The Book that Made Briana Flail

I Remember You

by Cathleen Davitt Bell

Expected Publication Date: February 10th, 2015

Source: Liberty Bay Books

Form/Edition: Paperback ARC

Lucas and Juliet couldn’t be more different from each other. But from the moment Lucas sees Juliet, he swears he remembers their first kiss. Their first dance. Their first fight. He even knows what’s going to happen between them—not because he can predict the future, but because he claims to have already lived it.

Juliet doesn’t know whether to be afraid for herself or for Lucas. As Lucas’s memories occur more frequently, they also grow more ominous. All Juliet wants is to keep Lucas safe with her. But how do you hold on to someone you love in the present when they've begun slipping away from you in the future?

The romance of this book is just like it looks on the cover. It is dramatic and sweet and practically made me ache with the rawness of it. I was so excited because there were actual relationship problems that the couples had to work through, and for once a YA book showed relationships not working. They were crazy and dysfunctional and that just made them so much more stunning.

Then the romance is combined with the rest of the almost inception-esque storyline. It was nothing like I've ever read before and I still am not sure I really know what happened. I mean I understood what happened but I am not totally sure what caused it, or what really happened in reality. I understand what happened, but I don't. That was confusing, I'm sorry. The book isn't confusing but I was left with some questions, much like inception, was the end in reality or in a dream? What is reality anymore? It made me question my existence, just a smidge.

The plot was so painful! In the best possible way! It will tear. You. Apart. Slowly. It is like you get punched in the face my an event then once you start to recover, something else happens and a knife stabs through your leg, and then you are getting over that and the ending comes and it is just like:

And yet I loved every second of it. It was absolutely stunning and so raw and dramatic. Also, the plot leading up to it and the way it was written just really built up to it. The entire time there is just this immense shadow, this gut feeling, that it is all going to fall apart. It kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for that explosive moment, and even though I knew it was coming, it was still shocking! Speaking of shocking, THAT ENDING! *screams hysterically and runs about while flailing*

Note: I almost cried, I made it through though. Honestly, I loved this and it provoked so much more emotion than TIFIOS did for me, even though I sobbed my way through that one. Unbridled.

I don't even feel like I need to talk about the writing. I feel like I have said all I need to say so...peace out! *sassy snaps*

Last Words: Go. Go read it. Now. Have tissues and chocolate ready. Also, clear your schedule. This is a one sitting read that needs your full attention.

Oh right, a star rating 4.75... I guess I'll make it a 5.

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books!

Gif Consensus: 

Dust

Dust

by Sarah Daltry

Source: Publisher

Format: ARC PDF

Who makes YOUR choices?

"I was once the type of person who was impressed by starlight; the type of person who would dance beneath glass ceilings and let the world swim in its loveliness. The sky reminds me of the parties we used to throw - parties like the one last night. The memories bring back the trill of harps and endless ripples of satisfied laughter. Now, though, when I try to recall what I felt, all I hear is screaming."

In a world ravaged by war and oppressive forces of evil, a princess must fight to claim her bloodright and save her people.

When the princess, Alondra, falls for the beautiful, blue eyes of a hooded stranger, it awakens in her a taste for freedom and an escape from her duty.

But her parents have other plans; they have a kingdom to protect and Alondra must marry to ensure the peace between nations. Only what happens when your parents choose a cold-hearted assassin as your betrothed? 

As lies, illusions, and long hidden vendettas surface, the princess has to confront a very secret history. One that makes her realize that she not only risks losing her liberty, but also everything she has known and loved.

Issues:

-Alondra. As a character she was kind of a juxtaposition. She was originally portrayed one way, but then acted quite the opposite for the rest of the story. 

-The romance. The pacing of the romance made it a bit unbelievable, and everything escalated quickly.

Also, the original situation with the blue eyed stranger felt a bit ridiculous.

-The plot. It was strangely paced. The action got started really early on (which is fine, I like that.), but then it was like it hit this point where all that was happening was action and honestly I got a little bit bored.

-The action. The action got to be a bit excessive and monotonous for my taste.

-The flashbacks. Sections flipped back and forth from "now" and "then" I found it to be unnecessary for the most part and a bit confusing at times.

-The world building. I was really confused a lot of the time and couldn't figure out what the world was supposed to be like or how parts of it worked.

