Julia reviews I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long

Title/Author:I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long
Publisher/Year Published:
How I got this book: I bought the eBook
Why I read this book: I am making my way through the Pennyroyal Green series
Rating: 2 stars

Note: I have reviewed the three first books in the series on my blog(The Perils of Pleasure, Like No Other Lover, and Since the Surrender) if you are curious.

*sigh* I wanted to love this one. I wanted to love it despite this horrid cover. I wanted to love it because it was about chasing pirates,family drama and betrayal.

But I couldn't do it. I fooled myself for, oh, half the book before I couldn't hide my head in the sand anymore.

Violet Redmond's family and fortune might be formidable and her beauty and wit matchless—but her infamous flare for mischief keeps all but the most lionhearted suitors at bay. Only Violet knows what will assuage her restlessness: a man who doesn't bore her to tears, and a clue to the fate of her missing brother. She never dreamed she'd find both with a man whose own pedigree is far from impeccable.


"Savage" is what the women of the ton whisper about the newly styled Earl of Ardmay—albeit with shivers of pleasure. Born an English bastard, raised on the high seas, he's on a mission to capture a notorious pirate for vengeance. But while Violet's belief in her brother's innocence maddens him, her courage awes him . . . and her sensuality finally undoes him. Now the man who once lost everything and the girl who has everything to lose are bound by a passion that could either end in betrayal . . . or become everything they ever dreamed.

The Story:
I guess should start off with something good. The plot was unique. Violet jumps on a ship on a whim to chase after the man who is chasing a notorious pirate captain who could be her missing brother. Okay, when I put it like that it sounds ridiculous, and it is. But it is the ridiculous in a good way sort of thing. If I take my dislike for how the characters were handled (hard to do) and just look at how the plot was executed it would be pretty good. It's only pretty good because there were some sloppy parts, and too much of the plot was hurt by weak characters.

The Characters:
Oh hey, look! It's a MarySue! She does foolish things and gets rewarded (figuratively) for them. Like running into a hurricane! She does everything perfectly though she has never done it before. Seriously, this happens at LEAST twice that stand out in my memory. The first is she throws her FIRST dart, BLINDFOLDED at a map and succeeds in not only hitting the map (which would be believable) but hitting 'Lacao'. I don't know much about Lacao other than a quick Google search tells me it's an island in Chile. I don't care if it is the size of Canada, the odds of someone new at darts hitting it with their eyes closed is slim.

So after that tangent... she's too perfect. I feel like she learned nothing, grew little to none and most importantly frustrates the hell out of me. She didn't start out this way. I didn't mind her in the beginning, but I must not have known better. And her perfectness messes with the plot because she is like the embodiment of a deus ex machina.

Flint, the hero, is one note, and I actually know very little about him despite reading his book. Big surprise. But I could have dealt with him. My rage is all for Violet.

The Romance:
The romance was bland for me, most likely because I hated Violet so much. It was still strange at times. Man, I just keep thinking on how many hopes I had for this and how sad that almost none of them were met. To be quite honest, I wanted to find more out about the plot so I flipped through the love scenes. Meh.

The Execution:
As we can see, it just didn't work for me. I read a decent plot and I want to remember it for what it could have been, which simultaneously makes me frustrated and sad. I did like how it set up for Lyon's book, which to my chagrin is not published yet. I want to read about him. I hope I am not putting myself into the same position by hoping too much.

The Overview:
Overall, it was not my favorite. It's the opposite of book three in the series. I liked those characters well enough, but the plot was boring. This one had an interesting plot but characters that made me wanted to take up shooting.

So I'll reiterate the *sigh* and hope for the best with the next book.

Top Ten Tuesday Rewind With Jamie!

 

 For information about Top Ten Tuesday and how to participate or to see the schedule for the upcoming TTT, go here.


For my rewind topic today, I'm going to pick Top Ten Books I Feel Everyone Has Read But Me

1. 50 Shades of Grey. Whether or not people love it or loathe it, I feel like everyone has at least tried it and given into the curiosity. I just refuse to. I know I won't like it, based on hearing some readings of passages, so why bother?

2. Harry Potter: I know, I'm a sinner. I should not be allowed to blog about books anymore, right?

3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Even my friends who don't READ have read this book. I own it but  I just haven't gotten to it yet.

4. The Vampire Academy series: I think everyone in the YA community has read this series, yes? At least it feels that way when I'm always around bloggers as they love to rave about this one.

5. Divergent: by Veronica Roth: I had gotten half way through it and had to return it to the library and then just never got around to finishing it due to my crazy busy life right now.

6. Anything Jodi Picoult: I feel like everyone has read at LEAST one Jodi Picoult book in their lifetime. NOT me. I own some of them that I got for 25 cents at a garage sale.

