Review: Dirty Red (Love Me With Lies, #2) by Tarryn Fisher

Dirty Red (Love Me With Lies, #2) by Tarryn Fisher

Genre: NA Contemporary
Kindle Edition: 265 pages

Release Date: December 21st 2012

Purchase: Amazon

Dear Opportunist,

You thought you could take him from me, but you lost. Now, that he's mine I'll do anything to keep him. Do you doubt me? I have everything that was supposed to be yours. In case you were wondering; he doesn't ever think about you anymore. I won't let him go....ever.

Dirty Red

Leah Smith finally has everything she has ever wanted. Except she doesn't. Her marriage feels more like a loan than a lifelong commitment, and the image she has worked so hard to build is fraying before her eyes. With a new role and a past full of secrets, Leah must decide how far she is willing to go to keep what she has stolen.

Review

“Wow. Wow. HELL WOW!”

These were the words I utter after reading Dirty Red which was quite an intense, infuriating and brilliant read.  I almost hurl my phone on the wall every time Leah flips on her inner B-ness. It's good (and crazy) to finally be able to look on the point of view of the person who tries everything in her power to keep two people who love each other apart and mind you she was aggravating beyond imagination. I tried to give Leah her chance she---slightly---deserves because her actions might be just fruits of the difficulties she have suffered through her childhood but almost at every moment that I've made up my mind there'll be twists and exasperating things she'll do that would brought me back to keep her on the bad side. I've finally realized she deserved it after all (you'll know why when the bomb was dropped). She's a dirty fighter and she doesn't know how to set her boundaries between love and obsession plus she's full of insecurities. Well, if you're wondering she's not so bad most of the time...She seemed to have care, love and be thoughtful of another being especially when she have come to realize Estella's importance to her, as her mother. We were given glimpses of the good side of Leah and it's nice to know that underneath the personality she imposes her heart isn't all tainted black after all. Looking through her perspective of the past and the present may give us that impression.

I'm not a fan of Leah---I know most of us are---and there’s a LOT of things she had done which are really unforgivable but I hope in all of these things there is still something that could be saved. However, we’d all be certain that she isn't done yet with Caleb and Olivia.

Dirty Red is the sequel to the bestselling book by Tarryn Fisher, The Opportunist, which I highly recommend to you all if you haven't read yet because if you haven't then you are missing a lot! I never thought that this series could get more compelling and awesome.

Dirty Red is amazingly extraordinary and it completely blown me away.

Can I have the third book now, please? J

Favorite quote:

“Love is illogical. You fall into it like a manhole. 

Then you're just stuck. You die in love more than you live in love."

  

Author Bio

I would like to write a novel that every, single person loves, but not even J.K. Rowling could do that. Instead, I try to write stories that pull on people's emotions. I believe that sadness is the most powerful emotion, and swirled with regret the two become a dominating force. I love villains. Three of my favorites are Mother Gothel, Gaston and the Evil Queen who all suffered from a pretty wicked case of vanity (like me). I like to make these personality types the center of my stories.

Follow her on these sites: Website|| Goodreads || Twitter

Top 10 of 2012: Best Books I've Read

What is Top 10 of 2012? It’s a fun-filled week where we look back at some of the best of “all things books” of 2012 and what books we’re looking forward to in 2013. 

This is an event hosted by Two Chick on Books, Fiktshun, Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound by Books and Magical Urban Fantasy. I'm so excited to be a part of it for the second time! It's always fun to look back and see which books impacted me the most throughout the whole year. I also can't wait to visit other blogs and check out everyone's list. I've picked out a lot of books in the past from others' lists and loved them.

Today's topic is Top Ten Books Read in 2012. This is the most difficult list to make since I've read and loved so many books this year. According to Goodreads, I've finished 157 books (so far) this year. A new record and an improvement from last year's 138. I find that highly ironic since 2012 has been the busiest year for me. 

Anyway without further ado, here's my top ten list in no particular order aside from the first two.

 

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

“I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck.”  

This is one of the most heart-wrenching, beautifully written and emotionally healing books I have ever read. I am eternally grateful to Katja Millay for sharing this rare gem into the literary world.
It revolves around two severely broken protagonists who are lost and dealing with tragic pasts. I hurt, fell in love and healed with these characters. 
I also bet everyone who read and loved this never forget the last two words.

  

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.”

 The Fault in Our Stars is tied with TSoT as my top reads for this year. I don't think any list is complete without this John Green novel. If you haven't read it then you need to go out stat and buy a copy along with a box of Kleenex.It is the kind of book that needs to be read by everyone regardless of age and genre. The story is told with brutal honesty and emotional depth. Most importantly, it's about Life more than anything else.Who would have known "okay" could be such a romantic word?

  

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are moments that you'll remember for the rest of your life and there are moments that you think you'll remember for the rest of your life, and its not often they turn out to be the same moment.” 

