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Candy #1
Like Candy
Revenge is sweet, just like candy.
Candy Seaborne knows she’s badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won’t admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.
Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn’t above manufacturing some. If you’re a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She’s no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime.
Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He’s a jock, but he isn’t the typical player. He’s moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn’t buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He sees too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that’s the last thing she should do because her father’s world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.
This story is told over two full-length books.
Sweet Liar (Book 2 in The Candy Series) is available now.
Candy Seaborne knows she’s badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won’t admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.
Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn’t above manufacturing some. If you’re a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She’s no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime.
Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He’s a jock, but he isn’t the typical player. He’s moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn’t buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He sees too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that’s the last thing she should do because her father’s world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.
This story is told over two full-length books.
Sweet Liar (Book 2 in The Candy Series) is available now.
ebook
First published July 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Debra Doxer
13 books372 followersDebra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When not writing, she’s walking her Havanese puppy and forcing her daughter to listen to New Wave 80s music.
Connect with Debra:
www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraDoxer
www.instagram.com/debradoxer
www.twitter.com/debradoxer
debradoxer@gmail.com
Connect with Debra:
www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraDoxer
www.instagram.com/debradoxer
www.twitter.com/debradoxer
debradoxer@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 20, 2015
2.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Debra Doxer, and Netgalley.)
There wasn’t anything horribly wrong with this book; I just didn’t find it entertaining. I couldn’t connect with the characters, the storyline couldn’t hold my interest, and I spend the vast majority of this book just wishing that it was over already.
5 out of 10
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Debra Doxer, and Netgalley.)
There wasn’t anything horribly wrong with this book; I just didn’t find it entertaining. I couldn’t connect with the characters, the storyline couldn’t hold my interest, and I spend the vast majority of this book just wishing that it was over already.
5 out of 10
July 21, 2015
Debra Doxer can always be counted on for a well written, well designed story that is every bit as original as it is fun.
With characters that are both lovable and memorable and even those that you love to hate, her stories really are something you don't want to miss out on.
Her latest book, Like Candy isn't any different. With a main character that you almost can't decide to like or dislike and a swoon worthy leading man and mystery that you can't help but be captured by, this really was one that was hard to put down.
Drama, intrigue, mystery, and a romance that kept me turning the pages and coming back for more, it really was something I wasn't expecting to like when I first met the sometimes shallow, and sometimes conceited, drama loving Candy.
But like only Debra seems to be able to do, Candy's characters grew on me in the most unexpected ways and before I knew it, I found myself liking her and caring for her well being and happiness.
I love the way this ended even though it was a cliffhanger simply because, I can't wait for more. There are so many questions I have about, well, everything and I can't wait to get them.
With characters that are both lovable and memorable and even those that you love to hate, her stories really are something you don't want to miss out on.
Her latest book, Like Candy isn't any different. With a main character that you almost can't decide to like or dislike and a swoon worthy leading man and mystery that you can't help but be captured by, this really was one that was hard to put down.
Drama, intrigue, mystery, and a romance that kept me turning the pages and coming back for more, it really was something I wasn't expecting to like when I first met the sometimes shallow, and sometimes conceited, drama loving Candy.
But like only Debra seems to be able to do, Candy's characters grew on me in the most unexpected ways and before I knew it, I found myself liking her and caring for her well being and happiness.
I love the way this ended even though it was a cliffhanger simply because, I can't wait for more. There are so many questions I have about, well, everything and I can't wait to get them.
March 4, 2016
“Revenge, the sweetest morsel to the mouth that ever was cooked in hell.”
----Walter Scott
Debra Doxer, an American author, has penned a compelling YA tale, Like Candy which is about a high school teenage badass girl who stood up for everything and never tolerated injustice, in short, her peers feared her. Being a daughter of a spy, makes her even more rough and this is her story about she gets tangled up in her father's mysteries along with her own.
Synopsis:
Revenge is sweet, just like candy.
Candy Seaborne knows she’s badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won’t admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.
Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn’t above manufacturing some. If you’re a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She’s no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime.
Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He’s a jock, but he isn’t the typical player. He’s moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn’t buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He sees too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that’s the last thing she should do because her father’s world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.
Candy, a rough and kick ass high school teenager, does not fear anything. Instead her friends and schoolmates fear her. But when it comes to the senior year jock of her school, Jonah- the heart-breaker, Candy wants to be someone else in front of him. She wan ts to be in love with this mysterious brooding hot guy, who seems to hard to get on. Now Candy, here, wants to charm him with her badass demeanor. And when Jonah looks at Candy, he is sure that she is alone from the inside. But Candy's perfect love-life tumbles down when her father's world, who happens to be a spy, gets tangled up into hers.
This is the first time for me that I read anything by Debra Doxer. Yeah the plot is quite unique and interesting. Unfortunately, the story did not click with me, not even I could connect with the characters. The book's synopsis speaks a lot about mystery, but the mystery penned by the author is not polished or striking. The story line only centered around a typical high school love affair.
The narrative is also not that engaging enough to keep me hooked onto the story for a very long time. Yes although the story progresses in a gripping way, but I felt, the elements of mystery could have been played out pretty well. The climax ends with a mild cliffhanger that, if you loved this story, would make you vouch for the next book in the series.
The characters are sweet and not much realistic. The guy is swoon-worth, and has demeanor is quite mature and serious. His attitude towards Candy is of understanding in nature. Candy, on the other hand, made me annoyed with her love-to-hate badass and selfish, melodramatic and strong attitude. She has a smart mouth, unlike of any regular 18-year old girls. The supporting characters are also pretty nice. Overall, I did not feel any inkling towards any of the characters.
The high-school romance, oh well, is cute, very typical, but what lacked is the deep emotions that will make the readers feel for the lovers. Some make-out scenes which are at times bit graphic. That's all. Yeah in a nutshell, the drama in this story is way too overrated.
Verdict: You can turn a blind eye to this one!
Courtesy: I received a review copy from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
----Walter Scott
Debra Doxer, an American author, has penned a compelling YA tale, Like Candy which is about a high school teenage badass girl who stood up for everything and never tolerated injustice, in short, her peers feared her. Being a daughter of a spy, makes her even more rough and this is her story about she gets tangled up in her father's mysteries along with her own.
Synopsis:
Revenge is sweet, just like candy.
Candy Seaborne knows she’s badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won’t admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.
Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn’t above manufacturing some. If you’re a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She’s no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime.
Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He’s a jock, but he isn’t the typical player. He’s moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn’t buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He sees too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that’s the last thing she should do because her father’s world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.
Candy, a rough and kick ass high school teenager, does not fear anything. Instead her friends and schoolmates fear her. But when it comes to the senior year jock of her school, Jonah- the heart-breaker, Candy wants to be someone else in front of him. She wan ts to be in love with this mysterious brooding hot guy, who seems to hard to get on. Now Candy, here, wants to charm him with her badass demeanor. And when Jonah looks at Candy, he is sure that she is alone from the inside. But Candy's perfect love-life tumbles down when her father's world, who happens to be a spy, gets tangled up into hers.
This is the first time for me that I read anything by Debra Doxer. Yeah the plot is quite unique and interesting. Unfortunately, the story did not click with me, not even I could connect with the characters. The book's synopsis speaks a lot about mystery, but the mystery penned by the author is not polished or striking. The story line only centered around a typical high school love affair.
The narrative is also not that engaging enough to keep me hooked onto the story for a very long time. Yes although the story progresses in a gripping way, but I felt, the elements of mystery could have been played out pretty well. The climax ends with a mild cliffhanger that, if you loved this story, would make you vouch for the next book in the series.
The characters are sweet and not much realistic. The guy is swoon-worth, and has demeanor is quite mature and serious. His attitude towards Candy is of understanding in nature. Candy, on the other hand, made me annoyed with her love-to-hate badass and selfish, melodramatic and strong attitude. She has a smart mouth, unlike of any regular 18-year old girls. The supporting characters are also pretty nice. Overall, I did not feel any inkling towards any of the characters.
The high-school romance, oh well, is cute, very typical, but what lacked is the deep emotions that will make the readers feel for the lovers. Some make-out scenes which are at times bit graphic. That's all. Yeah in a nutshell, the drama in this story is way too overrated.
Verdict: You can turn a blind eye to this one!
Courtesy: I received a review copy from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
August 15, 2015
**I received an eARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
“I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn’t be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you’d believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don’t realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book.”
WOW. Like Candy is wickedly clever! It wasn't at all what I was expecting to read. I only lowered my expectations for this because I know I'll be just reading another cute YA Contemporary Romance. But then, I was wrong. The combination of mystery and romance was written excellently and the overall plot was just pure brilliancy.
The characters were extremely flawed. I've got a love-hate feels towards them. But don't get me wrong, he romance and tension between Candy & Jonah is seriously to die for!
Candy was… interesting. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would like Candy when I first started the story. She seemed shallow at times and annoying but I kept reading. She is someone whom I considered to be bad-ass. She wouldn’t take a damn from anyone and would stand up for herself and for the people she cared about. I still wasn’t sure if I liked her or not but I was waiting to see what would happen next.
Then we meet Jonah who is totally swoon-worthy! Right from the start, he has this mysterious vibe to him and he is a very complex character but the reader will totally like him. I was in love with his complexity and how he viewed things. He’s a loner, but he has this mystery about him that draws Candy in. He is so attentive and caring for Candy and her many problems. I actually loved him.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, even though I had to put this on-hold for a while because I found the beginning dragging and in slow-pace. But as I continue reading, Candy started to become suspicious, and clues keep appearing left and right, that’s when the suspense starts creeping in. I was blindfolded until the end. I couldn’t believe that plot twist that the author threw in the story! It was maddening! Then I’m just sitting there like, "Oh my god. What did just happen?!" and Please! When can I have the second book??!!" Anyway, this will be another book that will occupy my late-night thoughts that's why I’m highly looking forward to Sweet Liar, so my millions of questions can get answers and read more of Candy and her father's hidden agenda and hopefully get more revenge in the second installment. *wink*
I've never read anything from Debra Doxer before, but after reading Like Candy I think I'm in to read all her creative works! Her writing was very clever. The way she executed the plot was brilliant. I'm looking forward to read her other books, and hoping they'll be great as Like Candy.
“I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn’t be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you’d believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don’t realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book.”
WOW. Like Candy is wickedly clever! It wasn't at all what I was expecting to read. I only lowered my expectations for this because I know I'll be just reading another cute YA Contemporary Romance. But then, I was wrong. The combination of mystery and romance was written excellently and the overall plot was just pure brilliancy.
The characters were extremely flawed. I've got a love-hate feels towards them. But don't get me wrong, he romance and tension between Candy & Jonah is seriously to die for!
Candy was… interesting. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would like Candy when I first started the story. She seemed shallow at times and annoying but I kept reading. She is someone whom I considered to be bad-ass. She wouldn’t take a damn from anyone and would stand up for herself and for the people she cared about. I still wasn’t sure if I liked her or not but I was waiting to see what would happen next.