7. Jane Eyre: Seriously, am I the last person alive to read this book? I should have gotten to it already.

8. The Night Circus: YA and Adult bloggers alike have been obsessed with this one since ARCS started rolling out. It sounds super interesting to me but I just haven't had time to pick it up.

9. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green: I love John Green. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It seems like this was everyone's most anticipated book, and I was excited about it too, but it seems like EVERYONE really did run out and buy this and read it the next day. MUST GET TO IT.

10. The Mortal Instruments series: I'm much overdue to start this series. It's such a popular series and I don't know why I've ignored it for so long. I hope the hype doesn't kill it for me.

Win A Copy Of The Host by Stephanie Meyer Thanks To Mammoth NYC!

You might know Stephanie Meyer from that obscure book she wrote called Twilight? Have you heard of it?  I bet you have.

She ALSO wrote a book called The Host which will be coming to the big screen in March of 2013 which is also well loved and some would consider infinitely better than her sparkly vampires series. You can check it out for yourself since Mammoth NYC has been so generous to allow us to offer FIVE of our readers the chance to win a copy! It would make a great summer read!

 Official Synopsis: THE HOST is an enchanting and fateful story about the survival of love and the human spirit in a time of war. Our world is invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over, while their bodies remain intact. Most of humanity has succumbed.

Additional Info:

Teaser Trailer for The Host |  Stills | Official Facebook | Official Twitter

GIVEAWAY:


- 1 copy of The Host by Stephanie Meyer for 5 lucky readers
- Must have a US mailing address
- The giveaway prizes will be sent by Mammoth NYC

To enter, leave a comment with a way to get in contact with you should you win AND recommend to us a book that would make a great summertime read! Not that we need to add to our TBR piles or anything :P

Top Ten Books I Hope They Are Still Reading

For information about Top Ten Tuesday and how to participate or to see the schedule for the upcoming TTT, go here.

Hey everyone! We apparently had a little too much fun this holiday weekend that we totally forgot about Top Ten Tuesday! I'll get my list up later today but I just wanted to post the linky for y'all!



Today's Topic: Top Ten Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope Are Still Being Read In 30 Years

Natanya Reviews A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke

Title/Author: A Year in the Merde, by Stephen Clarke
Publisher/Date: Random House, 2004
Where I got it: Gibert Jeune, a Paris bookstore chain
Why I read it: I’m studying in Paris, and it’s about an English man who spends a year in Paris, so it seemed up my alley

From Amazon:
Brit Paul West escapes his homeland to take a job in Paris marketing English tearooms to the French. Over a year's cycle he discovers that the French way of doing business thrives on maneuvering nimbly through a minefield of unique, demanding personalities. An inveterate womanizer, he finds plenty of skirts to chase and conquer. After a comic search for an apartment, he settles in the city's trendy Marais district. Urban stress in general, combined with a need to escape the upstairs family whose every move reverberates to distraction, forces West to escape to a Norman getaway featuring all the bucolic charms and a cast of neighbors and townspeople to rival Peter Mayle's Provencal rustics. West disdains French food for its love of organ meats and its fascination with revoltingly smelly cheeses. Francophobes will find much here to reinforce their prejudices; more balanced observers will find Clarke's caricatures of the French simply very funny reading.

I bought this book because the title amused me so much and I couldn’t believe I was finding a book like this in Paris. Overall, it was quite funny, and I was not disappointed. Since I’m studying in Paris this semester, I really related to a lot of the problems Paul faced in Paris, particularly early on—the dog poop all over the sidewalks (it’s really everywhere), making sure to say hello or goodbye correctly (bonjour/bonsoir/bon journee/bon soiree…), the metro system, et cetera. But Paul did also clearly get a lot of things wrong, so if you do read this, take everything with a grain of salt—he has a pretty skewed perspective.

A lot of this novel is also very over-the-top. No, the French do not go on strike every single month. In fact, the only significant strike I’ve experienced this semester was a transit strike in Rome, not Paris. But the descriptions of how foreigners view Parisians are quite accurate (as in, I know there are a lot of visitors who feel this way about Parisians), regardless of whether these stereotypes are true, so if you have a negative opinion about Parisians, this will certainly uphold it.

However, Paul’s experiences with finding housing in Paris are pretty accurate, though his ultimate subversion of the system is probably more infrequent than he makes it seem. I did love how Paul felt the need to go buy a house in the countryside after just a few months; although this seems excessive, I can attest to the fact that after a few months in this city—which has very few grassy areas, unless you happen to live right near a park—some time out in the countryside sounds fantastic (there’s a reason I hung out with sheep in Ireland for half of my spring break).

However, Paul can be fairly arrogant and ignorant, and I think a lot of readers would find him pretty annoying. Honestly, probably part of the reason I didn’t mind is because I read this over spring break, when I was off discovering how much more I prefer the rest of Europe to Paris.

