Nameless by Lili St. Crow

Goodreads Blurb

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.
Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.
New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow thrilled legions of fans with her dark paranormal series Strange Angels. Now she has crafted an evocative update of Snow White, set in a vividly imagined world and populated by unforgettable new characters.

Nameless was so disappointing for me. It sounded absolutely fascinating and I imagined a stunning world filled with intrigue and danger. What I got was actually a pretty typical YA world with shoddy worldbuilding and not much originality. And that was actually one of the better parts.

The writing was super confusing and just horrible. It was all over the place and I was always confused as to what the HECK was going on. The sentences were awkward and choppy at best sometimes and I just wanted to take a red pen to the entire thing. The fact that it was written in third person made it even harder to connect to the story and the character. Then there are several elements mentioned, but we never really understand exactly what the Waste is, what Potential was and why it could be described, etc. We also never really learned much about the world.

Nameless was so slow too. I couldn't get into it at all and it was, as much as I hate to insult, pure willpower that made me finish the book. It didn't get interesting until at least 75% in and I also had only a vague understanding of what was going on.  The last 25% was rather enrapturing, but it didn't make up half of the negative stuff. It was also rather predictable.

Cami was a pretty emotionless character for me, but whiny and not that smart otherwise. She did the most stupid things sometimes and I wanted to whack her over the head. Our other characters weren't so good either, but her friends Ruby and Ellie definitely had more defined personalities than Cami. I also loved how Ruby was the Red Riding Hood in the story and Ellie was Cinderella. Well, I guess we know what the companion novels will be about (I think.)

The romance...was...I'm confused as to whether or not ___ had a romantic attraction because then it'd be incest, but I'm still unsure whether it was romantic or familial. Heh. 

Anyways, I'm on Team Nico (love triangle, yep. Annoying one too) because Tor was just so random. Cami just couldn't stop thinking about Tor, Tor showed up in the most random of places...it was all typical YA. Not to mention a betrayal. somewhere in the love triangle. A predictable one.

Also, what did the apples represent besides the fact that it was a Snow White retelling?

Pages: 304

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy

Series: A Tale of Beauty and Madness #1

Publisher: Razorbill 

Release Date: April 4, 2013

Rating: 1.5--->1

The Beautiful and Cursed by Page Morgan

Goodreads Blurb

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.
In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.
And Grayson has gone missing.
No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.
Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

The Beautiful and Cursed was definitely a book I was looking forward to--Gargoyles? In Paris? With that gorgeous cover? How could I not be intrigued?

Oh the atmosphere! It was haunting and chilling and had an absolutely dark tone to it that I had to fall in love with. It had such a gritty feel to it and was absolutely wonderful. This was so much darker that I thought it'd be! It's mysterious and a bit gory, but completely enticing. The mystery is definitely one of the best parts about the story--and the gargoyles? They added a sense of grim allure that just drew me in. Especially in Paris!

Speaking of gargoyles--hello? Who's written about that before! Learning the lore behind gargoyles was absolutely fascinating and I loved Morgan's twist on these old tales! It did seem a bit typical at first, but that's quickly overlooked by, well, the gargoyles. 

With YA you can make pretty much any creature sexy and enticing, huh?

The plot was definitely one of the better parts of the book! It was shocking and twisted, surprising me until the very end. It's a complicated mess--and we all know those are the best when it comes to the plot! The Beautiful and Cursed was definitely at it's strongest in the second half though! Because that's pretty much where a chain of events unfold and where everything just explodes.

The POVs are something of a nuisance for me. I hate multiple POVs, but I loved Grayson's. It added even more of an air of mystery to our already thickening plot and made everything so much more...interesting. But at the same time, I'm no fan of multiple POVs, and this wasn't really an exception.

Now, I should've stopped and thought about the romance when it said "a devastatingly handsome servant". There were almost 2 love triangles (two and a half? Two halves? Does Chelle count? Vander? Ermm...), one for each sister. And the love interests (besides Luc) weren't my favorite. They seemed a bit bland to me in all honesty, and a bit too typical for a YA love interest. (And there were so many guys, I can't remember all their names!) And the insta love between Luc and Ingrid--that just ruined it completely. There was no support for their romance, no building up of chemistry really. It was just...there.

