Nichole

“A gown does not make a bride, just as a few empty threats do not make a rebel.”

This is one of those series that has a multitude of different characters and plot lines to follow and I absolutely love it. While at times it can be a little confusing to follow all the different story lines, they all weave together into this epic fantasy.

The strong point of this book was definitely the characters. I love each and every single one one of them. Magnus is by far my favorite character. He is so complex with all these different intricacies that make him into this character you cannot help but feel bad for and want to see him succeed. There is definitely a lot of character growth in this book for him. He is grappling with the changes brought about in Falling Kingdoms and where he stands in the fight against King Gaius.

Speaking of Gaius, I absolutely hate him. Which I know is a given in this series, but he is overly maniacal and cruel. He leads through fear, rather than respect. I hated how much he hurt everyone around him, whether it was Cleo, Aron, Jonas, and even his own family of Magnus and Lucia. SpoilerHe even had his own wife killed. I cannot wait for when we finally see his downfall, in what I assume will be the final book.

Another character I love is Cleo. She is dealing with a lot in this book, but she still has time to be compassionate and a strong character. I really loved her and Magnus in this book and I really want them to become more than friends. Right now it kind of seems like we are leading to that which is awesome!

There are a bunch of other characters in this book I could talk about, but I don't want this review to be all me gushing about the characters. In this installment, we definitely learned more about the prophecy and how the rest of the series is going to unfold with the search for the Kindred. I cannot wait to pick up Gathering Darkness and be completely caught up with the series, even if I have to then wait until December for Frozen Tides.

4.5 Stars

“You're naming your collector's-item, kick-ass sword that's made to maim and kill, specifically designed to bring your ginormous enemies to their knees and hear the lamentation of their women- Pooky Bear?”

This series is fantastic. I love the characters, the plot, the premise. They all go together to form this amazing fast-paced, action filled story. World After starts off right where Angelfall left off and like Angelfall I flew through this book. I didn't want to put it down, I wanted to find out exactly what was going to happen to Penryn and Raffe, and even Paige and their mom. One thing I can say is that while I'm glad I waited until now to start this series since End of Days comes out in May, I'm also sad that I waited this long. This series is so amazingly done that I wish I had read it sooner.

My only complaint with this installment is the lack of Raffe for the first half of this book. However, while he may not be with Penryn physically, the sword brings them together. I loved all the little background information we got on Raffe from the sword. And of course once they were together again, I was beyond excited. The banter between them is perfect and I love every minute of it. They are both such strong characters who work perfectly together, but are also completely capable on their own.

To me this installment seemed creepier and darker than the first. Locust like beings have a strong presence in this installment, plus what goes on with Paige in this book. I felt so bad for what she had to go through, especially when you remember that she is only 7. There were many times in this book where I would forget just how young Paige is. And to imagine what she went through and is going through is heartbreaking. But at least she has Penryn and her mom who will do anything for her.

I cannot wait to get my hands on End of Days. I hope it picks up right where were left Penryn, Raffe, and Paige. I also really need more Raffe and Penryn.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

“The far enemy is the one you hate, the one you're sworn to fight against. The near enemy is the one you're close to, who you trust, but shouldn't.”

Near Enemy is the sequel to Shovel Ready. You have Spademan, your garbageman turned contract killer living in post-dirty bomb NY. In this book, Spademan is attempting to figure out how to stop another potential plot against an already decimated NY. With all this going on, he still has to deal with protecting his “family” and keeping Persephone and Mark safe.

I really enjoy the writing style of these books. Sentences are very short, choppy, and to the point. It adds to the noir, hard-boil detective genre. It is action packed and fast-paced. Once I got into the book, I flew through it, plus these books are short at around 300 pages. Spademan is this dark brooding character that you cannot help but love, even though his choices are morally ambiguous.

In this installment, we find out a lot more about the dirty bomb and the initial terrorist plot. We also get a larger glimpse at how the city has moved on from the attack through the limn. The limn is this dreamlike state that allows someone to go to a different world to live their days. This book focuses on the idea of the terrorists attacking from inside, specifically from within the limn rather than overtly.

I definitely enjoyed this installment more than the first due to the faster plot. I think I connected more with stopping an imminent terrorist plot than the corrupt minister of Shovel Ready. The one thing I didn't like was that from the beginning the villain was plotted as being Muslim. While this fits with current ideas on who terrorists are, I think it perpetuates the growing mistrust of all Muslims. I think it is unjustified that from the beginning, they are targeted as the bad guys. I'm currently in a class that focuses on US policy post 9/11, so I do have a certain lens that I'm reading this through. I just think it is unfair to have the initial terrorist attack in the limn be carried out by a woman in a Burqa.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to future books by Adam Sternbergh.

