Wildlife by Fiona Wood

Synopsis: "Life? It’s simple: be true to yourself.
The tricky part is finding out exactly who you are…

In the holidays before the dreaded term at Crowthorne Grammar’s outdoor education camp two things out of the ordinary happened.
A picture of me was plastered all over a twenty-metre billboard.
And I kissed Ben Capaldi.

Boarding for a term in the wilderness, sixteen-year-old Sibylla expects the gruesome outdoor education program – but friendship complications, and love that goes wrong? They’re extra-curricula.

Enter Lou from Six Impossible Things – the reluctant new girl for this term in the great outdoors. Fragile behind an implacable mask, she is grieving a death that occurred almost a year ago. Despite herself, Lou becomes intrigued by the unfolding drama between her housemates Sibylla and Holly, and has to decide whether to end her self-imposed detachment and join the fray.

And as Sibylla confronts a tangle of betrayal, she needs to renegotiate everything she thought she knew about surviving in the wild.

A story about first love, friendship and NOT fitting in."

Title: Wildlife
Genre: Contemporary YA
Series: None
Pages: 385
Ages: 15+
My Rating: 4 stars
One Word: Relatable
Fave Quote:
"'Who the hell do you think you are?' Beeso said as he walked off. 'You're not even hot.'
It's a fair question, minus the gratuitous insult.
I am really sick of the people who need to tell me I'm unattractive. Somehow they feel duty-bound to put me down because I've been in that stupid advertisement. Surely my neon 'self-esteem/appearance' sign is still visibly flickering on 'below average.' Nothing has changed there.
Q: And who the hell do I think I am?
A: I have no idea" (304).

Review

This books was unlike any other book I've read, mainly because it portrayed teenagers in a different light, a real light. All of these other YA books make the main character seem flawless in beauty, but have "damage" on the inside, when that is mostly not true. Really, teenagers are not flawless on the outside. Some are damaged from past experiences, but can have really great personalities. These teenagers make up the majority, yet they are never noticed.

One of the main characters in this story, Sibylla, is like this. Throughout the book, she has trouble deciding if she should join the more acceptable crowd (AKA the popular crowd) or if she should stick to her own self, even if that makes her a little nerdy and goes against societal standards. She goes through a tough school term in the woods from dating the most popular guy in school, to dealing with her beotch of a friend, Holly (curse my name), and even making fun or her real friend Michael. Once she realizes her flaws and mistakes, she begins to accept herself.

The other main character, Lou, has an even worse school term. She is forced to go to this camp for a school term after her boyfriend passes away. If that's bad enough, Holly decides to pick at her and this boy without realizing that he's gone. At the end of this story, she also realizes her self-worth and the value of life, and that maybe her life can be less hellish as it has since her best friend/boyfriend died.

This book had a deep meaning and it was funny. The comedy aspect and the true meaning behind the story were intertwined throughout and made the book a lot more likeable. If a book were just funny, it would have no depth at all, and if a book were all meaningful, it would bore me to death. With that in mind, this book had the perfect amount of the two. It made me continue to read the book without even thinking of a deeper meaning until I finish and think back on it.

Not only was this book funny and meaningful, but it made me realize that my life doesn't suck nearly as badly. If I had to relate my life--and most teen girl's lives--to one of the two girls, it would be Sibylla, where she thinks she has a horrible life, but is oblivious to half the stuff going on in other's lives (i.e. Lou's). Teenagers are stuck in this little bubble called "school" where all 100 of their problems are involved with it and it's a huge deal if they, let's say, fail a test. Obviously, school is dependent on succeeding in life, but there is a whole other level of problems that some haven't experienced (Lou). Although girls like Sibylla's life is not that bad, they still have the major problems of listening to societal standards or being themselves, and I think that this problem is the major predicament of all teenagers.

Overall, Fiona Wood opened my eyes on the various levels of situations that teenagers have and gives a realistic story on how they overcome them. Just from the beginning, with the different writing styles between Lou and Sibylla, made me realize the broad two types of teens out there. For example, with Lou's problems going on, she seemed more detached from the real world and the disuse of quotation marks while someone was talking portrayed that. I'm grateful for reading this book and laughing at all the little embarrassing things Sibylla and Lou went through.

 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

At First Sight by Heather Todd

Synopsis: Lola Adams started fending for herself at the age of thirteen after her druggie parents ditched her without any notice. Now, five years later, she is on the fast track to a better life away from her hometown of Los Angeles. She is graduating as valedictorian in one month and she has a full ride to Harvard. Nothing seems to be getting in her way. Then, she meets Dean Baker after he saves her during a wild beach party. Their eyes meet and something powerful happens that makes her feel an immediate attraction and pull to him. While spending time with him, she comes to find out his entire family line is filled with people who can read minds, display imprinted powers, and perform magical spells. Two mysterious family members are suddenly on the hunt for Lola and Dean so they can ultimately rid the family of their love and their powers once and for all. Can they stop an impending battle before everyone, even Lola and Dean, loses their bond forever?

Title: At First Sight
Genre: fantasy, ya romance
Series: none (I hope)
Pages: 200
Ages: 14+
My Rating: 1 star
One Word: blah
Fave Quote: I'm sorry but I seriously could not find a single quote that I liked

Review

So I went to bookcon in NY in May with my best friend and it was exciting. My friend wanted to wait in line for Cassandra Clare (who I unfortunately am not a fan of) so we sat in a line that barely moved for a good hour. Now I'm the kind of person who will not say no to free stuff, so while I'm being a good friend waiting in line, I became the annoying daughter and made my mother go out and get me some signed books. My mom comes back with a handful of YA books (thanks mom!) and hence the existence of this book into my life.

So, I read this book because I got it for free, and I decided to just read it because I needed a book for English class and I finished everything else, so why not this book?

Well, I'll tell you "why not this book". The writing was just poorly written; it's like explaining to a second grader between show versus tell, and from the beginning it felt like I was reading fanfiction (blah). It wasn't a surprise at all when I found out the author writes fanfiction. Ms. Todd, please keep the fanfiction and novels separate. I mean, "allowing his tongue to perform the familiar tango with her own" (179). That sentence alone screams "fanfiction". I've never given a book one star before, unless you count this book I read in 5th grade called Becoming Naomi León Go check it out. Great read.

So that saying, this is the second book I ever gave on star to. Anyway, everything in this book was so fast-paced. I find out Lola's name and right away she meets Dean and right away they go out and right away they say "I love you". There is absolutely no character development at all, and very little plot climax. The only thing I found interesting in this book was Freddie, and then he turned all goo-goo happiness in one page flip, and I was physically gagging.

And what the hell is a manifester? Do any of you know? Because I finished this whole book and I have no idea what they are. Where did they come from? Why do they have special powers? Nothing really was described about these "manifesters" at all.