And I didn't even really understand how these two girls could attract so many guys! Ingrid was definitely my favorite of the sisters, but she seemed to...proper for my taste, though Morgan did a wonderful job of creating the perfect attitude for both of these girls! But I usually like my characters more wild--though Ingrid was still, most definitely kickass. But something about her struck me as annoying.
Gabby definitely struck a nerve. She was so naive and irritating--so impulsive too! I'm not sure if she ever really thought before she acted, but it didn't really seem like it. But I did admire her will to fight and to rescue her brother even in the face of doubt!

Just like the title suggests, this novel is truly beautiful and thrilling to its core. While I didn't completely enjoy it, The Beautiful and Cursed definitely had it's good moments and I'll be sitting here waiting for a sequel!

Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy/Historical
Series: The Dispossessed #1
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Rating: 3.5-->3 stars

Blog Tour: Legacy of the Clockwork Key

It's been a while since I've done a blog tour!

Goodreads Blurb

A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention in this adventure-swept romance set in Victorian London.When a fire consumes Meg’s home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.
Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy. 

I had very, very mixed feelings about Legacy of the Clockwork Key! As much as I wanted to love it, I couldn't really get into it until we're well into it--about halfway maybe?

My biggest issues with the book: the main character and the romance. 

But in order to understand why Meg was such a big issue, I'll start with the romance: It was basically insta-love at it's finest. Will is supposed to be cold and dangerous, but somehow he warms up to Meg almost immediately and suddenly he's risking almost everything for her--after knowing her for only two weeks. That's where I started to cringe a bit. And then, suddenly, Will is using the l-word after one kiss, and maybe three weeks of knowing her, tops. When done right, I'll fall in love with the romance, but the way it was written just irked me.

Bringing me to Meg. She was...well. She acted like a DID (Damsel in Distress) throughout the first 75% of the book until suddenly becoming a half-decent character. She's described as clever and witty, but in all honesty, it felt like she was more reliant and dependent than anything else. She was so easy to trust someone and maybe that's okay, but what definitely annoyed me was how she was (mostly) always right: she would get a "bad feeling" about this character and then "In my heart, I knew(...)", etc. She trusted basic strangers when there was a murderer out there! What's also annoying is that she almost killed herself, Lucinda, and Will because she was jealous and wanted to prove something--then had the nerve to say it wasn't her fault! Oh, my rage monster is rising!

But this was a clever book at least. One clue led to another and I was surprised by how complicated these machines seemed to be--and how familiar others were. Night vision goggles, a hidden passage behind a bookshelf, and a few others were invented--a century before though! The Amusementists were definitely clever people and I loved how Meg's grandfather laid out clues so nicely--and convenient. Her grandfather really thought of everything! 

I loved the dialect that was so convincing. It definitely felt like I was back in the Victorian era and I loved seeing all these plot twists just jump out at you. The ending was what really shocked me even though I'm pretty sure I should've expected it. It's a fantastic book that's creative in the most subtle ways.

I'd recommend this for people who are just getting into steampunk since it introduces you to the world nicely (this is probably only my second steampunk book!) and isn't as confusing as some of the steampunks sound! 

Pages: 403

Genre: Steampunk

Series: Secret Order of Modern Amusements #1

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: March 5, 2013

Rating: 2.5--->3 stars

Author Bio

Kristin Bailey grew up in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid she enjoyed visiting the beach, camping and skiing with her two brothers. 

Now she is a military wife and mother of two young children. She is also terrible about spoiling her pets. She has one fluffy mutt, two cats who think they own the world, and a fish tank with some really plump little fish and a pair of snails who are secretly ninja assassins. 
In the course of her adventures, she has worked as a zookeeper, balloon artist, and substitute teacher. Now she enjoys writing books for teens who enjoy mystery and adventure as much as she does. 

Find Her
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The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter

Goodreads Blurb

Love or life.

Henry or their child.

The end of her family or the end of the world.

Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

Is it possible to have a book blow away your expectations but be disappointing at the same time? Because The Goddess Inheritance was.