Then we meet Jonah who is totally swoon-worthy! Right from the start, he has this mysterious vibe to him and he is a very complex character but the reader will totally like him. I was in love with his complexity and how he viewed things. He’s a loner, but he has this mystery about him that draws Candy in. He is so attentive and caring for Candy and her many problems. I actually loved him.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, even though I had to put this on-hold for a while because I found the beginning dragging and in slow-pace. But as I continue reading, Candy started to become suspicious, and clues keep appearing left and right, that’s when the suspense starts creeping in. I was blindfolded until the end. I couldn’t believe that plot twist that the author threw in the story! It was maddening! Then I’m just sitting there like, "Oh my god. What did just happen?!" and Please! When can I have the second book??!!" Anyway, this will be another book that will occupy my late-night thoughts that's why I’m highly looking forward to Sweet Liar, so my millions of questions can get answers and read more of Candy and her father's hidden agenda and hopefully get more revenge in the second installment. *wink*
I've never read anything from Debra Doxer before, but after reading Like Candy I think I'm in to read all her creative works! Her writing was very clever. The way she executed the plot was brilliant. I'm looking forward to read her other books, and hoping they'll be great as Like Candy.
July 28, 2015
**Like Candy generously provided by the author and tour promoters in exchange for an honest review.**
3 "I won't forget." Stars
This was fun and fast. Debra Doxer holds the ability to create inventive/original plots within the pages of her books. This Young Adult novel was a cross between romance and mystery for me as both elements were present. Her writing very easily draws into the pages. There were a few times throughout the plot where I thought the author was taking me somewhere else yet led somewhere unexpected.
The main characters of Like Candy each bring something different to the story. The heroine has me a little perplexed but I adored the hero. Being told the story from Candy's point of view gave me sort of a Mean Girls feeling. She's in high school and her persona in front of new people is much different than when she's alone with the hero. I felt a little dizzy with her character spinning from liking her and not liking her. Candy wasn't easy to identify with as I couldn't figure out her plight. Jonah, the hero, is mysterious and fun right from the moment we meet him. Between he and the plot of the book is where I found the most entertainment value until around the 60% mark. More starting happening, more clues given, and an angle of the story I didn't see coming.
Debra Doxer's writing gives a lot to the story. I enjoy her story telling and I love where she left off in this first installment. I'm looking forward to learning the truth in Sweet Liar and also excited to see if this author can make me choose liking the heroine over not liking her.
January 30, 2016
2.5 “I’m not sure how I feel” stars
I’m confused. I don’t know whether I liked it or not. I honestly can’t decide. I tried to make up my mind about it, and I came up just as confused. Hence the 2.5 stars.
The premise of this book was actually very interesting. Basically, it’s about an 18 years old girl named Candy who’s pretty sure her father is a spy and an assassin, and she wants to become the exact same thing. Pretty awesome, right? Well, it was, but unfortunately, I feel like those elements came too far into the book. The action was very slow to arrive, and for most of the book I felt like nothing was actually happening. Truth be told, it felt like a typical high-school YA romance novel. But I knew better. Having read some of Debra Doxer’s books previously, I knew there was an awesome twist hiding somewhere, and I just had to wait for it. I knew it was coming. And it usually happened quite fast in the beginning. But with this one, it was really slow to arrive. I only kept reading because I knew the twist was going to happen. I had faith, and it payed off. When the twist arrived, about 87% into the book, I realized it was worth it. The twist was worth it. Did I see it coming? Sort of. Was I still going completely crazy over it? Yes, absolutely was. You see my confusion? It was 87% “alright” and 13% “freaking awesome”, I have no idea how I feel about it.
As for the actual love story…That too was pretty slow to arrive. Jonah and Candy’s first kiss was 80-something% into the book. Even for a Young Adult novel, I feel like that’s very slow. I wouldn’t have minded it if I understood why it didn’t happen before, but there’s no explanation, it just basically didn’t happen before 80-something% and from a reader’s perspective, that’s quite disappointing. There wasn’t the usual “High School angst” that I love so much, there wasn’t those hard-core make out session that I adore. It was just…slow. There’s unfortunately no other way to put it.
As for the characters, I wasn’t able to personally relate to them. Candy is a strong girl, but at the same time, she’s quite special. And not in a good way. She justified some of her actions saying it was ok because the person deserved it but all I kept thinking was “Hum. No. It’s not ok, you’re crazy” and she kind of was. The thing that I loved most about Raielle (Keep You from Harm by Debra Doxer) was the fact that she was so strong, but she also had such a big heart and she was relatable. There were some pretty emotionally charged moments in Raielle’s book. Emotions that were absent in this book. Candy simply didn’t have a heart. I’m sorry, it’s quite harsh, but she was overdramatic. I wouldn’t want her as a friend. That was disappointing because I expected to love Candy. But that’s on me, and not actually on Debra Doxer.
Those are the major flops for me. But at the same time, they’re what made me love this book. I said it before and I’ll say it again; I’m just very confused about the whole thing. Anyway, I’m still not sure if I’ll read the rest. But I might, because those last 13% had me on the edge of my seat and left me with a definite BANG!
I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I’m confused. I don’t know whether I liked it or not. I honestly can’t decide. I tried to make up my mind about it, and I came up just as confused. Hence the 2.5 stars.
The premise of this book was actually very interesting. Basically, it’s about an 18 years old girl named Candy who’s pretty sure her father is a spy and an assassin, and she wants to become the exact same thing. Pretty awesome, right? Well, it was, but unfortunately, I feel like those elements came too far into the book. The action was very slow to arrive, and for most of the book I felt like nothing was actually happening. Truth be told, it felt like a typical high-school YA romance novel. But I knew better. Having read some of Debra Doxer’s books previously, I knew there was an awesome twist hiding somewhere, and I just had to wait for it. I knew it was coming. And it usually happened quite fast in the beginning. But with this one, it was really slow to arrive. I only kept reading because I knew the twist was going to happen. I had faith, and it payed off. When the twist arrived, about 87% into the book, I realized it was worth it. The twist was worth it. Did I see it coming? Sort of. Was I still going completely crazy over it? Yes, absolutely was. You see my confusion? It was 87% “alright” and 13% “freaking awesome”, I have no idea how I feel about it.
As for the actual love story…That too was pretty slow to arrive. Jonah and Candy’s first kiss was 80-something% into the book. Even for a Young Adult novel, I feel like that’s very slow. I wouldn’t have minded it if I understood why it didn’t happen before, but there’s no explanation, it just basically didn’t happen before 80-something% and from a reader’s perspective, that’s quite disappointing. There wasn’t the usual “High School angst” that I love so much, there wasn’t those hard-core make out session that I adore. It was just…slow. There’s unfortunately no other way to put it.
As for the characters, I wasn’t able to personally relate to them. Candy is a strong girl, but at the same time, she’s quite special. And not in a good way. She justified some of her actions saying it was ok because the person deserved it but all I kept thinking was “Hum. No. It’s not ok, you’re crazy” and she kind of was. The thing that I loved most about Raielle (Keep You from Harm by Debra Doxer) was the fact that she was so strong, but she also had such a big heart and she was relatable. There were some pretty emotionally charged moments in Raielle’s book. Emotions that were absent in this book. Candy simply didn’t have a heart. I’m sorry, it’s quite harsh, but she was overdramatic. I wouldn’t want her as a friend. That was disappointing because I expected to love Candy. But that’s on me, and not actually on Debra Doxer.
Those are the major flops for me. But at the same time, they’re what made me love this book. I said it before and I’ll say it again; I’m just very confused about the whole thing. Anyway, I’m still not sure if I’ll read the rest. But I might, because those last 13% had me on the edge of my seat and left me with a definite BANG!
I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
July 22, 2015
I kindly received this ARC from Debra Doxer via NG in return for an honest review.
"Some people grumble that roses have thorns;I am grateful that thorns have roses."
Rating- 4.5 sugary stars!
I really like this story as far as contemporary- romantic- suspense go, this one was really great!
Candace/ Candy is a likable character on her own- she isn't an airhead like so many of these high school characters tend to be portrayed. She is very beautiful but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have a brain. She can be a bit manipulative but she is determined and she certainly cares about her father. She's loyal to a fault. She can be manipulative though, I'll admit that!
Ohhhh man Jonah Bryson *swoony sigh* he's just soooooo gah, no words but definitely book-boyfriend material!
He's the quiet, determined, smart and oh-so handsome type and bless my little heart if i didn't grin like at 12 year old!
The things that boy says!
"Do I seem like most guys to you? I like strong women who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves. Any guy who doesn't is just plain weak."
oh, what for this one!
"I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you'd believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don't realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book."
exactly, read this book and go swoon at Jonah!
This story was engaging and I really liked the writing, I certainly will be reading the next book!
There was plenty of intrigue and Candy is a funny character, Jonah is a considerate stud. But that ending, i knew i smelled the rat but the ending gave me a big shock!
so yea, bring on the next book!
Stay wonderful!
-The Book Herald
Tweet me @thebookherald
"Some people grumble that roses have thorns;I am grateful that thorns have roses."
Rating- 4.5 sugary stars!
Candy desires one thing above all else- Her Father's approval.
Losing the glue of her family that was her mother at an early age,
Being sent away because some thought her father was not ready to step up.
anger. defiance. revenge.
Candy runs back to her Father's side, she has questions; what does her father do for living? why is her life so shrouded in secrets?
All Candy knows is that her Father is her Idol and she will do whatever it takes to be just like him.
However, when darkness abounds and her life is threatened, Candy no longer knows who to trust.
But there is a boy- with hazel eyes that makes her heart sing...Jonah Bryson is everything she longs for in a boy.
But his life too is shrouded in secrets.
No matter her name Candy's life is anything but sweet.
I really like this story as far as contemporary- romantic- suspense go, this one was really great!
Candace/ Candy is a likable character on her own- she isn't an airhead like so many of these high school characters tend to be portrayed. She is very beautiful but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have a brain. She can be a bit manipulative but she is determined and she certainly cares about her father. She's loyal to a fault. She can be manipulative though, I'll admit that!
Ohhhh man Jonah Bryson *swoony sigh* he's just soooooo gah, no words but definitely book-boyfriend material!
He's the quiet, determined, smart and oh-so handsome type and bless my little heart if i didn't grin like at 12 year old!
The things that boy says!
"Do I seem like most guys to you? I like strong women who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves. Any guy who doesn't is just plain weak."
oh, what for this one!
"I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you'd believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don't realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book."
exactly, read this book and go swoon at Jonah!
This story was engaging and I really liked the writing, I certainly will be reading the next book!
There was plenty of intrigue and Candy is a funny character, Jonah is a considerate stud. But that ending, i knew i smelled the rat but the ending gave me a big shock!
so yea, bring on the next book!
Stay wonderful!
