The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Goodreads Blurb

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

So you guys know, I'm not usually an MG (Middle Grade) person, but I have to say, I think I've changed my mind about that! You'll probably find me raiding the library for some more soon enough! It reminded me what kind of books I LOVED before getting addicted to YA. Better start reading this stuff again!

The False Prince was unbelievably amazing and there's just something about MG that makes you realize how different it is from YA! There's no insta-love worries, there's no romance taking away from the plot, and there are no ridiculous things going on--it's just wonderful writing, amazing plot, action packed adventure, a crown to be fought for, and conspiracies of the best. Or wait. Is that just The False Prince?

Because this book had all of that and so much more!

This was so fun to read! Immediately, we get a sense for just how troublesome Sage is and he's a character you'll immediately like! He's clever,an absolute troublemaker, and he's just an amazing character who makes every boring thing something of interest! Not to say that the other 2 boys were less interesting! Not at all! they're all so completely different that there's no way you can fully hate one. Tobias is educated and smart, but not as strong or willful as Roden, but Roden, in turn, is pretty hard headed and a bit thick. If we're talking stereotypes, Tobias would be the nerd, Roden the jock, and Sage? He's somewhere in between all that. I think his only flaw, really, was that he never knew when to quit or when things were to dangerous. He was strong-willed and COMPLETELY stubborn and I'd love him less if he weren't!

The plot is by far the best thing about The False Prince! It can seem pretty slow at first, but when you get used to the pace, you'll love how the plot just slowly unfurls, throwing twists and turns at  you along the way (I, for one, COULD NOT believe that ending!). It's a captivating read that'll please everyone, no matter what the age or gender!

The False Prince is a book that's hard to dislike and easy to love! Fit for literally everyone and anyone, I'd recommend it to anyone who's getting tired of reading the same old over and over again!

Pages: 342
Genre: Fantasy/Middle Grade
Series: Ascendance Trilogy #1
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Rating: 5 stars

Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer

Goodreads Blurb

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends and total overachievers. Even if they aren't the most popular girls in school, they aren't too worried. After all, real life will begin once they get to their Ivy League colleges. But when an unexpected event proves they're missing out on the full high-school experience, it's time to come out of the honors lounge and into the spotlight. The trio makes a pact: They will each take on their greatest challenge and totally rock it.
Gigi decides to run for student rep, but she'll have to get over her fear of public speaking—and go head-to-head with gorgeous California Will. Bea used to be one of the best skiers around, until she was derailed; it could be time for her to take the plunge again. And Neerja loves the drama club but has always stayed behind the scenes—until now.
These friends are determined to show the world that smart girls really can get what they want—but that might mean getting way more attention than they ever bargained for. . .

Smart Girls Get What They Want was recommended to me by the ever awesome Eileen. And while it sounded cute, we very rarely agree on contemporaries. But God I loved this one! It's a super adorable read that I blew through, squealing internally.

It's very rare when you find us nerds so aptly described in a book. It's unbelievably easy to relate to these flawed characters and just fun to see myself reflected in them! Do I study? Yes. Do I like getting straight A's? Definitely. Do I spend all my time studying without having any social life whatsoever? No. I hope. (Maybe. I think twitter takes up most of my time!)  

Gigi's voice was just so hilarious and teen that I couldn't help but laugh along or sympathize with her. She was an independent kind of girl who really only needed her friends to support her, though she wasn't immune to a boy's charms. Definitely not! And sometimes, shemay have made a bad decision or say the wrong thing, but don't we all? 

Bea was an awesome character, the fiery best friend to balance out Neerja's more shy personality. She stood up for her friends and wouldn't take crap from anyone trying to hurt those she cared about. While she definitely blew a fuse once in a while, she couldn't stay mad at her BFFs and I loved that about her. Neerja's the more soft spoken one but still as amazing. Throughout the story she deals with her own boy problems and she's, basically, the glue of the trio. 

The three had an amazing best friend dynamic going on and definitely the most relatable characters I've ever met! They're perfectly flawed and, while a little annoying sometimes, were excellently written!

The romance(s) were adorable sweet and made me want to cuddle the characters. Like most YA novels, we have the crush, then the annoying boy who's a little more deeper than expected. While the idea is a tad cliche, the way it was executed put a unique and endearing twist on it! I squealed and giggled many-a-times (and also may have wanted to whack a certain character over the head.) and lets just say I think that that ending? It's perfect. Just. So. Perfect. 

Smart Girls  isn't just a cute romance though. It's a book on discovering who you are, what you want, and the things you have to face to get the. Our characters go through some character development and watching our characters grow into more outspoken people was definitely one of my favorite parts! 

