REVIEW: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. She will dance and summon her tribe's deity, who will inhabit Liyana's body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But when the dance ends, Liyana is still there. Her tribe is furious — and sure that it is Liyana's fault. Abandoned by her tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.



Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. The desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.



The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice — she must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate — or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

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MY THOUGHTS

I've been reading books lately that I added to my TBR in 2012 and so far I have been unimpressed by these books. I was starting to worry that my taste in books has changed drastically. This book reminded me that there are some books I liked to read then and would still enjoy now. 

Liyanna is meant to be a vessel for a goddess and she has dedicated her whole life in order to be the perfect vessel. The day has come for the goddess to take over her body. Liyanna will die, but the goddess will save her people from the drought with her magic, so Liyanna sees it as a worthy sacrifice. Except, when Liyanna performs the ritual, the goddess does not come. Thinking that Liyanna has been declared unworthy, her people abandon her in the desert and search for another vessel to save them from the drought. Liyanna does not think she will survive alone in the desert, but a young man finds her. The young man is the god Korbyn, walking the desert in his vessel. He tells her that someone has been stealing the souls of the gods and her goddess has not abandoned her. She must help him find the other vessels and find the souls of the gods before it is too late.

The worldbuilding in this book was fantastic. This book has magic and mythology in a fantasy world, but there is such a real quality to this world. The gods and goddesses are as real as the desert sand in this world and I loved how this book showed the characters' mythology as a part of their world and something that could not be separated. I love fantasy books but one of the struggles I have with fantasy books is that sometimes they all feel the same. This book was refreshing because it has a very different setting than the typical YA fantasy novels, a different tone, and the overall premise was unique to this world.

Liyanna struggles a lot throughout this book. She has been raised that she is going to die on this specific day and when she doesn't, she has no clue what to do. Now she also has to deal with conflicting emotions because she wants to live, but if she lives, her people might not get the help they need. The world she lives in gives great power to the gods and goddesses, but what is significant about Liyanna is that she shows that she could be strong as herself. She is extraordinary brave in multiple circumstances and as she meets the other vessels, she continues to realize her own strength and the strength of the other vessels. I loved how this book showed the strength of an ordinary human and how much growth she had as a character.

There is very light romance in this book. Liyanna feels attraction for Korbyn, but it partially because Liyanna is the vessel for Korbyn's lover. This is not a major part of the book and Liyanna feels conflicted about pursuing him. I really did not want them to get together because it was extraordinarily awkward to think about. She does eventually find someone else. It was fairly quick, which threw me for a loop, but I appreciated the fact that this book focused more on the main plot and Liyanna's character rather than a romance. 


IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I really liked this book and was very impressed by the premise and worldbuilding. I had difficulty putting this one down, but as the book got closer to the end some elements felt more sped up than I expected. This is my favorite book I've read from Durst so far, but there are many others (some I already own) that I need to read and I look forward to reading them! (less)

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: I really liked this book!

SERIES REVIEW: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Series by Louise Rennison

There are six things very wrong with my life:
1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.
2. It is on my nose
3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.
4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.
5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.
6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.

In this wildly funny journal of a year in the life of Georgia Nicolson, British author Louise Rennison has perfectly captured the soaring joys and bottomless angst of being a teenager. In the spirit of Bridget Jones's Diary, this fresh, irreverent, and simply hilarious book will leave you laughing out loud. As Georgia would say, it's "Fabbity fab fab!"

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NOTE: This is a review for the series as a whole.

MY THOUGHTS
When I first picked up this series it was honestly on a whim. The books were $0.33 per book so I picked up a bunch. I wasn't sure if they were really the books for me. Even after reading the first book I wasn't sure if the series was for me, but I decided to keep going and I am glad for that.

I've had trouble before with books that try to show the teenage girl experience or a teenage girl diary and instead they felt like whiney eleven-year-olds. This series was not the case. This is such a fun series. I love Georgia's humor and how she goes about life. It took me a bit to warm up to her way of talking/writing, but I grew to love it. She has such an interesting personality and I found myself using some of her language in my thoughts after binge-reading this series. She makes a lot of mistakes in this series, some pretty embarrassing, but in all of her outrageousness, she felt like a real teenage girl. 

