Review: Fire and Bone by Rachel A. Marks

Fire and Bone

(Otherborn #1)

Rachel A. Marks

4.0/5.0 Stars

After accepting an invitation to a party, Sage goes from being a homeless teenager desperately trying to survive on the streets of L.A. to finding out she is actually the daughter of a Goddess. Her whole life is a lie and the world is way more fantastical than she ever imagined.

The beginning 1/3 or so of this book was a little bumpy for me.  She doesn’t know what is going on and neither did I.  It’s a little wordy and the lack of clear answers gets a bit frustrating.  Not enough to give it up but it lacked the “can’t put it down” factor. Once it evens out and the pace picks up some, it was definitely worth the wait.

The characters are the biggest strength in this book.  Sage is a fantastic MC and her reactions to certain events were true to who she is and her background.  There is an element of love triangle which is totally not my thing but in this case it was definitely integral to the plot.  Both of the interests are very different and compelling in their own right. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Fire and Bone and would definitely recommend it.  The Irish mythology was refreshingly different from the typical YA fantasy reads and the characters are well drawn and layered.  I will definitely be adding the sequel to my TBR.

***I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review***

Review: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Fire & Flood

(Fire & Flood #1)

Victoria Scott

4.0/5.0 stars

I've heard great things about Victoria Scott's writing but having never read her myself I was a little nervous. Could she actually be as good as everyone says or was I about to be monumentally crushed? I can now happily say I see what all the fuss is about. Fire & Flood was immensely entertaining and kept me up well past my bedtime!

Tella Holloway is a somewhat vain and materialistic girl from a well to do family in Boston. Her brother, Corey, is suffering from a mysterious terminal illness. As the story starts her family has recently moved to the middle of nowhere in Montana in the hopes it will help her brother be more comfortable. Tella is struggling with the lack of social life and the sudden change of lifestyle. Returning to her bedroom one night she finds a mysterious device that when activited tells her she is invited to the Brimstone Bleed where the winner receives the cure. Her family does its best to dissuade her but knowing this is the only way to save her brother she, of course, does it anyway.

Tella and I had a bumpy start. She's that very girly, very spoiled type that I have a really hard time identifying with and I was warming up my eyes for some good eyerolls right off the bat. But they never really came because her voice was so hilarious. I ended up really loving the fact that she was the exact opposite of the usual heroine. We all want to think we'd be like Katniss if we were ever placed in this situation- confident, strong, brave, ready to kickass all day long. But come on guys, let's be real, most of us would be terrified and not have the first clue what to do. Tella isn't brave in the beginning or good at survivalist stuff, at all. Why would she be? The worst thing she's had to survive before was missing a killer sale at the mall. What she is- is desperate. Desperate to save the brother she loves and get her family back to some sort of normal life. That's the beauty of this story and Tella specifically. We get to watch her realize how strong she truly is and how much she is willing to risk to save her brother.

The pacing of this story was on point, with lots of action that kept me flipping pages after I promised I would put it down and get some sleep. That was a great plan but then something would happen or some big twist would drop and I'd realize I just killed another hour. Ooops. No biggie- kids can take care of themselves, right?

The only part I wasn't totally hooked on was the romance. I liked Guy but he's very standoffish and secretive and it was hard for me to invest in their romance because I was always suspicious. We do finally get some straight answers from him at the end though and I felt much better about him after that.

Oh. My. God. I almost forgot the Pandoras! Clearly my caffeine level is getting dangerously low. The Pandoras are genetically modified animals that are given to the contenders to help them survive. They all have different skills and powers and it's up to the contestant to figure out what they can do. They are freaking awesome! Fire & Flood is worth reading just for the Pandoras alone. I loved how a lot of their special powers tied into natural skills or behaviors of the actual animal.

Pandoras, fast-pace, action, twists, violence....do I really have to tell you that you want to read this? Okay. Fine. YOU WANT TO READ THIS!

Review: The Queen's Choice by Cayla Kluver

The Queen's Choice

(Heirs of Chrior #1)

Cayla Kluver

2.0/5.0 stars

The Blurb:

Magic was seeping out of me, black and agonizing. I could see it drifting away. The magic that would let me pass the Road to reach home again.

When sixteen-year-old Anya learns that her aunt, Queen of the Faerie Kingdom of Chrior, will soon die, her grief is equalled only by her despair for the future of the kingdom. Her young cousin, Illumina, is unfit to rule, and Anya is determined not to take up the queen's mantle herself.

Convinced that the only solution is to find Prince Zabriel, who long ago disappeared into the human realm of Warckum, and persuade him to take up his rightful crown, Anya journeys into the Warckum Territory to bring him home. But her journey is doomed to be more harrowing than she ever could have imagined.

My Review:

That blurb, you guys. That. Blurb. Faeries, royalty, harrowing journey- yes, yes, and yessss (Gollum voice optional). I jumped at the chance to read this. Though I haven’t read any of Cayla Kluver’s previous works, I’ve always heard good things about it so this was a gimme. Unfortunately, the only thing The Queen’s Choice ended up giving me was a mad case of boredom.

