Blog Tour and Review: How to Be Brave by E. Katherine Kottaras

4/5 Stars
272 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: November 3rd, 2015
ISBN: 9781250072801

An emotional contemporary YA novel about love, loss, and having the courage to chase the life you truly want.

Reeling from her mother's death, Georgia has a choice: become lost in her own pain, or enjoy life right now, while she still can. She decides to start really living for the first time and makes a list of fifteen ways to be brave - all the things she's wanted to do but never had the courage to try. As she begins doing the things she's always been afraid to do - including pursuing her secret crush, she discovers that life doesn't always go according to plan. Sometimes friendships fall apart and love breaks your heart. But once in a while, the right person shows up just when you need them most - and you learn that you're stronger and braver than you ever imagined.

Wow. I really didn't know what I was getting into when I picked this book up. It was definitely unique and I'm still a little shocked by it. Filled with the realistic drama that comes with life it really kept me turning the pages and I seriously couldn't put it down.

 I really loved how strong the main character was and how she didn't really care what anyone else thought about her. Georgia was herself at all times and that amazed me. It was also really great how flawed she was but she still managed to persevere and get through everything with her head held high.

My least favorite person was probably Georgia's best friend, Liss. All she seemed to care about was herself and really annoyed me. She made Georgia make so many bad decisions and each time that happened I cringed. I was okay with Daniel, the love interest, and I felt that him and Georgia really seemed to bring out the best in each other. Even though we didn't really get to know him that well I still liked him much more than Liss.

I'm not going to lie, this book is probably not suitable for the younger YA crowd. They talked about grown up stuff a lot and there was also some drinking, drug use and overdose. It was mainly caused by Evelyn but I'm not saying that Georgia and Liss wouldn't have done it anyway. I'm not really sure how I felt about Evelyn, she kind of got on my nerves and yet she wasn't really in the story that much and when she was she meshed with Liss. Overall I would recommend this book, it was a very good, quick read for me and I hope you go out and read it too!

A huge thank you goes out for including me on this tour!!!

***I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review. I have given this above.***

Review: Reborn by C.C. Hunter

3.5/5 Stars
400 Pages
Publisher: St.Martin's Griffin
Release Date: May 20th, 2014
ISBN: 9781250035912

Return to the beloved world of Shadow Falls, a camp that teaches supernatural teens to harness their powers—and where a vampire named Della will discover who she’s meant to be.

For Della Tsang, Shadow Falls isn't just a camp: it's home. As a vampire who's never fit in with her human family, it's the one place she can truly be herself. But when a mysterious new guy arrives at camp, Della’s whole world is thrown into turmoil. Chase is a vampire with secrets, who knows more than he’s telling. But the more time she spends with him, the more she begins to trust this attractive stranger—and feel drawn to him. But romance is the last thing she wants—as she keeps telling Steve, the hunky shapeshifter who won’t stop trying to win her heart. And if Della isn't careful, he just might succeed.　 When a new case puts everyone she cares about in danger, Della’s determined to do everything she can to save them . . . even if it means teaming up with Steve and Chase, who leave her more confused than ever. With their lives on the line, will Della and her friends survive—with their hearts intact?

I recently received a review copy of the third book in this series. I had no idea that it was even part of a series so when I found out I immediately bought the first and second books too. Wow am I glad that I did. Full of twists, mystery, and of course romance, this is a must read for anyone who wasn't satisfied with the Twilight series. I for one hated that series and this was very different from that.

This series has a really unique world compared to other paranormal books and I loved how it took place at a camp/boarding school type of place. That was interesting to read about and it kind of reminded me of the Percy Jackson series in a way. I also really liked the romance and I honestly don't know how Della will choose between the two guys. Yes there is a love triangle, but it wasn't as bad as some other ones that I've read about. Honestly, both guys have pretty great qualities in them and if I was in Della's shoes I wouldn't know what to do.

I found Della to be a really great main character. She was strong and definitely didn't take crap from anyone. I wish more girl characters in YA could be like her and I feel like the whole age genre would actually be a lot more popular with older audiences if they were. I love the turn YA has taken in the past year though with stronger main characters and I feel like it has made my overall reading experience with all books a lot better.

I would definitely recommend this book. I have not read the prior series and I feel like I understood everything perfectly fine without reading it. I will be coming back to it though someday. I really want to read more about Kylie's story and that's who that series focused on. I really hope to see more about Miranda too and I'm hoping that if there's another series that she's the main character.

Review: Romancing the Dark in the City of Light by Ann Jacobus

2/5 Stars
288 Pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 6th, 2015
ISBN:  9781250064431

A troubled teen, living in Paris, is torn between two boys, one of whom encourages her to embrace life, while the other—dark, dangerous, and attractive—urges her to embrace her fatal flaws.

Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unforgettable young adult novel.

Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on the right track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can't shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.

When Summer's behavior manage to alienate everyone, even Moony, she's forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that'll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.

I have so many mixed feelings with Summer. On one hand, I loved how flawed she was and how she didn't quite know her way in life. She reminded me of how so many teenagers these days are facing the same problems and, much like her, don't know how to cope or find their ways out of the problems. On the other hand she sometimes sort of annoyed me how she refused to somehow get help with her depression and drinking problem and seemed to push everyone away. I mostly felt sorry for Moony but I loved how he stuck with her and loved her through it all.

My definite least favorite character was Kurt. He was such an idiot and I hated how he encouraged Summer to keep doing the bad things she was doing. I was extremely confused at the ending, that seems to be happening to me a lot lately, but I truly have no idea what happened with that.

My favorite part of this book was how it dealt with tough themes like suicide and alcohol problems and how realistic it was. I know a lot of people can connect with these issues and I liked how the author portrayed them in this book. I think it was good that in the end of the book she added that they aren't normal responses to stress though and that getting help is a sign of strength. The resources at the end really seemed to add more to the book and it kind of helped me see how real this story was and just how many people deal with this kind of stuff. 

The reason why I didn't give this book a higher rating was because for most of the book nothing much really happened. The ending also made me not enjoy the book as much as I could have. I guess part of the reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because the cover is a little bit misleading. It kind of makes the book look happy and carefree when in reality it is a dark, sad story with little bits of hope. I might recommend this based on if you're okay with the things I've talked about but if you're looking for a happy story I would definitely tell you to go find something else.

***I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review. I have given this in my review above.***

  

Review: Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

3.5/5 Stars
231 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: September 29th, 2015
ISBN:  9780373211586

 When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

This one was definitely creepy. Demons, blood, gore... what's not to like? It definitely surprised me with how good it was and I can only hope that horror may be the new genre in young adult.

Amanda was definitely a flawed character. When she finds herself pregnant, she honestly doesn't know what to do. She can't tell her parents or else they'll basically disown her, and when she tells the father of the baby he just kind of ditches her. To make matters worse, she thinks she may be going crazy, ever since the winter before when her and her whole family were trapped in a cabin for weeks she has been seeing weird things that may just be demonic. What makes everything worse is that her little sister was born blind and deaf from the fever her mother had at the time of her birth and something about her just doesn't sit right with Amanda. I really liked Amanda as a character though and I feel like she was very realistic and maybe a little bit modern for her time, if anything. She more reminded me of a girl today than in the 1800's but I guess that not all the girls back then were what they are always portrayed as anyway.

Henry was definitely a static character. I really didn't like him but I know that there are a lot of guys out there that only think of themselves. I thought it was really sad that he didn't even seem to care what happened with Amanda or the fact she was pregnant. He was just basically in the book to add conflict and even then he was only in the beginning.

I really didn't understand the whole thing with the doctor and his son at the end and it kind of confused me. I'm not giving away any spoilers, but if someone knows something I don't about it or maybe understood it better than me please comment below!

The book moved by really fast for me. I finished in two days, which is a pretty big accomplishment, only because I barely have time to read or blog nowadays with school. I'm learning to manage my time better though so hopefully I can get on a semi-normal routine sometime soon! Thanks for understanding and being patient though.

I would definitely recommend this to any horror fans out there! I can't wait to see what this author writes in the future and if they are by any chance horror I will picking them up!

***I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This did not impact my review in any way.***

Waiting on Wednesday: The Sword of Summer

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

Even though this one was released yesterday I still haven't gotten my copy and I need it so bad!!! I loved the Percy Jackson series and I have a feeling that this one is going to be just as good, if not better. What book are you waiting for this week?

Review: Chivalrous by Dina L. Sleiman

2/5 Stars
368 Pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
ISBN: 9780764213137

 Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers. However, that is not an option for her, not even in the Arthurian-inspired Eden where she dwells. Her parents view her only as a marriage pawn, and her domineering father is determined to see her wed to a brutish man who will break her spirit.

When handsome, good-hearted Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, Gwendolyn spies in him the sort of fellow she could imagine marrying. Yet fate seems determined to keep them apart. Tournaments, intrigue, and battles--along with twists and turns aplenty--await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies.

I'll admit that I expected a lot better after the first book. Even though that one was just okay it was still at least entertaining. I can't say the same about this one unfortunately. I definitely had some problems with it.

First of all the insti-love. Drives me crazy every single time. I understand that this takes place in the middle ages, but give me a break. After talking two, maybe three times they are completely in love. No. Not for me.

