Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Mar 18, 2014

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? 
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most? 

(Review is marked with the slight snark stamp)

Let me be totally honest here--I was unbelievably excited for Side Effects May Vary. I was ecstatic when I got a review copy. I was practically in love with the synopsis before I ever saw the cover. And then it went ahead and, well, disappointed me.

Side Effects went off with a bang, I'll give it that, but things slowly started to go downhill from there.

The absolute first thing that irritated me was Alice. She was, frankly, a huge bitch and I couldn't see why anyone would like her. Sympathize, yes. But like? That was sort of a stretch for me.
She was a bitch to everyone around her and I'm not surprised she didn't have friends. I mean, I guess you could call her "flawed", but that didn't really excuse her for all the terrible things she did. (Yes, I know Luke was terrible and that Celeste and Mindi were terrible to you, but seriously? Then again they did some pretty extreme stuff too.) I think Harvey and his friends were the only decent teen characters in this book, in all honesty, and his friends didn't even really seem that well written.

Harvey, I'm not sure if I loved or what, though I'm leaning towards love. He was sweet, adorable, caring, and undeniably real. I loved that he actually tried to get past his love for Alice instead of pining after her like some lovesick puppy, but the thing is...he sort of just let her walk all over him and just sort of adored her for it. He would never stay angry at her, and while that was sweet, it just felt so weak of him to do that, but can you argue with a man in (puppy) love?

Another thing I wasn't really happy with, but didn't mind so much, was the way the story was told with alternating "Then" and "Now" chapters. Typically, I'm okay with that. In fact, I love it. But there was not set rhythm to them and we'd have maybe five "Then" chapters and two "Now" chapters or something, along with two POVs.

But, you know, as bad as I think I make it sound, Side Effects May Vary wasn't a completely terrible book, and I actually liked some of it. Alice did have her good and kind moments, though they were rare, but those parts redeemed her, if only a little. The story itself though was amazing and heartwarming and there were so many bits of it that just sort of stuck with  me--I just couldn't really get over Alice herself and the way Harvey just let himself be used.

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Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Pages: 352

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: Jan 7, 2014

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

Being Sloane Jacobs was definitely high on my TBR, especially since Meant to Be managed to get to my Favorites of 2012. And having the covers match? Score!
The premise definitely excited me--a YA version of the Parent Trap? Please! And I have always been one for these contemporaries that have a dramatic flair.

Being Sloane Jacobs didn't disappoint! At first, I felt a bit iffy about it--what are the chances of meeting someone with the exact same name and looks similar to you, has family problems, and ice skates too? But that's the thing about books like this--you can't help but fall in love with them, even with all their improbabilities.

To be honest, I wasn't exactly the biggest fans of these two girls. Sloane Devon seemed to judge to quickly, one of those "Shoot now, ask questions later" kind of people and Sloane Emily seemed a bit cliche in her rich-girl-with-problems situation. And yet, there's something about them that grows on you and makes you love them throughout the story. We get to see them develop as a character, seeing them out of their comfort zone, but still making the best of it. They were so different, dealing with their own problems, their own secrets, but they were still the same--wanting to forget themselves and live another life.

But, to me, the romance is my favorite part. Being Sloane Jacobs wasn't by any means focused on the romance, but really. Who can resist two swoony guys?
While we didn't really get the full story on them, they were still adorably wonderful. We had Matt, Sloane Emily's love interest, who was a player-turned-sweet kind of guy who was surprisingly romantic and unbelievably adorable.
Nando, Sloane Devon's blast from the past, had that mysterious thing going on and it was clear that he had a thing for our tomboy turned girly! He was just as adorable, really, and how he acted around Sloane? Squeals!
My only complaint was that both romances were a bit underdeveloped and that our love interests were lacking and not entirely written well.

But honestly, we can't forget the writing. Morrill's writing style is brilliant and that's pretty much all I have to say about that! For someone who usually dislikes dual POV, I enjoyed how the author split the scenes and how she would perfectly keep us hanging without making the cutoff seem too abrupt.
And oh, the hilarity! I loved the humor in the book and I honestly LOL'd so many times I'm pretty sure my stomach hurt at the end of the day!

Being Sloane Jacobs was a pretty fantastic read that had me falling in love with the characters--and falling out of my chair! Morrill has a way with words that makes you giggle too many times than any human should be allowed to and makes your heart ache. While there were a few things I didn't exactly like, I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a light read that'll cheer you right up!

