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.
★

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':
★★★★★

Fragments by Dan Wells

Synopsis: "Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival."

Title: Fragments
Series: Partial Sequence #2
Genre: Science Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 564
Ages: 14+
My Rating: 5 Stars
My Word(s): MindBlowing, VeryCalulated
My Fave Quote(s):

"None of this is by accident, and we have to figure out what it all means. She paused. We have to. It's the same old argument I used to have with Mkele: the present or the future. Sometimes you have to put the present through hell to get the future you want" (pg. unknown)   “I chose to follow you," he said, and his voice was deep and rich. "And I'll find you again" (561)                    Review    THIS BOOK WAS MIND BLOWING

I have to admit, the first 100 pages or so were dragging on a bit, but once you get past that...


This book is the sequel to the amazing book Partials and it was even better than the first if that is possible.

I don't know where to begin...everything was so perfectly planned and it was all carefully calculated and just at the end I was like WHAAAAAT?!?!?!

Plot
The storyline was fantastic. I was getting a little annoyed with Marcus's story coming in during random parts of the story, but as the story progressed, I realized that it all made sense and it fit together very well. Kira's story dragged on a bit in the beginning as they were traveling, but then shit just went down once they reached their destination.

That's when things started to be mind blowing. Everything with Dr. Vale and the cure and the...the (view spoiler)[CHILDREN (hide spoiler)]. Once the story got to there, it went from a three star book to a solid five star.

Literally as I was reading, my mouth was wide open and I was like "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD".

The Character
Let me just start by saying that I was waiting too long for that ending to come in the book with KIRA and SAMM.

I don't know how Dan Wells does it, but every little detail he puts into the book are so genius. He made all the humans actually feel human with their facial expressions and arm gestures and emphatic personalities. And he made the Partials seem human-but-not-human, like Samm feels strong emotions, but you can't actually see them because he is so used to using the Partial Link. If someone were to just look at him or talk to him, they'd see some stoic guy with an emotionless voice, but he actually feels and hurts and you can't tell. And he even tries leraning the human gestures and all WHICH MAKES ME LOVE SAMM EVEN MORE!

Kira...oh I love Kira, the "rebellious model" haha! She is so determined and aggressive and willing to sacrifice herself for mankind, and she was already added to my list of favorite main characters since the first book.

Basically Wells makes each person in this whole book different in so many ways that it feels so real. Heron, Marcus, Woolf, Samm, Kira, Afa, Dr. Vale, Calix, Phan, and so many more. Afa was literally the best out of all! :)

And one last thing. Kira and Samm's bond was PERFECT. It wasn't too much, like they weren't all "OMG I LOOOOVE YOU!!!" But it also wasn't too little. All Dan Wells did was add that little little thing in the end and that was literally all it needed for me to melt with happiness.

Overall I couldn't ask for a better sequel. The suspense, the deaths, the chaos, the feelings, and everything else mixed together made this story one of my favorites!
★★★★★

Let it Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle

Synopsis: "Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today’s bestselling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses."

Title: Let it Snow
Series: None
Genre: YA, Christmas, Romance, Funny
Pages: 352
Ages: 12-18 (was very funny and a great quick read)
Date Read: December 31st, 2013
My Rating: 4 stars
My Word(s): Cute, Cold, Funny
My Fave Quotes: (They are put in after the rating of each individual story)

Review

This book is totally different from any book I've read. I'm not a fan of short stories because they make me want more, but the fact that these three short stories came together throughout and especially the end really made me enjoy the book a lot. Each story definitely made me laugh out loud at least once, and after reading all those dystopian, main-character-gets-killed books, I decided that I needed to read a few happy stories for once.

Story #1
Rating: 4.5 stars
"'You're going to need a hat,' Stuart said, as we stepped into the frigid vestibule.
'I don't have a hat, I was going to Florida.'
'I don't have a hat either, but I have these...'
He held up the plastic bags and demonstrated by putting the bag on his head, wrapping it once around, and tucking it in so that it made a snug but strange looking turban, puffed up at the top. Wearing a bag on your head seemed like something that Amber and Amber and Amber would have refused to do... and I felt like making a point that I wasn't like that. I gamely wound it around my head" (43).

This was personally my favorite story out of all three because it was just a fun and quirky story to read. It reminds me of one of the lifetime Christmas movies (which I am not ashamed to say that I love the cheesiness of those movies!)
Anyway, Maureen Johnson really made each character different, and she definitely set up the rest of the book nicely (with each character). I really love Jubilee, just because she's the perfect main character for that kind of short story. She's talkative, funny without trying, and jubilant! (no pun intended). The whole story made me laugh out loud and I seriously loved Stuart and his plastic bags!

