Book Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: Standalone
Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publish: October 7th, 2014 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Brit Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants;but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there and in uncovering this, she may become the killer's next target.

But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

Eh. A lot of things pissed me off in this book. I'm sorry, Fitzpatrick, but just so you know, your Hush Hush saga wasn't bad. As I was reading, I took some notes on my electronic device.... And I returned the book to the library, so I'm not sure what my notes will be referring to, but I'll try to remember as I type.

The beginning is your first impression of the book, because, I mean, it is a first impression and you all know first impressions are important. Maybe they won't stand true and may falter and shatter, but my first impression of the main character was like..it stayed and my impression of her never changed. I did read a couple of reviews before jumping into reading on Goodreads, and the complaints were mostly for the stupidity of the main character. Oh, and how she's very self-centered and rude, so I prepared myself for the worst and my mind-shield was protective enough so that I was able to give this book three stars and avoid the bad things about it.

Oh, yes, can't forget. Korbie is someone...who changes mood very fast, and for some reason, I find that very unrealistic for her character.

Oh my, oh my. Too many things to point out without spoiling. All I can say is that it's not very realistic. The main character is extremely narcissistic and doesn't know how to make smart decisions although she claims that she had read many books about surviving in the wild and boasts about being reasonable and smart while with her kidnapper. Like, I mean, seriously. Just. Seriously.

And Fitzpatrick just has to kill the - maybe - most reasonable character EVER, so far in the story.

And the main character - Britt, was it? - SPOILER reads into Korbie's diary and finds a list that compares their features.

Oh - and I DELETED MY NOTES SO I CAN'T SPOIL YOU GUYS ANYMORE. AHAHAH. BE GRATEFUL.

Book Review: The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass (#0.1 - 0.5)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Short stories
Published: March 4th, 2014 by Bloomsbury Childrens
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Contains all five novellas.

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.

I have to say that this was a well written third person point of view novellas into novel, adaptation. I don't think any author that I know can trump Ms. Maas's 3rdPoV of writing. It's simply amazing. For me, I prefer 1st person, but reading this, it felt sometimes I was reading in first person. Unlike dual PoVs, this was less confusing, because sometimes I forget which character's mind I'm reading from and I'd have to flip to the Chapter beginning to find out who it is, or I'll just confuse myself even more. But this, this is pure...I'm ecstatic to even talk and rant about this. I could tell exactly who  she is talking about, it's one of the best writing style I've read. Just to throw this out: I love Marie Lu's writing.

In my opinion, I felt like this book of novellas had a hint of mystery to it. It was just fun to find out and read the next move Celaena will do, and what Arobynn has in mind.

#0.1: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord

It starts off with the assassins in a meeting, then Arobynn proceeding to tell them some fascinating news. You know, I liked how she wrote the fighting style. It's not too simple like: She turns around and whips the back of his head, hard, with a slap of her palm. No. It's not like that. But it's not too complicated either like this: She jumps up and flips twice backwards before landing onto the table (like what?!), feet planted firmly, not loosing her footing; she narrowly avoids the rapids swings and strikes from the hilt of his sword. (I mean, that's not complicated, you could follow the sentence I just wrote, but like...I'm not a good writer, but I'm pretty sure you get the gist of it). You're able to follow Celaena's graceful and snake-like movement, picturing it clearly in your mind.

This particular novella shows Celaena's kindness and loving for others. It's clear. She's able to risk her life for a hundred others. You would think she'd win all her fights, but that wouldnm't make it interesting....or would it? I wouldn't find it interesting. I mean, the whole point of a novel is the drama/action/mystery in it.

#0.2: The Assassin and the Healer  

This one was a bit confusing on Celaena's personality. Was she the kind girl, or the 'not caring' type of girl? I mean, I guess she was both, but yea., If you read it, you'll get me. This showed more of how Celaena fights, giving us a less broad view of her fighting style. Her kills are clean and fast, and Ms. Maas makes sure the viewer knows that Celaena is the best.

I'd say so myself, that this was a short read, but a fascinating one. Where the opposite meets the opposite.

#0.3: The Assassin and the Desert

Where everything starts going downhill. I mean, I guess her life was already a roller coaster of downhills and bumps, but this is where it really starts to go down. This was a fun chapter! It showed how weak/strong Celaena is. It shows her limits and how far she will really go for something. I kind of ship her with the Desert master's son, but I'm good if she ditches him. (Can't really say if she does, or doesn't, because that would be a spoiler). Celaena is so cute and adorable! She's blushing when something happens, she's able to show her face, and meet new friends(although I can't say if they'll last or not.)

 Again, this chapter/novella shows how nice Celaena really is. She's able to spare someone's life, no matter how much damage they did. Do you ever wish to be like her? I mean, mastering both hands to kill and murder, but at the same time, be nice with a short temper?

#0.4: The Assassin and the Underworld

This one, I've got to say, is the most boring. I liked skimmed through this one...well, not skimmed, I only skimmed over the detailing because I could care less. If I read it a bit more carefully, maybe it would've been more interesting, but really, I was just getting sick, tired and bored of The Assassin's Blade. Like...no? The last mission, and most...weird one is in this chapter. It was pretty...unique. Arobynn starts getting creepy and confusing that I don't know what to even think of him anmore. All I know is that I'm glad for Celaena.

#0.5: The Assassin and the Empire

 This is where I develop my hate for the empire. Hahaha. Don't blame me. Blame the king and his stupid Captain of the guard, and ugly, Durian (Dorian). For some reason, again, I could care less about them after reading and finishing The Assassin's Blade. Inside me, my heart just screams, "HOW DARE THEY!" Yea. It's that much agonizing. Oh and the vaults. Yes. I need to compare. When I was reading this last part, I reached the "vault(ing)" part of the book, and if you guys have read Legend by Marie Lu, then this should remind you of their boxing scenes. I forgot the name, oopsy daisies. My bad. To read how Celaena meets her end of the assassin career, it's totally lame. I mean, I expected more of a grand escape, but considering what practically happened to her lover(I dislike the word "lover", ), I guess it's normal/natural?...

Book Review: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Series: Rebel Belle (#1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Romance
Published: April 8th, 2014 by Putnam Juvenile
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

This book was a very, very fun read! :) I loved the main character, Harper. She's just awesome...You know what I mean? Relationships are very important to her, so you on't really have to worry about her betraying you. She will love you lots and be prepared...she doesn't curse..well....I don't remember her cursing. I love her personality, it;'s quite unique, if I must say so myself. When Saylor had asked if she was prepared, she was like "No." Just a blunt 'no', and I laughed for like hours because I expected her to say 'yes'. Oh my goodness, it's just a fun read.

This novel was such a funny one! You'll practically be laughing every page or two! The plot twist in the beginning was certainly, unexpected. I totally expected a big plot twist just like the one in the beginning, to happen in the middle. The fact that she used the heel or her heels and stab it into the neck....of this person..was something that hurt my stomach. I laughed to my death, and I especially loved how she was like "this is embarrassing". The writing wasn't too good, but it was good enough, it did have enough detail. My favorite aspect of the novel was the storyline. A. m. a. z. i. n. g.

I love how there wasn't the stupid fight of jealousy between her and her boyfriend, like the usual cliche novel, BUT, they decide to calmly negotiate and it didn't turn out to be a full blown fight. I loved her ex boyfriend though. He's soo sweet and has his own unique personality. You would think he's the playboy type, but he came back! And unfortunately, another huge plot twist happens near the end. Like what happens with their powers and stuff? The questions that remained in the air at the end is enough to make a good second book, but the ending of Rebel Belle is simply enough to leave it at that. It gives us enough room to make and imagine what's going to happen next. It's a very fun read! :)

Book Review: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Standalone
Genres: Young Adult, New Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary
Published: April 10, 2014 by Disney Hyperion
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

This is a gorgeous book. It's too good. Like seriously. Everything abut this was good. I think this novel ought to be her best work so far that I've read. I love the mystery aspect in it, very beautifully written. There was a hint of horror in it, but that's to be expected as it was a thriller and suspense novel. It was also fun to read it because of 'Mean Girls'. I've watched that movie a thousand times and this is the first time I've used it to read a novel.

"The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level..." That sentence from the summary of my copy just sparked a 'mean girl' fangirl in me and I started reading her old friends as Regina, Gretchen and Karen. Oooohhh, it was such a fun read to be able to read it like that.

I also loved the family interactions in this novel. Like we even got to know more about their parents and the actual reasons to actual problems. The only thing I didn't like was the conflict at the end. I felt like it could've been better written and more detailed, but that aside, everything was amazing. Her brother was also a protective one, which is so cute. The amnesia part was very well written and I loved how there wasn't so much of a sarcastic aspect in this novel because she is actually logical at time. Sometimes, the characters are too sarcastic in other books that I can't stand them, but this novel lets me take a nice break from it, but at the same time enjoy some funny comments.

To be honest, I'm very surprised that Armentrout actually fit all the answers to the questions in our head by the end of the story. It's a pretty short thriller novel if I were to say so myself, especially when our main character has amnesia and she was to find everything out. Ahhh, this just gives you the feels and it's too good to not read. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone if you've yet to read it!

Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Series: Throne of Glass (#2)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Action, High Fantasy, Adventure, Paranormal, Mystery
Published: August 15th, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for. 

Review ~

By the Wyrd! I loved this. I think this was even better than Throne of Glass. Has anyone been on Team Chaol since the beginning? Because I have. And I probably always will be. I just don't know why I don't like Dorian. You know my nickname for him? DURIAN. If you don't know what durian is, I advise you to search it up. Stinky fruit. 

“The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.” 

Celaena was just AWESOME. She's kick-a** and bad-a**. People were underestimating her because she's a girl. Well they thought wrong. Chaol was just sweet and kind. I hope that Dorian will become a great king. I want the king dead. Crown of Midnight contained more action, betrayal, secrets and trust. I loved the romance and character development between Chaol and Celaena. I totally ship them. CHAOLAENA. And shoot, if you don't end up with him, I will gladly take him.

"And in that world... Celaena swallowed hard. She and Chaol would never be a normal boy and girl, but perhaps in that world they could make a life of their own. She wanted that life, Because even though he'd pretended nothing had happened after the dance they'd shared that night, something had. And maybe it had taken her this long to realize it, but this man ― she wanted that life with him."

MAJOR SPOILERS START HERE

There's one part I would like to talk about. So Crown of Midnight is split into two parts. When I read part two, it was just depressing when reading it. I hated how Celaena acted after the death of her beloved friend, Nehemia. She blamed and wanted to kill Chaol. I mean, I do agree that Chaol should have at least warned the guards about the anonymous threat to Nehemia. Nehemia saw it coming. She basically planned it out. Chaol just thought he was protecting you, while Nehemia had been lying to you about many, many things. "You will always be my enemy." do you know seeing how much Chaol was hurt hurt me. Her saying that kept coming up in his mind, The way she was acting afterwards, I was like, "Get it together, Celaena! Stop!" She was burning everything that he had touched. I mean come on, I'll take whatever he touched then.

“Why are you crying?"
"Because," she whispered, her voice shaking, "you remind me of what the world ought to be. What the world can be.”

One of my favorite parts was when it was the night of Chaol's birthday. Celaena had arranged a dinner in the greenhouse. And it was so sweet! Chaol had said he hadn't had something like that since he was little. I was just like, "Awwww~". And then they have this one discussion (which I'm not gonna say what since she basically tells him what she's been doing in the beginning) and then they make out and then they make love. <3 I love the scenes with Celaena and Chaol.

“And because she was young, and so damn clever and amusing and wonderful, wherever she made her home, there would be some man who would fall in love with her and who would make her his wife, and that would be the worst truth of all. It had snuck up on him, this pain and terror and rage at the thought of anyone else with her. Every look, every word from her... he didn't even know when it had started.”

We learn some things about Celaena towards the end of the book. I knew one of them because I saw a spoiler on Goodreads, you know, just one simple sentence reveals a lot and that was actually the last sentence of Crown of Midnight. And I was like, "Oh my god. All the possibilities." THE ENDING WAS JUST HEART-WRENCHING AND TEAR-JERKING. Oh, the tears came when Chaol made a deal with his father to discuss to the council or whatever to have Celaena shipped to Wendlyn (for a really heart-wrenching reason) and for that he would have to move back to Anielle. And when Celaena was boarding the ship to Wendlyn and Chaol didn't tell her that he would move back to Anielle and said he loves her, I just died. It just hurts thinking about it right now. Seriously.

There's a little something-something with the Wyrd keys and one of the competitors involved in the mystery. I'm not gonna go into that since either you've read it or you haven't yet.

I just recently found out that the third book is called HEIR OF FIRE. You know what that means right? By the Wyrd, we have to wait for 5 more months. Waiting for the cover reveal...

Book Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Series: Hex Hall Trilogy (#1)
Published: January 1st, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Genres: Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Review ~

Hex Hall lives up to it's hype. It has everything you ever imagined it would have. I've done a very brief review over on my old blog, and I'm going to make this review a lot better. I've read this last year(2013), and I'm reviewing it now.

"That's right! She's the one who nearly killed me last night by putting a charmed bone in my dress!"

This is a very nice book. It's about a girl who finds out she's a witch, three years ago...And then, finally, after 3 years, she gets sent off to a boarding school by her father and she has problems with the other students. As usual, the same storyline as many other books, but nicely written!

Also, Have you ever watched the movie "Mean Girls"? The part in the summary "three powerful enemies who look like supermodels" totally reminded me of that movie. Haha.

"Archer isn't hot anymore," I fired back. "He tried to kill me, and his girlfriend is Satan."

Anyways, back to the novel. I loved the characters. All...well, MOST of them had two sides to themselves. On the outside, they were confident, and on the inside, they were insecure. Rachel Hawkins writes it so the characters have to different sides, I loved the fact that she even included that in the story. Usually, a novel's characters have one side - confident or shy. That's pretty annoying, because everyone has at least two sides. The author just couldn't figure out how to write it, unlike Rachel.

And Sophie. I loved her as the main protagonist. She's everything you could ask for, except she's not perfect. Yes, she's easy to..um...I don't really know how to explain it, but she follows ghosts at night...through the woods(describe that).

"Be careful. The Eye sees you, even here."

The storyline is amazing too. It's written with a lot of humor, and seriously? "BAD DOG".... Hahaha, that had me cracking up for hours, I almost broke my stomach. It's a very hilarious book, but it also contains some scenes with a very cute guy(or at least, I imagine him to be cute). Archer Cross is perfect! It also contains some Harry Potter aspects, but it's appropriate for this type of book, I mean seriously? Magic is forever and always!

Book Review: Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

Series: The Ruby Red Trilogy (#2)
Published: October 30, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt
Genres: SciFi, Fantasy, Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Review ~ Random quotes throughout the review, doesn't relate to the paragraphs.

So, Sapphire Blue kind of picks up where Ruby Red leaves off, and there's not much of an intro, so it took me a while to kind of understand everything and grasp the concept again. But, after I got into it, It was amazing. I love the way it's written. When Gier writes the kiss/romance scenes, omg, I'm like, dying. It is so well written, I literally feel like I'm right there, watching them "make babies"...(creepy...)

"And if I may give you a piece of advice: a clever woman succeeds in concealing her jealousy. Otherwise we men always feel so sure of ourselves..."

You see, Sapphire Blue's main character, which is Gwen, is annoying. Like, she's too "free", I guess you can say, while she's traveling in time. She brings items she's not supposed to bring into the past just to show her best friend something, and she keeps breaking the rules. And Gideon. He's like, the more serious, non-rebellious bad boy..That doesn't make sense, but whatever. I don't really ship them, they don't really match each other.

"Come on, pull yourself together. My. George is right: love comes in at the window and common sense flies out."

Something I like about Gwyneth was the fact that she could see things other people can't(demons and ghosts), and I loved that aspect in the book. It brought more "oomph" to the novel.

So, today, I was talking to my friend in English class about stories having a moral. Yes, we were talking about that, because we had to write a 5 page story that have a lesson, which, I can't really think of any...I just read and rarely write books for entertainment, not for learning. Anyways, so yea, we were talking about stories having a moral, and I notice this novel doesn't have one. Which is totally fine. I just felt the need in pointing that out because it does not fail in entertaining us. My expectations for this book was fulfilled, but not exceeded, which is totally cool.

"Oh, do shut up for once, Charlotte," I said.

Something I want to point out is the Time Traveling aspect. Yes, that's what the whole trilogy revolves around, but it's very confusing. Like, she travels to like 1956 and then goes to 1959 the next day in present time, while it's 3 years later for the person she meets in 1956. Did you understand that? I mean, I understood it, it was just very difficult to process..Haha, maybe I'm just slow.

Book Review: Reborn by Jessica Miller

Series: The Wanderers (#2)
Published: October 25, 2013
Publisher: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ella finally knows what she is, but now she’s not so sure she knows who she is.

With Jack still on the loose her parents have her confined to the house leaving Ella to feel like she’s stuck in a prison. Coping with the loss of her best friend and the love of her life, Ella feels trapped in an endless cycle of torment. She feels she’s doomed to lose everyone she loves. In attempt to keep her safe and help her understand her new life her parents decide that what’s best for her is to go back to school, but not just any school.

Ella’s not alone though. The school is filled with students who are just like her, including her brother Dean. Her mission is to keep herself blended in the background and out of trouble, but unfortunately Ella isn’t that lucky. With the roommate from hell, her brother constantly breathing down her neck, and being pinned right away as the outcast, Ella wants nothing more than to just crawl under a rock for the rest of her life. Even the school’s sweetheart has it in for her.

Can she overcome her fear of the unknown? Will she ever learn to accept who she is? The most important thing Ella is concerned about is just surviving the semester at Hamilton Hill.

Review ~ 

I received a free copy from the author.

I wasn't sure if I was ready to read this after the tragic ending of The Wanderers. Again, this book picks up right where The Wanderers leaves us and I hadn't expected it to be so well written and interesting after what happened in the previous book. I felt like the author, herself, trapped herself in a corner and wasn't going to be able to right an awesome sequel. However, I was wrong. Obviously, this book was amazing.

The plot. I give it an A. Not an A+ or an A- but an A. So, Like, remember, in the first book? There was Kyle, who died so she moved onto Tristan. He died. So now she's moving onto Roman. (Spoiler Alert for the rest of the paragraph)And then she finds out Tristan is still alive, Kyle is an angel, and Roman is still her boyfriend...So, What I'm wondering is what Tristan will do when he finds out Ella is dating Roman? Or what will Ella do when she sees Tristan? What about Roman? There would be a love triangle, which I'm not so happy about, if Tristan were still alive.

The Characters! Oh, Jesus. So good. Outstandingly written. Very descriptive. I felt like I was literally there. And yea, the book was very unpredictable. Like the previous book. I hadn't expected Jack to attack until the near end of the book, I expected there to be many other attacks from him. What I didn't like was the fact that someone came and told Ella that an attack was coming from Jack. And I was like: "Seriously? Like, really?"

The story unfolded at a great pace. I loved it. It wasn't too slow or too fast. I just didn't like the fact that so much information was being told in one sitting. I wish it would've been more evenly spread out throughout the story where Ella learns more and more, instead of just getting everything thrown at her at once. Overall, I loved it. It was a great book. Definitely will read the 3rd book. So excited!

Book Review: Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Stand Alone
Published: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dying sucks
...and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand.

After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life.

For real this time.

Review ~

Right. I love Jennifer's writing. The first series of hers that I've read was the Lux series, and I'm in love with it. I'm aiming to read her covenant series soon, but so far, I've read a few novellas and this stand alone from her, and I can't say how much her writing amazes me. There is so much detail, and the plots in each story is different, yet you can still see similarities of her writing story in each novel.

Yes, I will admit, I haven't read many other books that has a plot with "My touch can kill you" except for Shatter Me/Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi. And like, When I read the summary, my mind immediately started thinking about Shatter Me and whether or not it'll be similar in any way, which I hope not. And yes, my hopes were true. In no way was this story similar than Shatter Me aside from the fact that the main protagonist can kill by touch.

I loved Ember as the main character. I loved reading through her point of view, seeing the way she sees things. It was fascinating to read her thoughts. She's magnificently written with a lot of detail, and that's one reason why I love J.L.A's writing. And Hayden. He's not like the "bad boy" type of boy, he's the "good boy". But seriously, he's a guy, and Jennifer's detailed writing on Hayden was very, very interesting to imagine through Ember's point of view. Haha.

I loved how the story unfolded. I felt like everything was being revealed to us at a steady pace. However, the romance, I felt like it was a bit rushed. I mean, I understand this is a stand alone, but a little bit longer with a steady paced romance between Hayden and Ember would've be awesome. Also, Even though I loved Ember as a character, she annoys me so much! Like...her irrational decisions and stupid mind...omg. Just pisses me off. Bad.

Notable Quote(s):

Hayden leaned against the locker next to mine and sighed. "I don't dance - ever. An elephant has better moves than I do."

Book Review: World After by Susan Ee

Series: Penryn and the end of days (#2)
Published: November 19th, 2013
Publisher: Skyscape
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Angels(Paranormal), Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?(From Goodreads)

Review ~ CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS

So, like...um...yea. Amazing. This starts off right where Angelfall left off. So, like, to all those who haven't read Angefall yet, I don't know what you're waiting for. It's amazing. Go on! Shoo! Get out of here and come back when you've finished the 2nd book too!

Right. It picks up right where Angelfall leaves us, so, you must know that Raffe is not there with her. So, basically, the first 75% of the book consists of Penryn surviving on her own, and protecting her family. Later on, Paige runs away into the woods and Penryn is determined to save her. That's when Raffe comes in, and at that point, it's like 3/4 of the book already.

I just need to put this out there, I wasn't very bored during the first half of the book, but I was like waiting for Raffe to come in. I mean, seriously, he's the one character that kept me reading World After, because I wanted to know whether or not he'd come back in this book or the next. I mean, Susan did a very great job and making Raffe so addictive and causes me, and maybe you, to be head over toes about him. Again, we don't see Raffe again until practically, near the end of the book. During that time, in the beginning, yes, it was boring, but you're reading completely different without Raffe in the way and that you still see Penryn's determination to save her sister. We really got to see Penryn develop during that time, and I'm glad I was able to read through it and seeing her grow

I loved, scratch that, love Penryn as a character. She's smart and fierce and a person that someone could depend on. She makes the right AND wrong choice, but that's normal. She's not all about love in this post-apocalyptic world. She cares more for her family than anyone else, and seeing her grow her love for Raffe is interesting to read and amazing to see(in your head). And Raffe. He doesn't appear much in this book, but remember the sword? It's alive! It has memories! It could show you different scenes when Penryn was and wasn't there. Through the sword, we learn ALOT more about him than we could've learned from Raffe himself.

Notable Quotes:

"Why bother attacking their strengths when you can go straight for their weaknesses?"

I consider lying but what's the point? I clear my throat. "Pooky Bear."

Book Review : The Wanderers by Jessica Miller

Published : December 6th, 2012

Publisher : Self-Published

Pages : 371(eBook)

Genres : Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy, Romance

Blurb : 
  
What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets? Secrets that could get you killed...

Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you. Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her.

When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust. When she finally learns the truth of her family’s deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.
 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

                                                               Review Time!

This is an amazing book! It's very well written and the plot and climax is surprising! It definitely was a good read! I want to thank Jessica Miller for sending me an eBook copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

This book starts out with Ella going off to college. She's happy to get away from her overprotective parents and be free, especially after the accident. Josie, Ella's best friend, invites Ella to a party and that's where everything starts. She meets a boy, Tristan, and he...has magnificently gorgeous blue eyes. He's logical and confident, a little over the top, and she's scared whether or not he'll rip her heart to pieces.

Alright, the characters. They're beautifully written. They weren't just part of the background. They were needed in the story. What I mean is that they didn't just paint the background, they had been in the front lines with Ella and Tristan. Without them, I don't think I would've liked this book as much. Each character had their own personality. They weren't robotic or the same in any way. And Jack... You'd think you knew everything about him while you were reading the book, but you don't. He's such a mystery. I can't believe I was actually debating on which team I'd be on... Team Jack or Team Tristan?

Oh my sweet love. Let's talk about Tristan. He's smart. He's reasonable. He's like other high school boys and he knows how to enjoy one. He's logical too. Omg. He's just the perfect guy. Every single detail that Jessica has written about him is amazing.

This book was very unpredictable. I couldn't figure out what it was that made it so irregular, aside from the fact that Jessica is a very good writer. It is a paranormal book, but while you're reading, you wouldn't know if this novel is about vampires, witches, werewolves etc... until halfway through the book. I loved how Jessica slowly revealed everything. It kept me reading through the whole book and when it was revealed, I jumped with excitement. 

Some things that bothered me about this book was it's spelling, grammar and misused words. It didn't bother me so much that I had to stop reading overall(which I wouldn't have done anyway), it was just something that needed to be improved. I also wished there was more contact with people back at her home after she moved onto college. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The romance with Tristan and Ella was amazing written and the storyline was so awesome. The ending though...makes me want to read more, except, at the same time, I don't because Tristan was someone that kept me reading.

I love Jessica's writing. This novel was definitely slow paced, but she was able to write it and keep the suspense going. Love it!

Book Review : The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Published : December 18, 2012

Publisher : Disney Hyperion

Pages : 488(Hardcover)

Genres : Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic

Blurb from Goodreads :

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

                                                               Review Time!
 Let's see now... This is a fantastic book. I just figured I'd do this review so I can do the Never Fade review on this blog. You see, I don't like doing a review on a second book, when I haven't done the first. And I'm currently reading Never Fade, so I just figured I'd get this out of the way before I finish it.

Alright, so, this is a story that takes place in the future where the younger children are infected with a disease called IAAN. Everyone else who isn't infected(or so I think, It's been a while since I read this book.) has powers and people fear them. They fear the children, their powers. So, they send them to labor camps and do labor work for them and yea..

Now, let me mention something. The beginning was slow. Yes. It was slow. It took me a while to get into the book. It got more interesting after a few 200 pages or so, but yea. I'm glad I pushed through, because this was a great read!

It's sad, pitiful and heartbreaking to read what those children go through. I mean, wow. The scenes were intense when those guards/people/warrior men were like pushing the children around and stuff. And when Sam stood up for Ruby, and she expected Ruby to stand up for her...I was like "What the what?" Is there any logic in that?

I also want to point our Alexandra Bracken's writing. It's outstanding! There was so much detail, and the details didn't bore the heck out of me. I literally felt like I was there, as a ghost... The writing was also funny. Like : HAHAHAHHAA. Okay, Sorry.

And, the characters. Woah. There was a huge development in Ruby from the beginning of the book to the end. It was a surprise actually. And I was actually there, in the story, watching her develop throughout the whole book. Ruby's choices were sometime reckless, but, you know..Panic takes over. That's what happens. And Liam and Chubs and Zu. Oh gosh. So perfect. So, remember the time when Zu and Ruby was at a store or something, and they were picking out some clothes for Liam and them, and Zu wanted a piece of clothing(I forgot what, a skirt?Shirt?Pants?Idk) but she felt like she didn't deserve it. I was like : You do deserve it! Wear it! It was so heartbreaking when she thought that. Anyways, yea. The character development with all the characters was splendid!

Last thing to mention, the ENDING. OMGOSH. For real now? Alexandra...her writing at the end... Omgosh. I can't even. The way she uses a story in her novel to lead to that one thing at the end. I just wish, as I'm reading Never Fade, that Ruby finds a way to reverse what she did.

Alexandra's writing improved a lot throughout the whole book. And the characters developed dramatically. It was amazing!

Notable Quotes :

All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. 

Be cunning and full of tricks,and your people shall never be destroyed.

Click "Read More >>" for an excerpt!