This series also had such an interesting cast of characters. There's Georgia's friends, the boys, her outrageous family, and her neighbors. I just loved seeing how all of the characters interacted with one another and how comfortable Georgia was with her friends. I also always looked forward to hearing about Libby's or Angus' shenanigans.

Of course, Georgia did annoy me at times, namely in the romance department. There a few different guys Georgia is interested in during the course of the series. Early on in the series, I figured out who I wanted Georgia to end up with and Georgia's denial of her interest in him frustrated me. This did make me binge-read the series, though. The ending of this series did make me desire more because it ended just as it got to where I wanted it to be, but... it was still a great end to the series.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this series. It was so much fun and it made me laugh on more than one occasion. When I picked up the first book I wasn't sure what to expect and I honestly just wanted to read a book where characters didn't die and everyone's lives were terrible. This book series succeeded in giving me feel-good reads and I can see myself picking up this series again when I need a feel-good book to read.

I hereby give this series

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was so much fun!

REVIEW: Saven Disclosure by Siobhan Davis

THE TRUTH CAN'T HIDE FOREVER

To protect Logan, I have no choice but to deceive him. 
But I’m not the only one hiding the truth. 
Will our love survive all the secrets and lies? 

Enemy alien ships crowd the skies over Earth while the world waits with bated breath. The Saven have been exposed, and where once they were abhorred, they are now championed as our greatest ally and our only possible savior.

Logan and Sadie have been separated, and the longer he is gone, the more their love is tested by duty, doubts, and deception.

Sadie and Jarod have infiltrated the highest levels of government, but they are playing a dangerous game. Surrounded by people with conflicting agendas—hell-bent on using her for their own aim—Sadie is confused when the lines between good and evil are blurred. It’s impossible to tell friend from foe, and no one can be trusted.

When the full extent of the experiments taking place in Sector Twenty is disclosed, Sadie can no longer sit back and watch as the lower classes face a horrific fate. Racing to save her loved ones and mankind, she risks her own safety and the love she’s waited a lifetime for to do the right thing.

But no one thought to save her from herself. 

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MY THOUGHTS
Saven Deception was a fantastic start to the series, and I enjoyed it, but this book was even better!

As much as I enjoyed the first book, I enjoyed this one even more! This book felt much more complex and even more action-packed than book one! This book took the ideas from book one even further, giving more of an insight into the Savens! And so much happens in this book! So many twists and turns, and, boy, I didn't see that ending coming!

Like book one, I liked Sadie. Sadie is a fantastic MC, but she is a very different person than she was in book one. In book one we are introduced to a girl who grew up in a horrible environment with a family that didn't love her. Though she was still strong and defiant. In book two, she's even stronger and has an amazing group of friends to help her. All of the characters in this book, good and bad, are well-rounded!

My main problem with book one was the romance. The romance in book one was a bit fast and the on and off again relationship was frustrating. In this book, I actually found the romance less frustrating. I was able to root for them in this book! Though, in true sequel fashion, the couple is separated most of the book.

Annnnnnd, the ending! Man, was that a cliffhanger!


IN CONCLUSION
This was a fantastic sequel! It's not often that you come across a sequel that can beat it's predecessor! I will definitely be continuing this series, especially after that ending, and I look forward to more by Siobhan Davis!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

SST REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: All The Feels by Danika Stone

College freshman Liv is more than just a fangirl: The Starveil movies are her life… So, when her favorite character, Captain Matt Spartan, is killed off at the end of the last movie, Liv Just. Can’t. Deal.

Tired of sitting in her room sobbing, Liv decides to launch an online campaign to bring her beloved hero back to life. With the help of her best friend, Xander, actor and steampunk cosplayer extraordinaire, she creates #SpartanSurvived, a campaign to ignite the fandom. But as her online life succeeds beyond her wildest dreams, Liv is forced to balance that with the pressures of school, her mother’s disapproval, and her (mostly nonexistent and entirely traumatic) romantic life. A trip to DragonCon with Xander might be exactly what she needs to figure out what she really wants. 