I received a copy of this book through BloggingForBooks in exchange for an honest review

“Because that was the night we went wild. I remember how we fought and we cried and we hid and we flung ourselves through windows and we pumped our legs with everything we had and we went running as far as we could make it, which wasn't far.”

The Walls Around Us was a fascinating read focusing on the lives of three teenage girls. The cover alone draws you in. It is stunning. But under the cover is a fantastic book filled with mystery, heartache, and guilt.



So with this book, I definitely think you should go into with little-to-no knowledge of the plot. Personally, I think the synopsis gives away too much. I think you are better off going into the book blind. I think the book was more enjoyable for me because I had not reread the synopsis prior to starting the book.

This is another one of those alternating perspectives that all intertwine in some way towards the end of the book. And Nova Ren Suma is a fantastic writer. She just has a way with words that pulls you in and keeps you entertained, but also guessing as to what is going to happen. There were so many quotes and lines in this book that were beautifully written. The writing was definitely a large part of my enjoyment of the book.

The characters in this book are amazingly written. You really feel and see the guilt, the fear, the anger, and the hopelessness in the characters. I will not go into specifics because you really should know as little as possible about the characters going into this book. But the writing is just phenomenal, it really brought you to the feelings these girls were having and what they were dealing with.

While this book has the alternating perspectives, I feel like it does it in a unique way. You follow one character for 3 or 4 chapters before you switch to another. I really liked that we got to follow a character for longer before we switched. You really got to go deep into what was happening with them rather than flipping back and forth. It also added to your growing feelings and attachment to the characters.

Overall, this was a beautifully written book that I really enjoyed. The writing and the characters were done really well. I definitely will need to look into reading more of Nova Ren Suma's books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Part IV of the #Gautierathon complete.

After how much I enjoyed Infamous, this installment was a little bit of a let down. However, the plans for Nick and his rise to power are starting to take form. And we also learned a lot about his Dad. This book introduced the idea of an evil worse than Adarian who is out to get Nick.

The ending of this book has me really confused. SpoilerThe title of the next book is Illusion, so does that mean the next book focuses on Nick getting out of the weird alternate universe we see him in during the epilogue?

Compared to the other books, this one seemed to have less action and more scheming and focused on the struggle for power. There was not a clear enemy to destroy in this book as there has been in the others.

As with the other books, we are introduced to a lot more characters in this installment. Plus we also learn more about Ambrose even if he isn't specifically helping out Nick.

One last thought, the Dear Tormentor letter that Brynna wrote for the Anti-Bully Brigade in this book is absolutely amazing. It was so beautifully written and I love that Sherrilyn Kenyon had the entirety of the letter in the book. It was such insignificant to the overall plot but so important in terms of the the bullying Nick dealt with, the bullying found in Infamous, and a main message against bullying in general.

Part V of my #Gautierathon complete! I am now completely caught up with the Chronicles of Nick series.

I really enjoyed this installment as well. We really saw Nick grow and learn to accept who and what he was. Spoiler I was sad to see that Thorn was behind most of the attacks on Nick. But I think he can still be trusted (at least that is what I'm going to believe for now).

This book dealt with alternative realities which has always fascinated me. I loved seeing how different everyone and everything was in a “normal” world. It was great to see how different all the characters were. I also loved finally finding out who Kody was and the connections she has to other characters.

As always with these books we are introduced to even more characters that I'm sure I will continue to struggle to keep up with. I feel like everyone has so many different backstories and reasons for everything that we may never truly know whose side they are on.

4.5 Stars

Part III of the #Gautierathon complete.

This series has definitely gotten darker now. In Infamous we start to see Nick struggle with the evils of his powers and struggle to follow the straight path. This book is definitely my favorite in the series so far. I just really enjoyed how we saw Nick deal with the darkening of his life and how dealt with the foe in this book.

I also think the relationship between Nick and his Mom was better in this story. At one point he blows up to her about how she treats him and they reach a semblance of an understanding. There are many times where I have been so annoyed with his mom and how quick she is to judge him, but I think this book may be a turning point in their relationship.

SpoilerI still don't trust Kody at all. But I'm starting to think Sherrilyn Kenyon may just be doing all this foreshadowing so we think she can't be trusted, when in reality it is someone else we shouldn't trust. Not sure though.

I also think I have a favorite character in the series other than Caleb. We see a lot of Caleb so he is easy to like. But we meet Thorn in this book. And I loved the little bit we got to see of him. There were some great scenes between him and Nick. I really hope we get to see more of him in the future.

