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

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Goodreads Blurb
Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

While I'd enjoyed Something Strange and Deadly, I wasn't exactly fangirling crazily about it. But, you guys, I think I just fell in love with the series.

The writing is enthralling and captures the atmosphere brilliantly. The world is vividly described and wonderfully imagined and you can't help but be drawn into this steampunk-ish zombie-filled world! The worldbuilding is absolutely genius and incredibly creative. We delve more into the paranormal aspect of the world than we did in Something Strange, and I loved learning more about Eleanor's necromancy powers and about the "spirit realm".

The plot was completely unpredictable for me and I had no clue what was going to happen next! I was shocked one chapter after another and absolutely giddy with excitement. I finished this in just under two hours in the middle of the night (and no it wasn't a good idea) and almost immediately wished for the third book. Because the ending? Oh my God. 

My heart absolutely ached for Eleanor, but I couldn't help but become a little irritated by her. I hated how much she kept hidden and how she seemed to trust Oliver more than she trusted the Spirit Hunters despite barely knowing Oliver. She lied to her friends a dozen times and I just wanted to shake her!
As for Oliver, I'm not quite sure if I love him or hate him. He's witty and I love how he seems to care for Eleanor, but at the same time, I love the Spirit Hunters and hated how much he despised them.

I absolutely love Daniel and I couldn't help but want to shove him and Eleanor together. I giggled at their interactions (or wanted to gasp and cry.) and wished that they would talk for a minute or two! The romance isn't a big part of the story, but there was enough in it that sated the romantic in me (and the fangirl besides.) And the last chapter? Well, let's just say my feelings erupted.

A Darkness Strange and Lovely is an absolutely breathtaking sequel to Something Strange and Deadly, and even more amazing than the first! It made me fall in love with the series and with Susan Dennard's work and you can bet I'm anxiously awaiting the third book!

Pages: 416

Genre: Steampunk/Paranormal

Series: Something Strange and Deadly #2

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: July 23, 2013

Rating: 4.5-->4 stars

Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Goodreads Blurb

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.
The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

First, I must squeal for one paragraph. I am sorry.

OMG. THIS WAS SO....ACK!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT AN ARC OF THIS. AND HOW GOOD THIS IS. WOW. THE WAY THIS WAS...ACK. BE STILL, MY HEART. THIS IS SO AMAZING.

That was like 1% of it, but I thought I'd better get on with the review, yeah?

Okay, I absolutely have to acknowledge the romance in this. The action and the rebellion were amazing of course, but the romance! Ash and Natalie and Elijah...and Giselle, but she appears and disappears quickly. (Thank God!) My heart broke so many times for Ash and Natalie. There's a giant twist that just changes everything between all of them, and I swear my heart dropped all the way through the Earth and made a beeline for China. I just...can't imagine. Natalie and Ash are so devoted to each other, every few pages I had to stop and smack a friend on the arm (whoever was closest to me. They can prove it.) and squeal! It was just so amazing, the way you could clearly see how in love they were. It's like a less messed up Romeo and Juliet! And Elijah. Elijah. How could you?!

Like I said, the action was definitely amazing itself. What Black City lacked, Phoenix definitely made up for it! There was definitely a lot more moving around than in Black City and there was definitely a lot more danger--and that's saying something! With President Rose a looming threat and both Sentry, Lupines, and citizens looking for them, Ash and Natalie were definitely in a fix. And yet, they somehow managed to survive it...until a giant betrayal I could never have expected!

Bringing me to another thing. There were a lot of betrayals I couldn't imagine, but with their lives' on the line, I guess some people forget to be selfless! But the first betrayal was a bit predictable. The second? Well. I think I may have died on the spot!
Phoenix was a book that while, at first was a bit slow, but quickly went uphill after the first few chapters or so! It's pacing was brilliant and I absolutely adored it!

Definitely not experiencing Sequel Syndrome or anything like that, Phoenix definitely surpassed my expectations and definitely beat Black City in the long run! Anyone who loved Black City will definitely adore this! Just like it's first book though, it's definitely one of those dystopias that the word dystopia perfectly describes!

Pages: 368
Genre: Dystopia/Romance
Series: Black City #2
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Rating: 5 stars

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Goodreads Blurb

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

(When I use the word mad in this review, I mean mad as in crazy. Not anger. I repeat, crazy, not anger)

Splintered is a gorgeous retelling of one of my favorite classics, Alice in Wonderland, and I'm thrilled to say, it did not disappoint!  

I can't think of one other Alice retelling (Apparently, Alice in Zombieland is less Alice and more Zombieland!), so when I heard about a debut novel that was focused on Alice in Wonderland, I was both excited and wary! Most retellings I've read haven't done the original justice, but when the Splintered cover was release? I was a goner. It was just gorgeous and has that mad look about it and fits the books so wonderfully! So I decided to let go of doubts and requested!

Thank God I did! Once I started, I was hooked! While the beginning was a little slow, once the crazy things started happening, you'll become simply mad. Splintered was, in a word, stunning. I hate it when retellings erase parts of the original story to fit their plot, pretending like that original was never written. Seeing a book that used the original as a platform? Psh, there's one star already! I loved that A.G. Howard made our main character the daughter of Alice (she is, isn't she?) to explain the craziness and curse that seems to run through her family. 

I loved the "misinterpretations" of the original Alice story! Of course they wouldn't be entirely accurate. After all, Alice was just a kid when she went back home, right? Kids wouldn't want to remember all the dark and twisted things. So the "mistakes" weren't very far fetched, one of those "passed through generations" things that's getting a bit old. That was definitely some imagination on the author's part!

And of course, A.G. Howard had to have a lot of imagination. From the White Rabbit (My mistake! I meant, RABID WHITE.) to Twiddledee and Twilldum (Or rather, Sister Two and Sister One) to the seriously creeptastic flowers. That eat aphids. And humans. And somehow, A.G. manages to make them all seem madly sane and fitting the story so perfectly. Suddenly, this classic book isn't a fictional story: it's a guide. And that? That was just MAD.

As for the love interests, I can't decide who's team I'm on? Leaning towards Morpheus, the sneaky boy who lures Alyssa to wonderland, but loving Jeb, Alyssa's real world crush. They're both such amazing guys, this is possiblythe only time I couldn't decide who's team I was on! Morpheus was just sneaky and smirky with too many dark secrets to hide, but he was just torn apart on the inside. Basically, my favorite kind of fictional guy! Jeb was just...he was just adorable. He gave up so much for Alyssa and I just wanted to cuddle him throughout the book! Except, the end. The end, I wanted to knock him over with a giant flamingo-mallet and shove Alyssa towards Morpheus. But anyways.

one of the best things about Splintered was seeing our old friends: the Cheshire Cat, the *cough* Wise Caterpillar, the Twiddle Twins, and so many more! This one definitely met my expectations and I can't wait to grab a sequel! Because I'm telling you, there had BETTER be a sequel!

Splintered was imaginative and creative and was an absolutely stunning retelling of Alice in Wonderland and a mind blowing debut. With vivid worldbuilding, gorgeously written characters, and a plot as twisted as Wonderland itself, Howard brings to life a world that already haunted our imaginations! 

Pages: 384

Series: Standalone (NOT FOR LONG I hope!)

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Amulet Books

Release Date: January 1, 2013

Rating: 10/5 stars

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

Goodreads Blurb

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.
In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.
But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

I’ve got tons of mixed feelings about this book. Well, al lot of good feelings and one bad. Still!

The bad? Mira. I was so annoyed by Mira! She was supposedly shy and followed other people’s rules, but throughout the entire book, she was the complete opposite.  She was reckless and ignored every warning thrown at her. And you can’t call her naïve either. She knew exactly what she was getting into. But oooh, she thought she was different than others, right? Yeah. Yeah.

And she always, always, got defensive when she was told to stay away and snapped at everyone, even Layla. The sweetest person on Earth! She didn’t wonder why?

Now, I adored all the other characters, even the ones mentioned once! Freddie, Jewel, Layla, Rafe, Henley, Viv, Caspian, Will, and especially Blue and Felix! Each of them played their part in their fairy tales well, without trying to. It was so cool seeing them play out their parts in a more modern way, of course! I couldn’t find any reason to hate them at all! They were cursed, they couldn’t help it and even if they could, they were all so awesome!

Okay, I strongly disliked the romance. There was a sort of love triangle, but Mira was really only focused on Felix. Why I didn’t like them as a couple? I basically summed it up in my dislike paragraph of Mira, but it was also super fast. And what annoyed me was that Mira seemed to fall for him because of his good looks and what he did for her. I mean, didn’t she think there was some ulterior motive? But even I have to admit, it was super sweet what Felix did for her!

As for Blue and Mira…(ROMANCE SPOILER) I hated that Mira only seemed to choose Blue when Felix was out of the picture. I mean, there were a few…stray glances here and there but they both made sure to show their hate for each other.  (OVER)

But both of them were insanely sweet! If, you know, Mira was a better character, I’d probably had loved both relationships. After all, with two hot guys like that, it’s kind of a given!

Plot wise…nothing really happened much during the first part of the book. It was mainly Mira getting information and tightening bonds with her newfound friends. And honestly, I didn’t mind. It was actually pretty fun seeing how Mira interacted with them and how she reacted with more and more info, not to mention learning what was going on myself. The second half is where things spin out of control. Fairy tales within fairy tales, curses awakening, etc. It was madness! The good kind, of course.

World-building, I loved! The fairy tales come to life thing actually made a lot of sense (you know, if faeries were real. And if curses were.) They were well thought out and didn’t leave any holes for confusion. The only small thing I didn’t get was: why were they confined to one small town? But it did make everything infinitely more interesting!

I’d definitely pick this up if you’re a fantasy lover and are more…compassionate toward what characters are going through. After all, tons of people loved Mira’s stubbornness, but I guess I wasn’t one of them! If you grew up reading fairy tales, you have to read this! It mixes in every fairy tale, focusing on Sleeping Beauty, but it was awesome that Mira wasn’t really waiting around for her Prince to show up. That may be the only good part of her! But yeah. It’s definitely an enticing book for every Disney/Grimm fan! Just, don’t be prepared for a happy ending.

Pages: 336

Series: Standalone

Genre: retelling/Romance/Fantasy

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Release Date: April 10, 2012

Rating: 3 stars