With a real teen voice and admirably relatable characters, Smart Girls Get What They Want is definitely more than just a light fluff. It leads us through the life of a teen navigating a startlingly real high school life with a startlingly real situation. It's a laugh out loud kind of book, but also one that makes your heart thump and your hands sweat, just like when you're back to high school, talking to your crush for the first time. A must read for teens and even more so for adults! 

Pages: 368

Genre: Contemporary/Drama

Series: Stand alone 

Publisher: Blazer + Bray

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Rating: 4.5

Everneath by Brodi Ashotn

Goodreads Blurb

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Everneath captivated me from start to finish, leaving me with tears in my eyes and heart in my stomach. Nothing could’ve prepared me for what happened and nothing could have left me more shell-shocked. A bittersweet ending, a heartbreaking realization, and a dark tale mixed into this retelling of Persephone.

Nikki has been with Cole for one hundred years in the Everneath, really on six months in the mortal world. We start off with Nikki waking up in Cole’s arms after the Feed, an event where Cole fed on Nikki’s energy for a century. But once she wakes up, one face haunts her mind: Jack, the boyfriend she left six months ago. She gets six months on the surface with her old friends and six months to make everything right before she has to go back in Cole’s arms or get sucked in by the Everneath, the hell in this story. She goes back and everything’s changed. Her friends stay away and Jack keeps his distance. No one can pretend that she hadn’t disappeared for six months, especially not our protagonist.

I admit, it was a bit weird reading about a girl with the same name as me, but I got over that uncertainty once I passed the first five chapters. I have to say, I couldn’t have been prouder if some other character shared my name. Nikki Becket has definitely risen up in my top heroines list. She was strong enough to resist the temptation of Cole’s promises, immortality, and the promise of being a queen all for the boy she loved and loves. It was a beautiful, tragic romance that I absolutely could not get enough of. This is definitely the best take on Persephone I’ve read in a while and trust me, I’ve read a lot.

Let’s talk love interest. Cole is alluring in that typical bad boy way, but Jack is the sacrificing, broken one whose situation just tugs at your heart, urging you to pay attention. I’m sure it’s obvious who I’m leaning towards to. Cole may be the supernatural one in this love triangle, but he never shows that he actually loves her. Jack almost gave her up just so she could be safe. Like I said, sacrificing.

Everneath didn’t have any bad points in my perspective, and speaking about perspective, another thing I loved about Everneath was that it switched from the past to present, giving you a hint on just how deep jack and Nikki’s relationship was, making you feel all the more heartbroken. Heartbreaking really is the perfect word for this. In other words, it was a perfect book (for me at least) in all ways.

Pages: 370

Series: Everneath #1

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

'Have you figured out a topic? A moral conundrum?'
'Yes.'
'What is it?'
I heard Jack's chair creak.
'It's about how there's no such thing as redemption,' I whispered. 'How you deserve what you get, and no higher power can save you.'

Endure by Carrie Jones***

Goodreads Blurb

It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series.

Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . .

Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

Yet another eARC from NetGalley! I swear, I am addicted to NetGalley now!

Endure is the fourth book in the Need series, and I read the rest of the series about two years ago, I guess. I loved it…until the third book. Entice was a kind of disappointment, I have to admit. Sure, it was supposed to be one of the biggest parts of the series, where Zara finally becomes a pixie to save Nick (and succeeds), but I don’t know…it lacked the action, the anticipation, of Need and Captivate. At least, that’s how it seemed. Endure definitely made up for that missing part, though.

Nick seems to loathe Zara now that she’s a pixie, despite the fact that she changed to save him. He denies it over and over, but when he leaves, Zara doesn’t know what to think. She’s more isolated than ever. Betty has run off, Nick has gone away, her mom is in another state, and Mrs. Nix is dead. Her mother-in-law, I guess, is helping an evil pixie king capture Zara for their own gains. Her only comfort now is found in Astley, her pixie king, the one who turned her, and one of the only “good pixie kings” and her best friend, Issie. To make matters worse, she now has to deal with Loki, a volcano god that is now after her. How does she know this? An ice giant told her with his dying breath. As a quote from Zara, it was “Twilight Zone creepy”. Zara feels like she’s being stalked. Others find out about pixies. Astley is poisoned. That’s only the first 75 pages. She’s afraid, confused, and has every right to be.

I am completely Team Astley. At first, it was Nick, yeah, but by the middle of Entice, I switched sides. Astley is Zara’s rock. He’s always there for her and always makes sure she’s safe. He’s willing to do almost anything for her, and yet, she still pines for Nick. Zara’s still a bit weak and wimpy, but she’s a lot stronger than when she first was introduced as a character. Not only do I, the reader, think so, Astley, Nick, Issie, Devyn, Astley, and everyone else does too! Nick just lost his glory in my eyes. He’s hurt Zara over and over again. When he found out she was the daughter of a pixie king, when he found out that she might become a pixie queen, and when he found out that she turned pixie. Pixie, pixie, pixie! Nick has an old prejudice, and it definitely gets annoying.