This book was pretty cheesy. Some of Allen's thoughts actually made me laugh they were so romantic and yet too unrealistic. Also, the battle scenes were really unrealistic and it never really described who was injured in them and it never even introduced half the people fighting in them. It was just to unrealistic for me.

The best part of the book was the writing and the historical details. I love reading about this time period so that part was interesting for me. The plot moved smoothly and that and the fact that I enjoyed the first book were the reasons I kept with this book.

Overall I'm not sure if I would recommend this. Definitely not for YA even though that's sort of the age group its aimed for. I guess if you want a read that will get you thinking this would be it.

Review: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

DNF
284 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: July 7th, 2009

Alyson Noël's bestselling Immortals series has been hailed as "addictive," "beautiful," "haunting," and "mesmerizing." In Blue Moon, Ever has a chance to bring her family back from the dead - but only if she's willing to sacrifice the guy she loves more than life itself.

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever's powers are increasing, Damen's begin to fade after he is stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, where she uncovers not only the secrets of Damen's past - the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden - but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them - or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day....

Its no secret that I really hated the first book- absolutely no 3D characters, a corny romance, a love interest that seemed to not be able to make up his mind... So I was very cautious when I started this book. Four years ago when I first attempted to conquer this series I really had problems with the first three books (the only ones I could force myself to read) and that definitely has not changed all these years later. Ever was a whiny as ever (no pun intended) and Damon was just as much as a corny jerk as I felt he was years ago. I DNFed this at about 200 pages and I honestly have no regrets. I will most likely not be coming back to the series either, even though I do own all six of the books. Lifes too short to waste on books you don't enjoy and for that reason a lot of my reviews from now on are probably going to be DNFs since I've given up on forcing myself to finish books I don't really care about. There are way to many good books in the world to be wasting my time on the ones I may think are not so good.

Review: The Memory Weaver by Jane Kirkpatrick

DNF-ed
Pages: 336
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
ISBN: 9780800722326

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.

When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?

Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

I really thought I was going to love this book. One of my absolute favorite genres is historical fiction so when I saw this I was super excited- of course I had to request it! When I started reading it though, I really struggled. It really captured my attention but there was just something about it that didn't sit right with me. I don't know if its simply because I don't read many adult books or if its something else but I just couldn't really get into it. For this reason I could not finish it. I may come back to it later but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

***I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review.***   

Blog Tour: Max the Brave by Ed Vere

Max is a fearless kitten. Max is a brave kitten. Max is a kitten who chases mice. There’s only one problem—Max doesn’t know what a mouse looks like! With a little bit of bad advice, Max finds himself facing a much bigger challenge. Maybe Max doesn’t have to be Max the Brave all the time…

Join this adventurous black cat as he very politely asks a variety of animals for help in finding a mouse. Young readers will delight in Max’s mistakes, while adults will love the subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor of this new children’s classic.

Ed Vere is an author, artist and illustrator with a long track record of success in the picture book category. Max the Brave was named one of The Sunday Times’s 100 Modern Children’s Classics. His book Bedtime for Monsters was shortlisted for the 2011 Roald Dahl Funny Prize and Mr Big was chosen by Booktrust as the official Booktime book for 2009 (and was distributed to 750,000 British schoolchildren making it the largest single print run of a picture book). Vere was the World Book Day illustrator for 2009.

 

This was a super cute book for me. I usually don't read children's books but this one caught my attention with the cover and just the fact that its about cats- I've always loved cats. I loved reading about Max trying to find a mouse and how he didn't know what a mouse was. I feel that this will definitely appeal to young kids and maybe even kids first learning to read by themselves. Overall I would recommend it to anyone with kids under 9.

 

***A review copy was provided to me in exchange for my honest review and also so I could be a part of the blog tour. A huge thank you goes out!!!***

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Blog Tour: The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

4/5 Stars
Pages: 320
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Release Date: September 15th, 2015
ISBN: 9781250058652

For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.

Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she's been taught from birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.

Beautifully written, and richly imaginative, The Weight of Feathers is an utterly captivating young adult novel by a talented new voice.

When I first started reading this book there was something that just didn't click with me. I wasn't really sure what genre it was classified in, I originally thought it was realistic fiction but I now realize it is more of a fantasy. It just seemed to move slow for me and I couldn't really connect with either of the main characters. Over time that changed though, and I really started to like the book.

The family relationships were a bit strained which was a really different but nice change. I've found that in YA families are either really close or nonexistent so this sort of in-between was unique. Neither of the main characters felt like they fit in with their families and that made them closer. It was nice to see another romance based on a friendship and even though it seemed impossible at times I loved how they stuck with each other the whole time.

Half way through the book it got way more entertaining for me. It felt like the author got into her groove and that was honestly the best part of the book. Everything just seemed to flow and I loved how at the end everything seemed to have a reason for happening and there were absolutely no loose ends.

