed from local library

Summary {via GoodReads}:
At the start of her senior year in high school, Sara wants two things: to get into a top college and to find true love. Tobey also wants two things for his senior year: to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love in him. However, a popular jock names Dave moves in on Sara first. But Tobey's quirky wit and big blue eyes are hard for Sara to ignore. Plus, he gets the little things that matter to her. Can a slacker rock-star wanna win the heart of a pretty class brain like Sara?

Hilariously and moving told through Tobey and Sara's authentic voices, Susane Colasanti's debut novel sizzles in its portrayal of two young people searching for The One.

She thinks: This book is everything I remember about high school. Let me count the ways,

1. The wanting of "something real." 
2. The immature boys. 
3. The panicking about going out on a date. 
4. The lack of cell phones. 
5. Jane magazine. 
6. Battle of the Bands contests. 
7. Applying for college. 
8. Wanting to be in the popular crowd. 
9. Being somewhat...okay, I was probably really...irrational. 
10. The "do you think she/he likes me?" conversations. 
11. Enlisting friends to help in your search for something real. 
12. Making and sharing Mix CDs.
13. Hanging out at the Mall. 
14. Or, you know, this w.h.o.l.e. BuzzFeed post.

{via teen.com}

If you graduated from high school in the 00s, then you need to read this book. It will make you smile the whole time and say, "Oh my God, I remember that!" And, that my friends, is reason enough to read this book.

Also, the actual book is good too. I liked that it was dual perspectives and that we got to get into Tobey's head too. We all know how mysterious the male brain can be.

{via elle.com}

How I wish I'd known about and read this book "back in the day!" It would have put my mind at ease knowing that other people felt how I felt. I'm glad I got to read in my late twenties though so I could feel nostalgic. If you're looking for a fun, quick read, pick this one up!

Played by Liz Fichera

Played {Book Two} by Liz Fichera
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Young Adult
Source: borrowed from local library

Summary {via GoodReads}:
This Game Is Getting All Too Real

He said: I like to keep under the radar and mostly hang out with my friends from the rez. But when I saved Riley Berenger from falling off a mountain, that rich suburban princess decided to try and save me.

She said: If I can help Sam Tracy win the heart of the girl he can't get over, I'll pay him back for helping me. I promised him I would, no matter what it takes.

She thinks: I wanted to read this book. Hardcore. I kept passing by it on the shelf at work but wouldn't let myself check it out, telling myself that I had enough books of my own already to read. Finally, I succumbed to curiosity and checked it out. And, honestly, I'm a little disappointed. It could have been so much more than what it is.

The characters lacked motivation. Riley Berenger has a breakdown of sorts...but I don't understand why. I get that she's a goody two-shoes and is supposed to be perfect 24/7, but what sends her over the edge? What was the final tipping point? Maybe it's just me, and I missed that part of the book. And, then there's Sam Tracy. Why does he hate Jay Hawkins? I kept waiting for some profound revelation...but...nothing.

The scenarios they got themselves into seems a little far fetched too. Being rescued in a helicopter from the side of a mountain? Running away? Car accident? I felt like I got whiplash from all the different disasters that followed the two around wherever they went. Maybe they need to live in a bubble instead...?

I will say that the book helped me get out of my reading funk. I hadn't read in over a week when I picked this one up! So, yay for that?

See what others are saying about Played  by Liz Fichera:

• Aimee @ Deadly Darlings
• Nichole @ YA Reads
• Estelle @ Rather Be Reading
• Kimberly @ On the Wings of Books
• Kezia @ Chapteriosity

Before You by Amber Hart

Before You (Book One) by Amber Hart
Publisher: K-Teen {Kensington Books}
Publication Date: July 29, 2014
Number of Pages: 320
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC via NetGalley

Summary via GoodReads:
Some say love is deadly. Some say love is beautiful. I say it both.

Faith Watters spent her junior year traveling the world, studying the exquisite places, before returning to Oviedo High School. From the outside her life is picture-perfect. Captain of the dance team. Popular. Happy. Too bad it's all a lie.

It will haunt me. It will claim me. It will shatter me. And I don't care.

Eighteen-year-old Diego Alvarez hates his new life in the States, but staying in Cuba is not an option. Covered in tattoos and scars, Diego doesn't stand a chance of fitting in. Nor does he want to. His only concern is staying hidden from his past - a past, which if it were to surface, would cost him everything. Including his life.