 The Scorpio Races was a great read and as expected, I did indulge myself on beautifully crafted images and words. What I didn't see coming is the realization after finishing this. 
In my opinion, it’s the best Maggie Stiefvater book so far. 
There’s no such thing as overwritten in it because every word is significant.

my review

  

Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan

“We can contemplate the meaning of your life all you want, but know that you're my meaning... the reason behind just about everything I do―and I would never want to change that.” 

You can only imagine how much I'd pined for this book after the first one. I loved A Reason to Breathe so much it even made it to this list.
I mentally prepared myself for a roller coaster ride of emotions and it turned out to be a useless thing to do. You can never prepare for what’s coming and that’s one of the million reasons why I love Rebecca Donovan. This book left me feeling raw and I mean that in the most positive way.

my review

  

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

“If I were a carpenter, I would build you a window to my soul. But I would leave that window shut and locked, so that every time you tried to look through it all you would see is your own reflection. You would see that my soul is a reflection of you.”

Colleen Hoover is one of my favorite new authors that I discovered this year. Slammed and Point of Retreat are butterflying amazing . I learned to appreciate poetry last year when I started college and this book introduced me to slam poetry. It has wonderful characters that flew off the pages and an equally engaging plot. 
Point of Retreat's ending is gorgeous..  just butterflying gorgeous. 

  

Angelfall by Susan Ee

“I never thought about it before, but I'm proud to be human. We're ever so flawed. We're frail, confused, violent, and we struggle with so many issues. But all in all, I'm proud to be a Daughter of Man.” 

Behold my favorite angel novel

Angelfall is the kind of book that I only spent a few dollars in but would willingly spend more for a copy. And saying I’m looking forward to reading the next book is cliché and a huge understatement. I will definitely read anything by Susan Ee after this one.

my review

  

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

“Because without our language, we have lost ourselves. Who are we without our words?” 
Now this list won't be complete without a Melina Marchetta book. She proved in Finnikin of the Rock that her writing abilities are not confined to the contemporary genre.
Impeccable writing, phenomenal plot and perfectly developed characters and romance. This book is long but so so worth it. And as usual there aren't enough words to express my love for a MM novel. 

  

The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher

“You can only give your heart away once, after that, everything else will chase your first love” 

I knew about The Opportunist months before I had the guts to read it. I was afraid to start on the book because it seems to bring out strong emotions from readers. 

They're all right. My whole reading experience was one heck of a roller coaster ride. Olivia, the protagonist, is the most flawed heroine - yet I won't have her any other way. I completely adored her. 

This book is a certified book-crack so don't expect sleep if you're reading it at night.

 

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

“Maybe if I can just sleep for a hundred years, I'll wake up in a better story.” 

Compelling and addictive are some words to describe this book. It has every reason why I love reading contemporary and after 50 pages, I knew I was undeniably inlove. It has the right amount of upbeat mood and it is the sugary sweet romance read I hoped it would be. It’s about being the person you want to be and choosing the right decisions, even if doing so would mean sacrificing some of the things you love. 

my review

  

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

“The time will come when you will be forced to make a choice,” Hanalea said. “When that time comes, choose love.” 

The Gray Wolf Throne is the third book in Chima's Seven Realms series. I swear this series gets better and better with each book. I'm extremely picky when it comes to Fantasy books and Chima gave everything I want in them and more. 
This is definitely one of my all-time favorites and I recommend it to everyone who's in the mood for a great high-fantasy read. 

Honorable Mentions

What are your favorite reads this year? Share them in the comments or leave a link to your top ten list!

Top Ten Week: Top 10 Books I’ve Read in 2011

Hi everyone! This is the first day of Top Ten Week hosted by Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and Rachel from Fiktshun, Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and Lisa from A Life Bound by Books.  The topic for today is Top Ten Books Read in 2011. Personally, I'm having a hard time narrowing down my favorite reads to ten. I've read so many great books this year and some even made it to my all-time-favorite list. Another dilemma is listing them in order. So here it is folks, my top ten fave reads of 2011 in no particular order. 

   

On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marcheta

"My father took one hundred and thirty two minutes to die. 

I counted. "

If those first lines didn't get you to read it, I seriously don't know what will. Here's my Goodreads "review" for OtJR: 'Ever got the feeling when the book is just so incredible you can't put the words you're meant to write for a review? ON THE JELLICOE ROAD is... WOW. I get goosebumps just by thinking of this book. It's been weeks since I finished this and I'm still basking in its awesomeness. If I could give 10 stars to justify my love for this one, I would. It's the first novel by Ms. Marchetta that I read but I could say that I'm a HUGE fan of her already. The first part was confusing but everything went smoothly eventually. I'm planning on rereading this before the school year starts. Seriously, I respect everyone's opinions, but If you didn't like this book, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?' - Even until now, It pretty much summarizes how I feel about this book. Thank goodness for my curiosity with the cover.