I don’t know exactly what’s different for me in the writing of Endure compared to Entice, but Endure seems more…real? I guess? I think the genre of the book changing is what did it. Instead of all the foolish fun I sensed in books 1, 2, and 3, Endure is more of a post-apocalypse book than just a plain-old fantasy/paranormal. Entice was where Zara went and got changed into a pixie, went to Valhalla, and rescued Nick, but Endure is where things hit home. Of course, there are still some parts where everyone still seems to take it as a joke. For example: “Somebody fake screams. Someone else shouts, ‘Die, you pixie scum!’”  It just made me loathe those people. I mean, they know they’re on the verge of the end of the world, but they’re joking about this? Really? No. Just no.  I admit that some got me laughing, but others were just plain no-at-this-time-jokes. But you can still feel the danger, see their fear and desperation. At one point I seriously panicked. It was impossible! Carrie Jones could absolutely not do that!

 I had a lot of suspicions about a few characters in this book. Such as the mysterious woman who (minor spoiler) attacks Zara in the snow. I’m a major geek on legends, whether it’s Greek, Latin, Norse, or just superstition. I guess that was one of the reasons I got clued in, but I’m not saying anything else!

Anyways, as an overview, the plot is original, which we all know is pretty hard to do these days with all these great books coming in, but that’s how it’s been for all books in the Need series. There’s still the love triangle, and more than once Nick and Astley are on the verge of literally fighting for a girl, but the Need series has Norse mythology, Valhalla, and were-tigers and were-eagles! How cool is that! And it has pixies. Ok, so maybe the “pixies” are actually faeries (I mean, iron? Invitation to come in? Flying?), but they’re different because of the king needing a queen, the link between the pixies in one…kingdom. These are what makes the Need series so unique and completely lovable! And the ending? Well…it scared me half to death (for those of you who’ve read Endure, excuse the pun), but the epilogue…it was exactly what I expected from this book! And that is absolutely not a bad thing

Quick Summary: I loved Endure! Entice ruined the series for me, but Endure redeemed it! It was fun, dangerous, humorous, and deliciously so. Hurt, passion, love, sacrifices, and betrayal are gathered in this one book. Many of the main characters are as lovable as always, if not more so! As the fourth book in the series, it ends in a heartbreaking fall (Quite literally). I was a bit confused as to what happened, but after about 5 minutes pondering that section, I finally got it. Call me slow. But Endure was one of the best ending sequels I’ve ever read.

Pages: 288

Series: Need #4

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Goodreads Blurb

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I got this ARC in the mail in a blogger trade and I absolutely loved every minute I spent reading it! The blurb, cover, writing, plot, well it all equates into one of the best books of 2012!

What the blurb above does not mention, however, is that before America Singer (add an n at the end of her name. She even sings all the time!) heads off to the castle, Aspen breaks her heart. Of course, he didn't mean to, but he feels guilty that he can't provide for her, that she's providing food for him when it should be the other way around. Oh, Aspen. But that's when my opinion of him went down. I mean, he didn't exactly try to make things work. He. Gave. Up. I'm sorry Aspen, but you should've tried harder if you really loved her.

On the other hand, America is most likely one of my favorite heroines. She wasn't especially different in any way. She cried over Aspen, but not pathetically so, and stood tall 'n proud when she was leaving. Not every normal girl can do that. Especially not when she's about to (unwillingly) compete for the heart of a Prince. She was a character that many of us girls (and some guys) can relate to. America is definitely one of my favorite characters in The Selection.

Onto the writing. The writing was wonderful, descriptive where it needed to be, and vague where it should've been. We, at least I, could feel America's sorrow and her hesitance. I could imagine Celeste's angry face and her nails ripping at the dress. It was dramatic and funny, witty and smart and I adored reading about everything that was going on! However, the dialogue was cheesy and very, very cliche. Sometimes I just stared and the phrase "She said that? You're kidding me! She actually said that!"

The Selection has been called "The Bachelor meets the Hunger Games" and I think that's true. Many of the things that happened did, in fact, happen in the last season of "The Bachelor" and yes, I do watch that show. Celeste? Courtney. Maxon? Whatever his name is (Ben? I'm not sure.) I mean, Celeste did pretend to be another person just as Courtney did in the show. Basically, much of the book was similar to that season.

