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Birthday Trilogy #2
Happy Birthday to Me Again
Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he's aging a whole year of his life with each passing day... again. And this time... he's going backward!
When Cameron proposes to his beloved witch of a girlfriend Liesel, he thinks life can't get any better. But when he reluctantly breaks off the engagement just days before the wedding, Liesel angrily unleashes another curse on the unlucky guy, this time making him age backward, from eighteen, all the way to zero.
Making matters worse, Liesel mysteriously disappears, leaving Cameron with no options, except watching himself rapidly shrink into a helpless child. Will Liesel be able to save his life again? Or will Cameron ultimately fall prey to his girlfriend's wicked spell?
PRAISE FOR "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME"
"This is a fantastically fun read that I immensely enjoyed and am sad to see finished... by the end I was putting aside every other thing I had to do just so I could read the conclusion!" - Caught Between the Pages
"Happy Birthday to Me is an excellent read: a unique concept, well-written... I sped through the book, just wanting to read 'one more chapter' to find out what would happen next!" - Katie's Book Blog
"I devoured this book in just over a day... I was addicted to it... I look forward to see what happens next in this trilogy! - Love Fantasy Sci Fi Novels
When Cameron proposes to his beloved witch of a girlfriend Liesel, he thinks life can't get any better. But when he reluctantly breaks off the engagement just days before the wedding, Liesel angrily unleashes another curse on the unlucky guy, this time making him age backward, from eighteen, all the way to zero.
Making matters worse, Liesel mysteriously disappears, leaving Cameron with no options, except watching himself rapidly shrink into a helpless child. Will Liesel be able to save his life again? Or will Cameron ultimately fall prey to his girlfriend's wicked spell?
PRAISE FOR "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME"
"This is a fantastically fun read that I immensely enjoyed and am sad to see finished... by the end I was putting aside every other thing I had to do just so I could read the conclusion!" - Caught Between the Pages
"Happy Birthday to Me is an excellent read: a unique concept, well-written... I sped through the book, just wanting to read 'one more chapter' to find out what would happen next!" - Katie's Book Blog
"I devoured this book in just over a day... I was addicted to it... I look forward to see what happens next in this trilogy! - Love Fantasy Sci Fi Novels
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2011
8 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Brian Rowe
15 books128 followersBrian Rowe is an author, teacher, book devotee, and film fanatic. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Nevada, Reno, and is represented by Kortney Price at the Corvisiero Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 14, 2012
I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy, and was looking forward to Happy Birthday to Me Again. Unfortunately, I feel a bit let down. It was a fun book, but I felt it lacked a lot compared to the original. It was fairly predictable, and the biggest surprise to me came within the final two paragraphs. (well, the final bombshell was not a surprise. But the paragraph before lefty me anything to read the third book.)
In this book, Liesel really annoyed me. She was selfish and annoying and left me pleading with Cam to leave her. Her refusal to share anything about herself was irritating. And I am still confused bout her grandfather.
Another thing that bugged me was that Cam aging in reverse was not near as intriguing as his "disease" in the previous book. His relationship with his family was cheesy and tense all at the same time.
Despite these things, I enjoyed the story. I liked the addition of Hannah, despite her plot being predictable. I wish we had more of her and Cam interacting and i am anxious to see where the next book takes her.
I would recommend these books as quick reads to anyone looking for a mind candy read, something where you can read it quickly and not invest too much into the book or characters.
In this book, Liesel really annoyed me. She was selfish and annoying and left me pleading with Cam to leave her. Her refusal to share anything about herself was irritating. And I am still confused bout her grandfather.
Another thing that bugged me was that Cam aging in reverse was not near as intriguing as his "disease" in the previous book. His relationship with his family was cheesy and tense all at the same time.
Despite these things, I enjoyed the story. I liked the addition of Hannah, despite her plot being predictable. I wish we had more of her and Cam interacting and i am anxious to see where the next book takes her.
I would recommend these books as quick reads to anyone looking for a mind candy read, something where you can read it quickly and not invest too much into the book or characters.
series-lost-interest
November 15, 2014Umm... Is a sequel really necessary? I think Cameron learned his lesson in the first book.
July 23, 2020
Huh?
I read the first book about 4 years ago so decided to pick up the trilogy again but I was very disappointed. The writing is not bad just the storyline is terrible. Spoiler...the one thing that really got me besides the other nonsense was that Cameron knew his girl disappeared and suspected that she was kidnapped but didn't call the cops...he just waited around to see if she'd show back up. Even went to his bachelor party!? I rated the first book 4 stars and I remember enjoying it but I dont know what happened here.
I read the first book about 4 years ago so decided to pick up the trilogy again but I was very disappointed. The writing is not bad just the storyline is terrible. Spoiler...the one thing that really got me besides the other nonsense was that Cameron knew his girl disappeared and suspected that she was kidnapped but didn't call the cops...he just waited around to see if she'd show back up. Even went to his bachelor party!? I rated the first book 4 stars and I remember enjoying it but I dont know what happened here.
December 15, 2011
Originally posted to Esther's Ever After
I enjoyed the first book in Brian Rowe's Birthday Trilogy, Happy Birthday to Me, because it struck me as a fairly creative idea for a YA book, and I was pleased wit it as a well presented and fun book. I had high hopes for the sequel, but unfortunately I wasn't nearly as impresesd with this one as I was with the first book.
There are very few spoilers for the first book in this review, but if you'd like you can also stop by to read my review of Happy Birthday to Me.
Something different and fresh:
I definitely get sick of reading the same types of books over and over, but I'm so impressed with Brian's creativity both in terms of the plot and in the presentation and writing style. The whole story is kind of quirky and he maintains this sense of humour throughout the book, even in more serious situations.
But I was mostly disappointed with Cameron as a character. While he grew on me in the first book, I found him even harder to like in this one. It seemed as if he was presented as this unlucky guy starting to grow up and act like an adult, but I had a hard time seeing that in Cam. His choices and reactions to things struck me as the most immature aspects of him, and I couldn't understand how I was supposed to end up liking him more. Because frankly, most of the time he just ended up being a self-centred jerk. For all the times he claimed to love Liesl, he sure showed it in a funny way when she was in trouble. I was just so frustrated and annoyed with both Cameron and Liesl, but Cam in particular because he came across as being so fake; saying he was worried about Liesl, yet not acting on trying to help her in some way. And instead, distracting himself from this worry.
Overall, I felt no sympathy towards the characters, Liesl and others included, as they were supposed to be victims in these terrible circumstances... but it wasn't as if they were faultless. And the whole book read as more of a set up for the third book, than an actual sequel to the first. And Cam is just so stubborn and unwilling to deal with the problems and issues presented by others close to him, so big problems are just brushed off as being no big deal.
After reading Happy Birthday to Me Again, I think I would have been happier to just leave Happy Birthday to Me as a standalone and not chosen to continue with the series.
Review copy provided by author in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.
I enjoyed the first book in Brian Rowe's Birthday Trilogy, Happy Birthday to Me, because it struck me as a fairly creative idea for a YA book, and I was pleased wit it as a well presented and fun book. I had high hopes for the sequel, but unfortunately I wasn't nearly as impresesd with this one as I was with the first book.
There are very few spoilers for the first book in this review, but if you'd like you can also stop by to read my review of Happy Birthday to Me.
Something different and fresh:
I definitely get sick of reading the same types of books over and over, but I'm so impressed with Brian's creativity both in terms of the plot and in the presentation and writing style. The whole story is kind of quirky and he maintains this sense of humour throughout the book, even in more serious situations.
But I was mostly disappointed with Cameron as a character. While he grew on me in the first book, I found him even harder to like in this one. It seemed as if he was presented as this unlucky guy starting to grow up and act like an adult, but I had a hard time seeing that in Cam. His choices and reactions to things struck me as the most immature aspects of him, and I couldn't understand how I was supposed to end up liking him more. Because frankly, most of the time he just ended up being a self-centred jerk. For all the times he claimed to love Liesl, he sure showed it in a funny way when she was in trouble. I was just so frustrated and annoyed with both Cameron and Liesl, but Cam in particular because he came across as being so fake; saying he was worried about Liesl, yet not acting on trying to help her in some way. And instead, distracting himself from this worry.
Overall, I felt no sympathy towards the characters, Liesl and others included, as they were supposed to be victims in these terrible circumstances... but it wasn't as if they were faultless. And the whole book read as more of a set up for the third book, than an actual sequel to the first. And Cam is just so stubborn and unwilling to deal with the problems and issues presented by others close to him, so big problems are just brushed off as being no big deal.
After reading Happy Birthday to Me Again, I think I would have been happier to just leave Happy Birthday to Me as a standalone and not chosen to continue with the series.
Review copy provided by author in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.