   

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

For one year I waited and waited for Clockwork Prince to be released. When I finally got my copy (I went to the book store before attending my classes on December 6th!), I spaced out the whole day in school and started reading it when I got home. I just.. I couldn't even.. it rendered me speechless. It was how I thought it would be and MORE. After reading Clockwork Prince, I realized I loved the Infernal Devices more than The Mortal Instruments series. That is saying a lot since TMI is one of my all-time faves. In my opinion it's the best Cassandra Clare book to date. I just can't wait to read the conclusion to the series!!

    

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Everyone I know who has read this book rave and gush about it... and I AM DEFINITELY NOT AN EXCEPTION. Yes, the capslock was necessary. It has everything I want in a contemporary story: romance, humor, Paris, and a gorgeous, swoon-worthy British guy. It was like Stephanie practically took me to Paris with Anna. I loved every single character and fell in love with Etienne St. Clair. I seldom reread books especially when I just read it the first time, but this, I read it thrice in a week. I'm pretty sure the only reason Lola and the Boy Next Door didn't make it to this list is because I haven't read it.   

   

Divergent by Veronica Roth

This book was at the top of my most anticipated debut novel of 2011 list.  For the nth time, I'm a big Dystopian junkie. Besides that, everything about this book is amazing and so well thought-out. It was so intense and thrilling and action-packed I didn't want it to end. The heroine kicks butt and is very intelligent, just as I like them, and the male lead is amazing. He's tough and intelligent, mysterious, and hot. It's beautifully written and I didn't mind the long read. This is just one of the countless confessions of love for this book and  I swear after you finished reading it(if you haven't), you'll see what the fuss is all about.

    

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky Is Everywhere had me the moment I saw the cover and read the summary on Goodreads. And once I started reading it, I didn't care about anything else in the world. It was heartbreaking, poignant, funny, and very romantic. I was pulled into Lennie's world from the very first page and I can go on and on about how much I love this book the whole day. I really suggest against reading it in public. One moment you're laughing and then blush ridiculously and cry the next. Here's a short teaser:
“Oh, God,’ he whispers, reaching his hand behind my neck and bringing my lips to his. ‘Let’s let the whole fucking world explode this time.’ 
And we do.” 

   

The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

This is probably cheating but I can't list just one book in the trilogy. They're all too important and valuable to me. Anyway, Patrick Ness created a Dystopian series that will stay in my head forever. Since the The Hunger Games trilogy ended, I've been in search for similar books and I came across this one.  It turned out to be the perfect series I'd been looking for. It blew my mind, especially the last book.  I became emotionally attached to Todd and Voila and I cried a couple of times while reading. Authors get brief mentions in reviews, but that's not the case with Chaos Walking. I'm not surprised to see many reviews giving Patrick Ness a whole paragraph about his writing style and everything. Just brilliance at its finest.

     

Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

I'm shaking my head at my old self. How did I ever think indie books can't be awesome?? Reason to Breathe is the kind of book that will rip your heart out, put it back together, and rip it out again. There were times I wish it's a physical book just so I can throw it from so much frustration. Now that sounds negative. NO. I just have to warn you that it's not for the faint of heart and it HAS A SEQUEL. That last part was the most important. The last sentence brought out goosebumps and I'm dying to read the next book.

    

The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima

I waited for a whole year to read this to wait for a paperback copy and now I will have to wait for another for the next. It's this ridiculous thing I always follow: If I bought the first book in paperback, then the rest of the series must be bought in the same format. Okay I know you don't really care, but it seems like I'm in lack of words to describe this book. To put it simply, The Exiled Queen is one of the best fantasy books that ever existed in my opinion. It has everything I could possibly want: magic, war, adventure, lots of surprise, and most importantly, romance. AND, Han Alister is pure awesomeness. 

   

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

I am so glad I read If I Stay just months ago before Where She Went releases. And I thought If I Stay was really good, but WOW, Where She Went surpassed it by a long shot. Reasons why I loved it:

1. The story is told from Adam's perspective.

2. The writing and story is simply stunning.

3. It's set in New York.

4. It has music.

6. ADAM

7. ADAM

8. ADAM

     

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

I know, Another Patrick Ness, but just by thinking what this book did to me, I can't not add this on my list. It's a middle grade book but I think everyone. I mean EVERYONE, regardless of your preferred  genre, ought to have and read this. It taught me a great deal of things, made me cry like I never had in a book before and broke my heart in a healing kind of way. The illustrations were full of raw emotions and I couldn't have picked more perfect masterpieces to capture the story. To see some of them,  visit Jim Kay's website. 

   

It was so hard to list just ten and I read 134 books this year, so here are some more awesome books I loved just as I do the ten above.

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pies and After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick 

Significance Series by Shelley Crane 

Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi

Half Blood by Jennifer Armentrout 

Die For Me by Amy Plum 

    

How about you? What are your favorite books this year?