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These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Pages: 374

Genre: Sci-fi/Romance

Series: Starbound #3

Publisher:Disney Hyperion

Release Date: Dec 10, 2013

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever? Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

I got These Broken Stars a little after release, and by then people were fawning over it, talking about how much they loved it, how amazing it was so suffice to say, I had high expectations. Very high expectations. So high I screwed studyimg for finals and read it instead.

And you know what? I loved it. Right from the start I loved it and it broke my slump of starting 8 books and finishing none of them. That's how amazing These Broken Stars was. Plus, that cover! 

So I actually have no idea how to start this review. It's always hardest to write about a book you loved, I guess? But let's start with characters. 
I adored Lilac as a character. She was brilliant character who was completely amazing throughout the entire book. She was smart, witty, and was willing to do what she could. She pretended to be the flighty heiress everything thought she'd be, but her reasons for doing so was heartbreaking and I actually felt heartbroken by page twenty. She was a character I could sympathize with and it's amazing that Lilac went through some character growth without losing my admiration. 
Tarver was swoony. Can I leave it at that? Fine. He was sweet and swoony and amazing and swoony and I loved him and his swooniness. In all seriousness though, Tarver was just as brilliant as Lilac, though more street smart than book smart, and it showed. I loved how caring he was towards Lilac and how badass he was, though not without his vulnerability. 

The romance was swoon worthy, but I think I've already used that word too much. I'm always a fan of hate/love relationship which is definitely how their relationship seemed when they crashed. I adored how they first met though, although it did seem a bit insta lovey, but the romance after that was entirely amazing. And I actually loved the insta love part of it too, surprisingly. I'm pretty sure there's a meme that's like "True love is when you take care of each other even if you're angry." or something like that and it definitely applies to the book. Also? Let me just say that I couldn't contain my squeals (and screams) at all. 

The worldbuilding and the vivid descriptions were a giant part of the novel and the science part was...mind blowing and just...brilliant. It was amazing, the things behind the whispers, behind the mysterious terraformed planet and it's definitely a creative, if not somewhat original, idea. 

These Broken Stars is, at it's core, a survival story and I loved that. I never knew watching people walk could be so fascinating. Of course, that's not all that happens. There was a mystery on the edges of the book and you couldn't help but get enraptured, wondering, dying to know what was happening, what was causing this or that, whether they were going crazy, or if there really was something...other.
What I think I loved the most was that our characters reached the conclusion before we did, which is actually pretty hard to do. And it wasn't just some wild leap, there was actually evidence to back it up and it was...interesting, seeing where we'd be taken next.

These Broken Stars is, perhaps, one of my favorite sci-fi books out there and I can't wait to read book two, which I'm hoping will at least have a Lilac or Tarver cameo! (It has to guys, it has to.) Heartbreaking and awe inspiring, These Broken Stars is just one that'll have to  make it to the top of your TBR, no matter how towering it already is!

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Cutting Room Floor by Dawn Klehr

Goodreads Blurb

Behind-the-scenes secrets could turn deadly for Desmond and Riley
Life in the Heights has never been easy for seventeen-year-old Riley Frost, but when she's publicly dumped and outed at the same time, she becomes an immediate social outcast at her high school. So Riley swears off romance and throws herself into solving the shocking murder of her favorite teacher, Ms. Dunn.
Riley turns to her best friend, budding filmmaker Desmond Brandt, for help. What she doesn't know is that Dez has been secretly directing her life, blackmailing her friends, and hoping his manipulations will make her love him. When his schemes go too far, Dez's web of lies threatens to destroy both of their lives.

Cutting Room Floor sounding amazing and thrilling, but I ended up having a lot of rather conflicted feelings about it.

I loved that Riley seemed confused about herself and her wants, something that teens go through, and in the process also making her a rather relatable character. She was still trying to find herself and know who she was and that made her feel real, but beyond her confusion, Riley really wasn't an...ideal character.
She decided to accuse and avoid her supposed best friend (besides Dez) based on a random video and, despite all her friend's evidence against Dez, always ridiculed and laughed against any accusations against him. She never tried to ask why someone broke up with her either, something I found a) unrealistic or b) stupid. It irritated me that she was so susceptible to Dez's lies and never really thought that hey, maybe there was something Dez was hiding.

Dez was an interesting character. His mind was complex and twisted--definitely a well written character! I could never really trust his POV because of his obsession with Rye and how he viewed anyone even remotely close to her. While I didn't understand his actions (actually, some of them disgusted me) he honestly seemed to think it was for Rye. I guess he really did love her, but the fact that he basically isolated her annoyed me. He did at least know it was wrong, but I felt like that took away from his twisted mind which would've honestly made things a lot more interesting. Instead it made him seem like a sort of pathetic stalker, but I did sympathize with him.