Summary: Though The Selection does have its bad moments, the good overrides the bad. It was a fun, magical read that made me remember the fairy tales of old. Princesses, Princes, love triangles, they all figured into The Selection and I loved it for that! It was beautiful in (almost) every way.

Pages: 327
Series: The Selection Trilogy #1
Genre: Romance/Dystopia
Rating: 4 stars

"It bothered me, but I knew I couldn’t hold it against them in the long run. We couldn’t afford the luxury of wants. We had needs.”

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Goodreads Blurb

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew

Jen Ryand from www.jenryland.com sent me an ARC copy for free, so thanks! Anyways, I saw many great reviews, so I decided to give it a try. I wasn’t disappointed, but it didn’t meet up to my expectations either.

Haven Terra is offered an opportunity to work for the glamorous Aurelia Brown at the Lexington Hotel. What else could one girl want? And when Aurelia’s right hand man, Lucian, turns out to be an alluring gorgeous man no older than Haven, she think she’s in heaven. The key word being thinks. She discovers a journal with her name inscribed on it and receives letters from an unknown hand telling her things to do and calling her the “winged one”. What does that mean? And then Haven’s best friend, Dante, is pulling away from her, leaving Haven with the third person who came with them, Lance. To make things even more complicated, Haven finds out the Outfit, the prestigious group of beautiful people that work at the Lexington Hotel, have sold their souls for beauty. That includes Aurelia and Lucian who are planning on stealing the souls of Haven’s former classmates on prom night. Can Haven ever get a break?

I was hyped up for Illuminate which may be why it seemed so boring for me. Anyways, let’s look at the cover for a moment. I love the shadows of wings that seem to be sprouting from the girl’s back. It just tells you that there’s something supernatural about our main character, something that’s fairly easy to hide, but when someone finds out, they won’t forget it. It’s just an amazing cover. The model was perfect for what I imagines Have to be.

Onto the content: It took about 300 pages for me to finally get into the book. I’m sorry, but it was kind of boring. I mean, all she did was work and follow the orders she was given. There was a bit of romance between Lucian and Haven, but that was pretty much the only interesting thing besides the messages. But after the 300 page mark, everything finally started becoming entrancing. The action, the danger, and the hidden threat all made me enraptured and I quickly finished the book after that. A—ma—zing! The action finally started and the danger finally showed itself.  The rest of the book was the ideal plot of a paranormal fiction. And that was about 200 pages worth, so I would recommend at least reading it.

I loved the characters though. Even the Outfit. They had different, yet realistic, personalities (excluding the Outfit). The Outfit on the other hand, were the perfect characters to play the soulless slaves. Dante, as much as I loved his character, was a bit on the stereotypical side, being all girly-like. Just because he like guys doesn’t technically make you girly. But overall, the characters get a nine out of ten.

To be honest, I didn’t like Lance because of what happened between Haven and Lance, preferring Lucian more. I mean, no no spoiler, he just seems way nicer than Lance…It helps that he actually stands up to people…

Pages: 534
Series: Gilded Wings #1
Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 3 stars

“Everything sinful is glamorous these days, isn’t it?”

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Goodreads Blurb

Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is

So here's what happened: I was browsing through another blog when I came across Obsidian. I wasn't so sure if I should buy it, so I checked out all the reviews I could find and with all the great reviews, I finally bought it. I was wary; usually 3/10 books I buy are absolutely horrible, but thankfully, Obsidian wasn't one of them!

Generally, I don't read sci-fi with aliens. I mean, come on! It'd just ruin sci-fi for me. After all, I never was a space person. But of course, with all the five-stars going around, I had to buy it. I'm so happy I did! I know I've said this for a few other novels, but Obsidian truly is a breath of fresh air. I bet no other author could make aliens sound so alluring like Miss Armentrout did! Usually, like many of us know, aliens just seem nerdy in fantasy books. No edge, danger, or much action. Obsidian was the opposite of all that, and I loved every moment of reading it!

Here's what happens: Katy moves to a tiny town where everyone knows everyone, so of course Katy feels just a tad nervous, Now imagine what happens when she find out that she lives next to sweet and bubbly Dee, but also gorgeous Daemon. Perfect life? She think so too until it turns out that Daemon is the perfect popular stereotype: gorgeous and a jerk. Cliche? Never. Sure, Katy felt attracted, but she truly hated him, something that stands out among all the "love at first sight" thing going on in the fictionworld.

Katy was a perfect heroine, strong and smart, but with her own insecurities. She wasn't a "total loser" like in some books or a "queen bee" either. She was...normal. And you know what else I loved about her? She had her own love of books, her own book blog even! Even memes like Waiting on Wednesday and In My Mailbox were mentioned. It was fun reading about a protagonist who not only readers can relate to, but even more so for bloggers!

