Review: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Rachel has been through a terrible last year. Her younger brother, Cal, drowned in the ocean. Cal, who was always swimming that you thought he should have been a fish. Cal, the sweet innocent little brother that Rachel loved so much.

And now Rachel is just a shell of herself. The girl who used to have a crush on her best friend, Henry, is no longer around. Instead, Rachel is going to stay with her aunt back in her hometown and work at the bookstore where Henry lives - because what else is Rachel going to do. She's not living anymore, she's only there to do her work and then go to bed.

Henry has no idea why Rachel never said goodbye 3 years ago when she left town to go live with her mother at the beach house. And he has no idea why she hasn't talked to him in 3 years. So when he hears that she is coming back to town, he's pretty "whatever" about it. Actually, he's heartbroken, but that's only because his girlfriend, Amy, broke up with him and started dating the town douche Greg. That's a blow to Henry's ego...

But Henry really isn't "whatever" about Rachel coming back. He wants to know what happened and why she is a completely different person now. This Rachel is not like the girl he knew for 10 years, and all he wants to do now is make her smile.

The longer Rachel and Henry are together, the more memories come back and remind them of their friendship. And Rachel is determined not to fall in love with Henry again since he is still hung up about Amy. But things happen out of the blue that no one can control, and there are a lot of secrets kept hidden with these two. The summer just became a lot more interesting, but will both Henry and Rachel survive the summer with their hearts intact?

I was so intrigued by this book's synopsis and was super excited to get it from the library. But it was kind of a downer for me... I tried so, so, so hard to like this book, but I was bored through most of it. I really don't like Henry or Rachel (which makes me a terrible person because Rachel just lost her brother and she has a reason to be the way that she is). Both characters are so self-centered and they are in a cross road of their lives where they don't really have a sense of purpose for them to thrive off of.

Henry is downright stupid for pining over Amy. Seriously, when the girl broke up with you before a huge trip to date the town douche, that should have said something loud and clear that she was just hooking up with whomever she wanted to. Obviously she didn't love Henry that much, but he was so torn up over her being with Greg and always obsessing over it. Just get over it Henry!!

And I completely understand Rachel. She is grieving and has no reason to live after what she witnessed and has been through. But after awhile when you are surrounding yourself with friends and family, there has to be a point where the will to live comes back. Because if Rachel didn't want to get better, she could have stayed with her mom on the beach and wasted her life away.

There was not a lot happening in this book and I was just waiting around for the moment when everything clicked and things where moving right along.

But I guess that is the point of this book. This is life. THIS is real. Because there are a lot of these little moments that we as human beings have and Cath Crowley decided to write about those dull moments to make it even more real. For me, though, I don't want to be reminded about heartache and sadness. I read to have happy endings and a great storyline full of heart and passion and adventure.

So this wasn't the book for me, but it was beautifully written and I am glad that I read it, even if it wasn't what I was wanting in the end. I think that a lot of readers will really enjoy this poetic novel about second chances and learning to love and live again.

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Review: The Library of Fates

The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amrita has always wanted to venture into other lands and explore the world, but her father has kept her safe in the palace to protect her. But all of his protecting results in Princess Amrita to be wed to an old friend of her fathers - in fact, her father's roommate from college.

Because Sikander is now the ruler of all towns by either war, corruption, or death. And to save her people, Amrita is going to marry him and have an alliance with such a powerful, greedy man who wants to rule the world.

But when push comes to shove, Sikander decides he is going to marry Amrita, but is also going to overthrow her city - so there will be no alliance of the two cities.

Because of Sikander's decision, Amrita is forced to leave the only home she has, and everyone she knows and loves is either dead or captured and forced to do Sikanders bidding. Now, with the help of a seer, Thala, Amrita needs a new plan to figure out how to save her people.

Amrita's life, though, is about to change the second she finds out some very buried secrets about herself. And about her mother - the woman she has never met.

The more Amrita explores the world, the more she starts to believe that all things are meant to be. Even if it means she will have to give up everything that she knows and loves.

Since the moment I saw this book in an email that it was a July book release, I knew I had to read it. I don't know if it was the synopsis or the title, but I just knew I needed to read this soon. Plus it helped that it was a standalone novel and I wouldn't have to wait for the next book, so I was very thankful about that because now I have read it and I so enjoyed it!

This is a very cultural YA book, which is not something that I typically read. Not because I don't like them. It's just not something I pick up too much. So I'm really glad that I decided to read this because it was such an amazing novel.

