Review: UNTOUCHABLE by Nicole Dykes!

About the Book: Cassie
I'm finally free. Free to make my own decisions and prove to my family that I'm not the problem child they think I am. 
I'm here to make a change, clean up my act, and be someone all of the Monroes can be proud of. But it's true what they say, old habits are hard to break. 
That is until Hunter Thompson. Football God, super hot and above all, moral. But he sees me as nothing more than his best friend’s little sister.

Hunter
I’ve almost reached my ultimate goal. After years of hard work and determination, both on and off the field, I’m closer than ever to getting my degree and heading to the big leagues. 
That means I don’t have time for distractions. I stick to fitness regime, avoid getting drunk every weekend and don’t sleep around. My friends tease me and call me ‘choirboy’, but they just don’t get it. I’m so close, and that’s when the final hurdle enters my life; my best friend and former teammates younger sister. How on earth am I supposed to concentrate when all I can think about is Cassie Monroe? [Description from Goodreads.com]

My Review: Okay, don't tell the rest of the Monroes this... but I think Cassie and Hunter's story might be my new favorite. Luke's story was great, and Dylan and Jax are certainly unforgetable.. but man, Hunter is quite the dreamboat. Author Nicole Dykes really knows how to write a good, solid, dishy hero, and Hunter is no different. He's a legitimately good guy, which is a breath of fresh air after reading book after book of a bad-boy-but-good-at-heart. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes a girl just needs a knight in shining armor.

I've been eager for Cassie's story for some time, since she's had such a rough time of it. And it was even better than I had hoped! I'll admit, there was a time or two that I found the dialogue to be a little unrealistic, and that's the only thing keeping Untouchable from being a five star read. Once I started Hunter and Cassie's story, I devoured it. I had to know she would get the happy ending she deserved, and that the Monroe family would manage to continue bringing the drama I've enjoyed so much thus far.

Cover Lovin': Yum! And, it fits perfectly with the rest of the series.

Recommendation: Untouchable can be read as a standalone, but the Monroes are a large family - and they have adopted quite a few strays. So reading previous books helps when it comes to knowing all the side characters, as well as Cassie's not-so-stellar dating history.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). This was a great one, and forgive my gushing, but Hunter is just so dishy, I wish I could have kept him for myself. If you love new adult/college romances, this definitely needs to be on your to-buy list!

Be sure to check out the entire Monroe Family series on Amazon.com!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Review of "The Earth, My Butt, and other BIG Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler

 Any book with a title like this will grab my attention. I wish I would have read this book as a teen.

Disclaimer: This book has been borrowed. It was not given to me, the reviewer, in exchange for a review, nor was I given any monetary incentive for a positive review. However, I am an Amazon Affiliate, so if you use my links to buy this product or anything else from amazon.com, I may profit. A teeny, tiny, barely there bit.

Type: YA Fiction, Highschool Sucks, Parents don't understand, Family Drama, Boy problems, Coming of Age

From the back of the book: "  Virginia Shreves has a larger-than-average body and a plus-size inferiority complex. She lives on the Web, snarfs junk food, and obeys the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." Then there are other Shreveses: Mom is an exercise fiend and a successful adolescent psychogist; Dad, when not jet-setting, or golfing in Connecticut, ogles skinny women on TV; and older siblings Byron and Anais are slim, brilliant, and impossible to live up to. Delete Virginia and the Shreveses are a picture-perfect family.. until a phone call changes everything.  "

I think if a parent or authority figure read the first two or three pages of this book, and those pages only, they would see a good reason to ban/challenge this book. And after reading those first few pages, I understand why this book has been challenged. But if an adult actually takes the time to read this book, the whole way through, they would see how truly wonderful it is. This book left me with a wonderful feeling at the end, and I honestly wish I had known about it when I was younger. Virginia really triumphs in the end, and leaves even the reader feeling empowered.

This author deserves any and every award she got for this book. First off, there is no skirting on the emotional drama (the big brother Virginia always looked up to did WHAT?!). And secondly, I want to applaud the fact that the doctor Virginia's mother drags her to speaks to Virginia like she is an adult, and tells her she doesn't need to lose weight, she just needs to get healthy. And after seeing how Virginia deals with emotional stress, he finds a perfect solution for her - kickboxing. Virginia slowly learns to love herself, and she starts feeling again - instead of just numbly going through her life like she had been.

I would go into absolutely everything I loved about this book, but then this post would be as long as the book.. probably because I loved it all. I'm a teen no longer, but even so, this book left me with a wonderful feeling, so much so that I giddily hopped out of bed when I finished it and pranced around my room. That's right, I PRANCED. GIDDILY! If I have a daughter, when she reaches fifteen or so, I will definitely give her this book. If I had enough money, I'd buy a bunch of copies and give one to every teenaged girl I saw on the street. But probably people would be a little creeped out by me.

In short, I am giving "The Earth, My Butt, and Other BIG Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler a FIVE out of FIVE (5/5). I loved this book. I'd make everyone read it if I could. I sincerely hope other girls, whether they're teenaged or older, read this book and feel the same sense of Girl Power I did.

Have you read this book? Please please PLEASE comment and tell me your thoughts. Want to read it? (YOU SHOULD!) - Find it at Amazon.com!

Have a wonderful Monday! Or at least as good as Monday can get. ^_~
~!~ Morning Glow