I freaking hate Lola and Dean so much. First of all, everyone in this damn book, especially Dean, "smirks" way too much even in the weirdest situations. Every single time, Dean is always smirking at Lola which makes him seem so damn conceited. And the annoying nicknames he gives Lola. At first he calls her "baby" and I nearly was about to throw up, and then he calls her "pretty girl" and Lola actually likes it which figuratively had me over the toilet bowl puking my brains out.

And then there was the accident, where Leo breaks into the school, compels everyone to stay still, and nearly kills Lola, and you know what they do? The principal lets Lola, with the cuts and bruises all over her arm and a broken window indicating someone broke in, to go home with Dean. What. The. Hell. First of all, she should've definitely gone to the police or hospital or something! And second of all, they just let her go to Dean's house? For all the principal knows Dean could be the one who broke in and hurt her. Okay, I let that one pass, but then they go to a beach party and prom?!?! When they know that Lola is in danger?! Even if Dean's parents were "working on it" that doesn't mean they could do whatever they want with a murderer on the loose. I was literally going to stop reading there.

I have many more complaints that I'm just going to list off:
- narrators kept switching back and forth every SENTENCE and just so many issues with Ms. Todd's second narrator in general "Lola never wanted to leave this spot" (62). It should be "Lola never wanted to leave that spot."
- Lola doesn't even care that Dean is some psycho alien
- "Leo chuckled at the orb before him as he watched Lola and her family plan out the attack" (165). Great. He has an orb. How cliché.
- Dean's mother has an imprint where she can spy on whomever she wants. And on page 172 she specifically says that she knows Dean has never had sex "referring to her imprint". That makes me believe that she would spy on her kids while they are having sex. *pukes*
- Page 198 is altogether stupid. "collapse to death from their burns" are literally the exact words Todd uses, and when Lola and Dean see their family members dying all they are doing is opening their mouths a little in shock. Like if I were Lola I would've screamed and cried and fell to the floor sobbing!
- Like I said before, Todd tells me everything and doesn't show which kills me. "After waking up feeling pretty blissful and continuing to bask in it all for nearly two hours, Lola and Dean decided to make the best of their time together before their date that night" (62). I now have to play English teacher and tell Ms. Todd that you could maybe say "Lola woke up smiling at Dean with crinkled eyes, basking in the warmth with the amazing morning wrapping around her. Dean edged closer to her, his hair a halo of messiness. 'Let's make the best of our time before our date tonight,' he said, wrapping his arms around her."
- Lola wanted to have sex with Dean in a classroom. Let me rephrase; they were about to have sex in a classroom. How dumb are they really?

It was hard to keep reading; I almost stopped at pg 20. I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't :( I'm not hating on Heather Todd, she's probably a good person and all. I mean I could ask my mom but she could probably be winner of worst memory in history, so I'm literally just judging the book for it's writing, and it's easy to tell that I was very disappointed and annoyed with this book.
★

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Synopsis: "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all."

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Genre: Contemporary YA, Romance
Series: TAtBILB #1
Ages: 13+
Pages: 355
My Rating: 5 stars 
One Word: *sigh* adorbs
Fave Quote:
"He also writes Lara Jean will make Peter's picture her phone wallpaper.
"And vice versa!" I say. I point my phone at him. "Smile." Peter smiles, and ugh, it's annoying how handsome he is. Then he reaches for his phone and I stop him. 'Not right now. My hair looks sweaty and gross.'
'Good point,' he says, and I want to punch him" (179).

Review
FOREWARNING: I typed this on my iPhone (have yet to edit on my laptop) so please excuse all of the grammatical errors

I don't even know what to say... This book was so adorable and cute and I'm actually depressed that it is over.

I'm so used to reading the sci-fi dystopian AKA depressing books, and once in a while I will read one of these contemporary chick-lot books and I'll realize how much I love these types of books. This book was the exact opposite of dystopia. It was a perfect book with perfect moments, like when Han describes Lara Jean's school mornings I just sigh with the perfection. Everything in this book jut feels right and I just wish it was my life, having to choose between two guys.

Of course it wasn't always so perfect, I mean Lara Jean's letters to her past crushes got sent out for crying out loud, but I still thought (since it wasn't my life) that it was a perfect set up for Lara Jean and Peter.

Peter omfg.
"I'm sleepy.' He closes his eyes and snuggles against me.
'Tell me a bedtime story, Covey" (162).

DAMN. I fricken loved Peter so much and I was absolutely 100% rooting for Lara Jean and Peter throughout most of the book. Except in the beginning of the book, I though Han was going to make it a love story between Lara Jean and Josh but boy was I wrong (and happy that I was wrong). I really wanted to find out what letter she writes at the end and I wanted to see Peter's reaction when he receives it, but I guess I'm supposed to use my imagination *sigh*. The only part that I did NOT like was that Peter was all like "I like you Lara Jean but I love Gen too" like NO Peter you need to only love Lara Jean duhh.

Okay, Peter was a great character, but I have to say that Kitty was my all time favorite character. Without her, this book would've only gotten 4 stars. She just made the book so much more perfect; with the puppy and cookie baking and the hair braiding. This girl really makes me wish that I had a younger sibling.

I really loved the connection between Margot and Lara Jean and I can totally relate with them when my own sister left for college. I hated the change with a burning passion but I soon got used to it and it still sucks but whatevs :/. Their relationship with each other was just amazing how they always made up with each other even with harshest of fights (you know what I mean if you read it ;) )

Anyway, the drama, the funniness (I literally cracked up after every page) and the quirky-romance of the book was definitely enough for me to give this 5 stars. This book was adorable and had me smiling all the way until the end. Everything from Halloween to baking with Peter and Kitty to dancing the running man. This book was perfectly quirky and I loved every bit of it.
★★★★★

Insanity by Susan Vaught

Synopsis: "Never, Kentucky is not your average scenic small town. It is a crossways, a place where the dead and the living can find no peace. Not that Forest, an 18-year-old foster kid who works the graveyard shift at Lincoln Hospital, knew this when she applied for the job. Lincoln is a huge state mental institution, a good place for Forest to make some money to pay for college. But along with hundreds of very unstable patients, it also has underground tunnels, bell towers that ring unexpectedly, and a closet that holds more than just donated clothing....When the dead husband of one of Forest's patients makes an appearance late one night, seemingly accompanied by an agent of the Devil, Forest loses all sense of reality and all sense of time. Terrified, she knows she has a part to play, and when she does so, she finds a heritage that she never expected.

With her deep knowledge of mental illness and mental institutions, Susan Vaught brings readers a fascinating and completely creepy new book intertwining the stories of three young people who find themselves haunted beyond imagining in the depths of Lincoln Hospital"

Title: Insanity
Genre: YA, paranormal, suspense
Series: None
Pages: 368
Ages: 14+
My Rating: 3.5 stars
One Word: RippingThroughThemPages
Fave Quote:
"The third time she asks me her question, it comes out so soft I barely hear it.
'What scares you Levi?' she whispers.
In my mind's eye, I see her just like she is, beautiful in more ways than I know how to talk about.
'You,' I finally tell her. 'I'm scared of how much I care about you'" (285).