-The Book Herald
Tweet me @thebookherald
August 5, 2015
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
I loved Like Candy! I have read Debra Doxer's other books, and I really enjoyed them as well, so I expected to read a solidly good book with Like Candy. But revenge is normally not an instant love plot point for me, so I was unsure how much I was going to love this book. I know you are thinking, then why did you read it Michelle? Well, I will tell you. Debra's writing is really great, and her last books were so powerful and wonderful that I just couldn't pass this one up. And boy oh boy am I glad that I didn't miss it. Because I think Like Candy is one of my top picks of 2015 so far! I loved that it was age appropriate for the young adult genre in the romance department, and I loved Candy and Jonah. That end though! Debra is clearly trying to kill me.
The summary for Like Candy makes revenge out to be a central theme of the story, but I didn't really think it was. And that was totally fine with me. I thought when Candy moved back to her high school that she was going to have some grand scheme to get revenge on everyone (or certain people) but the story didn't unfold that way at all. And I was really happy about that. Sure, there were revenge pranks pulled and one was even pretty serious, but they were sprinkled far apart in the story. The really focus was on Candy and Jonah. And what a focus they were. I loved that Jonah seemed to instantly see beyond the image that Candy was projecting for the world.
I need the second book so desperately because there are so many unanswered questions that I have now. And honestly for the first 3/4ths of the book, I didn't even think I was going to have unanswered questions. Everything was progressing great, but then I started to see hints of another layer, and bam the end of the book happened (really the last 1/4th of the book) and I was left with my mouth agape. Those last few chapters put so much into question for me, and I was left going back through the story, trying to gather more hints. But all it did was bring up for unknowns. I need the next book, because I cannot wait to see where this story is going to go next.
Debra Doxer write really great characters, and really great stories that draw the reader in and doesn't let go. I just love losing myself in her books. And the romance is wonderful in Like Candy too. If you have not read any of Debra's books, you really should!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I loved Like Candy! I have read Debra Doxer's other books, and I really enjoyed them as well, so I expected to read a solidly good book with Like Candy. But revenge is normally not an instant love plot point for me, so I was unsure how much I was going to love this book. I know you are thinking, then why did you read it Michelle? Well, I will tell you. Debra's writing is really great, and her last books were so powerful and wonderful that I just couldn't pass this one up. And boy oh boy am I glad that I didn't miss it. Because I think Like Candy is one of my top picks of 2015 so far! I loved that it was age appropriate for the young adult genre in the romance department, and I loved Candy and Jonah. That end though! Debra is clearly trying to kill me.
The summary for Like Candy makes revenge out to be a central theme of the story, but I didn't really think it was. And that was totally fine with me. I thought when Candy moved back to her high school that she was going to have some grand scheme to get revenge on everyone (or certain people) but the story didn't unfold that way at all. And I was really happy about that. Sure, there were revenge pranks pulled and one was even pretty serious, but they were sprinkled far apart in the story. The really focus was on Candy and Jonah. And what a focus they were. I loved that Jonah seemed to instantly see beyond the image that Candy was projecting for the world.
I need the second book so desperately because there are so many unanswered questions that I have now. And honestly for the first 3/4ths of the book, I didn't even think I was going to have unanswered questions. Everything was progressing great, but then I started to see hints of another layer, and bam the end of the book happened (really the last 1/4th of the book) and I was left with my mouth agape. Those last few chapters put so much into question for me, and I was left going back through the story, trying to gather more hints. But all it did was bring up for unknowns. I need the next book, because I cannot wait to see where this story is going to go next.
Debra Doxer write really great characters, and really great stories that draw the reader in and doesn't let go. I just love losing myself in her books. And the romance is wonderful in Like Candy too. If you have not read any of Debra's books, you really should!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
August 14, 2015
I received an eARC of the book via NetGalley through Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
This book started off with so much promise! A teenage girl who has a spy for a father and wants to be one as well? I had high hopes before starting this book - hopes and expectations that were slightly dashed, especially where the Candy is concerned!
While I had hoped for a kick ass, no pushover girl, what I got was a whiny immature girl who threw tantrums when things didn't go her way. She knows what she is doing is wrong and is not something that will end well, but she ends up doing that anyway, if only because someone told her not to. She became only ornery for the sake of. Basically, she was girl with no substance.
Jonah on the other hand was a total surprise. And frankly, I couldn't see what he saw in her or what even attracted him to her. But boy, did he make swoon at times, especially with how he treated Candy!
The writing was the only saving grace besides Jonah and is the only reason why this book is getting a 3 Star rating! The plot intriguing enough, especially with the twists and turns that I just might end up picking the next book in the series, but I am still unsure, because I need Candy to be more mature in the next book more like, it is a hope!
For The Love of Fictional Worlds
This book started off with so much promise! A teenage girl who has a spy for a father and wants to be one as well? I had high hopes before starting this book - hopes and expectations that were slightly dashed, especially where the Candy is concerned!
While I had hoped for a kick ass, no pushover girl, what I got was a whiny immature girl who threw tantrums when things didn't go her way. She knows what she is doing is wrong and is not something that will end well, but she ends up doing that anyway, if only because someone told her not to. She became only ornery for the sake of. Basically, she was girl with no substance.
Jonah on the other hand was a total surprise. And frankly, I couldn't see what he saw in her or what even attracted him to her. But boy, did he make swoon at times, especially with how he treated Candy!
The writing was the only saving grace besides Jonah and is the only reason why this book is getting a 3 Star rating! The plot intriguing enough, especially with the twists and turns that I just might end up picking the next book in the series, but I am still unsure, because I need Candy to be more mature in the next book more like, it is a hope!
For The Love of Fictional Worlds
October 17, 2015
At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult; Romance
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Instaaaaaa
Cliff Hanger: yah!
Rating: 4 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 7
Characters: 7
World Building: 7
Flow: 6
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 8
Total: 7
In Dept
Best Part: Spense! And very pretty chapter headings :D
Worst Part: Insta love crazed.
Thoughts Had: Pretty!; Hardcore bitch!; Yucky insta!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yep.
Recommending: yep.
Short Review: For starters, i wish i had an actual copy of this book, the chapter headings were so cute and i bet they were in color and i want to see them. Secondly, Candy is one hardcore b for sure. I hateddddd the insta love in this book for sure. I get it, guy has some nice abs, don't think i need to be remind every chapter about it. The disease that Candy has stinks, i couldn't image having that issue! I really hope nothing bad happens because of it. It did drag a bit in the middle but the suspense of trying to figure out what her dad was up to, kept me interested.
Review in GIF Form:
Genre: Young Adult; Romance
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Instaaaaaa
Cliff Hanger: yah!
Rating: 4 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 7
Characters: 7
World Building: 7
Flow: 6
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 8
Total: 7
In Dept
Best Part: Spense! And very pretty chapter headings :D
Worst Part: Insta love crazed.
Thoughts Had: Pretty!; Hardcore bitch!; Yucky insta!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yep.
Recommending: yep.
Short Review: For starters, i wish i had an actual copy of this book, the chapter headings were so cute and i bet they were in color and i want to see them. Secondly, Candy is one hardcore b for sure. I hateddddd the insta love in this book for sure. I get it, guy has some nice abs, don't think i need to be remind every chapter about it. The disease that Candy has stinks, i couldn't image having that issue! I really hope nothing bad happens because of it. It did drag a bit in the middle but the suspense of trying to figure out what her dad was up to, kept me interested.
Review in GIF Form:
August 3, 2015
Like Candy is equal parts romance, young love, edge-of-your-pants suspense, fresh & different.
Candy is determined to make changes in her relationship with her father. She moves back home (after her mom passed and she spent time with family) with this in mind until she meets Jonah --- JONAH! Her hope is to reinvent, but falling for a guy is a stumbling block -
Jonah is all bad-boy on the edges and sweet like candy on the inside. Although they try, these two cannot resist one another as the story evolves into way more than their love story.
There are connections, but as the reader we still cannot connect all the dots.
There are questions that leave us flipping pages.
Jonah with a hint of John Cusack circa Gross Point Blank is a Hero I couldn't resist.
Candy tries to be tough, but here weaknesses make her real, lovable.
She suffers from Reynaud's Syndrome, and as a reader...our hands are cold along side hers.
AND then there is the ending. A cliffy.
We are left wanting and needing more.
FIVE - give me more sweetness - stars.
Candy is determined to make changes in her relationship with her father. She moves back home (after her mom passed and she spent time with family) with this in mind until she meets Jonah --- JONAH! Her hope is to reinvent, but falling for a guy is a stumbling block -
Jonah is all bad-boy on the edges and sweet like candy on the inside. Although they try, these two cannot resist one another as the story evolves into way more than their love story.
There are connections, but as the reader we still cannot connect all the dots.
There are questions that leave us flipping pages.
Jonah with a hint of John Cusack circa Gross Point Blank is a Hero I couldn't resist.
Candy tries to be tough, but here weaknesses make her real, lovable.
She suffers from Reynaud's Syndrome, and as a reader...our hands are cold along side hers.
AND then there is the ending. A cliffy.
We are left wanting and needing more.
FIVE - give me more sweetness - stars.
October 16, 2016
Like Candy is live!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1M0wX83
B&N: http://bit.ly/1SCa6oG
iBooks US: http://apple.co/1Jd5U4r
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1HqM4Cv
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1HOFoNC
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1L0FicG
iBooks UK: http://apple.co/1L0GPzx
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1K2FUvn
iBooks CA: http://apple.co/1L9KdGN
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1L9HnS8
iBooks AU: http://apple.co/1gw4xqG
image:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1M0wX83
B&N: http://bit.ly/1SCa6oG
iBooks US: http://apple.co/1Jd5U4r
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1HqM4Cv
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1HOFoNC
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1L0FicG
iBooks UK: http://apple.co/1L0GPzx
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1K2FUvn
iBooks CA: http://apple.co/1L9KdGN
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1L9HnS8
iBooks AU: http://apple.co/1gw4xqG
image:
July 21, 2015
WTF just happened?!!! I need answers, right TF now!
February 26, 2016
This was cute and interesting at times but I didn't like the main character, I never felt really pulled into the story and I really didn't like the cliffhanger.
August 6, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The moment we meet Candace (Candy) Seaborne we immediately know she is not the one to mess with. You break her heart? She will ensure karma finds you. And fast. And she never feels sorry about it. Candy decides to leave her aunt’s home the moment she turns eighteen to live with her father that gave her up after the death of her mother. Candy knows about her dad. And who he is. And she wants to do what he does. But he won’t ever admit it. When Candy enrolls in school she recognizes her friends that had before she left go live with her aunt. But then there’s Jonah. He’s new. He’s a jock. The kind Candy should stay away from. But she’s drawn to him. She later learns that Jonah is not the typical football player. He doesn’t play by the rules nor does he really pay any attention to her. Until he can’t help him self. And then? That’s where things get interesting!
“We act strong, and usually we are strong, but sometimes we’re just pretending.”
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge. He wants nothing to do with the girls at school, but she can't help but figure out why. The closer she gets to him, she realizes that Jonah SEES her. For the person she is. To others she is conceited, fits in, yet appears unbothered with what others think of her. Jonah sees beyond the outer shell she portrays. Candy is broken and lost. She has been through a lot and is determined to show her father she is just like him. But, does she have what it takes? With her past she is not ready to fall for a boy. But Jonah is not just any boy. He makes falling worth it. Even if it means she may have to pick up the pieces of her heart in the end.
