Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

BETTER OFF FRIENDS

Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Publication Date: 02/25/2014

Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

 

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

 

Picture and Summary from Goodreads

 

 

REVIEW

 

 

This book was so cutesy and fun to read.  Ive decided that cute and fluffy are how I prefer my contemporary romance reads.  Not that serious issues deter me but real life has enough issues without me reading about them.  Of course Better Off Friends does have a major issue it is centered around...Do Macallan and Levi belong together as more than just friends?  I was really impressed with how well the author stretched out the story and still kept me guessing as to what would happen in the end.

 

The story is told from both Levi and Macallan's POVs with back and forth commentary in between chapters giving off the feeling that they're telling us their story through their eyes while sitting side by side. I thought that was a pretty great idea and really enjoyed it.

 

The only reason this book is a four instead of a five is because of some formatting issues.  I read this on my NOOK and all of the commentary in between chapters was poorly formatted making it hard at first to tell who was talking and what was going on. I eventually figured out how it was supposed to read and was able to look past it until the final chapters when things were coming to a head.  I could tell it was supposed to read like Macallan and Levi were talking over each other in their narratives but it just seemed really sloppy and confusing. I'm hoping it was just my format.

 

Other than some tiny things I really had no issues with this book.  The characters and storyline really had me hooked and invested in the story. It made me wish for a friendship like theirs.

~ Goodreads ~

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

OF BEAST AND BEAUTY Author: Stacey Jay Publication Date: 07/23/2013 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance  

 

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

  Picture and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW

 

This book is absolutely beautiful.  It didn't start out that way...during the first few chapters I struggled to find my groove and it really wasn't until the middle of the book that things started to speed up for me.  By the end though I was completely captivated and found myself tearing up during the epilogue.

 

The idea behind the story is a classic, Beauty and the Beast, but it's totally transformed into something original and set in a world that is described in amazing detail.  I had no trouble envisioning the society and world that the characters found themselves in.  There are these humans that have been corrupted and deformed and have become nothing more than beasts in the eyes of high society.  I could almost see where the nobles are coming from because the monstrous are truly terrifying.

 

The narration is mostly split between Gem and Isra which was fine but every once in a while we get a chapter from Bo. This makes sense in a way because it helps readers connect with him but I don't know that it was necessary.

 

Overall I enjoyed this twisted version of Beauty and the Beast and I feel it will stick with me for a while.

 

  ~ Goodreads ~

Panic by Lauren Oliver

PANIC Author: Lauren Oliver Publication Date: 04/04/2014 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Contemporary, Romance    

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

  Picture and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW  

Ooookay so I'm pretty sure I went into this with the wrong expectations. I'm not really even sure what I was expecting but what Panic ended up being was not what I thought. That being said it was still an ok read. For the people comparing this to Hunger Games, you guys didn't read the same book that I did. Panic is really more a coming of age, rite of passage type of book. It's gritty and surprisingly real life, a story set in poor town USA with a cast of teens dealing with their own issues. The...more Ooookay so I'm pretty sure I went into this with the wrong expectations. I'm not really even sure what I was expecting but what Panic ended up being was not what I thought. That being said it was still an ok read. For the people comparing this to Hunger Games, you guys didn't read the same book that I did. Panic is really more a coming of age, rite of passage type of book. It's gritty and surprisingly real life, a story set in poor town USA with a cast of teens dealing with their own issues. The game of panic is something you would hear about happening in the real world, a group of kids performing dangerous dares for an endgame prize. The pacing at times was slow and for me kind of dry but it still had heart racing excitement and suspense that kept me turning the page. Overall while I did enjoy parts of Panic, there were still moments where I was easily distracted from the story. Could be that it just wasn't my cup of tea. ~ Goodreads ~

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN #1

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publication Date: 06/07/2011

Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Paranormal, Mystery

 

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

 

Picture and Summary from Goodreads

 

 

REVIEW

 

All you need to know about this book is that there was no main focus on romance and yet I was captivated by the story every time I sat down to read....which is saying a LOT. 

 

The story itself is absolutely brilliant and mystifying.  The pictures just made it that much more real, so much so that it is my opinion that you should own a physical copy rather than an ebook of it.

 

Really, that is all you need to know...it's one of those things that unless you have read it you wont truly know if you like it or not.  You just have to take a risk on it.  In my experience I was not disappointed.

 

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

HOPELESS

HOPELESS #1

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publication Date: 12/19/2012

Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery

 

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

 

Picture and Summary from Goodreads

 



 

REVIEW

 

*sigh* Now that was an amazingly great read.  Full of laugh out loud moments paired with swoon worthy romance and a serious issue at heart, Hopeless has easily made my favorites list. 

 

Right off the bat I instantly connected with Skye.  The interactions between her and her two best friends really brought out the fun in the book. The interactions between Skye and Holder gave me hot flashes. 

The romance was heart stopping, the friendship heartwarming, and the mystery surrounding Sky's past suspense worthy.

 

Hopeless was a delicious read that kept me enthralled, there was no putting the book down.  If everything she writes is this good, I have a feeling I will be going on a Colleen Hoover book spree.

 

 



"Let me inform you of something," he says in a low voice. "The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you."

p. 126, Paperback edition

Pivot Point by Kasie West

PIVOT POINT PIVOT POINT #1 Author: Kasie West (LOVE her!) Publication Date: 02/12/2013 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Science Fiction, Romance  

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

  Pictures and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW  

Okay Kasie West is officially on the "I need every book ever written by this person" list. This is my second time reading one of West's books and each one was full of great feels and heart racing moments. I'm actually disappointed in myself over how long it took me to pick this book up and read it! I think the reason I was so stand off-ish was because I couldn't comprehend how West would be able to weave this story of alternate realities without losing my focus. I shouldn't have worried. West eff...more Okay Kasie West is officially on the "I need every book ever written by this person" list. This is my second time reading one of West's books and each one was full of great feels and heart racing moments. I'm actually disappointed in myself over how long it took me to pick this book up and read it! I think the reason I was so stand off-ish was because I couldn't comprehend how West would be able to weave this story of alternate realities without losing my focus. I shouldn't have worried. West effortlessly switches the two realities every chapter, this actually ups the suspense level in my opinion. It was amazingly simple to follow and I became instantly attached to both worlds, so much so I feared how it was all going to work out. The writing is perfectly paced and it only took me sitting down to read it twice before I finished it, I couldn't stand to put it down. When the ending came about I was shocked at how it turned out, I really didn't see it coming. Now I am dying for the sequel. I highly recommend this book! ~ Goodreads ~

Unravel by Calia Read

UNRAVEL Author: Calia Read Publication Date: 02/15/2014 Audience: New Adult Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery  

 

Six months ago, I was happy. I was simply Naomi Carradine.

One month ago, I was admitted into a psych ward.

Yesterday, Lachlan visited me. Kissed me. And told me that I’m starting to lose my mind.

Hours later, Max haunted my thoughts, reminding me I’m not crazy and that he needs my help.

A few minutes ago, I drifted further from reality, trying to unravel the past.

And now...everyone thinks I’m insane. But, I know he's real, and I know he needs me.

Do you believe me?

  Picture and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW

 

Oh my gosh I am having a time contemplating reality after reading Unravel. I mean I literally felt the MC's world unravelling around her. The story is told from the POV of Naomi, who starts the story in a Psychiatric Hospital. The entire book is spent glimpsing into her past while she tries to explain to her doctor why she's in the facility. To be truthful I had no idea until the last few chapters where the story was going. Now I feel like I need to reread it because I feel that there were clues...more Oh my gosh I am having a time contemplating reality after reading Unravel. I mean I literally felt the MC's world unravelling around her. The story is told from the POV of Naomi, who starts the story in a Psychiatric Hospital. The entire book is spent glimpsing into her past while she tries to explain to her doctor why she's in the facility. To be truthful I had no idea until the last few chapters where the story was going. Now I feel like I need to reread it because I feel that there were clues dropped along the way that I missed. The book itself is well written and fast paced. The story was a new experience for me, to put myself in the head of someone struggling with a psychiatric experience was mind warping, that plus the main issue at the heart of the story made the book an intense read.   ~ Goodreads ~

Deeper by Robin York

DEEPER CAROLINE & WEST #1 Author: Robin York Publication Date: 01/28/2014 Audience: New Adult Genre: Contemporary, Romance  

When Caroline Piasecki’s ex-boyfriend posts their sex pictures on the Internet, it destroys her reputation as a nice college girl. Suddenly her once-promising future doesn’t look so bright. Caroline tries to make the pictures disappear, hoping time will bury her shame. Then a guy she barely knows rises to her defense and punches her ex to the ground.