The book starts off with a giant info dump in the Faerie land of Chrior, which shall henceforth be known as Dullsville. Every character we met in Chrior was so boooring. The fiance, especially. He was around for all of two minutes before I decided he was a no-go as a romantic lead. He was like a little puppy doing whatever it's told. Not knocking puppies, I love puppies, but I sure as hell don’t date them. Her Aunt, the Queen, tells her that she is dying and that unless her wayward son, Zabriel, will come back and rule Anya is going to be the next Queen. She send’s Anya’s cousin, Illumina, to retrieve him so she can at least see him once more before she dies. But Anya doesn’t trust Illumina to find him and convince him to come back so she decides to sneak away on her own to find him. Usually I’d find the set-up of that stupid on Anya’s part and I did but I was so tired of Chrior that I was like “yay! Let’s leave! Great idea!”. She crosses into the human realm and things get really interesting…for about two minutes.

The writing style of this book was beautiful. Cayla Kluver has an almost lyrical way of describing things and I did appreciate that at first but it was so overdone that it lost its charm long before the halfway point. I love long books but this one desperately needed to be trimmed. They could have easily cut out 100 pages, maybe even 200, and not lost anything important. The pacing was slow and tedious.

The characters were where it really failed for me. Anya is quite possibly one of the most boring narrators I’ve ever read. Her thought process was so flat that I spent the majority of the book wondering why anyone wanted to be around her. Her human traveling companion, Shea, I liked…at first. She at least had some personality. Which was cool until she ended up having multiple personalities. Not medically speaking, I could roll with that. This was like ‘we need this to be said/happen in the plot so Shea do a complete 180 for no apparent reason’. I actually did like Zabriel but by the time we meet him it was way too little way too late to redeem this at all for me.

The ending was strong and rather enticing but not enough to get me to read the next book. There are just too many books and too little time to spend that many pages being bored out of my mind.

Review: Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Waterfell

(Aquarathi, #1)

Amelie Howard

1.0/5.0 stars

Disclaimer: At 62% I gave up torturing myself and just skimmed the rest of it.

I tried sooo hard but I just couldn't do it guys. I kept on reading thinking praying this would get better. But it got to the point where I either skimmed it or my head was going to start spinning like the exorcist chick. I wish I could say something nice about this book but I hated everything about it.

Waterfell is about Nerissa, an Aquarathi (basically a sea monster) princess who came onto land when her parents died. She is afraid of the responsibility of being the Queen and the potential threats she would face. So her plan is to stay on land and just play human forever.

Nerissa -I think I hate Rissa more than any other MC I've ever read. She was selfish, immature, petty and a whole bunch of other bad adjectives. She doesn't want to take on the responsibility of being a queen but she sure has no qualms with acting like a spoiled little princess and tossing her royalty into her companions' faces to get her way. Anytime she was in any "danger" I was hoping she'd get hurt. In fact, I wanted to jump through the book myself and punch her in the face every few pages. I was sooo frustrated by how clueless she is. She whines and angsts out over bs while ignoring obvious things a ten year old could figure out.

Lotharius Seavon- Lotharious. Seavon. *eyeroll* seriously? I don't know how naming him that ever seemed like a good idea. I also don't see why comparing his hair to wet sand is a good thing, but I digress. He's a competitive surfer from Hawaii who is the object of Rissa's affection obsession. He was supposedly cocky and arrogant in what I think was supposed to be a Daemon-esque way but he just ended up being bland. The only cocky thing he really did was smile smugly and make an occasional quip that wasn't even that sharp.

The other characters all seem designed to make plot devices happen. They all praise Rissa and show her loyalty that I think is supposed to make me think she's awesome, cuz hey- she has to be for these people to love her, right? Or in one of their cases make Lo seem like something special. Because they don't easily like new people so he must just instinctually know this new kid is cool. Once in a blue moon one of them will finally call her out on her bs but then they apologize almost immediately after. *headdesk*

Cara- the arch-nemesis and former best friend. She was the first reason I hated Rissa. Rissa talks nonstop about how horrible and mean she is. Problem is- Rissa is actually the horrible mean one. Cara's reason for ending their friendship is completely understandable, Rissa continues to antagonize her and all Cara does is give her dirty looks. In one of the first scenes (while they are in a game with their field hockey team) Rissa refuses to pass to her out of petty spite while telling us how mean and immature Cara is. Umm....WHAT??? I still don't understand where the author was going with the Rissa/Cara thing. It just made me hate Rissa more and more.

The romance- I don't even know whether to laugh or slam my head into the table a few times to see if I can erase it from my memory. This is instalove hell. She sees him and his wet sand hair and is like OhMiGaaawd but she doesn't want to like him so she acts like a total bitch. She's mad if he's trying to talk to her but she's mad if he isn't. If he even acknowledges another female exists she's livid but she lashes out at him anytime he so much as glances at her. So much angst for no reason and it takes over the entire plot. No, scratch that, it basically is the whole plot.