“Jonah Bryson might be a boy worth falling for.”
Like Candy is unlike anything I’ve ever read. While it is YA, the mystery and suspense puts it in a class of itself. The character development was refreshing. Candy is not your average heroine. Not only is she full of sass, but she tells it like it is. And she has no problem going after what she wants. No matter the collateral damage. She is fun, stands up for herself, and loves harder than she would ever care to admit. She is loyal to those she loves and has THE biggest heart. She is true. Genuine. The author took a chance on a character like Candy and I am so glad she did. Who wants to read about the cookie cutter heroine? I would much rather read about the unexpected. And Candy? You never know what you’re gonna get with her. But it's real. And you can't help but connect with her on some level. Jonah is not your average jock. While he exudes confidence on the outside, on the inside he seems to be plagued by a sadness that only Candy can understand. So he lets her in. Slowly. The invisible thread that pulls Candy and Jonah together is never talked about within the book. It’s felt. And I have a feeling that this book only scratched the surface of the intense feelings between them.
“I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there...”
Like Candy is a story that simply unravels. When you get to the ending you realize the small things that you easily missed. The author is clever and creative in her writing. Can we talk about the ending? It was fast paced, heart stopping and I couldn’t turn the page fast enough. While reading the story, you definitely feel something is coming, but you don’t quite yet know. The synopsis gives nothing away. The plot of the story is original in its execution. There was a great balance of mystery, suspense, and romance. I know I am vague on the plot, but there are reasons. The reader is to immerse themselves in the story with the characters. To give anything away would be a complete disservice. I enjoyed every moment. If you’re like me, you will be refreshing the author’s Facebook page waiting on a release date for the next book, Sweet Liar. Well done.
The moment we meet Candace (Candy) Seaborne we immediately know she is not the one to mess with. You break her heart? She will ensure karma finds you. And fast. And she never feels sorry about it. Candy decides to leave her aunt’s home the moment she turns eighteen to live with her father that gave her up after the death of her mother. Candy knows about her dad. And who he is. And she wants to do what he does. But he won’t ever admit it. When Candy enrolls in school she recognizes her friends that had before she left go live with her aunt. But then there’s Jonah. He’s new. He’s a jock. The kind Candy should stay away from. But she’s drawn to him. She later learns that Jonah is not the typical football player. He doesn’t play by the rules nor does he really pay any attention to her. Until he can’t help him self. And then? That’s where things get interesting!
“We act strong, and usually we are strong, but sometimes we’re just pretending.”
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge. He wants nothing to do with the girls at school, but she can't help but figure out why. The closer she gets to him, she realizes that Jonah SEES her. For the person she is. To others she is conceited, fits in, yet appears unbothered with what others think of her. Jonah sees beyond the outer shell she portrays. Candy is broken and lost. She has been through a lot and is determined to show her father she is just like him. But, does she have what it takes? With her past she is not ready to fall for a boy. But Jonah is not just any boy. He makes falling worth it. Even if it means she may have to pick up the pieces of her heart in the end.
“Jonah Bryson might be a boy worth falling for.”
Like Candy is unlike anything I’ve ever read. While it is YA, the mystery and suspense puts it in a class of itself. The character development was refreshing. Candy is not your average heroine. Not only is she full of sass, but she tells it like it is. And she has no problem going after what she wants. No matter the collateral damage. She is fun, stands up for herself, and loves harder than she would ever care to admit. She is loyal to those she loves and has THE biggest heart. She is true. Genuine. The author took a chance on a character like Candy and I am so glad she did. Who wants to read about the cookie cutter heroine? I would much rather read about the unexpected. And Candy? You never know what you’re gonna get with her. But it's real. And you can't help but connect with her on some level. Jonah is not your average jock. While he exudes confidence on the outside, on the inside he seems to be plagued by a sadness that only Candy can understand. So he lets her in. Slowly. The invisible thread that pulls Candy and Jonah together is never talked about within the book. It’s felt. And I have a feeling that this book only scratched the surface of the intense feelings between them.
“I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there...”
Like Candy is a story that simply unravels. When you get to the ending you realize the small things that you easily missed. The author is clever and creative in her writing. Can we talk about the ending? It was fast paced, heart stopping and I couldn’t turn the page fast enough. While reading the story, you definitely feel something is coming, but you don’t quite yet know. The synopsis gives nothing away. The plot of the story is original in its execution. There was a great balance of mystery, suspense, and romance. I know I am vague on the plot, but there are reasons. The reader is to immerse themselves in the story with the characters. To give anything away would be a complete disservice. I enjoyed every moment. If you’re like me, you will be refreshing the author’s Facebook page waiting on a release date for the next book, Sweet Liar. Well done.
July 25, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
From the blurb, I expected to read a story of a girl trained covertly by her father to stand up for herself and right wrongs. Instead, what we have is a very amoral and pathological girl with no spy/assassin training at all. She's quite normal other than greatly enjoying vicious revenge on those she has perceived to wrong her. In other words, an unrepentant bully and pretty much unpleasant person who we are supposed to inexplicably 'root for' as she does her evil deeds. I assume she's going to go through a story arc that allows her to grow above being a sociopath in future volumes - but I'm not really interested in going there after book one.Story: The death of her mother and sketchy 'job' of her father caused her aunt to take guardianship of Candy when she was young. Now 18, Candy decides to leave her Aunt and return to her father. As payback to her cousin that didn't like her, she planted drugs so the girl would go to Juvie. Her ex boyfriend who cheated on her? She destroyed his car. Now with her father, who she knows is some kind of mercenary killer for hire, she has to deal with a new school and new people to revenge upon. And a new boy to crush on, Jonah, who inexplicably finds her viciousness cute. Unfortunately, her father's past is catching up on him and she's going to be in the line of sights.
I did have some problems with Like Candy. For one, revenge fulfillment might be the fantasy of every girl who has been wronged but there are never any consequences when Candy does it. That lack of reality set my teeth on edge as I read her path of destruction through two towns. We get scene after scene of her smug happiness over her deeds as she confronts her victims afterwards.
But even more mystifying is the attraction of Jonah - cute football guy (whose reasons for being mysterious and aloof are fairly obvious from the beginning) - to Candy. She's completely fake to everyone, often mean, yet supposedly he sees the 'real' girl underneath. I didn't buy it - he has un upstanding personality and despises the other mean girls who hit on him - so why are they any less damaged underneath or interesting to him? Makes no sense - especially when the ending comes and the (expected) surprise about him drops.
Very little of the book features any kind of action - it's all about revenge after revenge and then mooning over Jonah. I was expecting all kinds of kick butt and taking names - but none were to be found. Candy has no training as an assassin/mercenary from her father (who has tried to hide it from her). So for all intents and purposes, she really isn't kick butt. She's just mean and vicious. A toxic cloud of unhappy, poisoning all around her.
I would have liked this much better if Jonah disliked her fer the sociopath she is - and perhaps grew to like her as she grew above her anger. It would have made for a more interesting story and one I could invest in. But Jonah thinking she's cute and getting all hot and bothered over her lost whatever respect I could have in the guy. If he's that stupid, he deserves her, I guess. I don't want to read about stupid guys.
I think for me it was that the blurb promised someone who could take care of herself and that clearly wasn't the case. Candy is pretty helpless when she isn't plotting something evil. So I guess we'd have to read a lot of scenes of her being saved by Jonah in the next book. But this 'mean girls' didn't have enough of a heart at the center for me to continue. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
August 5, 2015
4.5 stars!
Look out everyone, Candy Seaborne is back in town and she's shaking things up! I've experienced Debra Doxer's writing before and so I know she can write a great story. However, I wasn't expecting it to be so mysterious and suspenseful. I loved the mix of young adult and adult themes. It makes sense there'd be a mix because Candy is eighteen and on the cusp of being an adult.
I think what makes this book really work is that in essence, there are two different stories set in this one book. You've got Candy trying to re-assimilate with her childhood peers and stay on top of all the mean girls and then you've got Candy's life at home with her father and the secrets he is hiding. Both of them are written really well and when the two parts of Candy's lives collide it really gets interesting.
I liked Candy. I understood her fascination and attraction to Jonah. I even understood her need to get revenge on those who did her and those around her wrong. I may have even chuckled at her pranks. I wasn't so sure why she wanted to be like her father given his interesting occupation, but I have a feeling I'll find out more about that in the second book. I think besides the pranks, which I thought were simple but perfect, I liked Candy because I could relate to her. I understood her desire to be close to her father. I understood her need to fit in. I got the fact she was unsettled by her feelings for Jonah especially considering her recent experiences with males in her life.
I really appreciated how Debra Doxer included CREST, an auto immune disorder. It's something important to her as she suffers from it, and I really liked how it was addressed and used in the story. From start to end I was caught up in the story. I would've loved for it to be longer, but since this one ended quite abruptly I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens. You've been warned people, there's a doozy of a cliffhanger to match an equally awesome story.
Look out everyone, Candy Seaborne is back in town and she's shaking things up! I've experienced Debra Doxer's writing before and so I know she can write a great story. However, I wasn't expecting it to be so mysterious and suspenseful. I loved the mix of young adult and adult themes. It makes sense there'd be a mix because Candy is eighteen and on the cusp of being an adult.
I think what makes this book really work is that in essence, there are two different stories set in this one book. You've got Candy trying to re-assimilate with her childhood peers and stay on top of all the mean girls and then you've got Candy's life at home with her father and the secrets he is hiding. Both of them are written really well and when the two parts of Candy's lives collide it really gets interesting.
I liked Candy. I understood her fascination and attraction to Jonah. I even understood her need to get revenge on those who did her and those around her wrong. I may have even chuckled at her pranks. I wasn't so sure why she wanted to be like her father given his interesting occupation, but I have a feeling I'll find out more about that in the second book. I think besides the pranks, which I thought were simple but perfect, I liked Candy because I could relate to her. I understood her desire to be close to her father. I understood her need to fit in. I got the fact she was unsettled by her feelings for Jonah especially considering her recent experiences with males in her life.
I really appreciated how Debra Doxer included CREST, an auto immune disorder. It's something important to her as she suffers from it, and I really liked how it was addressed and used in the story. From start to end I was caught up in the story. I would've loved for it to be longer, but since this one ended quite abruptly I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens. You've been warned people, there's a doozy of a cliffhanger to match an equally awesome story.
August 4, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Also posted at Musings of the Bookaholic Fairies, Inc.
The first thing that had my attention of this book aside from the cool cover ;) is it's main character from the blurb-- Candy.
I think on many points in the story I both have liked and disliked her and then loved her eventually.
She is this girl who became tougher because of the circumstances and everything shed gone through MADE her be. Her character will pull you in, because it grows unexpectedly in many ways that you'll end up wanting to hug her and hoping for the best for her. You may dislike her at first but I swear you'll love her eventually like I did ^___^
The hero. The mysterious Jonah. The not-your-typical-jock will get you turning the pages because his character will demand it. Haha. Like her father, they are one of the reasons this book was unputdownable to me, I BADLY NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM! Yes in CAPS, because I gotta say, this being a CLIFFY.. I don't hate it. but I hate it when the second book is not available and I have to wait to be able to read it.. That ending raised a lot of questions I needed answers badly.