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

MY THOUGHTS
To Liv, the Starveil movies are her life. She loves the movies and she's deeply immersed in the fandom, making online vids and online friends who share her deep love of Starveil. She can't wait to see the new Starveil movie, only to find out that her favorite character, Spartan, is killed off. Liv refuses to believe that Spartan is dead, so she decides to prove that he is not dead. She starts an online campaign that shoots across the fandom.

Okay, so when I first heard about this book, I knew I had to read it! I've been in this position before, every fangirl (or boy) has. While with me it was books, not movies, and all I did was kill the author off in my own story, I can relate to Liz. Still, fandoms are such a big part of the world now, so it's exciting to see a book that fully explores it.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. As I mentioned, Liz is relatable. She's also a normal girl. She's not one of those redhead and skinny MCs that are unaware of how beautiful they are (this sums up the MCs of a whole lot of YA). She's a normal girl, just starting college, who spends a majority of her time online. I did think she was a bit whiny and dramatic at times, but other than that, I liked her.

As for supporting characters, I really liked Xander. He's the best. Xander is in a completely different fandom than Liz, and doesn't really understand Starveil, but they are such great friends. Xander actually helps Liz out with #StarveilSurvived and even takes her to DragonCon. I seriously love their friendship. I also liked other various characters, but I love Xander. Though, I will say that Liz's mom annoyed me, because of the things she said about fandoms. I understand why Liz's mom is against fandoms, but she did say some horrible things.

As for romance, there is a very slow romance in the book, so you'll be shipping it for a while. But I actually really liked the romance. It never took over the plot!



IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book! It's a fun book about fandoms, friendship, and more. Also, Xander is awesome! So, pick up this book if you want a fun contemporary featuring fandoms!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Masters thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both adults (The Intaglio Series and Ctrl Z) and teens (All the Feels). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada.
Ms. Stone is represented by Morty Mint of Mint Literary Agency.

GIVEAWAY:

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REVIEW: Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and tragedy, love and loss, pain and elation, in her debut YA novel filled with characters who will come to feel like friends.

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MY THOUGHTS
I picked up this up after hearing some raving reviews and reading the description! It sounded like a powerful contemporary with a little bit of mystery. This book was what I expected, and more. It had sad parts to it, but this was also a really cute book and I'm glad that I picked it up!

It has been two years since Jessie's mother died. Her father has married a women he met online and they moved LA to live with her family. Not only does her new stepbrother make her feel unwelcome in her new home, but she's friendless in her new school. That is, until she receives an email from Somebody Nobody (SN for short). SN become Jessie's friend, and tells her the ins and outs of her school. They begin to have many online conversations with one another, but Jessie doesn't know who SN is.

I read this book while on a road trip. Here's the thing about me: I have a hard time reading in cars. I don't know why, but I just feel too distracted to read and ,sometimes, I even get carsick. For some reason, that was not the case for this book. Once I started it, I read on until the last page. I couldn't help but get sucked into Jessie's story and the mystery surrounding SN.

As far as SN, I loved their relationship. Sure, it sounds a bit sketch that Jessie in a relationship with someone online, but in this book it actually works. They have such a fabulous online friendship. They're so snarky and witty with each other! There were so many times where their conversations made me smile. Though many of their conversations were fun, they also have more serious, heartfelt conversations.

The only thing that bothered me as how long it took for Jessie to figure out who SN was. I knew quite early on who SN was, it wasn't hard to figure it out, but it took until the very end of the book for her to figure it out. So I spent a large portion of the book yelling at Jessie while she kept making mistakes on who was SN. Though her mistakes did lead to some interesting circumstances. I can't really fault her for taking so long, it's hard to see what's right in front of you.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed this book! It was realistic, both heartfelt and fun! I loved the relationships and, even though it took awhile, I loved the mystery! This is a great contemporary read and I do recommend it!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.

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MY THOUGHTS
I've been wanting to read this book for awhile, since the book had no cover and was titled "Bad Luck Charm". The idea behind this book sounding so interesting and I was so curious to read Maguire's story! This story was not what I expected, it was much different than what I imagined, but that's not a bad thing. I like how this book surprised my and how it handled the subject matter.