Plot twists- Smfh. I saw everything coming from ten miles away. The fact that Nerissa didn't just made me even more agitated with her. Hello, stop angsting and whining for five seconds and you might actually see what's going on. Also- the names...*headdesk*.

I hate writing negative reviews but there was just nothing redeemable about this for me. I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone unless you love instalove and ridiculous angst.

Review: Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci

Tin Star

Cecil Castellucci

There was a lot about Tin Star that I really enjoyed. It was a unique tale that didn’t always go in the cliché ways I predicted it would. There was so much about it that I really did like but alas I just needed more. So be prepared to hear that a lot in this review.

Tin Star begins with our amiable protagonist, Tula Bane, being beaten to near death just for being perceptive and daring to question Brother Blue. She is then left for dead on an out of the way space station where there are no other humans. She manages to survive with the help of a lovable yet mischievous alien, Heckleck. He not only helps her survive but he teaches her how to thrive in this alien environment. Everything is going relatively smoothly until three humans arrive on the space station.

I liked Tula but I had a hard time emotionally connecting to her. And everybody knows I am ultimately an emotional reader. She really became more alien-like after years being the only human and I really think that was why I had such a tough time connecting with her. It was fascinating to watch her struggle to connect with the other humans after being around aliens for so long but if you’re an emotional reader like me it may make it a struggle for you to fully invest in her.

I loved the aliens and the differences between each species’ behavior was well thought out. I was weary of Heckleck initially since he’s quite manipulative and cunning but he ended up being my favorite character of the entire book. I also enjoyed the other main alien character, Tourdar. He is a Loor and one of the leaders on the space station. He wasn’t the most forthcoming but I loved his protective nature.

The humans were a big disappointment for me. I didn’t feel like I got to know any of them very well and they were all rather bland. I just needed more depth from them so I could understand why they did the things they did.

Brother Blue was the big villain of the book but he wasn’t around enough for me to truly begin to understand him either. When he was around he was horrible but I needed to see more of him and his motivations to make him truly terrifying. I like the set-up with him but I’m really hoping that he gets fleshed out more in the next book.

The romance argh- where to even begin? The blurb is really misdirecting on this. There is a little romance but it’s very rushed and glossed over and not at all one of those that will give you a major case of the feels. Unless maybe “huh?” counts as a feel.

Life onboard the space station was really the most fascinating part of this book. There is an upstairs/downstairs class division between the aliens that was an awesome concept that I hope we get to see more of. The differences in the cultures and mannerisms of the various species definitely held my interest.

Ultimately, while I did like this book I didn’t love it. I think it’s definitely worth giving a shot and a lot of you may like it even more than I did. There was some interesting civil unrest and political intrigue elements toward the end that pretty much guarantee I will be reading the next one. Here’s to hoping it goes more in-depth and hooks me.

Review: Being Sloane Jacobs

Being Sloane Jacobs

Lauren Morrill

3.0/5.0 stars

My overall impression after reading Being Sloane Jacobs was something like "eh, it was cute". The pacing was steady and the writing was fluid and sometimes it even charmed me a little but  I never fell in love with it. In fairness, I never felt the need to toss it aside either.  I think it lands in that dreaded middle zone where I don't regret reading it but I won't remember it in a couple of months either.

The story is about two girls both named Sloane Jacobs.  Hailing from DC we have Sloane Emily Jacobs who is the daughter of a U.S. senator.  She comes from a well to do family and never has to want for anything but her family lacks the closeness and affection that she craves.  She is a former competitive figure skater who had a bad and very public fall a few years prior and gave up skating.  She has come back to it now but is still having trouble landing her jumps and enjoying it like she used to.  From the other side of the tracks we have Sloane Devon Jacobs.  She is from Philadelphia and a longtime hockey player who is now having problems freezing up during games.  Her mother is away in rehab for alcoholism and though her father is loving they both seem to be having a hard time coping with her absence.  The two Sloanes end up staying in the same hotel while on their way to summer camps for their chosen sport.  The hotel mixes up their bags and the two girls are shocked to find out they have the same name.  Since they are both unhappy with their lives and dreading going to their camps they decide to switch places for the summer.

The plot was definitely a stretch.  I had some trouble in the beginning accepting that these girls could go play a totally different sport that they had never done before convincingly enough to pass for someone who had been doing it for years.  I have legs and the ability to run and kick but if you throw me on a soccer field with people that actually play soccer it's going to be pretty obvious that I'm not one of them.  The plot was also fairly predictable.

I liked both Sloanes pretty equally and the dual POV was handled well.  The side character "friends" served their purpose but I felt like we only got to know them at a surface level.  The love interests did nothing for me.  I didn't dislike them but I didn't feel any attachement to either of the relationships either.  I was also pretty disappointed in the lack of attention paid to the family issues.  It was mentioned but never really covered then all just kind of wrapped up with no real development.