3.5 Stars

Part II of the #Gautierathon complete. This book had a lot more worldbuilding and explaining than the first. For me there was a stark difference between the two. I really enjoyed all the action in Infinity. But at the same time, I really enjoyed all the explanations and lessons in Invincible. We are also introduced to another important character in Grim. I loved the banter between Nick and Grim during their lessons. It really added to the sarcasm and humor I loved from the first book.

One thing I'm still struggling with is whether or not I should have read the Dark Hunters Series before starting this. This is technically a prequel spin-off so I would think not. But there are times we meet a new character and I get the vibe that it is expected that I know more about them then I really do.

I'm really hoping Infamous has more action in it but still has some elements of the worldbuilding in Invincible.

Finally, I am enjoying how we seem to have one main threat in each book. This book we had Devus who Nick had to defeat on is own. I appreciate that Nick's learning is intertwined with overcoming challenges own his own (or at least with his small group of friends/companions).

SpoilerAlso I don't trust Kody at all. I don't think she is going to continue to be an ally.

So this week is the #Gautierathon meaning I want to read the 5 books in the Chronicles of Nick series that are currently out. Infinity was an interesting start to the series. Nick is a great main character. I love his sarcasm and sassiness they really add to the story. Throughout this book there were quite a few times where I would become confused as to what exactly was going on. I'm not sure if this was because of the writing itself or because of how we as readers are being introduced to the characters and the world.

The book is incredibly fast paced. I think the actual plot/action spans just over a day, but yet so much happens. We have zombies, werewolves, daimons, vampires, goth gods, etc.

I have not read anything in the dark hunters series, but many people say you should if you read the Chronicles of Nick. I may have to get my hands on the Dark Hunters books depending on my thoughts during #Gautierathon.

“I knew from the start that your loyalty would get you killed. I just never thought it would be your loyalty to me that would do it.”

This book was full of action right from the start. The first chapter alone has Penryn, her sister, Paige, and their mom braving the outside world filled with gangs and angels. This book pulled me in right away and kept me entertained and wanting to continue reading to the conclusion. I even stayed up late last night to finish it.

The progression of Penryn and Raffe's relationship is amazing. From the start, they are thrown together due to common destinations, but as they continue to work together they become some form of friends (and even more eventually). The two of them were so great and I loved their interactions. The times they were apart in the book were sad, but luckily it was never too long of a wait until we saw them together again.

The world Susan Ee has created in this post-apocalyptic angel invasion world is fascinating to me. We get a little bit of background surrounding the evasion and the world before, but I would have love more of it. There are two more books to this trilogy, so I hope we eventually do get that background. To me that was the only flaw with this book, just a lack of background information.

The ending of this book makes me really want to continue on with the trilogy to find out what happens. So many things happened that left me with questions. I do not want to spoil anything, but there are so many events that clearly will have implications in the future, plus that ending was somewhat cruel. We do not really know the outcomes for the characters and we do not know what is going to happen in the aftermath.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series after the strong start with Angelfall.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Initial Thoughts:So good! Really made me think and I loved all the dark topics that were discussed.

Review:
By now everyone should know how much I appreciate Andrew Smith and his writing. I love the humor, the wittiness, and even the absolute absurdity of his books. The Alex Crow is no exception to this. For me the writing technique was very similar to Grasshopper Jungle. The story is all intertwined between these 3 different perspectives we follow throughout the book. We have Ariel both in the present and in the past, we have Lenny and his bombing journey, and finally we have the arctic expedition in 1880. At first all these stories seemed so different but they all came together somehow.

And I know you are probably thinking that is not that weird, but once you learn about the experiments being done by the Alex Division things start to become really strange. The bionic pet Crow the Burgesses have is such a strange character and he is also somewhat central to the bizarre things that the company has been researching and conducting. The shining moments of humor in this book are the boys at summer camp. That is when we see the crazy things they get up as they piece together just what the Alex Department does.

The difference for me and this book was just how series the topics were. You had Ariel who is a refugee living with a new family in America. We learn all about the horrors that Ariel dealt with before moving to Sunday. And this story is woven into the narrative and story about the research and science experiments. I really appreciate how Andrew Smith discussed these topics while also staying weird. This book starts off in a really dark place with the attack on Ariel's village and from there we continue on this journey.

This book was not at all a disappointment. It lived up to my expectations for an Andrew Smith novel. It was weird but also intrigued me with its moral questions about just how far humans are willing to go in their thirst for knowledge. And that reincarnated bionic crow was a favorite character for me. We did not get a lot of scenes with him, but he was integral to the stories all tying together.

“We all pretended it would get better, but the unspoken truth is always louder than the stories we tell.”