At Oviedo High School, it seems that Faith Watters and Diego Alvarez do not belong together. But fate is as tricky as it is lovely. Freedom with no restraint is what they long for. What they get is something different entirely.

Love - it will ruin you and save you, both.

She thinks: To be honest, I'm not really sure what I think of this book. It has me perplexed. I thought about this book for three days before I wrote this post. I just couldn't figure out what I wanted to say. So, I'll say this: the plot is definitely addicting, and I found myself not wanting to stop reading at the end of my lunch break. However, I am staunchly against present tense narration. I just don't like the way it feels when I read.

Now, despite my aversion to present tense narration, I liked the A Walk to Remember vibe that was going on. Good girl/pastor's daughter falls for bad boy who is misunderstood. I liked the twist on the tale in which the good girl has some demon's in her closet too. They supported each other, and it was beautiful.

At the same time, it felt a little preachy about how life ruining gangs and drugs can be. At one point towards the end, the author has this small moment where you just know she wants you to understand how she feels about young people having to resort or choosing to live those lifestyles. She wants them to understand that they have other options, and I do too. I just wish that particular moment wasn't so in your face.

Other than that, I enjoyed the book for what it was. At one point, I was crying and silently screaming in my head (because the mister was already in bed), "WWWWWHHHHHHYYYYYY?" But, I'll leave you to read the book and figure out that particular moment for yourself. Sigh. The love story is beautiful...if not a little rushed, as I find with most of the YA books I love so much. It is definitely a book that I would check out from the library.

See what others are saying about Before You by Amber Hart:

• Celeste @ The Book Hookup
• Jenea @ Books Live Forever
• Nick @ Nick's Book Blog

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Young Adult
Source: borrowed from local library

Summary {via GoodReads}:
John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.

Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than they ever realized.

When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.

She thinks: This book had a lot of potential. The story was compelling and had a great plot. I loved that Amy and Matthew helped each other grow and learn despite their own struggles. I can see why it was compared to Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park. I just....wanted more but less at the same time.

That sounds very convoluted, but it's true. I wanted Amy and Matthew to grow more and more quickly. To me, it felt like the book dragged on more than it needed to, and I don't think it needed to end the way it did. There were other and, in my opinion, better places to end the book. I hated that I had to push myself through some of the scenes so I could get to the end because it was a little repetitive. Amy and Matthew kept coming up against the same struggles over and over again, which they had to conquer in different ways. It wasn't my favorite.

Don't get me wrong though. I liked the book! I am so grateful to get to look into the thoughts of these characters. Too often we take for granted all that we have and are able to do. This book lets you see that every person has their own internal demons to control. Oh, sweet Matthew broke my heart at every turn of the page. I know it's not real, but I'm glad he had someone like Amy in his life to give him guidance and help him acknowledge his OCD. Sigh.

See what others are saying about Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern:

• Tara @ The Library Who Doesn't Shhh
• Blythe @ Finding Bliss in Books
• Kristen @ My Friends are Fiction
• Anna @ Anna Reads
• Estelle @ Rather Be Reading

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Number of Pages: 328
Genre: Young Adult
Source: borrowed from local library

Summary {via GoodReads}:
Two Misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor...Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Parks...He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds - smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

She thinks: When I first read about Eleanor and Park, I was wholeheartedly against it. Now, before you bring out the pitchforks, hear me out. I imagined these two sitting at the back of a public bus, sharing a walkman, and listening to different mix tapes. I liked that part. It was sweet and romantic. Thinking that it revolved around music, it reminded me of High Fidelity, which I did not care for when I read it. Hence, my resignation in reading this book.

Why did I then decide I wanted to read the book? Well, I was invited to participate in a GoodReads Q&A with Rainbow Rowell. I was perusing the questions she was being asked when I stumbled on one about the ending of Eleanor and Park. Of course, I won't say what the ending is or what the question was, but I will say that it was enough to get me to put the book on hold and read it.

This is me now after having finished reading it...and every time I think about the book at all!