Being Sloane Jacobs is a cute book and it's a quick and easy read.  For me it was just a little too much syrup and not enough substance.  I would recommend it but probably only for younger readers or someone looking for a clean, more disney-fied young adult book.

Review: The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams

The Sharpest Blade

Shadow Reader #3

Sandy Williams

Release Date: December 31, 2013

4.5/5.0 stars

It’s always hard for me to review the final book in a series.  We invest so much time in these series leading up to the big payoff finale that to say anything feels like I’m stealing some of that magic away from you. What I can say, without any hesitation, is that this was a fantastic ending to a much-loved trilogy.

The Sharpest Blade picks up a few weeks after the ending of the last book. Mackenzie has been leading a surprisingly normal life- living in a small apartment and working at the local library.  The Fae have stuck to their word and left her alone completely.  There is still the matter of her connection to Kyol (which she has no idea how to control) and Sosch, the kimki, isn’t exactly a normal roommate (sidenote: can I pleeeease have one?) but for the most part it’s as mundane and human a life as she could ever have.  This is what she’s always wanted so she should be happy- should being the keyword.  When she feels through their bond that Kyol is badly hurt she wastes no time rushing to his side in Faery and is caught up in their problems once again.

All the books in this series have been high action but this one is NON-STOP.  You get a nice peaceful moment in the very beginning then spend the rest of the book being tossed around like a ragdoll.  This is not a complaint. The pace was so breakneck and the action so vivid that I devoured this book page after page unable to pull myself away. 

There were plenty of twists and twists on twists that I never saw coming.  This book would build me up to these wondrous highs and then drop me to crushing lows in the span of a few pages.  I laughed, I cried, I even chanted “no-no-no-no-no-no” a few times.  The consequences in this book for all involved are enormous and some of the characters make huge sacrifices that just rip you to shreds.

I love these characters, each and every one of them.  They feel like old friends and saying goodbye to them was so bittersweet.  Is it too early to start begging for a spinoff series? Whatever Sandy Williams writes next will definitely be going on my reading list. 

Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars

Starbound #1

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Release Date: December 10, 2013

5.0/5.0 stars

This book should seriously come prepackaged with smelling salts because you’re gonna swoon so hardcore you just might need them. If I had to describe this book in only one word, that would be it: swoon. You will swoon for the cover, you will swoon for the writing, you will swoon for the characters, and you will most definitely swoon for their relationship.

This book is told from the dual points of view of Lilac (the spoiled and overprotected daughter of one of the richest and most powerful men in the universe) and Tarver (a young, decorated war hero who comes from an everyday working Joe type of family). They are both traveling onboard the Icarus, which is a monstrous spaceship owned by Lilac’s father. Something happens to pull the ship out of hyperspace and the ship begins to crash. People, of course, panic and even trample each other in their haste to reach the escape pods. Unfortunately, due to an electrical surge the escape pods do not function properly and will not launch. Thanks to Tarver’s quick thinking and protective nature and Lilac’s own intelligence they manage to launch their own escape pod and land on a nearby partially terraformed planet. They expect to be rescued quickly but when no rescue team shows up they are forced to figure out how to survive on this desolate planet by themselves.

While this book does contain some nice sci-fi elements it should be noted that this is really much more of a survivalist story. That being said the entire crash scene was awesome! It was intense and the wreckage afterwards was horrifying enough to make me feel queasy. There are also some well played creepy moments along their journey that gave me anxiety.

The real strength of this novel is the characters. I don’t know if I have ever read two characters who felt more real to me. I felt so connected to both of them. Their struggles and triumphs resonated so deeply with me. It makes me so sad the next book won’t be following them.

Lilac in the beginning had some brat moments when they first arrived on the new planet that made me not instantly love her but given her background it’s understandable. She was completely out of her element and is used to being protected and shielded by her father’s name. She does grow as a character as they travel and it wasn’t long before I absolutely adored her.

Tarver – book boyfriend alert! He was strong, solid, courageous, kind, and took no shit from anybody. As a soldier, he is much more prepared for the situation they find themselves in and doesn’t have as much issues adjusting. I liked him in the beginning but he just kept growing on me more and more as the story went on. It was refreshing to see a strong, confident male lead that didn’t cross into arrogant territory.

Their relationship is a bit prickly in the beginning and neither of them trusts one another for obvious reasons. Watching them slowly start to become friends and open up to each other was a thing of beauty. Their dialogue and interactions felt so true and not at all forced. I roll my eyes at a lot of romances but this one had me hooked.



This is one of the best books I have read all year. I will most definitely be buying the hardcover for my keeper shelf. They say never to judge a book by its cover but in this case go ahead. This book is as stunningly beautiful as its cover, maybe even more.

