Tuesday, June 30, 2015

REVIEW: Spellbinder by C.C. Hunter



Spellbinder (A Shadow Falls Novella)
When magic, romance and family secrets collide, the result is spellbinding!

Miranda Kane has always felt like a screw up–at least when it comes to her ability to wield magic. Her only sanctuary is Shadow Falls camp, where she’s learning to harness her powers as a witch. But thanks to her shapeshifter boyfriend who called it quits and ran off to Paris, both her heart and powers feel broken.


When she unexpectedly lands a top spot in a spell casting competition in France, she flies out with her best friends Kylie and Della. But her trip takes her straight into the heart of a dangerous supernatural mystery–and a heated romance. What Miranda doesn’t expect is for her investigation to unleash shocking revelations…about herself, her family, and her arch enemy. Now Miranda must step up and show everyone that she’s a witch to be reckoned with….before it’s too late.




NOTICE: THIS IS A NOVELLA FOR THE SHADOW FALLS SERIES. THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS, BUT YOU MAY BE CONFUSED IF KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE SERIES


I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adore the Shadow Falls series, so I grabbed this book right away when I realized it exists! 

What I find really interesting about this novella is that it's like a novel. Sure, it's short, but most novellas are only filler. They are intended to give more info, get inside of a different characters head, or just make the wait for the next book more bearable. All of these are probably true of this book, but unlike most novellas, there was an actual plot and conflict. 

This novella focuses on Miranda and I'm quite happy that we finally get to hear things from her perspective. Miranda has to compete in a spell competition and surprises herself with her success. As it turns out, Miranda is in danger. Someone has already killed off two girls in the competition and Miranda might be next. If that wasn't enough, she also has to deal with her ex-boyfriend Perry, another boy who might want to be in the picture, and some unexpected revelations. 

I really think that this was such a great addition to the series! So much happened and while it's up to choice whether to read this, I feel like so many important things happened! So, all in all, I recommend this novella to any Shadow Falls fans!
Now, I'm hoping that Miranda is going to get her own series!

I hereby give this book
5 Wheels
Meaning: A new favorite!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Twenty Books I've Read So Far In 2015

Hosted each week by The Broke and the Bookish, it's a meme for listing the top ten for everything bookish.

I've read over 170 books so far this year, so choosing only 10 favorites will be hard! I decided to choose 20 books. 10 new series/stand-alones and 10 sequels.
(click on the cover to get to my review, if I have one written)


New Series & Standalones


Sequels


There are SO MANY books I didn't include, but I strongly recommenced all of the above books!!

What awesome books have you read this year?

Sunday, June 28, 2015

New Releases in YA! (June 28th-30th)

Every week I list all (or almost all) of the YA books (and the occasional MG and, rarely, adult) that are coming out within that week!
Here's what you get to look forward to this week:
P.S. Click on the book's cover for the Goodreads page!







What books, if any, do you plan to buy?

Saturday, June 27, 2015

REVIEW: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence




Mystic City (Mystic City, #1)
For fans of  Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud - and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths.

But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place.


Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection - and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city - including herself.







MY THOUGHTS
I've been wanting to read this book for awhile, so I felt like I hit the jackpot when I found this book and it's sequel at my local used bookstore! Overall, this book did not disappoint!

This book take place in a futuristic/dystopian New York. There are two ruling families, the Roses and the Fosters, and everyone in the city has to choose sides between them. Aria has just 'recovered' after ODing off of a Stix (a drug) and is now to marry Thomas Foster, whom she supposedly loves and had a great affair with. The problem is that she has no memory of being with Thomas and has no love for him. She ends of meeting Hunter, a mysterious illegal mystic (has magical abilities). She knows that with he she will be able to recall her memories, but what she will unlock will change everything.

This entire plot was just so interesting! I like the whole idea behind the two families and the mystics. It's horrible how they treat the mystics, they drain their powers, but I thought the idea of adding magical elements to a dystopian society very unique. This book has the common theme of everything I was told is a lie, but it's so well done. The element of memory loss is not something you see entirely too often with that idea either.

As for plot,some parts of this book were very predictable. I was able to figure most of the plot early on, though I won't hate on Aria for taking so long to figure things out, as it probably comes from reading so many dystopian novels. Even though, I still very thrown by a few plot twists near the end! The pacing of the book was also fast-paced. You wouldn't expect that with a book featuring memory loss, but there were always things happening and Aria did not just wait around for her memories to come back!