Review

I liked this book a lot, Susan Vaught's writing was really great and I think the concept of this storyline is great but...
There are some good and bad things about this book that I need to discuss, and I need to start with the bad because I need to save the best (AKA the good) for last!

The Bad

- The four POVs. After reading Forest's POV, I was so sad that it moved on to Darius' POV so quickly. I really would've preferred to have it stay on one person's POV just so that I'm not more confused that I already am with this ghost and witchy voodoo stuff. When the POV changed, I felt like my connection with the previous characters' POV just disappeared like the ghosts. poof! My personal favorite character was Forest so I wish that Vaught would've kept the POV on her.

- The four different storylines. Not only were the POVs different, but each story was totally different. Yeah the characters were the same, but it felt like I was reading four separate novels and I would've really liked one nice, long story. With these four separate stories, it felt like there was a lack of character development and the progression between POV's was kind of choppy.

- Some parts in this story were just too confusing. Such as, the baby face guy in Trina's POV. It's not that that part was confusing per say, but it was just so random and unexpected that it left me thinking How did this guy come to play in the story? Why is he here? He entered to the story very randomly and very few questions were answered. And I was also very confused when Trina got all mad at Levi (started turning into different witches and hysterically laughing and all) for killing her father when he was already dead. I mean, she killed Levi! Damn her temper is short and I was so confused as to why she snapped so badly.

Noooowww.... The Good.

- Levi and Forest. I loved these two characters so much that I can't even express them in words. There connection is very subtle in Forest's POV, but in Levi's POV, when they have gotten to know each other over many years, it was so amazing. The connection was still subtle, but you could definitely tell it's there which is my favorite amount of romance in a novel.

- The suspense. This definitely goes on one of my favorite suspenseful novels, and suspense is my favorite genre. Each story had a different suspenseful moment that literally had me ripping pages (sorry library). The fighting and action and fright was filled with tension and incredibility.

- The end. Each story had a great ending, but my all time favorite was the end end AKA Levi's end. It was just so perfect and ommff Levi and Forest...


Well, to finish this off I can just say that I really liked this book and all of it's characters, I just mainly felt that if it was one big storyline, it would've added much more tension and even more suspense, love, and sacrifice. This novel was so creative and had me feeling the chills (especially when reading this on the downstairs couch alone at night...DON'T DO).

★★★1/2

Ruins (Partial Sequence #3) by Dan Wells

Synopsis: "Kira, Samm, and Marcus fight to prevent a final war between Partials and humans in the gripping final installment in the Partials Sequence, a series that combines the thrilling action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Blade Runner and The Stand.

There is no avoiding it—the war to decide the fate of both humans and Partials is at hand. Both sides hold in their possession a weapon that could destroy the other, and Kira Walker has precious little time to prevent that from happening. She has one chance to save both species and the world with them, but it will only come at great personal cost"

Title: Ruins
Genre: Dystopia, Apocalyptic
Series: Partial Sequence #3
Pages: 451
Ages: 14+
My Rating: 4 stars
One Word: KiraWalkerIsBae
Fave Quote: "'Go ahead and kiss him,' said Marcus, throwing himself down behind the same car for cover. 'He saved our lives--if you don'ts kiss him, I'm going to'" (387).

Review

Like the other two books in the series, it took me a while to get through this book because of it's drawn out storyline and the amount of pages! But in the end, it totally pays off. I somehow knew it was going to happen to the last book of the Partials Sequence as well, but sadly, it wasn't as suspenseful or driven as the last two books. Nevertheless, I was still turning pages quickly.

I love Dan Well's writing, and this is why: it's not all about romance. The romance of this series was just an extra part to the even bigger storyline. Most dystopian novels nowadays will make the romance a huge deal and leave out the potentially great storylines because they believe that's all YA readers think about. Books like that are just not realistic at all. I mean, if there is a crazy dystopian storyline, such as an apocalypse or worse, then all I would be thinking is "Get the hell away, run! SHIT RUN!". Of course that's my personal preference, and usually books involve the main character as the heroine (AKA this book) instead of a character like me that would run and hide.

That being said, let us talk about our main heroine of the day, Kira Walker. I like this girl. A lot. Not because she gets all of the guys, (I mean, I would love me some of Marcus or Samm...) but because she never gave up on the future she believed in for the world. Even after all of the lost hope others had, she pursued her dream and pushed through a hell of a storm (literally). She would easily put herself first if it meant saving the world, and she spoke out her beliefs and would defy anyone who thought otherwise. I look up to this woman because oh how I wish I had the courage to do that.

Samm and Marcus were both very different. Marcus; the fun, talkative, no-awkward-conversations with him, "I-pretend-to-be-arrogant-but-I'm-not" kind of guy

"I'm glad we could have a tearful reunion before I crapped my pants from fear." -Marcus Valencio (299)"

...and Samm; the "seems-emotionless-but-I'm-really-filled-with-feelings-and-I-care" guy. Ugh they were so different in every single way possible, but I loved them both. I was rooting for Kira and Samm to be together, but I personally liked Marcus the best (just not for Kira).

Anyway, there are plenty of characters that I could sit here and type about for days, but there is just not time. Heron was amazing in this book, Calix=eh, I would personally have liked to stab Armin (can't do that anymore though), Haru is the bomb, I loved all of Kira's sisters especially feisty Ariel and I feel so bad for Isolde.

I loved this series so much. The storyline was realistic and frightening at the same time. The question revolving around this book is about the difference between human and Partial. "Why am I human?" Just because one was born through a computer may not mean they don't have feelings or human morals. The heavy themes wrapped around this book such as the concept of being human, or the choice between right and wrong, had me thinking a lot.

Not only that, but with all of this new technology nowadays (I mean, 3-D printing, really??!), I feel like anything can happen. All that I can think of is when the time comes where a new computer-generated species comes to life and the world is ending, I will be a Kira Walker (as long as I don't crap my pants first).
★★★★

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristen Cashore

Synopsis: "Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away..."

Title: Graceling
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Action
Series: Graceling Realm #1
Pages: 471
Ages: 13+
My Rating: 5 stars
One Word: BadAssKatsa
Fave Quote(s): 

"Skye kissed her forehead. 'You saved my life.'
Katsa smiled. 'You Lienid are very outward in your affection.'
'I'm going to name my firstborn child after you.'
Katsa laughed at that. 'For the child's sake, wait for a girl. Or even better, wait until all your children are older and give my name to whichever is the most troublesome and obstinate'" (434).

"Alone in the forest, Katsa sat on a stump and cried. She cried like a person whose heart is broken and wondered how, when two people loved each other, there could be such a broken heart" (232).

