Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Goodreads Blurb

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age. 
Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

Going into this, I wasn't quite sure how I'd feel about it. The reviews I saw were mixed and my friends ranged from hating it to loving it completely. And I'm a mermaid girl, so I was definitely curious.
Before going in though, I was worried and already grimacing a bit. Lo Seavon. Lo SEAvon. And Nerissa Marin. Like Marine?

Oh this would be good. (I just wasn't sure if I'd meant that sarcastically or not when I'd though it.)

So first things first, I was actually a bit...confused by this book. There were a lot of contradicting plot lines that might have had to do with my copy being an ARC, but I digress. More than that, the actions and twists of the book were so...sudden. There was nothing leading up to it, no tension built or anything. The twists just jumped at you from the book and not in a particularly stunning way.

Nerissa...Nerissa wasn't my favorite character in the world of YA. She was whiny and, like Seipo brought up (and promptly apologized for) selfish. She did things however she wanted, pretty much regardless of the consequences and the toll it would take on those around her. She didn't seem to realize what people were sacrificing for her and she was...so naive. She believed that she was strong enough with very little training. She believed that she could take on the one person who managed to kill her powerful father. And she never thought once to suspect the people around her even though there were so many hints about it.
Bringing me to that little bit of information. Nerissa was also behind and oblivious. I figured things out three to ten chapters before her and I found it ridiculous that she herself pointed out things that should've tipped her off, but didn't. And now I wander into the plot discussion.

The pacing was actually quite fun and I loved the action bits, but the entire story was really quite predictable. While there were a few things that surprised me, the largest twist was something I'd seen coming a mile away and was actually pretty cliche and sort of made me want to bang my head on the wall.

And while the plot was pretty decent, the story focused mainly on the romance--insta love. Their relationship was so "electric" and insta lovey I cringed a few times as Nerissa described Lo's eyes as "matching the depths of the ocean" for the hundredth time and couldn't help but laugh every time she tried to deny her feelings for Lo. Which I honestly didn't understand. She didn't have plans to go back to her world, why would admitting she had a crush on him hurt her in any way? It was really ridiculous how much she tried to fight it despite her getting jealous and snapping at him when he talked to another girl for even ten seconds.

What is sort of fascinating, but weird, is that our characters...are not mermaids. No, they're alien water dragon-like creatures who resemble the Loch Ness monster, I'm assuming.That part was actually intriguing, and I do wish we focused more on the other aspects of the story besides Nerissa falling in love with Lo.

Pages: 360

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Series: The Aquarathi #1

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: Oct 29, 2013

Rating: 2 stars

Thin Space by Jody Casella

Goodreads Blurb
Ever since the car accident that killed his twin brother, Marshall Windsor has been consumed with guilt and crippled by secrets of that fateful night. He has only one chance to make amends, to right his wrongs and set things right. He must find a Thin Space—a mythical point where the barrier between this world and the next is thin enough for a person to step through to the other side. 
But, when a new girl moves into the house next door, the same house Marsh is sure holds a thin space, she may be the key—or the unraveling of all his secrets.
As they get closer to finding a thin space—and closer to each other—Marsh must decide once and for all how far he’s willing to go to right the wrongs of the living…and the dead.

Thin Space, while absolutely wonderful and making me tear up at the end, made me have a lot of rather...mixed feelings. It did get off to a rather rough start, but it only got better from there! In fact, I absolutely loved the second half.

The main problem I had in the beginning was Marsh's personality. He was just obsessed with thin spaces, neglecting everything. He was just so desperate and while I understand that it'd be the way anyone would be, it just irritated me. He was such a tool, using Maddie just to get in the house. And then...he just gave up. After all that.
But I absolutely loved Maddie. She was such an easy character to relate to. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up with a dad, but I could definitely identify with her. She was a strong character and I loved her attitude and her perseverance. And, well, she sort of reminded me a little of myself. Just a little.
Both characters were fabulously broken (I feel a bit sadistic here) and I loved reading about them, more about their pasts and, for Marsh, the night that changed everything.

The writing was absolutely gorgeous and I loved the voice of Marsh. It was powerful and it was realistic, bitterness and guilt mixed into a desperate and sad atmosphere. Marsh was sort of an outcast, not that he was trying. He'd basically pulled away from society looking for thin spaces to do one last thing for his brother. It was sort of heartbreaking.