Ever since her brother, father, and uncle died in a car accident, that Maguire survived, Maguire has considered herself to be bad luck. Bad things happen around her. Maguire prefer to stay at home, away from people that can be potentially hurt by just being around her. But her grandmother is having a little memorial for Maguire's father, the problem is that Maguire has to go on a plane to get there. How can Maguire go on a plane worrying that everyone on the plane will die just because she's there? So her therapist gives Maguire a homework assignment, to create a list of things that will slowly reach her goal. She starts out by playing tennis again. It's there that she makes new friends and one friend, Jordy, is a aspiring tennis star that is determined to help Maguire.

For some reason I was expecting a fun contemporary (I've been in a fun contemporary mood lately), but I new I was wrong about that when the book starts off talking about the car accident. I knew this would not be a fun, chipper read. But this book did give me the feels and I did leave happy.

This book touches on mental illness, a subject that has been popping up in YA recently and I hope it keeps popping up. Mental illness is a subject that needs to be talked about. Maguire believes that she's a bad luck charm that simply being around her will harm others. It made me so sad seeing how afraid Maguire was of hurting others, but at the same time you could understand what brought Maguire into thinking this. I felt like Maguire's character was very realistic, and this book didn't romanticize her mental illness.

What I really like about this book was how helpful her friends were. Some people would have called Maguire crazy for having her thoughts, but her friends, which she only knows for a short while, help her. They want her to feel comfortable and they want her to be happy. They also don't rush her and make sure she okay with everything they are doing. Jordy, the love interest, also helps her so much. Jordy is also struggling with his own problems and Maguire also helps him. And, yes, I did like the romance. It's very hard to get me to like a romance, but I thought they were cute.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed this book! It wasn't at all what I expected, but this book was able to surprise me and it gave me a wonderful read! I really liked Maguire and I loved her friends! I think this book dealt with the subject matter well and, despite the sad topics within this book, it left me with a good feeling.

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.

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MY THOUGHTS
I've been waiting to read this book for more than 3 years, so of course I was excited to read it when it finally came out. I had extremely high expectations, due to the fact that I adore both the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices. This book has gotten so many raving reviews, claiming that this book is better than the other Shadowhunter novels. I do not agree at all. I enjoyed this book, but it's definitely not as good as the other two series.

This book takes place in 2012 Los Angeles, five years after the events in the Mortal Instruments. Strange killing have been happening around the city and Emma Carstairs is convinced that they're related to the deaths of her parents, many years ago.  All the while she's fighting feelings for her parabati, Julian Backthorn. The faeries are looking for a source of the killings as well, and are willing to use Julian's older brother, who was taken by faeries years ago, as a bargaining chip.

I love all of the previous Shadowhunter novels, I really liked coming back to this world. Emma and Julian were introduced to us in City of Heavenly Fire. A lot has changed for them, and the Shadowhunter world since then. The world was familiar, but also very different than what I'm used to, so I had to wrap my head around the new world. One main thing that's different is the fact that the faeries have been outcasted and it's now illegal for Shadowhunters to help them, the faeries also play a much bigger role in this series. I also liked the plot, I thought it was interesting. I did have issues, though, due to the pacing. This book is HUGE, and it takes forever for the plot to get anywhere. It eventually gets very very interesting, but it takes awhile for the book to get there.

I loved the Blackthorns! I loved how different each of the members were, all of their personalities, and just how they were together! Though, I had a harder time loving Julian and Emma. Mostly because they're both so serious, understandable, but still. I'm just so used to the main characters in these books having lots of snark and sarcasm! I miss that!