Review

 

Oh. Wow.

I did not expect this book to be like that.

I have no idea how Cashore wrote this. My mind still reels on the capability of all amazing authors who write books like this.

I came into this book with low expectations--not because of the book itself, but because I recently read about three books before this one that made me begin to reconsider all books. In other words, they truly earn one star ratings compared to this book.

Katsa of the Middluns. The strongest, fearless character I've ever read and my new favorite. I envy this fictional protagonist and I'm not ashamed of it! I love her personality and her warm-heart despite the nagging thoughts that creep into her head of being a monster. And of course, Prince Po shows her that she is no where near a monster.

Aaahhhh. Prince Po. I can't stop my mind from thinking of Katsa and Po. Their relationship is much better than the messy and rushing YA romance there is today. The way Katsa reacted to the feeling of love was something that I've never read about, but makes absolute sense for Katsa.

"...His eyes were beautiful. His face was beautiful to her in every way, and his shoulders and hands. And his arms that hung over his knees, and his chest that was not moving, because he held his breath as he watched her. And the heart in his chest. This friend. How had she not seen this before? How had she not seen him? She was blind. And then tears choked her eyes, for she had not asked for this. She had not asked for this beautiful man before her, with something hopeful in his eyes that she did not want" (229).

Her conflicting feelings on love just made the romance much more intense and I found myself crying by her side, my heart sympathizing. The tragedies, the happiness, the love. This book pulled my emotions in all sorts of directions. I was crying on one page and the next I was laughing.

Moving on from the love....the storyline was another reason that I got sucked into this novel. The concept of a Grace and the whole fantasy-medieval times aspect had my so curious. The way Cashore wrote and the unique dialogue made the story seem from long ago. And if that wasn't enough, King Leck and Bitterblue and Prince Raffin and all of the other characters were astonishing and so different.

I truly loved every aspect of this book and I'm so frightened, yet excited for the second one! Cashore is going to send me on another rollercoaster of emotions and suspense.
★★★★★

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Synopsis: "I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior."

Title: Shatter Me
Genre: Dystopian, Romance YA
Series: Shatter Me #1
Pages: 338
Ages: 15+
My Rating: 3.5 stars
One Word: INowLoveInsanePeople!!! <3
Fave Quote: “All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.”  

Review

 

This Review is Rated R for Language (oops)After all of the hype on this book, I knew I needed to read it.

And oh fuck.

Adam and Juliette's relationship was so hot, but it wasn't all about the relationship which made me love the book even more. I seriously hate it when dystopian books revolve around the love and relationship when it's supposed to be action-y and awesome like this book! Making the romance more subtle made it SO MUCH BETTER.

"His eyes pin me in place. His urgency ignites my bones. Rivulets of water snake their way down the polished planes of his face and his fingers press me up against the wall.
His lips his lips his lips his lips his lips
My eyes are fighting not to flutter
My legs are fighting not to tremble
My skin is scorched everywhere he's not touching me.
His lips are so close to my ear I'm water and nothing and everything and melting into a wanting so desperate it burns as I swallow it down" (116).

I gotta say, Tahereh Mafi knows how to describe how a girl feelings. SHIT.

Moving on, let's just say I am pretty impressed by this book, and already knowing that people loved it, it had my expectations high. I'm happy to say that I still thought this book was awesome even with my high expectations. Shatter Me had me feeling all sorts of things, I felt everything that Juliette was feeling, and fuck do I want an Adam of my own.

Even Mafi's writing; from the beginning when you can tell that Juliette is just a little insane (with the personification and the crossed out lines where you know she's in denial and going wacko in her head) to when she starts getting normal again after being with civilization. I love this whole storyline and I love Juliette and Adam and James and Kenji and yeah...

not so much Warner AND JULIETTE BETTER NOT START HAVING FEELINGS FOR HIM *ahem*

However, I felt like the suspenseful part where Juliette is trying to find Adam was just a little too coincidental... I was really thinking that they (AKA Warner and Co.) knew where Adam, Kenji, and Juliette were, but in the end it ended well.

The reason I gave this 3.5 stars was because I wasn't really hooked in like other books. The romance was phenomenal, but the action was a little...slow and predictable. Other than that, I really liked the book (especially the insane girl writing in the beginning) and we need more books with an insane protagonist! :D

★★★1/2

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis: "Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is."

Title: Obsidian
Series: Lux #1
Genre: Fantasy, YA, Romance
Pages: 358
Ages: 15-18
My Rating: 3 stars
One Word: Whaaaat IHopeINeverMeetDaemon
Fave Quote(s):
This is for my hate for Daemon >:)
"'Thanks,' I muttered and added under my breath, 'Douchebag.'
He laughed, deep and throaty. 'Now that's not very ladylike, Kittycat.'
I whipped around. 'Don't ever call me that,' I snapped.
'It's better than calling someone a douchebag, isn't it?'
He pushed out the door. 'This has been a stimulating visit. I'll cherish it for a long time to come.'
Okay. That was it. 'You know, you're right. How wrong of me to call you a douchebag. Because a douchebag is too nice of a word for you,' I said, smiling sweetly. 'You're a dickhead.'
'A dichkead?' he repeated. 'How charming.'
I flipped him off" (10).

And these are my favorite anti-romance quotes :D
"I'd brake-checked him several times.
He'd blown his horn.
It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside" (217).

"Daemon's laugh cut me off. 'I don't think that's a good idea. Funny, but not a good idea. Humans are fragile.'
'How about I shove my fragile foot up you ass,' I said" (300).

Review 

Is it just me? I had nagging feelings that Armentrout gave the main character a love for books-no an obsession for books-because she wanted us book lovers to for some reason relate to her and give this book 5 stars? ("I'm just like Katy! I love books! ZOMG now I know a hot alien guy is gonna come be my neighbor, and he's gonna 'accidently' see a video of my book blog and he will love me, and we's gon love each other for ever!1! OMG!")

Sorry, I just had to do that. I had that serious suspicion that that is the reason for Armentrout's main character's personality. *phew* no one get all personal with me now!

Oh and by the way, what's with this cocky daemon business? I think it has something to do with the name Daemon....Damon from the Vampire Diaries would agree with me:


I had mixed feelings about this book...I have no idea how I feel about it, so I've settled on 3 stars because some of the writing and descriptions were just awkward. I'm not gonna get into a whole schmeel about this now, but I'll just say that Dee was always crying (blah) and I literally hate Daemon with a burning passion (I mean seriously, "kitten"?! I would shoot him if he called me that). Plus, I don't understand why stopping a truck made Katy glow up like a Christmas tree, but doing all of that alien wacko stuff around her didn't make her light up as much? It doesn't add up right.