And the plot and pacing was absolutely amazing. I loved how the story progressed and the twists! I was not expecting them at all and I had no idea whether a thin space was just a wish or real in this story. I loved the ending and I teared up a lot (surprisingly!) You can slowly piece together everything from the hints dropped around and the result was...not what I expected.

Thin Space was an enjoyable read that definitely got better as the story progressed! With beautiful prose and flawed characters, it's definitely a great read! While the main character did annoy me, the mysterious atmosphere kept me reading and I ended up loving it!

Pages: 256

Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal (or is it)

Series: Standalone 

Publisher: Beyond Words/Simon Pulse

Release Date: Sep 10, 2013

Rating: 3.5

Ink by Amanda Sun

Goodreads Blurb

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.
Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.
Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

I had two issues with Ink, so I might as well get them over with. First was the romance--it sort of reminded me of Twilight, to be honest. I mean first, there was the insta-love. Katie sees Tomohiro and suddenly can't get him, or the strange things that happen out of her mind. And then, for someone who kept pushing her away because he was "dangerous" (Twilight-ian), Tomo warmed up to Katie pretty quickly. 32% in, Katie realizes she loves him, even though their relationship was short at the point.
The second was Jun. How was Katie not wary of someone who she met at a train station and pops up randomly in all the wrong places? She was so at ease with him and...it was sort of weird.

But after the initial bad start, Ink completely blew me away. I fell in love with our characters and the writing. Or, rather, one character. Tomo was really your typical bad boy and I loved him. So much. What can I say? I love me some YA bad boys! More than that, he didn't try to keep Katie in the dark which was automatically ten points in his favor. When it was inevitable that she would get mixed in, he knew that keeping her in the dark was dangerous. THANK YOU TOMO.
Katie was a...complex sort of character to me. At times, she annoyed me (only a few times! 1/30 I promise), but in the end she always makes the right decision! I couldn't really connect with her, but she was a decent YA heroine!

The plot oh my God I died I am dead it killed me. So much run ons in that! I absolutely adored the plot which completely blew me away. I loved everything--the pacing, the twists, how you never knew who you could trust or what was going on. It was wonderful. Until my heart broke near the end. BROKEN.

The worldbuilding was definitely the strong point of the novel. Both the fantasy world Sun created and the Japan we read. You could tell how well researched Ink was and you really were transported. It's the little details that count, and the author didn't slack on those at all! And the fantasy world, OH, I loved it so so so much! It was fascinating and kind of haunting at the same time--a perfect mix!

Ink was a fantastic read with a world I loved to explore alongside our characters. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a book that'll transport you to other places or to anyone who needs an exciting fantasy/paranormal read!

Pages: 377
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Mythology
Series: Paper Gods #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Rating: 4 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!

Tiger's Destiny by Collen Houck

Goodreads Blurb

With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.  It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all.

Let me start this off with the question that’s been  bugging me since I finished: How. Is. There. A. Fifth. Book?!  I mean, the ending of Tiger’s Destiny pretty much wrapped things up…but I guess we’ll see, right? I’m totally curious. Anyways.

Kelsey annoyed me. I mean, she was not the best MC in the other books, but in Tiger’s Destiny…who cries over killing a tree? And I mean sobbing. And her indecision between Ren and Kishan irritated me as well. I mean, I get that she’s afraid of being with Ren (read it and find out why.), but really? I felt so bad for Kishan throughout the entire book. Even though Kelsey was serious with Kishan, it felt more like she was stringing him along rather than treating him like a boyfriend…I guess the ending didn’t shock me as much as I thought. But…those were only a few moments. She wasn’t as bad most of the time.

Anamika (you’ll find out who that is later!) was another character who just irritated me. She was nothing like you’d expect and, quite frankly, she seemed…bitter. Not like the _____ we know. And that…well that just made it harder to believe that what happened, happened.

The twist was, in all honesty, too sudden. There were very few hints in the last three books that it would happen. And when I reread a few sections of the other books, things didn’t add up. I can’t list examples since it would be a dead giveaway but…the ways that certain characters acted didn’t fit. They really didn’t. But it made me cry (you guys know I’m an emotional reader, but I am so not the only one.) and it was…heartbreaking. I really hate the 5 sacrifices.