But let's work our way up. Why was it disappointing? Kate, Kate, Kate. She was such an annoying character in Goddess Inheritance. While I can understand her situation, she just wasn't the same fearless heroine we had in the last two books, though that may be because of Milo. But I just couldn't grasp how different and weak she was, how dependent she was, and that irritated me to no end. She was so...ugh. She always thought she could help with something, and ended up messing everything up. She thought she knew everything and then she knew nothing at all. She would be so angry at her friends then it turns out the reasons wasn't plausible. In short she was naive, irritating, useless, and weak. I wanted to throttle her so much. However...

I still loveloveloved how the original Greek gods could be portrayed in these modern people who know the going ons! Carter did a perfect job of transferring old fashioned stuffy gods into still stuffy modern people who represented their...realms? Well. The worldbuilding was wonderful guys! and we finally got to see Olympus and more of the Underworld! As creepy as it seems, I love seeing how an author writes the Underworld/afterlife. They're all completely different and completely filled with imagination! 

Psh, as if this book could be slow in any way! There were barely any breaks between the action scenes or the ginormous twists or the sweet little baby scenes. So I say "as if!" to anyone who even suggests that the plot was disappointing and slow. It really wasn't. It really, really wasn't. I think that's all I can say! But don't worry, it's not done in a way that just throws information at you, promise!

What else, what else? Everything else was just so wonderful already. Except for the romance, which irritated me since this time around, I didn't really feela s if Kate deserved Henry. No, it has nothing to do with Henry himself! Him with the baby was too cute for words!

Pages: 384
Series: Goddess Test #3
Genre: Greek Mythology/Romance
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Release Date: February 26
Rating: 3.5 -->4 stars

Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum

Goodreads Blurb

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us.

Only a few escaped the robot revolution of 2071. Kevin, Nick, and Cass are lucky —they live with their parents in a secret human community in the woods. Then their village is detected and wiped out. Hopeful that other survivors have been captured by bots, the teens risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world—by infiltrating a city controlled by their greatest enemies.

Revolution 19 is a cinematic thriller unlike anything else. With a dynamic cast of characters, this surefire blockbuster has everything teen readers want—action, drama, mystery, and romance. Written by debut novelist Gregg Rosenblum, this gripping story shouldn’t be missed.

Just got to say, THANK YOU Eileen for convincing me to get the ARC before preordering. Oh Thank God. And Eileen.

Not to say this was completely bad, it just wasn't for me. You guys know I try to find as many good things as possible, but everything was...less than average. Not completely bad, but...not that good which I'm completely depressed about--this used to be one of my most awaited books. The premise you guys! Killer robots! 

First things first: Characters. Wow did I want to facepalm. Nick was completely reckless and hypocritical, Kevin was just too under-self-confident, and Cass was just deluded sometimes. They all got each other in life threatening situations and I gave them FIVE total chances to redeem themselves, but nothing prominent really happened...I ended up just marking them up as annoying turned almost average characters, but I really feel like they were...flat. They were just boring characters who I read about in 3rd person. Maybe if it'd been done in 1st person, it would've been better...?

The killer robots were...well, less killer, more robot. They didn't seem like the heartless creatures who destroyed everything in their path like I thought (and hoped for). The only time they seemed as creepy as I hoped was in Nick's Re-education time which was basically the only main plot point I liked, possibly loved! I mean, sure chips in your neck tracing your every move and robots everywhere can be scary...if it's written right, and I guess...Revolution 19 just wasn't. Using other books, instead of a wasteland along the lines of The Immortal Rules,  it was more like Matched--a society where each move was tracked and not that severe punishments for any infractions. I was...disappointed to find that the robots were actually ruling an almost civilized world. They were more...bullies on the playground than Terminator material.

Yeah, I'm in a simile mood. English got to me.

Plot wise this book was lacking throughout most of the novel. Only the last 50 pages or so had exciting action and twists (that were slightly predictable) and the pages before had me completely bored. I finished this book through sheer will, honestly, and it may have taken me three days to read this (2 days longer than normal) to finish this since I err...fell asleep. Though that could also have something to do with it being midnight. But the action? Lacking in that area, and I'm sorely disappointed. 

