Bitterblue

Title: Bitterblue
Author: Kristin Cashore
Year: 2012
Series?: Graceling Realm #3
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery

What's it about?:  Eight years after Bitterblue becomes Queen of Monsea, she is still fighting Leck's influence in her city and fighting unknown forces that seem to want to ruin it. With the help of her friends, Bitterblue fights to hold everything together and to unravel the mysteries surrounding her.

My opinion: Some spoilers ahead if you have not read Graceling and Fire!!

If Kristin Cashore never writes another book it would be a devastating tragedy.

As much as I love this series, I am very glad I waited until now to read them, as Bitterblue took three years to be released after Fire and I don't think I could have handled the wait. Unlike the two books in the realm before it, Bitterblue is slower paced and more of a political mystery book than an action or adventure novel. With this book Cashore has proven yet again that she is one of the most intelligent fantasy and young adult authors out there. Many people have complained that this book wasn't as good as the others, and while I agree some to that point, I'm glad Cashore did something different with her books; she easily could have churned out the same thing but she went outside her boundaries and made something different and far more clever than what she's produced before. So in this case I don't understand the reader backlash because this book was so intricately done, I can see why Cashore put so much time into it. While not everything tied perfectly together at the end, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about characters I loved in Graceling and I'm glad I got the opportunity to see where their lives led; many other authors wouldn't give their fans the satisfaction Cashore gave hers, so stop whining! The pacing was a bit slow as the reader is working out the mysteries surrounding the plot as Bitterblue herself figures them out. I like that the more I read Bitterblue, the more I understood about the other two novels in the series. I commend Cashore for tying things together and to continue to develop on what she already made great.

Eight years after defeating King Leck, his daughter Bitterblue is now queen and continues to clean up the mess her father left behind in her kingdom. This is an extreme ordeal for her because she became queen at the age of ten, and even being wiser beyond her years, there is still a lot she does not know about everything around her. I could feel her frustration over trying to put her kingdom back together and just hitting walls at every chance. When it was revealed what Leck had really been doing to all of his victims over the thirty-five years he reigned, my heart broke. I knew it would be bad but it was more twisted than I guessed it would be; it never crossed my mind some of the things he had done, but it made sense once revealed based on characters' actions throughout the book. Leck is one of the most intriguing and disturbed villains I have ever read in a series. His taint spread so far and damaged so many people it was sickening. The mystery is what made this book and I love that everything unfolded the further you read, instead of all of the pieces of the puzzle being handed to you at the beginning to sort through.

I love, love, loved the character development in this book, especially of more minor characters in previous books that got a chance to shine in this one. It was nice to see that Katsa and Po were still together, I love that we learned what became of the characters in Fire. Bitterblue found her own ways to be strong and to fight, by using her mind and wits to fix everything around her instead of physical action and war. Friendship was a giant theme in this book, Bitterblue never could have done the things she did without the loyalty and love of those she kept and loved around her. Trust your friends and treat them well was a huge message throughout the book.

 My favorite relationship was the one that built between Lord Giddon and Bitterblue, it was one I never expected but I can only dream it will go further. Cashore herself says she loves when readers create their own assumptions and subtext and my guess (or hope) is that there is a future romance between Giddon and Bitterblue. They remained friends in this book, but they supported each other through every hardship and knew how to comfort the other without asking. On that note, I was a bit disappointed that there was less romance in this book than the others. Saf and Bitterblue started out strong and then sort of faded until the last 1/4 of the book. I felt Bitterblue's relationship with Saf was more of a learning experience than something meant to be; they didn't seem to understand each other and they didn't work hard enough to overlook their differences to be together.

To me, Bitterblue was a giant promise of what is to come, whether or not Cashore writes any more books, she left the reader with enough to imagine their own endings in any way they wish. An author that makes the reader think? Blasphemy!!! (**giggles**). I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars, how could I give it anything else?

Fire

Title: Fire
Author: Kristin Cashore
Year: 2009
Series?: Graceling Realm #2
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure

What's it about?: Out in a barren and rocky landscape lives a monster named Fire. She has an enticing appearance and the ability to read and possess people's minds, but Fire has no desire to use her abilities against other people. The current king of her land requests Fire's help in exposing a plot made against him, and Fire must struggle with the decision of using her abilities, but she doesn't want to become the true monster her father was before her.

My opinion:  

"Book hangover", definition being when you've finished a book and you suddenly return to the real world, but the real world feels incomplete or surreal because you're still living in the world of the book.

^^^ This is exactly how I feel about Fire. I know that I raved about Graceling, rightfully so, but holy monkey balls Fire was even better. I assume that Graceling was Cashore's first attempt at writing, and while I loved it, it's obvious that Cashore really came into herself as a writer with this second novel. From the first moment, Fire sucked you in and grasped your attention until the very end; there was no point in the entire book where I had to walk away or make myself keep reading and I couldn't put the damn thing down! One can actually read Fire without having read Graceling, as it is a companion novel and not a sequel. There is one similar character from the first book, but in a way this book was more of a prequel, it just took place in a different land and before the events of Graceling. I do like that it explained the origins of a certain character who crosses over between the two books, but it would never be confusing for a reader new to the Graceling Realm.