Let me get this straight for you all, I didn't hate this book! I mean, I got frustrated over the writing and the just really annoying Daemeon-attitude (ugggggh *facepalms*) but other than that, I laughed out loud a few times with the funny remarks, and the end was pretty suspenseful. And I gotta admit that the part of the book when Daemon was sleeping with Katy was actually adorable ("His face burrowed into the space between my neck and my shoulder, nuzzling. Sweet baby Jesus..." (291).) And why can't Daemon just admit his feelings for Katy?! Oh wait, because we have two more books to get through to admit that (damn you trilogies).

Anyway, enough of these negative comments, self! I thought the plot was pretty awesome, and the healing thing with Daemon and Katy definitely foreshadowed something. I'm seriously surprised that the gossip going around at their school about the "light people" are only rumors, considering that amount of action that happened (should have attracted some attention, no?)

Oh crap, I'm using too many parentheses. Well, let's just say that this was my first Armentrout book and I guess I had my expectations a little too high (especially since I met her at BookCon and she seemed pretty awesome) damn you parentheses! I did it again. Overall, I actually loved the storyline and it did have me turning pages, but the characters *coughcough* DAEMON just wanted me to punch myself over and over again with his cockiness and his braggines and his UGH EVERYTHINGNESS. He doesn't deserve to be hot, there I said it. Okay I should stop typing now...
★★★

Days of Blood & Starlight (DoS&B #2) by Laini Taylor

Synopsis: "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?"

Title: Days of Blood & Starlight
Genre: fantasy, action, romance
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2
Pages: 513
Ages: 14+
My Rating: 5 stars
One Word: HeartbreakinglyBeautiful
Fave Quote:
"As ever when their eyes meet, it is like a lit fuse smearing past through the air between them. These past days, when this has happened, one or the other would turn quickly away, but this time they rest and let the fuse burn. They are filled with the sight of each other. Here in this cavern, this extraordinary gathering-this seethe of colliding hatreds, tamed temporarily by a shared hate-could be their long ago dream seen through a warped mirror. This is not how it was meant to be. They are not side by side as they once imagined. They are not exultant, and they no longer feel themselves to be the instruments of some great intention. They are creatures gasping at life with stained hands. There is so much between them, all the living and all the dead, but for a moment everything falls away and the fuse burns brighter and nearer, so that Karou and Akiva almost feel as if they are touching" (512-513).

Review

I'm still in that shocked phase one has when they've ended an amazing book; that phase where you are living and breathing, but you're mind is in the world of the book. It's that amazing phase where you're still in the story without reading the actual words on the page. I've never been left this shaken and emotionally distressed before. Do I only get that phase when I read such breathtaking books.

Never in the world had I loved a book so much. This book doesn't even compare to any other book I've read. I even cried at the end for it's beauty (still crying). Everything, I can't put my finger on it, just everything about the book makes me so confused and mixed with emotions, yet I still love it, just as Karou is with Akiva.

How on earth do you make a book this beautiful? I can't even fathom it. I wanted to strangle the book (if I could) when Karou wasn't telling Akiva the truth. I wanted to cry when Karou was being hurt, or when Issa came back. I wanted to do so many things because of this book, but it wasn't until the end did I break.

The end, the end, the end. The end, but not the end. After everything that happened in the book, the end was my salvation. So beautiful because Akiva never gave up on Karou, so amazing because he faced "Thiago" to compromise. All because of Karou. I broke down at the end because the love written on those pages was so real and so unmistakingly perfect.

And as if that wasn't enough, but Zuzana and Mik. I love them so much it hurts. Zuzana's funny but caring personality, and Mik's love for Zuze. Amazing book, amazing. I can't even comprehend words.

This book I can really describe with one word, heartbreaking. More like heartbreakingly beautiful because of just everything, Zuzana, Mik, Issa, Ziri, Liraz, Akiva, and expecially Karou, who has probably faced the limit of pain and loneliness anyone could ever take. My heart broke a thousand times during this book, which only made me love it more. There are times like these where I realize I could never ever write anything as good as this. Now, if only Brimstone were back...well, we have the third book for that matter.
★★★★★

Boomerang (#1) by Noelle August

Synopsis: "Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen, with no-fuss, no-commitment matchups and where the action on the job is steamier than any random hookup

Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They're sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret.

Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post-hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters.

What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower, courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against coworkers dating. And second, they're now competing for the same job opening in the fall.

As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?"

Title: Boomerang
Genre: New Adult, Rom-Com
Series: Boomerang #1
Pages: 336
Ages: uuuhhh this is awkward since I'm not a "new adult" (I encourage everyone to read everything disregarding the age range....my age range is just a preference)
My Rating: 3.5 stars
One Word: FunAndFlirty
Fave Quote:

“What are you thinking for a theme?’
‘Theme?’ Ethan sits with his eyes closed, face turned up to the sunlight. His smile holds such contentment that I feel almost guilty bringing up actual work.
‘Yes, for the booth. For the show. What do we want the design to be?’
He sits up and squints at me, shading his eyes. How about something sports themed? You know, ‘Have fun. Score big.’
‘Ew’
‘Come on,’ he insists. ‘We’re not eHarmony. I’s not about lifelong commitments. Nothing wrong with some fun.’
‘I know, but-“
‘And we’re called Boomerang. That’s already sporty. How about, ‘play hard, throw it back?’
‘Okay, that’s even worse.’ I try to contain my hair so I can give him a solid glare, but it’s no use. ‘And what exactly is the ‘it’ in that little slogan?’
He grins. ‘You know.”
‘No, sir, I do not. Because it sounds like you’re talking about lady parts. Like, ‘use them up and throw them away, boys.’
‘That’s crazy,’ he protests. ‘It’s lady and gentleman parts. You’re free to throw it back, too.’
I laugh.’ So, that’s the image we’re unveiling for our investors? Sex organs whipping through the air?’" (144-145)

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Wasn't expecting to read this book, but once I downloaded the first 19 chapters for free, I needed to finish it!

Let me be honest, this is one of my first new adult books, and I was curious to find out how "Noelle August" would write the romance for this age group. I was definitely satisfied right from the beginning. It reminded me of one of the romantic comedies that I watch way too much ;).

This book was funny and flirty and totally a summer read. I liked the book, but unlike other books that I would give 5 stars to, it didn't pull me in or keep me turning pages. However, it was fun to read and had me laughing out loud at some parts. The character's personalities were funny, quirky, caring, and all-round amazing. Mia and Ethan were so cute and you knew that they would somehow find there way to each other in any situation. I loved reading about their jealousy once they had to watch others on dates, and their jokes and their feelings.

Great predictable, but super funny and original book to read over the summer!

★★★1/2

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Synopsis: "Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives -- but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she's never considered before -- one in which her mother wasn't perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that's something no tornado can touch."