Anyone looking for romance, not here. Go. SHOO! There was a little bit (which ha, you could totally see coming. It was adorable!) of romance and I found the couples absolutely cute! (Though the fact that they admitted their feelings right before they thought they were going to die...) Lexi and Nick vs. Cass and Farryn. Cass and Farryn were so much better, especially in that last scene! I swear I squealed!

Also, for a book that's apparently a stand alone, I'm in desperate need of an actual ending. No offense, but I'm not an open ended person. I need CLOSURE. Sure, I can be fine with it, but...what happens to their parents? What happens to their friends? What about that Epilogue?! 

So even though it sounds like I absolutely hated this, it did slightly redeem itself in the end, and I just didn't get that vibe to give it 2 stars or lower. I'm sticking to exactly 2.5. And you guys! My .5s are special.

Pages: 272

Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopia

Series: Stand alone (I think?)

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: January 8, 2013

Rating: 2.5

Mini Freak Out: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Mini Freak Out

Goodreads Blurb

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.
She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.
She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong.
In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Beforehand, I'd just like to say that I don't have many annotations in the beginning of the book because I was more than a few pages into the book and the end? I was too caught up in the book to notice that I needed to annotate! So sorry bout that! But it is a thick book so you'll see enough of my craziness anyways!

Page 43: (This after I read the whole thing) Man...that should've tipped me off...

Page 45: PSH. Do you really want to be left alone? Now?

Page 52: NO DOUBT.

Page 57: Psh. Punch him in the face? You also want to suck his face. Right, right, AM I RIGHT MARA.

Page 67: Oooohhh Shizzler Twizzlers.

Page 71: WTF. WTF. WTF. I AM BEING CREEPED OUT.

Page 73: WHAT IS THIS.

Page 84: Ermmm...ok. Totally normal.

Page 90: Holy F...what is this. This is a creepy book. Like, really.

Page 92: I have. No. Words. For you. Michelle Hodkin.

Page 98: O_O Really now.

Page 108: (Same as the first) WOW. That really should've tipped me off.

Page 114: ADFNSLCKNASDFKJNLEKFNC. YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS. YOU CAN'T BE.

Page 118: I am so scared. I am so scared. I am so not freaked out. 

Page 121: Oh. My. God. *mind blank*

Page 124-125: OMG MICHELLE HODKIN. I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS. DO YOU KNOW HOW FREAKED OUT I AM ABOUT DOLLS? EVEN WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I STUFFED THEM IN DRAWERS. THIS IS NOT ALLOWED.

Page 126: And thus I shall punch him for being so mean to ME. 

Page 127: Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod. Iamscarediamscarediamscared HIDE ME.

Page 133: MARA, I thought we figured this out already!

Page 151: Heheheheheh.

Page 153: Hmmm...please don't delve into THIS kind of paranormal! I love Mara Dyer's brand of it by itself!

Page 159: MEEP.

Page 160: OMG HEY. THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED BEFORE IN 2011! A murder of crows fell from the sky at once with no explanation? WOAH.

Page 164: It feels wrong to be writing a reaction here...

Page 177: JUST A NIGHTMARE? I DON'T THINK SO.

Page 178: Blood? Blood isn't good. Also, WTF, this is SERIOUSLY CREEPY.

Page 181: What. The. Freaking. Hell.

Page 190: What. The. Freaking. Hell. WHAT.

Page 203: HURRY. NO. WHAT IS IT. TELL ME.

Page 241: This is going to a whole new level on creepy.

Page 248: Mara, connect the freaking dots. please. PLEASE.

Page 256: I like Stef. :)

Page 267: Ummm, yeah Mara. My reaction too. Holy Shit.

Page 273: LOLOL

Page 286: Do you know how perfect this setting is for a stalker, a creeper, and a murderer?

Page 292: What. What. What.

Page 207: Mara, you dirty minded girl! ;D

Page 315: *keels over and dies*

Page 321: O_______O

Page 369: WHAT IS THIS. OMG. SDHCNASKNAIERJWPENF. NO WORDS.

Page 382: What. The. Hell.

And the rest? Oh my GOD I was so intrigued! 

