Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Goodreads Blurb

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.
Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.
Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.
The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Oh wow. I got this spectacular book from Shreya at Chocolate Coated Reviews since she is so nice that she sends me any books I want--as long as she rated them 3 stars or less, of course! I'm not that mean.

I'm so glad she decided to give this up. I've absolutely loved this book since page one, when we first meet Liyana, a character I Thoroughly loved! She was a fun character at times, but at her core she was a down-to-earth type with a practicality that shocked me sometimes (okay, most times.) But she was undeniably a strong character who went through a lot of things to get where she ended up. She lost her family and support in one night, discovered it wasn't her fault the next, and over the next few days (weeks?) found a forbidden love, made unlikely friends, discovered that maybe she didn't want to die after all, and lost and gained everything. But did she even falter? Nope. She was who she was and surged ahead to fix everything wrong.

Korbyn was by far my favorite character. He was hilarious at times, but you could tell he had his own dark side. He was definitely out of his comfort zone as a leader, but he took the role steadily and did whatever he could.He was...interesting we'll say, and there were so many layers to him it surprised me to no end.

The romance was...interesting. Needless to say, I was rooting for Korbyn and Liyana (don't you just love their names together? I love their names together) throughout the entire book. And then we get, randomly, we get another surprising (really, really surprising.) love interest. Near the end of the book. I can't quite say how it plays out, but it was both what I expected and what I didn't...I can't explain it any better without ruining it! But let's just say...I was pleased at one thing about the romantic end and not so much about something else. Confusing? Well, read it to see what I mean. You'll see...you'll see...

Did I love the worldbuilding? HECK YES! I'm a recent fan of high fantasy, if you didn't know. As in, I mainly stuck to paranormal. I think Throne of Glass broke that for me...but the world in Vessel was definitely well developed with it's own legends, creations, traditions, and more. I was overwhelmed by each element that came into play while discovering more about this world. Sand wolves, sky serpents, vessels, and more. To say I was sad to let this world go is a definite understatement and I desperately wish there was a sequel, but nope. Though if there ever turns out to be a short story, I'll probably be on it like a sand worm to water!

The thing about Vessel is it can seem a bit repetitive to some people, but I didn't find it that way at all! To me, Vessel was just an amazing high fantasy book that I absolutely loved to no end! It was suspenseful and shocking and the way things happened...it was unbelievable! So I don't know if this is just shock at how it ended, but I'm giving Vessel my 10 star sticker!

Pages: 424
Genre: High Fantasy
Series: Stand alone
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Rating: 10/5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge

HELLO? DID YOU NOT READ THAT ENDING OF PANDEMONIUM?! Oh my goodness, I think I'm going to die if I don't get this soon! I'm excited to finally see how this trilogy plays out, but i'll admit, I'm a bit worried it won't meet my expectations!

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!

All the Broken Pieces Blurb:
What if your life wasn’t your own?

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices
inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles
through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group
while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer,
whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first
time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices
invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out
answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces
of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?


Author Bio:
 Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting
revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person.
Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a
reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She
loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado
(where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three
children.

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Book Haul + Weekly Recap

Okay. So, no books. I know, depressing, and I'm expecting 3 packages! WHERE DID THEY GO?!

The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanne Renee Heiber
Splintered by A.G. Howard
Waiting on Wednesday
Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

DNF Review: Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Tayler

Goodreads Blurb

Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent and the coal is running out.  Plus there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome or is the world still consumed by fire? When one of Wren's friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome’s way of life. But Alex’s final words are haunting. “The sky is blue.”  What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence.

I'm doing a DNF (did not finish) review. It'll be short, since I didn't finish it actually! And while you shouldn't take this at heart, because, after all, I didn't finish the book, these are just a few reasons why I quit the book. For all you know, you may end up completely LOVING this book! 

Sadly, I didn't, no matter how much I really wanted to.

The first thing that hit me when I read the pitch was "Oh! This sounds a lot like City of Ember! Loved that, may as well read this." And I could barely get 10 pages in, honestly. I couldn't connect to the character who, while she seemed nice and selfless, was just...not there for me. 
The writing was another thing. It was written in present terms (ex: "She calls" instead of "She called") and while I usually love that, there was something that I can't quite put my finger on that made it seem awkward. Out of place. I think it was actually a bit choppy, really. And present tense, when not done properly, can get real annoying. I just couldn't...I couldn't go any further than I already was. 
Some of the worldbuilding and happenings actually confused me and I actually had to reread things several times before I realized what was actually going on. 

So, maybe I will give this another try when my TBR has lightened, maybe when I'm in a cheerful mood where I don't analyze every little detail. But the first time around, I just couldn't read this. However, I skipped to the back a bit (I do that sometimes) and it seems the writing improved then than in the beginning, but still. We'll see what happens! I may re-review this, sometime in the future! It does seem to have a lot of potential, but I'm a bit out of patience recently. 

Pages: 320
Series: Ashes Trilogy
Genre: Dystopia/Romance (I'm guessing)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: Nov 13, 2012
Rating: DNFed (Though this may change later in the future)