Pros:

-Alondra. I liked the personality she had for the majority of the time. She was kind but fiery upon occasion. Unfortunately the original portrayal of her was a bit more spoiled brat. 

-Romance. It was cute, if unrealistic. 

Last Thoughts:

Honestly, I was not a fan. It was an interesting concept but it fell short for me.  There was way too much going on and I couldn't find any reason to care about any of it. I give it a weak one star out of five and sadly, wouldn't recommend it. 

Gif. Consensus: 

The Darkest Part of The Forest

The Darkest Part of the Forest

by Holly Black

Date of Expected Publication: January 13th, 2015

Source: Liberty Bay Books

Format: Paperback ARC

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? 

At first all I wanted to do was spill my guts out about this book as soon as I finished the last word. Actually, I was dying to blog about it after the first word, but I've been putting it off for a while now because now that I sit to write a review for it, I have absolutely no clue where to start, or what to say. I have never been at as much a loss for words as I am right now. This book gave me an unsatisfiable book hangover for a full week and still haunts me. As soon as I finished it I wanted to read it over again. I didn't really want a sequel or a series, one book summed everything up perfectly, but I loved the story so much that I wanted to read it over and over again until my eyeballs fell out. I couldn't read anything else for a really long time because it wasn't as good, and I just wasn't in the mood for any other type of book. I just wanted The Darkest Part of The Forest again. Thankfully, I am back on track now, but I must say, this book destroyed me like no other.

When I finished the book:

Me:Everyone:

As soon as I read the first word, I knew I wasn't going to be able to put it down and I was right. The way Holly Black wrote and the style she used couldn't have been more perfect for the type of story it was, It was thoroughly enchanting. Holly Black's writing is bewitching.

The plot was the perfect pace and kept me on my toes the entire time and I was able to follow it all without any horrible info dumping or anything because the world building was flawless.

There is nothing I can say to fully explain and sum up my complete obsession with both the characters and the concept. Really just the whole book. Anyways, I didn't have any problems with any of the characters. Sure Hazel and Ben had kind of strange and absent parents, but that was part of their character and it was recognized that their family was kind of an anomaly so I was ok with it, and there were moments of involvement. Jack's parents played a surprisingly large role and it worked with everything else very nicely.

All of these characters were unique and a bit weird, but without being horribly quirky. Holly Black does an amazing job of making her characters some of the realist feeling that I've read. They all have this inexplicable tangibility. I don't want to say too much about Hazel or the romances because I want to talk about them in a later post. However, I will say that I loved Hazel's romance and will sing it high praises into eternity. Ben's on the other hand was abrupt and felt more logical and less real on an emotional level. It was like a lightning strike, there was a bit of thunder before but that was your only warning, there was no development, or gradual progression to it. So I couldn't ship it quite like I wanted to.

The concept was to die for! A true fairy tale like no other. It was a mix of so many classic elements, knights and fair folk, and all the superstitions that come with it all. It was a really interesting and fun blend that felt oddly natural and wonderfully fresh.

I also really enjoyed that she incorporated and addressed real and difficult issues that people face and are especially prominent in teen lives. There are mini existential crises, struggles to define who they are, mistakes, betrayals, and general struggling with a bit of learning how to be a human, and it is great.

Last Thoughts: 
It's like I keep saying, it is indescribable, words don't do it justice. This book is bewitching and will probably eat your soul (in a good way, I promise). I just...I don't even know what to say. It took my breath away. It was love at first word. I give it the ultimate five out of five stars and my highest recommendation. Read it. Read it now. No regrets.

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books!

General Gif Consensus:

Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass

by Sarah J. Maas

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

I caved. I finally read Throne of Glass. I did it for you guys, and boy am I glad I did. I devoured this book. Sure it had some issues, but hey what book doesn't?

Let's talk about Celaena. She is one of those strong characters people either love or hate. She is a bit of an unreliable narrator and certainly has some big character flaws. She is self centered, and vain and lacks compassion, not to mention her arrogance. But for some reason I enjoyed her anyways, I think it was the hints of something better hidden beneath it all. I didn't find it weird when she was preening or noticing her outfits, or indulging because that really fit the established personality and it seemed logical because she had been deprived of: nice clothes, good food, and other nice things that we take for granted, for so long! Her sassy comments were quite humorous and as I said before her redeeming qualities offset all the flaws. Her loyalty and curiosity were admirable and her strength was astounding both physically and emotionally she was not all about her and she was not all bad, despite how it may have seemed.