I liked that Fire was a strong female character to admire, she constantly proved herself as a good person over and over again to fight against those who believed her to be evil based on the previous actions of her very evil father. While there are similarities between Fire and Katsa (from the first book), they are very much their own characters with some similar traits. One of my favorite scenes from the book was Fire's attempt to let the military ride safely past the sky-monsters, I was absolutely riveted and entirely lost in the book, at one point I think I stopped breathing. The interactions between Fire and the other characters in the book are what really moved the pace, no matter who she was talking to Fire showed intelligence and considered her options before action. Fire's daily struggle with being a "monster" and the moral implications of her gift made her one of the most compelling characters I've ever read. The development of Fire's character was impressive for while she did change her morals and intentions never strayed into a dark side, she remained constant in her belief that she not turn into her father. The theme of parental origins was strong in the book, more than one character proved that a person born by their parents don't necessarily become their father or mother simply through blood, but how they are raised and how they are taught to treat others. (A concept that most parents today should follow more often).

There was a love triangle in the book, although it was not a triangle in the traditional sense. Basically there were two love interests who I both admired. One a childhood love and the other a slow building relationship. I am a huge fan of the slow build, so I was uber pleased with how things turned out in the end; we often forget that most people do not instantly fall in love and first impressions are not always correct. People also change and the things they once wanted can become irrelevant with time, as was the case with Fire and her life choices. Another reviewer pointed out this book is an incredibly accurate portrayal of rape culture and I wholeheartedly agree. The result of Fire's ability (or being a "monster") caused men throughout the book to throw themselves at her, and Cashore made the great point that no matter how pretty someone is, this is not okay! Fire is not whining about her beauty, she literally has to struggle with it everyday, sometimes even keeping people physically off of and away from her to protect herself. Eventually, she finds a way to accept her circumstances and deal with it, but it's obviously not the easiest thing to come to terms with.

We really need more books like this one in the literary world. I plan on starting the third book Bitterblue next and I will pray that Cashore writes many, MANY more books as fascinating as Fire in the future. I would rate this book 6 out of 5 stars! (giggles).

Angels' Blood

Title: Angels' Blood
Author: Nalini Singh
Year: 2009
Series?: Guild Hunter #1
Format: Mass Market Paperback (Library checkout)
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

What's it about?: Elena Deveraux, the vampire hunter, is very good at her job. So good, in fact, that the archangel Raphael has hired her in order to track someone down. Raphael is very dangerous and would easily kill Elena if she insults him or is no longer amusing or of use to him. Even worse, Raphael is angling to be Elena's lover and she refuses to be his plaything. Together they will track a blood thirsty killer who seems impossible to find.

My opinion: This book is yet another Goodreads recommendation that I'm glad I followed through on. The lore behind how vampires are made in this world Singh created was surprisingly cool; vampires are made from angels, who roam and rule the earth and all the people are aware of the existence of both "species". I also loved that angels had different colored wings than others and the descriptions that the author wrote made me picture them perfectly. The banter between Elena and Raphael was my favorite part of the book, the development of their relationship throughout the book rivals that of other romances. Elena made it clear she would not be a toy to be played with and by the end of the book she actually managed to gain some ground with Raphael on what their relationship would be.

I liked how strong Elena was, she is a female hero that young women should aspire to. The amount of loss in her life could have been overwhelming but she worked hard at not letting it suck her down into a depression. Her friends were great background characters, I hope they'll be in more of the books in the series.

I literally sucked this book down like it was crack, I finished it in less than twenty four hours, it's one of those books that are extremely hard to put down as it keeps you wondering what will happen next. In fact I am on my way to Barnes and Noble to buy the next book after I post this review. Happy reading everyone!

I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Starcrossed

Title: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Year: 2011
Series?: Starcrossed #1
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy/Mythology, Romance

What's it about?: Helen Hamilton has lived on the boring island of Nantucket for her entire life. Helen does everything she can to avoid being the center of attention, despite being model thin and tall, extremely smart and incredible at athletics. Helen knows down deep she is not a normal human, she has dreams of old women crying blood and wandering a desert landscape, waking up to dirty feet in her bed. When the Delos family moves to the island and begins to stir up gossip, Helen is the only person not intrigued by their presence, in fact it makes her cranky. Until the day she meets Lucas Delos, in which she flies into a white hot fury that is beyond her control.

My opinion: This book exceeded my expectations. I checked out this book because Goodreads had recommended it and I'm glad I took the chance. The story sucks you in from the first page and I ended up devouring this book within 24 hours. I liked the fact that this wasn't another Vampire/Werewolf/Angel young adult novel, as much as I like those. Angelini incorporated ancient Greek mythology into a modern setting very well, even if I wasn't familiar with The Iliad, she explained the background without being confusing or exhausting. Starcrossed was paced very well and there was never a choppy moment in the flow, it captures your attention and keeps a choke-hold on it until the very last page. The were times when it got a little Mortal Instruments for me (in a very small way) but despite that small plot similarity, it was quite the original idea, having demigods live among mortals.

Lucas is one of those great book boyfriends we always fall for, even when he "hated" Helen, he still protected her from danger, as if he recognized that they were connected in some way. I liked the development of their relationship, the fine line between friendship and something more. I also understood why Lucas waited so long to tell her his reasons for not "being" with Helen, which I won't go into. But I am always a big supporter of relationship angst within a book, so I look forward to the rest of the saga and how far they will go with it. Spoiler!: once the Furies were sent away from Helen and the Delos family, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the new friends Helen made within it. Aside from Lucas, Hector was my favorite as he seemed to be the most misunderstood of them all, he seemed to bear most of the burden and while his family wasn't mean to him, they didn't seem to give him enough credit; they worried about him too much.

One criticism! I wish that they would have said Helen was a blond at the beginning of the book, maybe they did and I missed it, but I spent like 93% of the book picturing her as a brunette so I was irked when I realized I had been picturing her wrong. Oh well, just a nitpicky thang I guess.