Amrita is a very brave girl. She went on this adventure with no knowledge of what was out there, and after witnessing so many terrible things when the palace got taken over by Sikander's men. So I have high respect for Amrita through this whole novel.

Because of certain hints throughout the book, I was able to figure out how the book was going to end. But even though I figured it out, I still enjoyed all of the missing pieces of the book when they were revealed.

This was such a great novel and I think there are going to be a ton of people who will really like it! I know I did! :)

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Review: Take the Key and Lock Her Up

Take the Key and Lock Her Up by Ally Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grace just got a bombshell landed on her: she is the lost princess of Adria - one of the descendants of the stolen princess from 200 years ago. And now someone is out to kill her and her brother so they cannot get their throne back.

But the thing is...Grace doesn't want to be a princess. She just wants to live her life without having to make sure someone isn't trying to kill her every second!

And Grace has no idea who to trust. The most important people in her life are running away with her, but Grace knows that she can't keep running forever, and she has to go back and play the game that has been handed to her. Thankfully, she has a great group of friends who are conspiring a plan with her, but there are too many big forces against her that are trying to stop Grace from succeeding.

One thing is for sure: Grace is definitely not crazy anymore, and she will do WHATEVER it takes to save the people she loves - even if it means giving up her own happily ever after life that she has been fighting for all summer long.

This is such a GREAT series!! I loved everything about it! The mystery, the suspense, the back story, the characters - it's just so wonderful :)

Grace is not your typical girl who is saving the world. In fact, she could be downright annoying to some people. I don't think she is annoying because I feel so much for her and I would just as annoying, if not more, if I was in her shows. Because one teenage girl should not have to go through all of that and she is diving right in because she has to in order to survive.

I love Alexei. I've loved him since the moment he was introduced in the first book, and I was always waiting anxiously whenever he would pop back in.

Rosie is my all time favorite I think. She is a 13 year old girl who moves like a ninja and is a sneaky little thing who can track a person like it's no big deal.

Megan terrifies me. I never want to be on her bad side because what that girl can do with a computer is just insane. Grace is lucky to have her as a friend.

And Noah. He is goofy and funny and is always trying to make everyone laugh. But he is so serious and dedicated to the ones in his life, that you know you will have a loyal friend forever with him.

The whole story was perfect. The ending was perfect. Grace is a great character and she deserves all that she gets in the novel and afterward. I'm so glad that I got to read this series and, as always, look forward to more by Ally Carter :)

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Review: See How They Run

See How They Run by Ally Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grace finally figured out what happened the night her mother died. And now Grace wishes that she never dug for answers in the first place. Because what really happened is tearing Grace apart and she doesn't know if she will ever be better or not.

And now, terrible things are happening at Adria. Grace's brother, Jamie, and his friend Spence came to visit for a brief time - but really it's because Jamie is worried about Grace and his friend wanted to come to his homeland on a wild goose chase.

Except now, Spence is dead. He was murdered after a party that all of the teenagers were at, and everyone is marking Alexei as the murderer because of the fight they had. Grace knows that Alexei wouldn't do that, but she doesn't have the proof she needs to clear his name.

Now, along with Noah, Megan and Rosie's help, she is trying to save Alexei and figure out who really killed Spence.

But as Grace has figured out so far during her time at Adria, the more that Grace digs for answers, the more ancient secrets are revealed and almost all of it is bad news on top of bad news. And Grace needs to figure out how to fix all of it, before everyone in her life disappears forever.

Wow! Just wow! I am seriously loving this series so far! Ally Carter is doing an amazing job of keeping me in suspense and on my toes with all of the mystery that ties Adria together.

And I feel so much for Grace. She is a mess and I don't blame her for being one after everything she has found out. I wish for her to go to a private island where she has everything she needs and she can just live the rest of her life in peace.

Sadly, I don't think that is going to happen. Especially after that ending!!

So many secrets - not enough brain capacity to comprehend it all.

I am so glad I decided to read this series, and I am SO GLAD I decided to read it when all of the books are published and in my hands! Because these cliffhanger endings would have killed me!

So far I am loving this series and I think that other readers would enjoy it immensely as well! :)

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Review: All Fall Down

All Fall Down by Ally Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grace is an army brat, so she is used to traveling from place to place every year - or sooner. But this move is a more permanent home - one that she has been to before. She is going to stay with her grandfather in the place she used to visit with her mother every summer. Except now she is going to stay for good, and her mother is not going to be with her.