Side note about her back story, I thought this was so well woven in! There wasn't a huge info dump, and it was parceled out throughout the story keeping some mystery in it too. Maas only gives you what you need to know for the story and nothing extra, fitting with Celaena's personality and making the story so much better to read.

For the most part,  I was happy with the plot. I got pretty caught up in it. There were small lumps of info upon occasion and little lulls, but as a whole I really, really enjoyed it.

I was pretty darn happy with the writing too. It was a bit repetitive when it came to things like descriptions, but other than that I wasn't really upset with any of it.

Honestly though, I was so caught up in the concept and the other characters that I wasn't paying too much attention to the technical stuff. I should be upset with myself for not paying closer attention or I should assume there were things I didn't see, but really, it gets more points in my book if it was so good that I didn't even notice!

Last Thoughts: This review is so late that I don't have much left to say about it other than that I really loved it! It was super entertaining and I can't wait to continue the series and see what happens! I give it five out of five stars.

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books!

General Gif Consensus: 

Far From You

Far From You

by Tess Sharpe

Source: Liberty Bay Books

Format: Physical ARC

Nine months. Two weeks. Six days.

That's how long recovering addict Sophie's been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong - a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered.

Forced into rehab for an addiction she'd already beaten, Sophie's finally out and on the trail of the killer - but can she track them down before they come for her?

I wasn't sure if I'd like this one when I started out. Infact, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to pick it up, but I fell in love within the first pages. Every second I spent reading it was well worth it.

This is one of those raw books that just tears at you inside as it progressive. It was so real and emotional, with intense mystery. It was amazing and the plot was masterfully spun. I was reeling with every turn and it was perfectly paced. I had my suspicions, but I was still surprised when all the pieces fell together at the end. The end was just as intense as the beginning and every second in between, it was utterly satisfying. 

Sharpe kept the writing perfectly simple, letting the story speak for itself rather than overwhelm it with fancy words. There was detail where it was needed and tasteful, but really Sharpe let the emotions shine through, and the story take over, and it was brilliant.

Characters. Ah Sophie. Sophie is possibly my favorite flawed character ever. She has so much going on and there are so many reasons she should be a totally unreliable character and far too flawed to be a good balanced character, but it didn't come out that way. I loved every single part of her, and especially her flaws. She was stunning and amazingly real. She also developed beautifully, the pace of the development was really great, and the progression/development ran so deep

All the other characters were brilliant even in their pain, misfortune, and fear. I feel like Sharpe really realized that if she was going to write such a dark story with so many negatives and flaws, then there needed to be some bright spots to help readers get through it and she did a great job of bringing those out and balancing the dark and the light. One of the ways she did it was through supporting characters, Sophie's friend and Aunt were so fun and positive and even though I didn't get to know them very well, or for very long, but it seemed I knew them the instant they were introduced, and they were spectacularly loveable, and surprisingly prominent for their roles.

Sophie's parents were actually involved and it was so cool to be able to see both sides of parent child conflict. Her dad was the sweetest thing and their relationship was so touching. Then you have Sophie's mom where the emotions are even more complicated, but still realistic and raw and just really added another dimension to the tale.

Last Thoughts: Overall, I ended up completely enamoured by this book, so much so that I couldn't see flaws. it is a truly heart wrenching, yet surprisingly empowering read that is sure to fascinate and ensnare. It will have readers holding their breath until the last page.

Note: This book deals with multiple powerful and tough issues and I would recommend that only readers that are about Sophomore age (or possibly Freshmen, depending on maturity) and up read it.

Although, my love for this one runs deep, I feel that four out of five stars or four and a half stars out of five is an apt rating.

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books!

General Gif. Consensus: 

Short and Sweet Reviews

I have a review list a mile long (aka 10 books and growing) and while I'm dying to give them all a fill review and spill all my thoughts to you guys, I will burnout if I try to do that much, so I am going to do a few of them as Short and Sweet reviews. 

Many thanks to Liberty Bay Books for the ARC copies of these books. 

Forevermore

by Cindy Miles

So it was kind of cheesy and a little bit predictable at times, but it was still good! It was fun and a quick read. Everything about it was super cute and surprisingly creepy. It felt a little bit like it would have been a better fit for someone a bit younger (11 or 12ish?), but I still had a blast reading it and I really liked the characters.