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I knew it was a survival story but the back made it seem like a love story first. Plus, Jamie McGuire is known for romances such as Beautiful Disaster. Due to all the negativity surrounding that series, I was weary of this one. I am glad I read it though. While it wasn't a favorite book, it was still an enjoyable read. I appreciated the plot and the characters and their journey of survival. I totally was not expecting the zombies at all, but it was written in a way that was almost believable.

My main issue with this book is that from the beginning we are following 3 different characters and their journey to Red Hill. While I knew eventually everything would intertwine, I feel like it took a little too long for that to happen. It wasn't until over 200 pages in that any of the character's stories intertwined. I loved when they did, even when it was beyond the three main characters, but I wanted those connections to start earlier in the book.

I know this review is really short. This was a quick read for me and I do not have much to say about it. It was not really anything special I enjoyed seeing what happened to the characters and their survival instincts but it was nothing amazing. And I tried to keep what I have heard about the author and her other books separate from my thoughts on this book.

This would be a good book for people who want a short book that is pretty laid back and nothing too gory or intense. So if you want something that deals zombies, survival, and family then this is a good book for you.

“The real world worked differently than stories. In a novel you always knew the moment when something Happened, when someone Changed. But real life was full of gradual, piecemeal, continuous transformation. It was full of accidents and undefinables, and things that just happened on their own.”

I'm not really sure how to review this book because it really is two books in one. On the one had we have Darcy's story that focuses on her journey to publish her debut novel Afterworlds. Then we have Lizzie (the main character in Afterworlds) and her story after the attack in Dallas. These stories are clearly separated since odd chapters are Darcy and even chapters are Lizzie with the black top and bottom bars. The top and bottom black bars on Lizzie's story were incredibly helpful when it came to reading this book, since there was not a huge different in the writing style between the two stories.

The idea for this story was absolutely fascinating. I really enjoyed how we got to see Darcy on her journey to publication and seeing how she worried about all the little things in the book. We even got behind the scenes information about the book and what was going to happen to Lizzie. However, while I loved this foray into the publishing industry, I feel like things went a little to easy for Darcy. She did not really have the hardships I associate with the industry. Imogen kind of touches on this luck towards the end of the book, but there were still some aspects of the book that seemed too good to be true when it came to Darcy's journey.

As for Lizzie's story, from the start when the attack happens at the airport, I was drawn into what would happen to her and Yama. I loved the world that was created with the Underworld and the ghosts. I think my preference toward the supernatural, fantasy type books is what made Lizzie's story more appealing to me, but once we got further into Darcy's story, she did become more interesting to me and I began to enjoy her story just as much as Lizzie.

One of the things that is really weird to me is how throughout Darcy's story we hear about Untitled Patel and she even writes the draft of it in this book. But then Afterworlds ends and we never learn the conclusion to the story between Lizzie, Yama, Yami, and even Mindy. I really loved these characters and the ending of those chapters left their stories very open. As far as I know there is no sequel in the works for this book, so I'm slightly annoyed that we will never learn what happens to Darcy post publication or what will happen to Lizzie and Yama.

4.5 Stars

“I was the daughter of time, and I would make them pay.”

Okay, I'm going to attempt to keep this review spoiler free, but I always struggle to do that for sequels. So here it goes.

This book starts off a few months after the end of Gates of Thread and Stone. We have Kai, Reev, and Avan dealing with the aftermath of what happened. Kai is dealing with finding out just who she is and what her powers mean. The end of Gates of Thread and Stone left me with a lot of questions and while some of those were answered, I feel like I have even more after finishing the Infinite!

I absolutely love Lori M. Lee's writing. There is just something about it that immediately draws me in and keeps me entertained and desperate to find out what happens. This book starts out with an amazing line just like the first book did. I love the descriptions in this book. I am always vividly aware of what is around Kai.

Kai continues to impress me as a strong character. Her development and characterization in this novel is amazing and in some ways even better than in the first book. I really loved how Kai dealt with the events of both the first book and this book. This book takes us even further outside of Ninurta into a new land called Lanathrill. I loved how Lee expanded the world in this book. We realize that other people exist outside the walls of Ninurta and Etu Gahl. I also loved the new characters we are introduced to. They were a great contrast to Kai especially because they grew up in a different “world”.

My only real complaint with this book is the lack of Reev and Avan for a lot of it. Yes, they are in the beginning and end but the middle part of this book is lacking. I came to really love those two and we do not get very much of them in this book. Especially Reev, the first book was all about finding him and in this book we continue to be with Kai who is not with him. Not having Avan for most of this book was sad because I love Kai and his interactions and those were lacking. However, we did get to spend more time with Mason which was nice.

This was another great installment in this series and I cannot wait to see what happens next! The ending especially left us hanging now that we know who and what was behind the events of The Infinite.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Reread in Feb of 2015“More and more, there were no revelations, but simply the uncovering of truths long known but dimly remembered. Everything had been written long ago. There was nothing truly new in the world, but only the slow, circular march of time that revealed the old things once again.”

This was a reread for me. Granted I read this over 5 years ago. This is why I decided to reread it. I never continued with the series and I really want to so I decided to reread the first one. Prior to starting this book, I literally remembered nothing. I had the most basic idea of the end. After I got like 50 pages into this book, a bunch of the plot points came back to me.

As for the actual book, I somewhat enjoyed this book. The world that Chima has created is expansive and I love it. Chima also did a good job just giving us the information we needed never anything more. For me the writing at times was flat, I feel like you could almost categorize this book as middle grade rather than YA. But for the most part, the writing did not hinder my enjoyment.

The story of a “normal” teenager finding out he is special is not unique, but Chima takes an interesting approach to it. Our main character, Jack, is born without a wizard stone (what gives people their powers) and is given a warrior stone instead. Jack is hidden in Ohio to protect him from the feud going on among the Weir people. But of course you cannot hide forever and Jack is thrust into this new world where he must fight to stay alive. Since I have read the book before I knew the ending, but I did not remember all the plot twists which helped with my enjoyment.

One last thing I want to mention is the prologue. I have read many mixed things about it. Yes it is really long at 18 pages. But I really liked it. It sets up this whole mystery of why they were after the family and what happened to the family after the attack. Personally, I'm a huge fan of prologues especially when their meaning and importance is not at all apparent at first.

This was a hard review to write for me because I remember really enjoying this book when I first read it, but after rereading it, I'm not in love. It is really hard to write a review for a book you have reread especially when you had high expectations and the reread was not as good as you remembered. I think part of that is because I'm older and have read many other fantasy books that I love. For me, The Warrior Heir is an interesting world with intrigue, but there was just something missing. I definitely want to read the other books in the series.

3rd book for the #ProjectTBR Read-A-Thon.

This book was a very conflicting read for me. While I really enjoyed the conversation style of the writing, the lack of true dialogue was bothersome at times. This book follows Spademan who is a garbageman turned hit-man after a devastating dirty bomb attack on NYC. I really loved the description of just how destructive the attack was on the way of life. But it was also so strange to me that nothing was done to fix it.

This book focuses on Spademan's latest job to find and kill a famous evangelist's daughter Grace. However it is not that simple and Spademan is thrust into a world he doesn't fully understand.

For me this book was mediocre at best. I liked the premise and the hard-boil aspect of the character. But it was nothing special. I have the second book in this series for review and I have heard it is better than this one. So I'm looking forward to picking up the next book.

“I was the Duff. And that was a good thing. Because anyone who didn't feel like the Duff must not have friends. Every girl feels unattractive sometimes. Why had it taken me so long to figure that out? Why had I been stressing over that dumb word for so long when it was so simple? I should be proud to be the Duff. Proud to have great friends who, in their minds, were my Duffs.”

This was a pure impulse read. I literally decided at 11 o'clock at night last Friday that I was going to read this. Then it was 1 o'clock in the morning and I was reading the last chapter. I read this book in one sitting, with one break to get a drink. I read this book incredibly fast. This was in part because I enjoyed it, but also because it is a very short book.

This book deals with the issue of being that one friend in the group that does not quite fit in. At least that person believes they do not. In this book that girl is Bianca. However, Bianca does not learn about her status as the DUFF (or Designated Ugly Fat Friend) until one night when Wesley decided he wants to hook up with one of her friends so he is nice to Bianca. He lets it slip that she is the DUFF and if he is nice to the DUFF her friends will like him more.

I could relate to Bianca's feelings about being the one friend who did not quite fit in. There have been many times where I've been the only single one in my friend group, the only one who does not have weekend plans, or even the boring one at a party who just kind of sits there. However, I appreciated that Bianca did not let it fully consume her once she realized she was the DUFF. Yes she was constantly thinking about it, but she still did something about it.

I absolutely loved the progression of the relationship between Bianca and Wesley. I loved all the scenes with them getting to know each other and slowly opening up to each other about their messed up lives. And I was really happen with how everything tied up in the book.

Overall, this was a solid contemporary. I'm not a fan of contemporary books for the most part, but I appreciated this one. I also really want to see the movie, so I was motivated to read the book (because you always have to read the book first).

High 3.5 Stars

“Hatun sees a different world than you or I, a far more frightening one, full of far more terrible dangers, and still she chooses to be the hero whom that world needs. She has saved this town and its people from countless monsters countless times. That the battles are usually in her head does not lessen the bravery of it. The hardest battles always are.”

This was the 2nd book that I finished for the #ProjectTBR Read-a-Thon. Not very many people talk about this book, but it is said to be a mix of Sherlock and Doctor Who. That plus the gorgeous cover had me interested. This book follows Abigail Rook as she comes to America and searches for a new job. She sees an ad for an assistant to a detective. This detective is Jacakaby and he is not your typical detective. He focuses on crimes of the paranormal world. This book is supposed to take place in 1892 in New Fiddleham (basically a New England town).


The setting of this book was the main flaw for me. The style of dialogue and how Abigail thought did not fit in with the time period, in my opinion. While this is not a huge thing, for me it really hurt the book. And this is not to say the book was not enjoyable, the opposite really. I just think this book would have been even better had the time period matched the writing.


I absolutely loved Jackaby as a character. He reminded me very much of BBC's Sherlock and I loved it. There were so many lines of his that were so ridiculous, but so well done at the same time (I really struggled with coming up with just one quote for this review, so there will be two more at the end of the review). Jackaby's character is paired with Abigail who was a fantastically written character. She was a very strong independent character who was on her own and looking for adventure. She found this adventure with Jackaby. I really enjoyed the progression of the their relationship throughout the book.


The only other “issue” I had with this book, and I use the word issue lightly, is the lack of mystery regarding the murder and Jackaby and Abigail solving work to solve it. Jackaby is a detective and Abigail and him are working to solve a string of murders. However, this did not feel like a mystery book to me. I was not on the edge of my seat reading to find out who the killer was. For me, I was more focused on our characters and learning more about them.


The last thing I want to mention is my appreciation of the lack of romance. There was the suggestion of something between Charlie and Abigail, but it was not at all a major part of the book. I appreciated that we could have the friendship between Abigail and Jackaby without romantic feelings.


For me, this book was all about the characters. I loved them. While the story and the plot was not my favorite, it was the characters that really made me love this book. Charlie and Jenny were two side characters that I really enjoyed and I hope in future books we get to see more of them. And the writing of these characters was great. This book also did not have a chapter 13 which I thought was phenomenal. I loved the line about Jackaby not wanting the contents of chapter 13 to be included. And the end letter that Jackaby wrote to the police was also great.

“Events that night were going to set in motion a disaster that would probably wipe out human life on the planet. That night, I was going to say something to Shann I had never said to anyone. I was going to do something I'd never done, and see things I could not understand and never believed existed.”

It is no secret that Winger is one of my absolute favorite books. So I really want to get my hands on and read all of Andrew Smith's books. Grasshopper Jungle was just one of those books. This book grabbed my attention just based on the synopsis and the gorgeous cover!

As for the actual book, we follow kid historian, Austin, his best friend Robby, and his girlfriend, Shann in their little town of Ealing. But things in Ealing are not as boring as you would think when Austin and Robby basically start the apocalypse by release an unstoppable virus. This virus basically turns people into praying mantises who only want to mate and eat. The book follows Austin, Robby, Shann, and the rest of Ealing's residents as they deal with these unstoppable creatures.

Andrew Smith did not disappoint with his witty writing and amusing characters. The chapter titles for this book were also fantastic. When you first read them, you would be confused but at the end of the chapter it would make sense. After I would finish a chapter, I would always look back at the title and see the connection. There were times when Austin bothered me. He was characterized as constantly horny and at times his constant acknowledgement of it went over board. However, I did love the theme of Austin's confused sexuality. It was a large aspect of the book since Austin is in love with both Shann and thinks he may be the same with Robby.

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the absolute ridiculousness of it. There were times when I had no idea what I was reading, but I still loved it. The timeline of this book was also fantastic. Since Austin was a historian, the book would explain what everyone was doing at a specific time in detail. I loved the all encompassing nature of the narrative. We always knew what every character was doing a certain times. I have to believe this is solely due to Andrew Smith's ability as a writer. I have no idea what inspired this tale of Austin and Ealing, Iowa but it was highly enjoyable. I also loved the commentary about how the unstoppable creatures were a result of greedy scientists wanting to create the impossible.

As for ending of the book, I'm still undecided. It was one of those open ends but at the same time it wasn't. I wanted more about the creatures and the aftermath. But at the same time, I liked how you never truly know.

4.5 Stars

“I'm a Red girl in a sea of Silvers and I can't afford to feel sorry for anyone, least of all the son of a snake.”