Now, for a mini rant. There are cameos in this book, but I really really didn't like that. I'm fine if we only get a few brief mentions, to give us an update, but almost all of the characters in Mortal Instruments and a few from Infernal Devices are in this book. When I read City of Heavenly Fire, I was upset that we kept following Emma and Julian because that was not their book. It's the same case here. I love Tessa, Jem, Magnus, Alec, Clary, Jace, Simon, Izzy, and all them folks, but I felt like they were taking over the book. The pacing of this book was slow because of all of these cameos! Also, it made it almost impossible to understand things without reading ALL OF THE BOOKS! Yeah, I mean all of them, even the novellas. I'm currently listening to the Simon novellas and I am so upset by the fact that this book spoiled important parts in the novellas that I haven't gotten to yet!! Okay, so I'm getting a bit ranty. I love these characters, but I really felt it was unnecessary for them to be included in this series so often.

Now, onto romance. The major romance is obviously between Emma and Julian. I like their friendship and I do want them to be together, but it's forbidden! Of course it's forbidden. Forbidden romances always annoy me because there's so much drama involves and, ugh, let's just see how this will work out. And of course since there's so many characters, there are other side romances. I'm starting to ship some of them, but we'll see...


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did like this book, despite my very long rant and the cameos. I don't think it's as great as the Mortal Instruments or Infernal Devices. The pacing is too slow, there are too many unnecessary characters, and just not enough snark for me to give it 5 stars. I do think it's a great start to a new series. Emphasis on the new. Sorry, but I really hope that the next book isn't loaded up with cameos, I really just want to enjoy a new series! Still, I loved reading another series in the Shadowhunter world and plan on continuing the series.

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs

Elena Martinez has hidden her eidetic memory all her life--or so she thinks. When powerful tech giant Aether Corporation selects her for a top-secret project, she can't say no. All she has to do is participate in a trip to the future to bring back data, and she'll be set for life.

Elena joins a team of four other teens with special skills, including Adam, a science prodigy with his own reason for being there. But when the time travelers arrive in the future, something goes wrong and they break the only rule they were given: do not look into their own fates.

Now they have twenty-four hours to get back to the present and find a way to stop a seemingly inevitable future from unfolding. With time running out and deadly secrets uncovered, Elena must use her eidetic memory, street smarts, and a growing trust in Adam to save her new friends and herself.

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

MY THOUGHTS
I admit that I have a soft spot for books with time travel. Sure, they're a bit confusing at times, but they are so fascinating. This one wasn't, thankfully, as confusing as previous time travel books I've read and I enjoyed reading it!

Elena Martinez has bounced from foster home to foster home and as she is approaching the age of 18, she'll be kicked out and left on her own. When she's offered an opportunity by a powerful tech company, she can't resist. Not when it means that she can actually have a future. Turns out that she'll get to actually see the future. She, along with a few other teens, will travel to the future, record their findings on the tech there, and return. Sounds easy. Except something goes wrong when they travel to the future. Except the teens can't help but look into what they're own futures are, and what they find out will horrify them.

I had absolutely no clue what this book was about when I picked it up. I make it a rule not to read the synopsis of a book right before reading the book, in case of spoilers. I thought there would be time travel involved, due to the title, but I didn't know for sure. So I was really excited when that bomb dropped! I love time travel in books, especially when folks travel into the future! This book was no different! I thought the time travel was interesting and it was done well. It wasn't a confusing mess like some time travel books. There were some times when I had to tilt my head, but time travel is a strange thing, there's always going to be a little confusion.

The book has strong sci-fi elements, but there's also a lot of mystery. I don't want to say the hows and the whys, as they're spoilers, but there's a lot of mystery elements in this book. It kept me on the edge and it kept me guessing, all throughout the book.

As for characters, I can't say I love any of the characters, but I did like them. Elena is a great MC, but she didn't really strike a chord. She kind of seemed like your average YA MC, except Mexican and with tattoos.  I liked all of the supporting characters. I mainly liked how different the teens were and how they interacting with each other.

As for romance, it didn't wow me, but it also didn't distract from the major plot, so that's good. You could tell right away who the love interest was going to be, though that's the case with most YA, and it just felt it an added romance. *shrug*



IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Again, I love time travel books, so this one was right up my alley. I loved the sci-fi elements and the mystery. There were some things, like characters and romance, that I was just okay with, but overall I think this is a great sci-fi standalone!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide.

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

MY THOUGHTS
"Aliens" is a code word to me. If I see the word "aliens" in a synopsis, I'm going to want to read it. This book did not disappoint me! I thought this was a fantastic sci-fi!