2.5 or 3 out of 5 stars

Dark Metropolis

by Jaclyn Dolamore

This one took a sharp turn into crazy town, but I still loved it. I was not prepared for where it went and I didn't really know what it was going to be like so it was a bit shocking and the concept is really weird. It is still a very cute story with strong themes and pretty fun characters. I had quite a few minor issues with it, but they weren't things that stuck or bothered me when I was reading, so I didn't feel like they really mattered. 

2.5 or 3 out of 5 stars.

Suspicion

by Alexandra Monir

Expected Publication: December 9th 2014

I haven't read Rebecca which this is supposedly based off of, so I don't have much to say on that front. I never really, really, connected with any of the characters and the plot was a bit wild and unwieldy at times, but it was really entertaining and intriguing. It was something unlike what I've read before with different mythology. There were almost two different plots going, the paranormal one and the regular life one, so that made it really interesting and thankfully I was never confused. 

3 stars out of 5.

The Girl From The Well

The Girl From The Well

by Rin Chupeco

You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night. 

A dead girl walks the streets.

She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago.

And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan.

Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just kill to get out. 

 I really, really  love horror type books. I haven't read many, but I must say every one of the ones I've tried has been totally worth it. The Girl From The Well was no exception, and worth every penny.

I thought it was going to be ALL about Okiku. Thankfully it wasn't. It was also largely Tark's story. I honestly don't think it would have worked as well if it had been all about Okiku 24/7.  There was a good balance that really helped take the book to the next level.

I loved every. Single. Character. Ok, that's not entirely true,  I wasn't a huge fan of Tark's dad. He wasn't really there, he cared, but it didn't really seem like he did. His actions felt conflicted. (I also wasn't a fan of the lack of parents all around.)

Tark was adorable. I felt for him. I didn't feel super-duper connected to him or anything, but I really did sympathize with him and I really enjoyed him.

Okiku was definitely my favorite, but I feel like that was because I got to know her best out of all of them. I loved how she was used as an unreliable narrator and the way she is so conflicted. Her struggle is so beautiful and she just makes you feel all the feels.

Callie was a really cool character she was kind, strong, and independent, and really a great role model. However, she wasn't setting standards insanely high. She was very normal and expressed human emotions and reactions to the situation like not trusting the creepy, murdering, ghost girl. Common sense folks, this girl had it. After a while I was kind of annoyed with her distrust though. Okiku had already proved she was trying to do the right thing. She'd always come through for Tark and Callie and their loved ones, she was helping souls, and the only people she hurt kind of deserved it. Yet Callie still won't trust or believe that Okiku won't do something crazy like posess them or murder her and Tark in their sleep. I get that she does some bad stuff but by the end we've pretty much established that she won't ever hurt them. However, that may just be because I am biased and love Okiku. I do understand Callie's distrust, I just was pretty much over it by the end, and I wanted her to be over it too. 

Miscellaneous things I loved:

-Plot. It was very suspenseful and mysterious. This one is a page turner. It was a bit heavy, but I still wanted to devour it.

-Revealing. The mystery was unparalleled. Chupeco did such an amazing job of dropping little hints and giving just enough information that it wasn't confusing, but you still didn't really know the whole picture. She didn't reveal it all so slowly that it was painful, and it never all came out in a big section of word vomit and info dumping.

-Writing/Style. The feeling of the writing and just everything about it from the perspective to the style was cool and creepy and intense. Not many books are written like this one let alone achieve that same chilling and suspenseful feel.

One last issue:

-The ending. I was so ready for a killer ending. I wanted it to be resolved but I wanted my heart to still be racing by the end. I wanted to be holding my breath and to have my heart twisted. None of that happened. It was resolved, but  maybe a little too much so. It was like everyone, or almost everyone rode off into the Disney sunset and all was right with the world again. It wasn't a bad ending, I just wanted it to be a bit more gritty, and more bittersweet after all I went through to get there. There was such build up then it just ended.

Last Thoughts: This book may or may not have claimed my soul. It was one of the creepiest and most successfully suspenseful and mysterious books I've read. Tastefully freaky, it will get under your skin and once it does, there is no stopping until you've read every word.

Four and a half or five stars, I can't decide. Either way it receives my highest recommendation and my utmost devotion. ;)

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books.