Title: Torn Away
Genre: Contemporary
Series: None
Pages: 276
Ages: 13+
My Rating: 3 stars
One Word: Inspiring
Fave Quote: "But then something really huge hit the house. I heard the tinkling of glass breaking upstairs, on the other end of the house, over where Marin's bedroom was. A loud metallic grating noise seared the air outside as something was pushed down the street. I only had seconds to think about Kolby, to wonder if he was still out there, when the basement window suddenly shattered, ushering in an enormous roar of noise" (20).

"I could see them, hand in hand, sprinting across he street tot the grocery store, ushering the little girls along in their sparkly leotards and their tightly bound updos. I could hear the girls' frightened voices, could smell the electricity in the air, could feel the sirens bleating through their bodies.
I could see them, eyes going wide as the tornado became visible, and then squinching down tight as debris and cars and streetlights and entire roofs looked like dots of little in the sky, before crashing down onto the streets.
I could feel them, fear sinking in-fear and the instinct for self-preservation-as they thrust themselves down the aisles at the grocery store, hoping to get far enough..." (237).

Review

I was so frustrated reading this book, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. The grief and sadness (I cried more than once) felt so real, that I personally wanted to give the book 0 stars just because I was so depressed reading it. However, reading how Jersey goes through the trouble everyday waking up after her mom and sister died is so inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time. I've always complained about my town and life. Too ordinary. Too boring. Too systematic; wake up, go to school, go t...more I was so frustrated reading this book, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. The grief and sadness (I cried more than once) felt so real, that I personally wanted to give the book 0 stars just because I was so depressed reading it. However, reading how Jersey goes through the trouble everyday waking up after her mom and sister died is so inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time. I've always complained about my town and life. Too ordinary. Too boring. Too systematic; wake up, go to school, go to a sport, go home, do homework, repeat. But, this book made me reconsider what I have and it made me realize that I take the biggest things in my life for granted, like my mom, my house, my ordinary life in general. I would take this boring, uneventful life any day than a depressing one if it means that my family and friends will be safe and be in my life. Jersey's tragic experience and her inspiring recovery from her mom and sister's lives sucked all the emotions out of me and left my staring blankly at the book, with tears running down my face. I told myself I wouldn't cry when I started the book, but God, putting Jersey's little sister, Marin, in the picture and all of her innocent memories just broke my heart. I can't imagine a little girl dying before she could have the opportunity to live her life. This book was fascinating to read, but also heartbreaking, and that's what created the beauty of it. I usually never take those cheesy life quotes seriously, like "live every day to it's fullest", or "the smallest things in life have the biggest meaning". This book, however, made me rethink those little life lessons and actually put them to heart. All of the pain Jersey has to go through with Ronnie, Clay and his family, and then the tornado sirens at her grandmothers house just made me feel so sympathetic to her. But, it also made me able to point out the happier times easier, like with Kolby, and her grandparents, and Marin's purse. All of those little things pushed Jersey along, and I'll always remember this simple, yet powerful book when I experience little tragedies throughout my daily life. ★★★

Through the Ever Night (UtNS #2) by Veronica Rossi

Synopsis: "It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.
Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first.

Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable."

Title: Through the Ever Night
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Romance
Series: Under the Never Sky #2
Pages: 341
Ages: 13+
My Rating: 5 STARS
My Word: Emotional :(:
My Fave Quote: (throughout review)

 

Review

“Aria stood. She wanted to hold him and sob with him. Give it to me, she wanted to scream. Give me the pain. Let me take it from you” (285).

Jesus.

This book held my heart. In the beginning of the book, it pounded gently and evenly with pure love. Then, nearer to the end, it would pound faster and faster, getting out of control, until it eventually fell out of grasp and landed on the floor, in a million pieces.

My heart is in pieces, and the ending was like a meager attempt of sewing it back together.

Two main reasons why this book was amazing: LOTS of suspense (even more than the first book) and LOTS of beautifully written romance once again.

God. So much sadness and love and life and confusion and happiness all in one book. One minute I was bawling with Roar and Aria, and the next I was laughing with Perry. I was so bipolar when reading it, my mom must've thought I was crazy (sorry, I'm not sorry).

The suspense throughout it just made me grip the book harder, turn the pages as fast as I could to read on. What could possibly happen? Who's going to die? Will the succeed? I needed to know those answers. Also, all of the things in this book connected, and it explains everything, with Cinder, Liv, Hess, everyone. At the end, my mind was blown, everything just fit together.

And god that ending. Seriously Rossi? Leaving it at a suspenseful moment. I have a stack of library books that I just checked out yesterday, but I'm tempted to go back and get my hands on the next book. The "Dwellers" and the "Savages" are so completely different, that I'm so curious as to how Rossi has written the last book.

Now I can't forget about the romance. Beautiful once again.

“Aria laughed. That was attractive. She smelled like horse.
‘Do you ever miss anything?’
Perry smiled. ‘You, all the time’” (99).

“’We’re together now,’ he whispered against her forehead.
‘The way we should be.’
She closed her eyes and relaxed her breathing, seeking calm. He was rendered to her. Maybe he’d feel it too. ‘Sleep, Perry.’
‘I will,’ he said. ‘With you right here, I will’” (121).

“’Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame,’ she said. ‘It’s from an opera called Carmen.’
Liv narrowed her eyes. ‘Are you the bird, or is my brother?’
Aria smiled. ‘I think the bird is the connection between us…I’d do anything for him,’ she said, and realized that it really was that simple” (233).

“Aria kept her gaze on his face. On the blond stubble across his jaw, and the bend in his nose. She could look at him forever. She could spend her life watching him just blink and breathe that close to her” (321-322).

“Aria watched, silent in his arms. His gaze trailed over the curve of her shoulder, the slope of her cheek. The dark flick of her eyelashes as she blinked. His heart filled with hurt. Hers. His. Her understood exactly what she felt” (333).



Never have I been more serious when I say that I wish I had a relationship like Perry and Aria. They love each other so much and so intensely that it makes me want to tear up whenever I read about their feelings for each other. WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE SO PERFECT?

This book was simply amazing. It earns a true five stars and I will read the last book very soon.

★★★★★



Panic by Lauren Oliver

Before I start this review, I just wanted to apologize for not being on this blog for a while! I had so much to deal with the last few weeks of school (FINALS :( ) but now it's summer so I'll give you guys PLENTY of book reviews :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Synopsis: "Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes he very things we fear are those we need the most."

Title: PANIC
Series: None
Genre: Romance, YA Fiction, Suspense, Contemporary
Pages: 408
Ages: 14+
My Rating:
My Word: Heart Racing, freaking anxiety filled
My Fave Quote:
"But Autumn nibbled the blue sky with its teeth, tore off chunks of the sun, smudged out that heavy veil of meat-smelling smoke. It was coming. It would not be held out much longer.
It would bring rain, and cold, and change.
Just before that: the final challenge.
The deadliest challenge.
Joust" (375).
Review
I live in a bubble. Every day, I go to school, see my friends, go home, do homework, and repeat. My town is filled with some rich kids and seeing them waste their money on extra drinks in the cafeteria or wearing a new outfit a day makes me want to cringe. I've learned from an early age not to spend more money than I have to, and now I don't even have to remind myself. It's just a habit to conserve my money.