West Leavitt is the last person Caroline needs in her life. Everyone knows he’s shady. Still, Caroline is drawn to his confidence and swagger—even after promising her dad she’ll keep her distance. On late, sleepless nights, Caroline starts wandering into the bakery where West works.

They hang out, they talk, they listen. Though Caroline and West tell each other they’re “just friends,” their feelings intensify until it becomes impossible to pretend. The more complicated her relationship with West gets, the harder Caroline has to struggle to discover what she wants for herself—and the easier it becomes to find the courage she needs to fight back against the people who would judge her.

When all seems lost, sometimes the only place to go is deeper.

  Picture and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW  

The issue at the heart of this book, revenge porn, is a seriously big problem in todays society.  Girls! Keep your naked pictures to yourself.  There is no need to share them with anyone because we are only human and just because you think you know someone doesn't mean you do.  There are some seriously mean and spiteful people out there.

 

The way Robin York weaves the story of Caroline had my heart breaking for her from page one.  I could really sense that Caroline put her full trust into someone she thought loved her only to turn around and have that person hurt her in one of the worst ways possible.  I really wanted to punch her ex in the face...with a hammer.. douche.

 

The characters that make up the main group are all so real. The bff who is a player, the love interest who comes from a shady past, the rugby player who swings both ways.  They all had something about them that made them so relatable. Sometimes in books the problems of the characters are so unbelieving or aren't really problems at all or are magically fixed.  Not the case here. Caroline's problem will probably never go away, it's the type of thing that will haunt her forever. West has had a messed up childhood and has done some dark things to get to where he is now and will have to go through even more to get to where he wants to be.

 

All throughout the book I was rooting for Caroline and West. When the end came around, I was left with so many questions!  Damn series.  Needless to say I'm looking forward to the next installment.  I'm hoping that Caroline and West get a happily ever after but with realistic fiction it's hard to know which way the author will swing. 

 

 

 

 

~ Goodreads ~

Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

HALF BLOOD COVENANT #1 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication Date: 10/18/2011 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Mythology, Romance  

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

 

 

 

  PURE COVENANT #2 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication Date: 04/03/2012 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Mythology, Romance  

There is need. And then there is Fate. Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's other half is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon--and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude--or killing her. When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

 

 

 

  DEITY COVENANT #3 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication Date: 11/06/2012 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Mythology, Romance  

History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "


Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

 

 

 

APOLLYON COVENANT #4 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication Date: 04/04/2013 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Mythology, Romance  

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

     


 
SENTINEL COVENANT #5 Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication Date: 11/02/2013 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Mythology, Romance  

It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

 

 

 

Pictures and Summaries from Goodreads

 

 

 

REVIEW

 

 

*le sigh*

 

Yet another shining example of why Jennifer L. Armentrout rocks the book world.

 

This series!  So amazing!! It took over my life for, literally, three whole days.  Three whole days of doing nothing but reading these five books, one after the other.  How people waited in between book releases I have no idea. It was just that amazing, and that suspenseful, and that swoonworthy that I could NOT stop reading until I knew how it would all end. 

 

The basics are that it's a secret "society" I guess you could call it descending from the Greek gods, I love me some Greek mythology. At the center of the story is a girl, Alex, who is this half blood superchick.  She has spent her whole life training to be all badass and protect Pures but of course things go differently when her mother runs away with Alex in tow.  When we start the series Alex and her mom have been on the run for three years and things have just taken a turn for the worse, which in turn causes Alex to return to the Covenant and resume her training.

 

The characters that make up this series are so awesome and powerful and badass. Alex has some pretty solid friends (and higher ups) who have her back. I got attached to so many people and cried over more than a few. There is also a semi love triangle. I say semi because in my eyes it could have only gone one way (Team Aiden).

 

When I turned the last page of the last book I felt like I was losing a part of myself.  I no longer knew how to function in the real world without Alex and Aiden and the whole gang.  Talk about a serious book hangover!

 

 

 

Now for a little truth, I had half blood on my NOOK for a REALLY long time before actually reading it.  Mostly because the cover is not at all attractive. Yup, I judged a book by its cover which caused me to miss out on reading this series for longer than necessary.  Don't make the same mistake I did.  Read the Covenant series now!

 

 

 

~ Goodreads ~

 

 



Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE #1 Author: Laini Taylor Publication Date: 09/27/2011 Audience: YA/NA Genre: Fantasy
   

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

  Picture and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW    I LOVE all the covers of this series.   I can't get over how amazing the writing in this book was. The book's world literally came to life while I was reading it and was never far from my mind when I wasn't reading it. I have never come across anything like it before. The storyline, the characters, the monsters were so incredibly unique and beautiful but also at times grotesque...I was constantly wondering how the author came up with all these ideas. I look forward to continuing this journey with the characters, I can't wait to see where the story will lead them.

  Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

ENDLESS KNIGHT THE ARCANA CHRONICLES #2 Author: Kresley Cole Publication Date: 10/01/2013 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction (Apocalyptic)
   

Shocking secrets.
Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies.
With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery.
When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember—but Death can’t forget…

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles

  Picture and Summary From Goodreads       REVIEW

 

Ummmmm, not okay. I am left dying in suspense with that ending! Overall Endless Knight is a great follow up to Poison Princess. It's fast paced and we learn more about the game, we are also introduced to new characters (some I'm still unsure of). There were a lot of twists and turns that were unexpected and there is a love triangle that works it's way into the story. Surprisingly I found myself torn between whose team I was on so I feel I may be a little sad no matter how it turns out but I'm sti...more Ummmmm, not okay. I am left dying in suspense with that ending! Overall Endless Knight is a great follow up to Poison Princess. It's fast paced and we learn more about the game, we are also introduced to new characters (some I'm still unsure of). There were a lot of twists and turns that were unexpected and there is a love triangle that works it's way into the story. Surprisingly I found myself torn between whose team I was on so I feel I may be a little sad no matter how it turns out but I'm still more in favor of Jack. Nothing is really settled by the end of the book so you can really tell its a middle book but I feel like it was necessary since it gives us a glimpse into Deaths character. And even though nothing is really resolved the book is still exciting enough to keep you on your toes. I am highly anticipating the next (final?) book!   **Side note - I'm still super pissed about the new covers. They are so ugly in comparison to the old ones.  If I hadn't already read the books the covers definitely wouldn't help to draw me in.

   

    Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Waiting On Wednesday: Defector by Susanne Winnacker

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It features books we are eagerly anticipating getting our hands on. My Pick This Week:   DEFECTOR VARIANTS #2 Author: Susanne Winnacker Publication Date: 06/26/2014 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Science Fiction

  Tessa has finally made peace with her life as a Variant. She and long-time love Alec are officially a couple, and for the first time, she has everything she wants.

But the air is tense at FEA headquarters. An agent has disappeared, and rogue variant organization Abel’s Army is likely the culprit.

When Tessa is summoned for her second mission, she is unexpectedly launched into a massive conspiracy. Her best friend Holly is kidnapped and Tessa knows it was meant to be her. But who is after her? And more importantly, why?

When the FEA’s efforts to rescue Holly don’t yield any results, Tessa takes matters into her own hands. Desperate to save her friend and uncover the mystery behind Abel’s Army, Tessa launches her own investigation—but nothing could prepare her for what she finds. Everyone in her life is harboring secrets: Alec, her estranged mother, even the father she never knew.

The truth will take her out on the road and out of her comfort zone, with danger lurking everywhere. Summoning all of her courage and strength, Tessa must decide who can be trusted and what is worth fighting for—even if it means going against the life she thought she wanted. Her final decision will leave readers breathless.   MARK IT TBR ~ Goodreads ~     I am pretty damn excited for this book to come out. The first book in the series ( Variants ) was kickass so I have high expectations for this next installment. Please, Please, Please don't let me down Susanne!!

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

EVERBOUND EVERNEATH #2 Author: Brodi Ashton Publication Date: 01/22/2013 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Mythology, Romance  

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

    Picture and Summary from Goodreads     REVIEW  

I feel like I can't say much about this book without giving stuff away from Everneath, but seriously if you haven't read the first book you shouldn't be reading the review for the second, still I'm going to keep it short and sweet. Everbound is full of suspense. There was enough tension and emotion to keep me fully invested, not to mention the flashbacks of Nikki and Jack's relationship. The ending has left me dying to leap into the third book. If you loved Everneath then you are going to enjoy Everbound. So get to it!     Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

POISON PRINCESS THE ARCANA CHRONICLES #1 Author: Kresley Cole Publication Date: 10/02/2012 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction (Apocalyptic)
 

 

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.

  Picture and Summary From Goodreads       REVIEW  

That is a crap long summary, is it not? Jeez, give away the whole book why don't ya!

 

I did really like this book. There were some issues that drove me crazy, but aside from that it is an awesomely written dystopian with weavings of Tarot "magic" (I know nothing of Tarot so please don't murder me because I called it magic).

The story line itself is crazy creative, it almost doesn't even need the romance to keep me interested. I'm wholly devoted to finding out how this battle is going to play out but the romance does make for a yummy appetizer.

 

My main issues with this book are Jack's asshole-ness and Evie's lack of a backbone. Jack's whole swoonworthy appearance is such a turn on but his degrading attitude towards girls is a let down.  I wish he didn't have to be such a pig sometimes.

And Evie, I like you, I do, but come on!!  Yes Jack can be a total a-hole but I'm positive that if Evie would take him down a notch he would be a whole lot better. I mean she has all these awesome powers, she really doesn't need Jack to come to her rescue so I wish she would quit letting him treat her like dirt.  Of course it requires her getting over her fear of said powers in order for her to really enjoy them.

But hot damn what an ending!!

 

**Side note - since my purchase of Poison Princess and Endless Knight they have changed the covers of the books to pure ugliness.  I am NOT happy about it, I'm pretty pissed with whoever made this decision.

    Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble    

The Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins

SWEET EVIL THE SWEET TRILOGY #1 Author: Wendy Higgins Publication Date: 05/01/2012 Audience: Young Adult Genre: Paranormal, Romance   Embrace the Forbidden

 

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?


 

 

SWEET PERIL

THE SWEET TRILOGY #2

Author: Wendy Higgins

Publication Date: 04/30/2013

Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

 

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWEET RECKONING

THE SWEET TRILOGY #3

Author: Wendy Higgins

Publication Date: 04/29/2014

Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

 

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

    Pictures and Summaries from Goodreads     REVIEW  

Mmm, I just love yummy forbidden romances with hot, sexy man candy ...The Sweet Trilogy does not disappoint.

It's an exciting, suspensful, and swoonworthy tale told from the POV of Anna, a teenage girl who quickly learns she is anything BUT normal.  Anna's character seemed very relatable.  She loves her friends and her mom and is constantly putting the well being of her family before herself. 

It was easy to get wrapped up in the story and with each book I quickly found myself unable to put it down.  While a lot of the focus is on Anna and Kaidan there is still this huge conflict going on throughout all three books that have Anna and her rockstar supporting cast fighting for their lives.

I will admit that in the third book Anna started to annoy me a little.  She never came off as a ditzy blonde until Sweet Reckoning.  I don't know if it was because certain things happened allowing her to feel deliriously happy or what.  All I know is that I wasn't a fan of her personality for the first half of the book.  It doesn't take long though before she's back to her tough self.

By the end of the third book everything comes to a dramatic end and I was left feeling like the story was complete.  It's a series that I know I will reread, I highly recommend

 

  ~ Goodreads ~