The way Klehr wrote the book was also amazing. At the beginning of every other chapter (i.e. Dez's POV) we would be introduced to the chapter like a script and it fit the book so well! It made the reading experience so much better and how it didn't overdo the details too much.

The mystery was definitely interesting, but it was overshadowed by the blackmailing Dez had going on. A few of our questions are still left unanswered by the end, but I can't deny that it was a thrilling read! While the mystery wasn't that quick paced, the drama made everything the more enthralling and I loved it. I didn't really expect the ending, though, so points for twists!

Fast paced and a quick read, Cutting Room Floor was a great read although I did have a few issues with it! If you like mystery thrillers, you may like this one, but I think it's more for the psychological thriller fans out there!

Pages: 336

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: Oct 8

Rating: 3.5

Blog Tour: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

Hey guys! Super excited to be on this tour! I loved it so much! After my review, I have a mini interview for you! (And a giveaway of course!)

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Review
Can we just say right off the bat that Kendare Blake is a literary goddess? She has a way with words that just makes you fall in love with her novels, and Antigoddess is no exception.

Usually, as y'all know, I'm not a fan of multiple POV's, especially when it's third person, but Blake manages to pull it off with two kickbutt characters--both not (quite) human and both in dangerous situations. Athena and Cassandra are such different characters, but you can't help but fall in love with them, even as they opposed each other for a short time.

And the fun thing about dual POVs?

Dual romances.

We all know this author can write swoony romances and she does it again in Antigoddess! While Athena's story doesn't focus much on the romance, you can't deny that Odysseus (yes, that Odysseus) and Athena's dynamic isn't brilliant. Athena seems to melt whenever her hero (literally, since she's his patron goddess) is near and Odysseus is so absolutely loyal and sweet around Athena. Plus, I always did like those kind of snarky love interests! He seemed to love Athena for a while too, and it broke my heart whenever she pulled away.

As for Cassandra, well, I can't really say anything about that (spoilers, m'dears!), but let's just say that their relationship made me squeal, smile, giggle, and cry. Emphasis on cry.

Blake did a brilliant job bringing the gods and goddesses of legend to YA form and it was always amazing seeing our weary characters slip into their more powerful personas. And, as sadistic as it sounds, I did love the irony in how each god was dying...as much as it hurt my heart.

While there wasn't as much worldbuilding as I'd hoped, what was there was absolutely enchanting and her penchant for horror definitely played a role in some of the creepy crawly bumps in the night. Like most Greek mythology based books, things seem to revolve around the Trojan War and seeing the characters' flashbacks was exciting since I always did love new takes on it!

The plot was thrilling and I, honestly, got chills at times. There wasn't a slow moment and it was a never ending battle of trying to be a step ahead of someone who's already winning the game. Seeing it from Athena and Cassandra's perspective only made things all the more exciting and I couldn't help but be sucked into the story! If I have to say only one thing about this book, it's that it never let's you down!

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. Kendare Blake is a genius with her words, weaving them into an un-putdown-able novel that'll keep you anxious for ages. She raised expectations with her name alone and delivered it all in one pretty package! It's amazing how brilliant this story is and I honestly can't stop recommending it!

Recommended for fans of Anna Dress in Blood (because Kendare Blake, y'all) and Starcrossed!

Pages: 333 

Genre: Fantasy/Mythology

Series: Goddess Wars #1

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: Sep 10, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

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Fiction Freak: If you were to die in some ironic, morbid way, how would it be?

Kendare Blake: Ironic? Electrocuted by my keyboard? Or perhaps if I was murdered and came back as a murderous ghost, and then Cas murdered me. Or maybe if I died by getting a feather stabbed through my eye.

FF: Suppose you were a Greek goddess--what would you be the goddess of/what existing goddess would you be?

KB: I would be Athena. Or at least I would be friends with her. She’s always seemed the coolest. But if I could invent a goddess of dairy products and hamburgers, I would be that.

FF: How was writing Antigoddess different from writing Anna Dressed in Blood--and whose situation would you rather be stuck in?

KB: I would rather live through ANTIGODDESS, I think. It’s more on the road, and big, big strong hero types. No wait. I would rather go on the road with Cas. No wait. Don’t make me choose.

Antigoddess was definitely harder to write until I figured out how to tell the story and what the story was.