Gif. Consensus: 

The Sound of Letting Go

The Sound of Letting Go

by Stasia Ward Kehoe

For sixteen years, Daisy has been good. A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly. A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad. She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave. 

But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal. Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy? Should she side with her parents or protect her brother? How can she know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?

I don't typically pick up books like this, but Suzanne and Liberty Bay Books asked me to read it and gave it their highest recommendations. Also, the author is semi-local and I don't read many books by local authors. It's not like I avoid them, I just don't come into contact with them very much and when I do I don't typically notice because I don't really read author bios or look to see where authors are from.  

The synopsis makes it sound like the book is romance with a little struggle on the side. Really, the book is nothing like the synopsis makes it sound. It is a mixture of struggle, rebellion, romance, family, and all the other things the synopsis brings to mind. It is a perfect mixture. Kehoe did an AMAZING job of balancing all the different factors so that none of the pieces overrode or overpowered the other pieces. 

It was written in prose.  I know this is a bit controversial for people. Some people hate it, some people love it. I feel fairly neutrally about it. I don't dislike it when it is done well, but I'm not like going out of my way to find and read books in prose. I like that it goes quickly, and the way that Kehoe wrote it, it was light, yet heavy with emotion at the same time. It was utterly perfect for this story and simply decadent. For the first few chapters it felt a little...odd to read. It felt like reading poetry, but then after the first ten chapters or so, I realized that it didn't feel that way anymore it just felt like reading. 

Daisy was lovely. She didn't know exactly who she was yet, her interests weren't set in stone, she had identity crises and tried different styles and things, exactly like every normal teenager. She was quite possibly the most realistic, normal and most understandable/relateable character's I've read in a long time. m

Cal was not a huge part of the story. The second paragraph of the synopsis makes it sound like he is part of this intense love triangle and that he changes the course of the story and that we get to know him super well. All of that couldn't be farther from the truth. He doesn't come up a lot a lot, I mean he matters sure, but we don't see a whole lot of him or really get to know him. There isn't really a love triangle either, I mean Daisy has thoughts about Cal, but there isn't much of a contest. 

Dave and Daisy. I wanted to ship this so SO bad. Childhood friends reunited, childish love rekindled! However it didn't feel like love. It kind of felt like Daisy was using him and he was maybe using her a tiny tiny bit, but not really and it felt like a lot more lust than love. Which I get that some relationships are like that and all that jazz, but when their relationship was supposed to be more real, lovey and serious, I struggled to believe it because there was nothing before that to indicate they really felt that way at all. It was not my favorite, I don't know. I got it but I didn't love it. 

The story line and plot was really nice. The pacing was good and all of that was well done. It was raw, poignant, and something that every teen can relate to despite the extreme and rare circumstances. 

 Last thoughts: Overall it was b-e-a-utiful and I would highly, highly recommend it. Even if this isn't usually what you enjoy reading, I encourage you to give it a try. I had a few minor issues with it so I'm giving it a four our of five stars. 

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books. 

General Gif Consensus: 

They All Fall Down

They All Fall Down

by Roxanne St. Claire

Every year, the lives of ten girls at Vienna High are transformed.

All because of the list.

Kenzie Summerall can't imagine how she's been voted onto a list of the hottest girls in school, but when she lands at number five, her average life becomes dazzling. Doors open to the best parties, new friends surround her, the cutest jock in school is after her.

This is the power of the list. If you're on it, your life changes.

If you're on it this year? Your life ends.

---

Expected Publication Date: October 14th, 2014

Received From: Liberty Bay Books 

Format: ARC

---

(You can win a copy of this one and several other books here!) It was really the title and the cover and the sheer ridiculousness of it all that made me pick this one up. I mean really, it sounds shallow and cheesy, and it was pretty cheesy and REALLY crazy, but it was so, SO, fun!

It was like a soap opera, it sucked you in! I knew it should be stupid but I just couldn't put it down!

The action,  there was the perfect amount of action! It was thrilling and kept you on your toes, but it wasn't like solid action and epic fight scenes. 

Plot, there was a lot going on. A LOT. But the way the plot was paced was really nice, and it was stretched out so that it was never confusing. Also, it made it so that you could have theories and suspicions, but never know exactly what would happen or what the end result would be. 

The characters, while not extremely extraordinary, I felt they were easy to picture, and fairly well rounded and developed. The personalities were likable and understandable, and it was easy to love them and accept their flaws.  