This book was beyond highly anticipated. And to be honest I was a little weary of it because of the hype and attention it was receiving. Luckily, I was not disappointed at all. This book was magnificent. I thoroughly enjoyed it and once I started, I did not want to put it down. From a superficial standpoint, the book draws you in simply because of the cover. It is down right gorgeous. In person, it is even better with the texture of the crown and the blood. The end pages are also beautiful.

As for the actual book, Red Queen combines many of the favorite YA themes and aspects, but in a new way. You have a Red pretending to be a Silver, much like Darrow in Red Rising is pretending to be a Gold. You have different Silvers with different abilities very much like in the X-Men realm. There is a Game of Thrones aspect with the different houses all competing with each other for power. There is even a little bit of The Selection with the princes picking their brides. While this book had so many aspects from other series, it did not cause me to enjoy it any less. I can see how others could be annoyed by this though. For me, I loved how Victoria Aveyard blended all the different ideas into her own story.

Mare is an interesting character. She is very focused on protecting those she loves and will protect them at any cost. Even if it means risking herself in the process. However she is also a little too gullible and trusting of those around her, which is problematic at times. I absolutely loved Cal. He was great. From the first sighting of him, I knew he was more than just a guy at the bar. The dynamic between Cal and Mare was fantastic. I loved all their scenes together.

A lot of people would say this book has a love triangle. And I'm not sure I would agree with them. Yes there are multiple “interests” but romance is not at all a major aspect of this story. This story is about rebellion, political ties, War, and the ever growing thirst for power and control.

Overall, this book was highly enjoyable and lived up to the hype. Victoria Aveyard wrote a wonderful book and I cannot wait for the 2nd installment especially with how action packed the last 20% of this book was.

“Eventually I realize that I am holding on to him just as tightly as he holds on to me. And here we are: two small dying things, as the world ends around us like falling autumn leaves.”

I've heard a lot of mixed things about this book, but when I saw it for $3 last summer I had to buy it. I'm not sure exactly what my expectations were for this book, but I can say I was really intrigued by the premise. The idea that girls die at 20 and boys die at 25 is fascinating. And I love the commentary on it happening because humans tried to cheat evolution and become the perfect beings.

Our main character in this book is Rhine. She is taken from her twin brother in NY to Florida where she is forced to marry Linden. Linden also marries two other girls. This made sense to me since with people dying at such a young age it makes sense to have multiple wives to bear children. What really irked me with this was how easily the girls accepted the whole sister wives thing. I understand they didn't want to marry Linden, but they seemed totally fine if he was lounging around with all three at the same time.

Lauren DeStefano's writing is beautiful. She definitely writes a very description heavy prose. These descriptions and thoughts are sliced with short instances of dialogue. At first it was really odd to me that there was so little dialogue, but after a while I did not notice it as much. For the most part DeStefano did a great job of keeping the mystery and plot going throughout the book. I definitely am convinced that Rhine being a twin with heterochromatic eyes is extremely important. The plot was quite slow and boring at times in this book, but I think it was to help set up the world and what Rhine is going through.

While this book has a horrible cover (I'm sorry if you like it but I find it to be horrible), the premise of the world is what convinced me to buy it and subsequently read it. The only thing the cover has going for it is the typography, it is really nicely done. After finishing it and digesting my thoughts I have come to a very “meh” feel. It was enjoyable at times but at other times it was either annoying or dry. I may or may not continue on with the series. Granted it will probably be a yes if I can find the books at good prices. Basically this was an interesting idea but I'm not sure it was the book for me.

4.5 Stars

“Death lived in a glass tower at the center of the White Court. I could see the tower from anywhere in the city. It cut the skyline like a blade. Death- She probably had a real name- was Kahl Ninu's right hand and his personal executioner. Or at least, that's what the rumors said.”

I've been wanting to read this book forever. I follow Lori M. Lee on Twitter and she seems like a great person and she really enjoys interacting with fans. Both the premise and the cover of this book drew me in! This book was definitely as good as expected, if not better. I loved the story, the characters, the world, and the writing. I also loved all the different elements wrapped into this story. You have time manipulation, steampunk, fantasy, and even mythology. It was a fascinating blend of elements.

The plot was somewhat slow in this book, but that was due to extensive world building. Lori did an amazing job setting up the story and introducing us to Kai, Reev, and Avan. There are plenty of other characters in this book too, that all have an important tie to those main three.

At first you think this book is about Kai and Avan leaving the city walls to find Kai's brother, Reev, but it is so much more than that. Reev's disappearance is more complicated and it requires Kai and Avan to go undercover at the Tournament to hopefully get Reev and leave the city again. The ending of this book shows just how complex and well-thought out the plot is and was totally unexpected for me.