Kora is queen of an alien territory, the first female ruler of her territory in awhile. Many of her people are rioting, seeing as unfit to rule, demanding her brother to be on her throne. But her brother is violent and cruel, Kora will never let her brother be on the throne.
Eros is a half-blood, half human and half alien. For all his life he's lived in the deserts, with rebel humans. He's alienated because of his blood, but when alien soldiers raze his camp, he defends it. Only to be taken captive. Now he will either be killed or he will be turned into a bodyguard. But there's knowledge that even he didn't know about his blood that must be kept secret.

This book is from the point of view of both Kora and Eros. I liked seeing everything from both their perspectives and environments, the book wouldn't have worked otherwise. I liked both the characters. Both of them are strong, as their situations demand it, but in their own ways. I also liked how the seemed to grow and change as the book went, as all the crazy was going on.

The world-building in this book was fantastic. I felt like we got to know the culture on the planet, of both the humans and the aliens, though we got to see more of the alien life. I've read a lot of sci-fi books, but this book is different. As far as plot and pacing, this book was very fast-paced and action-packed!

My only main problem with this book is the ending. I felt like the ending was about abrupt and I hope there's a sequel.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book! It had fantastic characters, world-building, plot, and ALIENS! I do kind of wish the ending was more resolved, so I hope there's a sequel in the future.

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission . . . or the key to Hope’s undoing.      Addictive, romantic, and rich with historical detail, Into the Dim is an Outlander for teens. 

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

MY THOUGHTS
I love books with time travel, so once I found out about this book, I couldn't wait to read it! I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book, besides the time travel, so I was able to be surprised by the plot. I ended up enjoying this book!

Hope's mother is presumed dead after a devastating earthquake. Hope doesn't know what to do without her mom, and her father sends her away to stay with her mother's sister, an aunt she's never really known. It's there that Hope finds out that her mother belongs to a society of time travelers and that her mother never died in that earthquake. Her mother is still alive, but she's trapped in the 12th century. Hope must travel into the past and rescue her mother, but it's not as easy as it sounds and she may found out a few more family secrets along the way.

I thought that the way that the time travel was covered was very interesting. I liked the idea of the society of time travelers, and how there were two different societies. The plot was interesting and the historical elements felt well-researched. Some factors of the plot that were supposed to be surprises I kind of figured out early on, but I still liked where the author was going with these plot points and am very curious to see what will happen in the next book.

The set of characters were great. I liked Hope as a MC and I liked all of the supporting characters in the book. Many of the characters just met Hope and I liked how quickly they grew to care for her, and her for them.

As for romance, I was meh about it.There's a mysterious boy that Hope meets and I figured out pretty early on what was going on there. I can't say that I dislike him, but I really can't ship it. I'm not feeling it.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I really did enjoy reading this book! Despite the predictability and the romance, I loved the time travel and the plot! The historical elements were great and the characters were fantastic! The pacing of this book was a bit slow at first, but I still felt like a lot happened, and a lot was discovered, and I am very curious to see what will happen next!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadows is Sophie Jordan at her best. 

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

MY THOUGHTS
Going into this book, I didn't know what to expect. I've disliked books and enjoyed books by this author. The Firelight trilogy was meh to me, but I enjoyed Uninvited (the sequel is another series). I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I really liked it and I was close to giving it a full 5 stars!

Ever since darkness fell across her kingdom, Luna has been in her tower. She's only ever really known two people and she's hardly ever left her tower, as the outside is too dangerous. Until one day, she does, and she comes across a group of three surviving in the wilds. After saving them, she leads them back to the tower. But when her tower gets attacked, she must leave, with one of the strangers she just found. In a world of darkness there are many dangers, especially when your the lost princess.

I loved this book! It was completely unique! This has some fairy-tale aspects, but all-in -all this is a very dark fantasy, and it was epic. The world-building was great! I felt like I was sucked into this dark world! And, best of all, there were plot twists! I adore plot twists! Some I saw coming, but still, I loved them!