The romance was very different, in some ways. It seems like there would be a love triangle in this book, but there really isn't, since Aria doesn't really love one of them. If you are one of those people who avoids books with two guy names in the synopsis, expecting the dreaded triangle, you'll be safe reading this book! As for everything else in the romance, I liked it, though it didn't wow me.

IN CONCLUSION
This is a great read with a very interesting premise and it's done very well! It's a bit predictable at times, but I didn't let that stop my enjoyment of the book and there were still some surprises along the way! I recommend this book to those who would like to read a dystopian with a hint of fantasy, meanwhile, I'll be reading the next book!

I hereby give this book
4 Wheels
Meaning: It was amazing!

Friday, June 26, 2015

REVIEW: A School For Brides by Patrice Kindl (+GIVEAWAY)



A School for Brides: A Story of Maidens, Mystery, and MatrimonyThe eagerly awaited companion to the award-winnng Keeping the Castle.

The Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy of Lesser Hoo, Yorkshire, has one goal: to train its students in the feminine arts with an eye toward getting them married off. This year, there are five girls of marriageable age. There’s only one problem: the school is in the middle of nowhere, and there are no men.

Set in the same English town as Keeping the Castle, and featuring a few of the same characters, here’s the kind of witty tribute to the classic Regency novel that could only come from the pen of Patrice Kindl!






MY THOUGHTS
This was a very quick and easy read with charming fun! In fact, I enjoyed it a bit more than Keeping the Castle, which this is technically a companion to.

This book follows a multiple cast of characters, including 8 girls of The Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy. The school is supposed to teach them to be ladies so they can find a husband. The problem: there are no eligible gentlemen in Lesser Ho.

I need to first mention that this book IS NOT A SEQUEL! This is a companion to Keeping the Castle, since it takes place in the same place, but the major characters are different. The characters of Keeping the Castle do make appearances, though, so fans can look forward to that.

It took a bit to get onto the book. This book focuses a lot of characters, and I mean a lot. There are the girls, the gentlemen, the inhabitant of Lesser Ho, as well as others. The book kind of jumps around from character to character and takes some getting used to. eventually, though, I was very entertained by the strange cast of characters and the multiple events afoot!

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was quite an enjoyable read! If you're looking for a quick, fun read, this would be a great place to look!

I hereby give this book
3 Wheels
Meaning: I liked it!


GIVEAWAY
I have an extra copy of this book, so you guys get a chance to win an ARC!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Lust: Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan


Cover Lust is something that I do every week where I feature a book cover that I absolutely love!


Daughter of Deep Silence
I’m the daughter of murdered parents.
I’m the friend of a dead girl.
I’m the lover of my enemy.
And I will have my revenge.

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.


Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble




 Why did I pick this cover? 
After reading the book, this cover makes perfect sense! The wave and even the fact that it's a painting is very relevant to the story. Even before reading the book, I still loved this cover. I love the title font as well as the deep reds contrasting with the blues!
 What are your thoughts? Tell me in the comments!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

REVIEW: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han




P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)
Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?


In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.







NOTICE: THIS IS A SEQUEL FOR ANOTHER BOOK. THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOK. Review of book one

MY THOUGHTS
I adored the first book! It was the perfect contemporary, but thee ending just wasn't an ending! I was happy to know that the story would be continued! I didn't love this as much as the first book, but I still love this book!

This book takes of where the last book left off. Lara Jean and Peter broke off whatever they were, but Lara realizes that she loves him and writes the letter. Lara Jean and Peter get back in a relationship, but it's a bumpy road. First, a videotape of their hot tub make-out goes viral at their high school. Then, Peter still hangs out with her ex, who Lara Jean is pretty sure sent out the video. Add in an old love that Lara Jean gets in contact with again and things get complicated.

One of the things that I love about these books, and Jenny Han's books in general, is how real they are. There is a lot of focus on the conflict between Lara Jean and Peter, but that's to be expected. Really, it only made things more real. This book is also very slow-paced. While this usually bothers me in books, it works so well for this book. It made me feel like I was following Lara Jean's life. I would also like to mention that the romance isn't everything bout this book. There's also sisters, nostalgic elements, and just everyday things in Lara Jean's life. And I loved it. I loved the realness of it.