This story is filled with drama, and mystery anyone would get captured by.
So.. Ya. 4 FAIRY WINGGGS‼️for readers who loves a strong heroine, good story and who's okay with waiting a little for the sequel :)
Also posted at Musings of the Bookaholic Fairies, Inc.
The first thing that had my attention of this book aside from the cool cover ;) is it's main character from the blurb-- Candy.
I think on many points in the story I both have liked and disliked her and then loved her eventually.
She is this girl who became tougher because of the circumstances and everything shed gone through MADE her be. Her character will pull you in, because it grows unexpectedly in many ways that you'll end up wanting to hug her and hoping for the best for her. You may dislike her at first but I swear you'll love her eventually like I did ^___^
The hero. The mysterious Jonah. The not-your-typical-jock will get you turning the pages because his character will demand it. Haha. Like her father, they are one of the reasons this book was unputdownable to me, I BADLY NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM! Yes in CAPS, because I gotta say, this being a CLIFFY.. I don't hate it. but I hate it when the second book is not available and I have to wait to be able to read it.. That ending raised a lot of questions I needed answers badly.
This story is filled with drama, and mystery anyone would get captured by.
So.. Ya. 4 FAIRY WINGGGS‼️for readers who loves a strong heroine, good story and who's okay with waiting a little for the sequel :)
August 1, 2015
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
*Major cliffhanger at the end of the book*
In this book we are taken into the life of Candy who has had a not-so-great life thus far. Mom died of cancer, taken from home to be forced to live with literal demon-spawn family, cheating boyfriend, knowing that your best friend will expire soon due to his illness, and being forced to live with an illness yourself that makes yourself more vulnerable to the cold. That makes life sooo peachy for Candy. I really can't blame her for the way she acts sometimes because, heck, her whole life is a living nightmare. When Candy turns 18 she escapes her imprisonment with her devilish family. She does leave with a bang, which I find quite amusing. When she gets home again she starts back her old school. Most everything has remained un-changed, but their is a new addition. Jonah is a guy with a past that leaves everybody clueless except to the bare minimum. Candy and Jonah may butt heads, but things are just getting heated up. I really enjoyed reading this story that left on a HUGE cliffhanger!!! At first, I didn't really much care for Candy's manipulative-ness, but as the story went on I discovered more layers to her. You really do learn that looks can be VERY deceptive especially in those you trust. I am very excited to read the sequel because you CANNOT leave me hanging with such an intense scene unwinding!!
*Major cliffhanger at the end of the book*
In this book we are taken into the life of Candy who has had a not-so-great life thus far. Mom died of cancer, taken from home to be forced to live with literal demon-spawn family, cheating boyfriend, knowing that your best friend will expire soon due to his illness, and being forced to live with an illness yourself that makes yourself more vulnerable to the cold. That makes life sooo peachy for Candy. I really can't blame her for the way she acts sometimes because, heck, her whole life is a living nightmare. When Candy turns 18 she escapes her imprisonment with her devilish family. She does leave with a bang, which I find quite amusing. When she gets home again she starts back her old school. Most everything has remained un-changed, but their is a new addition. Jonah is a guy with a past that leaves everybody clueless except to the bare minimum. Candy and Jonah may butt heads, but things are just getting heated up. I really enjoyed reading this story that left on a HUGE cliffhanger!!! At first, I didn't really much care for Candy's manipulative-ness, but as the story went on I discovered more layers to her. You really do learn that looks can be VERY deceptive especially in those you trust. I am very excited to read the sequel because you CANNOT leave me hanging with such an intense scene unwinding!!
October 20, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.5
Candy could be quite annoying at times, and I didn't really like her.
I was slightly bored after the first few chapters in this, and unfortunately, as the book progressed, my boredom got worse. The pacing was pretty slow, and the majority of what happened in this didn't interest me.
This ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I doubt I'll be reading book two.
Actual rating - 2.5
Candy could be quite annoying at times, and I didn't really like her.
I was slightly bored after the first few chapters in this, and unfortunately, as the book progressed, my boredom got worse. The pacing was pretty slow, and the majority of what happened in this didn't interest me.
This ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I doubt I'll be reading book two.
February 11, 2016
I received a a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (thanks Netgalley!)
First off, can I just say I knew it! I didn't know exactly how things would play out but from the introduction of Jonah and the vague facts we were given about his father.
It took me a while to get into the book. I don't know why, but once I got into it I was hooked! It had just enough romance and suspense, and I was interested in all aspects of the story which is quite rare. Usually I find myself more interested in the romance but it wasn't like that in this case. I am so intrigued with Candy's dad. I don't know if he's good, bad, or just misguided. Only time shall tell I suppose.
At first I didn't really like Candy. She was kind of a bitch. Her thoughts about making nice with people that could benefit her in the future kinda pissed me off. But with her backstory she's kind of always had to look out for herself. She ended up growing over the course of the book so that's good and she eventually grew on me. She got more mature and all that good stuff. You could argue about the Parker Prank but I don't like her so I thought it was funny >.<
Jonah was really amusing. Call me cliche but I did like his bad-boy vibe. I'm not that cliche in real life, I promise. But I enjoyed his character. I liked seeing his sweet side with Candy and his witty dry humor side with everyone else. In real life I'd think he was a douche or cower anytime he was near, but since I was living vicariously through Candy he was all good. Him and Candy together are cute. Their relationship was swoon inducing. All good on the romance front.
Lets just take a moment to admire how damn cute this line is...
Don't we all Jonah, don't we all.
And this little banter...
Literally my thoughts when I read this: Hot damn, and WHY CAN'T I BE WITTY LIKE THAT?!
Now for the plot and spoilers.
I repeat, I saw it coming!!
I knew Candy's dad's job would be related to Jonah somehow. (I know it mentioned this in the book description) I'm not to sure about my earlier theory but something else had to happen for Jonah and his dad to dislike Candy's dad so much. I also had suspicions about Jonah's dad being the guy that broke into the house and the freezer incident being on purpose. I mean I don't think I'm a genius but I pride myself in noticing the foreshadowing. (I usually don't).
Or course there has to be trouble with Jonah and Candy, what romance-y YA book is without love conflicts? I have faith in their relationship.
Doxer did a damn good job with the ending. those cliffhangers though... Like I need to know NOW what happens. What if candy accidentally shoots her own dad? I kinda want Jonah's dad to live, and definitely want Candy's to live. I really don't know who the bad guy is in this situation but it's obviously not as black and white as Candy is seeing it. This being said, it's usually easier for the reader to see the big picture. I want both dad's to be good and the company they work for to be the bad guys. And maybe in the end they'll all come together and kick ass. Talk about cliche, Lee. But really, I'll be sad if anyone dies. If either dad dies it'll strain things even more between Candy and Jonah. I can see Candy's dad accidentally getting shot and Candy having to live or move with Jonah for awhile.
Anyways I really enjoyed the book and, I'm anxiously awaiting the next one. *applause*
First off, can I just say I knew it! I didn't know exactly how things would play out but from the introduction of Jonah and the vague facts we were given about his father.
It took me a while to get into the book. I don't know why, but once I got into it I was hooked! It had just enough romance and suspense, and I was interested in all aspects of the story which is quite rare. Usually I find myself more interested in the romance but it wasn't like that in this case. I am so intrigued with Candy's dad. I don't know if he's good, bad, or just misguided. Only time shall tell I suppose.
At first I didn't really like Candy. She was kind of a bitch. Her thoughts about making nice with people that could benefit her in the future kinda pissed me off. But with her backstory she's kind of always had to look out for herself. She ended up growing over the course of the book so that's good and she eventually grew on me. She got more mature and all that good stuff. You could argue about the Parker Prank but I don't like her so I thought it was funny >.<
Jonah was really amusing. Call me cliche but I did like his bad-boy vibe. I'm not that cliche in real life, I promise. But I enjoyed his character. I liked seeing his sweet side with Candy and his witty dry humor side with everyone else. In real life I'd think he was a douche or cower anytime he was near, but since I was living vicariously through Candy he was all good. Him and Candy together are cute. Their relationship was swoon inducing. All good on the romance front.
Lets just take a moment to admire how damn cute this line is...
I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you'd believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because everyday that you don't realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book.
Don't we all Jonah, don't we all.
And this little banter...
He smiled devilishly, nodding. "So you're a hot-and-hard candy."
"Hot-and-hard." I repeated thoughtfully. "Are we talking about me or you now?" With that, I laughed before pushing the door open and jumping down out of the Jeep.
Literally my thoughts when I read this: Hot damn, and WHY CAN'T I BE WITTY LIKE THAT?!
Now for the plot and spoilers.
I repeat, I saw it coming!!
I knew Candy's dad's job would be related to Jonah somehow. (I know it mentioned this in the book description) I'm not to sure about my earlier theory but something else had to happen for Jonah and his dad to dislike Candy's dad so much. I also had suspicions about Jonah's dad being the guy that broke into the house and the freezer incident being on purpose. I mean I don't think I'm a genius but I pride myself in noticing the foreshadowing. (I usually don't).
Or course there has to be trouble with Jonah and Candy, what romance-y YA book is without love conflicts? I have faith in their relationship.
Doxer did a damn good job with the ending. those cliffhangers though... Like I need to know NOW what happens. What if candy accidentally shoots her own dad? I kinda want Jonah's dad to live, and definitely want Candy's to live. I really don't know who the bad guy is in this situation but it's obviously not as black and white as Candy is seeing it. This being said, it's usually easier for the reader to see the big picture. I want both dad's to be good and the company they work for to be the bad guys. And maybe in the end they'll all come together and kick ass. Talk about cliche, Lee. But really, I'll be sad if anyone dies. If either dad dies it'll strain things even more between Candy and Jonah. I can see Candy's dad accidentally getting shot and Candy having to live or move with Jonah for awhile.
Anyways I really enjoyed the book and, I'm anxiously awaiting the next one. *applause*
July 26, 2015
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
A story packed with enthralling characters, a plot shadowed in mystery, a little bit of love, and a whole lot of drama, "Like Candy" was one enjoyable read.
Debra Doxer certainly has a way with words. I love her writing style. Every word is purposeful, making its point, without being cumbersome or plain. While the plot itself was slow, the pace of the writing was fast. Once I sat down and started reading, I couldn't take my eyes away, eagerly flipping from page to page. The dialogue and overall descriptions were fantastic. The book flowed smoothly with few instances of showing vs telling, and an overall steady rhythm. I simply wish that Candy's dad would've divulged any sort of information, to help clear up some of my questions, but I'm sure those will be addressed in the next book.
Although I was skeptical about reading a high school romance, I haven't read one in quite some time, since I was afraid of blaring immaturity, excessive whininess, and tons of insta-love... Debra Doxer reassured me, and offered a novel that didn't make me cringe, one with maturity, intellect, and an overall compelling story. It was a refreshing book, on a shelf filled with duplicates and cliches, and most of all, it kept my attention.
