Easy by Tammara Webber

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life. Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email. Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more. Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

First Impressions:
This was at the top of my recommended reading lists on Goodreads for some time. After finally getting around to looking at it, the blurb looked interesting enough, but I honestly was thinking it would be just another college romance novel.

The Pros:
Holy cow was this book intense. I love how the author focused on empowering Jacqueline's character, and not knocking her down. Self defense classes are ALWAYS a good idea for a girl.

The whole stalker story line is terrifying. Like they tell you in college, rape almost always happens with someone you know.

Lucas = bad boy hottie. Kind of like Kellan in Thoughtless, minus the rock and roll.

Jacqueline's best friend stood by her through everything, like a best friend should. She also provided nice comic relief to the book.

I liked the use of text messages and emails in the book. It wasn't overdone, and it added to the story line, not detracted.

The Cons:
This book really scared me thinking back on my college days. Not that this is totally a con, but it made me set down the book for a little while.

The secrets in the book took a bit too long to unravel. It had me confused at some points. I thought I had figured it out, but then I didn't.

The Wrap Up: 4.5/5
Easy is a really good college romance novel with some real life lessons thrown in. The main characters are relatable and the author really hit home that rape is something that needs to be taken very seriously, even when it's attempted rape. It is a huge problem on college campuses that many people are letting slide. Take a self defense class, ladies!

Favorite Quote:
"'You are full of contradictions Ms. Wallace'. I looked up at him and arched a brow. 'I'm a girl. That's part of the job description, Mr. Maxfield.'"

Want your own copy of Easy? Click here!

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past. The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

Initial Thoughts:
This book was on the best sellers list as soon as it came out, so I was intrigued to what made it so special. After reading the blurb, I was so curious about this Victorian language of flowers and how it would play a part in the book.

The Pros:
This book shows you just what happens to kids after they "age out" of the foster care situation. Also, it shows you how difficult it can be to both a foster child and a foster parent.

The Victorian language of flowers is beautiful and so interesting. The book even comes with a flower "dictionary" in the back.

Victoria's story, while heartbreaking, is empowering and inspirational.

Interconnected details that originally present themselves as mundane really build the story into something strong and meaningful.

The many plot twists kept me guessing.

The Cons:
I wasn't a big fan of the ending.

Victoria comes across incredibly selfish in many parts of the book, and at times it turned me off to the book.

The Wrap Up: 4/5
A fantastic read. The story has so much heart and the flashbacks really help you discover why the characters are the way they are. Also, you'll know what your favorite flower says about you by the end of the book.

Favorite Quote:

“It wasn't as if the flowers themselves held within them the ability to bring an abstract definition into physical reality. Instead, it seemed that...expecting change, and the very belief in the possibility instigated a transformation.” 

Want to read this amazing book? Click here!

Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

Ryan Christensen just wanted to be an actor. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think that accepting a role in an unknown film would toss his career into overdrive. His new fame has cost him dearly; anonymity is no longer an option. His fans stalk him, the paparazzi hound him, and Hollywood studios all want a piece of him. Despite all of that, Ryan Christensen craves the most basic of human needs - to have love in his heart and privacy in his life. Taryn Mitchell, the story's protagonist, is a realist. She's been feigning contentment, running the family pub in Seaport, Rhode Island, while quietly nursing her own internal heartaches. Her feet are fairly glued to the ground and she doesn't buy into all the hype that has descended on her tiny, coastal town. In her world, men are safe if they're kept at a distance. Fate has other plans for these two when their paths cross one sunny afternoon. A group of female fans has attacked him, leaving his shirt torn, his face cut, and Ryan in obvious distress. Bonds between them form from the most dramatic of circumstances while jealousy, insecurity, and the stress of his celebrity life try to tear them apart. Through all the tabloid lies, secrecy, and pressure, can Taryn's peace and Ryan's high-profile insanity live together in harmony?

Initial Thoughts:
The cover was a little lackluster, but in reading the blurb, I was intrigued. It sounded like how Robert Pattinson cannot go anywhere without getting mauled because of Twilight. Lest we not forget, that he was equally dreamy in Harry Potter, but Twilight was what really catapulted his fame. Just like Ryan in this book with the Seaside trilogy.

The Pros:
The scene in which Taryn and Ryan meet is heartwarming. It was like Ryan fell directly into a safe place.

Taryn can be a badass when she needs to be. She owns a pub that has been in her family for generations, and even with a degree from Brown, it is her top priority. She's also very smart. She has invested in local businesses and wineries, making sure that if the bar failed, she would still be taken care of. I like a lady that's good with her money.

Ryan is just so darn cute and dependable. He just wanted something normal and constant in his crazy life. He is not a bad boy character at all. Trustworthy, honest, and oh so sweet, he is the perfect heartthrob.