March 6, 2014
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Finalmente le cose sembrano andare bene per Cameron. Dopo che un terribile incantesimo l'ha fatto invecchiare così tanto da portarlo ad un passo dalla morte, alla fine ha trovato finalmente l'amore in Liesel, paradossalmente proprio colei che è stata la causa dei suoi problemi. Ma ora nulla potrà più andare storto, perchè tra poco si sposeranno. Le ultime parole famose. Liesel è pur sempre una strega e i suoi poteri sono grandi, abbastanza da essere incontrollabili, e durante una lite perde il controllo e lancia su di lui una maledizione che lo condanna a ringiovanire di un anno ogni giorno che passa. Cameron ci mette un po' ad accorgersene, ma per allora Liesel è scomparsa senza lasciare traccia. Se non la troverà in tempo sarà la fine per lui..
Tutte le volte che mi ritrovo davanti al secondo capitolo di una saga che è iniziata con un libro che ho amato moltissimo non posso fare a meno di sperare che il libro sarà all'altezza del suo predecessore. Troppe serie soffrono della sindrome da secondo capitolo. Questo fortunatamente non è il caso, anche se ammetto che in confronto al primo libro della serie gli manca qualcosa, gli manca quell'originalità che ha dato una marcia in più al primo capitolo. Nonostante questo è stata comunque una lettura molto piacevole, con molte sorprese e colpi di scena ben studiati. Lo schema del libro inizialmente si ripete molto simile a quello del suo predecessore: il protagonista Cameron viene colpito da un incantesimo che agisce sulla sua età, questa volta ringiovanendolo. Dopo una prima parte un po' ripetitiva e giù di tono, perchè troppo palesemente simile al primo libro, nella seconda parte la storia prende tutta un'altra piega con l'introduzione di un vero antagonista. Nel primo capitolo infatti non c'era un vero e proprio cattivo. Liesel non agisce per crudeltà, ma per prendersi una piccola rivincita, per fare capire la lezione a Cameron, e poi l'incantesimo le sfugge di mano. Stavolta invece la coppia deve vedersela con una potentissima strega dagli intenti diabolici che vuole liberarsi di Liesel perchè sarebbe l'unica in grado di ostacolarla. Bella e crudele, è pronta a tutto per ottenere ciò che vuole. Insieme a questo nuovo personaggio ritroviamo anche quelli che avevamo già conosciuto nel primo libro: Kimber, la dolce sorellina di Cameron, alle prese con i primi problemi di cuore, Wesley, che si è trasferito in un'altra città per studiare, ma non nega il suo aiuto all'amico in difficoltà, e i genitori di Cameron, ancora ignari della natura della sua fidanzata e delle bizzarie che gli capitano. Il rapporto tra Cameron e Liesel si è evoluto e i due sono ormai sicuri di voler passare la vita insieme, tanto che hanno deciso di sposarsi. Una delle cose che mi hanno fatto più storcere il naso è proprio questa. Insomma, hanno appena finito le superiori, sono ancora adolescenti, non stanno insieme da moltissimo tanto tempo, è presto per avere una certezza di questo tipo. Credo che ogni persona quando si innamora dentro di sè dica E' quello giusto! Ma da questo a fare un passo così grande ce ne passa. Ho trovato questa decisione affrettata, oltre che poco credibile, e forzata ai fini della storia. Sembra che questo elemento sia stato inserito solo per creare un motivo di litigio tra i due, così che Liesel potesse arrabbiarsi e lanciare l'incantesimo su Cameron. La prima parte è poco riuscita soprattutto per questo motivo, al contrario la seconda parte è decisamente entusiasmante. Oltre all'introduzione dell'antagonista, uno degli elementi di novità è rappresentato dal fatto che viene dato molto più spazio a Liesel. Scopriamo qualcosa in più sulla sua famiglia, un argomento di cui non ha mai voluto parlare prima, e per una ragione ben precisa. Ho trovato la trama ben costruita, a parte lo scivolone del matrimonio. A differenza del primo che era autoconclusivo, questo secondo capitolo finisce lasciandoci con il fiato sospeso e pone le basi per il libro conclusivo della serie. Un buon seguito ricco di magia e colpi di scena.
Finalmente le cose sembrano andare bene per Cameron. Dopo che un terribile incantesimo l'ha fatto invecchiare così tanto da portarlo ad un passo dalla morte, alla fine ha trovato finalmente l'amore in Liesel, paradossalmente proprio colei che è stata la causa dei suoi problemi. Ma ora nulla potrà più andare storto, perchè tra poco si sposeranno. Le ultime parole famose. Liesel è pur sempre una strega e i suoi poteri sono grandi, abbastanza da essere incontrollabili, e durante una lite perde il controllo e lancia su di lui una maledizione che lo condanna a ringiovanire di un anno ogni giorno che passa. Cameron ci mette un po' ad accorgersene, ma per allora Liesel è scomparsa senza lasciare traccia. Se non la troverà in tempo sarà la fine per lui..
Tutte le volte che mi ritrovo davanti al secondo capitolo di una saga che è iniziata con un libro che ho amato moltissimo non posso fare a meno di sperare che il libro sarà all'altezza del suo predecessore. Troppe serie soffrono della sindrome da secondo capitolo. Questo fortunatamente non è il caso, anche se ammetto che in confronto al primo libro della serie gli manca qualcosa, gli manca quell'originalità che ha dato una marcia in più al primo capitolo. Nonostante questo è stata comunque una lettura molto piacevole, con molte sorprese e colpi di scena ben studiati. Lo schema del libro inizialmente si ripete molto simile a quello del suo predecessore: il protagonista Cameron viene colpito da un incantesimo che agisce sulla sua età, questa volta ringiovanendolo. Dopo una prima parte un po' ripetitiva e giù di tono, perchè troppo palesemente simile al primo libro, nella seconda parte la storia prende tutta un'altra piega con l'introduzione di un vero antagonista. Nel primo capitolo infatti non c'era un vero e proprio cattivo. Liesel non agisce per crudeltà, ma per prendersi una piccola rivincita, per fare capire la lezione a Cameron, e poi l'incantesimo le sfugge di mano. Stavolta invece la coppia deve vedersela con una potentissima strega dagli intenti diabolici che vuole liberarsi di Liesel perchè sarebbe l'unica in grado di ostacolarla. Bella e crudele, è pronta a tutto per ottenere ciò che vuole. Insieme a questo nuovo personaggio ritroviamo anche quelli che avevamo già conosciuto nel primo libro: Kimber, la dolce sorellina di Cameron, alle prese con i primi problemi di cuore, Wesley, che si è trasferito in un'altra città per studiare, ma non nega il suo aiuto all'amico in difficoltà, e i genitori di Cameron, ancora ignari della natura della sua fidanzata e delle bizzarie che gli capitano. Il rapporto tra Cameron e Liesel si è evoluto e i due sono ormai sicuri di voler passare la vita insieme, tanto che hanno deciso di sposarsi. Una delle cose che mi hanno fatto più storcere il naso è proprio questa. Insomma, hanno appena finito le superiori, sono ancora adolescenti, non stanno insieme da moltissimo tanto tempo, è presto per avere una certezza di questo tipo. Credo che ogni persona quando si innamora dentro di sè dica E' quello giusto! Ma da questo a fare un passo così grande ce ne passa. Ho trovato questa decisione affrettata, oltre che poco credibile, e forzata ai fini della storia. Sembra che questo elemento sia stato inserito solo per creare un motivo di litigio tra i due, così che Liesel potesse arrabbiarsi e lanciare l'incantesimo su Cameron. La prima parte è poco riuscita soprattutto per questo motivo, al contrario la seconda parte è decisamente entusiasmante. Oltre all'introduzione dell'antagonista, uno degli elementi di novità è rappresentato dal fatto che viene dato molto più spazio a Liesel. Scopriamo qualcosa in più sulla sua famiglia, un argomento di cui non ha mai voluto parlare prima, e per una ragione ben precisa. Ho trovato la trama ben costruita, a parte lo scivolone del matrimonio. A differenza del primo che era autoconclusivo, questo secondo capitolo finisce lasciandoci con il fiato sospeso e pone le basi per il libro conclusivo della serie. Un buon seguito ricco di magia e colpi di scena.
November 5, 2011
To read more reviews and extras visit my blog: http://remarkablereads-sandra.blogspo...
Everyone wishes they were younger at some point in their lives, but no one wants to be so young that they need to wear diapers.
Poor Cameron can't seem to catch a break, nearly a year ago he survived aging into an old man and nearly dieing. Since then life has been relatively normal and Cameron couldn't be more happy with his girlfreind/witch/fiance Liesel . Then things take a turn for the worst after the wedding is called off and Cameron finds himself yet again under an aging spell and this time he is aging backwards and Liesel is the only one that can save him except she's disappeared. Will Cameron find her before time runs out, and what secrets will he discover if he succeeds?
I was more than eager to read this book especially after the events of the first one, mostly out of curiosity as to what could possibly happen to Cameron next. I have to admit I was a bit worried that the sequel wouldn't live up to the first book but it completely blew me away. The beginnings all start out the same with the author giving us a glimpse into the most critical scenes of the story, which I found really refreshing. Usually a preface is either a short paragraph designed to leave readers confused, or its a few pages designed to leave readers even more confused and eager for some answers. I can honestly say I was not expecting what I was about to read, and at the risk of spoiling anything I will keep my mouth shut and just say that if you have toddlers running around keep a close eye on them you never know where they will end up....