The magic system in this book is very unique. And how Kai fits into this system is unclear (it is somewhat cleared up at the end but I still have a lot of questions). She can manipulate the threads of time, but it is not really clear what the full potential of her powers are. I really wished we could have seen more of Kai's powers and what she is capable of. I really hope in subsequent books we learn more about them as she experiments with them.

Overall, this was a great introduction into a new series. Lori's writing style is fantastic, she pulled me right in and there were many times I did not want to stop reading even though I had to, to either go to bed or go to class. I flew through this book in under 24 hours. That is how much I loved it. I'm also really glad I have a galley of the second book, The Infinite. So I can jump right into that without having to wait!

I received a galley of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This book was wonderfully confusing, creepy and dark. I'm not sure why there are so many negative reviews. The only other Mo Hayder book I've read is Gone (Jack Caffery, #5) and I loved that book. This book was not your typical crime novel, but it had the same dark atmosphere as Gone.

I really struggled with what to rate this because I was so frustrated with the end and the lack of closure, but I ended up with the four stars because I think any book that makes me this vexed deserves a high rating. I literally went to my roommate to rant to her about this book.

I will definitely continue to read more of Mo Hayder's books in the future.

“There's a monster in our wood. She'll get you if you're not good. Drag you under leaves and sticks. Punish you for all your tricks. A nest of hair and gnawed bone. You are never, ever coming... home.”

This book focuses on a town called Fairfold. The town is right next to a forest filled with faeries. Within the forest lies a “glass” coffin with a strange horned boy. The coffin has been there since everyone can remember. Our two main characters Hazel and Ben have grown up talking to the coffin and the boy inside falling in love with him along the way. They are knights to his prince. Then one morning the town wakes up to find the coffin broken and the boy gone. We later learn that the boy's name is Severin.

The characters in this book were amazing. We had Hazel who has never let anyone in and kisses every boy in sight. We have Ben her brother who also happens to be gay. There is Jack, Ben's best friend and Hazel's old crush, who also happens to be a changeling. And finally we have the horned boy Severin. You also have the townspeople and the tourists who all play a role in what it means to live Fairfold with the faeries in the forest.

The characters alone were interesting, but what I really liked was the relationships between the characters. A lot of the story focused on the sibling relationship between Ben and Hazel. This was not a simple romance between different characters in the book. It was more about Ben and Hazel and what they were willing to do for each other. And of course it was about saving the town from the faeries and their mischief.

Part of this review needs to focus on the sheer awesomeness of this book. It is just over 300 pages but still has incredible world building and an amazing story. Holly Black's ability to write a paranormal stand-alone book is astounding. Not only do I love her writing, I also appreciate what she did with this book. It had the faerie lore along with modern culture.

I've always loved fairy lore and for me Holly Black is one of the best when it comes to fairy books. I loved this book. It was the right mixture of creepy, dark, and happy.

“Confession is good for the soul, they say. I'd imagine this is true. But my sins were too convoluted. And from the little I understand–too damning.”

I really struggled with what I wanted to say about this book and that is not because I did not enjoy it, the opposite really. It was unlike what I was expecting. I expected a thrilling contemporary book about a missing girl who returns with amnesia. Instead I got a book that had paranormal elements as well. I really think people should go into this book with little to no expectations or idea of what the story entails. I think this book is one that you need to go into blind about the plot and characters.

I absolutely loved Kate's writing style, she really pulled you into the story and got you hooked. The story was told through the present, the past, and poems. At times it could be confusing when we went to a flashback, but I soon quickly picked up on the flip. The poems throughout the book were also great little glimpses into Annaliese's life prior to the “accident”. The best part about the writing for me was how quickly we could go from normal typical contemporary to crazy, what just happened there. It really added to the overall feeling of the book. I also loved how it was the mom and the dad not mom and dad. To Anna these people were strangers not her parents. Even though it was something small it really added to the overall feeling of the book.

My only real issue with this book was the rushed ending. It was all building up to Anna's 18th birthday and what she was going to do. Then the last 30 pages were action packed with her choice and the consequences. However, I liked that the ending was mostly wide open. We have an idea of what will become of the characters but not concretely.

This is a short review but that is not because the book was not enjoyable, it is because I do not want to give away too much about the plot of this book. Overall, though this is a great read if you want some contemporary with twists and some paranormal aspects. And let me be clear this book is weird, strange, and at times incredibly bizarre, but still so unique and wonderfully written. You can tell that Kate was very particular and careful when she wrote this. I also now want to get Kate's other book (Don't You) Forget About Me.