The romance was well paced, and pretty darn cute. It wasn't like the cutest relationship that I've ever read, but I still really, really loved it. The love triangle part was a bit annoying, but not overwhelmingly so.

There was a lot going on. I didn't really like that there was so many really different wild things going on. I liked the individual things, but all of it together was a bit much at times.

The writing was pleasant enough. I didn't really have any qualms about it, but it didn't have me jumping up and down either.

Last Thoughts: This is a great "just for kicks" read. It is wild and wacky and a little bit cheesy, but it is so much fun. It's cute, unique and action packed with some moral themes and speaks to teens. I'd recommenced it and it would be four and a half stars based on entertainment value but for over all I'm giving it three and a half stars out of five as a final, overall rating.

Add it on Goodreads  and Liberty Bay Books!

Gif. Consensus: 

Rebel Belle

Rebel Belle

by Rachel Hawkins

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.


It took me two tries to read this one. Thankfully, I gave it a second try. Although, I still thought about giving up on it once or twice even in the second time through. Why you ask? Two words. Harper Price.

She was nearly insufferable at times. She is that person that you think, that person can't possibly exist in real life. That slightly vain fashionista, sugary, popular, and the head of everything. There is nothing wrong with these types of people really, but it came on so fakey and stereotypical and the sugary-ness was stifling and sickening.

The other half to this was that eventually all that dropped. I get that she develops and grows and her life changes and all that, but the basis of her personality wouldn't change, but it did in the book. The change didn't make sense so it bothered me. I mean I get it, she is more than the vain prissy chick everyone else sees, but parts of what was originally portrayed and was so obnoxious were parts of who she really was.

However, Harper was pretty much the only thing that really bothered me. The plot was cool and had interesting twists. The action was absolutely epic and oh so fun. The writing was well rounded, and all of this made for a thoroughly entertaining read.

Another minor qualm that I just remembered was that at least once it was very predictable. We all knew how the romantic part of the book was going to go down.

David had to be my favorite part of the book. He was great! Realistic, quirky, and funny, Although, I didn't really like Harper the way she was for the first part of the book, I have to admit that the characters were pretty well developed and well rounded, and they were very vibrant with strong personalities.

Last Thoughts:  It was a blast after I got past Harper. Wild, unique, and totally epic, the entire concept was great. The plot kept readers on your toes and the characters had well written and formed bonds with each other and have bright personalities. I give it four stars out of five, and I'd recommend it for a fun read anytime.

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books.

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P.S. Thank you, thank you, thank you Catherine for the book! 

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa

by Kristen Lippert-Martin

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Sixteen-year-old Sarah has a rare chance at a new life. Or so the doctors tell her. She’s been undergoing a cutting-edge procedure that will render her a tabula rasa—a blank slate. Memory by memory her troubled past is being taken away.

But when her final surgery is interrupted and a team of elite soldiers invades the isolated hospital under cover of a massive blizzard, her fresh start could be her end. 

Navigating familiar halls that have become a dangerous maze with the help of a teen computer hacker who's trying to bring the hospital down for his own reasons, Sarah starts to piece together who she is and why someone would want her erased. And she won’t be silenced again.

A high-stakes thriller featuring a non-stop race for survival and a smart heroine who will risk everything, Tabula Rasa is, in short, unforgettable.

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Expected Publication: September 23rd, 2014

Received from: Liberty Bay Books

Format: Physical ARC

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My opinion of this one is quite complex and mixed. So don't put too much value in the star rating, you'll get a better idea of my thoughts from the review itself.

I utterly devoured this book! I was less than half way through and loving it. I decided right then and there that this was going to be a flawless five star, rave of a review. I spoke to soon. Don't get me wrong, I still really LOVE it, but I began to realize two issues that really really bothered me, making it not flawless or five star worthy.

Issue number one: The relationship. It was insta love but not really. I loved them as a couple, their relationship developed odly and their friendship and relationship came out no where. They went from one of them threatening the other and barely convincing him to let her stay with him for one night, to besties, totally trusting eachother, and totally at ease together. That went on for a while and then the romance. That romance sneaks up on you! I mean I knew it was coming (we all did) but then it just wasn't happening and nothing was leading up to it. Then there was a little joke thing. Saying I love you to someone before you die.  After that I wasn't sure if that was like a real moment and things were starting or if it was just kind of a mock or fake moment, and then life was going on and they couldn't have moments. And then the end came and it was just like,

I half liked that it kind of snuck up, but not really. In general the pacing of the relationship just didn't work even though they were cute. 

Issue number two: The plot. I actually didn't end up having as big an issue with this as I thought I would. It wasn't bad! I want to establish that now, I didn't really not like it, I just didn't like it. In hindsight, it wasn't really an issue per-say, it just wasn't something to rave about. The pacing and just the way it was put together was a little...interesting. I was sometimes a bit confused because there was SO much going on! It wasn't bad and it wasn't good as I said before the whole plot was just kind of eh, as far as how well it was done, however, it keeps readers hooked for the most part and is suspenseful. 

The Action. This is very much an action book. Really all it is is action. I like action and the action was well done and logical. You couldn't really cut out any of the action they put in but, at times there was just too much action, and it was easy to get a tiny bit lost. Generally speaking though, I thought it was well enough done, and good for an action book. 

The Characters. I loved Sarah. She was strong, fun, kind, and stunning with the perfect amount of snark. Pierce/ Thomas was equally awesome. He was funny sweet, smart and totally swoon worthy. I felt like all of the characters were very vibrant and stayed true to themselves and the personality established for the most part, with the exception of Sarah and Pierce / Thomas when they suddenly became best friends and more. They had some background and such, but I felt like they could have been a touch more developed, but really they were all solid enough characters and you just can't help but love them to pieces. 

The Writing. The writing was ok. It wasn't a shining example of what authors should aspire to write like or anything, but it wasn't awful. It was just kind of there and a smidge bland. The story could have benefited a bit from things like more vivid descriptions, better imagery, stronger and more meaningful wordchoice, ect. but all in all the writing was decent. It didn't hold the story back so I was ok with it. 

The Concept/ Story Line. The concept was really interesting and made for a great story! The idea of a surgery that would help some people, and give others a chance at the real fresh start so many crave is highly intriguing! Then playing upon the other ways such research could be used added depth to the concept. It would have been interesting to see more of the moral issues dug into a bit, but there was already, SO much going on that it probably would have been too much in addition to everything else. 

Last Thoughts: Over all, I liked the book a lot. It definitely had some issues and it wasn't perfect, but it was still a really fun and unique read. The entire thing was a bit of an action packed whorl wind read and that was both good and bad. It's great for a quick and fun read, and I'd recommenced it if it sounds interesting to you. I gave it three (or three and a half) out of five stars.

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books here..

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The Iron Trial

The Iron Trial

by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

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Expected Publication Date: September 9th, 2014

Received From: Liberty Bay Books

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From two bestselling superstars, a dazzling and magical middle-grade collaboration centering on the students of the Magisterium, an academy for those with a propensity toward magic. In this first book, a new student comes to the Magisterium against his will -- is it because he is destined to be a powerful magician, or is the truth more twisted than that? It's a journey that will thrill you, surprise you, and make you wonder about the clear-cut distinction usually made between good and evil.

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The issues I had with it:

-Call. Ugh, ok I get it his name is Callum and the nickname version is Call (Pronounced Cal), but it is spelled like the word CALL ( like you do on the phone). I don't mind the nickname, but it kept really messing me up when I was reading! They could have just written it as Cal and eliminated that entire issue!

Why I loved it to pieces:

- The world building. It was flawless. Impressive and absolutely stunning. 

- The plot. It was perfectly paced, and I didn't see the ending coming, I had different suspicions but the out come that happened was not the one I was predicting. 

-The voice of the writing and the writing itself. The basic mechanics of the writing wasn't anything special, but it was still really well done. The thing I was most impressed with is the fact that it was written by two different people with different voices, but you couldn't tell from reading it. It was just one seamless voice.

- The Humor. I actually almost laughed out loud a few times. ( I never laugh out loud so that's saying a lot.) 

-The concept. It was totally original and a blast. The world building really made it and helped flesh it out. 

-The characters. They were fun and realistic. 

Last Thoughts: As you can tell, the pros HIGHLY outweighed the one small con. It was a great book for all ages, middle grade and up. It was highly entertaining and had a great plot. It was fab-u-lous! I give it five our of five stars and recommend it to any fantasy lover. 

Goodreads and Liberty Bay Books

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