The romance wasn't very over the top but it was there and it was nice. I loved how they looked past their family rivalries over time and just did what they wanted. I really enjoyed seeing them make their own decisions and not have to listen to anyone else.

The revelation at the end really surprised me and I liked that. I honestly never saw it coming. Overall I would recommend this book for someone who doesn't mind a slow beginning but a fast-paced book overall. I will definitely be checking out more by this author in the future!

***I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review. This I have given above.***

A huge thank you goes out to St. Martin's Press for including me on this book tour!!!

Waiting On Wednesday: Unforgiven by Lauren Kate

Release Date: November 10th, 2015

 It’s the book FALLEN fans have been waiting for: Cam’s story, the brooding, bad-boy dark angel readers love.

High school can be hell.
Cam knows what it’s like to be haunted. He’s spent more time in Hell than any angel ever should. And his freshest Hell is high school, where Lilith, the girl he can’t stop loving, is serving out a punishment for his crimes.
Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to convince the only girl who really matters to him to love him again. If he succeeds, Lilith will be allowed back into the world, and they can live their lives together. But if he fails…there’s a special place in Hell just for him.
Tick-tock.
Spread your wings and cry as bad boy dark angel Cam finally reveals his anguished heart in the epic new FALLEN novel, UNFORGIVEN.

Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the Fallen series I'm still going to read this, just because I can't leave a series unfinished. The cover is okay, Cam looks a little bit weird in it...

What book are you waiting for this week?

Cover Reveal: Darkest Dawn

I am super excited to share the amazing cover for DARKEST DAWN, the first book in a new series by Author Katlyn Duncan. DARKEST DAWN releases next week on September 17th and is available to pre-order now!

In addition to the reveal of this gorgeous cover, the reveal includes an eBook giveaway for one of the author’s previously released titles. Be sure to head down to the Rafflecopter for a chance to win after you’ve checked out the cover!

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The Cover Revealed!

Title: DARKEST DAWN
Author: Katlyn Duncan
Release date: September 17, 2015
Publisher: Carina
Format: eBook

Description:

One desperate journey for the truth

Returning to Willows Lake eleven years after her mother’s tragic death, Sloane Baker knows she will finally get the answers she needs! She always suspected that there was something more sinister at the heart of the accident that claimed her mother’s life, but a cryptic note could be the key to her past…

Two lives changed forever

The small town has always seemed safe to Brianna Taylor – until a mysterious new girl arrives who looks exactly like Bri! Now everything Bri knew has been thrown into question and Sloane’s arrival has changed the world of Willows Lake forever.

Strange things are happening in Willows Lake. But when they turn deadly, Bri and Sloane must find a way to save each other or risk losing everything they hold dear…

Pre-order it:

AMAZON | AMAZON UK | BARNES & NOBLE |  iTUNES LATAM

Add to GOODREADS

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About Katlyn Duncan

 

Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.

Find her:

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | TUMBLR | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS

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The Giveaway

There is a blast-wide giveaway for...

• ONE (1) eBook copy of any one of the author’s backlist titles in Mobi or PDF format.

**Giveaway ends on September 17th at 8:00 AM Eastern. There will be ONE winner**

Enter in the Rafflecopter below...

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Review: The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

4/5 stars
Pages: 352
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 22nd, 2015
ISBN: 9780316380867

After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

A moving middle grade book that will stay with me for a long time, A Thing About Jellyfish captured my attention from the first page. I was definitely hooked! I absolutely loved all the facts in this book, it was like reading non-fiction only not boring! I had almost no problems with it.

The story was very moving. I feel that what Suzy did was called for, even though I can understand why she regretted it in the future. Over the book I felt myself hating Franny more and more over the things she did and I felt so sorry for Suzy. I loved how strong she was through it all and true to herself. She went through the stress of middle school, striving to be popular, get a boyfriend, get good grades and she still didn't cave to all the drama and I loved that we had a character like that.

This would be a perfect book for a pre-middle schooler to read and I just wish that I could have read it then too. It shows that you should always be yourself no matter what and you should be content doing that. I would strongly recommend it.

***I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review. This did not influence my rating or review in any way.***

Review: Evermore by Alyson Noel

1/5 Stars
Pages: 306
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: February 3rd 2009
ISBN: 9780312532758

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.
Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

YA paranormal books are always hit or misses with me. This unfortunately was one of many misses. It had the usual "different" main character, the guy who acts like a jerk towards her one minute and the next acts like she's the only one for him, and of course insti-love. I definitely did not enjoy it.