{via knowyourmeme.com}

The thing about this book - it has to be experienced. It needs to be felt and processed and shared with the world. It is a John Hughes movie in a book. More Pretty in Pink and Breakfast Club than Sixteen Candles and Some Kind of Wonderful. It is a book that I will tell everyone to read; it is just that good.

The thing about Rainbow Rowell's books - she knows how to write an ending! I've read all three of her books, and her newest one, Landline, should be arriving at the library for me any day now. Her endings are absolutely perfect whether it's the ending you want or not. You can't begrudge her the ending because it's real and true and you don't feel cheated in the slightest.

If you haven't read any of her books, DO.IT.NOW!! You will not be sorry. I promise. So.many.feelings.

See what others are saying about Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell:

• Stacey @ The Pretty Books
• Jane @ Dear Author
• Excellent Reads
• Lisa @ Read Breathe Relax
• Gillian @ Writer of Wrongs

Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore

Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Publication Date: July 22, 2014
Number of Pages: 300
Genre: Young Adult
Source: eARC {via NetGalley}

Summary {via GoodReads}:
Pretty and popular track star Marijke Monti is confident about almost everything - she's got great friends, a great family, and she's on her way to the State Track Championship. In fact, the only thing Marijke isn't confident about is her relationship with Tommy Lawson.

Lily Spencer has spent her entire high school career preparing for the future - she's participated in every extracurricular activity and volunteer committee she could. But, at home, she watches her mother go on date after date with dud-dudes, still searching for "the one." Lily realizes that she's about to graduate and still hasn't even had a boyfriend.

While they live on each other's periphery at school, Lily and Marijke never seemed to have much in common; but, after a coincidental meeting at the movie theater, Lily gets an idea - why can't life be like a movie? Why can't they set up their perfect romantic situations, just in time for their senior prom, using movie techniques?

Once the girls come up with the perfect plans, they commit themselves to being secret cohorts and, just like in the movies, drama ensues.

She thinks: This book was just what I needed after spending a whole week reading City of Heavenly Fire. I've been reading so many heavy books lately that I needed something light, and this was perfect!

Now, a prerequisite to loving this book as much as I did is certainly a love of chick flicks. If you think they are silly movies, then this book probably isn't for you, and that's okay because I loved it to pieces! We're talking references to Easy A and Friends with Benefits and Say Anything and Never Been Kissed and The Holiday and When Harry Met Sally. I mean, let's be real, it's a chick flick bonanza in a book!

{via liveluvcreate.com}

Marijke and Lily are perfectly crafted high schoolers looking for their true loves. We've all been there and know the pains of unrequited or unequaled love. Our gal pals definitely got us through the tough times with ice cream and coffee {more like wine now} and movies. Remember when you wanted a Hollywood romance? Wanting to be swept off your feet by Mr. Right? God, I miss those days. Don't you? If so, read this book!

Just Like the Movies was a great way to revisit my high school days without all the awkwardness. I enjoyed delving into a world of prom proposals {of which I was never a recipient} and all missteps along the way. I remember dreaming of how I could craft the perfect meet cute in high school with little luck. I'm the Lily in this book. I would love to know which character you identified with more - Lily or Marijke!

Pride, Prejudice, & Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway

Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits {book one} by Mary Jane Hathaway
Publisher: Howard Books
Publication Date: June 10, 2014
Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC {via NetGalley}

Summary {via GoodReads}:
This hilarious Southern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice tells the story of two hard-headed Civil War historians who find that first impressions can be deceiving.

Shelby Roswell, a Civil War historian and professor, is on the fast track to tenure - that is, until her new book is roasted by the famous historian Ransom Fielding in a national review. With her career stalled by a man she's never met, Shelby struggles to maintain her composure when she discovers that Fielding has taken a visiting professorship at her small Southern college.

Ransom Fielding is still struggling with his role in wife's accidental death six years ago and is hoping that a year at Shelby's small college near his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi, will be respite from the pressures of Ivy League academia. He never bargained for falling in love with the one woman whose career - and pride - he injured, and who would do anything to make him leave.

When these two hot-headed Southerners find themselves fighting over the centuries-old history of local battles and antebellum mansions, their small college is about to become a battlefield of Civil War proportions.

She thinks: So, I wouldn't really call this a retelling but more of an adaptation. It follows the general plot line of the classic Jane Austen novel, but I don't consider it an actual retelling. There were too many differences. I liked trying to figure out which characters were which, since they all have different names, and I liked the extra depth Ransom has. It makes his actions much more understandable.