I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Outpost

Title: Outpost
Author: Ann Aquirre
Year: 2012
Series?: Razorland #2
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia, Young Adult, Zombies, Adventure, Romance

What's it about?: Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan have all found a safe place in the town of Salvation. Deuce now lives with a foster family who seem to genuinely like her and she continues to spar with Stalker in her free time. But now Fade and Tegan have kept their distance and not only does this hurt Deuce, it confuses her. The town considers Deuce a child and not the Huntress she is, and she is expected to conform to the traditional female roles that the town expects. But despite the safety of the town, the Freaks roaming outside the walls continue to become a looming threat, and it's up to Deuce, Fade, Stalker and a few guards to ensure the survival of the whole town.

My opinion: Outpost was a great follow up novel to Enclave. I didn't inhale this book as I did the first one, the pacing was much slower and less action packed. This book was more about Deuce learning about herself and who she wanted to be. Deuce had a couple of months to get used to the way of life in the town, and when the reader comes into the story, it becomes clear that Deuce wants to be herself and be useful by fighting and protecting, not by being domestic. It astounded me that Fade and Stalker do not seem to comprehend the fact that Deuce grew up differently from the both of them and does not understand their intentions toward her. The fact that Fade had seemed to give up on a relationship with Deuce before she approached him made me think a bit less of him, but then I became happy when Deuce gave him "exclusive kissing rights". While I am very much Team Fade, I do feel really bad for Stalker and his feelings not being reciprocated. I can see why he likes Deuce, she is the one girl he's met who is his equal, maybe even more skilled than him and he has no desire to give up on fighting for her. I liked the development of Tegan, how she was able to move past the horrors of her past and to choose to move on and be happy in her new place. Deuce's foster mom was my favorite new character; Momma Oaks is proof that not all mothers give birth to their children, it's the person who unconditionally loves and cares for a child that makes them a true parent. The same goes for Deuce's foster dad Edmund and for Longshot.

The concept that people reverted to almost Amish ways in the post-apocalypse was interesting and believable; most people turn to religious answers when they cannot get real answers as to what is happening around them. In most scenarios like this one in literature and film, there is always one fanatic that seems to rally other people into faith and belief that a higher power made things happen to them due to happenstance around them. While I didn't get the fanatic feel from the town, I have the feeling that it may develop into one in the future. It also makes sense that people would have to revert to these ways without electricity, but you think by this point they'd actively work towards that, but the book does explain why not. This book liked the first reminded me of The Walking Dead, but this second book being more like the third season, in setting, not in actual plot.

Enclave was very much an action/adventure book while Outpost to me was pure horror. I was so skeeved out by the "freaks" aka zombies and how they were evolving and becoming smarter. There was one part about 70% into the book where I was like "where are they going with this?" and then "oh my god, do I really want to know?". Despite loving zombie books, humans being eaten is something that creeps me out; I have a hard time watching Spielberg's War of the Worlds and nearly had a meltdown when I saw bits and pieces from Soylent Green (this is an issue that comes from being traumatized as a child from that episode of The Twilight Zone 'To Serve Man'). So while I really liked this book, it was exponentially creeper and more ominous than the first.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait until the third book is released next month!

A Little Too Far

Title: A Little Too Far
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Year: 2013
Series?: A Little Too Far #1
Format: E-Book (kindle)
Genre: New Adult, Romance

What's it about?: After an upsetting run-in with her ex-boyfriend, Lexi ends up having mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother who also happens to be her best friend. Immediately after she feels shame and guilt for doing so, but she doesn't have much time to think about it because two days later she leaves for Rome to study abroad for her junior year of college. While there she meets soon to be priest Alessandro, and the more they get to know each other, the more doubtful Alessandro becomes about taking his orders.

My opinion: I honestly read this because I saw an advertisement for it on Goodreads, and one of my favorite authors had said something nice about it in the ad. Basically, this book just ended up being okay, it's nothing special. The beginning of the book is like "BAM!!" sex with the stepbrother and then it's almost like he doesn't exist until the last 1/4 of the book. I found the extensive blabbering about art history to be boring, even if I hadn't already been to the places they described in the book, the last thing I want to read about in my romance novel is art history. I also felt REALLY bad for Alessandro for falling for Lexi, because it was clear she wasn't going to get over her stepbrother Trent, so I'm glad there will be a second book dedicated to Alessandro's story. This book was a quick fun read, but nothing amazing or profound.

I'd rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Enclave

Title: Enclave
Author: Ann Aguirre
Year: 2011
Series?: Razorland #1
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Dystopia, Horror/Zombies, Adventure, Romance

What's it about?: Again, I cannot give a synopsis better than the one already given, so here is a link to a summary of what this book is about.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7137327-enclave

My opinion: This is yet another book I have been kicking myself for not having read it sooner. Enclave was recommended to me by a friend (shout out to Tim a la biblioteca!) and while I'm sad I didn't read it sooner, I'm glad I waited because I am already jonesing to read the rest of the series (book three out at the end of October). Enclave to me was a mix of 28 Days Later and The Walking Dead, with a heroine straight out of Graceling. The world building was astounding, Aguirre made it believable that in a post-apocalyptic world people would live underground in the ruins of the New York City subway system and find a way to survive against the dangers of the Freaks (which are zombies, but they are never referred to in that title). I liked the different ways the author would describe an object and later it would become clear that it was a car or a sofa; it added to the sense of loss that most of the characters experienced at the world around them. I loved that the book was set in the ruins of the civilization of what we all currently live in. The theme of survival was a strong presence throughout the book, but I liked that the author displayed the difference between ruthless survival and being able to survive while showing compassion for others.