Plot wise…it was amazing. Each book has its own element, right? Tiger’s Destiny deals with the remaining two, fire and space/time, which makes Destiny possibly the one book with the most twists and the most surprising details. I guess you could really split Tiger’s Destiny into two separate books, but it wouldn’t be nearly as exciting. I love the way things happened in quick succession, although I admit, sometimes it happened too quickly.

The romance. Oh my God. (Not sure if that’s a good OMG or a bad one.) the romance is a smexy one, but God! I hated Kelsey’s indecision. Like I said, it seemed she was stringing Kishan along, and also Ren. She was technically with Kishan, but didn’t feel much for him. She loved Ren, but wouldn’t be with him. She was naïve, thinking she was protecting them both, when she was basically killing them inside. It was horrible and I still have no idea how Colleen Houck could’ve dragged out the romance, although I admit, it did add some tension to the story.

This fourth installment wrapped things up nicely, so I am a anxious to see how Tiger’s Dream will turn out, and what the story line will be. Almost as amazing as the last three in this epic saga, Tiger’s Destiny clearly showcases Colleen Houck’s classic writing style that has stunned hundreds of fans. If you haven’t started the Tiger’s Saga yet? Start it soon.

Pages: 464

Series: Tiger's Saga #4

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Splinter

Release Date: September 4

Rating: 3.5 --->4 stars

"Please don't die," I whispered."

Mini Freak Out: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Mini FREAK OUT!

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.
But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

So I’m going to have this new feature about once a month I’m going to call “Mini Freak Outs” which may sound like a mini review, which I guess it is, but it’s more like my reactions throughout the book, a one-paragraph review and a rating. That’s it. So my first Mini Freak Out is for…Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff! Sorry if I cuss.

Page 179—Ooooh BEAT DA BITCH!

Page 193—OOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THIS MY FRIENDS, is where the loyalty shifts and the truth is shown. God I sound cheesy. Dang, I'm talking to myself...this is not good...

Page 205—SHIT

Page 211—Oh God, I am HORRIFIED by the Shogun. Seriously. Can i kill him myself?

Page 236—I feel so bad for Buruu...but... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA LOLOL i'd like to see Buruu with that idiot of a guy for 5 minutes too!

Page 238—DUDE THIS SURPRISED ME TOO

Page 239—Lol Hiro is SO CUTE

Page 247—Shit. Shitshithshitshitshitshitshit. SHIT

Page 254—Oh. Oh NO. NONONONONONONO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (You guys. I'm actually screaming this. At midnight.)

Page 268—GAG.

Page 273—Ierwjfdsiocxkmlzcqowiefn. I love Kin. I do. But GOSH Hiro is so much better!

Page 275—*cries*

Page 282—Oh. He's going to do something irrational. Something that's going to kill them all. DAMMIT (edit: Oh...never mind.)

Page 295—Ohhhhh...I KNEW that Hideo would be trouble

Page 305-306—Oh no. *sobs*

Page 307—GOD. NO. PLEASE

Page 311—Yes, yes, and yes.

Page 313—I NEED BOOK 2.

Stormdancer, while a bit slow in the beginning, was a great read! I mean, Japanese steampunk? YES PLEASE. It sounded exactly like my kind of book and I loved the intense feelings that Yukiko, Kin, Buruu, and the rest of the gang…sprouted? Haha, anyways the writing definitely matched everything else—intense, well thought out, and it had that aloof-ish feeling that seemed to match the plot and world. Oh. And Buruu? He’s definitely my favorite. Snarky? Yes. Proud? Yes. Hilarious? Yes. Adorable? He’d kill me, but yes. Caring? Yes. Brotherly? Yes. Best-mythical-creature-ever? Yes.

Original, new, and amazing, Stormdancer is a must-read and a definite pleaser! It made me scream (Did you not read the mini Freak Out above?) and you’ll have so much fun reading it! Anticipation is a normality for this book and anxiety attacks are bound to happen. If you see it in the bookstore, gasp at the cover, grab it, awe over its shininess, and buy it! Although if you don't like steampunk...stay away.