There was so much telling instead of showing. We were TOLD that Ever felt guilty and missed her family, but there was never any crying, she never even seemed to show that she missed her parents. I honestly think that she missed her dog more than them. At least her sister was sort of a ghost (I don't know exactly what she was, it was never explained) and she saw her every day but she just seemed to take that for granted and never even seemed to wonder why she wasn't with her parents. She was a pretty dumb character, even though she apparently could ace tests with her "special powers".

Damon was the "perfect" guy, the made up prince in a fairytale. He was rich, Ever said that he was cute (again, telling not showing) and of course he showed interest in Ever. He's mysterious but nice to Ever, even though she is kind of an outcast. Overall, he was to good to be true and I hated that. All the girls seem to like him but of course he picks our main character, Ever, for no real reason whatsoever. It was cheesy and I hate how this happens all the time in YA. I want a REAL relationship that evolves over time. I don't mind if the book has any paranormal elements, that would actually be a bonus. I have yet to find that book.

The writing is actually pretty good but even that couldn't redeem the book for me. I really didn't like it.

I would definitely not recommend this book. I first read it a couple of years ago, before I even had Goodreads, and even then I thought it was pretty bad. I decided to try to reread the whole series but after the train wreck that is the second book I know I won't be able to make it through.

Book Tour: Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt

3.5/5 Stars
Pages: 352
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
ISBN: 9781250070456

A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story in which a wealthy Southern boy falls in love with an undocumented Mexican girl and together they face perils in their hostile Georgia town. Evan, a soccer star and the nephew of a conservative Southern Senator, has never wanted for much -- except a functional family. Alma has lived in Georgia since she was two-years-old, excels in school, and has a large, warm Mexican family. Never mind their differences, the two fall in love, and they fall hard. But when ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) begins raids on their town, Alma knows that she needs to tell Evan her secret. There's too much at stake. But how to tell her country-club boyfriend that she’s an undocumented immigrant? That her whole family and most of her friends live in the country without permission. What follows is a beautiful, nuanced, well-paced exploration of the complications of immigration, young love, defying one’s family, and facing a tangled bureaucracy that threatens to completely upend two young lives.

I really liked this book. I expected it to be a cute romance and it kind of was, except for the fact that Alma is an undocumented immigrant. This basically means that she can't live in the U.S and if anyone finds out that she is not legal she will be sent back to Mexico where there are no jobs. Evan, the love interest, is a star soccer player who's uncle is a governor. He doesn't know that Alma isn't a citizen of the U.S and she's afraid of what his reaction might be if he does find out. They sort of had a star-crossed romance the whole book and, like I said before, they were super cute together and they genuinely liked each other. The romance was the main aspect but it was in a good way and I loved how real it felt.

The plot was very organized and I liked that about it. Nothing was jumbled around and everything that happened made sense at the end. It seemed like there was constantly a new revelation and I loved how everything that happened was tied up neatly.

Alma was so close to her family and I found that to be a really nice change of pace. Usually in YA family members are glossed over and not 3D at all but in this book you could tell that Alma loved them all very much and I could see how much they cared for her too. She made smart decisions and I liked that.

I liked the multiple POV. It helped me while reading to hear what both of the main characters were thinking and what problems they were having at home. I really learned more about Evan this way and I could clearly separate the different voices.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a romance with real feeling. Go out and get it right now!

***A huge thank you goes out to St. Martin's Press for including me on this blog tour and for the opportunity to read and review this book. This did not impact my review or rating in any way.***

Review: Breakaway by Kat Spears

2.5/5 Stars
Pages: 304
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: September 15th, 2015
ISBN: 9781250065513

From Kat Spears, author of Sway, comes a new novel that asks the question: when a group of four best friends begin to drift apart, what will it take to bring them back together?
When Jason Marshall's younger sister dies, he knows he can count on his three best friends and soccer teammates — Mario, Jordie, and Chick — to be there for him. With a grief-crippled mother and a father who's not in the picture, he needs them more than ever. But when Mario starts hanging out with a rough group of friends and Jordie finally lands the girl of his dreams, Jason is left to fend for himself while maintaining a strained relationship with troubled and quiet Chick. Then Jason meets Raine, a girl he thinks is out of his league but who sees him for everything he wants to be, and he finds himself pulled between building a healthy and stable relationship with a girl he might be falling in love with, grieving for his sister, and trying to hold onto the friendships he has always relied on.
A witty and emotionally moving tale of friendship, first love, and loss, Breakaway is Kat Spears at her finest.

Even though I gave this book a slightly low rating, I still really enjoyed it. It has some fluff but it also deals with tough concepts which makes the fluff less fluffy. It was a moving novel and overall I really liked it.

