Tag Archives: 2016 RITA Reader Challenge
RITA Reader Challenge Review

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart

There is always a boy that turns those summer plans upside down, isn’t there? I was already familiar with Bennett’s work from having read her Roaring Twenties series, which has a very skillful blend of historical and paranormal. Since I already had a well of affection for those books, I was interested in this, her first foray into YA. I was also apprehensive, since YA contemporaries tend to be either very hit (Anna and the French … Continue reading The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Unspoken by C. C. Hunter

Unspoken

Recap: Della Tsang, a seventeen-year-old vampire who can also see and speak with ghosts, struggles with the revelation that her uncle may have murdered her aunt. In the meantime, her father acts strange and behaves coldly towards her. She is determined to solve the mystery of her aunt’s death. As if these weren’t enough problems for a teen vampire, she is inevitably stuck in a love triangle and must choose between Chase Tallman or Steve. … Continue reading Unspoken by C. C. Hunter

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

Followed by Frost

This has been a rather difficult review to write, but then, Followed by Frost was a rather difficult book to read. Not because it was a bad book. Far from it: Holmberg writes with an engaging, readable narrative, and once the plot really got going I was glued to the book right up to the end. But Followed by Frost’s plot felt like it suffered from a series of false starts, which meant that it … Continue reading Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

Followed by Frost

Smitha is seventeen and seems to have it all: she’s one of the smartest, prettiest, richest girls in town. Sure, she can be a little bit vain and lazy and rude, but what does that matter? Then she makes the mistake of turning down the wrong guy, who curses her to be “as cold as her heart.” Now winter forever follows her, anyone who touches her skin freezes to death, and she can never, ever … Continue reading Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

RITA Reader Challenge Review

It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long

It Started with a Scandal

It Started With A Scandal is the tenth in the Pennyroyal Green series. If you have read the previous nine books in the series, you will have no trouble with the references to Colin Eversea and the ballad featuring him (volume one) You will be familiar with the fact that there is a mystery attached to Olivia Eversea and Lyon Redmond, alluded to throughout several volumes of the series until it is all cleared up in … Continue reading It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Not a Fairy Tale by Romy Sommer

Not a Fairy Tale

When I signed up to read Not a Fairy Tale, I was really excited about it. Celebrity scandal, “awkward wardrobe malfunction,” hot stunt man? Sounds great to me. But no. I hate to say this about any book, but it was completely unmemorable. I found myself skimming more than reading and I had a hard time convincing myself to come back to the book each day. It’s even harder to write a review about an … Continue reading Not a Fairy Tale by Romy Sommer

RITA Reader Challenge Review

The Marriage Contract by Katee Robert

The Marriage Contract

This book showed me that I can really like contemporaries. I’ve been bouncing off them as the conflicts kept feeling too contrived . For this one, the reviews made me curious so I had grabbed a copy before the RITAs that I hadn’t read yet. Once I started reading, I was squeezing in as many chapters as I could when I had time. I loved how Teague and Callie’s story was one in the midst … Continue reading The Marriage Contract by Katee Robert

RITA Reader Challenge Review

A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne

A Cold Creek Christmas Story

You might have heard that Google is feeding its artificial intelligence romance novels to enable it to move from its stiff, factual communication style to something more realistic and conversational. Let’s hope that this novel isn’t on the menu, because it would not help the machine seem more human. The story itself is lightweight – more of a sketch of a story than an actual story. Guy from California comes to Twee Wee Town with … Continue reading A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Love After All by Jaci Burton

Love After All

Maybe I shouldn’t have read the three books in this series that come before this book? But because I like to read series in order and the first book had been sitting on my bookshelf for months, I thought I would read the others before I read and reviewed this one. My main problems with this book are the same I had with the others in the series. But first let me tell you what … Continue reading Love After All by Jaci Burton

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Falling for Mister Wrong by Lizzie Shane

Falling for Mister Wrong

“Milk,” Mimi suggested. “Soaks up some of the sweetness.” Falling for Mr. Wrong by Lizzie Shane, is a finalist for Best Mid-Length Contemporary. It is the third book in Shane’s Reality Romance series. Book two, Romancing Miss Right, is also a finalist in this category. Caitlyn is the winner of the reality television show Marrying Mr. Perfect. In accordance with her contract with the show, she returns home after the final episode is filmed and is … Continue reading Falling for Mister Wrong by Lizzie Shane

RITA Reader Challenge Review

Him by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen

Him

TL;DR: If you want to pretend that you’re getting fuzzy warm equality feels, but actually like stereotyping gay men, this is an A+ gold star book. The story is competent. There are cute moments. It’s hot. I get why this is a RITA finalist and why there are a bunch of squeeing reviews on Amazon. If you’re at all remotely anywhere on the queer spectrum, or, you know, if you’re an actual ally? You might … Continue reading Him by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen