Book Review: Ruse (Want #2)

Title: Ruse (Want #2)
Arthur: Cindy Pon
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Genre: SciFi, dystopian, YA
Page Count: 336
Publication date: March 26th, 2019

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
In near-future Shanghai, a group of teens have their world turned upside down when one of their own is kidnapped in this action-packed follow-up to the “positively chilling” sci-fi thriller Want.

Jason Zhou, his friends, and Daiyu are still recovering from the aftermath of bombing Jin Corp headquarters. But Jin, the ruthless billionaire and Daiyu’s father, is out for blood. When Lingyi goes to Shanghai to help Jany Tsai, a childhood acquaintance in trouble, she doesn’t expect Jin to be involved. And when Jin has Jany murdered and steals the tech she had refused to sell him, Lingyi is the only one who has access to the encrypted info, putting her own life in jeopardy.

Zhou doesn’t hesitate to fly to China to help Iris find Lingyi, even though he’s been estranged from his friends for months. But when Iris tells him he can’t tell Daiyu or trust her, he balks. The reunited group play a treacherous cat and mouse game in the labyrinthine streets of Shanghai, determined on taking back what Jin had stolen.

When Daiyu appears in Shanghai, Zhou is uncertain if it’s to confront him or in support of her father. Jin has proudly announced Daiyu will be by his side for the opening ceremony of Jin Tower, his first “vertical city.” And as hard as Zhou and his friends fight, Jin always gains the upper hand. Is this a game they can survive, much less win?

Review:
Disclaimer: I received this book for an honest review through NetGalley from the publisher.

I've been awaiting this book since I finished Want just after it first came out. Want was my first book by Cindy Pon and made me buy two more - which I haven't read yet, but #booklife problems - and it was amazing. It blew me away. It was young adult dystopian, which I thought I was just over - the market had been saturated and I wanted nothing more to do with it.

The market was saturated, that's not a lie, but it was saturated with white, US based dystopian fiction. All of it taking place in the US - honestly I don't remember very many taking place outside the states, even - and so this felt amazing.

It was a very feminist, intersectional book, with a cast of people of color and also casual queer characters - meaning their being queer didn't really matter, it was just who they were as they were while trying to save the world.

The plot of this surprised me and I was scared it was going to go in a direction that'd make me angry but it didn't go that route. To be honest, I'd almost call this wholesome dystopian, but really it's just good, old (but new) YA dystopian where the heroes, of course, win.

Not without losses and, if you haven't read the first book I won't spoil it here but their plans are ambitious and intense. And they complete them.

The one thing in this book, following up Want that I really enjoyed was seeing a different city in this world. Not far from their city of Taipei, they end up in China - Shanghai to be exact - to help out a friend and to, once again, screw over Jin Corp.

To wrap this up, so I don't just continue to spew love - I really enjoyed this duology, and this book was even better then the first. Fast paced, fun, good characters that you wanted to root for, and also an important look at what our very near future may look like because of climate change.

That's one of the main reasons this book is so important to me because it's terrifying how close we are to this future - this dystopian future - but also maybe people reading this book will get a kick in the pants about the world around them.

Highly, highly recommend this duology, this book especially, and I'd love to chat about it in the comments if you guys have read it or plan to.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Fresh Ink (anthology

Title: Fresh Ink
Editor: Lamar Giles
Authors: Malinda Lo, Melissa de la Cruz, Daniel Jose Older, Gene Luen Yang, Nicola Yoon, Sara Farizan, Eric Gansworth, Walter Dean Meyers, Thien Pham, Jason Reynolds, Sharon G. Flake, Schuyler Bailar, Aminah Mae Safi
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 208
Publication Date: August 14th, 2018

Plot (from goodreads):
In partnership with We Need Diverse Books, thirteen of the most recognizable, diverse authors come together in this remarkable YA anthology featuring ten short stories, a graphic short story, and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print.

Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

Review:

(disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review).

Overall, this was a solid collection. There were some I loved more then others, but none of them was I 'meh' on, which is pretty rare for an anthology with more then a handful of authors. The idea behind this anthology and the stories inside are so important. 

And the stories are good as hell. There's a few that I wish we could see full stories of, but I also like the idea of people getting to imagine the next part, create their own end for the story. All the authors I'd read from before were, of course, amazing and I was glad to return to their work. (For example: love Malinda Lo's everything. DJ Older's + Jason Reynolds's writing. And the others I've read. 

And was blown away by some of the people I hadn't read yet - We'll talk about my favorite story last, and I don't want to just talk about a few but also don't want to get too in depth. These are, obviously, short stories so I feel like mentioning anything gives almost too much away. I just want to say that these writers are all incredible and this anthology blew me away. Especially, honestly, considering how short it was, I was left wanting more but definitely not in a bad way.

Especially from the last story in the collection by Nicola Yoon - about a black kid whose a superhero. I was a little confused at first but as soon as I learned what was going on, my heart joke broke. And, to be honest, this is the one that I was about a whole series about. It hit my hard and is so important and was incredible. 

Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway

Title(s): Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1)
Author: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Fantasy (Young Adult)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 169
Publication Date: April 5th, 2016

Plot:
This is an incredible, beautiful book about kids post coming back from other worlds. AKA: what happens post all of your fav portal fantasies. High nonsense or high logic?

Our main character just came back from an underworld-esque world and can stand so still she appears to become a statue. The women of the home has gone back and forth between her world and ours, but can't now she's an adult - though it's made her age faster. And all the kids are amazing


Review:
I'm not super in love with portal fantasies, so I really didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. It's freaking incredible. And I cannot wait until we end up back at the school in the third book, because I think it's so interesting being surrounded by these people.

One of the main things running through this book is that people normally only get a door once. It's very usual for their door to appear again so they can go back, but that's what everyone wants. It's about how their parents sent them there because they aren't getting use to being "home," when all of them feel like they've left home and are somewhere strange.

And I just - my heart, I loved them all. These poor damn kids.

Our main character is ace, which shout out for that, and then there's a tran side character - who I adore? And I want more about and his world, as well.

Overall - love this book/world. It's so simply made but so interesting, and I definitely recommend checking it out. They're short, yes, but they're so good.

Book Review: Tash Hearts Tolstoy (Bibliothon Day 2)

Titles: Tash Hearts Tolstoy
Author: Kathryn Ormsbee
Genre: Contemporary YA
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 367
Publication Date: June 6th, 2017

Plot (from goodreads):
After a shout-out from one of the Internet’s superstar vloggers, Natasha “Tash” Zelenka finds herself and her obscure, amateur web series, Unhappy Families, thrust into the limelight: She’s gone viral.

Her show is a modern adaptation of Anna Karenina—written by Tash’s literary love Count Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy. Tash is a fan of the forty thousand new subscribers, their gushing tweets, and flashy Tumblr GIFs. Not so much the pressure to deliver the best web series ever.

And when Unhappy Families is nominated for a Golden Tuba award, Tash’s cyber-flirtation with Thom Causer, a fellow award nominee, suddenly has the potential to become something IRL—if she can figure out how to tell said crush that she’s romantic asexual.

Tash wants to enjoy her newfound fame, but will she lose her friends in her rise to the top? What would Tolstoy do?

Review:

First off - I've never read any Tolstoy, so if that's why you're putting off this book then don't bother. Yes, they do mention it at points and I had no real clue what they were talking about it, but it didn't really take away form the story for me? It was like - ah, yes, ships, good. And then his work isn't that important to the plot, though I do love that she has conversations with her poster of him. I felt that.

Tash is our main character and she definitely acts like a teenager - which isn't a bad thing considering she's suppose to be a teenager. It drove me crazy a time or two, as happens in all YA novels, but I remember being a teenager like it was yesterday (how did I turn 22 recently? That feels fake). Anyway - what I mean is that she is so focused on her that she doesn't take others feelings into account or notice things right in front of her. And that doesn't make her a bad person, I'm not saying she's selfish, she's just... trying to figure herself and everything else out at the same time.

Now. The miniseries. I don't know if this was like an 'official' quote, but I've heard a few people make the reference and I definitely felt it - their webseries made me think so much of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (which I rewatched on the fifth anniversary. If you haven't watched it's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice through vlog form and is incredible. Love it so much). I'm getting off topic again, but - if you watch any actually webseries I think it'll bring a smile to your face to see them filming it.

The main thing I loved about this book, which I have saved for last, is our main character is asexual. And they use the word in the text - she even talks about how, when she was trying to figure out what she identified as, she came across demisexual and greysexual. I just appreciated it, and loved how it was handled, so much. She's heteroromantic asexual, just to be clear, and I hope we start getting more and more books with all kinds of LGBTQIA+ characters.

Overall - this book was a good, fun young adult novel. The writing didn't stick out too much for me, her best friend Jack I want a whole book about (if you agree, let's talk in the comments, I kind of want her to bench press me?). It was cool, though, that she was a vegetarian and, I believe, a buddist. There was also talk about how her family came to be where they are - talk about her mom's family living so far away, their Czech history.