Because she was murdered. Grace saw it with her own eyes.

But everyone else says that her mother died from an accident - her shop burned to the ground with her in it.

Grace knows that she is right, even if no one else will believe her. And for the past 3 years, she has found a scarred face man who looks like the person who killed her. But those 4 men are not the person who killed her mom, and now no one is going to believe Grace when she cries wolf.

Except the murderer is in Embassy Row. Right under her fingertips! No one is convinced that Grace is right in the head, so now she has to find a way to prove that this is the right person, and that he must pay for what he has done.

But secrets keep unfolding around Grace, and what she thought was true might have been wrong. Grace can't trust anyone around her, and she maybe can't even trust her own self.

One thing is for certain: things are about to get serious real fast in Grace's world.

This was a great novel! I've read some of Ally Carter's other novels and have enjoyed them all - this one is no different. I love how unusual the story is - at least for me. I know next to nothing about political topics, so I was a bit worried when starting this that I might not be able to follow very well. Thankfully it focuses a lot more on Grace's mothers death than the embassy, so I wasn't too lost!

And of course, this book is a "who done it" mystery of figuring out the murderer and the motive why, so I am trying so very hard to figure it out before Grace does. And surprisingly, I didn't figure it out... I was thrown just like Grace was! And that is not normal for me, so kudos to Ally Carter! You stumped me and had me along for the ride until the precise moment you revealed the mystery!

Though I was getting close...kinda...maybe? Okay, I admit defeat.

I definitely enjoyed this story and I loved all of Grace's friends. Each one has their own unique thing they do to help Grace along through this process and I seriously hope that in the next two novels I will see more of all of them!

I think a lot of readers would really enjoy this book and it is definitely something I will be recommending to friends and patrons at the library :)

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Review: The Diamond of Darkhold

The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Doon and Lina have settled in in the town of Sparks, and while things aren't going exactly smoothly, there are no fights or riots breaking out. Now, everyone in Sparks is just trying to survive the winter months and hope that the spring will bring good fortune.

When a roamer comes to town, Doon saw she had a book and just had to get it. Sadly, when he finally got it in his hands after trading for it, he realizes that the book is basically gone. There are maybe 8 whole pages left - the roamer used it to make fire. For the words that Doon can make out, though, he realizes that this is like the other book that the people of Ember were gifted when they left Ember. There was another book for them to find!

Now Doon has convinced Lina that they have to go back to Ember and figure out what this book was supposed to do for them. Lina is a bit wary of going back to Ember since there is no light and no electricity. It is just a dark underground city now. But because the people in Sparks are getting sick and not surviving very well during the winter, she thought that maybe they might find something that can help them to get to spring.

So yet again, Doon and Lina take off on an adventure to better their townspeople and realize they are in for more than they bargained for.

Because Ember is not empty. There are people there, and now Doon and Lina have to find a way to get their stuff back, while also letting Sparks know what treasures they have found.

So I know I gave this a 2 star. I was kinda bored through most of this novel - especially when Doon was stuck in Ember with the people who took it over. I was just ready for it to be overwith, to be honest.

I did enjoy the feeling of a solid ending at this book, though. I didn't read the prequel novel, so I may have missed something important when information was given at the end of the book, but I've decided not to read it. I think I'm all wiped out of this series.

Doon and Lina sure do know how to give their friends and family a heart attack, I've decided. For once, they should tell someone where they are going. Because if they had more people with them, they might have had to miss all of the drama at Ember.

Also? I think Lina or Doon should definitely be one of the "rulers" of Sparks because those two kids have done A LOT for that town. Sure, they may have run out of food for the winter, but after they found their treasures, they should be looked at as GODS in that town!! Lol.

I'm glad that I continued reading this series and I thought it was a very good storyline for the most part. It makes the reader think when this book takes place, because it's like a circle of life of the stuff that has already happened and the stuff that will happen - or that is hinted will happen by the author at the end of the book anyway. It just goes to show that the whole world can get wiped out and we have to start in the cave man times, but humans will get back to the intellect and advancement that they once were at before the end of the world happened!

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Review: The People of Sparks

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lina and Doon were joined by the rest of the City of Ember people and they traveled for a long time in a world they did not understand. Thankfully, they stumbled upon a city full of people - just in the nick of time. Many people were sick, some were fainting from dehydration and lack of food, since they went through most of their rations days ago.