In Panic, many residents in Carp are poor. There is Meth Row, where Dodge and other poor residents live, and there is the trailer park, where the even poorer people live, including Heather. It was fascinating to read about their lives and their families and the trouble that they endured.

Not only that, but hearing people say "This novel is just like the Hunger Games! It such a copy." First of all, this book isn't set in the futuristic dystopia where you're forced to play a game to show power. This game was created by students and personally I thought this book was more exciting and thrilling due to the absurd stunts and tasks the students have to do. That said, the plot was definitely original and the different challenges made my heart race for these fictional character.

Speaking of fictional characters, the absolute reason why I got this book to be four stars were the characters, specifically Heather and Bishop.
“They had their own language, their own jokes. They were constantly touching each other too – pushing and shoving, pinching and hugging, like kids flirting on a playground.”
*sigh* best relationship ever.Literally, I was waiting for their perfect relationship to happen and once it did I could not contain my feelings.





Not to mention Dodge. He was absolutely perfectly imperfect and his and Heather's background story made me sympathize for them throughout the whole story. Nat on the other hand was a little annoying for the first half of the story and very reckless (not that all of them weren't). She was crying over the stupidest things and making horrible decisions. During the end though, she didn't bother me as much.

One of the things I didn't like as much was that Oliver kind of rushed the last challenge, and she never showed Heather resolve any of her problems, like with Bishop. She just skipped right to the epilogue. I liked the epilogue, but I think I would've been a lot happier if we got to read that scene.

This story was a quick and fun read, and literally had my heart racing for the characters as they went through each challenge. I figured out the twist at the end with Bishop when Dodge started suspecting it and I was shocked and mad at myself for not figuring that out sooner! This story was very creative and I can't wait to read more of Oliver's upcoming books!
★★★★

When We Wake by Karen Healey

Synopsis: "Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027—she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice.

But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies—and wakes up a hundred years later, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.

The future isn't all she had hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better world?

Award-winning author Karen Healey has created a haunting, cautionary tale of an inspiring protagonist living in a not-so-distant future that could easily be our own."

Title: When We Wake
Series: WWW#1
Genre: Science Fiction, Futuristic
Pages: 296
Ages: 13+
My Rating: 3 Stars
My Word: Good Romance
My Fave Quote: "Don't screw the crew?" (75)

Review

When We Wake was overall a good read. The whole prospect of waking up a hundred years in the future is not an original idea, but Healey made it so. The characters in 2027 were not too descriptive, so I did not connect with Tegan as much when she mourned over never seeing them again, but the new characters were by far distinct and different in their own amazing way. Characters like Bethari, Joph, Dawson, Marie, and especially Abdi were phenomenal. And the reason this book earned its five stars was...more When We Wake was overall a good read. The whole prospect of waking up a hundred years in the future is not an original idea, but Healey made it so. The characters in 2027 were not too descriptive, so I did not connect with Tegan as much when she mourned over never seeing them again, but the new characters were by far distinct and different in their own amazing way. Characters like Bethari, Joph, Dawson, Marie, and especially Abdi were phenomenal. And the reason this book earned its five stars was the relationship between Tegan and Abdi. I am a sucker for romance, and this one was so simple and beautiful. How Tegan describes Abdi is so breathtaking, and I had a huge crush on Abdi before Tegan did to be honest! Also, the way Healey wrote the story as if Tegan was telling us the story was another reason why this book earned a higher rating. I loved how certain paragraphs foreshadowed events when Tegan is talking about the present instead of the story. It made me want to keep reading and figure out what happens. For example, Tegan talks about her story and having a normal day at school, and then in the next paragraph she talks in the present saying, "Abdi is bleeding, but luckily the wound isn't deep," or something like that. Those kind of past-to-present things really made me want to find out what happens in the story to get to that point. Anyway, this book was really original despite the synapsis lacking some originality. Each character and the plot was good because it showed Tegan adapting to the future and restarting her life with new friendships and a relationship. Overall, a good and easy read, and I would definitely read the sequel! ★★★

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Synopsis: "Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Series: DoSaB #1
Genre: Romantic Fantasy, YA
Pages: 418
Ages: 14+
My Rating: 5 Stars
My Word: Perfect Romance
My Fave Quote: "Snap.
Rushing, like wind through a door, and Karou was the door, and the wind was coming home, and she was also the wind.
She was all: wind and home and door.
         She rushed into herself and was filled.
         She let herself in and was full.
         She closed again. The wind settled. It was as simple as that.

         She was whole" (307).

Review
So I got this book at the library, right when I walked in I saw it on the "staff picks" shelf, and while checking it out, I sort of made friends with the librarian. She picked the book as her "staff pick" and since I picked it out, we were instant friends. She told me how good it was, and that there were two more books in the series.

So, taking the advice from a librarian, I had contradicting feelings about the book before reading. Will it be a good read? Did she over exaggerate? And yes, these are the kind of thoughts that go through my head when I think of a book.

You can never understand how much you hate a good book that says "to be continued..." At the end until you've read one.

I'm still processing... My mind is screaming from everything that I just read. This book was amazing beyond words. Everything that Karou felt I felt, the anguish, the fear, the love, the hatred.

I'm laying in my bed here with the book on my lap while my brain is still recuperating from a roller coaster of emotions. This book was one of the few that felt like I was actually there as Madrigal or as Karou instead of reading the journey.

The ONLY thing I have to critique is that the book was left into two story lines, with Karou's life in the beginning and madrigal flashbacks towards the end. I really wanted to know more about Suzanna and Kazmir, but I will hopefully get more of them in the upcoming books.

What else is there to say? Laini Taylor made this book a whole other world, so pure, emotional, and real with the most simplistic, yet meaningful writing. The romance was so beautiful and real between Akiva and Madrigal that I felt like I was there. Brimstone, Chiro, Suzanna, and all of the other characters flavored the book with a twisting and juicy storyline.

I'm so happy for making friends with the librarian and for picking out this book. Maybe it was meant to be for me and this book since it was right there when I walked into the library, just like Akiva and Madrigal were meant to be ;D no? Not funny?
★★★★★

Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis: "In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has."

Title: Cress
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Pages: 550
Ages: 13+
My Rating: 5 stars
My Word: YAASS
My Fave Quote(s): These two quotes that have to do with Thorne and his personality :D

“Captain! To your left there’s a Lunar guard and on your right is a doctor who’s running tests on Lunars and I’m being held by one of Levana’s wolf hybrids and please be careful!”
Thorne took a step back into the hallway a gun from his waistband. He spent a moment swiveling the barrel of the gun in each direction, but nobody moved to attack him.
With some surprise, Cress realized that the operative’s grip had weakened.
“Er…” Thorne furrowed his brow, aiming the gun somewhere near the window. “Could you describe all those threats again because I feel like I missed something" (348).