I was ensnared within the first chapter and kept flipping through the pages, dying to know what was going to happen. Obsidian was a great read filled with romance, jealousy, danger, and sacrifice. It's honestly one of the most enticing sci-fi novel I've read!

Okay, turns out I actually hate this. Forget what I said before. The paranormal thing just seemed to be thrown in to make it more mainstream and the writing was awkward. The plot went really nowhere and it had way too many similarities to Twilight.

Pages: 299
Series: Lux #1
Genre: Sci-fi/romance
Rating: 2 stars

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads Blurb

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

One spoiler, but come one, like you weren’t expecting it.

Pandemonium, called the “Most Awaited Book of the Year” was absolutely amazing! As the sequel to Delirium, one of my favorite books, I was a bit afraid to read it. I mean, no Alex!? Crazy! It’s just not possible to make Pandemonium as good as Delirium with no Alex! Was I ever wrong. If possible, Pandemonium was even better than Delirium…except for Julian. I absolutely hate Julian.

Lena’s struggling to remove Alex from her memories, but that’s pretty hard to do when she was in love with him. Now, she’s an Invalid. Pretending to be a citizen. A spy! That’s what Lena is now, and there’s no turning back. Especially when in the middle of a ceremony, “Invalids” (the bad ones) raid the place and take her hostage as well as one other person named Julian. And maybe, maybe, she just falls one more time. Life for Lena is getting tougher and harder by the second.

Pandemonium switches between two different times, “then” and “now” and as confusing as it seems, it really wasn’t. The “then” chapters gave you more information on how hard it was for Lena to let Alex go. He was dead. Gone. But I couldn’t help wishing otherwise. I mean, if you’ve read Delirium, you have to love Alex! He was sweet, strong, protective, and definitely sacrificing. Who couldn’t love him? But when he…no. Just no! I was with Lena all along the way as she struggled with the nightmares that came to her, and the memories that haunted her. I loved Lena. She was strong in her own way, she stood up for herself, and she now realizes the lies she had been fed her entire life. In other words, she’s a great heroine. Not one that has always been strong, but someone who learns the hard way, what it really means to love, to fight for it. Seeing (or reading) Lena go back to her society with a new view on things made you realize how blind humans can be when told the right lies at the right times. How as long as we are safe, we won’t care as much.

We meet new characters, Raven, Julian, and really? I didn’t like either of them. Raven, because although she’s been through much, she’s hardened so much that she’s like stone. Barely anything can penetrate the wall she’s built, and no one can go in. Julian because well, Alex! I couldn’t believe it when Lena fell in love with him! It was just…shocking to say the least. The difference between Alex and Lena and Julian and Lena was that now, Lena was the Invalid pretending to be someone else, teaching someone what love truly means instead of Alex.

The writing was as good as Lauren Oliver’s other books. Her writing was like thoughts, a journal, not like someone was actually recording every little thing, smell, touch. It just made Pandemonium more enjoyable. The writing, the plot, it just pulls you in until you can’t breathe, can’t sleep. Lauren Oliver has done it again with Pandemonium and I’m not even sure where she’s going to take Requiem. There are many different directions the story can go. Which one will she pick? With an ending like Pandemonium had, there’s no way that readers will lose interest. It was fast-paced, adventure-filled, and romantic at all the right levels. Some questions will be left unanswered, others will make you gasp or scream. Pandemonium will leave you at the edge of your seat, willing for everything to be okay.

Pages: 375

Series: Delirium #2

Genre: Dystopian/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

"Everything is chaos: hot bodies and panting. There’s an elbow in my chest and thick arms encircling me, choking out my breath."



The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Goodreads Blurb

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

As the only human in a world of vampires, Gene has to be careful. He’s been trained by his father: Don’t be noticed. But now, Gene is on his own, his family either dead or turned, and he needs to tread lightly. One wrong move, word, reaction, and he would be dead in an instant, his blood being sucked out. Then, the worst happens; the Heper Hunt. What happens is that the government had captured humans, feeding them, growing them, until they’re “plump enough”. A few lucky winners will be the hunters and will get to suck the humans’ blood. It’s dangerous enough for Gene, but when he’s picked to be a hunter, things get even more edgy. Worse, Ashley June, someone who may, just might, know, or suspect, Gene’s secret. And the only one that Gene is attracted to, and the one who definitely is attracted to Gene. But she’s hiding a secret of her own. And not to mention the fact that the other winners are starting to suspect his race, making it all the more dangerous. No matter where you look, where you go, all you have to do is be careful.