The book moved smoothly. I loved how it dealt with coming of age topics like death and losing friendships. Nothing was sugarcoated and even though that was a part I enjoyed, on some level I didn't really like it. When I went into this book I didn't really think it would be so deep, what with the male narrator and all. I assumed it was more of a "guy book" with sports and a relationship with no real feelings, just attraction. I was kind of looking forward to that, it would be a nice change from all the mushy books I've been reading lately and since it wasn't I was a bit disappointed. What I found in this book was much better though and I'm glad it wasn't how I expected it to be.

The romance was pretty well written and I absolutely loved Jason and Raine together. I liked how she wasn't the spoiled rich girl like she seemed on the outside and how at first her and Jason were just friends. They actually got to know each other and even though they hated each other at first they found a way to get around that. They were perfect together.

This book was so sad in some ways. I felt so bad for Jason since his sister died and his mom seemed to wish it had been him instead. It also kind of depressed me how his friend group kind of breaks up and all that's left is him and Chick. Mario gets hooked on drugs and Jordie gets a new girlfriend and doesn't seem to have time for anyone else anymore. The author did a good job getting me to feel for Jason and I really liked that.

I'm not really sure why I didn't give this a higher rating, there was just something about it that didn't really appeal to me. I don't know if its because I don't really go to a school like Jason's where everyone seems to be divided into rich or poor, or if its simply because its narrated by a guy. I just seemed to be distanced from what was happening and that's the reason for my rating. Overall I would strongly recommend this book though.

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I have given this above.***

Review: Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett

2/5 Stars
Pages: 352
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 22nd, 2015
ISBN: 9780399166488

Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn in this one-of-a-kind romantic horror.
“When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”
These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time.
Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town’s history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own.
As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself—and discover the truth about Quivira before it’s too late. Before she’s all in—blood and salt. 

I really expected to love this book. I loved the idea- a possible cult, creepy cornstalks, maybe a cute boy... But the actual book really did not live up to my expectations. I wanted some good old-fashioned horror with maybe a modern twist, but that was not what I got.

The characters were alright. Rhys, Ash's brother, really got on my nerves. I didn't like how he was portrayed, like all the girls liked him but he never paid attention to any of them. That was sort of the vibe I got, so I found it definitely strange that when he got to Quivira suddenly he found someone that he liked/loved. Call it fate or whatever you want, but this seemed to unrealistic to me especially since he only knew her for a couple weeks. That mixed with Ash and Lane's messed-up relationship really ruined the romance aspect of the book for me.

Ash and Dane HAD to have insti-love. Right when she saw him she was basically in love. He acted like a jerk towards her, he even seemed to be with another girl but Ash just ignored all that and just couldn't stay away from him. She was kind of an annoying main character to me.

The whole Katia communicating with Ash part really confused me. I never really understood it and the ending confused me even more especially with Dane. I probably wouldn't recommend this book which is pretty disappointing since I really thought I was going to love it. I'm still hoping to find a good YA horror this year so if you have any recommendations please let me know!

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.***

Waiting on Wednesday #5: The Murder of An Angel by James Patterson

Release Date: October 26th, 2015

In the dramatic conclusion of the bestselling Confessions series, Tandy Angel's next murder case could be her own!

Tandy Angel is losing her mind—or so she thinks. Even as she's forced to fight for the family company, she's imagining new dangers in every shadow. And as her detective prowess is called into question and her paranoia builds, she has to face the very real possibility that the stalker she's convinced will take her life could be all in her head—or the very real danger that finally brings her down.

Even though I didn't enjoy the other books all that much, I really need to know what happens next in this book! Stay tuned for my reviews for all four books!

Review: The Death House by Sarah Pinborough

1/5 Stars
Pages: 320
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
ISBN: 9781783298037

After a blood test Toby is sent to the death house, until he will get so sick that he is sent to the sanatorium. The only problem is that no one gets better. Knowing that they will die no matter what, no one even tries to get along with the other dorms. That is until Clara comes. Full of life and optimistic she changes everything. But what will happen when her and Toby become closer?

This book was not my cup of tea. I found the whole concept with the disease and everything cool but it didn't really make sense to me. I never really understood how it was possible that people got the disease or how exactly other people didn't catch it from them right away. I also kind of wondered how people couldn't find a cure for it and it made me wonder if anyone really, truly cared if some kids were dying. No one in the story really went into detail about why everyone who had the disease seemed to have different things happening to them. Some just had a cough and runny nose while others had worse things like bruises all over their body or getting sick. Overall there wasn't a set thing that showed they were sick and that made me kind of annoyed.

The romance sort of made me cringe. I don't know why but it sort of got on my nerves. It felt like they were too young to be doing the things they were doing. I'm around the same age as them and I know for a fact that I would not be doing half the things that they were. I just really couldn't connect with any of the characters and that really made the book unenjoyable. I just didn't like it.

