Review: Beautiful Disaster

Woah, this is like the 4th "chick-lity" book I've reviewed in a row. Later today there will be 1-2, maybe more depending on how fast I type, reviews that non-chick lit! :)

Beautiful Disaster by Kate Brian
Published: by Simon & Schuster- 6/2/09
Pages: 278
Series or Standalone? 2nd in a series.

Summary (from GoodReads):
She's Back....

After wasting away in a mental institution for a year and a half, Ariana Osgood is finally back where she belongs. She has a new look, a new name, and a new life -- all thanks to her former friend Briana Leigh Covington.

Now enrolled as a junior at the exclusive Atherton-Pryce boarding school just outside of D.C., Ariana sleeps in Frette sheets, flirts with the captain of the crew team, and gossips with the most beautiful girls on campus. She killed to get back her life of privilege. Just how far will she go to keep it?

From the author of the bestselling Private novels comes a series about the dark world of wealth, secrets, and privilege.

My Review: Oh how my love grows for Kate Brian! Only she could make me love a serial killer, (well if were not counting Dexter.) The plot was so different from the previous, yet just as amazing, this book has confirmed that this series shall be deemed an official favorite of mine.
When Hooked. Immediately. Surprisingly, the previous novel didn't end with that "Kate Brian cliff-hanger" I'm accustomed too. Having said that, I was still just as eager to read it as if that cliff-hanger was in it, they are addicting, and have you hooked from the first page.
Hookability: (9.5/10) I was not released from the hook until I had read the very last word. And even then I was not actually let go of the hook because I am itching to get my hands on the next installment.
Writing: (9.5/10) Brian's writing is completely engrossing and addicting- I can't get enough! Everything flows together effortlessly, and totally engages you into it.
Characters: (9/10) I am still shocked at myself for liking Arielle so much, I absolutely hated her in the Private series. I do like her though, and root for her, and sympathesize with her. What is wrong with me? She's a serial killer!!! Everyone else is very confusing and I need one more book before I make my brutal assumptions about them.
Plot: (9/10) Like I said before, very different than the jail break plot of the previous book. I do like that Brain went back to her element of exclusive houses, and living among the pristige, I eat that stuff up!
Originality: (9/10) Brian has an excellent way of spinning things that may have been done before and making them her own. She has quite the talent, and even though some elements are along the same lines of the Private books, there is no denying she has created something not quite like anything else out there.
Romance: (---/10) Definitely has the promise for a nice little romance in the next book, but this one wasn't about romance, it was about how Arielle was adjusting, and so it would be unfair to count romance.
Ending: (9.5/10) Ahhhh, the Kate Brian cliff-hanger returns! I need the next book, what the flip is going to happen next?
Remembrable: (9/10) I have a feeling that eventually all the events will form one big timeline rather than being remembered which specific book an event took place. For the time being though, I definitely find the events of this book to be remembrable, they are essential, and just so juicy and mysterious you can't help but to remember.
Recommendability: (9.5/10) I recommend to all mid to older teen girls who are in need of a chick-lit esk book! Especially fans of Private! Going by those guidelines, this series won't dissapoint!
Any particular graphic/violence/inappropiate content? No, no and no. There might have been a couple implied references, but besides that it was totally clean! (10+)
Overall: (9.79/10) A great sequel of a series that will leave you begging for more! Time will pass very quickly from start to finish because it is so enthralling you just want to read it!

Cover Comments: While I was reading the first book I was imaging what Arielle's new makeover would look like, and this literally exactly how I imagined it to be! Kudos to you over at Simon & Schuster! (10/10)
Want More "Privilege"? There are currently 2 other books out in the series; (in order) Privilege, and Perfect Mistake. The 4th book Sweet Deceit, is set to June 8th, 2010.
Want More by Kate Brian? Kate Brian also has another series which is called the Private series, (and is quite good also!) The Private series currently has 10 books released; (in order) Private, Invitation Only, Untouchable, Confessions, Inner Circle, Legacy, Ambition, Revelation, Last Christmas (Private prequel), and Paradise Lost. The 11th book Scandal, is set to release March 9th, 2010, and the 12th book Vanished, to release August 31st, 2010
Want more by Author? You may not be aware but Kate Brian is a pseudonym that Kieran Scott uses. Kieran Scott writes books under her name also. She is the author of the Non-Blonde Cheerleader series, which is a cute, funny series aimed towards more a slightly younger age books include; (in order) I Was A Non-Blonde Cheerleader, Brunettes Strike Back, and A Non-Blonde Cheerleader In Love. She also has many other books out including Geek Magnet, and Jingle Boy. I am eagerly looking forward to her newest book She's So Dead to Us to be released May 25, 2010, which is a first in a trilogy and sounds really good.

Review: Suspicion

Woah, sorry this review was posted so late today. I didn't even wake up until 2 pm, and that 5 Challenge post took me forever to post!

Suspicion by Kate Brian
Published: by Simon & Schuster- 9/8/09
Pages: 212
Series or Standalone? 10th book in a series.

Summary (from GoodReads):
Forbidden fruit...