{via youtube}

However, there were some moments that I thought were just too far fetched in order to make the story echo the original Pride and Prejudice. And, while I get why it needed to be done, I wish it could have been done another way. There either needed to be more lead up to those particular parts of the plot, or it should have been left out all together. I felt as if towards the end of the book random bits and pieces were just thrown in to the story.

All that being said, I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it to Elizabeth & Darcy fans! In fact, I already have.

See what others are saying about Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway:

• Chelsea @ Magical Musings
• Rissi @ Dreaming Under the Same Moon
• Vi @ She Read Until the Lights Had Long Sing Gone Out

Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer

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Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: June 6, 2014
Number of Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: eARC {via NetGalley}

Summary: 
A story of how love can break our hearts - and heal them.

A year ago, I met the love of my life. For two people who didn't believe in love at first sight, we came pretty close.

Lilah MacDonald - beautiful, opinionated, stubborn and all kinds of wonderful in ways that words could never quite capture. The woman who taught me to love again.

My Lilah, who gave me so much, and yet kept from me a secret that she knew would break my heart.

My name is Callum Roberts, and this is our story.

She thinks: I have been going through a spell of reading very emotional books lately, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I was in the perfect head space to enjoy all of those books; this one included. I first wanted to read this book because it touted that it was similar to The Notebook and One Day, which are both outstanding books with beautiful love stories. Thankfully, this book did not disappoint one bit. I found myself captivated from the first few lines. 

"It was absolutely not love at first sight...maybe it was actually love at second sight."

This book will certainly break your heart or warm your cold heart, depending on your circumstances. That being said, you need to have a box of tissues by your side once you get to the end of the book. Consider yourself warned! The character development was perfect, and the story is plausible. I loved the dual POVs - Callum telling us their love story and Lilah writing privately in her journal. Callum wears his heart on his sleeve whereas Lilah keeps her emotions hidden away.

You will walk away from this novel a better person with more appreciation for the life you have and the lives of others. We all have our own battles and challenges to face every day, and if I learned one thing from the book, it's that it's easier to have company along the way.

See what others are saying about Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer:

• Simona Elena @ Sky's Book Corner
• Library Cat @ Chick Library Cat
• Ella Janine @ The Filapina Booknote
• Steph @ Judging Covers
• Alba @ Lost in Chick Lit

The Best Man for the Job by Lucy King

The Best Man for the Job by Lucy King
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: June 1, 2014
Number of Pages: 224
Genre: British Chick Lit, Romance
Source: eARC {via NetGalley}

Summary {via GoodReads}:
The wedding guest from her past...

For Celia Forrester, Marcus Black - her brother's best friend - was always totally off-limits. Especially after The Night That Nearly Happened. It was years ago, but Celia remembers it for all the worst reasons! But now, Marcus is back in the picture - he's the best man at her brother's wedding and more gorgeous than ever.

It's all kinds of inappropriate, but giving in to temptation looks like the best way for Celia to get Marcus out of her system. But their one night comes with consequences. And this time, it won't be fifteen years until they have to face them...but nine months!

She thinks: If you need a predictable and light read, then this is the book for you. The story is a little choppy - you come in randomly, play catch up a little bit, and then are left with a quick ending. I will say that the ending is satisfactory though, as if we could expect anything less from a Harlequin book. Plus, if you like your books on the steamy side, then you will like this one.

I was confused by the motivation of the characters in the book though. I couldn't figure out what was driving them as much as King tried to explain it. I didn't not get as invested in the characters as I usually do with books so I definitely do not have a book hangover. In fact, it took me a couple days to get into the book, but once I did, I breezed through it. Honestly, I was hoping for more from the book.

If you're at the library and in need of something to read, pick this one up. It'll placate you while you search GoodReads or Google or whatever search engine you use to find books for your next exciting read.

Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson

Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Number of Pages: 368
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC {via NetGalley}

Summary {via GoodReads}:
Ever since she was a little girl learning to make decadent truffles in her family's chocolate shop, Juliet Arabella has been aware of the better feud between the Arabellas and the Mezzanottes. With their rival chocolate boutiques on the same street in Napa Valley, these families never mix. Until one night, when Juliet anonymously attends the annual masquerade ball. In a moonlit vineyard, she finds herself falling for a gorgeous stranger, a man who reminds her what passion is like outside the kitchen. But her bliss is short-lived when she discovers her masked prince is actually Leo Mezzanotte, newly returned from Paris and the heir to her archenemy's confection dynasty.