I absolutely love psychological thrillers, but especially The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, so getting this in the mail? There was much squeeing. The action never stops from page 1 to the last page (Wow. Just realized this was over 500 pages!) and that is saying something! I was engaged throughout the entire book and I could barely put it down! Double the greatness of Unbecoming, The Evolution of Mara Dyer raises the stakes higher and it makes you realize how creepy and cruel both Mara's world and ours are. Anything we can't explain, we write it off as craziness? That's seriously not right. And I loved how Noah and Mara's personalities just clashed so wonderfully! Honestly, they were rarely on the same page at the same level and when they were, I just missed it when they were completely different! The way that Michelle Hodkin brings them together, not only with their powers, but with their own feelings? It made me throw up my hands and as "How does she do that?" Did I also say how creepy this book was? I'm already scared of dolls! Increase that fear by a ton now!

The only think I didn't enjoy about Evolution was the characters. Honestly, Mara was way too dependent on Noah for my liking. She was always leaning on him, waiting for him, and I sometimes found it pitiful, no matter how sweet I found their romance. Noah was sometimes too cynical and we honestly didn't get to see much development for his character, though what we did see? *Whistles* Wow. Two other characters I seriously wanted to strangle? Mara's mom and Phoebe. When you read The Evolution, you'll see why.

Pages: 544

Series: Mara Dyer #2

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Romance

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release Date: October 23, 2012

Rating: 4 stars

Exiled by M.R. Merrick

Goodreads Blurb

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped. 
Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret. 
In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

So, here I am, giving another indie book another try. Why? Because this time, almost everyone I knew read and loved this! And thank goodness, I liked it too! While it wasn't the best I've ever read, Exiled was definitely a good read that was riveting and exciting!

It's been a while since I've read something that was truly paranormal and I'm glad to finally ease back into it once and for all! Exiled holds vampires, shifters, witches, trolls, goblins, other dimensions, goddesses...basically the whole thing! I'd usually say that that was pretty stupid and I usually dislike most books like that, but Exiled mixed all the species into one giant storyline that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

The plot was completely action packed since you'd find Chase either attacking/being attacked by demons, on some crazy mission, or something along the lines of impossible. And because of it, Exiled was a thrilling read that kept you reading until the end. It was an action packed read that was fast paced throughout the entire book without stop. If there's one thing that stood out about Exiled, it was that this book was all action, no breaks or slow pacing anywhere! Sadly, though, the plot was predictable and I wasn't surprised by any of the twists.

But I was insanely irritated by Chase himself, always thinking he was all that. Whenever he thought he could help or when he thought he knew everything, he just messed every-freaking-thing up and I wanted to punch him SO BAD. Whenever he went to be the hero, he always put someone in danger. He was just idiotic, impulsive, immature, and I hope to never encounter a character this annoying again.

As for romance, no I don't think there was any. Rayna and Chase actually almost killed each other at first, but I got annoyed at Chase SO much. He was feeling all these compulsive emotions towards Rayna and I don't think he even considered the fact that he liked her. Ugh. 

Pages: 264

Series: The Protectors #1

Genre: Paranormal

Publisher: Self published

Release Date: April 12, 2012

Rating: 3 stars

Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

Goodreads Blurb

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers. 
While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

So I decided instead of writing another badly written review in my short amount of time, I'd write another joint review except less...messy than before. All white writing will be Eileen and all neon blue will be me! I basically replied to Eileen's review and she replied, then I did, etc.

Lullaby wasn't what I expected it to be. The plot that I expected was there, but I didn't expect to be that blown away by the story. I'm not that big a fan of mermaid books, I've found, but I really loved this one.

Trust me, it wasn't what I expected either. :P Same for the plot (boring for me)...and I'm a giant fan! Have you READ Of Poseidon or Monstrous Beauty? But that's probably why I didn't like this one. Compared to other mermaid books, this was kind of disappointing...not to say it was bad!

I read Of Poseidon and also really loved it! That was probably one of the exceptions, but I haven’t read many intense mermaid books so maybe that’s what I was really drawn to it.

Right?! It was amazing. :) And hmmm...maybe. I've read about mermaids since I was little and knew about their bloodthirsty legends since I was like, 6. So I guess it just depends on whether or not you've read about them or not! 

The only mermaid book I ever read when I was six was The Little Mermaid. HA.

 | Dang...I was a messed up kid.