FF: What did you like better--writing about ghosts and exorcism or Greek gods that died in morbid ways?

KB: I don’t know which I liked better…I love them both!

FF: If you would pick one place where the world would end, where would it be?

KB: Well, it should start inside the checkout line at WalMart. That should definitely end first.

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Antigoddess Blurb
The Goddess War begins in Antigoddess, the first installment of the new series by acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Kendare Blake.
Old Gods never die…
Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.
Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god. 
These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning. 
Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out. 
Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.
The Goddess War is about to begin.

Author Bio

Kendare Blake is an import from South Korea who was raised in the United States by caucasian parents. You know, that old chestnut. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Ithaca College and a Master’s degree in Writing from Middlesex University in London. She brakes for animals, the largest of which was a deer, which sadly didn’t make it, and the smallest of which was a mouse, which did, but it took forever. Amongst her likes are Greek Mythology, rare red meat and veganism. She also enjoys girls who can think with the boys like Ayn Rand, and boys who scare the morality into people, like Bret Easton Ellis.

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Deception by C.J. Redwine

Goodreads Blurb
Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.


But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive. 
In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

Defiance wasn't my favorite book last year, but oh my God this sequel. It absolutely blew my mind and I was breathless the entire time, my heart pounding.

I absolutely, most definitely have to mention the atmosphere of the book. Redwine perfectly captures that feeling of desperation and despair in this world and in our characters. It's stunning how much feeling she could capture in a few subtle word choices and I loved how absolutely heartbreaking the atmosphere fear was, in that morbid way we readers have.

I loved our characters. They were both absolutely badass, but in completely different ways. Rachel was more impulsive and risky, wanting vengeance more than anything, and desperate enough to sacrifice almost anything to get it. She's a character you have to sympathize and it just broke my heart, seeing how torn up she was. Her stubborness and recklessnes sometimes made me want to hit her, but it's one of her many flaws, and made her an even more brilliant character.
Logan is as quick witted and smart as before, but he's now in charge of about 200 people, and you can see it's toll. He's loyal, fair, and almost always knows exactly what to do and what the rational decision is. He brings reason to the table and tries to see the best in others, which goodness knows their group needs.

The plot was just...no. Several things just broke my heart in two and I teared up a lot. Let's just say that C.J. Redwine has no qualms of killing off some of our favorite characters. Or killing our inner fangirls.
Deception is filled with action and twists with murderers and traitors mixed in. While I didn't see the major twist, it was obvious after the first half who the killer was...but I couldn't help but hurt a little when I realized I was right.

Guys, I'm still unsure whether this is more of a fantasy or a dystopian, so I shall call it fantopian. It was great seeing more of how the city-states were and pure fun seeing little bits of our world scattered in the ruins. The author has a talent for the worldbuilding, mixing science with that fantastical feeling!

The romance, or more like Logan and Rachel's relationship, played a giant role in the book. They depend on each other--they're all they have left and every time one of them got hurt, my heart was in my throat, wondering how the other would react. They trusted each other and it was absolutely beautiful how much they loved each other.

An absolutely heart capturing sequel, Deception is an absolutely breathtaking follow up to Defiance. Action packed and threaded with a desperate atmosphere, this book takes you on a wild ride, thrusting you in a world of survival and false hopes.

Pages: 460

Genre: Fantasy/Dystopian

Series: Defiance #2

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Aug 27, 2013

Rating: 5 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!

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Goodreads Blurb

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:
Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.
Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.
Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.
Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Ermmm...wow. That was really my reaction after reading it. WOW. Falling Kingdoms...it wasn't...wasn't what I expected at all. And I say that with 90% all the love in the world. Because the other 10%? It was a bit hesitant. Let me just say, that as the last and final Breathless Read, it didn't let me down, though it wasn't quite as good. But then, I haven't been a fan of 3rd person multiple POVs, so that probably has something to do with it!

And, I'm just saying, the Breathless Reads? I can now fully confirm--all of them will leave you breathless. There is no doubt.

So like I said, I am not a big fan of multiple POVs, especially not 3rd person. The characters are usually not well developed and while the characters weren't completely underdeveloped, they did fall a little under the line. The only really developed character, in my opinion, was Cleo and only because most of the book was from her perspective. But from what I gathered...

Cleo: Cleo was, by far, one of my favorite characters. She acts like a whiny princess at first, because after all, she was raised as one. But when she witnesses the murder of a wine seller's son (killed by her fiance, actually) she's plagued with guilt and it turns out she's a lot less whiny and spoiled than she seemed at first glance. And when her beloved sister gets sick, she turns out to be stronger than anything we expected. She defies her father, travels into enemy lands, all to look for magical healing seeds. Does it sound naive? Yes. But the fact that she'd do things she's definitely not comfortable with, all for her sister?  I loved her. 