Story #2
Rating: 4 stars
"I fell to my knees in the middle of the street and shouted, 'Not in a castle nor in a mansion but in a Waffle House shall we find our salvation!'
The Duke laughed, pulling me up by the armpits. Her ice-matted hat was pulled down low over her forehead. I looked at her and she looked at me and we weren't walking. We were just standing there and her eyes were so interesting . Not in the usual way of being interesting, like being extremely blue or extremely big or being flanked by obscenely long lashes or anything. What interested me about the Duke's eyes was the complexity of the color-she always said they look like the bottom of trash-can bins, a swirl of green and brown and yellow. But she was underselling herself. She always undersold herself.
Christ. It was a hard thing to unthink" (194).

Now don't get me wrong, all three of the short stories were definitely problematic and had totally crazy situations, but this one was probably the craziest, funniest, and most adventurous story of all. It was so funny how the college kids, and the twins were racing JP, the Duke, and Tobin to the Waffle House with fourteen cheerleaders inside. This book was probably the funniest and since it was my first John Green reading, I didn't have any high expectations like other readers who read this book so I was pleasantly surprised with the amazing character development and witty comments. I have to say JP was my favorite character because he was just so damn funny. I literally laughed out loud when he talked about his family immigrating to America so he could have cheerleader sex :'D

Story #3
Rating: 3 stars
"'They said the guy did this dorky happy dance after kissing the phone-flinging girl, and that he thrust his fist into the air and yelled 'Jubiblee!''
Dorrie drew back and made an okay-that's-weird expression.
'What?' Tegan said. 'Wouldn't you want some guy yelling 'jubilee' after kissing you?'
'Maybe they just had dessert,' I said.
They looked at me.
I looked back at them. I flipped my palms up like, C'mon, guys. 'With cherries? Cherries Jubilee?'
Dorrie turned back to Tegan. 'No,' she said. 'I wouldn't want some guy yelling 'jubilee' about my cherry'" (249-250).

I have to be honest. This story only got three stars because of the cute pig added on and the ending where all three stories sort of combined. Addie's personality really made this story just bad. She was just so self-absorbed (as much as she tried not to be) and she wouldn't stop whining and complaining about how Jeb hadn't shown up at Starbucks when she told him to. First she tries to change him, then she yells at him for the stupidest thing, and now she feels sorry for herself and yells at her friends for telling her the truth?? I really wanted to jump into the story and bitch slap her and say "Girl, seriously. I wouldn't be surprised he didn't come if I acted like you do all the time." The whole story she wouldn't stop thinking about her horrible love life and she would look at other couples and sigh. I would most definitely volunteer to be Jeb's girlfriend since Addie does not deserve him at all. Addie's friends weren't that bad though and the ending was really well put together.

Overall, the rating rounded out to about 4 stars and I was finally happy to read a nice lifetime-Christmasy book for the holidays :).

★★★★

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Synopsis: "In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound.

With breathtaking suspense, this book follows three teens who all become runaway Unwinds: Connor, a rebel whose parents have ordered his unwinding; Risa, a ward of the state who is to be unwound due to cost-cutting; and Lev, his parents' tenth child whose unwinding has been planned since birth as a religious tithing. As their paths intersect and lives hang in the balance, Shusterman examines serious moral issues in a way that will keep readers turning the pages to see if Connor, Risa, and Lev avoid meeting their untimely ends."

Title: Unwind
Series: Unwind Dystology #1
Genre: Science Fiction, Breathtaking, Inspiring, Suspense, CRAZINESS, YA
Pages: 335
Ages: 13+ I highly recommend this book for everyone 13 and older
My Rating: 5 Stars babayy
My Word: Breathtaking Suspense (as stated in the synopsis), Mind Blowing
My Fave Quote: 

"Unwinds didn't go out with a bang-they didn't even go out with a whimper. They went out with the silence of a candle flame pinched between two fingers" (95).

My review is below, and sorry for being so vague, but I'm trying to keep the details as limited as possible so I don't give anything away.

Ok, I finished Unwind, and can we just take a moment to let this soak in???!?!?!?!

Oh. My. God.

Those last twenty pages or so killed me. So much was going on, and no, just no. The whole ending made me want to scream. So much happened that I just can't comprehend it.

I don't even know what to say...I'm legit dying over this. Unwind has so many twists and turns throughout it in which Risa, Connor, and Lev experience. Every word had me turning pages for more. I could not believe how astonished this book made me. Every page of this book left me breathless and wanting more. I will never forget how this book has changed me.

Let's start with the characters. I loved them all. Risa-oh my goodness I love her, and her beautiful talent and the amazing relationship with her and CONNOR AHH I'm dying. Connor-He turned out to be the leader for all unwinds and I loved him throughout the whole book. Lev- In the beginning of the book, he was a little annoying because, obviously, he was brainwashed for thinking that tithing was a good thing. But near the end, he was so badass and freakin amazing that it just made up for everything. Roland-Was really annoying, but at the end my heart was literally aching for him. :O It was so creepy and amazing, yet sad.

The whole storyline amazed me, how one thing led to another. It was so cool how Risa, Connor, and Lev all met on that highway and they all grew, survived, and worked together. They got to know each other a lot, especially Connor and Risa. One of my favorite parts in the book was when Connor picked up the storked baby, and Risa and her had to take care of it. I love the baby's relationship with Risa, and how it cried when she left D:. And it was so amazing how everything connected. Like, Cyrus Finch and Lev at the end :O. And how they all ended up at the same place (view spoiler)[AKA: Happy Jack Harvest Camp :O (hide spoiler)]for different reasons, and what happened to Roland at the end was kind of sad but kind of deserving, I'm not sure :'(. It was sosososo amazing, especially the ending.

Alright, the ending...:O:O:O I died. It still hasn't soaked in on what happened. EVERYTHING CHANGED at the end. It was so weird how Lev, Risa, and Connor all ended up at the same building, and...something not so great was about to happen there. Lev...oh my god. What Lev did is hard to comprehend still, like what even. Connor and Risa, that is so amazing how they both were in the same situation, and how Connor and Roland sort of "connected" (literally). That made me almost jump out of my seat when Connor found out about his arm--well, I can't give it away... Anyway, I love Risa for staying how she was at the end. And...I'm sorry but that ending literally changed everything in the book. Despite the really bad part of the ending that occurred, I really love how Connor took the Admiral's place at the "graveyard" and how Risa and him were still working together :'). But Lev's ending wasn't really the best, although he saved a lot of people :').

Overall, this book amazed me. How everything connected, and each character was phenomenal, and even the thought of unwinding actually being true creeps me out yet amazes me. I will never forget this crazy, amazing, mind-blowing book, and I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

P.S. sorry for the lack of organization is this review. It's hard to keep track of neatness and organization when I can't stop thinking about this book. It has changed me and inspired me, and I'll never forget it. :)
★★★★★

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis: "Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?"

Title: City of Ashes
Series: The Mortal Instruments #2
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Adventurous
Pages: 453
Ages: 13+
My Rating: 3 Stars
My Word: ImTired (Seriously though idk I can't think right now)
Sorry, no fave quote for this book... I'm literally so tired I don't even know what I'm typing


Review:

Although City of Ashes wasn't the MOST enduring book on the planet, it still kept me turning pages. I kept thinking: WHEN ARE CLARY AND JACE GOING TO NOT CARE ABOUT THIS DAMN SIBLING THING AND JUST KISS ALREADY?! But, of course, books never turn out that way until the ending... the VERY ending...AKA the last book in the series. By getting there, I must read every book before that, and yeah, that won't happen for a while because of, wait for it, SCHOOL. Anyway, this book was pretty interesting with...more Although City of Ashes wasn't the MOST enduring book on the planet, it still kept me turning pages. I kept thinking: WHEN ARE CLARY AND JACE GOING TO NOT CARE ABOUT THIS DAMN SIBLING THING AND JUST KISS ALREADY?! Because we all know that Cassandra Clare would totally make these really shallow characters find some way to kiss without making it really gross that they're siblings. But, of course, books never turn out that way until the ending... the VERY ending...AKA the last book in the series. By getting there, I must read every book before that, and yeah, that won't happen for a while because of this book. Anyway, this book was pretty interesting with okay characters and a moderate plot. It just felt like it was repeating itself from the first book except this time, Valentine takes the Soul Sword *gasp*. But seriously, this book really needed a few corrections. I'm sorry but Clary especially gets on my nerves because she can't make up her freakin mind about the boys and it was...ugh just so unrealistic this whole book. I hope the third book, if I ever read it, has Jace and Clary stop whining about stupid things! Don't get me wrong, the book was okay, just some most things were getting on my nerves.

★★★

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis: "When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end."

Title: City of Bones
Series: The Mortal Instruments #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 485
Ages: 13-17
Date I Finished: August 30th, 2013 (SUMMER DON'T GO)
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
My Word: Creative (My word wasn't creative, but whatevs #lazystatus)
My Fave Quote:
"'Didn't I read your tea leaves, Shadowhunter? Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?'
           Jace said, 'Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself,'
          Dorothea roared at that. 'At least,' she said, 'you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland.'
          'Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting.'" (P.345)

Review

 

I think I expected too much of this book. I mean, it was alright...very creative, nicely built characters, interesting plot (Shadowhunters who kill demons; they can't be seen unless you have the Sight); but I just don't think it was as good as I wanted it to be.

I had mixed feelings for Clary too. I liked her funny personality and witty comebacks, but I didn't think she was badass enough...and the name Clary wouldn't be on my top list of girl's names if I were choosing. Just saying :S. I loved Jace though! Simon got on my nerves, but he's hot in the movie ;). Also, the whole plot twist at the end got me by surprise, but the movie had a sort of different ending (what Hodge said to Valentine about lying) :O

Anyway, this book really didn't move me in the end. Also, the action parts weren't as shown as I wanted them to be; like I wanted it to seem visual. I liked the kind of chemistry between Jace and Clary because it wasn't sloppy, but it wasn't too little either.

The only reason this got 3.5 stars were because of Jace, Clary's mom (her mom is the definition of badass), the plot twist ending, and the whole concept of Sight. I wish I had the Sight like Clary and the rest of the Shadowhunters! Oh, and the beginning was very interesting too (and very suspenseful in the movie).

 

Although this first book didn't reach my expectations, I'm still curious to know what happens next so I'll be reading the second book: City of Ashes in the fall! :)

★★★1/2

 

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

Synopsis: "This National Book Award Finalist is now a major motion picture -- one of the most buzzed-about films at Sundance 2013, starring Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller.

SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.

Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever."

Title: The Spectacular Now
Series: None
Genre: Inspiring, Romance, YA Contemporary
Pages: 294
Ages: 14+ (all ages over 14 I believe because it's so inspiring)
Date I Finished: August 25th, 2013
My Rating: 3 Stars
My Word: ChangedMyLife
My Fave Quote:
"Goodbye. Goodbye. I can't feel you anymore. The  night is almost too beautifully pure for my soul to contain. I walk with my arms spread open under the big fat moon. Heroic weeds rise up from the cracks in the sidewalk, and the colored lights of the Hawaiian Breeze ignite the broken glass in the gutter. Goodbye, I say, goodbye, as I disappear little by little into the middle of the middle of my own spectacular now." (P. 294)

Review

This book as a whole I rate as 3 stars, just because the first 100 pages bored me.

But, the second half of the story inspired me.

Who would've known a teenager like Sutter Keely would have the kindness in his heart to help a lonely, shy girl out? Just the thought of that gave me hope that not all guys go for the popular girls. Some guys realize that they can change a girl's life.

Sutter Keely did just that. He changed Aimee Finicky's life, and not just because he asked her out. Aimee saw depth in Sutter the way no other girl could; she didn't listen to him like he was a joke, but like he was worth something. And Sutter helped Aimee build up her courage, stand up to watch she believes, and fight for her dreams.

The two grew off each other. They needed each other's backs to help them become the best that they can be. That is what inspired me. A girl and a boy changing their lives for the better from the motivation-no- inspiration from their partner.

That's what I loved so much about this book. Also, the ending was one of my favorite sad endings in a book ever. I believe Sutter made the right choice because he knew Aimee deserved better; he was just the boy to help her realize that, and realize that she could do anything.

The only thing I really didn't love was the whole alcohol thing. Sutter was definitely at least slightly drunk half the time and Aimee started drinking a lot too which wasn't a great choice. But, the ending of course motivated him to limit his drinking.

All in all, this book inspired me by the way two people could help each other so much, and learn from each other. It almost brought tears to my eyes-- almost, but I am tougher than that haha. This book showed an experience that neither of them would forget. It changed their lives, and I can just imagine Aimee 10 years later reminiscing about Sutter Keely with a smile on her face and thinking that's the boy that change my life. I don't know, I get kind of sappy with these books, but I loved this book, and it definitely inspired me to help someone out when their life is being slowly drained away, because everyone has a chance to do what they love, and everyone's lives are worth it, they just have to live in the Spectacular Now.

★★★

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Synopsis: "One choice can transform you, or destroy you. Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love."



Title: Insurgent
Series: Divergent #2
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Romance, Lots-o-deaths, shocking
Pages: 525
Ages: 13+
Date I Finished: August 10th, 2013
My Rating: 5 whopping stars
My Word: PANSYCAKE
My Favorite Quote: (New thing I'm doing) THIS QUOTE IS A SPOILER SO PLEASE DO NOT READ----vvvvv

               "'I don't..." I sound like I am being strangled. "My family is all dead, or traitors; how can I..."
               I am not making any sense. The sobs take over, and bathwater soaks my legs. His hold is tight. I listen to his heartbeat and, after a while, find a way to let the rhythm calm me.
               'I'll be your family now,' he says." (P. 399)

There are some minor spoilers in review, so please read this once you've finished the book!

Review

 Wow.

That's all I can say. To this book.

SO many things happened throughout the 525 pages of this story, and I have to tell you, the ending was what drove me to giving this book 5 stars.

The ending...

Wow.

There was one thing that conflicted me while reading, though, and that was Chapter 32 'til the end of Chapter 33 because I wasn't sure what was a simulation and what wasn't, but then I got the gist of it after thinking it through.

Anyway, this book was like a journey through feelings I've never felt before, and I'm not even sure how to apprehend these feelings. I was slightly confused, yet thrilled, yet scared, yet mournful, yet freaked out all in one feeling. This is the case because it seemed to me that Tris kept switching sides of what she believed in: She wanted to die, then she wants to live for the deaths she's blames herself for. She wanted to help destroy the simulation, then she decides to help Marcus find out the truth. She acts dauntless and strong because she didn't care if she died or not(which Tobias wasn't very fond of), then she decided to be more careful.

And I think the reason for these different decisions were from her confusing life and the grief she keeps trying to bury. That's what made me decide to give this book 5 stars. Because I was feeling all the same mixed feelings that Tris felt. I tagged along her journey, instead of reading words on a page, and saw her feel these feelings, and that's what made me empathize rather than sympathize because it felt like I was going through the same problems that she was.

And any story that makes me feel like I'm apart of it, makes it feel so real, deserves 5 stars.

Oh, and that damn ending was just a bonus. OMG how scary, how apprehensive, how scrutinizing, how thrilling, how shocking...

What a cliffhanger.


So, this is me, waiting for the last book to come out:

★★★★★

Reached (Matched #3) by Ally Condie

Synopsis: "After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again."



Title: Reached
Series: Matched #3
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Dystopian
Pages: 512
Ages: 12+
Date I Finished: July 29th, 2013
My Rating: 3 Stars
My Word: GREAT OVERALL PLOT

Review

Reached, the final book of the series Matched.

I wish I liked it better, I really did.

I was going to give this book 4 stars, but then I thought better of it. Here's my explanation of why I rated it:

Good:
-The plot. I like the creativity of the plague, and how when you go "still", you can still hear your surroundings. Also, the way that you can communicate with another "still" person in your mind. But, the only way to communicate with them is when the other is about to die. Also, the whole Rising and they're plans were very intriguing to me. The whole idea of all the puzzling pieces, such as The Rising's plan for the plague, the meaning of 'the pilot' that Oker told Xander, Nea Lei, the Red Garden Day, etc. All the puzzle pieces were figured out and fit together throughout the book which made me pleasantly surprised to have the book's very own unexpected twists.

-In addition, I liked the little bit of suspense with Ky having the 'you know what'.

-The poetry was so beautifully written, it made me wish I was a poet like Cassia haha.

Ok, here comes the bad: The character development. Ever since the beginning of the series I knew there was something off with the characters, I just couldn't figure what.

Now I know, it's that some characters have a lack of human feelings. Like, Xander isn't even the slightest bit jealous of Ky? Or that Cassia doesn't even shed a tear when she finds out her papers are (view spoiler)gone?!?! Or that Ky and Cassia don't even feel the urge to come hug each other once they finally see each other again after what seemed like forever for them, although the plague is a warning to not get too near each other? Literally, all Ky said during that moment was "I see Cassia." Some parts, though, they did show a little of their loving feelings, and I thought it was cute the way Ky and Cassia shared poems. But, the list could go on for lack of feelings.

Don't get me wrong, some characters, such as Indie and Oker were pretty well thought out and had a nice edge in their personality, but Xander, Ky, and Cassia just didn't feel enough emotion.

Next, the love triangle. It wasn't that great, because, as I noted earlier, Xander wasn't even jealous, nor did he try anything to win Cassia's heart. He kind of just gave up, so I can assure you the love triangle didn't go very far.

Lastly, the story was way too stretched out in the beginning, it was kind of hard to continue reading it in a longer sitting. Knowing me, I like more fast-paced, action books, so I guess this just wasn't the one for me:/.

That's about it! This is more of my constructed, criticized reviews because this book just didn't fill me with that emotional happiness in the end, although it was happy. I just sort of forgot about it in the end. Nothing that made me keep my thoughts on the book after I read it, like what happens with my 5 star rated books. This book missed some things, but overall, I liked it.
★★★

Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu

Synopsis: "June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action."

Title: Prodigy
Series: Legend #2
Genre: YA, Science Fictiony, Romance, Suspense, Action-Packed, Love/Hate Relationship
Pages: 371
Ages: 12-17 (Keep in mind, all of my "age ranges" are for the age group that would MOST likely read it. Anyone can read all types of books for sure)
Date I Finished: July 21st, 2013
My Rating: 5 Stars
My Word: NO

Review

 

What.....What even.


















I feel like Marie Lu likes to kill our hearts.


YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME MARIE LU. YOU CAN'T. I'll just hide in my room and sob until November...


















