Not Okay Cupid by Heidi R. Kling

Not Okay, Cupid Blog Tour Review

by Heidi R. Kling

Synopsis: 

Her wicked revenge, or his wicked heart…

Hazel McCallister loves her life. Perfect grades. Perfect best friend. Perfect boyfriend. Until her perfect boyfriend cheats on her with her perfect best friend. Now Hazel’s in free fall—until her best friend’s brother, Felix, gives her the perfect idea. Reclaim her power by taking revenge on her cheating ex.

Felix James loves his life. Casual relationships. Loads of surfing. He’s as drama-free as they come. But he can’t stand by when his sister steals her best friend’s boyfriend, and the dude insists it was Hazel’s fault. So Felix vows to help turn Hazel into a girl her ex can’t resist—so then she can break his heart.

With an alliance in place, Hazel’s revenge is all but assured. But with each piece of payback, she feels a stronger attraction to Felix, even though revenge will turn her into a girl Felix could never be with. And soon Hazel has to make an impossible choice: revenge…or Felix, the boy who’s stolen her heart.

WARNING! This book contains betrayal, revenge, and that most tempting vice of all, the bad boy you know you can’t have.

Review:
This book can pretty much be summed up by its cover. It is a cute, bubbly, romantic comedy in book form. It was pretty predictable (true rom-com fashion) but that is exactly what I want when reading these types of books. I can't think of much else non-spoiler things to say besides the fact that it is adorable.

Spoilers...

First off I would like to address Hazel's original relationship with Jay. It was a classic rom-com toxic romance. Jay sounded like a complete tool; counting his calories and only wearing pastel, frat boy outfits. Also both Jay and Hazel were in the relationship because it was easy; Hazel didn't even enjoy kissing Jay. I think that these obvious faults in their relationship made Hazel's quick feelings for Felix more believable. She never truly had any chemistry or feelings for Jay so it was believable that she moved on so quickly.

The romance between Felix and Hazel was also a pretty typical trope for this type of novel but it was still enjoyable. They started their fake relationship in order to get back at Hazel's boyfriend (classic set-up for the girl to fall in love with the fake boyfriend).  Even though Felix is said to be the "bad boy" he never really seemed that way in the book. He was always bantering with Hazel and even though they weren't really dating he opened up to her. He even named his sweet potato dipping sauce after her for the Valentine's day menu at the diner. My favorite scene from the book though is when Hazel is texting Felix and he says he is trying to avoid a collision right before he runs into her. Then they banter and Hazel play punches Felix and he tells her she shouldn't punch him because he isn't a shark. This is obviously an inside joke and I thought it was the cutest conversation they had in the book. I think I smiled throughout this whole book and I might have even giggled once or twice.

MY RATING: ***.75

Purchase Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27840786-not-okay-cupid 
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Okay-Cupid-Heidi-Kling-ebook/dp/B01828N3JG 
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-okay-cupid-heidi-r-kling/1122956723

Top 10 Reads of 2015

Hey guys! It's  almost a week into 2016 so I figured I better make my list of the top 10 books I read last year. These really aren't in any particular order because I have a hard time comparing genres because some (like romance) are purely entertaining and others (fantasy) take more time to fall in love with the world.

... DRUM-ROLL...

10. Winter by Marissa Meyer
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. The month before t was released I reread the first three books so that I could essentially marathon the series because I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing any details. I was not dissapointed at all. I pretty much loved how everything wrapped up and I have to say that this is a series finale to rival a Cassandra Clare finale.

9. Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
This is probably one of the best purely romantic books I have read. I loved the interesting point of view that Archer provided being that he is a mute. I had read books from the perspective a a deaf protagonist and I found this equally eye-opening. I also loved the angst (lol). I listened to this on audiobook and I would listen to it in the car on my way to work or school. There were times when I would just sit in my car until the last possible second and then think about it the whole time I was working because something angsty had happened.

8. Confess by Colleen Hoover
As long as Colleen keeps writing books she will probably always have a place in my top ten of the year. She released two books this year and I absolutely loved them both but I chose Confess to be in my top ten because of the unique art she included. I fell in love with Danny O'Connor's work as well as the characters in the novel. Her books always have a "punch in the gut" moment that just makes you want to curl in a ball but keep reading at the same time. Of course I cried while reading this...

7. The Martian by Andy Weir
It may seem odd but despite my love of reading and literature, I am going to school to be an engineer. This book appealed to both sides of me and I really enjoyed how the author merged science with extreme wit and humor. Also the movie was fantastic (one of the best book to movie adaptations).

6. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
I really enjoyed the rawness of this novel and the historic accuracy Diana portrayed. I loved the story despite the slow beginning and I really enjoyed the first season of the TV show adaptation. Unfortunately I am intimidated by the size of the rest of the series and I have heard it is still slow moving. Please comment to offer encouragement to continue on.

5. Saga by Brian K. Vaughn
This year was my first venture into graphic novels. This is my favorite I have read so far, although I have only read the first two in the series. I like the art and how the daughter is narrating from the future and the omniscience her perspective provides.

4. Winger by Andrew Smith
This book was one of the most surprising for me this year. I just expected a contemporary novel about a boy at boarding school. I thought that was all it was until the last little bit where I was completely blown away by the ending. I haven't read the companion novel yet but I hope to in 2016.

3. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
I was hesitant about this book because of the hype but I really did end up enjoying this debut novel. I am thrilled to hear that it is not a stand alone like it was advertised and I can't wait for the sequel. (Is it going to be a movie too?)

2. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
This was one of the many verrrryyy long fantasy novels I read this year. I loved its uniqueness and the ambiguity of the characters. Also the magic system, is one of the most interesting and powerful of any fantasy novel.

This is the only book that is intentionally ranked because it was hands down my favorite book of the year. And maybe my favorite book of all time.
**1.** All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This year I really developed a liking for historical fiction mostly because of PeruseProject's constant compliment for the genre and because of this book. I LOVED the way this book painted the picture of the historical events and the way I could literally see the story before my eyes. Most of the time I have a vague image and only a movie/TV show solidifies how I see the story but this book painted the picture before me. It had so many character perspectives, narrative styles, and timelines, but it worked so well! It was like watching a movie (I'm pretty sure there was even music playing in my head while I read it) and I really hope it could be turned into an awesome movie.