Lullaby begins right where Wake left off, and Harper is stopping at nothing to find her sister, Gemma. From missing posters to blogs to calls to anything you could think of, Harper's got her hands full. She preoccupies herself so completely with finding Gemma that she has to sacrifice things that she really wants to do. The loyalty I found from Harper was so admirable and it really enforced that family dynamic that was present in Wake. Harper would do literally anything to keep Gemma safe and sound, even if it meant risking her own life in order to do so, which I thought was not only extremely noble but it reminds you of how much siblings can love each other.

I'll admit that her loyalty was pretty sweet, but I was so annoyed because Harper was like...ugh. I hated how she didn't think about anything else and while that could be thought as sweet, I just felt as if she didn't care about anything else and…I just can't put this right! But I wanted to smack her. Of course, this may have something to do with me not wanting her to find Gemma.

I can see where you’re coming from, but if you’re kid sibling disappeared, you knew that she had run away, and you knew that who she was staying with was pure evil, would you be like, “Oh hey, I have a lead on my sister! No, it can wait, I’m going to go get a smoothie”? Personally, if my younger brother disappeared in that fashion I probably wouldn’t have been as calm.

True, but I'm more talking about her own life. I liked how Daniel put it. You have to move on. Not saying give up, but I felt like she should've concentrated, just a LITTLE more, on her own life. To me, she sort of felt like a Gemma-finding robot sometimes. 

Image: “I must find Gemma. Gemma is my leader.” *robotic moving arms*

Once again, Daniel didn't fail to make me laugh. He was obviously extremely devoted to Harper and trying everyday to help and take care of her, while convincing her that he wasn't the "loser" he was when Harper first ran into Daniel, which, let me say, was an equally hilarious and mortifying situation. Lullaby's secondary characters were probably my favorite part out of the entire novel. Harper's best friend Marcy was snarky but caring underneath her constant remarks, and one of the sirens Thea was supportive and helped Gemma through her phase as she was transitioning into a blood-thirsty siren.

Another reason I didn't like Harper. She was so annoying when it came to Daniel! He just wanted to be there and help and she just...she was like "deny deny deny." And SO TRUE! The secondary characters, in my opinion, were so much better than the main ones.

Okay, I agree. Harper kind of irked me at times with the “I’m trying to keep you safe, don’t talk to me anymore” speech, but it was kind of endearing how she tried to make sure nobody else got involved, although for Daniel it was kind of too late for that.

See? And I guess, though I felt it was more of an "I don't want people to think I'm crazy" kind of thing sometimes, you know?

Gemma herself also had a heart of gold. She always tried to do the right thing and she rarely ever let her hunger win and get the best of her. She was imperfectly perfect, in a way that made my heart ache for her but at the same time I was cheering her on, because Gemma had some fight in her. She was persistent, aggressive, and loved Harper just as much as Harper loved Gemma. Everything Gemma did was for Harper and to make sure she stayed safe, as well as the rest of her family and other people she loved.

I LOVED GEMMA. Erase my last comment! I agree with all of that! I loved seeing how Gemma would transform into her siren abilities and I think that was my favorite part. But I think she did it partly for herself. Trying to avoid the hunger, but making the best of it? She seemed to enjoy some of her powers. SOME of them.

RIGHT? I think she was such a refreshing character and when she was turning into a full-fledged siren it was absolutely fascinating to read!

YES! I loved her transformation so I was so disappointed when she was found. Honestly, this may sound evil, but I kept waiting for Penn to come and get her back. The ending? Not my favorite. (P.S. WHAT WAS GEMMA THINKING? It was sweet, but not very...smart. We must talk about my questions later.)

Yeah it wasn’t really smart of her. Kind of impulsive, but also a little sacrificial and I was like, “Aw, sad feelings.”

Yeah....but I sort of focused on the not smart/impulsive. I was in a bad mood at that scene. 

While I wouldn't recommend this to people who don't like mermaid books, to people who have had a fairly good track record with them, check this one out. The unique spin on the classic siren tale, making it more gruesome than most people remember, will hook you, and then the characters and the hilarious dialogue will take over after. Not only will you fall in love with Gemma and Harper, you will leave Lullaby feeling equal love for every secondary character: Alex, Daniel, Thea, etc.