The people of Sparks were very shocked when 400+ people arrived at their town. They have never heard of Ember and realized that these people are not knowledgeable in anything important. They even have little knowledge about certain things that should be common sense.

Now Ember and Sparks are living together - at least for a little bit - until Ember can figure out how to survive on their own.

But there is tension rising between the two groups. And resentment. Both cities are not liking the situation they are in, and fights are breaking out over little things that seem to be the most important problems they've ever been through.

Lina went on her own mission to figure out what happened to this world. Doon is at Sparks, trying to figure out what is happening and which side is the right side to be on.

Because one thing is clear: the people in this world do not need to go through another War after what happened hundreds of years ago.

I was so glad to dive into this book because I had to figure out what happened after the ending of City of Embers. There were so many questions I had, and I'm happy to say that The People of Sparks answered almost all of them!

I did shake my head a lot during this book, because the Ember members were so...selfish... They thought that they expected more than they were getting, but the Sparks members were already giving up a lot to help these 400+ people. Granted, they were being petty about their rations and helping the Ember members, but they were still being kind and generous. I mean, they could have kicked them out of their town when they first met them, and Ember members wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop them!

So, yeah, I was a little disappointed in the Ember members. Granted, it was mainly Tick that was destroying their kindness and leading them to anger and punishment. I really hate that kid and didn't care for anything he had to say.

One thing that I have noticed between the two books is that Lina is the braver of the two. She is the smarter of the two. She is the most selfless of the two. Most might think that Doon is because he is always looking for things, but Lina is the one who decided to find the city and made a decision on her own. She is the one who was the first to help the people of Sparks when they needed help. Doon thought about helping, but didn't start helping until after Lina was already in the process of helping.

And that is what happened in Ember. Lina is the one who found the message and wanted to decode it. She is the one who was running around Ember trying to figure out a solution. And she is the one who made the first step to leave Ember.

So I definitely like Lina better. She didn't let the people of Ember or Sparks change her, unlike Doon who was swayed by Tick's group and wanted to fit it. The fact that Doon got mad because Lina left without asking him to go with, and didn't think that his attitude toward her had any reasoning is stupid and juvenile and made him seem much younger than Lina, even though they are the same age.

I found out that #3 in the series is a prequel, and after reading the description, made the decision not to read it. It won't do anything for me, so I'm just going to jump to #4 since it's about Lina and Doon again :)

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Review: The City of Ember

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Doon and Lina have just finished school and have to pick their new careers that they will start work the next day. Lina wants to be a messenger and run around town all day to give messages to people. Doon wants to be down in the Pipework so he can get his hands on the generator and figure out how to fix it before their town is in darkness forever.

Sadly, Doon and Lina get each others dream job and are devastated by this news. Happily, Doon asked Lina if she wanted to switch jobs - which of course! - she jumped on that right away.

And things were good for awhile. Life couldn't get any better... well except that the electricity is going out and making their world darker more often lately. And the mayor doesn't seem to be doing anything about it.

When Lina's grandmother is insistent upon finding something of importance in her house that used to be her grandfather's - the 7th mayor of Ember - Lina actually finds it in the mess of her house. Well, really Poppy, Lina's 2 year old sister, is eating it.

It's a letter. Of Instructions. Instructions to what, Lina's not sure because Poppy was eating the paper, so a lot of the words are gone from the letter, but now Lina is determined to figure it out. And she goes and asks Doon if he can help her with this mystery.

Because the people of Ember were not supposed to be in Ember for this long. But because this letter was lost for many, many years, nobody knows that. Now that Lina and Doon have found this, they need to figure out a way to save their friends and family, before it is too late.

This was a really good book. It was short, easy, and fast to read, and it kept me entertained throughout the whole novel. I was very intrigued by the letter and was trying to figure out the clues before Lina and Doon could figure it out. I actually did pretty well, too!

I can tell that this was just the first book in an adventure for Lina and Doon and I am so excited to start the next one to see what happens after the ending I got! Not that it's a cliffhanger or anything, but it certainly leaves the reader wanting more, so I'm very excited to see what happens!

I like both Lina and Doon. They are very passionate when it comes to friends and family and their home, and they are willing to do just about anything to save what is theirs.