I was really worried going into this book at first. "When another boy from her past returns to her life" What? No! We already had two boys in the first book and now there will be three?! I shipped Lara Jean and Peter heard in the first book, I didn't want anything ruining their relationship. Thankfully, it wasn't that big of a problem. I actually liked the other guy and he added many nostalgic moments. I'm a sucker for those things (I liked the game by the way!). Peter was a bit of a jerk at times, when he kept choosing Guinevere. It made sense later, but it was still upsetting at the time. Also, he was still a nice guy and stood up for Lara Jean when the video went viral.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I loved this book! This is such a great contemporary book! It's so real, with wonderful characters and a great story! I really recommend Jenny Han's books. In fact, I'm tempted to reread The Summer I Turned Pretty now.

I hereby give this book
5 Wheels
Meaning: A new favorite!

Cover vs. Cover: Mercy by Rebecca Lim

This week's pick is...

Mercy (Mercy, #1) VS. Mercy (Mercy, #1) VS.  Mercy (Mercy, #1)
Hardcover            Paperback                 UK
Out of all of these, the UK cover makes the least amount of sense. Yeah, it's pretty, but what is she wearing? Is she underwater? The hardcover hints at the fact that the main character is a fallen angel, something never actually mentioned in the book, so that's very helpful. The paperback doesn't give much, but I really like the yellow, the overlay over the font (hard to see on screen), and the haunted quality to it. Still don't like this book, but I do really like that cover.
 Final Verdict: Paperback
Do you agree? Give me your thoughts on which cover is the best!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

BOOK BLITZ: Dream Casters: Light by Adrienne Woods

dream casters light banner


dream casters
Mr. Sandman, send me a dream, ta da da da…..Seventeen year old Chasity Blake knows the Sandman is just a silly children’s story parents tell their children to get them to sleep. At least she thought it was, until the day a mysterious, light golden sand appeared in her hands during a high school prank that went horribly wrong. A sand that has the power to send anyone it touches into a deep, sound sleep.
Fearing she had lost her mind, Chasity soon discovers the shocking truth of her heritage- she is a Dream Caster. Chasity was never supposed to be raised on the Domain, or what humans call Earth and she is forced to return to her true birth place, Revera – the world of Dreams.
However, in Revera there is no balance between good, the Light Casters, and darkness, the Shadow Casters, and Chasity is caught square in the middle. She soon learns that there is no place for anyone containing both the light and the darkness within them, and the shocking truth that if anyone in Revera ever discovered her shadow self, Chasity would be thrown into the Oblivion – the world of Nightmares.
Dreams are always more than they seem, and this time Chasity is going to discover just how different they can be.




About the Author:
adrienne woods
Adrienne Woods was born and raised in South Africa, where she still lives with her husband and two beautiful little girls. She always knew she was going to be a writer, but it only started to really happen about four years ago. In her free time―if she gets any because moms don’t really have free time―she loves to spend it with friends, whether it’s a girls night out, or just watching a movie. She’s a very chilled person. Her writing career started with Firebolt, book one in the Dragonian series. There will be four books in total, including a further two to three books, which will be stories that take place within the Dragonian series. Her other series, Dream Casters, will be released mid 2015. She also writes in different genres, and her woman’s fiction, The Pregnancy Diaries, will be published under a pseudonym. And then, she has a paranormal series by the name of the Aswang series, which will consist of about ten novels. And if that wasn’t enough, there is another series, Guardians of Monsters, which will be released in 2016.


dream casters teasers



The Giveaway:

(5) copies of Dream Casters:Light by Adrienne Woods



REVIEW: Nerve by Jeanne Ryan




Nerve
For fans of The Hunger Games

A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?


Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.




MY THOUGHTS
This book was very fast-paced with a very dark plot! I really enjoyed reading this book!

Vee is not usually the kind of girl who does daring things, her best friend is the one who usually is in the spotlight. One day Vee decides to not be herself and does a dare for NERVE, and online daring game. Her dare ends in a disaster and she vows not to do it again, but when they offer up prizes for doing more dares, she can't resist. She begins to do dare after dare, but as the prizes get more interesting, the game gets deadlier. The game is affecting her relationships, but it also may take her life.