I immediately took a liking to Candy. She is spunky, headstrong, and confident; a girl who means business, who can take care of herself, and most of all, a character that doesn't come across as annoying. Each page I began to like her more and more; I felt for her, and wanted to see her get the guy, the job, and the happily ever after. I rooted for this character, hoping like hell that things would work out for her. But overall, I didn't pity her, I respected her. Sure, she could be immature at times, a little foolish, maybe shallow, but it all fit together; those are all aspects of any real teenager.
Jonah was also a very likable character, one that was very easy to fall for. While he is the "mysterious new guy," I loved that he wasn't categorized as "the bad boy" or "the popular good guy" but that he was somewhere in between. He was very magnetic, extremely charming, and tenderhearted. I haven't one bad thing to say about Jonah, except I wish I knew more about him. As for the revelation about him towards the end. I called it. Totally saw it coming from a mile away.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, dialogue, and writing style, the plot needed a little work. It was an easy quick read, but for the amount of pages I demolished with this novel, I was very surprised by how anticlimactic it was. Its like watching a TV show, and at the end you realize that you just watched a "filler" episode. You just spent all that time invested in your show, to have everything be set up for next week's episode. I feel a little cheated. Everything was building up to a certain point, and suddenly, you've run out of pages. The 100 or so pages before that could've been a little more condensed to allow for a more in-depth cliffhanger. But now I'm very excited to see where the next book will go, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what these character's do with the hand they were dealt.
"Like Candy" took me by surprise. I remember liking Keep You from Harm by this author, but I underestimated how much I enjoyed Debra Doxer's writing style. I've been disappointed by several books lately, and this one pushed my spirits back up. I was very pleased by this novel, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
A story packed with enthralling characters, a plot shadowed in mystery, a little bit of love, and a whole lot of drama, "Like Candy" was one enjoyable read.
Debra Doxer certainly has a way with words. I love her writing style. Every word is purposeful, making its point, without being cumbersome or plain. While the plot itself was slow, the pace of the writing was fast. Once I sat down and started reading, I couldn't take my eyes away, eagerly flipping from page to page. The dialogue and overall descriptions were fantastic. The book flowed smoothly with few instances of showing vs telling, and an overall steady rhythm. I simply wish that Candy's dad would've divulged any sort of information, to help clear up some of my questions, but I'm sure those will be addressed in the next book.
Although I was skeptical about reading a high school romance, I haven't read one in quite some time, since I was afraid of blaring immaturity, excessive whininess, and tons of insta-love... Debra Doxer reassured me, and offered a novel that didn't make me cringe, one with maturity, intellect, and an overall compelling story. It was a refreshing book, on a shelf filled with duplicates and cliches, and most of all, it kept my attention.
I immediately took a liking to Candy. She is spunky, headstrong, and confident; a girl who means business, who can take care of herself, and most of all, a character that doesn't come across as annoying. Each page I began to like her more and more; I felt for her, and wanted to see her get the guy, the job, and the happily ever after. I rooted for this character, hoping like hell that things would work out for her. But overall, I didn't pity her, I respected her. Sure, she could be immature at times, a little foolish, maybe shallow, but it all fit together; those are all aspects of any real teenager.
Jonah was also a very likable character, one that was very easy to fall for. While he is the "mysterious new guy," I loved that he wasn't categorized as "the bad boy" or "the popular good guy" but that he was somewhere in between. He was very magnetic, extremely charming, and tenderhearted. I haven't one bad thing to say about Jonah, except I wish I knew more about him. As for the revelation about him towards the end. I called it. Totally saw it coming from a mile away.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, dialogue, and writing style, the plot needed a little work. It was an easy quick read, but for the amount of pages I demolished with this novel, I was very surprised by how anticlimactic it was. Its like watching a TV show, and at the end you realize that you just watched a "filler" episode. You just spent all that time invested in your show, to have everything be set up for next week's episode. I feel a little cheated. Everything was building up to a certain point, and suddenly, you've run out of pages. The 100 or so pages before that could've been a little more condensed to allow for a more in-depth cliffhanger. But now I'm very excited to see where the next book will go, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what these character's do with the hand they were dealt.
"Like Candy" took me by surprise. I remember liking Keep You from Harm by this author, but I underestimated how much I enjoyed Debra Doxer's writing style. I've been disappointed by several books lately, and this one pushed my spirits back up. I was very pleased by this novel, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
August 10, 2015
At A Glance
Sometimes I loved this book, sometimes it was just okay.
The Good
Now this one had an interesting concept. It felt different from other books. I really enjoyed Like Candy. The characters are extremely flawed. Sometimes I hated them, but that's why I liked them.
Candy was....interesting. Sometimes I could totally see her as a wannabe sociopath, but other times she was just a normal teenager. She wants to be like her spy/assassin dad, but he doesn't want that for her. So she goes on with the drudgery of high school and being a part of the popular crowd because there is nothing better to do. But Jonah changes all that. He's a loner, but he has this mystery about him that draws Candy in. I wasn't so sure about Jonah in the beginning, but he really grew on me. He is so attentive and caring for Candy and her many problems. I actually loved him in the end. Then that damn twist!!!
I loved the mystery aspect. It was a good mix between romance and mystery. The little action was exciting. Candy's dad was a total prick, but their interactions kept things interesting. The cliffhanger was killer. I was okay with it, but it felt like the story didn't end at the right point.
The Bad
When a blurb says Candy is a badass, I expect her to be a badass. She really wasn't. She had no skills or training at all, and with her dad being an assassin, I expected more. I thought she was going to get such cool revenge on people who wronged her. She did, but it happened in the beginning, and the end, so the middle was full of Candy being a normal teenager. I expected more action in-between.
The middle got boring.
The Snuggly
Candy and Jonah are hot together but everything stays very YA. Just kissing.
Final Thoughts
I will continue this series for sure. I have to know what is going to happen next. Like Candy had it's bad points, but it had more good points. Recommended.
Quotes
"Do I seem like most guys to you? I like strong women who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves. Any guy who doesn't is just plain weak."
"I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you'd believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don't realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book."
Giveaway
Sometimes I loved this book, sometimes it was just okay.
The Good
Now this one had an interesting concept. It felt different from other books. I really enjoyed Like Candy. The characters are extremely flawed. Sometimes I hated them, but that's why I liked them.
Candy was....interesting. Sometimes I could totally see her as a wannabe sociopath, but other times she was just a normal teenager. She wants to be like her spy/assassin dad, but he doesn't want that for her. So she goes on with the drudgery of high school and being a part of the popular crowd because there is nothing better to do. But Jonah changes all that. He's a loner, but he has this mystery about him that draws Candy in. I wasn't so sure about Jonah in the beginning, but he really grew on me. He is so attentive and caring for Candy and her many problems. I actually loved him in the end. Then that damn twist!!!
I loved the mystery aspect. It was a good mix between romance and mystery. The little action was exciting. Candy's dad was a total prick, but their interactions kept things interesting. The cliffhanger was killer. I was okay with it, but it felt like the story didn't end at the right point.
The Bad
When a blurb says Candy is a badass, I expect her to be a badass. She really wasn't. She had no skills or training at all, and with her dad being an assassin, I expected more. I thought she was going to get such cool revenge on people who wronged her. She did, but it happened in the beginning, and the end, so the middle was full of Candy being a normal teenager. I expected more action in-between.
The middle got boring.
The Snuggly
Candy and Jonah are hot together but everything stays very YA. Just kissing.
Final Thoughts
I will continue this series for sure. I have to know what is going to happen next. Like Candy had it's bad points, but it had more good points. Recommended.
Quotes
"Do I seem like most guys to you? I like strong women who aren't afraid to stand up for themselves. Any guy who doesn't is just plain weak."
"I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn't be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you'd believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don't realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book."
Giveaway
This is a tour wide giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
August 18, 2015
*ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Self-published author, Debra Doxer, writes a building, page-turning mystery in Like Candy. From the summery, I expected this book to be adventurous and fun, but the themes are more serious.
Candy says she’s tough, and I think she is, but it comes from a need to protect herself. She’s lost her mom, lived with relatives who mistreated her, has an emotionally disconnected, hit-man father, and her best friend is terminally ill. When she dishes out revenge pranks (some extreme) her “successes” come off as more immaturely ruthless. I couldn’t decide if I was cheering for her or not. She comes off as a character misguided. Her father’s profession continues to be cloaked in mystery. Should Candy look up to him? Candy is determined to believe he’s one of the good guys, but is her opinion swayed by her need for his approval? Her budding relationship with Jonah proves that she longs to be truly cared for and seen. If she had an attentive relationship in her life, would she feel the need to take revenge on those around her?
Jonah also hides behind a façade, protecting himself from getting hurt by a relationship (so we think). The more time Candy spends with him, the more she discovers he’s compassionate and kind, utterly charming—opening doors for her and carrying her books. But as Candy discovers a threat to her father, and said threat targets Candy as a way to get to her father, she realizes Jonah might not be as trustworthy as he seems.
This has been happening to me a lot lately:
Start book
engaged in book and characters
excited for the reveal
get to 10% left on my Kindle in particular book and realize “oh no, this can’t possibly be resolved in the allotted time”
realize I’m reading a series instead of a stand-alone novel…
Doxer leaves us with one intense cliff-hanger. The good news: according to Goodreads.com the next book, Sweet Liar, comes out in October! If this story appeals to you, it’s only $2.99 on Amazon.com.
Would I let my teen read this book?
Some people might think Like Candy idolizes revenge, and maybe Candy’s strengths do play a little heavily into her ability to manipulate and carry out pranks. However, Candy is emotionally dealing with so much in her life that, as the reader, it’s hard to trust her judgment. Overall, it’s a clever mystery and romance with themes of grief, love, sacrifice, and trust.
Also, expect the teens in this book to act like teens. There’s some language. The boys are full of sexual innuendos. There’s an unsupervised party with alcohol. Despite these things, the book felt relatively clean to me. If you don’t remember high school, than you might disagree, but compared to the real high school lunchroom, Like Candy is tame.
Age recommendation: 16
Language – mild
Drugs & Alcohol— Underage drinking at party
Sex – There’s some references to sex, like I said, boys with innuendos; Several kissing scenes
Violence – Candy’s father gets strangled; Candy fires a gun
For more reviews with an emphasis on age-appropriate content, visit FickleLit.
Self-published author, Debra Doxer, writes a building, page-turning mystery in Like Candy. From the summery, I expected this book to be adventurous and fun, but the themes are more serious.
Candy says she’s tough, and I think she is, but it comes from a need to protect herself. She’s lost her mom, lived with relatives who mistreated her, has an emotionally disconnected, hit-man father, and her best friend is terminally ill. When she dishes out revenge pranks (some extreme) her “successes” come off as more immaturely ruthless. I couldn’t decide if I was cheering for her or not. She comes off as a character misguided. Her father’s profession continues to be cloaked in mystery. Should Candy look up to him? Candy is determined to believe he’s one of the good guys, but is her opinion swayed by her need for his approval? Her budding relationship with Jonah proves that she longs to be truly cared for and seen. If she had an attentive relationship in her life, would she feel the need to take revenge on those around her?