That's where this book was completely solid - the charaters. I really loved Tash, her two best friends, the cast of the webseries. And the way social media was handled seemed very realistic.

I'd definitely recommend checking this out out if you're interested in something like that - rich characters, some ace rep, webseries production, teen angst. 

(if you know of any reviews by heteroromantic aces let me know so I can link them here to speak on the ace rep, or just asexual)

This challenge is being hosted by Kassie over at MissSassyKassie.

Happy Readathoning!

Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest
Author: Holly Black
Genre: Young Adult - Fantasy
Rating: 5/5
Pages: 336
Publication Date: January 13th, 2014

Plot (goodreads):
Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

Review:
This book. I'm not quite sure what to say about it without flailing wildly. It definitely confirmed my love for Holly Black and makes me want to use gifs (which I've never done in a review before). And this, actually, inspired me to pick up her whole Curse Workers series, which I'd owned for a while but hadn't had the time to get to (and makes me itch to reread Tithe, because I think I'd like it more now).

Anyway, that's not what we're talking about. What we're talking about is The Darkest Part of the Forest. I love a faerie book, so when I learned this was one, I kind of immediately wanted to read it (which I did. I received a copy at a convention in August, LeakyCon, and started it as soon as I could - on the plane ride back).

I didn't finish it on the plane, but I was still in the mind set of: holy shit, I love it. And I ended up rereading it when it came out, going to the kick-off event of the book. And I'm glad I did, honestly, because it helped me write the rest of this review.

I loved the writing,  the characters, the atmosphere, the whole setting - the characters and that slight strangeness that should be felt in all books with fae (at least I feel). It's just strange and weird and... lovely. But I'm also saying that as someone who adores faerie books and, if you're not a fae person, this might not be the book for you. But - if you haven't tried any faerie books, you definitely should, and if you love them, well... I have a book for you.

You might of noticed I didn't really say much about the book, and that there isn't a lot given away by the plot itself - and I think that's the best way to go into this book. It surprised me, definitely, and I hadn't even heard that plot before I started it. Just knew it was about siblings and a faerie boy in a glass coffin - and I just loved that image itself. Of this faerie boy in the middle of the woods in a glass coffin scattered with leaves.

If you're curious about if you'll like the book or not, I definitely consider reading the first two pages or so, the description, because I adore it. I just finished rereading it a few days ago, and I already want to reread it again talking about it.

Now, before I hype the book more or fangirl more, I'm going to cut myself off. Faeries, brother and sister, strangeness, gorgeous writing.

If you've read it, however, I'd love to hear what you thought or your favorite scenes/such.

Series Review: The Grisha Series (by Leigh Bardugo)

Series: The Grisha Trilogy
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA High Fantasy (Adventure, Romance)
Overall Series Rating: 5/5
Books:
Shadow and Bone (5/5)
Siege and Storm (5/5)
Ruin and Rising (5/5)

First Book Synopsis (Goodreads):
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

My Background (with the series):
I bought the first book when it very first came out, probably the week of, and the same with the second - and then didn't read either of them. And then just decided to wait until the third one came out. So I did, I preordered it, and it came in the mail - and then I read them all in a row. Three days, three books (June 17th - 19th. Started and finished book one on the 17th, and finished book three on the 19th).

And since I read them so quick I didn't have a lot of exposure to the fans/fandom of the series, or the discussion and such. And I was so confused and surprised (and confused) about why everyone was obsessed with The Darkling. Guys, I'm sorry to break it to you, but he was kind of evil (I mean, he was entertaining, but we didn't get to know him at all). And he hurts people, using them, and I just honestly don't get it because he doesn't have any redeeming qualities that I could find. I mean sometimes I adore villains because of how evil/insane/whatever they are - but seemed to have honestly wanted him and Alina to get together. Pretty sure that would of been bad.

I also don't understand why people seem to hate Mal. Okay hate might be strong word for some, but for others I don't think it is. I mean he wasn't my favorite, but he wasn't bad (Sturmhound, and I think the logical way was him, the "follow your heart" was Mal for her).

Review:
I don't know what it was that made me enjoy this series so much. It wasn't, like, overly fantastic in any way (the plot was okay, interesting, but not wow, original and the writing was just good), but for some reason I really loved this series. Now, rethinking it, I'm considering lowering the ratings on the books - but I'm not going to because I just feel like I should, and that's an awful to reason to do anything.

I did really enjoy these three books though, this series. And the romance aspects, oddly, never felt out of place or pushed into where they shouldn't be. I feel like that's a common problem when warlike things are happening or the worlds in danger - the romance can just feel not right, out of place, and/or ridiculous. But this book wasn't like that - the romance was there and that was that.

The world might of been my favorite part - the supernatural parts and the historical fantasy world being my main favorite parts. I loved how the supernatural parts were mixed in and how the worldbuilding didn't feel too much like info-dumping. I did like the writing, overall, her style was good, not too flowery, but also not too simple.

I think I'm in the majority, as well, for liking how the trilogy wrapped up (I mean, I didn't love it, but it was cute / I was fine with it).

Series Review: The Mortal Instrument (by Cassandra Clare)

Series Name: The Mortal Instruments
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fanasy
Overall Series Rating: 4/5
Books:
City of Bones (3/5)*
City of Ashes (4/5)
City of Glass (4/5)
City of Fallen Angels (4/5)
City of Lost Souls (5/5)
City of Heavenly Fire (5/5)

Book One Synopsis (from Goodreads):
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.

My Background (with the series):
I feel like this is important for understanding my feelings about the series, and I promise to keep it short. I started this series before the third book was out in middle school (yes, I had to wait for the third book - and we didn't know some stuff that's pretty common knowledge now. It was torture). And, honestly, I don't know if I had just first read them now, if I would of enjoyed them as much as I did.

Series Thoughts:
First off, I think that the reading order for this series and The Infernal Devices should be, either publication order - or read the original trilogy of these, ID, and then the last three of this. And I don't think you have to of read Infernal Devices to finish this series, but it will kind of ruin the ending of that series and you won't be able to appreciate everything.

I have a few problems with this series and, at some points for another series, they would of been enough to make me want to not continue with the series - but these books are so easy to read and they're fun, that I kept reading them. But I didn't care about the characters, really at all, and definitely not as much as I ended up caring for the characters in The Infernal Devices.

And I think I know why - these characters grow, but not a lot, not as much as they could have, maybe even should have, but I think it's because it takes place over such a small amount of time. This series is six books long and takes place in a few months - a few months, that boggled my mind when I first realized it, but it explained a lot. They're still very, very young - throughout the whole series - but I'm not sure that can excuse my next problem: bad, awful, teenager decisions. It does get better in later books, but not too much better.

That's what I'm calling it, because that's what I feel these are. Sometimes the characters make informed... ish decisions, but most of the time I can't understand why they're doing what they're doing. Sometimes this works out in their favor, sometimes it doesn't and you want to shake them, but either way - it's infuriating.

That being said, with those problems a few more, I do really enjoy this series. It's a lot of fun, easy to read, the world is kind of awesome (it's not too intricate or hard to follow, but it also doesn't really feel flat or underdeveloped, for the most part). Clare's writing isn't amazing, but I like the humor woven in, though it's not for everyone.

* ratings on these books are from my rereading them (if I'd read them previously, of course).
The Infernal Devices series review

Series Review: The Infernal Devices (by Cassandra Clare)

Series: The Infernal Devices
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult - Historical Fantasy
Overall Series Rating: 5/5
Books:
Clockwork Angel (4/5)
Clockwork Prince (5/5)
Clockwork Princess (5/5)

Book One Synopsis (Goodreads):
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

My Background (with the series):
I started this series right when it first came out - because it was new Clare in the shadowhunter world and it looked like it'd be steampunk-esque (it does have those elements, but not heavily, just tidbits), and I thought the first book was - alright, on that first readthrough, it was fun and interesting. I read the second book, also, when it first came out. And then procrastinated the third because that's, apparently, what I tend to do for trilogies.

And then this year I read the whole thing, in a short period of time (I read this series and most of The Mortal Instruments series such a short period of time it was probably unhealthy), and it changed my opinion on them. The first one, I still think, is just an introduction - and then the next to destroy your heart.

Review:
I love these books - I love these books so much. If you haven't read this series, then you need to read it, because so good oh my god.

Now to try and be coherent, because I hear that's important. My hands down, favorite thing, about this book series is the characters. I just connected to all of them in a way I didn't really the TMI characters. Maybe it was the way things were written, how they spoke to each other (specifically this for the boys), and how everything was described. And these characters are definitely more mature, probably due to the time period it's set it, I feel like a lot of stuff is because of that.

The main trio in this book - Tessa, Will, and Jem - are a fantastic set and I never really thought of them as a love triangle until it hit me that they technically were that, but I didn't mind them as that because it was perfect. I don't know what it was, but these three were perfect together. Will and Jem were just fantastic - parabati (this brotherly, fighting bond) and so ridiculously close from that.

And their relationship was why I loved this book so much, also them with Tessa (and Henry, Charlotte, the Lightwood boys, Sophie - all the characters were fantastic), but specifically the boys. It was one of the reasons I didn't mind their love triangle thing because the boys weren't jealous of each other, didn't want to hurt the other, loved each other. It was - ridiculous and painfully beautiful, which sounds ridiculous but that's the only way I can think to describe it. The time period that this is set it - made it so that their exchanges, the things they could say to each other that present day guys wouldn't was probably what made their friendship (brothership?) so perfect to me.

There's a series arc about automatons and stuff going down, which is also awesome, and parts of it can be completely ridiculous (the worm scene in Clockwork Princess, what was that?), but it was a ton of fun. And definitely a series to read for the characters - and all of the characters, like I said, not just the main three.

I think, to get the most out of this series and The Mortal Instruments - that you should read this series before you read books four to six of TMI, definitely before you read the last one because you'll miss things/not understand them, and it'll ruin the ending of this series for you.

The Mortal Instruments series review

Book Review: Mortal Danger

Title: Mortal Danger (Immortal Games #1)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Genre: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance - YA
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 372 (hardcover)
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014

Plot (from Goodreads):
Revenge is a dish best served cold.

In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.

Review:
At the beginning of this book the world felt unreal, in some way, and I'm not sure why. After a bit, that passed and I was fully immersed, but there was still something that felt like it was missing. And, this might of been me, but that also felt intentional - the way that you couldn't quite believe what was going on, because the main character wasn't really accepting it all at first, either, and she wasn't being told a lot, almost nothing.

On the other hand - I really loved the writing and the characters, and the very real portrayal of depression, at the beginning, and I really liked Edie as a character because she was flawed and hurting, at the beginning, but I didn't like how quickly that changed. I didn't like how quickly she was no longer depressed, and had all of this confidence that she didn't have thirty seconds ago, and I think that's one of the things that added to the beginning of the book feeling a little off.

Overall, though, I did enjoy this book. I had some problems with it, those listed above mostly, but I also just really enjoyed it. As soon as things started to pick up and we started to learn more, I instantly just wanted to know more about the mythology, about this world, about what the hell is going on and what's going to happen next.

I'd mostly recommend this book to people who like Young Adult urban fantasy that is heavy on the romance side of things.

I was approved for an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends #1)

Title: Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends #1)
Author: Kelly Armstrong
Genre: High Fantasy, Paranomal/Magic, Adventure, Romance (Young Adult)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 416 (hardcover)
Publication Date: April 8th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)
Twin sisters Moria and Ashyn were marked at birth to become the Keeper and the Seeker of Edgewood, beginning with their sixteenth birthday. Trained in fighting and in the secret rites of the spirits, they lead an annual trip into the Forest of the Dead. There, the veil between the living world and the beyond is thinnest, and the girls pay respect to the spirits who have passed.

But this year, their trip goes dreadfully wrong.

With all the heart-stopping romance and action that have made her a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and set in an unforgettably rich and dangerous world, this first epic book in the Age of Legends trilogy will appeal to Kelley Armstrong's legions of fans around the world and win her many new ones.

Review:
I've never read anything by Kelly Armstrong before, but I'm definitely going to end up picking up some more of her books in the future (if you've read hers - let me know which I should read next). This was a fantastic high fantasy, young adult novel that had duel points of view (POVs), which can be hit or miss with a lot of people. I felt like it really worked for this, you get these two girls, who are twins, and their points of view and I think the reason it works is because their voices were completely different.

This book had me sucked in, wanting to find out what happened next to these characters that I had already fallen in love with before page 50. I read it in one sitting and just loved it: the characters, the plots, the twists - and how everything unfolded. The romance aspect felt a little cheesy at points, but it wasn't really in a bad way, if that makes sense, I don't tend to mind cheesy if it's done well.

I'd definitely recommend this book, and to wrap up why: a fun, high fantasy, with adventure, strange creatures, and romance.

Book Review: Open Road Summer

Title: Open Road Summer
Author: Emery Lord
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Young Adult)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 352 (hardcover)
Publication Date: April 15th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)
After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence.

This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

Review:
I haven't heard a lot of talk about this book besides someone recommending it to me (by the way, thank you so much). This is a book about two best friends and a country road trip that is also a tour, a 24-city tour. And it was so good.

I don't know if I could put a finger on why this book was so enjoyable then the other things I've read that are similar to it. However, I'm almost positive it had to do with the fact that this book wasn't just about the romance. It was also about these two girls, Reagan and Dee, and their friendship and their recent problems. Reagan is also into photography, which is one of my many loves, even though I don't do much of it, and I enjoyed reading the small tidbits of what she was doing.

Not to say that the romance isn't completely adorable or that the guy isn't swoon worthy (he is, I'm not normally swoon-y over these book guys, but he's pretty great), and it was cheesy at points but it was so good for that. And it introduced me to the beginning of a problem, a weakness, I discovered recently: the normal person dating a famous person and the drama that entails trope. It's a great trope (feel free to recommend me books, I love that, any kind - especially that trope, though).

To wrap this up: a fantastic book, that I would definitely recommend, about two best friends, a tour/road trip, and boys.

Book Review: Everything Leads to You

Title: Everything Leads to You
Author: Nina LaCour
Genre: Contemporary, Romance (LGBT) - young adult
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 307 (hardcover)
Publication Date: May 15th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)

A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still.

A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.

Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

Review:

I don't know if I can be articulate and intelligent about this book, I've been rolling in my head around how to review this book since I finished it. And I just keep coming back to these same words to describe it:

gorgeous, beautiful, breathtaking, awe inspiring, fantastic

And I think that says a lot, if not everything, but I want to try and be more specific then just a few words. Though they are very good words, I feel like they might not be considered a full review.

We're going to start with the characters, because characters are most important to me. The characters felt very real to me, and I think my favorite part about this was Emi's job. I mean they were more mature then most teenagers are, but that doesn't make it unrealistic, and they weren't perfect and were very much still teenagers, they didn't make perfect decisions and while it's a little infuriating, as the one reading it, it makes them more real.

That another point - the writing. I don't know what I can say about the writing, besides that it was lyrical and beautiful and made everything seem brighter somehow, more important and more beautiful. I'm just going to get to the end of this review, it's going to be short and sweet because I start to fangirl about words.

Basically: read it.

This book made me cry at a few points, and then made me laugh while I was crying. The writing, the characters, the plot - the last paragraph or two of this book is my favorite and I wish I could share it with you without spoiling the whole story. 

Book Review: Fire and Flood (Fire and Flood #1)

Title: Fire and Flood (Fire and Flood #1)
Author: Victoria Scott
Genre: Science Fiction (dystopian, survival, adventure) - young adult
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 366 (paperback)
Publication Date: March 6th, 2014

Plot: (from Goodreads)

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own. 

Tella's brother is dying. He's got cancer, and Tella is helpless to save him. Or so she thought. When an invitation arrives for Tella to compete in the Brimstone Bleed, a deadly competition that will lead her through treacherous jungle and scorching desert, she doesn't think twice. Because the prize is a cure to any illness. But Tella will be facing more than just the elements.

Review:
I know there's been so many comparisons between this and The Hunger Games and while they do have some basic similarities (doing some for a young sibling, a screwed up society, a game), they're also very different, different enough I had trouble seeing where people who'd read the book compared it to that, because those themes are in a lot of books.

First off let's talk - pandoras, which are the animal companions in this book. They continue to make me think of Pokemon, and they might of been one of my favorite parts of this world. It's so interesting and I want to learn more about them and you do learn a bit, but not a lot.

I did really enjoy this book, but - I had a few small problems with it which is why it's not five stars, they weren't huge issues. That is to say, that didn't bring me out of the story or stop me from enjoying it. The characters were good, but I felt like we didn't get to know any of them really well but our narrator. It also felt like the world was, not under developed, but too... present, there didn't seem to be any other future things because the pandoras and the game.

 Overall - I would recommend this book to some people. It's fun and entertaining and packs a lot of action into a book that's less then 400 pages.

Book Review: Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery #1)

Title: Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery #1)
Author: Kim Harrison
Genre: Young Adult (Urban Fantasy, Supernatural - angels)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 232 (paperback)
Publication Date: May 22nd, 2009

Plot: (from Goodreads)
My name is Madison Avery, and I'm here to tell you that there's more out there than you can see, hear, or touch. Because I'm there. Seeing it. Touching it. Living it.

Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff

Review:
I picked this book up for, basically, three (four) reasons: it reminded me of the show Dead Like Me, I'd heard good things about the authors other series, and I adored the covers (it also didn't hurt it was only like $2 on BookOutlet). Mainly - the part where it reminded me of Dead Like Me, which has been over for years at this point, but that was one of my favorite shows when it was airing (it still kind of is).