Half the time when Gene was on the verge of being discovered, I just sat there with my heart pounding in my chest, even though I knew that he wouldn’t be killed. Yet. But it was still scary. I mean, we can relate to Gene in many ways, in ways we relate to anyone. If this world was real, I wouldn’t want to be Gene. It’s creepy, having to be careful about my reactions, my smell, my looks. Ugh, no thanks! It would be terrifying, but Gene is used to this, has been all his life. It’s hard to think of.

The vampires in this story seem different than in other stories. Yes, they drink blood, yes they’re bloodthirsty, yes they can’t go in sunlight, but they don’t have to hide what they are. Most vampire books, the world is dominated by humans, and the vampires have to hide what they are; it’s the humans who hunt the vampires. When people say “a new take on the paranormal world” now, The Hunt is what pops into my mind. The story is wonderfully written, twists and turns at every edge.

It was weird seeing them use “unknown” phrases when they were ones we used every day. I just wanted to jump up and say “I know what it means!” When they did something that seemed unnatural I wanted to shout “That’s what you’re supposed to do!” I smiled and shook my head so much, I’m surprised my head wasn’t stuck that way. I trusted Ashley June until about three fourths in because of a warning issued by a stranger. But we’ve learned in books, that those warnings are the ones you have to listen to, right? So that’s what I was thinking. (Currently, I’m still reading…this is on March 14 so that none of y’all get confused.) I’m still not sure whether or not to trust her.

The anticipation killed me in the “final scene” as they call it. I was in shock! Pure shock. And I was so scared. My mom dropped something and was like “Ah!” And I screamed. Yeah, that’s how creeped out I was! The story is just so written that we can imagine ourselves in Gene’s shoes. Which petrified me throughout the entire book. Especially the last 50 pages or so. And the ending? I fell on the floor and was moaning “I should’ve known! Of course it was him!” And when the book stopped there…kill me! There has to be a second book and I will be the first one in line, guaranteed.

Summary: the Hunt was full of intrigue, anticipation, danger, fear, betrayal, and trust, with just a pinch of romance. It will make your heart pound and shivers go up your spine. Be prepared to read one of the most orignial books of 2012.

Pages: 304
Series: The Hunt #1
Genre: Dystopian/Paranormal/Romance
Rating: 5 stars

“A horrific howl rips up the hallway, a screech that rattles the building. A skittering of noises along the walls. Distant thumps. Another howl, softer but with more anguish.”

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz***

Goodreads Blurb

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.
Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…
After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

This is book two of the Spellbound series and no, I have not posted the review forSpellbound yet. But I decided to post a review on Spellcaster simply because I feel as if book #2 is better the #1. I received this through NetGalley (amazing site!) and was so excited! I’m still not used to receiving eARCs or ARCs in general.  I can’t believe my blog is already 6-7 months old!

Away from nostalgia, Spellcaster made me realize why I loved Cara Lynn’s writing so much. Not only did she create a whole bunch of legends and “spells” that caught my interest. You never really read a lot of stories about witches, you know? I mean, paranormal worlds have been taken over by the one we all know and love/hate: vampires. So reading a book with witches is different because they have advantages that vamps don’t have, and disadvantages that vamps don’t have. It wasn’t disorienting, but you could notice the change in…creature? For me, witches just seem more fun, more human, because really, they are humans. Just with a few gifts. And witches are something you can twist into a “good” or “evil” whereareas vampires, for some reason, always stay “evil”.

I loved the new conflict even better than the old one, where instead of just realizing that she was a witch who had found her soulmate, she had to fight for her soul mate. She had to get used to her powers. She had to learn how to control her gifts. And she had to trick a (quite literally) bloodthirsty witch who was hell-bent on making Emma pay. And all this a new witch has to deal with! Pretty intense. But Emma deals with it, still making time to care for her cousin, to still hide her secret, and deal with Kristin. So maybe emma’s not as kickass as some other characters, but Emma is strong, in her own way. And I think that the way she deals with things is better than how she reacts with things. Emma is definitely badass in her own way.

Reading Spellcaster  takes you to another one of Emma’s past lives, and I think I’m starting to see a pattern here even with only reading two books in the series: (a)We readers will see a short clip of Emma’s past lives through her dreams. (b) There will always be a story in Hadrian’s Medieval Legends that replays in the “present” and (c) Brendan and Emma will always be one of the cutest couples ever. So far, in both books all three have been proven true! Spellcaster was an amazing read that reminded why I first started reading. The thrilling good versus evil fights, the soul mates, the witches, all cliché, but all new in Spellcaster! They say sequels are a disappointment, but are they really? Well, maybe some, but Spellcaster? Not. At. All. If you say differently, please, I do not want to hear it. You can try, but I doubt you’ll convince me.

Pages: 384

Series: Spellbound #2

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 5 stars

"There was just me and her on this roof. And she wasn't going to stop. And if she got her powers back, revenge would be the first order of business. She would kill Brendan. She would take him away from me, away from this world."

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Goodreads Blurb

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone

i got this book from the publisher, thanks to NetGalley, and I am proud to say that Goddess Interrupted was my very first eARC! I had just finished Goddess Test the day I recieved this so the timing was great. Anyhow, on with the review:

As the 2nd book to Goddess Testm many of us readers had high expectations for Goddess interrupted, and I am pleased to say it did not dissapoint. Back from her summer in Greece with James, Kate is expecting Henry to welcome her back with the love she's not so sure is there. But Henry seems distracted, cold, and distant. Soon, Kate starts to doubt his love for her, and with that doubt comes her insecurity. After all, no matter where she goes, she feels like she's second-best in everything, reminded of Persephone, Henry's first wife, wherever she goes. To make matters worse, her coronation ceremony is interrupted by a creature so powerful, it is one of the only things able to kill the gods. And who but Calliope can be in charge of this plan? When Henry gets kidnapped, Kate is willing to do anything to save him, even if it means losing him. Oh, Kate...

Just by reading the prolouge, I felt shaken and worried for everyone in the book. The beginning just hooked you in, making sure that you would get sucked into the story. It was great seeing what the gods acted like when they weren't pretending to be someone else. But I did grow annoyed with henry. Sure, he's expected to be cautious because of Persephone, but he should realize that Kate wants to be there, with him.Of course, he is trying to protect Kate as well, but when Kate doesn't know that, it does seem as if he doesn't care anymore.

Aimee Carter's writing is just as great as in Goddess Test, if not more so. She takes the words of Greek Mytholygy and twists it into a new "history" so that it flows well with the story, backing up every action and detail. Every author has their talents, I guess this is Aimee's.

So my reactions to the story...I pratically ripped my hair out at the aloof scenes between Kate and Henry, screaming in annoyance. I almost cried along with Kate, heartbroken. I cheered, I yelled, I spouted profanities. And the ending? It made me stare at the book for what seemed like years, not believing any of it. It was such a sudden twist that made so much sense!

Goddess Interrupted was fast-paced, but not so much that it was action after action after action. This pace made me turn the pages quicker instead of making me go over each word so that I could understand what was happening. this book has everything we love in a book--Wonderful, descriptive writing, a protagonist we can relate to, a broken heart, action, drama, jealousy, confusion, romance, and a world of unknown.

Pages: 304

Series: Goddess Test #2

Genre: Romance/Greek Mytholygy

Rating: 4 stars

"I had to do this. For Henry’s sake-for my mother’s sake. For my sake. Because in the end, without Henry, I didn’t know who I was anymore.“



Where it Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Goodreads Blurb

Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. but when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.
And Billy's nowhere to be found.
All Gabby wants is to make everything perfect again. But getting her life back isn't difficult, it's impossible. Because nothing is the same, and Gabby's beginning to realize she's missed more than a few danger signs along the way.
It's time for Gabby to face the truth, even if it means everything changes.
Especially if it means everything changes.

So because I'm new to the whole blogging/book reviewing business, I don't receive ARC's. I just have to deal with whatever books I buy from Amazon or Barnes and Nobles, or library books. But, thanks to a certain giveaway on Goodreads, I finally managed to get my hands on Where it Began, which comes out in March. You have NO idea how much I was screaming when I found out...this was basically my face:

O.O

Yeah, basically. Anyways...this book is so similar to Stolen in so many ways, but so different in so many other ways. It warmed my heart. It broke my heart. It made me cry and made me smile. Gabby's the kind of girl who just wants the perfect, the safe, life to live. And so she becomes the picture of perfect and catches the eyes of Billy Nash. Or does she? Because when things are getting tough, when she can't remember anything about the accident that crashed Billy's car and took her memories, he's not there. And he only communicates with her through Instant Messaging. And in public? He's once again the boyfriend of the slu* of the school. But it's just an act, right? To protect her. That's what it is.

As much as I could connect with Gabby, I really didn't like her. She was blind in some situations, desperate in others, hostile when she shouldn't be, and consenting when she should've fought back. These were the things that stuck out, the things that I didn't like much. The things the irritate me. But then, how would you react if what happened to her happened to you? So I can't very well judge Gabby (especially since we were seeing things in her POV).

I can't say I was all-knowing when it came to the ending of the book, but I did suspect a few things. What actually happened though, shocked me out of my mind. It made me think. What happened in that book should never happen to anyone, but that stuff happens almost everyday without us knowing. It makes me think that sometimes the "perfect" life is the "fake" life, that there's not one single person who is perfect in all ways. But that's my philosophical side talking.