The character development of Deuce is one of my favorite things about the book. Due to how she was raised and her way of life, survival was key and she would reject outside ideas. As the book goes on, Deuce begins to realize that the was she was living may not be what she wants, hell she begins to think it isn't right at all. Deuce's ability to show remorse for the mistakes she made was an aspect that made her human, even if she did not realize the wrongs she had been committing at the time. One of the most frustrating aspects of the book was Deuce's lack of understanding of how Fade felt about her and what he wanted from her. I do understand that her background supports this, being that she was always prepped for a life of being a Huntress and was never to consider the possibility of "breeding" as they called it, but it would have been nice for Fade to explain his feelings for her. Fade is an interesting hero, but remains a bit mysterious by the end of the book, I hope there is more development of his character in the rest of the series. The character of Stalker was difficult for me to accept or process, he let unspeakable things happen to women, but the flipside of that is he actually didn't know any better, it was survival in his world.

Overall, Enclave is an original and engaging read, I would recommend this to a variety of people, as it fits a variety of genres.

I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

Rules of Attraction

Title: Rules of Attraction
Author: Simone Elkeles
Year: 2010
Series?: Perfect Chemistry #2
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Romance

What's it about?: Carlos Fuentes returns to the United States after fleeing to Mexico with his mother and younger brother. Carlos joins his older brother in Boulder, Colorado where he is determined to live against the grain. Kiara is assigned to Carlos at school to help smooth the transition and the two are polar opposites from each other. But as time goes by, Carlos discovers that Kiara only expects him to be himself.

My opinion: Rules of Attraction is by far better than the first book in the series, Perfect Chemistry. I loved the banter between Carlos and Kiara, most of the time one of them had a smart and funny comeback for what the other had said. I loved that when Carlos teased Kiara she stood her ground, even when it triggered a stuttering episode she never gave in. I especially loved the cookie prank she played on him. Overall there really isn't much to say about this book other than it was a cute story with a sweet slow building romance between two people who don't realize that what they want and need is each other.I liked that it was a lot less over-dramatic than the first book. This would be a great beach read or something to bring on a trip/vacation.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Year: 2011
Series?: Mara Dyer #1
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance, Paranormal

What's it about?: When Mara Dyer wakes up in the hospital, she has no memory of how she got there. Mara is told that she and her friends were in an abandoned building when it collapsed around, killing Mara's best friend, boyfriend, and her boyfriend's sister. Mara's family then decides to leave New England and moves to Florida in order to escape the memories of what had happened. Meanwhile, Mara is experiencing symptoms of PTSD and is seeing things that aren't really there. In the cluttered mess of her life, Mara meets Noah, the boy with the bad rep who is more than interested in her.

My opinion: Mara Dyer was an intriguing read that was able to grasp my attention and hold onto it for the majority of the length of the book. Before I started reading it I honestly thought that this would be one of those mental hospital books, but while Mara feels she is going crazy throughout most of the book, it luckily wasn't set in a facility. While I was captivated by what was happening in the story I feel that this book could have been edited down a bit. For the amount of plot that actually happened there are too many pages, many of the revelations that happened near the end (and I'm not talking about the cliffhanger ending) should have been revealed earlier on. There are even some characters that I am wondering why they were even in the book at all, because for me they had no obvious role or point, for example Jamie, Anna and Aiden. They all seemed very one dimensional and I'm not really sure what their purpose was. The tone and mood of the book were what made the book, the constant mystery of what happened to Mara that night as well as the mystery of Noah was what kept the plot going. I would have liked to see a bit more romance or steam but alas I was just given the last 1/4 of the book. More Noah time near the beginning of the book would have been nice! I really wanted to love this book, but in the end I just enjoyed it for what it was and I look forward to reading future installments. I genuinely want to know what happens to the characters, so kudos to Hodkin for that. I think I was just expecting a faster paced novel and more of a conclusion near the end than what was given.

I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Graceling

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Year: 2008
Series?: Graceling Realm #1
Format: Trade Paperback (library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance

What's it about?: Because I cannot write a better one (or anywhere close to as good as this one) here is a synopsis from Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3236307-graceling

My opinion: For some reason, I find it difficult to write a review for a book I love. When I really love a book all I want to do is poke someone with that book until they are so fed up with me that they read the book themselves and then fall in love with it as well. These are my exact feelings toward Graceling, I absolutely fell in love with it and I am kicking myself for not having read it sooner when everyone else was bugging me to. I do have to say, the book starts out very slowly and only began to pick up for me about eighty pages in. Katsa reminds me of Alanna from the Tamora Pierce series, except she is better because Graceling is developed in a way that the Lioness Rampant series never was. At the beginning of the book Katsa blindly follows her uncle's orders, her reasoning being that she has no choice but instead she is trapped by her own shame at the things she has done for him in the past. Once she meets Prince Po, all of this changes. Po becomes a great friend, someone she trusts and someone who seems to understand her like no one else. Po is the one who encourages her to follow her own path, to be happy whether or not it be under King Randa's rule.

I LOVE that Po understood Katsa for who she was and never tried to make her something she wasn't; this is a rare trait to find in a leading man in a book in an age where all of the female readers seem to love and domineering and controlling man (*cough* Fifty Shades and Twilight *cough*). The parts of the book where Katsa was totally unaware of the fact that she was attracted to and falling for Prince Po were hilarious. The scene where she finally realizes everything about the two of them and their feelings for each other was brilliantly written, I found myself backtracking a few times just to reread it. If there were a theme for a book, it would be control. To learn to control oneself, and to not suffer under the control of someone else. There is so much more that I loved about this book, and I'm sure as time goes by I will come back and add more to this review. I only want to say that this book was staggering and breathtaking and I highly recommend it to readers or any genre.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

I Love You to Death

Title: I Love You to Death
Author: Natalie Ward
Year: 2012
Series?: I Love You #1
Format: E-Book (Kindle)
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary

What's it about?: Everyone Ash loves dies. It't the truth. In twenty-five years of living Ash has lost exactly twelve people in her life who she loved, the most recent being her boyfriend Sam. These deaths result in Ash blaming herself for all of them, and she shuts herself off from everyone, fearing that if she gets close, she'll be responsible for the death of someone else. When she returns to work she meets the new guy, Luke. Despite all of her attempts Luke has found a way into her life and maybe even her heart, and it terrifies Ash what fate could possibly befall him because of it.