The writing was okay, it was actually good once I got past the things I didn't like in the book. The plot was pretty slow and boring but I got through it. Overall I probably wouldn't recommend just because I didn't really enjoy it all that much. Its not horror-y like its hyped to be so just be ready for that too.

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I have given this above.***

Review: Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking

4.5/5 stars
Pages: 432
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: August 4th, 2015
ISBN: 9781250049889

In this fast paced conclusion to the Kanin Chronicles, Bryn is on the run from the Kanin who accused her of murder and treason. She finds an ally in the most unlikely source, Konstantin Black, an enemy of all the kingdoms and who attempted to murder her father years before. Will Bryn and Konstantin find help with the Trylle or will they refuse to participate in the coming war? And what about all of Bryn's Kanin friends, including Ridley? Will she be forced to fight and maybe even kill them?

This was my favorite of the series. I loved how well all the loose ends were tied up and I feel like all my questions were answered in this book. It moved very smoothly and I loved how everything that happened made sense in its own way.

The characters were written so well that I felt like I really knew them. All of them seemed to really have their own personality and I loved that. Even the most minor characters were unique and I feel that really added to the overall feel of the book. Ridley and Bryn were perfect together but I loved the twist with Konstantin in the end. It helped to show just how much Bryn loved Ridley in my opinion. Konstantin was a complex character and I thought he was really mysterious, what with how he could put on a mask when he needed too and I liked how he didn't do that all that much with Bryn. He was probably my favorite character but I still shipped Ridley and Bryn much more.

I loved the how every few chapters there would be one of Ember's letters. It was a unique way to show what was happening in Kanin and how people were dealing with it. I also liked reading her letters and learning more about her personality especially since she's not in the book much after that. It was a really cool idea to include them in the book and it added to the world building of the book.

It was awesome how characters from the Trylle series were in this one especially Wendy, Loki, and Finn. It was fun to see that they were living happily and that Wendy was still as caring and compassionate as she was in the other series. The war scenes were a little graphic but overall they were pretty good. There was a ton of death and most of it was really sad but I'm not going to say who all died just because most of it is major spoilers. I just about cried about some of it and I didn't even cry when I read the Fault in Our Stars! It was pretty sad.

I would strongly recommend this series and the Trylle series. They both made my list of favorite series and whatever Amanda Hocking writes in the future I will definitely be reading!

***I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I have given this above.*** 

Review: The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow and David Ostow

3/5 stars
Pages: 336
Publisher: SOHO Teen
Release Date: October 13th, 2015
ISBN:  9781616955977
Genres: YA, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural

After Winnie's mother dies in a sudden suicide, she decides to intern for a summer with her Aunt Maggie who runs a paranormal T.V. show. Winnie is a definite skeptic but after witnessing some things she's not so sure anymore. That combined with the cute paranormal investigator, the New Jersey Devil, and the truth behind her mothers death will make for one interesting summer...

I was lured into this book with the creepy cover and the promise of some ghosts or supernatural happenings. It turns out it was a little less focused on ghosts and more on the New Jersey Devil, but that was okay with me! Overall it was a pretty good read but it wasn't very memorable. I read it less than a week ago and I feel like I've already forgotten key points in the plot which usually doesn't happen to me until at least a month has gone by.

The romance was mainly superficial and that really annoyed me. It was sort of "love" at first sight for Winnie and I hated how gullible she was with everything. It wasn't really insti-love but still after just meeting him and not really knowing him it just seemed like he was the best thing ever to her. Overall he annoyed me (sorry, I forgot his name) and I just couldn't stand him the whole book. There was also a plot twist at the end that I won't get into but I saw it coming. It was really predictable.

There were awesome illustrations throughout the book and I loved looking at them. They seemed to add so much to the story and it helped me to imagine things better. They might have been one of my favorite parts and they made the book a lot more enjoyable! They added half a star to my rating.

Overall I might recommend this based on if you like ghost shows on T.V. Just saying, my favorite is Ghost Hunters even though this book gave me a whole new perspective on them!

***I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan

DNF
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Crown
Release date: May 19th, 2015
ISBN: 9780553446616

As a Gracekeeper, Callanish administers shoreside burials, sending the dead to their final resting place deep in the depths of the ocean. Alone on her island, she has exiled herself to a life of tending watery graves as penance for a long-ago mistake that still haunts her. Meanwhile, North works as a circus performer with the Excalibur, a floating troupe of acrobats, clowns, dancers, and trainers who sail from one archipelago to the next, entertaining in exchange for sustenance.
In a world divided between those inhabiting the mainland ("landlockers") and those who float on the sea ("damplings"), loneliness has become a way of life for North and Callanish, until a sudden storm offshore brings change to both their lives--offering them a new understanding of the world they live in and the consequences of the past, while restoring hope in an unexpected future. Inspired in part by Scottish myths and fairytales, The Gracekeepers tells a modern story of an irreparably changed world: one that harbors the same isolation and sadness, but also joys and marvels of our own age.