This book did remind me of it at parts, besides the basic plot, but this book was also much different then what I was expecting (and then that show). It had depths I didn't expect and was much more complicated, the world, then the synopsis brought me to believe. Basically, it surprised me, but in a really good way.

Overall - this book was good, even really good. It had great characters, who I was interested in, and sprinklings of humor through out. And it was a really fast read, and it's not a long book by any means, but it was a definite page turner - I wanted to know what was going on and what was going to happen next.

I've seen other reviews of saying they left like they were missing details because they hadn't read the noevella in Prom Nights From Hell (an anthology about, you guessed it, bad prom nights) which apparently has the full story of the night where Madison's life flipped upside down - and I could see where it would of been helpful to read, but they did explain what happened, it wasn't just left blank, so I didn't feel like it was necessary to read or like I missing anything.

Before I ramble on more - I'd definitely recommend this book. It's a quick, pretty light read about a girl who technically dead. And who doesn't love books about people who are technically dead?

Book Review: Grim

Book: Grim
Author: Anna Waggener
Genre: Fantasy (Paranormal, Mythology) (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 320 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: Probably Jeremiah, I'm a sucker for angels. (I also really enjoyed most of the brothers)

Plot: (From Goodreads)

A fantastic debut from the winner of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards novel contest.

When Erika wakes up after a horrific car crash, she finds herself somewhere between earth and heaven, between life and death. She doesn't want to accept help from Jeremiah, who she's not sure she can trust, even as she finds herself drawn to him, following him into a grim city of souls. She's not sure who wants to help her and who wants to hurt her. And she's desperate to get back to her children.

Shawn's never thought about having to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his young sister Megan and his reckless older sister. And he never imagined that the three of them would find themselves in a haunted wood, sometimes chased, sometimes assisted, never sure where they're headed.

With Grim, the terrifically talented Anna Waggener delves into the place where myth becomes reality, where family can distort you as easily as it cares for you, where death and eternity meet.



Review:
I speed through this book faster then I expected. I didn't know much about it when I picked it up besides the fact that it was about angels, a debut, and the cover was gorgeous (and it actually ended up being relevant to the story, which I love when that happens). But I ended up really enjoying this one.

This is a book that was just so intriguing in the way it was written. It wasn't just focused on one person and it wasn't focused on just the 'main' time period either. There were pages in the middle of chapters that were black with white writing and they were flashbacks, so it speak, and so very interesting. So the writing, the way it was written, was one reason this book got such a good rating for me.

Also, I enjoyed the characters and the plot, the idea of the whole world and how it worked, and the underlying darkness of it all. This isn't a lighthearted read but I don't think it really could of been. I'm not going to say anymore as to not give anything away. It really good, though, even if it had me tearing up a bit in places. You should check this one out, though, because this is Anna's first book and it's quite a stunning first book at that.

Book Review: Book of Shadows

Book: Book of Shadows (Wicca #1)
Author: Cate Tiernan
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy (YA)
Rating: 2/5
Page Count: 176 (Paperback)
Favorite character: I guess, Morgan. None of them really stuck out enough for me to pick a favorite.

Plot: (From Goodreads)
Morgan and her best friend, Bree, are introduced to Wicca when a gorgeous senior named Cal invites them to join his new coven. Morgan falls for Cal immediately and discovers that she has strong, inexplicable powers.

Review:

It was okay, I mean, it entertained me during the short time it took me to read the book, but it just annoyed me at the end. Maybe because pretty much everything in this book I've read before, except for the fact that they're modern witches practicing Wicca. Wicca is an interesting religion that a lot of people don't take as for what it is, thinking they're worshipping the devil or something, so I'm always interested to see how it's portrayed in the book. And there are many places this could of gone, but it was too short.

At the end, the last scene, I felt that it should of been the climax of the book. And I'm all for cheesy things, I love cheesy things, this was not cheesy. It was just overused. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, though, it wasn't word shaking or anything, but it held my attention. I may even read more books in the series, but I won't be reading all of them, there is a lot.

Overall, it was okay. "Okay" and "interesting" seem to be the only adjective that come to mind for this book, it wasn't bad, but it just wasn't great. So if you like witch-y stuff and don't mind fainting and some awkward scenes that just seem weird or out of place, then you might find it entertaining, too. The mythology of the witches is interesting and I'd like to learn more about it, but it's just one of the redeeming qualities I found.

