Keary's Monthly Reading Roundup: July +

You all may have noticed that it has been months since I've posted a review.  That's not because I've totally stopped reading.  Yeah, right... lol.  But there is a reason.

I've come to a realization.  As my career has advanced as a writer I've made more and more connections.  And it is amazing and awesome.  I'm befriending a lot of authors and others who are in the industry.  Which makes it really hard to continue writing honest book reviews.  It is a really difficult situation when I've met an author, love that author, then read their book, and just don't care for it.  Or there is the opposite situation where I meet the author and then read their book, and our relationship weighs heavily on how much I LOVE their book.

So, it's a difficult decision, but I've decided to give up writing reviews on my blog.  I think it is for the best.

But, I do still want you guys to see what I've been reading!  So I've decided to do a monthly post so I can show you all what I've been consuming.  If you really want to know my thoughts on a certain book, you're welcome to shoot me a Tweet and ask! @kearytaylor

I will also let you know if a book is one of my favorite reads of the year.

So, here is what I've read the last few months!  Playing catch up here!

2012 FAVORITE

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there’s a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane’s much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love? An irresistible romance interwoven with a darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.

A sweet and sparkly romantic comedy about finding your prince! True love isn't only in fairy tales...When Valerie's parents split up and she has to move to a tiny European country called Schwerinborg, she's pretty sure her life is over. That is, until she meets Georg. He's smart, sweet, and unbelievably cute. And even better, he's a prince! But with Georg under so much pressure, and the press watching their every move, Valerie soon discovers dating a prince is not exactly the happily ever after she'd been hoping for. But Georg has swept her off her feet and Valerie's not ready to give up her prince just yet...

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

A heartwarming and witty debut novel about a spoiled city girl whose life is turned upside down when her father loses his job and she's shipped to Broken Spoke, Texas. Who knew country-living could melt this snobby ice-queen's heart?

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?
Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.
But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.
And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.
In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

2012 FAVORITE

Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It’s been three months. In that time, Amy has learned to hide who she is. Elder is trying to be the leader he’s always wanted to be. But as the ship gets more and more out of control, only one thing is certain: They have to get off the ship.

On her 17th birthday, everything will change for Violet Eden. The boy she loves will betray her. Her enemy will save her. She will have to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice. Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, EMBRACE is a compelling novel of good and evil, seductive desires and impossible choices. A centuries old war between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity chooses a new fighter. It's a battle Violet doesn't want, but she lives her life by two rules: don't run and don't quit. If angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden.