Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Goodreads Blurb

Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape--both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.
The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths--and she's about to live them both.
Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted.
Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...

Oh my dear God, I can not tell you guys how much I loved this book. I was a bit wary going into it since I'd just broken a book slump, but I loved Suzanne Young's Program, so I thought why not?
And Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young are an absolutely brilliant writing pair--I honestly hope they write more books together. I will officially read anything by them.

"It's just...the point is yeah, we're fated to live a certain life. But it's not like we're being mind controlled or anything."

The thing about this book is that it can be ruined by the smallest thing. Having two stories with the same cast of characters is going to be hard, but I feel like our authors pulled it off beautifully. The story, or stories, are just so wonderful and sad, and they left an ache in my heart. I loved how it all circled back to only one ending and how amazing that ending was. I loved how we got to finally see the two outcomes of one choice, and how just one decision changed the course of her life. And I loved how, in both versions, you still adore the characters, and you still get the meaning of it all.

"There's a little thing called free will."

I feel like the stories would've been stunning on their own, but with both, it just enhances the read and makes everything so much more...hopeful. Beautiful. Amazing. It's a fascinating way to tell a story, to tell a story twice, and I couldn't help buy laugh and cry at certain parts, when one version of the story paralleled with the other, when we meet old characters for the first time again, and when you realize what's finally happening.

"(...) we have freedom to make mistakes. (...) I'm saying that our mistakes--one mistake or many of them--don't define us. They don't derail us."

Just Like Fate is about so many things. It's about coping with loss, it's about running away or facing your mistakes. It's about familial and romantic love, and it's about figuring out which road you should take. But most of all, it's about fate.
The way Caroline interacted with some of the other characters broke my heart and other times, they made me laugh. Her relationship with so many of the characters were so real, despite a few being rushed. They were real characters with real feelings and you couldn't help but love them all, in the end.

"But hopefully having learned something from our stumbles..."

Just Like Fate is one I have to recommend to everyone. It's a story that's both heart wrenching and hopeful, one that's filled with grief and love, and one that will touch you in that rare way only a book can.

"...Having grown into better people because of them."

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Stand-alone

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: Aug 27, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Once We Were by Kat Zhang

Goodreads Blurb

"I'm lucky just to be alive"
Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.
Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.
Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

I was definitely excited to read Once We Were since there was such a cool setup for it in What's Left of Me, but I ran into a lot of the same problems I had in book one.

The plot, while there were explosions, rebellions, and secret meetings at midnight, still seemed a bit dull to me. I got bored easily, mainly because instead of focusing more on the plot line, we seemed to focus more on Eva's relationship with those around her, similar to how What's Left of Me was written. Not to say I didn't love it, but I do wish we had more twists. The last 20% of the book was pretty action packed though, with a twist or two I really didn't expect!

Eva annoyed me about 75% of the book. She was just so selfish and didn't seem to think about how others felt about her actions. She also seemed a bit naive and very...eager to please, I guess. It's understandable, what with her just recently being able to control her body, but it still irritated me to no ends.
What I found funny was that even though Eva was supposed to be the recessive soul, she was more fiery and more determined than our soft-spoken Addie who seemed to follow Eva's lead. I loved their relationship though, and how they were closer than sisters. They didn't always agree with each other, and yes, they fought, but don't all siblings? It was fun seeing their relationship grow and seeing them grow as characters too.

The writing is something I absolutely have to point out because it was just beautiful. It's absolutely gorgeous prose with stunning descriptions that I loved! And while I didn't love Once We Were as much as I'd have liked to, there's no denying that Kat Zhang wrote a sequel that was even better than the first!

I absolutely love the romance because guys. Ryan. I just love him so much and I ship Ryan and Eva to the end of time. That is all.

Fans of What's Left of Me will definitely love Once We Were, an even beautifully written sequel that surprises you in the end with it's twists and gives you a deeper look inside Eva and Addie's relationship. I'll definitely be continuing the series and I can't wait to see what's next for our characters!

Pages: 352

Genre: Dystopian

Series: What's Left of Me #2

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: Sep 17, 2013

Rating: 3.5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday

Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.
Even when she isn't sure what to say.
Even when Olivia misses months of school.
Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.
The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.
In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

OH MY GAWD. THIS BOOK SOUNDS SO HEARTBREAKING AND JUST MY KIND OF BOOK. I especially like the part where she falls for her friend's crush because I'm mean like that. This book really does sound absolutely heartbreaking though and I can't wait to read this! <3 I feel like I'm going to be needing a box of tissues for this! I've been aching for a heartbreaking read lately!

Blackout by Robison Wells

Goodreads Blurb

Laura and Alec are trained terrorists.
Jack and Aubrey are high school students.
There was no reason for them to ever meet.
But now, a mysterious virus is spreading throughout America, infecting teenagers with impossible powers. And these four are about to find their lives intertwined in a complex web of deception, loyalty, and catastrophic danger—where one wrong choice could trigger an explosion that ends it all.

Blackout was a bit disappointing, I'll admit, but it was still a good read! 

A couple of chapters into the book, all teens are being collected by the army and tested for the Erebus virus, a virus that seems to alter a teen's brain growth and give them supernatural powers, some useless, some dangerous, but each with the risk of other disease-like symptoms such as fatigue, kidney failure, brittle bones, etc. And...that's really all we learn about the virus. The basics. As a person who holds worldbuilding above pretty much anything else, I was disappointed by the fact that we don't learn much more about this virus. I suspect we'll learn more in the sequel, but this first book felt more like an introduction most of the book until the halfway point.

Because that's where things get kickass. This book made me think "Crap" way too many times and there were so many times I wanted to crush something. And I mean that in a good way. Wells definitely built the suspense, but the subplots were so quickly resolved that it got a bit annoying and there were definitely a lot of filler chapters that didn't seem to add anything, though that may just be because this book seemed to flash by in 2 seconds! It was definitely an intriguing plot, though, that neatly sets the scene for the sequel which is definitely going to be amazing. I can just feel it.

I'm not a giant fan of the 2+ switching POV kind of books, and I'm afraid this was no exception. While each character clearly had a distinct personality, but we never really got to know the characters that well because of the switching POV and the third person view. It was one of the better 2+ POV books I've read, though, and I loved to read from Aubrey's view the best! Plus? Her power was super cool.

The romance was also a bit..quick considering Aubrey had "betrayed" Jack before and the fact that they fell back into their old rhythm in only a day wasn't very...believable. 

But Blackout sounds perfect for people who've read and loved Robison Wells's Variant series! It wasn't a favorite of mine, but it was definitely an entertaining read that was a fun adventure! 

Pages: 352

Genre: Apocalyptic/Sci-fi

Series: Blackout #1

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: Oct. 1, 2013

Rating: 3.5 

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney

Goodreads Blurb

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage…and her duty to uphold it.
The Dark Knight meets Cinder in this gripping and cinematic story of heartbreak and revenge. From Alloy Entertainment, this inventive new superhero story is sure to captivate any reader.

The Brokenhearted isn't one I would really recommend and, quite honestly. Which really disappoints me since The Brokenhearted was one of my most anticipated books of 2013. And the cover was gorgeous, not to mention--superhero ballerina? Yes please! Unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations at all.

Anthem was a very...irritating character. She was naive, impulsive, and didn't really think about the consequences of her actions. I couldn't relate to her at all and couldn't get over the fact that she was so...gah. I wanted to smack her around pretty much the entire book. She was a weak character who basically cried, whined, and screwed up for about 3/4 of the book.

And this was pure insta love at its finest. After exactly one meeting, Anthem couldn't stop thinking about Gavin. And when they meet for the second time, Anthem basically spills everything about her life to him, despite the fact that she's never told anyone else about them. I basically pulled my hair out at that point, and it was pretty early on. The rest of the book, she's pining for Gavin despite knowing him for only maybe...a week? Two?
Also, there was a love triangle.

There was absolutely, or at least, barely, any worldbuilding. I was confused over exactly where we were or when we were. Was it steampunk? Dystopian? A completely different world? And what exactly caused the South Side to become so desperate with such a (admittedly brilliant) gritty atmosphere? We don't know and we don't learn.
On the subject of worldbuilding, I'm confused as to how a bionic heart would change her appearance and make her gorgeous. Or give her super speed/strength and healing. It was never explained why she got all these powers, but it obviously had something to do with her heart--but...how?

As for the plot, I really don't think much else happens besides Anthem crying and whining until 3/4 into the book where she finally decides to do something about the criminals. Then it got pretty kickass and I loved seeing her in action. The twist was rather predictable, if not unique, but I guessed it maybe a quarter in. But the end? It was absolutely cliffhanging and I think I may end up reading the sequel anyways!

Disappointing, I honestly cant' say I enjoyed this book, though it does have a decent setup for a sequel so I may read that just to find out what happens. Who knows? Maybe my questions will be answered then!

Pages: 336

Genre: Steampunk (?)

Series: Brokenhearted #1 

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: Oct 8, 2013

Rating: 1.5

Week of a Fiction Freak

HEY GUYS! Sorry I didn't do a book haul last week, but I was super busy with 8th grade which is actually quite a lot more work than 7th. And? There is so much drama going around in my little circle (not so little circle) of friends. SO MUCH. It's quite interesting. 

ALSO I GOT AUTOAPPROVED FOR HARPER ON EDELWEISS! Unfortunately, I don't have much time for eARCs besides the ones I already requested, so I can't go on an Edelweiss binge. TOO BAD

AND?! I GOT QUOTED IN A BOOK Y'ALL

Anyways I couldn't find time to do a blog, so here are all the books I've gotten in the last 5 weeks:

Bought/Preordered

Deception by C.J. Redwine

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (SIGNED)

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Review

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (ARC)

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake (Hardback)

Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray (ARC)

Deception by C.J. Redwine (ARC)

Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White (x2 ARC)

Radiant Sky by Jocelyn Davies (ARC)

Hideous Love by Stephanie Hemppill (ARC)

Blackout by Robison Wells (ARC)

Twinmaker by Sean Williams (ARC)

Unhinged by A.G. Howard (ARC)

Death and the Girl He Loves by Darynda Jones (Paperback)

Parasite by Mira Grant (x2 hardback)

Afterparty by Ann Stampler (x2 ARC)

Desert Tales by Melissa Marr

Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney (Hardback)

eARCs

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

Perfect Lies by Kiersten White 

The Last Forever by Deb Caletti

Broken by CJ Lyons

Gifted/Won

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Nil by Lynne Matson