So if you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read, pick this up (particularly if you’ve visited Paris), but if you’re looking to actually improve your knowledge of the French/Parisians, you should probably avoid it.

3 stars

Jen's Top Ten Blogs/Sites That Aren't About Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here will answer. Everyone is welcome to join! All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Future Top Ten Tuesday topics are posted here.

Today's TTT is a little bit different than usual:  it's non-book related.  I don't think we've had a Top Ten list not related to books, reading or anything literary before?  

Jen's Top Ten Blogs/Sites She Reads That Aren't About Books:

1. Smart, Pretty and Awkward:  Offers three pieces of great advice (how to be smarter, prettier and less awkward) and I love the quotes.
2. The Glitter Pox:  Fantastic blog to discover new music!  I'm also in love with the name of the blog.
3. Skinnytaste:  Food blog with amazing recipes!  I found this blog via Pinterest.  Seriously though, do yourself a favor and make a recipe from Skinnytaste.  I highly recommend the baked penne.
4. 40:20 Vision:  A great blog where women in their forties answer questions, give different perspectives and just offer life experiences to women in their twenties. 
5. The Oatmeal:  The grammar comics are my favorite.
6. NPR:  National Public Radio, I love you.  I don't know why but NPR is my favorite news site.  
7. The Beauty Department:  If you're feeling super girly this is a great blog.  Lots of hair, makeup and nail tutorials.  One day I will master something other than either straightening my hair or throwing it back in a ponytail.  
8. Budget Bytes:  The idea behind this food blog is that you can still eat like a queen while on a downsized budget.  Each recipe is broken down into cost per recipe and cost per serving.  There are some really great recipes, I've been meaning to try the Spinach Artichoke Pasta.
9. Dear blank, please blank: Sample:  Dear parents, Wait, so you named me after bread?  Seriously?  Sincerely, Peeta.  Another one (spoiler for Mockingjay so highlight to read!):  Dear people who think friend-zoned is bad, Try cousin-zoned.  Sincerely, Gale Hawthorne
10. Twitter:  I love Twitter.  Some days I think I'm on it wayy more than I probably should be.  

Daisy's Review of Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Title/Author: Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm
Publisher/Date published: Graphia, May 8th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "A story of crushes, corsets, and conspiracy
Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum. But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker wants her dead, the too-smart-for-his-own-good local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, her gorgeous sailor may be more shipwreck than dreamboat — plus Camden Harbor’s haunted. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem."

You guys, reading Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink was like hanging out with my best girl friends as in that I was smiling and laughing and just having a blast! And it was just so cute!

I absolutely adored the writing! It was just that perfect blend of lighthearted mixed with some serious things and Stephanie Kate Strohm definitely knows how to bring on the funny! It was just amazing! I immediately fell for the characters and the museum and history camp with all the cute little 8-year-old girls in Libby's group and it just had this wonderful feel-good vibe going on!

Libby is a wonderful, charming and very easy to love main character! She's the smart girl with a sense of style, with a shoe buying addiction as well as a passion for history. And Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink does a lovely thing in showing you how 'don't judge a book by its cover' is something we should all remember! Because of Libby's shoe obsession and her Hello Kitty tendencies, people sometimes judge her to be not all that smart and not so serious about history and the job she's there to perform. It's funny how first impressions sometimes get you, huh? Libby does everything with a passion and she really knows her stuff! I loved her and was rooting for her the whole time, even though she does this thing where she puts her phone in her bra (which I've seen people doing a lot lately), which I HATE (no offense if you do, but it's just not my thing), I excused her for it because she was just so adorable. And it made for a funny moment later on, so I'm good with it.

Libby doesn't have the best douchebag radar, I mean, the gorgeous sailor was basically holding a sign with the term on it and waving it around. But well, I feel like a little old lady saying this, but I haven't been out of my teens all that long and I get it. I mean, at 16-17 my bullshit-o-meter wasn't all it should have been and well, hormones and all you know?
But seriously, the other guy? The BETTER guy?? My little nerd loving heart pitter-pattered all over the place! I absolutely loved the moments between him and Libby, getting to know each other, getting over their prejudices and just having great chemistry and laughter-inducing banter. Their scenes together had me smiling and it was just great! Also, HELLO, KITTY! :) *inside joke, if you read it you'll understand* And the boy had the whole movie kiss down, it was swoonworthy in the extreme!

There were just so many characters for me to love, including Libby's best friend Dev. Who, admittedly, is a bit of a stereotypical YA gay best friend, but I loved him and his quirks! And he totally made it work! And the friendship between him and Libby felt real to me. They were very similar and I loved their interaction and the over the topness of it all sometimes.

So, to sum it all up: Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink is an adorable, feel-good read that had me laughing out loud and had me still smiling a couple of hours after I'd finished it! It's a fabulous debut and Stephanie Kate Strohm is definitely someone I will be watching out for in the future, I loved her voice!

My rating: 5 stars