Review: Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Making Faces

Author: Amy Harmon

Published: October 12, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

Summary | Add to TBR Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.

Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

My Thoughts:

“I don't think we get answers to every question. We don't get to know all the whys. But I think we will look back at the end of our lives, if we do the best we can, and we will see that the things that we begged God to take from us, the things we cursed him for, the things that made us turn our backs on him or any belief in him, are the things that were the biggest blessings, the biggest opportunities for growth.”

There are things I expected from this book but I'm not sure if "inspiring" was one of them until I read it. You can't really judge a book by it's cover or by it's title. This book isn't like something that you will grab immediately when you see it. But this book is so much more than what you think it is. It's heartbreaking and beautiful all together. My heart has been broken by other books many times before but very few had actually made me cry. Making Faces is one of those rare books that deeply touched my heart. It's worth the read, it's worth the tears. The inspiring verses from the bible is one big bonus and it made me appreciate the story even more. Making Faces is a beautiful story of friendship and loyalty, love and sacrifice, forgiveness and acceptance. It was really touching and very inspiring. It deserves to be read and I recommend it to all who are beautiful and knows how to love and be loved, and especially to those who has Ugly Girl/Boy Syndrome who doesn't think they are beautiful and capable of loving and being loved in return. 

"And so we endure. We have faith that there is purpose. We hope for things we can't see. We believe that there are lessons in loss, power in love, and that we have within us the potential for a beauty so magnificent that our bodies can't contain it.”

Review: ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terril

All Our Yesterdays

Author: Cristin Terril

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Published: September 3, 2013

Summary | Add to TBR

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

My Thoughts:

"I start to shake. In this time and place, a letter I don't remember writing means something very specific. But it's the last line that made me scramble for the toilet in the corner of my cell.

You have to kill him."

There are plenty of time travel books out there and you probably think it's the same old thing. But I tell you, this book lived up to my expectation. The concept and the theories revolving around this subject are not easy to grasp, but it always fascinates me. Could we really have a different present if we made things differently in the past? Or can we really go back in the past and change the things we've done to have a different future? 

I want  the readers to enjoy this book as much as I did and it won't be possible if there are spoilers. One wrong word and it will break the story. One wrong word and I might ruin the book for you. So I will try my best to give my honest to heart review without giving anything away.

All Our Yesterdays is a story of friendship, love and sacrifice-- how friendship play its vital role just when you needed it, and how true love can get you what you want and lose what you already have.

The story started four years from now, with Em locked inside her own cell. We didn't know how she got there, only why she was kept inside-- somebody wants something from her and she's not willing to give it up. She won't give them up. With every torture and pain she had suffered, she takes comfort in the voice of the boy behind her prison's wall. The boy she knew but the face she couldn't remember. She knew that she holds his life in his hands and there is no way she would let him die. Both of them were trying to protect each other from the man they only refer to as the "doctor". And they need to escape again and save the world from the hands of this man. 

It's true that there are books to be tasted and books to be devoured. This book is the kind to be devoured. It was addicting. The first chapter got me hooked and I knew right away that I want this book. It was hard to put down especially when almost every chapter has revelations to tell. Figuring some of them doesn't make them less surprising either. It actually made me want to read more and it felt like I was the one chasing time. I was caught up in a whirl of emotions--fear, sadness, disappointment, surprise, and anticipation. Another best thing is the plot. It was fast-paced and very well executed. It amazed me how it was written so flawlessly. And though I think that the story was lacking a bit on world-building, I easily overlooked it. A better description of the world where Em and Finn came from could have enriched the backstory more but then again, it wasn't a big deal for me this time. Other than that, the rest was pretty neat and the story was really good. I appreciate the storytelling--the alternating POV of Marina and Em. The personalities of both girls are total opposites and I'd say I loved Em more. Marina was a bit selfish and immature. She was annoying most of the time but it was obvious (for the good reason) that the story needed it for the other characters to be more effective and real. Finn and James are well developed as well, and I liked Finn specifically. Finn, James, Marina and Em-- it was great to see these characters grow and become those persons they couldn't have possibly imagined. 

Gripping and emotional, with meticulously executed, fast-pacing plot, great twists and underlying secrets, with interesting characters that will hold your heart, this book makes an awesome read. I shouldn't have been surprised because I expected it to be good, and yet I still was. If you find time traveling a fascinating story, you'll surely enjoy this one. I hope there's a sequel, because stories like this doesn't need to end just yet. It's one of the best I've ever read in a while and if there's one time travel book I will recommend, it's this one. All Our Yesterdays lived up to my expectation, I hope it will also live up to yours.

My Rating:

You can read the first chapter of All Our Yesterdays and 

watch the web series at Cristin Terril Homepage.

Review: SHE'S GOT DIBS by AJ Nuest

She's Got Dibs

Author: AJ Nuest

Published: April 22, 2013 

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Format: Kindle eBook

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Summary | Add to TBR

True love does not exist...or so event planner Tessa Adams learns the day she gets jilted--twenty-four hours prior to walking down the aisle. One-night stands are much easier, and with sexy philanthropists like David Brenner, how can she resist? Now if she could just get rid of him. Had she known the biggest event of her career would be working for David's father, she would have cut and run. Instead, she's unwittingly become a part of his parents' plan to destroy his life-long dreams. Will sacrificing her love protect him or be the ultimate betrayal?

Wealthy and gorgeous, David Brenner seemingly holds the world in the palm of his hand--his generous heart and infectious smile are just two in an endless stream of attractive qualities. But the one thing he wants, he can't have--a repeat of the passionate night he spent in the arms of a skittish Tessa Adams.

His family's far-reaching power threatens to crush their dreams. To prove his love, he would risk everything...but will the return of her ex-fiance be their final undoing?

My Thoughts:

The first time I saw this book I had no doubt that it will be good. I truly enjoyed AJ's Jezebel's Wish but I didn't expected that I'd end up loving She's Got Dibs. I'm not much into Adult Books, because honestly, most of the books I've read from this genre concentrates more on sex rather than the story itself. This book isn't one of those. It's sweet and romantic and sexy without being too smutty. 

I can't think of anything that I didn't liked about this book. I enjoyed the story as much as I like the characters. I liked Tessa even though there were times that I was irritated by her decisions. Nevertheless, she remains a strong woman and her choices brought her true love. And Dibs, I strongly feels for this guy. For me, he's Christian Grey without the psychological and emotional baggage. Only the sweet, caring, thoughtful, loving, and rich kind of guy. He has the humor and wit that I like and he's an absolute gentleman. Christian can fly all his helicopters, I've got Dibs who can fly an airplane! Yeah... Literally. 

She's Got Dibs is an engaging book, romantic and sexy, it will satisfy the reader's sensual appetite as much as their heart's. This is my second AJ Nuest's book and it's definitely not the last.

My Rating:

Other books by AJ Nuest:

See my review here.