“Knees suddenly weak, she reached for his forearms to stabilize herself. “You came for me.”
He beamed, looking for all the world like a selfless, daring hero.
“Don’t sound so surprised.” Dropping the cane, he pulled her into a crushing embrace that tore her away from Wolf and lifted her clean off the floor. “It turns out you are worth a lot of money on the black market”  (350).

“Captain?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think it was destiny that brought us together?"
He squinted and, after a thoughtful moment, shook his head. "No. I'm pretty sure it was Cinder"  (512).
I'M TELLING YOU the series just gets better and better
AND THIS BOOK:



Literally, right from the beginning I knew this book was going to be good. And once I found at that Cress liked Thorne, I was totally ready for it.

I mean....it's THORNE



This book was so good and ugh had so much romance and action and suspense and... *sigh* I couldn't contain it all in. I even squealed a couple of times, that's how much I-yes I'm gonna say it- fangirled. And I laughed out loud whenever Thorne was in the story because he always made it funny :D.
“Captain! To your left there’s a Lunar guard and on your right is a doctor who’s running tests on Lunars and I’m being held by one of Levana’s wolf hybrids and please be careful!”

Thorne took a step back into the hallway a gun from his waistband. He spent a moment swiveling the barrel of the gun in each direction, but nobody moved to attack him.

With some surprise, Cress realized that the operative’s grip had weakened.

“Er…” Thorne furrowed his brow, aiming the gun somewhere near the window. “Could you describe all those threats again because I feel like I missed something" (348).

Anywho, let's get down to the nitty gritty here and talk about the fantastic plot. I loved Marisa Meyer ever since I read Cinder and obviously, Cress did not disappoint. The third book, Cress was based off of the fairytale Rapunzel and had a science fiction twist to it. I still can not get over the whole plot, all of the action with Queen Levana with "Cinder and Co." (lol). The part of the book where Thorne and Cress are stranded in the desert just added to the adventurous and humorous book. (I admit I laughed a few times in public :o) Anyway, once everyone regrouped (minus one character :I ), that's when everything started going chaotic and action-packed and awesome. The story was so amazing and all of the new problems and new characters just added to its awesomeness.

Speaking of characters, I immediately loved Cress from the beginning; the quirky, small girl trapped in a satellite for 9 years. I instantly attached to her because I related to her in the "quirkiness and short" sense, not the "trapped in a satellite" sense! NOT TO MENTION that Thorne and her got to bond on a scalding and water-less desert together!

AHH THORNE. He was my all time favorite character (and still is) since the second book, and him and Cress? YES! I 100% guarantee that people were giving me weird looks as I smiled stupidly at my book when there were Cress and Thorne moments. In addition, Meyer kept the characters just as amazing as the last book. Characters such as Cinder, Wolf, Dr. Erland, Scarlet, Queen Levana, Kai, Iko, the list goes on. I loved how the characters still each stuck with their own quirky personality, and not to mention Wolf and Scarlet ahhhh thrilling right there, yet I'm mad that I have to wait until Winter to see what happens with them :O.

Each individual romance (CINDER AND KAI INCLUDED *sigh* only in the end though...) was and stayed perfect since the last two books, and lastly, new characters, such as JACIN AND PRINCESS WINTER, were amazing. I GIVEA THUMBS UP TO THAT UPCOMING BOOK BECAUSE DAMN THOSE TWO CHARACTERS=PERFECTION. AHH I'm already having feels, I mean, who wouldn't ship Jacin, arrogant/emotionless, with Princess Winter, who was all crazy and insane? :D Am I right? I can't wait until the next book!

Yet another amazing book from the Lunar Chronicles and I'm already counting down for Winter because I NEED to know what happens :O I CAN'T WAIT A YEAR D':
★★★★★

Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Synopsis: "He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion."

Title: Champion
Series: Legend #3
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy, Science Fiction, ROMANCE
Pages: 369
Ages: 12+
My Rating: 4 Stars
My Word: YAASSS, #DatEndingTho
My Fave Quote(s): ""Hi, Metias," I say in a soft voice. "Today's my birthday. Do you know how old I am now?"
I close me eyes, and through the silence surrounding me I think I can sense a ghostly hand on my shoulder, my brother's gentle presence that I'm able to feel every now and then, in these quiet moments. I imagine him smiling down at me, his expression relaxed and free.
"I'm twenty-seven today," I continue in a whisper. My voice catches for a moment. "We're the same age now"" (360).

"“Then Day reaches out and touches my hand with his. He encloses it in a handshake. And just like that, I am linked with him again, I feel the pulse of our bond and his- tory and love through our hands, like a wave of magic, the return of a long-lost friend. Of something meant to be. The feeling brings tears to my eyes. Perhaps we can take a step forward together.
“Hi,” he says. “I’m Daniel.”
“Hi,” I reply. “I’m June”" (369).

Review:
 *sighs* Well... another series has ended from my bucket-list which is bittersweet.

I can't believe I finished the series D:. I remember reading the first book of the series when I was in 7th grade! And two years later I have finished the last :(.

This book was mind-blowing, and romantic and JUST AMAZING OKAY? AND let me just say... THE ENDING LITERALLY MADE THIS BOOK THE BEST BOOK EVER?!?!1!11!??!1!

Okay, I'm not gonna go forever fangirling about the ending, but let's just say this was me reading the last chapter:


The ending is now one of my favorite endings EVER. It was so good of an ending that I am adding a new category for "Best-Endings-Ever" on GoodReads. Now some of you may think the ending is horrible or heartbreaking, but seriously?! Now, I'm not gonna put any spoilers, but let's just say that I thought it was a cute ending and totally different and creative! (<---World's biggest understatement)

Now the plot was good! Not every day to I read books of war and dystopia...oh wait I do... but not like that. The only thing that was kind of iffy for me was that it just didn't seem realistic that Africa would have supplies to help the Colonies at war...even fifty years from now :/.

The characters were fantastic, and I loved more new characters like Pascao, the more-mature-Tess, and of course DAY AND JUNE. I'm not a big fan of Anden at all thought; he was just in the way from the Day and June action to be brutally honest. And I'm so happy that Marie Lu made June SMART and LOGICAL throughout the series unlike some authors who make their main character so dumb it kills me. The way Marie Lu describes the relationship with Day and June; how June gets chills when she hears Day's voice or how Day thinks June is the most breathtaking out of everyone, really kept the story going for me.

Idk maybe it was a bit rushed, but overall I thought it was an action-packed and romantic last edition to the series and I am so happy that I got to read the books! And let's be honest here, nothing beats the first book!--even though this book was so good! Like seriously I've never read a book so creative before :O. I can't wait to read more of Marie Lu's books :D.
★★★★