Review: Pawn by Aimee Carter

Pawn

The Blackcoat Rebellion #1

Aimee Carter

Release Date: November 26, 2013
3.5/5.0 stars

There is a lot to like about Aimee Carter’s new series starter Pawn. It was a tightly plotted novel with gripping political intrigue, fantastic world building and some really shocking plot twists. Don’t let my rating deter you, this one is definitely worth reading.

When Pawn starts off we are immediately thrust into a future version of America that is very caste based. Kitty Doe, our amiable protagonist, has just turned seventeen and taken the test that decides your place in the world. Based on this one test you are assigned a number between I and VII. The numbers not only decide what job you will have but also what goods and resources will be available to you. Getting a low number condemns you to the crappiest jobs and harshest life, and it almost guarantees you will die much younger than those that score higher. As an extra (a second child from a lower caste family who is sent to be raised in a home similar to an orphanage with other extras) she sees the test as her chance to finally prove her value. Kitty was desperately hoping to get a IV (which is considered average in this society) but although she is smart her dyslexia interferes with her ability to complete the test and she earns a lowly III. She doesn’t really mind that she is assigned to a job cleaning sewers. She does mind that the job is in Denver, far from her home in D.C. and her boyfriend Benjy. Her reluctance to accept this causes her to make some less than stellar choices and she ends up being offered the chance to become a VII. This is the highest number and is reserved solely for the royal family. Lila Hart, niece of the Prime Minister, has been killed but the public doesn’t know this and the royal family would prefer to keep it that way. They offer Kitty the chance to be Masked and assume her life. With few options and some less than gentle coaxing, she accepts.

We have to talk about the world building first- it was fantastic! The economic crashes, food shortages, and overpopulation issues that led to the creation of this society were so realistic. I had no trouble believing this could actually happen in America. Elsewhere (the place all I’s, elderly, and those no longer able to pull their weight in society are sent) was worse than I even imagined. It was so horrifically cold and inhumane it still makes feel icky just thinking about it.

Kitty is a very likeable heroine. She is a smart and caring young girl who is willing to sacrifice anything to protect the people she loves. She has not had an easy life but instead of whining and carrying around a chip on her shoulder she is determined to make the best life for herself she possibly can. She’s got a strong backbone on her too and doesn’t allow herself to bullied or manipulated by the people around her. I think my favorite quality was that she isn’t very reactive. Some very traumatic things happen but she manages to rein herself in and actually think about what the wisest course of action is before doing anything. I also loved the fact that the author made her dyslexic. We don’t often see our YA heroines dealing with any learning difficulties. That being said, I found her ability to memorize entire books and long speeches in record time a tough pill to swallow.

The royal family was wonderfully complex. Their family drama and political maneuvering was really compelling. They all have their own hidden agendas and want to use Kitty to their own ends and I was never sure who I should trust. I spent most of the book pretty sure I couldn’t trust any of them. None of them are one-note though and whether you love or hate them by the end of it you do understand their motivations. Even one of the most evil “bad guys” in the story has some deeply humanizing moments that almost make you feel sympathy for them.

The romance and Benjy in general were weak points for me. In fairness, there wasn’t a whole lot of either in the book. Benjy was likeable enough in the beginning but there wasn’t enough time to truly develop an attachment to him or their romance. When he reappears later, he’s kind of flat and seems to be there simply as a means to threaten Kitty into compliance. Without getting to spend much time seeing their relationship or watching it develop I was left feeling rather “meh” about it. I understood mentally why she was willing to sacrifice so much for him but it lacked the emotional punch it should have had with me.



Overall, this was a really solid beginning but I didn’t invest as much emotionally in the characters as I would have liked. The other elements in the story were strong enough that I will be reading the next book and giving it another chance to fully hook me. I definitely recommend giving this one a shot, even if you’re feeling a little burnt out on dystopias.

Review: World After By: Susan Ee

World After

(Penryn & The End of Days #2) 

Susan Ee

When this book showed up on my doorstep I promised myself (while happy dancing, it should be noted) that I would read slowly and stretch this out to savor it.  Who the hell was I kidding?! I was doomed as soon as I opened the cover.  This book kept me up ALL night!  I didn’t just “enjoy” this book I loved every single minute of the ride.  It’s been a few days now and I’m still having trouble writing a review that doesn’t solely consist of omg squee omg aghhh *random animal noises* (don’t even ask).

Susan Ee somehow manages to take everything I love most in books and blend it all together perfectly.  Intense action, creeptastic horror, witty banter, sexual tension off the charts, complex characters- the gang’s all here!

Penryn has got to be one of my favorite YA heroines of all time.  She’s bold, courageous, stubborn, selfless, smart and so strong yet despite all the hardship she has been through she’s still very empathetic to others.  Even when she does stupid things she’s smart enough to realize this is a bad idea but her conscience won’t allow her to just walk away.  The brief moments she gets to expose her vulnerability and insecurity  are so touching. It is a nice reminder that beneath her strength and bravado this is still a young, inexperienced girl.  Her stammering during the few romantic scenes made me laugh out loud and cringe for her at the same time.