Jonah also hides behind a façade, protecting himself from getting hurt by a relationship (so we think). The more time Candy spends with him, the more she discovers he’s compassionate and kind, utterly charming—opening doors for her and carrying her books. But as Candy discovers a threat to her father, and said threat targets Candy as a way to get to her father, she realizes Jonah might not be as trustworthy as he seems.
This has been happening to me a lot lately:
Start book
engaged in book and characters
excited for the reveal
get to 10% left on my Kindle in particular book and realize “oh no, this can’t possibly be resolved in the allotted time”
realize I’m reading a series instead of a stand-alone novel…
Doxer leaves us with one intense cliff-hanger. The good news: according to Goodreads.com the next book, Sweet Liar, comes out in October! If this story appeals to you, it’s only $2.99 on Amazon.com.
Would I let my teen read this book?
Some people might think Like Candy idolizes revenge, and maybe Candy’s strengths do play a little heavily into her ability to manipulate and carry out pranks. However, Candy is emotionally dealing with so much in her life that, as the reader, it’s hard to trust her judgment. Overall, it’s a clever mystery and romance with themes of grief, love, sacrifice, and trust.
Also, expect the teens in this book to act like teens. There’s some language. The boys are full of sexual innuendos. There’s an unsupervised party with alcohol. Despite these things, the book felt relatively clean to me. If you don’t remember high school, than you might disagree, but compared to the real high school lunchroom, Like Candy is tame.
Age recommendation: 16
Language – mild
Drugs & Alcohol— Underage drinking at party
Sex – There’s some references to sex, like I said, boys with innuendos; Several kissing scenes
Violence – Candy’s father gets strangled; Candy fires a gun
For more reviews with an emphasis on age-appropriate content, visit FickleLit.
March 4, 2016
*I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Today, I come to my fellow readers with a MUST READ.... Don't argue with me just read it and then thank me later......
Like Candy, I am going to begin by saying...
I ate this book up like candy.
I know corny but THAT is how much I ADORED this book
First things first, the cover is gorgeous and because I have an e-copy I am literally thinking I might buy a paperback just to have the cover.. It looks awesome.
Onto the characters.. some main characters in this book were Candy, the narrator and her love interest Jonah. Some other important characters are the mean girl, Parker and Candy's backup girl Lea. Also, Candy's father plays an important role.
When the book started I immediately got Alison DiLaurentis vibes from Candy but she turned out to be a REALLY awesome main character. I ended up really liking her. The only time that I was super frustrated with her was in this line...
"I knew Jonah and I weren't destined to become a couple or anything, but something sparked between us..."
Lord, Candy!!!! The book was narrated from your point of view from what I know you both are into each other so don't give me the whole innocent we won't be together thing because it is baloney. You can't say you won't be together but then say you had a spark!
Rant over, that issue was with Candy not Debra.
Moving on to another character Jonah.
He reminded me a little of Warner from Shatter Me. Only because it took time for me to warm up to him. I ended up really enjoying his character.
I liked the relationship between these two characters as it seemed realistic and neither one jumped into anything too quickly. They were both just figuring each other out.
Now onto Parker, she was really like a straight up Regina George. I didn't like her and I wasn't supposed to so that worked out nicely.
Finally, Candy's father. Honestly I was a little upset because the dad was really shady and he would not really tell Candy much. Candy was very honest (for the most part) with her dad and she is a really good kid. Some scenes I really wanted for her to just up and leave when I felt her dad was super cold and distant.
I still liked the character as a reader because it added a really great dimension that I don't see often.
The book was an emotional roller coaster that I would ride again any day.
I need the sequel right now.
I love Debra Doxer's writing major props for this amazing book and when it releases it better be popular because it Like Candy is magnificent.
This book was awesome and I can't say much else but leave you with one last thing...
I read the book nonstop from about 6:00 to 10:30.
That's all
-Iman
Leave questions and comments down below!
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Contact Me: jenminoa0820@gmail.com
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Check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Like-Candy-Debr...
Today, I come to my fellow readers with a MUST READ.... Don't argue with me just read it and then thank me later......
Like Candy, I am going to begin by saying...
I ate this book up like candy.
I know corny but THAT is how much I ADORED this book
First things first, the cover is gorgeous and because I have an e-copy I am literally thinking I might buy a paperback just to have the cover.. It looks awesome.
Onto the characters.. some main characters in this book were Candy, the narrator and her love interest Jonah. Some other important characters are the mean girl, Parker and Candy's backup girl Lea. Also, Candy's father plays an important role.
When the book started I immediately got Alison DiLaurentis vibes from Candy but she turned out to be a REALLY awesome main character. I ended up really liking her. The only time that I was super frustrated with her was in this line...
"I knew Jonah and I weren't destined to become a couple or anything, but something sparked between us..."
Lord, Candy!!!! The book was narrated from your point of view from what I know you both are into each other so don't give me the whole innocent we won't be together thing because it is baloney. You can't say you won't be together but then say you had a spark!
Rant over, that issue was with Candy not Debra.
Moving on to another character Jonah.
He reminded me a little of Warner from Shatter Me. Only because it took time for me to warm up to him. I ended up really enjoying his character.
I liked the relationship between these two characters as it seemed realistic and neither one jumped into anything too quickly. They were both just figuring each other out.
Now onto Parker, she was really like a straight up Regina George. I didn't like her and I wasn't supposed to so that worked out nicely.
Finally, Candy's father. Honestly I was a little upset because the dad was really shady and he would not really tell Candy much. Candy was very honest (for the most part) with her dad and she is a really good kid. Some scenes I really wanted for her to just up and leave when I felt her dad was super cold and distant.
I still liked the character as a reader because it added a really great dimension that I don't see often.
The book was an emotional roller coaster that I would ride again any day.
I need the sequel right now.
I love Debra Doxer's writing major props for this amazing book and when it releases it better be popular because it Like Candy is magnificent.
This book was awesome and I can't say much else but leave you with one last thing...
I read the book nonstop from about 6:00 to 10:30.
That's all
-Iman
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August 23, 2015
ARC kindly provided by Xpresso Book Tours via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!
“I wish I was the first guy you fell for. Then maybe the shadows in your eyes wouldn’t be there, and when I told you how beautiful you are you’d believe me. You make me want to erase those shadows and chase away the memories that put them there, because every day that you don’t realize how amazing you are is a tragedy in my book.”
Review
This book made me swoon, tear up, laugh, giggle, snort, frown, gasp, hmm, curse, blink, wonder, think, suspect, tense up, nod, argh, etc. It was one of the loveliest books I came across that Netgalley had the kindness of bestowing me.
It certainly wasn't what the blurb implied; some teenage girl in training from her father who is an assassin/spy/secret-agent, who falls for a guy and likes to take serious revenge on people for wronging her but then discovering there is more to life than just being an assassin/spy/secret-agent. No. It's about a fairly normal girl, Candace Seaborne, who takes revenge every now and then for fun. She is smart, funny, ruthless yet loving. She is a girl who knows what she wants; and that is to become like her father (who vehemently protests this notion) and finally have a normal family and home...without any romantic attachments (her ex-cheated on her).
This book just kept getting better and better. It starts pretty slow, but rises in tension and drama until...CLIFFHANGER!!! I know, I should have expected this since it is clearly said in the blurb that this is part one or a two part story but JEEZ! Why such a cliffhanger, Ms Doxer?
Candy's relationships are very real with her fellow characters...especially Jonah Bryson. There was lots of emotion flowing between the two and everything seemed distinctly real. There was no telling like some authors do, but lots of showing instead. I believe this is part of what made this book so good.
I saw no grammar mistakes and maybe one typo - which I can no longer remember where it was. The sentences were fairly simple and easily to read but properly structured so everything flowed smoothly. It was a genuine pleasure to read. Congratulations to Debra Doxer on another wonderful book that makes you want to re-read it as soon as you put it down! Can't wait for Sweet Liar!
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!
December 17, 2015
See this review and more on my blog, Lilybloombooks
I really loved Debra's NA novel, Keep You From Harm, so when I saw Like Candy available for download, I immediately requested it. Her writing is so engaging and pulls you in immediately from the first page. Like Candy was no different.
I was actually surprised by a lot of Like Candy. It's blurbed as a revenge story and while Candy has her moments of pranks and plots of revenge, it's not the main plot of the book. It's actually quite confusing, because I could never really put my finger on exactly what the plot was. Is it her move? The Romance? The mystery behind Jonah and her father? Answer - it was kind of all of the above.
The first 90% reads as your run of the mill YA contemporary romance. Sure, there are mysterious THINGS thrown in but as I said, I never really got the vibe at first on just how suspenseful and mysterious the overall story arc would be. Not saying i didn't enjoy it, but I honestly think the added mystery behind her dad and a few other events, especially the end, is what added to my enjoyment!
Candy has such a refreshing voice. She kind of reminds me a lot of myself; in that I do what I want attitude and the whole "get back at those who burned you." Yet - she has this big heart but doesn't wear it on her sleeve for everyone to see. She also owns a lot of what many girls do in looking for attention, mainly as a distraction to her own problems. Basically, she doesn't always live by the "rules" or do things the conventional way, but she owns it.
The mystery surrounding her father had me beyond intrigued. Debra did an amazing job dropping down hints about what he does. It really makes you think about right vs wrong. Maybe I read into that because I love that sort of thing.
As far as the romance goes - well. It's important but not on many levels. I say this because of everything that unfolds in the end, their feelings for each other and Jonah's secret must play a HUGE part in the next book. Which by the way, you might want to have in your hands after finishing Like Candy because the cliffhanger is a DOOZY! But I digress. I liked Jonah. There were moments when I thought I didn't, because he was hot and cold a lot and that irritates me to high heaven. But again, THAT ENDING. Things make a little bit more sense.
Overall though, I really liked Like Candy. The drama, suspense and mystery with flawed characters you can't help but like. I highly recommend Like Candy, especially if you are looking for a wild ride!
I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really loved Debra's NA novel, Keep You From Harm, so when I saw Like Candy available for download, I immediately requested it. Her writing is so engaging and pulls you in immediately from the first page. Like Candy was no different.
I was actually surprised by a lot of Like Candy. It's blurbed as a revenge story and while Candy has her moments of pranks and plots of revenge, it's not the main plot of the book. It's actually quite confusing, because I could never really put my finger on exactly what the plot was. Is it her move? The Romance? The mystery behind Jonah and her father? Answer - it was kind of all of the above.
The first 90% reads as your run of the mill YA contemporary romance. Sure, there are mysterious THINGS thrown in but as I said, I never really got the vibe at first on just how suspenseful and mysterious the overall story arc would be. Not saying i didn't enjoy it, but I honestly think the added mystery behind her dad and a few other events, especially the end, is what added to my enjoyment!