While this book was great there were parts of it that I found to be a little slow or had me going, geez I don't know about that.. Cameron and Liesles relationship for example was a little iffy in the beginning, it felt kind of forced probably because I thought they were rushing into marriage way too soon but I quickly became a believer and watched them grow as a couple in many ways. There was a lot more humor in this installment, while the first book was filled with a mix of emotions I found myself laughing more in in this one. Cameron always seems to get himself into the most hilarious and yet again traumatizing situations there was one scene in particular (won't say which but trust me you will know it when you read it) where I almost fell off my bed dying of laughter and at the same time left me with a sour taste in my mouth just cause of what happened in the particular scene.... The last few chapters on the other hand were anything but funny, we finally learn the secrets that Liesel has desperately tried to keep hidden and the consequence for both her and Cameron's decisions. I have to say it was quite a roller coaster ride filled with mystery, danger, and a little doomsday, the last page especially left me absolutely speechless talk about an epic cliffhanger, we shall all just have to wait for the final book to come out and believe me when I say it can't come soon enough.
Everyone wishes they were younger at some point in their lives, but no one wants to be so young that they need to wear diapers.
Poor Cameron can't seem to catch a break, nearly a year ago he survived aging into an old man and nearly dieing. Since then life has been relatively normal and Cameron couldn't be more happy with his girlfreind/witch/fiance Liesel . Then things take a turn for the worst after the wedding is called off and Cameron finds himself yet again under an aging spell and this time he is aging backwards and Liesel is the only one that can save him except she's disappeared. Will Cameron find her before time runs out, and what secrets will he discover if he succeeds?
I was more than eager to read this book especially after the events of the first one, mostly out of curiosity as to what could possibly happen to Cameron next. I have to admit I was a bit worried that the sequel wouldn't live up to the first book but it completely blew me away. The beginnings all start out the same with the author giving us a glimpse into the most critical scenes of the story, which I found really refreshing. Usually a preface is either a short paragraph designed to leave readers confused, or its a few pages designed to leave readers even more confused and eager for some answers. I can honestly say I was not expecting what I was about to read, and at the risk of spoiling anything I will keep my mouth shut and just say that if you have toddlers running around keep a close eye on them you never know where they will end up....
While this book was great there were parts of it that I found to be a little slow or had me going, geez I don't know about that.. Cameron and Liesles relationship for example was a little iffy in the beginning, it felt kind of forced probably because I thought they were rushing into marriage way too soon but I quickly became a believer and watched them grow as a couple in many ways. There was a lot more humor in this installment, while the first book was filled with a mix of emotions I found myself laughing more in in this one. Cameron always seems to get himself into the most hilarious and yet again traumatizing situations there was one scene in particular (won't say which but trust me you will know it when you read it) where I almost fell off my bed dying of laughter and at the same time left me with a sour taste in my mouth just cause of what happened in the particular scene.... The last few chapters on the other hand were anything but funny, we finally learn the secrets that Liesel has desperately tried to keep hidden and the consequence for both her and Cameron's decisions. I have to say it was quite a roller coaster ride filled with mystery, danger, and a little doomsday, the last page especially left me absolutely speechless talk about an epic cliffhanger, we shall all just have to wait for the final book to come out and believe me when I say it can't come soon enough.
May 17, 2012
RATING: 3.5 LOL MOMENTS!!
When a nappy clad one year old opens up this book...again...intrigued!
Yes, Cameron has got himself in a pickle again and this time he has even less time to save his life. The only problem is, the one who could save his life has been kidnapped and he is getting shorter by the day and less hairier. This makes for reaching the foot pedals on his car and seeing over the steering wheel more difficult, not to mention the cops.
This is another humorous look into the life of Cameron Martin and the pickle he gets in when he upsets Liesel , again.
The boy has marriage on the brain...but then he doesn’t...but then he does...he is a little up and down.
Enter Hannah, 20ish, straight black long hair, thin black nose ring, gorgeous dark blue eyes and .........TEMPTATION!!!
Mrs Gordon is still being ...errr....a little creepy and hang on she has a daughter...the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Liesel is having a girls night, Cameron doesn’t need much of an excuse to meet up with TEMPTATION!!!
I was a little unsure of Cameron and Liesel’s behaviour at times. Both haven’t learnt their lessons from the first book.
I absolutely cringed every time the Happy Birthday song was sung in this book...I was thinking the worst each time. Like it was a bit nerve racking.
Kimber is having teenage boy troubles and she has to watch her brother get younger than her, a little weird for the poor girl.
Wesley is all about himself, but then.........
Brian leaps at the opportunity to pull another AWKWARD moment on us, this one involving a closet..... and that yellow carnageL
Dad aka Steve Martin..hehe, is proving that he really can’t handle all this teenage drama.
I will be honest and say that I found this book to be not as good as the first. This one was a lot sillier...but... having said that the last couple chapters really brought the book up to where I really enjoyed it.
The villain of this story really acted the part well and I loved those scenes.
I did think that Cameron and Liesel, maybe needed to mentally grow up a bit. They seemed very young for their age, sometimes...but then at the end of the book...I’m like good luck with that.....hehe!!
I can tell from the mad ending of this book, that book three is going to go all out with the story. I am looking forward to seeing where Brian takes it, cause it sounds like a crazy big plot to conquer.
The one thing Brian holds up in his stories, is , you can tell he loves to have fun and he will make you laugh.
This book had awkward moments, yellow carnage, lesbians, a diaper, crazy chick, marriage proposals - multiple, teenage angst, boy trouble, bff troubles, libarians go wild, that darn song, pain, revenge and the ending with a cliffhanger like that, all I can say is ...
To Be Continued....
When a nappy clad one year old opens up this book...again...intrigued!
Yes, Cameron has got himself in a pickle again and this time he has even less time to save his life. The only problem is, the one who could save his life has been kidnapped and he is getting shorter by the day and less hairier. This makes for reaching the foot pedals on his car and seeing over the steering wheel more difficult, not to mention the cops.
This is another humorous look into the life of Cameron Martin and the pickle he gets in when he upsets Liesel , again.
The boy has marriage on the brain...but then he doesn’t...but then he does...he is a little up and down.
Enter Hannah, 20ish, straight black long hair, thin black nose ring, gorgeous dark blue eyes and .........TEMPTATION!!!
Mrs Gordon is still being ...errr....a little creepy and hang on she has a daughter...the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Liesel is having a girls night, Cameron doesn’t need much of an excuse to meet up with TEMPTATION!!!
I was a little unsure of Cameron and Liesel’s behaviour at times. Both haven’t learnt their lessons from the first book.
I absolutely cringed every time the Happy Birthday song was sung in this book...I was thinking the worst each time. Like it was a bit nerve racking.
Kimber is having teenage boy troubles and she has to watch her brother get younger than her, a little weird for the poor girl.
Wesley is all about himself, but then.........
Brian leaps at the opportunity to pull another AWKWARD moment on us, this one involving a closet..... and that yellow carnageL
Dad aka Steve Martin..hehe, is proving that he really can’t handle all this teenage drama.
I will be honest and say that I found this book to be not as good as the first. This one was a lot sillier...but... having said that the last couple chapters really brought the book up to where I really enjoyed it.
The villain of this story really acted the part well and I loved those scenes.
I did think that Cameron and Liesel, maybe needed to mentally grow up a bit. They seemed very young for their age, sometimes...but then at the end of the book...I’m like good luck with that.....hehe!!
I can tell from the mad ending of this book, that book three is going to go all out with the story. I am looking forward to seeing where Brian takes it, cause it sounds like a crazy big plot to conquer.
The one thing Brian holds up in his stories, is , you can tell he loves to have fun and he will make you laugh.
This book had awkward moments, yellow carnage, lesbians, a diaper, crazy chick, marriage proposals - multiple, teenage angst, boy trouble, bff troubles, libarians go wild, that darn song, pain, revenge and the ending with a cliffhanger like that, all I can say is ...
To Be Continued....
May 17, 2012
MICHELLE'S REVIEW:
RATING: 3.5 LOL MOMENTS!!
When a nappy clad one year old opens up this book...again...intrigued!
Yes, Cameron has got himself in a pickle again and this time he has even less time to save his life. The only problem is, the one who could save his life has been kidnapped and he is getting shorter by the day and less hairier. This makes for reaching the foot pedals on his car and seeing over the steering wheel more difficult, not to mention the cops.
This is another humorous look into the life of Cameron Martin and the pickle he gets in when he upsets Liesel , again.
The boy has marriage on the brain...but then he doesn’t...but then he does...he is a little up and down.
Enter Hannah, 20ish, straight black long hair, thin black nose ring, gorgeous dark blue eyes and .........TEMPTATION!!!