Her family makes me think my family isn’t weird after all.  As creepy as her mom was in the last book she kicks it up a notch this time around.  I think I’m more terrified of her holding a lipstick now than the cattle prod she is so fond of.  There’s a scene between her and Pen that made my heart hurt.  I’ve known that having to deal with her mentally ill mother is what has made Penryn so strong and independent but it’s so hard to see it happening.  Paige is also featured a lot in the beginning of this book and it is just as unsettling.  We finally get to see what happened to her after she was taken by the angels in Angelfall and it isn’t pretty.  She’s only seven, you guys, seven and they have transformed her into something so monstrous even Penryn struggles to see the little sister she adores through it.

Of course we have to talk about our favorite angel with demon wings, Raffe.  While we do get to see flashes of him here and there he’s not really around until the end of the book.  Surprisingly, this did not detract from my enjoyment and he more than makes up for his absence once he does show up.  Believing Penryn is dead, he has been pursuing his beautiful white angel wings with a single-minded intensity.  It was both refreshing and true to his character that he didn't just give up after her “death” and sit around moping.  The banter between him and Penryn absolutely slayed me just like the first book but we also get some really touching tender moments between them too.  We also get to learn a lot about his past and why he is so against angel and human relationships.  The nearly combustible tension between them is driving me crazy but I love it.

The sword- yep, she’s getting her own section because this time around she’s basically a character in her own right.  This thing is not only sentient it is able to share visions of the past and is the sole reason we finally get to learn so much about Raffe’s past.  It uses them to teach her things, to motivate her, and even to comfort her.  Also, Penryn saddles it with what is quite possibly the worst name ever for an Archangel sword.  That and the disguise she made for it had me cracking up while feeling bad for it.  I felt bad for a sword- if that isn’t a testament to Ee’s writing, I don’t know what is.

If you loved Angelfall, you’re going to love World After.  It has everything you love about the first one kicked up a notch.  Now stop wasting time reading reviews and go buy this book!  You can thank me later.

Review: Damselfly

Damselfly

(Damselfly #1)

Jennie Bates Bozic

4.0/5.0 stars

Despite the fact that this book nearly killed me early on (death by sweet tea and a well placed screen name- what a way to go), I really enjoyed it. It was a light, quick, well-paced dystopian read. It was also a hell of a lot of fun.

The story centers around Lina (Thumbelina if you’re feeling formal) who is a six inch tall Lilliputin. Think pixie- wings and all. Her days are spent in lessons and training for survival with the scientists who are the only people she has ever been around. Her free time, however, is spent in virtual worlds connecting with her only real friend, Jack. He is a regular, full-sized, human boy and is completely clueless as to Lina’s real identity. She is eagerly awaiting her upcoming sixteenth birthday since she believes that once she hits this adult age she will be allowed to leave. When her birthday finally arrives she is crushed to learn that not only is she not being set free, she is being forced to participate in a The Bachelorette style reality dating show. Six Toms (Lilliputin males she never knew even existed) will be competing for the chance to be her mate.

I really liked the unique set-up of this. I’ve read a gazillion vampires, shifters, fairies, aliens, etc but I have never read a book where the main character could fit (comfortably, no less) in my purse. The dystopian elements in the story were interesting but due to her confined environment we didn't get to see much of what the outside world is really like.

Lina was a very likeable protagonist. She has lived a very controlled and confined life but she rolls with changes remarkably well. She experiences all the emotions and uncertainty a young girl in her situation would, but she doesn’t wallow in them thankfully.

The Toms were interesting, but with the exception of a couple most of them felt like window dressings. I’m really hoping we get to learn more about them and their individual personalities in the next book. Particularly Blue, I never quite figured out what he was about but he definitely caught my interest.

Jack was totally adorable. His screen name still makes me chuckle. Watching the relationship slowly build between Lina and him was just sweet. It had all the wonder and innocence of a first love and I couldn't help but be charmed by it.

This was a really good first book that sets the stage for what could be a really great series. If you’re in the mood for a quick, fun read with a unique premise I would definitely recommend giving this one a shot.

Review: Hyperbole and a Half

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms,

Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Allie Brosh

This book is so incredibly cute, it’s incredicute.  Yep, I just made up a new word for it.  Err- I guess it’s actually a hybrid not really a new word…I think we’re getting off topic here. 

If you’ve ever read the Hyperbole and a Half blog then you already know what to expect from this book and it definitely delivers.  Allie has a way of bringing humor to virtually any topic.  Whether it’s the mundane act of training a new dog or the darkest throes of depression, she somehow brings out the funny.

Her style is remarkably charming and relatable.  Even when it is focusing on topics that I don’t have much experience with firsthand, I could still identify with the way she processes it. In fact, her internal battles are some of the funniest parts.  I think everyone assumes that having an internal dialogue with yourself is somehow crazy, but we all probably do it.  Or maybe I am crazy.