I liked the characters in this book. This book is from the point of view of both Luna and Fowler. Luna doesn't seem like a strong person at first, due to how sheltered she is and the decision she makes of going outside, even though she's been told how dangerous it is. But Luna actually is very strong, especially when you realize more about her situation (I don't want to give too much away). She's also very kind. Fowler is from a completely different situation than Luna. He has learned how to survive in the darkness. The two have an interesting dynamic, both distrusting one another but thrown together due to circumstance. Although, of course you know right off that they will eventually grow to like each other, this is a YA book.

Fair warning: There is a bit of a cliffhanger.


IN CONCLUSION
I really enjoyed reading this book! Despite my earlier misgivings, I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! This was a such an interesting and unique fantasy book! The world-building was strong and dark and the cast of characters was interesting! I do recommend this book, but expect plot twists and a cliffhanger!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: Deadly Sweet Lies by Erica Cameron

Nadette Lawson knows when you’re lying.

Every night for the past two years, the Balasura have visited her dreams, enticing her to enter their world. And every night she’s seen through their lies. Now, they’re tired of playing in the shadows and they begin to stalk her in the waking world. It’s no longer just an invitation; if Nadette doesn’t join them, they’ll take her family. Forever. She needs help, and the haven she’s seeking may be just out of reach.

Julian Teagan is a master of deception.

To survive, he has to convince the world his mother isn’t useless, that everything’s fine, otherwise he’ll lose what little he has left in this life. He knows the lying won’t be enough to keep him and his mother in the shadows, but it’s all he knows. The only light of truth is Orane, a Balasura who sees past Julian’s facade and challenges him to face the darkness.
Then Orane is killed, and Julian learns his mentor was far from innocent. The Balasura have hunted children like him for centuries, and their next target, Nadette is his one chance at finally being a part of something real. If Julian can just convince her to trust him… 

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

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

MY THOUGHTS
Every time someone lies, Nadette has a bell ring inside her head. For the past two years, Balasura have been trying to convince Nadette to stay in her dreams, stay in their world. They want her ability, but her ability allows her to see through their lies. Now they're tired of waiting and will force her into submission by threatening her family and torturing her during waking hours. 
On the other side of the country, Julian lives with a mother who couldn't care less about him and an ability to lie. Every night, Julian sees his best friend, Orane in his dreams. Then Orane dies and Julian finds out that his best friend was a Balasura and was actually evil. Julian doesn't want to believe, but now there's someone else being targeted and he has to help her get to safety.

After the end of Sing Sweet Nightingale, I was expecting this book to follow the same characters. Instead we get two new characters and a new story. Interestingly, it still feels like the story is being carried over. The characters in this book are connected to the ones in the last book and even the events are connected. It's actually a great way to continue the story!

I liked both Nadette and Julian. I liked Nadette's strength. She doesn't have the strength that we associate with most YA girls, but the real kind. The kind where she has to go through something difficult and it able to do it, but also not perfect. She's human and she does break and few times, but she's still strong. I also love her attachment to her family and her family in general. She has a crazy, huge family and I just loved how they believed in Nadette and just never questioned her.  

Julian was a great character too. He would hate me by saying this, but I felt really bad for him. He has a bad family life, sure, but that's not the main reason. First of all, his best friend turned out to be evil and then throughout the book he just seemed confused and I really just wanted to shake him, so he would be able to see things more clearly.

As for romance, there wasn't really much romance, but it was dealt with very well, especially when it came to Nadette  <highlight to view spoiler>I thought the add in of Julian being asexual was a bit awkward. I really like the fact that we're seeing an asexual character (since that's what I identify with), but it was just so conveniently explained that I felt it could have been added in a little bit differently. It made it sound so easy and it really isn't that easy to figure out what you identify as.<end of spoiler>. I appreciated how this book didn't follow what most people expect from YA, while adding diversity.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and I like how the story was carried over and it still felt like I was reading something new. The end was very action packed and it kind of left me hanging, so I can't wait for the next book.

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (+ pre-order giveaway!)

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

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

MY THOUGHTS
After reading the synopsis, I had to read this book. This book spans only 54 horrifying minutes of a school shooting. I was very curious as to how this book would be put together and how it would tackle such a tough subject. I thought it handled everything really well and the book was very well written!