Magnus: Can I pretty please kill him? I really wanted to rip my hair out whenever we got to Magnus' chapter. He was just...ugh. He was always thinking about Lucia, which I mean, I get. he's in love with her and wants to protect her and I loved that about her! But did he really just have to kiss her like that? I was expecting him to tell her first, then tell her his feelings, then kiss her. And I think I would've liked it a lot more if he did that. And he was so surprised when (SPOILER) she rejected him, I actually felt a little sad for him, but when he becomes cruel? Well. But then, I'm also a bit biased since he's Cleo's captor and basically her enemy. Not my favorite character in the least.

Jonas: Jonas is the brother of the guy who was brutally murdered by Cleo's fiance, and he's bent on revenge. He wants them to go through his pain or kill them, though the latter one sounds better to him. And he's...well, I couldn't blame him for trying to kill Cleo. She stood by while her companion killed his brother in front of him. But I was a bit disappointed in him for taking that route. But characters are only characteristically human!

Lucia: She's an important character, the "Chosen One" as it may be, and a very powerful sorceress--one who can wield all four elements. But we actually didn't read from her perspective for more than...two chapters? Three? It was just a bit disappointing since I was expecting more magic and practice from her. 

The plot though was...wow. It was seriously quick and action packed. Epic/High Fantasy is usually like that, but...wow. Falling Kingdom's plot was definitely more complicated and quick than I thought (for such a thick book) os plot-wise, Falling Kingdoms completely, utterly, destroyed my expectations for the plot. It was fun, a bit gory and bloody, full of betrayals, war, strategy, and more! 

There's a revolution brewing, a war to be fought and so much more and honestly? Let me say that the plot is the one thing that kept me reading the book. I just wanted to know what happened, but I refused to read the end (no matter how many times my friends told me too!) And that ending, by the way? I need the sequel now!

Worldbuilding? LOVED. I loved the magic, the legends, the goddesses, the whole thing! I loved the three kingdoms, how different they were, how the royal families operated. (Backstabbing mainly.) I absolutely love High Fantasy because of the worldbuilding, actually. It's fascinating, seeing what kind of world an author can create with only her mind and no restrictions! And Morgan Rhodes? She created one of my favorites. It was just a lush world (at least, Auranos is/was.) and the descriptions were detailed enough that we could clearly picture it all, without being boring and monotonous. I absolutely loved the legend of the Watcher and the goddesses and the magic! It was why I was a tad disappointed that we just didn't get to see more of it!

The romance was definitely iffy for me. There was this giant triangle (rectangle?) that was Cleo and her love interests: Nic, Theon, and (possibly?) Jonas. Nic is the boy next door, basically. Her best friend and always there for her, Cleo's never considered him as more than a friend, but when he shows sudden interest, she's a bit...caught in the middle. (SPOILER HERE) Theon was the guy I was actually rooting for, because I mean, come on, a guard and a forbidden love? What more can a reader ask for? But the thing is...when Cleo finally kissed him? He got killed about 5 pages later. And I. Wanted. To. Cry. But I was in school. But the fact remains--I absolutely hated that when Cleo, my favorite character, finally got with my favorite love interest...he died. I'm not sure if this is changed in the final copy, or not. I hope so! Then there was Jonas, and he didn't really show interest besides the fact that she was beautiful, but all us readers know that there's sure to be something between them later on. Right? Right.

Then there was Magnus and Lucia. One couple I was not rooting for, actually. It was just...weird how Magnus could be so cruel as to kiss her first then information-dump her. not necessarily cruel, but you get my drift. Long story short? Magnus holds an unrequited love for Lucia, and we're not quite sure if Lucia feels the same way later in the book. She cares for him, she admits, but we're not sure if it's a sibling-love or a romantic love.

Summary?

Pick this up! There were a few holes in the writing I didn't like, but honestly? I enjoyed the read! The plot definitely lived up to it's title as "Breathless Rebellion" and I think it's definitely worthy to be a Breathless Read! Any reader of High Fantasy will devour this in a blast and they'll love it for sure! There's a lot to be found in Falling Kingdoms! Because, in the end, who will fall? Aren't you curious?

Pages: 412

Series: Falling Kingdoms #1

Genre: High Fantasy

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Rating: 4.5--->4 stars