My opinion: Ward's book was heart-breaking and overwhelming. It shocked me as I read it, because I cannot fathom what Ash had to go through in her life, the amount of pain and loneliness in her life seemed unbearable. The book goes through the deaths that Ash feels are connected to her, and while there was an element in each of them containing Ash, they were all unfortunate events that could not be helped. The ones that had me breaking down in tears were when her brother and his fiance died, as it left Ash alone with Sam and no more family. While all of the deaths were heartbreaking, the one that broke my heart for Ash was of her friend who was murdered for online dating; it didn't seem fair that Ash was just trying to help a friend and it resulted in the worst possible outcome. The slow building relationship with Luke and Ash was really sweet, how he started out as a friend and over a LONG period of time, Ash finally opened her heart to him. This was an extremely heavy read, so if you're not willing to go down the dark rabbit hole and remain happy, put it off for another day. I Love You to Death is worth a read even if the title and cover are not so great.

I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Bully

Title: Bully
Author: Penelope Douglas
Year: 2013
Series?: Fall Away #1
Format: E-Book (Kindle)
Genre: New Adult, Romance, High School/Bullying

What's it about?: Tatum and Jared have been next door neighbors for years, they were even the best of friends. Until Jared went to visit his dad the summer before freshman year of high school, because when he came back he was different and he hated Tatum. For two years he tormented her to tears, to the point of hiding from him. Tate flees to France for her junior year, partially to escape Jared. When she returns for her senior year she's different, and she intends to fight back.

My opinion: Bully ended up being a wonderful surprise. I still have some issues with it, but it was better than I thought it would be. The chemistry between Jared and Tatum crackled, they really had the best comebacks for the other one. The few things I did not like about the book, Jared's justification for his actions toward Tatum. I feel like his reasons were not strong enough for the two years of torment he unleashed upon her, and while I felt bad for him, his actions were uncalled for. Jared could have just pushed Tatum away and that would have made more sense (but it wouldn't have made a better story, I know). I REALLY did not like how easily Tatum forgave Jared for what he did. Tatum was so broken down that she had to leave the freaking country and yet she didn't make him work harder for her to forgive him? Uh uh, Ms. Douglas, please read Jennifer Armentrout's Lux series as a reference for what a guy should do when he treats a girl that horrible and you can learn something. Despite their long standing history, the romance between the two hit too fast for me, one second they're still semi-enemies and the next they're, ahem, making up for lost time. I digress.

What I did like: I loved the sharp wit that Tatum brought to the table. I loved the speech she gave in class to Jared about how much he had hurt her over the years. I loved the angst when Jared realizes how badly he messed up with Tatum. I loved that Tatum as a girl liked cars and was a hell of a driver. I loved the character development, not just of Tatum and Jared but of the other bully and Tatum's best friend, it was masterfully done. I loved that people would actually admit when they did something wrong and tried to make up for it. I loved that this book was thought provoking, how bullying can change a person's life, and how it points out how bullies are made by others. We all need to step up and make sure to prevent the creation of bullies as well as stopping bullying. The angst was fantastic, just the right amount. Also the right amount of steam as well. So, I'm sorry the like section was shorter, it's easier for me to rant on and on about what I didn't like, but this book is VERY good, hopefully other readers will enjoy it too.

I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars :-)

Lexi, Baby

Title: Lexi, Baby
Author: Lynda LeeAnne
Year: 2012
Series?: This Can't Be Happening #1
Format: E-Book (Kindle)
Genre: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

What's it about?: At the age of eighteen, Alexis has met the love of her life, Landyn. He's the perfect boyfriend and the two are madly in love and plan on spending the rest of their lives together. That is, until the party that changed everything. Alexis and her best friend Trish catch Landyn cheating on Alexis, in fact they heard the whole thing. Devastated, Alexis leaves town to start a new life without Landyn, and she's pregnant with the baby she never told him about. Six years later, Landyn discovers where Alexis is and that they have a daughter, and he will do anything to get them back.

My opinion: While I am normally a big fan of the angsty unknown pregnancy plot, this book fell far below expectations. The actual plot was pretty good, it was the author's poor writing style that sank the book for me. There were so many instances where character development could have gone deeper but instead the surface was scratched and left the reader disappointed. I hate that there was no elaboration on what Landyn was doing in the years he was apart from Lexi, sure there was the casual mention that he was in the marines and owns a bar, but that was it! Six years holds a lot of life events and while Lexi's six years were described, Landyn's weren't. I also had a hard time with the fact that while Lexi held out and didn't take Landyn back after her cheated on her, like ten minutes after seeing him for the first time in six years she's having sex with him and cheating on her boyfriend! WTF?! Talk about being a hypocrite. She can't be upset about Landyn cheating on her and then have no problem doing it to someone she was with for two years. Ugh, anyway. The plot again was decent, it was the execution of the book that lacked. I'd like to see what another writer could do with this same idea and what results would yield. This book reminded me a lot of the My Misery Muse series, of which I was also not a fan of the poor writing style.

I rate this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.

The Iron King

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Year: 2010
Series?: The Iron Fey #1
Format: Paperback (Library checkout)
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fairies

What's it about?: Meghan has always felt a little disconnected from other people. At a very young age her father vanished and Meghan and her mother moved away to a small town. Ten years after her father disappeared, Meghan is about to turn sixteen. She has her mom, her step-dad, her younger half brother Ethan and her best friend Robbie. Until one day, Ethan is replaced with a changeling, and Meghan discovers Robbie is actually the fairy tale creature Puck. Meghan must venture into the dangerous world Nevernever with Puck/Robbie in order to get Ethan back, meeting new people and creatures along the way, including the incredibly good looking fairy prince Ash.

My opinion: This is one of the most original young adult books I've come across in a long time. The Iron King reminded me of a mix of Alice in Wonderland with a steam punk edge thrown in and a little bit of Labyrinth. The world building that Julie Kagawa put into her book was astounding, the places she created in breathtaking detail, making everything in them feel real and logical (although they are neither). Meghan's inner strength was refreshing to read, she constantly held on to the love she felt for her brother and continued to search for him despite the overwhelming odds against her. Robbie/Puck was a fun snarky character that Kagawa really made her own. There were times in the book when the plot became a little overwhelming, like how it would sidetrack into a small segment that made no sense to me. For example, when Queen Titania sent Meghan to work in the kitchens. While it proved a point, it didn't really add to the story in any pertinent way. I look forward to seeing the development of the relationship between Ash and Meghan, their "forbidden" romance is quite interesting. I also want to see when/if Meghan ever realizes Puck's/Robbie's feelings toward her because she is quite blind to them at the moment. I would definitely encourage other readers to take a chance on this book, for originality alone.

I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars!

The Perfect Game

Title: The Perfect Game
Author: J. Sterling
Year: 2012
Series?: The Perfect Game #1
Format: E-Book (Kindle, free borrowing capabilities from Amazon)
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Sports

What's it about?: After two years at a community college Cassie transfers to a four year university to be with her best friend. She soon meets Jack, a baseball pitcher with a good shot at the Major Leagues, and a notorious player. Jack finds a way into Cassie's heart and the two soon fall in love, but will they stay together under the pressures of the demands of the big leagues? Or be torn apart?

My opinion: WARNING!!!!  MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!! I honestly don't understand why this book has the following that it does. Reading this book I felt like it was freaking bipolar, the damn plot was all over the place. Like, the first half was all happy and rainbows and sunshine and everything is amazing and then the author threw a curve-ball at the reader (pun intended) and had Jack do something awful. I mean really?! I went into this book knowing that Jack would cheat on Cassie, but I was super pissed about how Cassie handled it. To me, she was the very definition of doormat. The guy cheats on her, gets the other girl pregnant and then marries her, and what does Cassie do? She begs him not to marry someone else. After all of the development the author put into Cassie with the daddy issues and the trust issues, it seems highly unlikely that Cassie would just let the past go and chase after Jack. How the fuck is the book in the top 100 on Goodreads' Best Book Boyfriends listopia? Seriously. Whatever. Ugh. Moving on from that part, I liked the beginning even though it was very-instalove for my taste. I prefer a slow building romance in my books, and after a month of knowing each other the characters were professing their love and humping like rabbits. I also didn't understand the relevance of Cassie's mugging to the whole of the book, in fact, thinking back it was pretty random and served no purpose to the storyline. ANYWAYS, I normally like angst but it really didn't tie well together for me in this book; I'm glad I borrowed this book from Amazon instead of buying it, and I really don't think I'll be reading the second one. And I hate the cover. Despite all of the complaining and bitching above, I was genuinely riveted by the book and read it all in almost one sitting, so I'll give the author credit for that. No my cup of tea, but maybe other people like a little random crap in their New Adult. I don't.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

The Unwanted Wife

Title: The Unwanted Wife
Author: Natasha Anders
Year: 2012
Series?: standalone novel
Format: E-Book (Kindle, lendable)
Genre: Romance, Contemporary

What's it about?: After eighteen months of marriage Theresa knows her husband does not love her, so she asks him for a divorce. What she doesn't expect is for her cold uncaring husband to fight her on this issue. And she also didn't expect to become pregnant. Determined to be on her own and to no longer be a doormat, Theresa does what she can to convince Alessandro she wants a divorce. Unfortunately, Sandro seems to have finally realized what he has now that he's going to lose it, and he intends to stay married to his wife.

My opinion: I am a big fan of angst, like the more angst the better in my opinion. And this book delivered the best kind of angst. I'm a bit of a sucker for books where the dude has realized he's been a douche toward a girl, and that's what this book was. I liked the plot a lot, and Natasha Anders is a great writer, the book flowed very well and I never wanted to put the book down. Despite being a spoiled rich girl I couldn't help but feel bad for the position Theresa was in, married to a man she had thought loved her only to find out it was a contract and he hadn't loved her. Sandro surprised me because he was the character who developed the most by the end of the book, he seemed like a one-dimensional asshole at the beginning but as the book went on his actions portrayed that he really had changed. I also loved that once Theresa made up her mind about the divorce (at the beginning, so it's not a spoiler) she stuck to her guns and wasn't a freaking doormat. I'm pretty sick of the romance books out there where the guy walks over the girl and readers swoon, PUH-lease *gags*. I liked the author's twist on why the characters got married in the first place, one seemingly being tricked into the relationship. The underlying message of marriage and how it needs trust in order to work is a nice message to send to readers. And not everything is as it appears, all that glitters cannot be gold.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Shatter Me

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Year: 2011
Series?: Shatter Me #1
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Dystopia
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)

What's it about?: Juliette cannot touch anyone, literally. Any touch to her body can kill a person if in contact long enough, and her parents went to extreme measures to make sure no one would. Locked up in an insane asylum for 264 days, Juliette has had no contact with another human being. That is, until she is given a new roommate, Adam. Juliette remembers Adam who she last saw three years ago, but he doesn't remember her. Why is he in her cell now? Has The Reestablishment changed their minds on what to do with Juliette?

My opinion: I read a review from another reviewer who said everything about Shatter Me is perfect except the cover; and I wholeheartedly agree. The cover for this fantastic read has absolutely nothing to do with the book and I'm really glad I read the book despite the misleading/ugly cover. Juliette's point of view was written incredibly well, the crossed out lines conveyed to the reader how unstable Juliette felt in her own mind at most times. The mystery of Juliette's world was cleverly done due to the author's writing style, the reader only knowing what Juliette knows and therefore we can only see how bizarre things have become through her eyes. The chemistry and love story between Adam and Juliette is what kept this book going for me, there's is a sweet tale that needed to be heard, and I can foresee it only becoming even better in future books. Warner is by far one of the most interesting villains I've ever read in a dystopian novel, I cannot wait to read the second book and see if Mafi peeled back the layers on his character for the reader. Shatter Me is a highly enjoyable novel that reminded me a little of X-Men meets Divergent and I highly recommend it.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Vain

Title: Vain
Author: Fisher Amelie
Year: 2013
Series?: The Seven Deadly #1
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Format: E-Book (Kindle)

What's it about?: Sophie Price is the epitome of spoiled rich girl. Beautiful, from a wealthy family, she rules the social circle at her school and does what she wants. That is, until she gets busted at a party for cocaine, for the second time. Sophie is then thrust into a life she never expected and her perception of who she is on the inside is put to the ultimate test.

My opinion: I don't want to spoil too much for the reader, as I went into this book blindly and loved it. Sophie is a very flawed and raw person, she is never shown affection except for the interest boys show in her sexually, so she has no idea of her own worth. By the end of the book her character has developed into someone with redeeming qualities, someone I would admire and want to be friends with in real life. After her unusual sentence from the judge, the element they placed her in was surprising yet fulfilling and opens the readers eyes to issues beyond our own borders. The love interest Ian Aberdeen, just wow, talk about a best book boyfriend. Ian places value on those who are good and beautiful on the inside and has no interest in those who are selfish or shallow. His gallant efforts throughout the book were surprising, and I can easily see how Sophie fell for him. I highly recommend this book, it makes the reader rethink how they live their life.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Something Like Normal

Title: Something Like Normal
Author: Trish Doller
Year Published: 2012
Series?: standalone novel
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Military
Format: E-Book (kindle) on loan from a Goodreads user

What's it about?: Travis is a soldier who has returned home after being in Afghanistan for that last year. Fitting back into his old life proves to be more difficult than when he first left, his relationship with his father and brother is strained, his girlfriend is with someone else, and he feels like an outsider around his old friends. Then Travis runs into Harper, a girl he kissed back in middle school, a girl who isn't a big fan of Travis, and things change. Travis likes spending time with Harper, but his problems with post-traumatic stress disorder and his family may tear them apart.

My opinion: I really wanted to like this book, I really did. It had all of the qualities of a great book, but it scratched the surface of what it could have been and didn't delve deep enough. I liked that the perspective was entirely from Travis' point of view, I never got the impression or questioned that it was a woman writing from a man's POV. The book felt very insta-love, and while I felt bad for Travis and everything that happened, the book flew by way too fast and there wasn't any development of most of the other characters. There's not much for me to say because there isn't much about the book that I loved or hated. It was just an okay read. I will say that it did want me to read other military romances in the future, this one just wasn't my cup of tea.

I would give this 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Breaking Nova

Title: Breaking Nova
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Format: E-Book (Kindle)
Year Published: 2013
Series?: Nova Book 1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

What's it about?: Nova has experienced an enormous amount of loss for someone her age. When she was a preteen her dad died of a heart condition and when she was a teen she lost her boyfriend Landon as well. Nova survives each day by counting the numbers and avoiding thinking about Landon. Quinton survived a fatal car accident that killed two other passengers in the car, including himself but he was brought back to life. Once a great guy, Quinton has now lapsed into an unemployed drug addict and feels he does not deserve for good things to happen to him. One day the two meet, and recognize the sadness each of them carries in their eyes. Will they both overcome their past and move on with the rest of their lives?

My opinion: I'm a fan of author Jessica Sorensen; her Secret series and Shattered Promises series are books I thoroughly enjoyed. Sadly, Breaking Nova really missed the mark for me. I did not really like the character of Quinton, and I think that was the point but he really wasn't a stand up guy, at least at this point in his life. I did like Nova and her pain with was happened in her life was heart-wrenching. For me, the best parts of the book were Nova's flashbacks with Landon, he is a character I would have rather read about than Quinton. The part of the book where Nova watches Landon's video to her had me in tears, well done on that part Ms. Sorensen. The central focus on loss and grief was a good one, I just don't think the execution of it was handled all that well. Overall, I spent most of the book waiting for something more to happen, the characters just sat around getting high and complaining about their problems instead of working toward something, anything else, either good or bad. I also thought it weird that Nova easily transitioned into hanging out with a bad crowd when she seemed to have more sense than that, no matter what issues she was dealing with. Anyways, I will continue to read the books because this book ended with a cliffhanger of some sorts, and hopefully Quinton will redeem himself in further writings to come.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars, I recommend reading Shattered Promises or The Secret of Ella and Micha if there is an interest in books by this author.

Lover at Last

Title: Lover at Last
Author: J.R. Ward
Format: Hardcover (library checkout)
Year: Published: 2013
Series?: Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 11
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

What's it about?: BEWARE, THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST 10 BOOKS!!!!!!!: Qhuinn, suffered for years under the oppressive nature of his family and upbringing, his best friend Blaylock being the only thing that kept him going. Now, his family is dead and Blay is no longer his friend, and Qhuinn has decided to make friends again with Blay as well as furthering their relationship as well. Little does Qhuinn know that Blay is still in love with Qhuinn, a strain on the relationship he has with his boyfriend Saxton. After years of rejection from the one man he loved, will Blay let Qhuinn back into his life again?

My opinion: So, I actually really loved the romance between Qhuinn and Blaylock in this book, the fact that Qhuinn finally opened his eyes and realized his life was better with Blay than without him. I also loved that Blay wasn't a doormat and actually made Qhuinn work to put their relationship back together again. The angst that the two characters brought to the book was excellent (as I am a sucker for angst all the time). The theme of acceptance is one that should be preached more often, the idea of accepting yourself for who you are despite what other people think or do is an important one not covered enough in books. The surprise tidbit about Qhuinn's brother was one of the highlights of the book as well as some of the best scenes. The book was pretty steamy as well, more so than the last two and it was done very well. Keep up the good steam Ms. Ward! Without spoiling anything, there is a decision the brothers made that affects Qhuinn on a profound level and made me tear up. I did not like any of the side characters stories though, the exception being Layla and Xcor, so I pretty much skimmed the rest of the book because aside from the main plot, I was underwhelmed. Again, I really wish there was a return to the relationship of Rhage and Mary, but alas I don't think that will ever happen. I look forward to the next installment, hopefully it won't focus on just Wrath and will be an overall for most of the Brotherhood. There has been some heavy foreshadowing that Beth will go into her needing, so we shall see what lies ahead.

I give the book 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Nearly Broken

Title: Nearly Broken
Author: Devon Ashley
Format: E-Book (Kindle)
Year Published: 2013
Series?: Nearly Book 1
Genre: New Adult, Suspense, Sociology/Abuse

What's it about?: Megan has a motto that she rigorously sticks to: Head down. Stay off the radar. Haunted by her past Megan moved to a small town in Oregon and became a waitress in a small diner, the perfect place for her to hide. One night a girl named Thea comes in with a missing persons flyer with a girl that looks exactly like Megan, but it's not her. Megan doesn't have a family and her past does not match Claire's. Still, the fact that they both were taken and looked alike nags at her subconscious. On top of this, the new cook at the diner, Nick, has Megan confused for he is breaking down her defenses like no one before...

My opinion: This book ripped me to shreds. It's very dark and twisted and there was a wonderful plot twist I almost didn't see coming (almost because I guessed a small part of it). I don't want to give away much because the reader should not know the story going in, it really enhances the suspense of the book. I will say there were moments when my heart broke for Megan and all that she had been through, and Nick was the perfect guy in helping her through her issues (a best book boyfriend for sure!). The main themes I picked up on in the book were safety and survival, much of the book revolved around Megan and her struggle to feel safe in her life after the events that scarred her emotionally and physically. The survival aspect was much more about Megan dealing with her actions and choices on how she survived. Again, I don't want to give away much, just that this book surprised me in many ways, it did not turn out at all like I expected (this is a good thing) and it surprised me with it's elegant writing and the feelings it invoked in me while reading it. One of the things I didn't like about it is the fact that it's a series, it really could have ended with this one book, but we will see where it goes. And there is no cliffhanger, so don't worry!

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars for suspense and originality.

Lover Reborn

Title: Lover Reborn
Author: J. R. Ward
Format: Hardcover (Library checkout)
Year: 2012
Series?: Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 10
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

What's it about?: SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS 9 BOOKS!!!: Still mourning the passing of his mate and shellan Wellsie, Tohrment is told by the angel Lassiter that he must let her go or she and their unborn child will be stuck forever in the In Between and will not pass into the Fade. Lassiter encourages Tohrment to become closer to No'One who he has a history with. No'One remembers Tohrment from when he and Darius tried to save her life, and she wants to help him like he once helped her many years ago.

Opinion: I have to give some serious props to Ward, I had absolutely no interest in reading a story where Tohrment falls in love with someone else while mourning his former mate, and I was even more put off by the fact that it was with the somewhat unknown character No'One. But, I was wrong. Afters weeks of putting off reading this book, I regretted doing that because I feel that Tohr and No'One had one of the more interesting romances of the series. Both characters are tormented (teehee) and grieving for what they could have been if their lives had not been destroyed by the wrong doings of others. I especially liked that they both had a non-romantic history with each other, it made for a stronger connection and something to compare their current relationship to. The moments between No'One and her daughter Xhex were some of the best in the book. I admired No'One for finally stepping up and apologizing to her daughter for not being there, and I'm glad Xhex let her in and didn't shun her. I really grew to like Lassiter, in the past I found him annoying and didn't really understand why he was added to the books, but in Lover Reborn he became a great source of comic relief, as well as a character I'd like to see more of in the future. One thing I hope to see more of would be Rhage and Mary's relationship, after book two (my favorite in the series) of which they were the primary focus of, these characters have been glossed over ever since which is really doing them a dishonor. Other couples have reprised in the books, in this one it was John and Xhex which I liked, but not really necessary. It just led for me wanting to beat John over the head with how caveman he was being. I typically skim the chapters focusing on the antagonist in the books (and I've done that since the very first book) but of what I actually read of Xcor I liked, he's not a cut and dry evil villain and Ward really needed that in her series. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I really just want to get on to the next book with Quinn and Blay (squee!!!).

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.