The way this book is written is very unique and I admit that I was also very intrigued by the formatting. Not only does this book's story last less than an hour, and even gives a time-stamp each 'chapter', but there were multiple different perspectives as well. We see the event through the eyes of Claire, Tomas, Autumn, and Sylv. I was a little thrown at first to have so many different perspectives, but the characters were so immensely different and so well-developed, that I was easily able to differentiate them. First I would like to mention that all the characters are very diverse! What I also liked was how we got to see the backgrounds of all four of the characters and how they all were somehow connected to the shooter.

I really liked this book and I thought it was very unique and harshly real, but for some reason I cannot bring myself to give this book a 5/5. I feel bad saying this, but for some reason this book didn't make me feel as strongly as I thought it should've made me feel. Did I feel anything at all? Yes! Of course! I'm not entirely heartless! But I didn't feel on the edge the whole time, with my heart being torn into shreds. 

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I thought this was a very stand-out debut novel! I was very impressed by it! The writing was fantastic, the characters were very well-developed, and the tough subject matter was handled very well. For some reason this book didn't make me as emotional as I expected from the subject, but I still liked this book. I will most definitely be reading any other books Marieke Nijkamp writes!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!


Also, there's a special pre-order offer going on for this book!

There are two ways to enter the giveaway:

1 - If you pre-order a copy of This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp, submit your name, mailing address, email address, and order confirmation number via the Rafflecopter widget provided.

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REVIEW: A Gift of Poison by Kate Avery Ellison

Steampunk. Romance. Dragons. A new novel by bestselling author Kate Avery Ellison. 

As the orphaned niece of a cruel lord, Briand is the scapegoat of the castle. She has few friends and even fewer options, and every day is a struggle to stay ahead of trouble caused by malicious guards and irritable castle servants. 

Briand is set to be banished to the wildlands, a death sentence, when she when she accidentally unlocks a hidden power and involves herself in a rebel plot and her life abruptly changes. 

Imprisoned in the company of a band of rebels, Briand must do what seems impossible: call up sleeping dragons in the north. But the fearsome Prince's assassins called Seekers are looking for her, Briand doesn't know if she can trust the mysterious, enigmatic rebel leader Kael, and there might be a traitor in the rebels' midst.

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

MY THOUGHTS
I adore Kate Avery Ellison's books and she's one of my favorite indie authors, so I was quite happy to read another one of her books!

This book is about a girl named Briand. She lives with her uncle in his castle, and he hates her. In fact everyone seems to hate her and she's always getting into trouble. If she causes any trouble, she'll be banished and sentenced to death. After a trap is set for her, that's exactly what will happen.Except, she accidentally ends up unlocking an ability that can basically save their country from a tyrant rule. Now, she must travel with rebels, figure out this ability of hers, while all the while avoiding those who want her dead.

I've read The Season of Lightning, which takes place in the same universe, so some of this world was familiar. But this book was very different! First off, this book has dragons, so that right there is awesome. Also, this book focuses on different countries and just a completely different storyline. I thought the world was very developed and it felt like a very real fantasy world, if that makes any sense.

You can't but feel a little bit sorry for Briand, because she got all the short straws in life, but she would probably hate us feeling sorry for her. Despite her circumstances, and maybe because of her circumstances, she's very strong. Though, she knows to ask for help when she needs it. The other characters were interesting in how they interacted with her, mostly because they all hated her at first. I though it was interesting seeing them slowly loose their dislike towards her.

As for romance, there wasn't any! There were moments where it seemed like there would be moments that the romance would appear, but no. It never went anywhere.

My main pet peeve with this book is the ending. The ending felt rushed and then abrupt. It seemed like there should've been a bit more, at least. I'm kind of curious is any of the characters appear in The Season of Lightning, but I read it before this book and I really can't remember.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did enjoy this book, which didn't surprise me! This was a fantastic fantasy, and while I had issues with the ending, I enjoyed everything else! I really recommend any of Kate Avery Ellison's books and you bet I'll be reading more of her books!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!