I actually would've written a reasonable review if the ending didn't tear me apart. You can just delete the last 20 pages or so and everything would be okay, but THIS?! No, okay? This can't be happening.

I can't wait until June and Day get back together, and Kaede comes back to life, and Tess leaves the picture. Until then, leave me be with my bowl of ice cream and tears.

Okay, this book overall was so suspenseful and action packed and romancy and all the good stuff that I like to consume. During Legend and Prodigy, I kept turning each page, hoping to find the answers, and hoping that everything will be ok in the end.

The only difference is that I was perfectly fine with the ending of Legend, and NOT with Prodigy.

June and Day are perfect for each other, and I don't care if any of you protest that because they just are. It's final. June is so kickass, I wish I could be as amazing as her. Unfortunately, I'm not. Day is so hot and unbelievably perfect in my mind, and he's also kickass. The perfect kickass couple.

I HATE you suspenseful book. You twisted my mind. Everything was great in the end, and then some heartless author AKA Marie Lu (Just kidding, I love her) came behind my back and stabbed me until I officially died of my feels... Damn you Prodigy! This next book better have a god damn happy ending!
★★★★★

We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3) by Jenny Han

Synopsis: It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.




Title: We'll Always Have Summer
Series: Summer #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, YA
Pages: 291
Ages: 12-17
Date I Finished: July 13th, 2013
My Rating: 5 Stars
My Word: CANTHISHAPPENTOME?

Review

B-t-dubs, don't read this unless you've read this AMAZING BOOK already 'cause...you know...spoilers.

Throughout my teen years so far, I've been expanding the variety of genres of books, and leaving my old favorite: contemporary. Now, I must say that I love Science-Fiction romance more than contemporary romance.

BUT NOT THIS BOOK, BABY!!!

I died. Literally, I think I could die at the end.

BEST. ENDING. EVER.

Okay, I didn't even like Conrad throughout the first book, and I kind of started to like him a little more in the second. BUT, the third book...I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM. Jeremiah started to get so freakin' annoying throughout this book, while Conrad started to get so amazing. Jeremiah would start eating Belly's food, CHEAT on her, get drunk all the time, have his "frat boys" around, and if I were Belly, I'd dump him right at the spot.

I seriously LOVED these specific characters in the last book: CONRAD, because he's so much more sane than Jeremiah, and he is just PERFECT. LAUREL, because she knew Conrad so well, and she is the perfect mom for Belly. And Susannah, because even though she died, she was always thought about, and I think I miss her as much as the characters in the story :O.

It was something about this book...I think it was the ending of every chapter. It made me have to take a deep breath and absorb what just happened. The emotion would pile high inside of me when a chapter ended so beautifully, sad, amazing, suspenseful.

This last book of the Summer series was by far the best. I'll never forget the love shared between Belly and Conrad, and I too hope that I will have that love one day.

Anyway, I'm being too mushy. Might as well stop my review now before I go too in depth by the greatness of the ending of the series. I absorbed every bit, every word of that last chapter. It actually meant so much to me, and made me think of what my future will be with a boy. Here's the quote (last sentence of it all) that can explain why I feel this way.

"This is our start. This is the moment it becomes real. We are married. We are infinite. Me and Conrad. The first boy I ever slow danced with, ever cried over. Ever loved."

This journey through the Summer series has influenced me to do what I want, and if a boy I love loves me for me, then I'll be happy. It was a hilarious, laughable, heartbreaking, influential, memorable, amazing series to watch Belly's journey from her little kid troubles with Conrad, to her heartbreaking decision between the two boys on her wedding day. I will forever love this series, and it will always have a piece of my heart; just like Belly with Conrad :').

 

EDIT: I came across this picture and it reminded me of the book :')
★★★★★

It's Not Summer Wtihout You (Summer #2) by Jenny Han

Synopsis: Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

Title: It's Not Summer Without You
Series: Summer #2
Genre: Romance, Beach Read, Contemporary, YA
Pages: 275
Ages: 12-17
Date I Finished: July 10th, 2013
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
My Word: SUMMERLICIOUS, #TEAMJEREMIAH

Review

Seeing that I haven't gone to the beach yet this summer, (that's too long for me :O) I am starting to have vivid dreams of sand in my toes and water rushing through my ears.

I'm going through beach withdraw :O.

I TOTALLY relate to this book though because my grandma just sold the beach house I've been to ever since I was born last year, and last summer was the first summer I've had without going there :'(. That is the reason I added .5 stars to the rating haha :).

Anyway, this book totally brought all my beach memories back. I've always wanted that 'Summer Story' to share with my friends once school started again, yet that seems impossible because my family is kinda a little overprotective of where I go in the summer. LOL

OK I'm getting off track here. It's Not Summer Without You was definitely more depressing than the first book. It kind of made me super sad when I was supposed to be all happy this summer. Any book that made me cry will get at least 3 stars by me, and this book did the job. Everything was so sad; all except the ending.

I actually think this book would've got a better rating if I didn't compare it to the first book so much. The first book was definitely better with all the romance and twists. Or maybe it was because I read this book in 4 continuing hours and I didn't digest each chapter enough haha! I'm BORED.

This book just gave a reality check to all of the characters. :(

CHARACTERS... I love who Belly picks in the end, but I just wish she wouldn't run away all the time. Like when she said "I don't hate you" then she runs away to the beach. Aside from that, though, she's a good main character, and I envy her for talking to boys that easily haha.
Now Conrad. He's unpredictable, and he totally hides his emotions which makes me like him and not like him at the same time.
Jeremiah: I love his funny, uplifting personality, and I'd totally want him as a best guy friend.
WHY WASN'T CAM IN THIS BOOK? I kind of liked him, and I was kind of curious where he went haha!
AND I wish Steven were at the summer house too with them because I liked him :(.

Anyway, the plot was very depressing obviously, and, like I said, I cried a lot during it. But, there was just something missing. I feel like there could've been a little more action throughout the story. (Maybe I'm just a sci-fi romancy freak LOL)

I already have the third book in my hand, and I'm positive it will be better than the second! Let's hope...

★★★.5

Unbreakable (Unraveling #2) by Elizabeth Norris

Synopsis: Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Title: Unbreakable
Series: Unraveling #2
Genere: Science Fiction, BEST BOOK EVER, Suspenseful, Intense, LOVED, HOOKED ON, YA, Romance
Pages: 479
Ages: 14-18
Date I Finished: June 29th, 2013 (Great way to end June!)
My Rating: 5 Stars (huminahuminahumina *drooling*)
My Word: ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY

Review:
"We climb the stairs. They're sagging and crumbled in places, but we climb the anyway, and to make Barclay less nervous, I try to keep from touching anything. When we get to the fourth floor, I hear something. Correction. I hear someone. I can hear him singing."

OMFG....or maybe in the spirit of this book I should say "ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY" (haha Elijah). This book is too perfect for my horrible reviews, but I just need to get my feelings...OUT.

This book felt like I was in another WORLD where there is a multiverse, the "black hole", portals that transport u between each Earth. It's not even just these things that made it feel like I wasn't just reading words on paper; it was each characters. I LOVEDLOVEDLOVED the characters SO MUCH.

Speaking of characters, lets go right into that: First off, Ben and Janelle's relationship *o*. BEST THING EVER TO HAPPEN IN A BOOK. Seriously, each intimate moment made me squeal, smile, and become all giddy. BEN IS THE MOST AMAZING GUY I WOULD ASK FOR. He is perfect, and even though he made a rough mistake towards the middle of the book, he handled it so well. Alright, before I make a whole ESSAY about Ben, I have to move on.

Okay, Janelle was so kickass and she adapted to the tough situation quickly which is one of the things I love about her. The other thing I love about her is how quickly she thinks of a solution. Damn, if I was in the same place as her when she was trying to break Elijah out, and she had to jump through the fire. I would probably say "screw this" and kill myself. BUT, she found the best solution you can at a time like that.

Next, Elijah. Alright, since I want Ben to stay with Janelle, I'd probably pick Elijah has my newest fictional guy crush. The picture of him on the cover (all the way to the left) is so HOT, and his personality/attitude is awesome. He made me laugh a couple of times, and the way he talks to Janelle, as a friend is so nice/hilarious.

Now it's Cecily. Oh my god, her bubbly attitude and high spirits were all I needed to make me love her. She just makes every bad situation at least a little bit better with her optimistic remarks. She was a good add to this book, and I love how she gets along with pretty much everyone she talks to.

Lastly, Barclay. HE IS THE BEST. At one point, he'd be serious and do his kickass job, and another he would smile and drink tea and tell Janelle his childhood. He would be one of the fictional characters that I'd want to meet. I could seriously picture him in my mind, with short brown hair, bright blue eyes, his high jawline. Maybe a little like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but a little younger and with blue eyes.