The ms paint style drawings, while admittedly simple, are quite effective.  The range of emotions she can convey in these doodles is mindblowing.  If you’re looking at them dismissively-give it a minute, they will win you over.

My only complaint is that I have already seen many of these on the blog and was hoping for more new material. Also, it left out my absolute favorite:  How Kenny Loggins ruined Christmas.  It was my first taste of Hyperbole and a Half long, long ago and it still makes me laugh so hard I cry.  You should go read it, like now. 

Review: Allegiant

Allegiant

(Divergent, #3)

Veronica Roth

 You guys, I didn’t love this book and that’s a damn shame. I actually loathed it, and that’s a freaking tragedy! I originally rated this two stars but as I sat down to write this review, I asked myself ‘what did I like about this book?’ And the only answer I came up with was ‘at least it’s over’. I can’t give this book two stars, and it pains me that it has come to this.

Let’s start with the dual POV. This is becoming a popular thing, and I’m fine with it as long as it is done well and there is a reason for it. I was actually kind of excited to hear Four’s take on things. Or I thought I was anyway. This reads like what not to do if you attempt dual POV. Tris and Four ended up sounding so much alike that I would be reading along and then it would refer to something Tris did across the room and I’d be all- “wait-whaaat I thought we were Tris this chapter *flips back* oh. We are Four, oops”. This didn’t even just happen once or twice, it was constant.

The character growth in this book was non-existent. I’d go so far as to say some of them regressed and a few went bat shit crazy for no apparent reason whatsoever. Four has always been a strong, level-headed character but after hearing some news he doesn’t like he suddenly completely ignores everything Tris says and does a bunch of stupid shit without thinking twice about it. Umm, isn’t he the one always getting on to Tris for being reckless and not thinking things through enough? 

Guess what’s outside the wall? Swiss-cheese plot that makes no sense! I’m not a geneticist or even Bill Nye for that matter- but this is not how it works. Did these scientists graduate from the University of Looney Tunes?

Everybody is freaking out about the ending and I am too but not at all for the same reason. I thought it was just ridiculous. I do not understand how what they did would even fix the issues except for temporarily. What they did affects one place, when we learn early on this is a national issue. This is also not how government works.

Some of the “bad guys” are foiled with what is possibly the stupidest shit I have ever heard in my entire life. This is apparently how you change power hungry, evil people:

A) Offer them something they gave up willingly before and seemingly never wanted to do in exchange for giving up what has been their entire life goal.

B) Tell them they are not the boss.

I decided to experiment with this before I condemned it as completely worthless. So I tried these tactics out on my seven year old, my two year old, my hubby and our pack of dogs. The seven year old listened intently then proceeded to choose to continue exactly what he was doing in the first place. The two year old (a tiny, much prettier Napoleon really) enjoyed the ‘I’m the boss!’ ‘No, I’m the boss!’ game but ultimately continued to color the table with her markers instead of the coloring book. The significant other blinked at me a few times then asked if I was getting enough sleep. The dogs just tilted their heads and kept looking at eachother. I’m no Cesar Millan but I’m pretty sure they were making fun of me. You know what didn’t happen? No one magically decided to do exactly what I wanted. I now, officially, proclaim these tactics bullshit.

The final crime of this book is that it was written so shoddily that I felt nothing when the big shock came. I didn’t cry or even tear up and that was the point when I realized how much this book had killed what was previously a much beloved series.

I don’t know what happened to her writing between the first two books and this one, but this felt like really bad fan-fiction. I’m just glad it’s over.

BLOG TOUR: Review & GIVEAWAY!!! Taunting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins

Title: Taunting Destiny
Author: Amelia Hutchins
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Hosted By: Love Between The Sheets


Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17980013-taunting-destiny?from_search=true




How to find Amelia


Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7092218.Amelia_Hutchins
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorameliahutchins




Buy Links


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taunting-Destiny-The-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00FAFJU8S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380677253&sr=1-1&keywords=tauting+destiny


Barnes N Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taunting-destiny-amelia-hutchins/1116947943?ean=2940148551720




Synopsis


I thought things were bad and weird before – hold on – it’s getting worse.

Adam and I are both going through identity crises of epic proportions as we Transition from who we were, and discover who we were meant to be. More Fae are dying, and I feel as if time is running out for us to find all of those responsible and put an end to the killings.

The people I thought I could trust have betrayed me and the one person I should absolutely not trust; is taking me deeper and deeper into his world.

Ryder’s secrets are dangerous and devastating.

With each touch and word, he pulls my heart closer to himself and at the same time he is trying to keep me at arm’s length. The dance he and I have begun, is getting more complicated as our worlds are being shaken from all sides, and the visions of the future are frightening, and nothing like I had ever pictured for myself or those I care for.

This time, destiny is taunting me.

I had always thought that I controlled my destiny. Now, my rights are being taken from me by powerful people and leaving me with alternatives that range between bad and awful.