This book is one of those books that are so very uncomfortable to read. If you're like me, you cringe whenever a character has an embarrassing moment. Read a book where a character has to complete dares and you'll cringe the whole way. Yet, I kept reading. I knew that things were going to go so very very wrong, but I had to watch. This book is very interesting in that way.  At first the dares just seem ridiculous, then the dares escalate, from dumping water on herself to possible death. While I knew it would get to that point, when we got to the end I was shocked at how horrible things were! Right along with Vee!

I think this book also tells us a lot about our society. In the game, when it gets bad, Vee tries to tell people to call 911 (her dares are being filmed!), but everyone assumes or part of the game or just don't care! It ridiculous! But people aren't going to believe it. Also, Vee's fellow players are more than willing to do whatever it takes to get their prizes. Honestly, Vee was like that up to a point. It brings up the idea on what are you willing to risk for prizes? It sucks to admit, but many people would risk a lot for some stuff.

There is some romance. It won't be a surprise that Ian and Vee get together. You read the synopsis and you know that's what will happen. I was very meh on the romance. This book takes place in a short period of time, so I didn't really see how they could be so close so fast. Bonding other dares? Anyway, it wasn't to bothersome as it didn't distract from the plot, I just wasn't that wild about it.

Lastly, the ending. Fair warning: this book has an open-ended ending.

IN CONCLUSION
I'm aware that my review is a mess and I'm sorry for that. Overall, I thought this book was very fast-paced with very interesting elements! This book was very nerve-wracking (har har) and I felt like I was doing the dares along with Vee. The romance was meh and the ending was just too open, but I overall enjoyed this book!

I hereby give this book
3.5 Wheels
Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing.

Waiting on Wednesday: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where you talk about whatever book you are IMPATIENTLY WAITING for!

This week I am waiting for...


Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1)
On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.


Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Release Date: January 5th 2016
Goodreads / Amazon / B&N


Why am I waiting?
I'm always up for a fantasy and this one sounds fantastic!

What book are you waiting for this week?

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

REVIEW: Fury by Elizabeth Miles




Fury (The Fury Trilogy, #1)
Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
                                    
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better—the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.


In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen.





MY THOUGHTS
This was a very thrilling books and I easily sped through it! It has a thriller, horror vibe to it, with a mythology twist to it!

This book follows two completely different people: Em and Chase. Em is best friends with Gabby. Em has a crush on Gabby's boyfriend, Zach, and when Gabby leaves town for break, Em and Zach begin to do things. Things that a girl probably shouldn't be doing with her best friend's boyfriend.
Chase lives in a trailer park and has tried very hard to ignore his poor life and be the popular persona. Then Chase meets a girl, Ty, and Ty becomes everything for him. But Chase has done something very cruel and his involvement with Ty might cause everything to unravel.
Both Em and Chase are being haunted and stalked by three girls. These girls want them to pay for what they've done and are not beyond killing for it.

I already mentioned that his book is like a horror/thriller hybrid, with a touch of mythology. The mythology in this book is very strong, but this book had so many realistic elements. Sure, it's much darker than real life, but the elements that caused the two to be chosen, the setting, and even the events were very real. Even the more paranormal parts felt real. This book was incredibly intense! The pacing isn't incredibly fast, but I actually liked that. The pacing slowly lead up, getting darker and darker as the book went on, until you finally get to the really intense moments. I love it when a book does that. And so I also sped through the book, wanting to see what will happen to the characters. It's kind of like when you know something horrible will happen but you can't help but watch.

As for characters, there was an interesting mix. I liked Em and while I don't approve of cheating, I don't think she deserved any of this and I was rooting for her to make it through. I felt bad for Chase at first and I did like him. You don't know until practically the end what he did that was so bad and it is very horrible. I hate him for it, but he didn't really deserve it either and It's obvious that he feels guilty about it.

For other characters, Zach is an asshat. Really. I think that they should've gone after him instead of Em. I liked Gabby and I liked their friendship, even though we didn't get to see much of it. My favorite character though is JD. He's kind of Em's childhood friend and neighbor and I loved their relationship and I loved how sweet and goofy JD was!


Lastly, I would like to say that I liked how the book ended. <highlight to view spoiler>Zach got what was coming for him. I probably would have been more in disbelief about this book if the Furies didn't go after him<end of spoiler>

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was a very thrilling book that keep me turning the pages! It was very dark and incorporated mythology in an interesting way. I am very curious as to what will happen net and definitely plan on continuing the series!

I hereby give this book
3 Wheels
Meaning: I liked it