Taryn's friends are amazing. When both of her parents died, they became her family. I really liked how they watched out for her through everything she went through.

In a similar fashion, Ryan's parents are so down to earth. They keep him grounded and when Taryn needs their help, they come running. It's good to see good parental figures in a book.

The Cons:
This book started off really well, but started to drag towards the ending.

There were a few too many exclamation marks for my liking. It felt like every third sentence had one.

The terms of endearment that Taryn and Ryan used for each other were a bit out of control. They couldn't say anything to each other without throwing in a "honey", "sweetheart", or "baby". After awhile I wondered if they even knew each other's real names anymore.

The Wrap Up: 4/10
Overall, this was a great book. If you like straight up romance (none of the kinky stuff in Fifty Shades) this is the book for you. The Hollywood aspect kept it interesting, but Taryn's normal life kept it grounded. There is a sequel coming out next year that I cannot wait to read.

Favorite Quote:
"I never understood how men could remember all those details about sports but, yet, were incapable of remembering where they set their car keys or wallet."

Bungalow Book Club: On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

Surely you have heard of the Bungalow Book Club by now. For our inaugural book, we are going to be reading On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves.

Want to join in on the book club fun? Click here! We are planning to be finished with the book for discussion on August 1st, 2012. 

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family. Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk. The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.

Initial Thoughts:
This book came highly recommended to me by my mom. She said that if I liked The Help, I would love this one.

The Pros:
The way that Grissom weaves us into the world of the Kitchen House is incredible. I had perfect pictures in my mind of how everything was laid out, even down to peoples' faces, which doesn't happen often when I'm reading.

Sweet, innocent little Lavinia grows so much in this book. Her innocence can be a downfall, however. I just wanted to wrap her up in a hug and never let go.

The idea of family is really questioned in this book. Just because someone isn't related to you by blood, doesn't mean that they aren't your family. And vice versa.

I felt like this book really educated me on the time of slavery. There's only so much you can learn from history books.

The Cons:
The violence in this book is unsettling, but necessary. And unfortunately, there are many instances of violence in this book.

My hatred for Marshall almost made me stop reading this book.

The Wrap Up: 5/5
This book is amazing. If you like historical fiction, you will love The Kitchen House. I can't wait to see what Kathleen Grissom comes up with next.

Favorite Quote:
"What the color is, who the daddy be, who the mama is don't mean nothin'. We a family, carin' for each other. Family make us strong in times of trouble. We all stick together, help each other out. That's the real meanin' of family."

You need to read this book, like right now. Click here to get your copy.

Bungalow Book Club

A few readers have mentioned that they would be interested in having a virtual Bungalow Book Club. I have set up the group on Goodreads here. If you're not already a member of Goodreads, you should be! It's free, and it's an awesome way to discover new books and keep track of the ones you've already read.

So the question is... what should we read for our first book club pick? Feel free to leave a comment here, on the Goodreads page, or by email.

Welcome to the club!

Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

Flat-Out Love is a warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance. Something is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side ... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes. And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul. To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well ... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer. Flat-Out Love comes complete with emails, Facebook status updates, and instant messages.

Initial Thoughts:

• This book was rated very highly on Goodreads and Amazon, and it appears on many peoples' "must read" lists. I thought the premise sounded intersting and the cover was cute, so I gave it a go.

The Pros:

• I loved the character of Celeste. She is beyond quirky, into the realm of needing professional help, but she was adorable. The way Julie came into her life and put Celeste under her wing was heartwarming.
• Like in my review of Beautiful Disaster, I liked how the characters were actually participating in college. Studying occurs often in this book, like it occurs often in real life.
• I thought the beginning of the book was hilarious. I'm sure it wasn't hilarious to Julie at the time, but it's one of those moments that you'll look back on one day and laugh.

The Cons:

• I know this book was trying to be on trend with including Facebook status updates, but hardly any of them made any sense. They surely didn't add anything to the book.
• When Julie goes home to see her family for Thanksgiving, it was super awkward. Like cringe inducing. 
• I knew from the beginning what the "big secret" was. It really didn't take a lot to figure it out.
• I know we were supposed to be rooting for Finn and Julie, but I liked the real life boyfriend much better. It felt like she didn't even give him a chance.
• This whole family needs psychiatric care.

The Wrap Up: 3/5

• I wasn't a big fan of this one. While it did have a story line that was different to those I have been reading, I just couldn't connect. I kept putting the book down and forgetting about it, which is very unlike me. It was cute, but it lacked the ability to keep me guessing and turning pages.

Favorite Quote:

• "Then she did what any girl would do: she Googled him."

Want to give Flat Out Love a chance? Click here.