This time, the choices I have to make can decide the fate of both worlds.

Everything is unraveling, and nothing will ever be the same again.

Author Bio:

Amelia lives in the great Pacific Northeast with her family. When not writing she can be found on her page Erotica Book Club. She's an avid reader of everything paranormal romance.

Rafflecopter a Rafflecopter giveaway

________________________________________________________________________________

REVIEW

________________________________________________________________________________

Taunting Destiny picks up right where we left off in Fighting Destiny with Syn struggling to come to grips with all the changes and revelations she was hit with in the last book. After hating the fae her whole life she is having a very difficult time accepting that she is one of them. The mere thought of going through Transition horrifies her. Adam is off going through his own transition and she is, for the most part, cut off from Alden, leaving her feeling rather adrift with no one that she trusts to turn to. She is still the strong, caring, kickass Syn we know but she is dealing with a lot and is more unsure of herself and her place in the world at this point.

Ryder is of course being his typical self, which is to say-a bastard. A sexy, dominant, sexy, secretive, sexy, cocky, sexy, overprotective, sexy bastard.  Did I mention sexy?   I can totally understand why Syn wants to choke him one minute and throw him down on the bed the next.

And boy does he have a mouth on him! Not like that, well that too actually now that I think about it…wait, where were we? A lot of the things he said had me giggling like a schoolgirl and "allegedly" blushing.

Okay, I was, and for my boyfriend to notice I must have been roughly the shade of a fire truck.

As the story progresses you do start to see a softer side to Ryder. Hint: It is definitely NOT in his pants, but feel free to check for yourself. I still don’t know what exactly he is, but after getting to know him better and getting to spend some time in his head, I did finally start to trust him this time around.

Amelia Hutchins does a really good job of weaving all the plot threads together without getting tripped up on them. The beginning was a little bit slower for me, but it builds to a breakneck speed by the end. The only real criticism I had was that sometimes it was a bit redundant particularly when characters were talking about Syn or when Syn was talking about Adam. It didn’t really detract from my enjoyment, but I am hoping that aspect is tightened up in the next one.


The ending is a cliffhanger from hell, and my cockiness leading up to it made it all the more painful. It went something like this:

Me: I know exactly what is about to happen *pats self on back*

Amelia Hutchins:




Me: Yep, he’s gonna knight in shining armor the fuck out of this…any second now….where the fuck is he?!

Amelia Hutchins:




Me: That's okay, I had a backup plan: they’re going to be one and the same. Fae can’t lie but he’s tricky, it’s possible. Right? Riiiight??? Wait, you’re not….fuck, what the hell is happening? WHERE... IS… HE...?



Amelia Hutchins:




Me:

I need book 3 yesterday.

Crown of Midnight

Crown of Midnight

(Throne of Glass, #2)

Sarah J. Maas

5/5 starsAdmission: When I read Throne of Glass, I really liked it but I wasn’t fully hooked. After reading Crown of Midnight, well….



 You have been warned

Crown of Midnight picks up right where we left off in Throne of Glass with Celaena struggling to do her duty as the King’s Champion without sacrificing her morals (yes, even assassins have morals). She walks a fine and very deadly line between the two by faking the deaths of her chosen targets without telling even those she is closest to. But when someone from her past becomes the King’s latest target the past and the present collide with secrets and betrayal all around.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. There were times when I thought about putting it down just to let myself recover and I couldn’t do it.

 Gave me emotional whiplash

This book starts off fairly gently- sure there are decapitated heads and such but for the most part things are pretty smooth. There is a lot of really great character building and that is really one of the strongest qualities of this series. As you learn more about each character’s backstory and how they have been shaped by them, it adds more layers and makes them all the more real. The dialogue and interaction between them is another strength. It never feels stilted or contrived and the banter between Celaena and Chaol had me laughing out loud at several points. Even Dorian, who I was not a big fan of going into this book, grew on me this time around. On the romance front there are some very serious squee moments and some definite resolution on her choice. No love triangle here, folks. With all the squeeing and glee over actual real, flawed characters I was lulled into a state of bliss. I probably looked something like this during this phase of the book:

Well, minus the beard and I occasionally brush my hair



Then the other shoe drops and you are just stunned. Mistakes are made, secrets are revealed, and people are hurt. You understand why everyone made the choices they did but you're still screaming at all of them.

 …or maybe that was just me

Then we finally get to see Adarlan’s assassin when all pretense of civility is stripped from her. It is a simultaneously glorious and terrifying thing to behold. She is truly a badass heroine, not one of those that talks a big game then waits for someone to come save her.

 but seriously

The big reveal at the end wasn’t much of a shock for me, it just confirmed what I already suspected but I’m still excited to see how it plays out. With all the changes going on it’s impossible to even guess what’s going to happen in the next book, but I can guarantee that I will be buying it and finding out the day it comes out. You hooked me this time, Ms. Maas.

P.S. Chaol-