Candy has such a refreshing voice. She kind of reminds me a lot of myself; in that I do what I want attitude and the whole "get back at those who burned you." Yet - she has this big heart but doesn't wear it on her sleeve for everyone to see. She also owns a lot of what many girls do in looking for attention, mainly as a distraction to her own problems. Basically, she doesn't always live by the "rules" or do things the conventional way, but she owns it.
The mystery surrounding her father had me beyond intrigued. Debra did an amazing job dropping down hints about what he does. It really makes you think about right vs wrong. Maybe I read into that because I love that sort of thing.
As far as the romance goes - well. It's important but not on many levels. I say this because of everything that unfolds in the end, their feelings for each other and Jonah's secret must play a HUGE part in the next book. Which by the way, you might want to have in your hands after finishing Like Candy because the cliffhanger is a DOOZY! But I digress. I liked Jonah. There were moments when I thought I didn't, because he was hot and cold a lot and that irritates me to high heaven. But again, THAT ENDING. Things make a little bit more sense.
Overall though, I really liked Like Candy. The drama, suspense and mystery with flawed characters you can't help but like. I highly recommend Like Candy, especially if you are looking for a wild ride!
I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 10, 2015
For more reviews go to: http://best-of-ya.blogspot.com/
Candy Seaborne is pretty sure her father is a spy—or maybe even an assassin. Either way, he’s a total badass and she wants to follow in his footsteps. But for now she’s a senior who’s trying to reestablish her place in the high school hierarchy. She is instantly drawn to Jonah Bryson who seems to be full of contradictions. He’s a jock, but not your typical player. He’s popular, but kind of antisocial. And despite the fact that they just met, he seems to understand her better than anyone.
This is told over two full-length books; Like Candy and Sweet Liar. The beginning was kind of slow as we are introduced to the characters and it mainly focuses on Candy’s growing relationship with Jonah. I love it when the author actually takes the time to build the romantic relationships in their book; it is always enjoyable and much more believable seeing a relationship bloom slowly rather than having the characters get together after just 5 pages or whatever.
It wasn’t until almost the very end that the action picked up and the interesting stuff started to happen (which was a little frustrating because I had no clue where the plot was going most of the time since there wasn’t much happening in the first 3/4 of the book). I still have no idea what Candy’s father does for a living or what he did to piss off his superiors, but it is something that is spilling into his personal life quickly—and, shockingly, into Candy’s as well. I won’t say how, but I will say that it was a well-developed plot twist that I did not see coming! The story also ends in a pretty massive cliff-hanger that leaves you wishing this was not split into two books because you need to know exactly what happens after the last word.
I didn’t particularly love Candy at the start, but she definitely grew on me as the story progressed. I feel like as Jonah got to know her better, so did I. She is manipulative and thrives off of revenge, but is also really sweet and kind of a homebody; she would rather spend her nights at home cooking dinner for her father instead of being out all night with her friends. Jonah was also really sweet and caring. He does some of the nicest things for Candy, but at the same time is very secretive which made it hard to really get to know him; I’m hoping we get to learn more about who he really is in book two.
I would probably have given this a full 5 stars had it not been for the lull in the plot at times. I appreciate that the time was taken to really develop the characters and their relationships with each other, but it would have also been nice if a bit more action was thrown in earlier. But other than that, I really did enjoy this and will definitely be picking up Sweet Liar and any other books written by Doxer in the future.
Candy Seaborne is pretty sure her father is a spy—or maybe even an assassin. Either way, he’s a total badass and she wants to follow in his footsteps. But for now she’s a senior who’s trying to reestablish her place in the high school hierarchy. She is instantly drawn to Jonah Bryson who seems to be full of contradictions. He’s a jock, but not your typical player. He’s popular, but kind of antisocial. And despite the fact that they just met, he seems to understand her better than anyone.
This is told over two full-length books; Like Candy and Sweet Liar. The beginning was kind of slow as we are introduced to the characters and it mainly focuses on Candy’s growing relationship with Jonah. I love it when the author actually takes the time to build the romantic relationships in their book; it is always enjoyable and much more believable seeing a relationship bloom slowly rather than having the characters get together after just 5 pages or whatever.
It wasn’t until almost the very end that the action picked up and the interesting stuff started to happen (which was a little frustrating because I had no clue where the plot was going most of the time since there wasn’t much happening in the first 3/4 of the book). I still have no idea what Candy’s father does for a living or what he did to piss off his superiors, but it is something that is spilling into his personal life quickly—and, shockingly, into Candy’s as well. I won’t say how, but I will say that it was a well-developed plot twist that I did not see coming! The story also ends in a pretty massive cliff-hanger that leaves you wishing this was not split into two books because you need to know exactly what happens after the last word.
I didn’t particularly love Candy at the start, but she definitely grew on me as the story progressed. I feel like as Jonah got to know her better, so did I. She is manipulative and thrives off of revenge, but is also really sweet and kind of a homebody; she would rather spend her nights at home cooking dinner for her father instead of being out all night with her friends. Jonah was also really sweet and caring. He does some of the nicest things for Candy, but at the same time is very secretive which made it hard to really get to know him; I’m hoping we get to learn more about who he really is in book two.
I would probably have given this a full 5 stars had it not been for the lull in the plot at times. I appreciate that the time was taken to really develop the characters and their relationships with each other, but it would have also been nice if a bit more action was thrown in earlier. But other than that, I really did enjoy this and will definitely be picking up Sweet Liar and any other books written by Doxer in the future.
July 28, 2015
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review. This book just didn't work for me for several reasons. First, the blurb lead me to believe that Candy was going to join her father in some action packed sequences, but that just isn't what happens here. Candy has no skills beyond her ability to manipulate, so she isn't going to fight her way out of a paper bag. Second, Candy comes across as a psychopath - she is calculating and cruel and vengeful. She is something more than a mean girl, and though I think readers are suppose to cheer when she gets her revenge, it feels wrong. If she has such deep seeded tendencies, it is hard to see her as some vulnerable girl underneath. I think this was meant to give the reader an impression of a character with layers, but it ended up feeling like a fractured character. The Candy who presents herself as hard core feels like a completely different Candy than the one who "falls" for Jonah. In my opinion, someone like the first Candy would be incapable of feeling any true emotions towards other people, so this just seemed off. Third, Jonah is not suppose to be a fool. He sees through the machinations of every high school girl, but he sees the true Candy beneath the mean? He fails to see how mean Candy is? She is so hot he can't help but want to rub against her? None of those really seemed logical based on what we learn about Jonah, so that romance just didn't pass muster. I understood what the author wanted to do here, and if the romance was lifted out of the context around it, it wouldn't be a badly developed relationship - it's nicely paced, it is full of believable and sweet moments, and I genuinely would have cheered for this couple if it hadn't been this couple. Fourth, it ends with a cliffhanger. A bad one. There is no sense of resolution in this book, and this is the kind of cliffhanger that irritates readers. I wasn't that bothered because I don't plan to read the next book, but for readers who really liked it, they are going to feel like the author cut the book in half to get a second book purchase (I have no idea if that is the case, but I know that someone will bring it up). Overall, this book doesn't have the cohesion and consistency to really make it all work together, and readers will sense that early on. Candy's story about living with cousins a la Jane Eyre doesn't jive with her reflexive vengeance. Candy's dad could be at the dog races for all we learn about his "job" and I can't imagine a man like that not teaching his daughter some basic self defense. Even the school setting didn't really feel right because people kept missing practice or being late for practice, and I know that isn't how things work. Language and situations are appropriate for high school.
March 5, 2016
The story follows Candy whose mother had passed away and was then sent to live with her aunt since her father lost custody. On Candy's 18th birthday she decided to go and live with her father since that is where she wanted to be all along. Candy's father had a shady career and is not all that friendly of nature.
I love Candy's personality the author did a great job creating Candy. Everything matched for losing a mother and having a more distance father. She didn't have any close family to relate to so she built a tough outer shell. Only a few people can see through her shell or get to know the real Candy. Also, I love that she must retaliate against people who wronged her it just makes her much stronger as a lead character.
Candy has Raynard's syndrome, which I did not know much about before beginning the book. She tries to hide it from a lot of people because she believes it makes her appear weaker. Raynard's syndrome effects the blood flow in body parts of the body making them feel cool or numb. It was interesting to learn that it can lead to losing a limb if permanent damage occurs, which it seems like is very possible. I love that Jonah takes special care to watch out for Candy with this syndrome because she does seem to want to ignore it.
Another one of my favorite characters is Theo although we only meet him a few times in the book either via text or in person I can tell he is looking out for Candy. Theo is a great friend to Candy and she tries to be a good friend in return. I love his text messages to start each chapter they are very inspirational!
Two quotes I love from Theo:
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, "I will try agian tomorrow.""
"Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear."
Another thing I love that the author talked about it relationships. How much do you really know about a person? Can you see them as possibly deceiving you? Candy constantly has to evaluate her relationships with Jonah and her dad to determine what is actually going on. I think this helps the book become suspenseful because you just don't know what to believe.
I suggest this one as a nighttime read it is easy to follow the story along and I think easy to pick up and put down while still keeping up with what is going on. Also, this could be a good vacation read as long as you have both books because:
Reaction GIF: wow, Bradley Cooper, The Hangover
This pretty much sums up the ending and the must start the second book immediately. I love books that leave such a shocking ending you need to start the second book as soon as physically possible.
I was received this from the YA Bound Book Tours for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I love Candy's personality the author did a great job creating Candy. Everything matched for losing a mother and having a more distance father. She didn't have any close family to relate to so she built a tough outer shell. Only a few people can see through her shell or get to know the real Candy. Also, I love that she must retaliate against people who wronged her it just makes her much stronger as a lead character.
Candy has Raynard's syndrome, which I did not know much about before beginning the book. She tries to hide it from a lot of people because she believes it makes her appear weaker. Raynard's syndrome effects the blood flow in body parts of the body making them feel cool or numb. It was interesting to learn that it can lead to losing a limb if permanent damage occurs, which it seems like is very possible. I love that Jonah takes special care to watch out for Candy with this syndrome because she does seem to want to ignore it.
Another one of my favorite characters is Theo although we only meet him a few times in the book either via text or in person I can tell he is looking out for Candy. Theo is a great friend to Candy and she tries to be a good friend in return. I love his text messages to start each chapter they are very inspirational!
Two quotes I love from Theo:
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, "I will try agian tomorrow.""
"Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear."
Another thing I love that the author talked about it relationships. How much do you really know about a person? Can you see them as possibly deceiving you? Candy constantly has to evaluate her relationships with Jonah and her dad to determine what is actually going on. I think this helps the book become suspenseful because you just don't know what to believe.
I suggest this one as a nighttime read it is easy to follow the story along and I think easy to pick up and put down while still keeping up with what is going on. Also, this could be a good vacation read as long as you have both books because:
Reaction GIF: wow, Bradley Cooper, The Hangover
This pretty much sums up the ending and the must start the second book immediately. I love books that leave such a shocking ending you need to start the second book as soon as physically possible.
I was received this from the YA Bound Book Tours for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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