That's him!^^^

Okay, now the overall plot (which I should've done before the characters, but whatever :) ) Once, IT WAS JUST A HESITATION, I thought it would be awesome to be in Janelle's world and have a multiverse, where you can portal anywhere and try to kill them bad guys and make out with the best guy I've ever met AKA BEN and have a BFF like Cecily and have an awesome guy friend like Elijah. BUT, I realized that then, basically most of everyone I loved on my own Earth would be dead, and I'd have a DOUBLE from another world which would be awkward... ALSO I'd have gotten so beat up and almost killed so many times that I'd probably need therapy afterwards. Anyway, EXCLUDING all of the killing and doubles and stuff, Janelle's life would probably be my paradise haha. Continuing, this book was so well thought out with the idea of the human trafficking between universes. Also, the different people (a lot of people from the IA) who were apart of it. ALSO, the Struz idea was AWESOME. Same with when Janelle sees Ben's double and knows it's not him :D, and the Ben sees Janelle's double, but doesn't realize that it's not her. >:( ;)

I think I covered everything, and I HOPEHOPEHOPE (I haven't done the research yet) that there is a third book. OMG THERE BETTER BE A THIRD BOOK!!!!!! Especially the last sentence of Unbreakable made it seem like there was a third book! "And we're going to face whatever comes next together."
★★★★★

Undone (Unraveling #1.5) by Elizabeth Norris

GREAT BOOK. AHHH OMG I read this book BEFORE reading Unbreakable, but I'm typing the review AFTER I read Unbreakable, and trust me.....there's a big twist. SINCE I read this book before the last one, I kind of found out what the "big twist" is in Unbreakable before it actually happens. There were some events that foreshadowed the twist that made me realize that the end of Undone is not so true as you'd THINK. That's all I'm going to say about the end! Anyway, it was really awesome to get to view B...more Synopsis   "Before the accident. Before their universes collided. Before they fell in love. Riveting and romantic, Undone: An Unraveling Novella contains three short stories set in the world of Unraveling, the first book in the gripping sci-fi duology by Elizabeth Norris. Before Ben Michaels saved Janelle Tenner’s life, Janelle saved Ben when he stumbled through an interuniverse portal into a completely new world. That day, he fell in love with the girl of his dreams. And he never forgot her. Through three stories told from Ben’s point of view, learn how Ben and his friends discovered their ability to travel between worlds, how Ben first met Janelle, and how he pined for her for years before he actually got the chance to meet her, save her life, and capture her heart. And find out what happens to Ben between the cliff-hanger conclusion to Unraveling and the beginning of its heart-stopping sequel, Unbreakable."   Title: Undone Series: Unraveling #1.5 (Novella) Genre: Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Romance (What I usually read LOL) Pages: 120 Ages: 14-18 Date I Finished: June 17th, 2013 My Rating: 4 Stars My Word: MUST READ BEFORE BOOK 2   Review GREAT BOOK. AHHH OMG I read this book BEFORE reading Unbreakable, but I'm typing the review AFTER I read Unbreakable, and trust me.....there's a big twist. SINCE I read this book before the last one, I kind of found out what the "big twist" is in Unbreakable before it actually happens. There were some events that foreshadowed the twist that made me realize that the end of Undone is not so true as you'd THINK. That's all I'm going to say about the end! Anyway, it was really awesome to get to view Ben's POV and how he realizes that his world is not what it used to be. I loved the events that happened and Elijah especially made this novella more interesting haha because he's to BLAME for all of the events happening in the 2nd book too ;).  ★★★★

Annabel (Delirium #0.5) by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis

 

Lena's mother, Annabel, has always been a mystery—a ghost in Lena's past. Until now.Lena Halloway's mother, Annabel, supposedly committed suicide when Lena was only six years old. That's the lie that Lena grew up believing, but the truth is very different. As a rebellious teenager, Annabel ran away from home and straight into the man she knew she was destined to marry. The world was different then—the regulations not as stringent, the cure only a decade old. Fast forward to the present, and Annabel is consigned to a dirty prison cell, where she nurtures her hope of escape and scratches one word over and over into the walls: Love.

But Annabel, like Lena, is a fighter. Through chapters that alternate between her past and present, Annabel reveals the story behind her failed cures, her marriage, the births of her children, her imprisonment, and, ultimately, her daring escape.

 

 

Title: Annabel

Series: Delirium #0.5 (#2.5 for me because I accidently read the first two book before this)

Genre: Sci-Fi, YA

Pages: 50

Ages: 14+

Date I Finished: May 26th, 2013

My Rating: 3 Stars

My Word: Got that book off my chest :)

 

 

Review

 

Wow, two book reviews in one day! #IHaveNoLife :)

 

Seeing as in Delirium, Hana, and Pandemonium, the books I read before Annabel, (Although Annabel should've been read before all those books...yeah...I realized that a little too late) that ALL had their own special twist in the end (especially Hana), I guess I had too high hopes for this to have some awesome twist to it. The ending was pretty good, leaving a cliffhanger for those who haven't read Pandemonium before reading this, if you know what I mean *hinthint*.

Since Annabel was a novella, short and sweet, I decided I'll leave my review to be short and sweet as well ;).

"I love you. Remember.
And someday I will find you again."

★★★