I really expected to enjoy this book. It sounded like it had some kind of creepy circus and maybe some death and gore. What I got was a confusing story that was all over the place and just couldn't keep my interest. I barely made it to the hundredth page and at that point I couldn't care less what happened to the characters. I felt I had no choice but to DNF the book.

The whole concept of landlockers and damplings confused me. How is it possible that damplings are so looked down upon and yet they made the choice to be that. At any time they could have just built a house on an island and changed society's whole outlook on them. Overall it didn't make sense for me and I was utterly confused reading it.

Since I DNF-ed it, you should not really put much thought into my review. I know that quite a few people really enjoyed it but I also know that a lot of people found it to be pretty confusing, me among them. I've heard some people compare it to the Night Circus which I have never even heard of, but I'm assuming that if you enjoyed that one you will enjoy this one too.

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This I have given in my review above.***

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

 5/5 Stars

Maddy is allergic to the world. She cannot leave her house and her only visitors must go through many precautions to even step foot into her house. Then one day Olly moves in next door. Talking online slowly turns to friendship and maybe even love. But how can they be together when stepping outside would kill Maddy?


This book was perfect for me. It sort of reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars with how tragic and star-crossed it was but in other ways it was completely different. I really fell in love with the characters and I found Olly to be very selfless and caring for both his family and Maddy. I really, truly loved this book.

The story was so sweet but sad. Maddy could die if she ever somehow got sick but she still finds the courage to meet with Olly behind her mother's back and they become friends. My one complaint was that he didn't seem to be careful enough with germs or other outside things. They definitely were told to never touch but they still hold hands whenever they see each other and that kind of annoyed me. In some ways he went really overboard with keeping her safe though so I guess it can be overlooked.

I cannot stop gushing about this book! Honestly it was really perfect for me and would be a nice beach read if parts of it weren't so sad. I cannot wait for it to be released so everyone can enjoy it!!

The writing was very good and the plot moved very smoothly. It seemed to constantly have something happening so I never got bored. Overall it was a nice change from some of the books I haven't really been able to get into lately. I would strongly recommend buying it right away when it is released this September.

***I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This did not influence my rating or review in any way.***

Waiting on Wednesday #4 A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter

The battle rages on.

Ali Bell and Cole Holland's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular the love of his life, Kat Parker.

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla is the one who betrayed them all, leading to Kat's death.

But when Anima rises from the grave to become a force the slayers may not have the strength to overcome, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes, the line between hate and attraction is blurred and the road to redemption isn't through revenge, but in letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.



I feel like it was just yesterday that I found out there was going to be a fourth book and yet it feels like I've been waiting forever for it to be released! I loved the first three books and I really need to know what happens with Frosty and whether he can move on after Kat. I also want to see if Cole and Ali are living happily ever after like I want them to be!!! An understatement is to say that I really, really need this book. Luckily it will be released in a month so I don't have to wait much longer.

What book are you waiting for? Leave your reply in the comments!!!

Sever by Lauren DeStefano

                                    


   After escaping from Vaughn once again, Rhine hides with his brother, Reed, an inventor. Rhine knows she needs to somehow find her brother, Rowan, and convince him to stop destroying virus clinics but when she finds out who he's working for everything changes. At the same time Vaughn is experimenting on servants and trying to be the first to find the cure. All strings are tied up in this fast-paced conclusion to the trilogy.

Even though I gave this one the same rating that I gave the first one I feel like this one was significantly better. It wasn't as focused on the love triangle for one thing and that really brought out the best in the characters especially Rhine, Linden, and Cecily. There wasn't as much jealousy between them and I feel like Cecily really matured in the course of all three books. I really liked how all the characters ended up except Linden. I felt like the author took the easy way out in terms of who Rhine ended up with but at the same time she ended up with the guy I was rooting for the whole series so I'm not really complaining.

I felt the storyline was much more realistic than the one in the second book and there wasn't completely random stuff happening with the exception of the plane that Reed fixed. That was a little out of the blue but I guess that since he was an inventor that it could possibly really happen.

Linden really seemed to have no backbone. He just went with whatever Cecily said and his opinions and personality changed like the weather. It just seemed like he was a character there to do whatever needed to be done whether it was realistic or not. I really started to dislike him.

Gabriel was barely in this book. Finally at the end he was for about four pages but it was sort of like the author forgot about him. That part really disappointed me since he was one of my favorite characters and I don't think that him and Rhine got the ending they deserved.

Overall I would recommend this series. It was a good entertaining read and I may reread parts of it someday.