Complete opposite here. I wouldn't recommend it for people who love reading about mermaids since it sort of fell flat for me. On the other hand people who aren't used to mermaids? This would be the perfect introduction to them! I loved the spin on it definitely, but I would've liked to see more to it. More siren parts, less Harper searching parts.

Hmm possibly. I could see someone who wants to ease into the mermaid genre to start with this one, seeing as it is kind of more of the characterization and less of sirens.

Yeps! I'd definitely recommend it for someone who wants to save best for last!

From heartwarming characters to a unique plot, Lullaby will touch you in its "tail" (Get it? No?) about family, love, and loyalty. Any mermaid fan or Amanda Hocking fan will love this story.

#Punny. ;P

Why thank you!

Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

Goodreads Blurb

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.

I was...a bit disappointed by Princess of the Silver Woods. Not to say it wasn't good! Just...not what I expected and not in a good way.

I was just blown away by the other two books in the series: Princess of Glass and Princess of the Midnight Ball, so I had high hopes for this one! But then...it fell flat, and I just didn't love it the way I loved the other two. I'm not sure if it was simply because I haven't read the other two in a while, so my impression faded, or it just wasn't written as well, or what. But there were a few disappointing things, though there were TONS of things I still loved!

The character's (or rather, Oliver and Petunia) personalities irked me a bit. Petunia wasn't as likeable (in my opinion) as Rose or Poppy. She didn't really had her own distinguished personality, but acted more like Poppy, then a little bit of Rose. I think I would've liked it more if Petunia was...less her sisters and more her, although I get that she had to be a strong heroine or we'd be complaining about her damsel-in-distress -ness.

Oliver...well, this is an interesting case. I had a pretty love/hate relationship and this was one of the things I was a bit let down by. I thought Oliver would be fierce or have one of those cold/smug attitudes. Actually, I was hoping for that. It would've fit the Red Riding Hood story and the Robin Hood story as well, in my opinion. 

I also felt as if the characters hadn't been very well developed. And while I get it, I mean duh. 12 princesses and their husbands/beaus? But Petunia and Oliver...well, even with my complaints about them, they weren't very well developed, I'm afraid.

The plot was...twisty at times, predictable at others, and a tad redundant. (the redundance being the "Oh! She's one of the Nine Princesses of Rashka (that's the name right)). There were so many things I didn't expect, others I did. I knew something was wrong with the Grand Duchess and her son (it even hints so in the synopsis), but I didn't know what would happen. And that was one of the most surprising things. 

And that ending? Definitely the best part of the entire book. It was basically where you were at the edge of your seat, wanting to know what happened, your eyes scanning the page quickly. So the plot definitely earns some points!

The romance was...too insta-lovey for my tastes. So Petunia and Oliver met when Oliver attacks Petunia's carriage, and Petunia holds a gun to his face. And then they fall in love? It was just out of the blue and too sudden. 

Not to mention, I kept wanting Petunia to end up with one of the antagonists, her own prince, Kistalin (heh. Probably got the wrong name!). I've always actually liked the princes. ALL OF THEM, except whoever's currently King Under Stone. Because, seriously. Having that title is like a drug. It sucks the life out of you. So while I knew it wasn't going to happen, I kept rooting for Petunia to fall in love with her (literally) prince, even if he was evil. And couldn't go in the sun. And tried to capture her forever and ever. 

The world building is always my favorite thing in Jessica Day George's books! It's so vivid and fresh and I loved being back in Under Stone (I have no idea if that's what it's called? I forgot! But I dub thee Under Stone if it isn't already). I love how George can seamlessly weave two very different faery tales into one, and still have it all make sense, in the way that makes you think "OF COURSE!". And I love the worldbuilding and storytelling because the world matches the original's descriptions, just giving the items/places different meanings and the storytelling really just merges two fairy tales and, like I said, pretty much makes you feel stupid for not seeing the connection before!

P.S. I have written this at 1 A.M. so if there are any redundant phrases, confusing sentences, or just weirdness, I'm sorry!

Pages: 336

Series: Princess #3

Genre: Retelling/Romance/Fantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Rating: 3 stars