To be honest, it wasn't the summary that got my attention. It was the cover. I know, I know, we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but who hasn't? I entered the giveaway, not really expecting to win. But I DID!!! And I am so grateful that I did. So if you see this book in the bookstore and you don't think it sounds that great, read the first few pages, then judge. The blurbs don't always give you the full blow of a book.

Pages: 384
Series: Stand-alone Book
Genre: Realistic/Mystery-ish/Romance-ish

Rating: 5 stars

"Whoever I am, I'm pretty sure I'm not her"

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Goodreads Blurb

Heaven Help Her.

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier’s love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can’t keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth’s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well.

The story that Alexandra Adornetto built in her New York Times-bestselling debut, Halo, comes alive in action-packed and unexpected ways, as angels battle demons, and the power of love is put to the test.

As the sequel toNew York Time's Bestseller, Halo, this book exceed ed all expectations. At only 18, Alexandra has blown away all readers around the world with Halo and continues to do that with Hades, and later on in Heaven, the third (and maybe final) book in the halo series.

In the first book, Bethany Church, an angel, falls in love with Xavier which isn't good to put it bluntly. Jake Thorn, a Prince or Hell, arrives and tries to woo Bethany into his arms and instead gets banished by her brother Gabriel. Ms. Adornetto could've done so many things in Hades, so many different roads to take this story, but this was one I didn't expect. not until I read the blurb that is.

Different from so many paranormal stories, Bethany and her siblings, Ivy abd Gabriel, aren't fallen angels, or Nephilim, but angels straight from up above. This fact itself makes it original (I used to think that angels with halos and giant wings were pretty stupid. Now? Tch. AS IF!) , but Hades makes this tale a legend in the book world. An angel kidnapped by a lovesick demon, and brought to hell. WHO has ever done that before? It's deliciously original.

I loved Bethany. She was weaker than Kaniss, Juliette, Meghan, Nora, all of them. But really, you have to expect that. She's an angel. She isn't that used to the "evils of the world" that we see every day. But the fact that she was one step away from killing herself for just one glimpse of Xavier really did piss me off. I'm all for romance. But desperation for one look? No. Just no.

I loved the description of Hell because it's so much more complex (wait...don't smite me God!) and interesting than a giant lake of lave like so many people imagine. Everyone loves a little flash from the past, so when a certain ghost shows up and gives us a new insight of life, we're all happy!

Alexandra Adornetto somehow adds moral with a romantic fantasy at a young age and inspires so many o fus young writers that we can get published too!

Pages: 424

Series: Halo series #2

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Rating: 4 stars

"You make me feel things, Beth. That´s why you have to stay. Hell´s whole lot brighter with you in it."

Juliet Immortal by Stacy Jay

Goodreads Blurb

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

So many of us readers have read, or at least heard about, the tragic love story Romeo and Juliet. And if you haven't heard about the original play, then at least you know Gnomeo and Juliet, right? Anyways, I absolutely love retellings, or anything that twists a classic piece. If you look at my bookshelf, you'll find many retellings of faery tales!

At first, I have to admit, I was afraid this might ruin my image of Romeo as the most romantic lover, and thank goodness it didn't! Romeo still loved Juliet, just in a sick, twisted sort of way. But besides that fear, I was hooked once I read the blurb above. This story gives you a view of things that you'd have never expected, and if you're a Shakespere fan, I can almost promise that you'll abandon your hopes of finding your own Romeo and look for your own...wait, sorry, almost let out a spoiler! I'm sure you'll want to know though, but nah, you'll just have to read it.

One of my favorite parts of this, is the ending. Usually, I hate finishing a book because the ending always...I don't know, ruins things I guess. But this one I loved. It's so unexpected, so deliciously shocking, and so obvious! I can't believe I missed it, but when I look back, there were so many hints that I didn't catch! The turn of events had me jumping saying "nononononononononono!!!!!!!!!!" And...it still happened. I'mnot happy about that.

What ticked me off,  (come on, you should be used to these by now) was that the results of what happened weren't very...realistic. I keep thinking of what could've happened in this...alternative ending, and I keep liking that ending more and more. What happened wouldn't have happened in "reality"! You don't always get second chances. Another thing was that over and over, Juliet kep thinking, "I can't do this! He's supposed to love someone else! And I can't fall in love!" Which really just got annoying every time she thought it.

But all in all, it was a good book, so...yeah. oh, and watch out for book #2, Romeo Redeemed! I sure will!

Pages:307

Series: Juliet Immortal #1

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Rating: 3 stars

"And I know he is mine. For now, for the rest of our lives, no matter what comes next."