Mrs Gordon is still being ...errr....a little creepy and hang on she has a daughter...the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Liesel is having a girls night, Cameron doesn’t need much of an excuse to meet up with TEMPTATION!!!
I was a little unsure of Cameron and Liesel’s behaviour at times. Both haven’t learnt their lessons from the first book.
I absolutely cringed every time the Happy Birthday song was sung in this book...I was thinking the worst each time. Like it was a bit nerve racking.
Kimber is having teenage boy troubles and she has to watch her brother get younger than her, a little weird for the poor girl.
Wesley is all about himself, but then.........
Brian leaps at the opportunity to pull another AWKWARD moment on us, this one involving a closet..... and that yellow carnageL
Dad aka Steve Martin..hehe, is proving that he really can’t handle all this teenage drama.
I will be honest and say that I found this book to be not as good as the first. This one was a lot sillier...but... having said that the last couple chapters really brought the book up to where I really enjoyed it.
The villain of this story really acted the part well and I loved those scenes.
I did think that Cameron and Liesel, maybe needed to mentally grow up a bit. They seemed very young for their age, sometimes...but then at the end of the book...I’m like good luck with that.....hehe!!
I can tell from the mad ending of this book, that book three is going to go all out with the story. I am looking forward to seeing where Brian takes it, cause it sounds like a crazy big plot to conquer.
The one thing Brian holds up in his stories, is , you can tell he loves to have fun and he will make you laugh.
This book had awkward moments, yellow carnage, lesbians, a diaper, crazy chick, marriage proposals - multiple, teenage angst, boy trouble, bff troubles, libarians go wild, that darn song, pain, revenge and the ending with a cliffhanger like that, all I can say is ...
To Be Continued....
RATING: 3.5 LOL MOMENTS!!
When a nappy clad one year old opens up this book...again...intrigued!
Yes, Cameron has got himself in a pickle again and this time he has even less time to save his life. The only problem is, the one who could save his life has been kidnapped and he is getting shorter by the day and less hairier. This makes for reaching the foot pedals on his car and seeing over the steering wheel more difficult, not to mention the cops.
This is another humorous look into the life of Cameron Martin and the pickle he gets in when he upsets Liesel , again.
The boy has marriage on the brain...but then he doesn’t...but then he does...he is a little up and down.
Enter Hannah, 20ish, straight black long hair, thin black nose ring, gorgeous dark blue eyes and .........TEMPTATION!!!
Mrs Gordon is still being ...errr....a little creepy and hang on she has a daughter...the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Liesel is having a girls night, Cameron doesn’t need much of an excuse to meet up with TEMPTATION!!!
I was a little unsure of Cameron and Liesel’s behaviour at times. Both haven’t learnt their lessons from the first book.
I absolutely cringed every time the Happy Birthday song was sung in this book...I was thinking the worst each time. Like it was a bit nerve racking.
Kimber is having teenage boy troubles and she has to watch her brother get younger than her, a little weird for the poor girl.
Wesley is all about himself, but then.........
Brian leaps at the opportunity to pull another AWKWARD moment on us, this one involving a closet..... and that yellow carnageL
Dad aka Steve Martin..hehe, is proving that he really can’t handle all this teenage drama.
I will be honest and say that I found this book to be not as good as the first. This one was a lot sillier...but... having said that the last couple chapters really brought the book up to where I really enjoyed it.
The villain of this story really acted the part well and I loved those scenes.
I did think that Cameron and Liesel, maybe needed to mentally grow up a bit. They seemed very young for their age, sometimes...but then at the end of the book...I’m like good luck with that.....hehe!!
I can tell from the mad ending of this book, that book three is going to go all out with the story. I am looking forward to seeing where Brian takes it, cause it sounds like a crazy big plot to conquer.
The one thing Brian holds up in his stories, is , you can tell he loves to have fun and he will make you laugh.
This book had awkward moments, yellow carnage, lesbians, a diaper, crazy chick, marriage proposals - multiple, teenage angst, boy trouble, bff troubles, libarians go wild, that darn song, pain, revenge and the ending with a cliffhanger like that, all I can say is ...
To Be Continued....
January 9, 2012
I was sent this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I read book 1 and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, I then had to put this book by as I concentrated on NaNoWriMo and then Christmas took over and well, I got distracted, only just getting back to it.
Even though it had been a couple of months since reading the first one, I could remember who everyone was and a lot of what had happened. You could read this book on it's own, but it makes much more sense and is much more enjoyable if you've read the other one first.
Cameron is happy to be alive and fit, after the disastrous events of the last year he couldn't be more sure that living his life to the fullest is the right thing to do, so at Christmas he proposes to Liesel, he may only be 18 but he's lived to be much older and knows you have to cherish all you have.
However when he goes out with Liesel just days before the wedding his nerves get the better of him and he ends up calling it off. In a fit of rage she yells at him to stop being a 'baby', little does she know she has just set off another curse, this time Cameron is going backwards, losing one year of his life every day.
He thought last year was bad enough but at least he had months ahead of him, now he has less than 3 short weeks to reverse it. And even worse Liesel disappears so she can't fix it.
I was surprised by how exciting, sensitive and emotional the first book was, but when I heard about this I wasn't sure how the author would get it to work, especially when the book starts from Cameron's point of view inside the body of a 1 year old. I thought 'come on! Really?' but I decided to go with it, and to be honest I found myself enjoying the story again.
This book has quite a few laugh out loud moments, I laughed when his voice changed in the other direction so he sounded high and squeaky and had to borrow his little sisters clothes.
I like Cameron a lot better in this book, he has learnt his lesson and I could relate to him more. He had the odd moment when I wanted to slap him and tell him he was being stupid but mostly he was someone I liked.
Liesel is more of a mystery in this book, Cameron is trying to discover more about her past, but she won't tell, It got me trying to figure out what she was hiding or was afraid of. I never expected what it turned out to be.
There were a couple of 'eugh, gross' moments that could scare younger children and certainly had me turning my nose up and grimacing.
I was once again pulled into the story and found myself enjoying it, I ended up reading the whole book in one evening, took me about 3 and a bit hours.
Intrigued to see where the final part takes us.
I read book 1 and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, I then had to put this book by as I concentrated on NaNoWriMo and then Christmas took over and well, I got distracted, only just getting back to it.
Even though it had been a couple of months since reading the first one, I could remember who everyone was and a lot of what had happened. You could read this book on it's own, but it makes much more sense and is much more enjoyable if you've read the other one first.
Cameron is happy to be alive and fit, after the disastrous events of the last year he couldn't be more sure that living his life to the fullest is the right thing to do, so at Christmas he proposes to Liesel, he may only be 18 but he's lived to be much older and knows you have to cherish all you have.
However when he goes out with Liesel just days before the wedding his nerves get the better of him and he ends up calling it off. In a fit of rage she yells at him to stop being a 'baby', little does she know she has just set off another curse, this time Cameron is going backwards, losing one year of his life every day.
He thought last year was bad enough but at least he had months ahead of him, now he has less than 3 short weeks to reverse it. And even worse Liesel disappears so she can't fix it.
I was surprised by how exciting, sensitive and emotional the first book was, but when I heard about this I wasn't sure how the author would get it to work, especially when the book starts from Cameron's point of view inside the body of a 1 year old. I thought 'come on! Really?' but I decided to go with it, and to be honest I found myself enjoying the story again.
This book has quite a few laugh out loud moments, I laughed when his voice changed in the other direction so he sounded high and squeaky and had to borrow his little sisters clothes.
I like Cameron a lot better in this book, he has learnt his lesson and I could relate to him more. He had the odd moment when I wanted to slap him and tell him he was being stupid but mostly he was someone I liked.
Liesel is more of a mystery in this book, Cameron is trying to discover more about her past, but she won't tell, It got me trying to figure out what she was hiding or was afraid of. I never expected what it turned out to be.
There were a couple of 'eugh, gross' moments that could scare younger children and certainly had me turning my nose up and grimacing.
I was once again pulled into the story and found myself enjoying it, I ended up reading the whole book in one evening, took me about 3 and a bit hours.
Intrigued to see where the final part takes us.
November 3, 2011
After reading book one and feeling some relief for Cameron after he had aged to the point of death, he’s back with another dilemma – this time he’s getting younger. Right from the beginning, I knew it was going to be an enjoyable read. “Worst of all, my diaper was giving serious irritation on my butt cheeks.” Chapter One. This time around, Cameron’s not in the dark about how he got the way he is. He knows it’s his girlfriend, a witch, that has put this particular curse on him. He also knows that this time around, she’s not going to save him and he’s going to die. As the story starts, Cam is one year old and crawling up a mountain, thinking back to how life was good.
I’m thinking to myself that Cam’s a changed person since the last curse so why in the world would Liesel put another curse on him... He’s even protective of her secret powers and is frustrated that videos are still showing up online with them levitating at their high school graduation. How can he protect her if the wrong people ever see the video? On Christmas Eve, he has something very special planned and he asks her to marry him, much to his parent’s dismay. When the wedding is only weeks away and he meets a girl who flirts with him in the grocery store, I immediately started to think “uh-oh” he’s going to be in trouble soon, and I was right. During her birthday dinner, Cam tells Liesel that he’s scared and wants to delay the wedding. Only after she storms out does he notice her birthday candle has relit itself – surely the curse can’t return, can it?
Just like before, the changes are subtle. He no longer has chest hair or his five o’clock shadow and he thinks he’s looking better than ever. His skin is softer then before and his eyes more alert. Yes, he’s getting married and life is good. But then he notices he’s growing shorter, day by day, and when he tries to meet Liesel to talk about what he suspects is happening, she disappears. Her disappearance can’t be reported by a kid that’s aging backwards every single day so he tries to find her on his own. When it seems hopeless for him to continue to drive since he’s too short, his best friend and sister come to his aid. However, the kidnapper finds him and Cameron finds out more then he’s ever known about his fiancée, including the fact that the kidnapper is a member of her family. With only hours left to live, then minutes, how will Cameron survive the latest curse? What will Liesel give up for Cameron’s life? There was lots of action in book two as well as a hint at what’s coming in book three!
Valerie <3
I’m thinking to myself that Cam’s a changed person since the last curse so why in the world would Liesel put another curse on him... He’s even protective of her secret powers and is frustrated that videos are still showing up online with them levitating at their high school graduation. How can he protect her if the wrong people ever see the video? On Christmas Eve, he has something very special planned and he asks her to marry him, much to his parent’s dismay. When the wedding is only weeks away and he meets a girl who flirts with him in the grocery store, I immediately started to think “uh-oh” he’s going to be in trouble soon, and I was right. During her birthday dinner, Cam tells Liesel that he’s scared and wants to delay the wedding. Only after she storms out does he notice her birthday candle has relit itself – surely the curse can’t return, can it?
Just like before, the changes are subtle. He no longer has chest hair or his five o’clock shadow and he thinks he’s looking better than ever. His skin is softer then before and his eyes more alert. Yes, he’s getting married and life is good. But then he notices he’s growing shorter, day by day, and when he tries to meet Liesel to talk about what he suspects is happening, she disappears. Her disappearance can’t be reported by a kid that’s aging backwards every single day so he tries to find her on his own. When it seems hopeless for him to continue to drive since he’s too short, his best friend and sister come to his aid. However, the kidnapper finds him and Cameron finds out more then he’s ever known about his fiancée, including the fact that the kidnapper is a member of her family. With only hours left to live, then minutes, how will Cameron survive the latest curse? What will Liesel give up for Cameron’s life? There was lots of action in book two as well as a hint at what’s coming in book three!
Valerie <3
May 11, 2013
So as a quick recap to the book (even though the blurb and the other reviews do it, I just have to also): Cameron’s got the same problem again, except this time he’s going the other way, Liesel still has absolutely no control of her powers (she really needs a mentor here), Cameron’s parents still can’t cope with, well, anything, and Wes still has his camera…all the time. The good news for Cameron is that he’s getting younger – no dying of old age this time. The bad news is that he has a lot less time to fix the situation this time, and exactly what comes before one? A zygote? Anyone have a test tube handy? It makes you ponder…you can get old and die. But can you get young and just…poof out of existence? It’s not really death. Anyway…
While I liked Cameron in the first book, I liked him a lot more in this one. His inner dialogue was very funny (because seriously, you have no clue what you’ll look like going forward but everything is familiar going back). I really liked how everyone dealt with the situation in relation to the first (“Again?! Backwards?!”). And I liked Liesel more because we saw more of her this time, and we knew she wasn’t a bad person even though she’s very, very dangerous. And there is the introduction of an evil villain, and this person is really, really bad. Like psycho, cruel bad. There is also a lot of vomiting in this book. Cameron either has a very sensitive stomach or he’s just a little squeamish about kissing close relatives and old teachers.
Some thoughts:
No one will ever sing that damned song to me ever again. I will run screaming from the room. I will just pretend that my birthday doesn’t exist…I’ll sleep through it (though I am in the interesting situation of, if this happened to me, I’d probably have the same time going forward as going back). “Happy Birthday to You” just became like the soundtrack to Psycho, The Exorcist or The Shining.
The story takes a HUGE twist at the end…with a huge cliffhanger (and thank God I bought all three books at once so I don’t have to wait). I’m just a little concerned about Book 3, because it almost seems like this story is going to change genre, from cute paranormal story with moral lessons to the zombie apocalypse (but there are no zombies), and that just seems…off – I’ve never actually read a book or a series that changed genres right in midstream. And I don’t know if I like that. But, I shall find out soon enough. On to 3!
While I liked Cameron in the first book, I liked him a lot more in this one. His inner dialogue was very funny (because seriously, you have no clue what you’ll look like going forward but everything is familiar going back). I really liked how everyone dealt with the situation in relation to the first (“Again?! Backwards?!”). And I liked Liesel more because we saw more of her this time, and we knew she wasn’t a bad person even though she’s very, very dangerous. And there is the introduction of an evil villain, and this person is really, really bad. Like psycho, cruel bad. There is also a lot of vomiting in this book. Cameron either has a very sensitive stomach or he’s just a little squeamish about kissing close relatives and old teachers.
Some thoughts:
No one will ever sing that damned song to me ever again. I will run screaming from the room. I will just pretend that my birthday doesn’t exist…I’ll sleep through it (though I am in the interesting situation of, if this happened to me, I’d probably have the same time going forward as going back). “Happy Birthday to You” just became like the soundtrack to Psycho, The Exorcist or The Shining.
The story takes a HUGE twist at the end…with a huge cliffhanger (and thank God I bought all three books at once so I don’t have to wait). I’m just a little concerned about Book 3, because it almost seems like this story is going to change genre, from cute paranormal story with moral lessons to the zombie apocalypse (but there are no zombies), and that just seems…off – I’ve never actually read a book or a series that changed genres right in midstream. And I don’t know if I like that. But, I shall find out soon enough. On to 3!
January 2, 2012
Cameron has done it again. He asked Liesel to marry him and she gladly says yes. His parents and friends are against it and try and talk him out of it. He is only 18 after all. Liesel is busy working and planning a wedding. Then Cameron makes the mistake of breaking off the engagement. Liesel gets furious and cast another curse on him. At first Cameron doesn't realize what the curse is. Then he realizes he is getting younger everyday . He goes on the hunt for Liesel only she has vanished. As he looks for her everywhere ev eryday he is getting younger. The clock is ticking can he find her in time. I really liked Cameron in the second book more than the first. It seems he learned to be nicer and not think only of his self. Liesel is a character that I love. She is spunky and won't take anything from Cameron. Some of her secrets come out in this book and it just makes her that much better. The little characters made a nice touch in this book. Cameron's aunt brings her wife to Christmas eve dinner. That was a part I loved its so funny. His grandfather sounds like mine. He don't care whats going on as long as he can eat. Cameron's sister Kimberly has a bigger part in this book which I loved. She is growing up and going thru the things typical teenage girls go thru. Cameron tries to help her and is actually a great brother to her. Wes makes an appearance in the book and we hear a reference to Charisma that I enjoyed reading. A new character is Hannah and well you need to read about her. She is evil and psychotic to the core. When asked if I wanted to read this I jumped at the chance. I really liked the first book and wanted to see what was happening to Cameron and Liesel. I was not disappointed one bit. Brian Rowe writes an original story with lots of twist and turns. I love everything about his book and hate to see it end. This book is even better than the first. It had more action, supernatural stuff and I love Cameron's character more in this book. It ends on a cliff hanger that i can't wait to read the next book in this series. Great job Mr. Rowe. This is a must read for people who want an original book that sticks in your mind.
January 13, 2012
Having been sent both this story and its preceding chapter in the trilogy I read both of them in quick succession. These were definitely easy reads, the pace keeps up and the interesting idea keeps you intrigued about what will happen next. Having spent a few months growing one year older every day, due to a curse, Cameron has had a bumpy Senior year at High School. In this sequel he is now dating Liesel, the girl who cursed him, and is enjoying working for a year before he is due to head off to Yale University. Even though he knows life with a powerful girl (she doesn’t like being called a witch) like Liesel could be challenging he doesn’t bargain on what happens next.
After a disastrous date Cameron gradually realises he is getting younger every day, and to make matters worse Liesel has disappeared. This time he only has a couple of weeks to solve his dilemma before he disappears altogether. This new event tests Cameron, and his love for Liesel to new limits. His problems are compounded by a mystery girl who seems to have something to do with the problem he finds himself in – and, boy, does she have something to do with them!!
The story does begin to answer some of the questions set up in the first book about Liesel and her family, or seeming lack thereof, and it was good to get some answers, I do like to know things and not be left dangling too long! I enjoyed following Cameron on his journey and waiting to see how he would get out of this one. Some of those answers are a little strange as we enter further into the paranormal side of things. There are weird and wonderful happenings, and some slightly gruesome twists as the book draws to its climax. In the end the story does conclude but the stage is well and truly set for the final part of the trilogy.
Verdict: A fun, light read. I’m sure I will be tuning in to see what happens next!
Helen: http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com
Rating: 3.5/5
After a disastrous date Cameron gradually realises he is getting younger every day, and to make matters worse Liesel has disappeared. This time he only has a couple of weeks to solve his dilemma before he disappears altogether. This new event tests Cameron, and his love for Liesel to new limits. His problems are compounded by a mystery girl who seems to have something to do with the problem he finds himself in – and, boy, does she have something to do with them!!
The story does begin to answer some of the questions set up in the first book about Liesel and her family, or seeming lack thereof, and it was good to get some answers, I do like to know things and not be left dangling too long! I enjoyed following Cameron on his journey and waiting to see how he would get out of this one. Some of those answers are a little strange as we enter further into the paranormal side of things. There are weird and wonderful happenings, and some slightly gruesome twists as the book draws to its climax. In the end the story does conclude but the stage is well and truly set for the final part of the trilogy.
Verdict: A fun, light read. I’m sure I will be tuning in to see what happens next!
Helen: http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com
Rating: 3.5/5
October 27, 2011
Okay, I admit I was excited when I got a request to review this book. I enjoyed the first book so much that I jumped at the chance to read the second one. After reading the first book I was thinking about how this could be a trilogy. I was intrigued to see what direction this story would take in book 2. Let me say I was not disappointed. I loved reading this book.
First of all, I love the character Cameron. In the first book he lived through aging one year each day. He learned some valuable lessons and I think he was better for it. In this book he is back on track living life and loving the direction his life is going. He has his health, family, and his girlfriend Liesel. Cameron soon finds out that life can take an unexpected turn. On Christmas Eve he asks Liesel to marry him and they spend the next few months planning an April wedding. I love that Brian Rowe added more of the paranormal to this story. Liesel is a witch and it was her spell that caused all the problems in the first book. In this book a new character is introduced and let’s just say she is evil with a capital E. She targets Liesel and Cameron’s happiness. A delicious story starts to unfold. I couldn’t get enough and when I reached the end Brian threw in a twist that I didn’t see coming.
So far in this trilogy, Brian has written great characters. The story just gets better. He has written a solid story that keeps the reader engrossed throughout. The added character and the twist at the end have made it a story with great expectations. I look forward to having another serving of this trilogy. If my gushing over this book isn’t a tell-tell sign that I recommend this book then let me say…I totally, wholeheartedly recommend this trilogy to everyone. Happy Reading.
*I received a copy for an honest review
First of all, I love the character Cameron. In the first book he lived through aging one year each day. He learned some valuable lessons and I think he was better for it. In this book he is back on track living life and loving the direction his life is going. He has his health, family, and his girlfriend Liesel. Cameron soon finds out that life can take an unexpected turn. On Christmas Eve he asks Liesel to marry him and they spend the next few months planning an April wedding. I love that Brian Rowe added more of the paranormal to this story. Liesel is a witch and it was her spell that caused all the problems in the first book. In this book a new character is introduced and let’s just say she is evil with a capital E. She targets Liesel and Cameron’s happiness. A delicious story starts to unfold. I couldn’t get enough and when I reached the end Brian threw in a twist that I didn’t see coming.
So far in this trilogy, Brian has written great characters. The story just gets better. He has written a solid story that keeps the reader engrossed throughout. The added character and the twist at the end have made it a story with great expectations. I look forward to having another serving of this trilogy. If my gushing over this book isn’t a tell-tell sign that I recommend this book then let me say…I totally, wholeheartedly recommend this trilogy to everyone. Happy Reading.
*I received a copy for an honest review
January 9, 2012
Poor Cameron! In the first book, he barely escapes death by aging a year for every week. After his girlfriend Liesel (who just happens to be a witch) saved Cameron at the last moment, the two made a spectacle at the high school graduation. This ended up on You-Tube and although Liesel and Cameron tell everyone it's a trick, there is someone out there who knows it's not.
Now Liesel and Cameron are engaged. Cameron's parents aren't thrilled with the idea but Cameron is sure that he is ready. He takes Liesel on a weekend getaway where he meets Hannah and from there, things go downhill.
Hannah tries to convince Cameron that he is not ready to get married and Cameron actually starts having his doubts. After taking Liesel out for her birthday dinner, he lets her know his doubts and she gets mad. Well, we all know what happens when Liesel gets mad...at then Cameron starts aging again. Only this time, he is aging backwards.
This was a cute story with some different problems than the last book. There is the same great humor in this book as there was in the last one. I liked how the chapters changed with Cameron's age as well. Kimber had changed in a positive way and I think she was probably my favorite character. Wesley at first was a little bit of a jerk but in the end, he came through for Cameron too.
One of the things that did bother me was all the "shouting" that went on in the book and the all caps that showed the shouting. It was a little excessive and did start to distract me from the story.
Other than that, this was a fast, easy and fun read. The ending left us with a great cliffhanger and now I can't wait to pick up the last book in this trilogy to see what happens to Cameron, Liesel, Hannah and the rest of the characters.
Now Liesel and Cameron are engaged. Cameron's parents aren't thrilled with the idea but Cameron is sure that he is ready. He takes Liesel on a weekend getaway where he meets Hannah and from there, things go downhill.
Hannah tries to convince Cameron that he is not ready to get married and Cameron actually starts having his doubts. After taking Liesel out for her birthday dinner, he lets her know his doubts and she gets mad. Well, we all know what happens when Liesel gets mad...at then Cameron starts aging again. Only this time, he is aging backwards.
This was a cute story with some different problems than the last book. There is the same great humor in this book as there was in the last one. I liked how the chapters changed with Cameron's age as well. Kimber had changed in a positive way and I think she was probably my favorite character. Wesley at first was a little bit of a jerk but in the end, he came through for Cameron too.
One of the things that did bother me was all the "shouting" that went on in the book and the all caps that showed the shouting. It was a little excessive and did start to distract me from the story.
Other than that, this was a fast, easy and fun read. The ending left us with a great cliffhanger and now I can't wait to pick up the last book in this trilogy to see what happens to Cameron, Liesel, Hannah and the rest of the characters.
January 8, 2012
First of all, I loved this one as much as the first book. A lot of the time the sequel is good but doesn't live up to just how great the first book was. The author did a fantastic job in writing this sequel. The story flowed along at a nice pace and was just as good as the first. While there were similarities to the previous book this one took it to a whole new level. We get reacquainted with the characters we know but we also get to meet some new characters.
Cameron is back to his normal eighteen year old self after last year aging a year older every day. He is happily in love with his girlfriend Liesel and asks her to marry him. Everyone thinks he is too young to get married. Liesel is still keeping secrets from him and doesn't want to reveal any thing about her previous life or her family.
As the wedding gets closer Cameron meets and flirts with a girl who will forever change his life. While celebrating his birthday he decides to tell Liesel that he is not ready to be a married man. She storms out of the restaurant leaving Cameron alone. Then the birthday candle relights and that is where everything starts to go downhill again for Cameron. Liesel gets kidnapped and Cameron starts aging backwards. So instead of months, he only has a couple weeks to live. Who put a curse on him this time? Will Liesel be able to save him this time or will it be too late?
I was surprised to find out who put the curse on him and who the girl he met really is. I loved the comedy and all the action. It wasn't as sad as the first book but it was just as good. The ending was heart pounding and suspenseful. I can't wait to read the last book in this trilogy.
Cameron is back to his normal eighteen year old self after last year aging a year older every day. He is happily in love with his girlfriend Liesel and asks her to marry him. Everyone thinks he is too young to get married. Liesel is still keeping secrets from him and doesn't want to reveal any thing about her previous life or her family.
As the wedding gets closer Cameron meets and flirts with a girl who will forever change his life. While celebrating his birthday he decides to tell Liesel that he is not ready to be a married man. She storms out of the restaurant leaving Cameron alone. Then the birthday candle relights and that is where everything starts to go downhill again for Cameron. Liesel gets kidnapped and Cameron starts aging backwards. So instead of months, he only has a couple weeks to live. Who put a curse on him this time? Will Liesel be able to save him this time or will it be too late?
I was surprised to find out who put the curse on him and who the girl he met really is. I loved the comedy and all the action. It wasn't as sad as the first book but it was just as good. The ending was heart pounding and suspenseful. I can't wait to read the last book in this trilogy.
May 25, 2012
Happy Birthday to Me, Again flowed a little bit faster than the first book did for me. Since I was already introduced to the main characters and knew what was going on, I was able to get right into the story. But it is not one of those series where you can just come in in the middle and be able to pick everything up. The concept is a little out there so I would recommend reading all of the books, and not just starting with this one.
The concept of the Birthday trilogy books is a little strange but it is funny! Everyone is still a little shaken up by the close calls in the first book, so Happy Birthday to Me, Again has slightly more somber undertones, but it is still nonetheless entertaining.
The one thing I didn't care for too much was how fast Cameron and Liesel were moving. They get engaged in this book, and they are both so young! Now I get that Cameron had a really close call in the last book, but they are still only 17/18 years old and they have not been going out long at all. I guess this just bugged me, because it bugs me in real life when teens rush into serious things like marriage. But I do like both of them, so it was hard for me to be too annoyed with it. Plus, as we soon find out there is so much that Cameron just doesn't know about Liesel.
I like the Happy Birthday trilogy. They are fun books. Are they the most realistic books in the world? No, but they are original and enjoyable. I think that the third book in the trilogy is going to be the best one! I just started it and something big is happening, and I think I am going to like that one the most. Which is pretty cool, go out with a bang! :)
December 7, 2011
Cameron Martin went through his worst nightmare and survived to tell the tale. At the end of his senior year he was cursed to age a year of his life with each passing day until he was surely a goner in the hospital on the day he was 85. But at the last minute Liesel, the girl he just so happen to be in love with and the girl that put the horrible curse on him in the first place, saved him. A few months later he is still his normal age, still with his family, and engaged to Liesel. What could go wrong? But when Cameron gets cursed again only this time going back in age each day, Liesel isn’t around to save him. Happy Birthday To Me Again is the next chapter in Cameron Martin’s crazy life.
I like that, like in the first book, in the sequel the chapters go by the age in which Cameron is decreasing. I also like Cameron himself much better in this book than the first. In the first he was your typical spoiled, cool, teenage guy and due to his curse he really grew up and became a really interesting character with much more depth. THAT Cameron is the one that’s present in the sequel. Cameron wasn’t the only character that grew in this novel, so did many others that you learned to love throughout book 1. And what an ending! Happy Birthday to Me Again provides the ultimate cliffhanger that will have you reeling for the next book in the trilogy!
If you’re looking for a fun book with tons of laughs and witty dialogue, this one is for you.
I like that, like in the first book, in the sequel the chapters go by the age in which Cameron is decreasing. I also like Cameron himself much better in this book than the first. In the first he was your typical spoiled, cool, teenage guy and due to his curse he really grew up and became a really interesting character with much more depth. THAT Cameron is the one that’s present in the sequel. Cameron wasn’t the only character that grew in this novel, so did many others that you learned to love throughout book 1. And what an ending! Happy Birthday to Me Again provides the ultimate cliffhanger that will have you reeling for the next book in the trilogy!
If you’re looking for a fun book with tons of laughs and witty dialogue, this one is for you.
October 3, 2011
Once again, the characters are awesome. What I really love about the characters is that every character drips with personality, even the minor ones. Cameron's gay aunt and her wife, his grandfather, Wesley, Kimber, Hannah. . . . Every single one of them comes alive on the page, even if they only play small roles in the novel. I especially loved Cameron's grandfather at the Christmas Eve dinner--he cracked me up. For me, he was the perfect, cute little old guy who wanted people to shut up and stop giving speeches so he could eat. I adored him.
I love the humor in this book. It seemed like on almost every page, there was something to laugh at. I think my favorite line was probably, "You know, librarians can be more frisky than you think," just because I'm on my way to becoming a librarian. It made me giggle.
Once again, there were some characters that I loved to hate. I was actually really disappointed with Wes at the beginning--my crush on him was gone. In the end, he redeemed himself. Liesel, on the other hand, was a character I hated throughout the majority of the novel. Even by the end, I didn't like her very much. I didn't have an opinion on her either way in the first book, but in the second, I just couldn't stand her.
Part of the ending was predictable, and part wasn't. I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the third book. It is going to be awesome.
I love the humor in this book. It seemed like on almost every page, there was something to laugh at. I think my favorite line was probably, "You know, librarians can be more frisky than you think," just because I'm on my way to becoming a librarian. It made me giggle.
Once again, there were some characters that I loved to hate. I was actually really disappointed with Wes at the beginning--my crush on him was gone. In the end, he redeemed himself. Liesel, on the other hand, was a character I hated throughout the majority of the novel. Even by the end, I didn't like her very much. I didn't have an opinion on her either way in the first book, but in the second, I just couldn't stand her.
Part of the ending was predictable, and part wasn't. I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the third book. It is going to be awesome.
November 15, 2011
I've been looking forward to reading this sequel ever since I finished the first book, and Happy Birthday to Me Again was more than worth the wait! Cameron and Liesel are back and better than ever, this time facing an entirely new set of problems. Now that they've worked out most of the problems in their relationship, Cameron is ready to take the next big step forward. So is Liesel. Problem is, everyone else isn't exactly in agreement. Well, except for Kimber. Add in another curse-this time purely accidental-that sets the clock backward for Cameron, an unexpected nemesis, a friend that wants to turn his life i major motion picture, and a grumpy old librarian he just can't stop running into . . . Things aren't looking so well for him.
Packed with as much humor, suspense, and action as the first book, this novel had me flying through the pages, wanting to know what would happen on the next one, and the next day. Some parts had me laughing out loud, and others had me holding my breath as the suspense built.
I don't think I can recommend this trilogy enough. Even if it's not what you typically what you read, I recommend you give it ago. It's a light, satisfying read that's worthwhile.
AGING BEAUTIFULLY. 5/5 stars
Packed with as much humor, suspense, and action as the first book, this novel had me flying through the pages, wanting to know what would happen on the next one, and the next day. Some parts had me laughing out loud, and others had me holding my breath as the suspense built.
I don't think I can recommend this trilogy enough. Even if it's not what you typically what you read, I recommend you give it ago. It's a light, satisfying read that's worthwhile.
AGING BEAUTIFULLY. 5/5 stars
October 3, 2011
What a wonderful trilogy this is turning out to be. I can't wait for the next book! For a brief review ***spoilers*** in book one we meet Cameron Martin. A 17 year old spoiled, self centered individual. A spell is cast upon him by an angry witch. He ages one year each day. When he reaches senior citizenship, the spell is reversed. The ordeal has left him a better man. The saga continues in book 2. Cameron is now 18 years old, in love and engaged to be married. He begins to question his decision about marriage. Incidentally, the woman he's marrying is the witch who placed and reversed the aging spell. When he tries to explain his concerns about getting married at such a young age, she becomes angry and inadvertantly places another spell on Cameron. This time, he goes backwards, he gets one year younger each day. To make matters worse, another witch enters the scene. One who is not so nice. One thing leads to another and Cam and Liesel (his bride to be) escape from captivity. I won't divulge any more of the story. Let's just say part of the ending threw me for a loop. It was unexpected. I cannot wait for book 3 to see how the story ends.
October 26, 2011
With the same dose of comedy and witty dialogues that the first book in the trilogy had, this sequel doesn’t disappoint.
I read the first book and enjoyed it tremendously, but I was a bit hesitant with this one since it didn’t seem like there was any room for a sequel. I’m so glad I was wrong. This book is just as entertaining as the first one, in a whole different way. We get to see Cameron, the protagonist, in a new light. A bit more mature, a bit more responsible, but still finding himself in the midst of a spell, which this time makes him age backwards.
The characters are wonderful. Cameron is cheeky yet lovable, while Hannah, a new witch who comes into his life, is delightfully evil. She is one of my favorites in the book. There are many small characters that fill the pages, though, making the story come to life: Cameron’s grandfather, the librarian, Wes, all these characters that really add to the story as a whole.
The ending, a cliffhanger which I’ll not reveal, was wonderful. It really sets us up for the next book, which I for one am anxiously waiting for. I can recommend this book to pretty much everyone who wants to read something unique and very entertaining.
I read the first book and enjoyed it tremendously, but I was a bit hesitant with this one since it didn’t seem like there was any room for a sequel. I’m so glad I was wrong. This book is just as entertaining as the first one, in a whole different way. We get to see Cameron, the protagonist, in a new light. A bit more mature, a bit more responsible, but still finding himself in the midst of a spell, which this time makes him age backwards.
The characters are wonderful. Cameron is cheeky yet lovable, while Hannah, a new witch who comes into his life, is delightfully evil. She is one of my favorites in the book. There are many small characters that fill the pages, though, making the story come to life: Cameron’s grandfather, the librarian, Wes, all these characters that really add to the story as a whole.
The ending, a cliffhanger which I’ll not reveal, was wonderful. It really sets us up for the next book, which I for one am anxiously waiting for. I can recommend this book to pretty much everyone who wants to read something unique and very entertaining.
November 10, 2011
This was a little hard to rate. I liked the first book but I wasn't so sure about this one when I realized everything was going in the opposite direction as last time. As in, Cameron is now aging backwards. I'm glad it is a trilogy and has a plan for the series. When I wasn't feeling to great about where the story was going, it actually made me feel better knowing that the series had a direction and in the next book, we should see something pretty great stuff.
Things seemed a little harder as Cameron aged backwards. Getting shorter, finding clothes that might fit his new, smaller body all while trying to find his missing girlfriend. It was obvious something was up but I wasn't sure how it all fit into the story.
Mostly, I think it was the ending that left me feeling a little weird. In the previous book, we didn't get a cliffhanger, but in this one, we get two very big cliffhangers. Maybe it was the glimpse of the impending doom and not having the next book to read and see what happens or just the massive scale that things have been taken to. But, I do look forward to finishing the trilogy.
Things seemed a little harder as Cameron aged backwards. Getting shorter, finding clothes that might fit his new, smaller body all while trying to find his missing girlfriend. It was obvious something was up but I wasn't sure how it all fit into the story.
Mostly, I think it was the ending that left me feeling a little weird. In the previous book, we didn't get a cliffhanger, but in this one, we get two very big cliffhangers. Maybe it was the glimpse of the impending doom and not having the next book to read and see what happens or just the massive scale that things have been taken to. But, I do look forward to finishing the trilogy.
October 14, 2011
I hesitate to say Hannah was my favorite character in the second book because she was so evil, but I think she is. A lot of imagination went into her and I think it's her character that's going to drive the rest of this series.
Happy Birthday to Me was great, but I thought Happy Birthday to Me Again really took it up a notch, which is why I gave it five stars. We see more of the paranormal stuff in the second book and it ends on a cliffhanger/twist of events that really sets the reader up for the third novel, which I suspect will be even better than the second.
I just want to take a second and say I really, really enjoyed these two novels. They're probably the best self-published novels I ever read. Thank you for sending them to me, Brian! If you like YA, you should definitely check these out! They're short so you can read both in one afternoon. As for me, I will definitely be checking out the third book in the trilogy, Happy Birthday to You, when it comes out.
More at Pandareads.com
Happy Birthday to Me was great, but I thought Happy Birthday to Me Again really took it up a notch, which is why I gave it five stars. We see more of the paranormal stuff in the second book and it ends on a cliffhanger/twist of events that really sets the reader up for the third novel, which I suspect will be even better than the second.
I just want to take a second and say I really, really enjoyed these two novels. They're probably the best self-published novels I ever read. Thank you for sending them to me, Brian! If you like YA, you should definitely check these out! They're short so you can read both in one afternoon. As for me, I will definitely be checking out the third book in the trilogy, Happy Birthday to You, when it comes out.
More at Pandareads.com
July 27, 2012
This is the second book in the trilogy and I loved it. I like who the story only intensifies to something awesome.
What I enjoyed most about the book is the plot. Cameron is once again aging only this timebackwards. He is getting younger with each passing day. Cameron does a better job at not reacting freaked out but instead is helping the love of his life. Each chapter open ups more secrets about Liesel and who she really is. There were secrets that she is carrying that really surprised me.
Their love grew stronger. I like that Cameron and Liesel has to count on each other. Even in revealing Liesel hurtful past, Cameron saw past all of that and just yearned to help her. Cameron is so selfless in his actions.
The characters both grew well. They dealt with life opportunities as well as what is going on around them. Both of them fear much but you can tell that as a team they totally rock!
Happy Birthday To Me Again is a great sequel. The plot is filled with much drama as well as lies and betrayal. Strong and entertaining, Happy Birthday To Me is great!
What I enjoyed most about the book is the plot. Cameron is once again aging only this timebackwards. He is getting younger with each passing day. Cameron does a better job at not reacting freaked out but instead is helping the love of his life. Each chapter open ups more secrets about Liesel and who she really is. There were secrets that she is carrying that really surprised me.
Their love grew stronger. I like that Cameron and Liesel has to count on each other. Even in revealing Liesel hurtful past, Cameron saw past all of that and just yearned to help her. Cameron is so selfless in his actions.
The characters both grew well. They dealt with life opportunities as well as what is going on around them. Both of them fear much but you can tell that as a team they totally rock!
Happy Birthday To Me Again is a great sequel. The plot is filled with much drama as well as lies and betrayal. Strong and entertaining, Happy Birthday To Me is great!
September 3, 2016
Cameron Martin is back! However, even though he's going to be marrying the love of his life soon, everything isn't hunky-dory. Things are tense at home and during a birthday celebration for his fiancee, he is struck again with a curse...but this time he's aging backward and has little time left. Then his fiancee is kidnapped and Cameron finds out she has more skeletons in her closet than he thought...
Will he be able to have the curse broken before it's too late?
Happy Birthday to Me Again is definitely a great installment in the series with the characters becoming even richer and fuller. There are still lots of laughs mixed into the serious subject matter - a nice balance of drama and humor was achieved by Mr. Rowe. Now I'm even more excited to read the last book in this series!!
Happy Birthday Series: Happy Birthday to Me (1), Happy Birthday to Me Again (2), Happy Birthday to You (3)
Will he be able to have the curse broken before it's too late?
Happy Birthday to Me Again is definitely a great installment in the series with the characters becoming even richer and fuller. There are still lots of laughs mixed into the serious subject matter - a nice balance of drama and humor was achieved by Mr. Rowe. Now I'm even more excited to read the last book in this series!!
Happy Birthday Series: Happy Birthday to Me (1), Happy Birthday to Me Again (2), Happy Birthday to You (3)
November 16, 2011
I liked Happy Birthday To Me Again better than I like Happy Birthday To Me. It was not nearly as predictable and I found myself being shocked by the turn of events. I love Cameron and Liesel's relationship it is soo sweet that even though they have been dating for a short period of time they know they are meant for each other and I guess going through serious things as aging backward and forwards could help that cause. I hated Hannah the moment she was introduced. I have an issue with hot girls being introduced mid series interfering with the happy couple they just rub me the wrong way.
Happy Birthday To Me Again is a quick and easy read and I can't wait to see where the story goes in Happy Birthday to You because Brian ended in it such a cliff hanger that I need to know what happens next!
Happy Birthday To Me Again is a quick and easy read and I can't wait to see where the story goes in Happy Birthday to You because Brian ended in it such a cliff hanger that I need to know what happens next!
July 16, 2012
Cameron is in trouble again; a heated argument with his incredibly powerful witch of a fiancé has left him cursed with aging for a second time; this time backwards. With only a handful of days to reverse his situation, Cameron must find his missing fiancé, but things might not be as clear cut as it seems. Trouble is coming and this time Cameron might not be so lucky.
This book felt a lot shorter than the first one; the plot seems to race along toward the ending. Liesel's yandere-ish tendencies rear up again, but at least other characters seem to notice it this time (including Cameron); questioning the wisdom of Cameron being so committed to someone who whenever she gets upset comes close to killing him.
The story was highly engaging, and the ending left on such a note that I feel like reading the next book immediately.
This book felt a lot shorter than the first one; the plot seems to race along toward the ending. Liesel's yandere-ish tendencies rear up again, but at least other characters seem to notice it this time (including Cameron); questioning the wisdom of Cameron being so committed to someone who whenever she gets upset comes close to killing him.
The story was highly engaging, and the ending left on such a note that I feel like reading the next book immediately.
June 19, 2012
Alright, at first I thought that the sequel will be almost the same as the first book in the trilogy. In the first one he's aging a year a day, in the second he's getting a year younger a day.
But somewhere in the middle of the book it got interesting. Cameron tried to deal with the situation all alone by himself and not to bother and/or worry his family and friends.
I especially liked Kimber's character in this one. She was pretty awesome throughout the novel. Of course she didn't always act as an adult, but at least she did well for a fourteen-year-old girl.
Oh, and I came to hate Liesel's character. All whiny, whiny and making decisions that are just plain dumb and impulsive.
Other than that I didn't really like the ending too much and again I already knew from the beginning, who the bad guy was.
But oh well, let's see what the last book in the trilogy will be like.
But somewhere in the middle of the book it got interesting. Cameron tried to deal with the situation all alone by himself and not to bother and/or worry his family and friends.
I especially liked Kimber's character in this one. She was pretty awesome throughout the novel. Of course she didn't always act as an adult, but at least she did well for a fourteen-year-old girl.
Oh, and I came to hate Liesel's character. All whiny, whiny and making decisions that are just plain dumb and impulsive.
Other than that I didn't really like the ending too much and again I already knew from the beginning, who the bad guy was.
But oh well, let's see what the last book in the trilogy will be like.
December 12, 2011
I have to say, this book was a little better than the first installment of this trilogy.
Cam, the main character, is a little more likeable in this one. Thank goodness! He's still an idiot, but at least he's an idiot who sometimes thinks of other people.
This time, instead of aging forward, he's aging backward. My first thought was "Couldn't the author come up with something different?" but then, as I read a bit more, it worked. The story was kind of predictable, but that didn't bother me.
If you liked Happy Birthday to Me, you'll enjoy this continuation.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cam, the main character, is a little more likeable in this one. Thank goodness! He's still an idiot, but at least he's an idiot who sometimes thinks of other people.
This time, instead of aging forward, he's aging backward. My first thought was "Couldn't the author come up with something different?" but then, as I read a bit more, it worked. The story was kind of predictable, but that didn't bother me.
If you liked Happy Birthday to Me, you'll enjoy this continuation.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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