Reed, Noelle, and former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor have been living it up on St. Barths over winter break. The tropical sun has melted away all the tensions of last semester, and for the first time in months, Reed is happy. She's got her best friends by her side, she has a palatial suite with an ocean view, and she's landed Upton, the most sought-after guy on the island.

Reed is falling in love.

But dating Upton makes Reed St. Barths' highest-profile guest -- and not in a good way. Upton has a dark past, and he's broken a lot of hearts. One of his exes still wants him. And she'll do whatever it takes to get Reed out of the picture.

My Review: Yet another awesome book in the addicting Private series. While this book felt a little like a bridge, or filler, from one book to another, I still loved every second of it!
When Hooked: Immediately. The last book Paradise Lost left us with such an unbelievable cliff-hanger that as soon as you flip open the first page of Suspicion you are hooked.
Hookability: (9.5/10) This series is one where you pick the book up, read, and about an hour to two hours later, you find that you just finished the book. They are so completely engrossing and addicting!
Writing: (9.5/10) Brian's writing is 100% engaging, and everything flows really well. It is also very easy to feel as if all of what Reed sees and thinks are happening to you too, it very descriptive.
Characters: (9.5/10) For the most part I love all of the characters, wait thats not entirely true, some of the minor characters are so annoying I want to punch. Reed. Loooove her! Even more so now that she isn't afraid to speak whats on her mind. Shes just so completely awesome, no wonder everyone tries to kill her due to jealousy! Noelle. I just love her! I kind of have this unconventional thing where I always love the mean girl, as long as shes not a total b*tch, but even so, Noelle is portrayed in a way that makes the reader sympathetic to her and just love her attitude! Upton. You're no Josh buddy. I want to like you, but its not really happening.
Plot: (8.5/10) Like I mentioned before, this book felt a bridge from one book to the next. I still really liked it, it just wasn't my favorite out of all the books. I do admire Reed's fighting spirit though, especially on the island.
Originality: (8.5/10) This is hard one to determine. Some aspects of the books aren't original per se, but the twist Scott puts on them makes them original. But in this particular installment, without giving away too much, the whole island thing was an element that was very "been there, done that."
Romance: (--/10) I'm not going to count romance in this particular installment because it doesn't really focus on it, its more focused on specifically just Reed. Even with Upton taken into account, hes no Josh, or even Thomas for that matter.
Ending: (9.5/10) Kate Brian is the master of the cliff-hanger. I can't really say what it is without ruining a lot of the book, but let me tell you it will make you go "WHAT??? I NEED the next book NOW!" March 9th can't come soon enough!
Remembrable: (9/10) To me, the events of this series kind of just blend into one timeline instead of "this happened in this book, while this happened in another" kind of thing. I do however think that the events that took place within this book are very remembrable.
Recommendability: (9.5/10) I looooooooooove this series so much! Does that mean I think its right for everybody? Nope. This series is a fun, keeps-you-on-your-toes one. I think that most will categorize it under chick-lit, which is fine as long as that isn't directly correlated with being "fluffy", because its not "fluffy", though its not really deep either. Girls will definitely like this more than boys, and early to mid teens are probably the target age.
Any particular graphic/violent/"inappropiate" content? Pretty PG stuff for the most part, maybe PG-13. Drinking? Yes, there is underage drinking but its totally not a big deal at all. Seriously they could have said pop (or soda for you non-Michigander/Ohio-ers) instead and it totally would not have made a difference. Drugs? Nope. Violence? Someone tries to kill Reed, but its totally PG stuff. Sexual content? In this one I do believe no. Unless you count kissing, which I totally do not. (10+)
Overall: (9.8/10) A nice addition into a wonderful series. At the end you will cry out for the next book, and be left with your suspicions as to who really has killer in them.










Cover Comments: As a whole, this series is pretty cool together, with the whole Private box, and all the spines aline really nice together. However, for this particular book I absolutely hated the cover! The girl scared the living daylight out of me with her menacing stare, and I just flat-out refused to look at her when I was reading this book. (6/10)
Want More "Private"? There are currently 10 other books out in the series; (in order) Private, Invitation Only, Untouchable, Confessions, Inner Circle, Legacy, Ambition, Revelation, Last Christmas (Private prequel), and Paradise Lost. The 11th book Scandal, is set to release March 9th, 2010, and the 12th book Vanished, to release August 31st, 2010.
Want More by Kate Brian? Kate Brian also has another series which is called the Privilege series, (and is quite good also!) The Privilege series currently has 3 books released; (in order) Privilege, Beautiful Disaster, and Perfect Mistake. The 4th book Sweet Deceit, is set to June 8th, 2010.
Want more by Author? You may not be aware but Kate Brian is a pseudonym that Kieran Scott uses. Kieran Scott writes books under her name also. She is the author of the Non-Blonde Cheerleader series, which is a cute, funny series aimed towards more a slightly younger age books include; (in order) I Was A Non-Blonde Cheerleader, Brunettes Strike Back, and A Non-Blonde Cheerleader In Love. She also has many other books out including Geek Magnet, and Jingle Boy. I am eagerly looking forward to her newest book She's So Dead to Us to be released May 25, 2010, which is a first in a trilogy and sounds really good.