I don't enjoy posting reviews when I didn't like the book, I want to like books I read, I want to love them, but I'm going to try and continue this series, so I thought I'd get my thoughts out and organized about this one. Maybe the rest in the series get better, here's to hoping. Have you read this book or series? Did you love it? Think it was okay? Or even hate it? I'm curious. (It has an overall ratings on Goodreads of about 4/5 stars, so I want to know why people liked it so much.)

Book Review: Evermore

Book: Evermore
Author: Alyson Noel
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 306 (Paperback)
Favorite character: Ever, I guess. None of them really stuck out to me.

Plot: (From Goodreads)
After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school-but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head-wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea who he really is-or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

Review:
I wasn't sure going into the book, because it sounded like so many other YA books out there. And while it does kind of feel like that at the beginning, I loved how it changed from the normal pace of things. And for some reason I had this preconceived notion that this book was about vampires, but it's not. (I don't know why I thought this, but I was so relieved it wasn't.) Anyway, I enjoyed the pacing and the plot and the way the aura's of people are described.

Also, anything with past lives is something that makes me interested in what could come of it because there are so much stuff. I'm not going to spoil anything by going about that further, but I'd recommend this book to a lot of people. It's not a fun and fluff book, though, she's not a very happy person for most of the book with the sensing auras and hearing thoughts and other things. But, overall, I really did enjoy this book and I really didn't think I would.

If you've read this book: tell me what you thought of it. And if you haven't, what's one of the favorite book you've read this year? (Or just recently if it's too hard to choose, I know I have problems choosing.)

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Book: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Genre: Contemporary YA Fiction

Rating: A+

Plot:

(taken from Goodreads page)

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:

My favorite part about this book was that it felt real. The characters were dynamic and were very believable. Lola was a person I would love to be friends with. Cricket was a person that any girl could fall in love with. Lola's two dads were great comic relief and were for sure my favorite characters.

This novel throws you right into the life of a teenage girl living in San Francisco. She is dating an older guy in a band and she thinks her life is perfect the way it is. This is until the Bell twins move back in to the house next door.

Through the whole novel for some odd reason I felt bad for Max. I knew I should not because he was more or less a jerk, but for some reason I still did. The love story was believable and you could feel the connection between the characters.

I love how in this novel Anna and Etienne were not just briefly mentioned but they were main characters coming in and out and actually affecting the story. If you are looking for a cute quick read then Stephanie Perkins' Lola and the Boy next Door is the exact book you need. I read this book in about a day because I just needed to know how it would end.

If I could just have all of Lola's outfits i would be truly happy. I am not a big fan of Contemporary YA but Stephanie Perkins makes me wish all books were like her's. This is a refreshing read and i can not wait until the next companion novel, Isla and the Happily ever after.

- Haley :)

Book Review: Untraceable

Book: Untraceable (The Nature of Grace #1)
Author: S.R Johannes
Genre: Young Adult (Thriller/Adventure/Romance
Rating: A
Page Count: 315 (Paperback)
Favorite character: Well, uh... Huh. Tommy, I'm going with Tommy, he's safe. (I can't pick one of the two boys, because I liked them both differently)

Plot: (From Goodreads)
Everyone leaves a mark. What if your could be erased?
Untraceable is a new teen wilderness thriller with a missing father, a kickbutt heroine, and of course - two hot boys.

Review:
I really enjoyed the writing and the little tips at the beginning of each chapter, I love little things like that. I really enjoyed how this book flowed, though, it was really good, loved it. The main character is relatable even if, like me, you don't know how to track people through the woods. It's very interesting to read about her doing such. And it kept me guessing, which I wasn't expecting at all.

I also enjoyed all the twist and turns you take during this book. You take as many emotional ups and down as the main character. Nothing is really for certain in this small town, and it's shocking to learn about what's really happening behind the scenes, per say.

I'd suggest checking this one out, for sure. It wasn't what I was expecting at all and was a good read.

Anna Dressed in Blood

Book: Anna Dressed in Blood
Author: Kendra Blake
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Romance (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page count: 316 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: Anna.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.


Review:
I really liked this book. I thought it was just going to be normal ghost-hunter thing, but it was really so much more then that. The characters had depth and there was an amazing plot. And the writing in this book just took my breathe away at times, it was amazing how this story was written, I think. I loved the way things were explained and how the people were written.

I really enjoyed Kendare Blake's writing style, nothing particularly stuck out to me, but it also didn't get in the way of the story. I just enjoyed the way that some thing were described or said. Really, I just loved this book.

I'd suggest checking this one out if it sounds like something you might you like. (And that cover is gorgeous, on the hardcover copy, the letters are raised in the title and it's like they have a halo of blood. It's amazing)