With her mind in a whirl, Juliet leaves for Italy to represent the Arabellas in a prestigious chocolate competition. The prize money will help her family's struggling business, and Juliet figures it's a perfect opportunity to forget Leo...only to find him already there and gunning for victory. As they compete head-to-head, Leo and Juliet's fervent attraction boils over. But Juliet's not sure whether to trust her adversary, or give up on the sweetest love she's ever tasted.

She thinks: If you like the classic story of Romeo & Juliet, then you will definitely like this book. You might also like this book if you love chocolate. It took a lot of willpower for me not to devour box after box of chocolate as I read this book. It made me want to go out and buy real chocolate, not prepackaged chocolate. {I'm still trying to find the best place to do this!}

The best part of this Romeo and Juliet-style story is that there's less death {read = no death}. It's also a little steamier than Shakespeare depicted the original story. I enjoyed the dual POVs too because, let's be honest, what woman doesn't want to get inside a man's head and know what he's thinking? It can't be naughty thoughts all the time, right?!?

Check out this read for a good, chocolate-filled time. Juliet and Leo won't let you down!

Teri Wilson has released and will be releasing similar books like Unmasking Juliet. Her already released book is called Unleashing Mr. Darcy, which is a book modeled after the story line of Pride and Prejudice. After Unmasking Juliet is released, Wilson is scheduled to release a third book entitled Unschooling the Professor, which is a modern interpretation of My Fair Lady/Pygmalion. It will be released in January 2015. Hopefully, I can get my hands on an ARC for that book too. In the meantime, I'll have to placate my need for books like Unmasking Juliet by reading Unleashing Mr. Darcy. After all, it was recommended to me by a friend!

See what others are saying about Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson:

• Christina @ Reading Extensively
• Lyn @ Reading Tsinoy
• Kimberly @ Wit and Sin

Paradigm by Ceri A. Lowe

Paradigm {Book One} by Ceri A. Lowe
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: June 13, 2014
Number of Pages: 382
Genre: YA Dystopian Fiction
Source: eARC {via NetGalley}

Summary {via Press Release}:
What if the end was just the beginning?

Alice Davenport awakens from a fever to find her mother gone and the city she lived in ravaged by storms - with few survivors. When Alice is finally rescued, she is taken to a huge underground bunker owned by the mysterious Paradigm Industries. As the storm worsens, the hatches close.

87 years later, amidst the ruins of London, the survivors of the Storms have reinvented society. The Model maintains a perfect balance - with inhabitants routinely frozen until they are needed by the Industry.

Fifteen-year-old Carter Warren knows his time has come. Awoken from the catacombs as a contender for the role of Controller General, if it is his destiny to succeed - where his parents failed. But Carter soon discovers that the world has changed, in ways that make him begin to question everything that he believes in. As Carter is forced to fight for those he loves and even for his life, it seems that the key to the future lies in the secrets of the past...

She thinks: This book could be more coherent and cohesive, but the last 3 chapters were absolutely enthralling. I spent the first part of the book trying to figure out the dynamics of the characters and trying to decipher how the chapters were comprised. It was a push to get past all the backgrounds of the characters and the flashbacks they kept having. I kept having to stop reading to go back and reread something to make sure I hadn't missed a key plot element. Lowe speaks to her readers through flashbacks and reminiscing, which, I have to admit, took some getting used to at first. Also, there is a lot of information to swallow in order to understand the actions of the characters. But, once I got about halfway through the book, I couldn't bear to put it down. The humanness {is that even a word?} of the characters will make your heart ache, and you will want to make the world a better place because of this book. You might even need some tissues; I know I almost had to grab some towards the end. The truth will set you free!

This book is part of series, and I am very much interested to know how it concludes. For book one, I have rated it as a cupcake. It is not one that I would go out and buy, but I would definitely borrow it from the library  or a friend in a heartbeat. And, never fear, I'm suffering from a book hangover because of Paradigm. Um...when do books two and three get released??