I could never imagine being in a place like Ember where I have to go to bed at 9p and wake up at 6a all because it is pitch black in the town. That would drive me batshit crazy to be honest with you. But the people of Ember don't know any better, so to them, that is how the world works.

I'm very glad that this was picked for my bookclub and I'm excited to see what else is going to happen to Lina and Doon!

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Review: As She Fades

As She Fades by Abbi Glines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

Vale has been dating Crawford since she was 6 years old - a 12 year relationship under her belt already. Now, it's graduation night, and they are going to have the best time in college come fall. Even though the college they are going to wasn't Vale's first pick, she wants to be with Crawford and he got a full ride scholarship for football there. Vale will find things to do and learn to love the college that her older brother, Knox, goes to as well.

But things don't go according to plan. In fact, graduation night, Crawford and Vale got into a car accident. And now Crawford is in a coma. No one knows when he is going to wake up, and Vale's life has completely changed within seconds.

Now, the most that Vale does is sit in the waiting room at the hospital until 3 o'clock, where she will get to read a novel to Crawford and hope that her voice will spur him awake. She doesn't see her family, she doesn't see her friends. She just stares at the wall until it's her turn to try to spark some life into Crawford.

Her family is pressuring her to go to college in August, even if Crawford doesn't wake up. Vale needs to live again, and Crawford would want her to go to college like they planned. Vale can't decide what she wants to do, but she knows that her family is right. She just has to make that first step.

And halfway through Vale's summer routine, she gets a twist of turns when a college guy, Slate, starts to talk to her. He's there because his uncle has cancer, and he's the only family he's got left. Vale knows he is a player, and gets a confirmation when her brother, Knox, agrees because they are frat brothers at college.

The more Vale is mean to Slate, the more he hangs out and annoys her. Eventually, though, she sees a different side to him that not many do, and she realizes that he may not be the biggest man slut on her college campus.

After Vale makes the decision to go to school, she also decides that she likes being around Slate. Being around him makes her feel different than being around Crawford. The more she starts to live her own life - the way she wants to - the more she comes to understand that her life is just starting.

Of course, just when things are going amazing in her life, reality crashes down around her. Now Vale has to decide on some very big decisions, and she has to decide on her own.

I finished this book yesterday and I'm still not sure how to put into words how I feel right now. I have read almost all of Abbi Glines novels and this one is by far the best. No, seriously, I am telling you the truth!

Vale is just a shell at the beginning of this book, wasting the days away one by one. But by the end of this novel, she is alive, happy, laughing. It's like a completely different character to be honest.

I was along for the ride that Abbi Glines was giving me, and then I get to part 2 of the book. Holy crap! I am still trying to believe what happened and how it happened and how it was all just... gah. I can't tell you anything, but it was a completely 180 degrees that took me on the bumpy part of the rollercoaster.

Slate is an amazing character. He is so goofy, and serious and sexy and amazing and so, so sweet. He has many layers to him and one has to be extremely patient to be able to stick around and see all of them to really see the real Slate Allen.

This book is about second chances. It's about living your life, doing what you want, and loving what you do. Because there are too many times when everything can change in an instant, and you want to be able to look back on your life and know that what you did was the best things you wanted to do. And Vale came to that realization by the end of this book, because she was starting to live again.

I laughed often (especially at the Rory Gilmore reference), I cried so much, and I felt alive when reading this book. I think a lot of Abbi's fans are going to really fall for this book and be left wanting more, so hopefully Abbi is prepared for a lot of "sequel" chants! :)

I am so, so, so glad I got this as an eARC novel and I may just have to re-read it again in the near future. Just to make sure that I computed everything correctly ;)

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Review: I'm In It

I'm In It by Tammy Falkner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wren's life is pretty shitty right now. She just had a miscarriage and the father of the baby was actually with another woman. All of Wren's sisters are married, about to be married, have babies, or are pregnant. Which Wren LOVES but it's a bit hard to see everyone she loves so happy when she's still not over losing her baby.

And she is avoiding Mick. Mick was with her when she miscarried and they had just been on their 5th date. It seemed like things were going well, but now she is putting distance between them because she doesn't want to get hurt again.

So when they decide to become BFF's, Wren thinks she can do that. She needs a friend right now. However, Mick doesn't JUST want to be BFF's. Oh no, but Mick realizes that he doesn't know too much about Wren, so he's willing to do whatever it takes to get to know her and make her realize that they are meant to be with each other forever. He just needs to be patient.

When Mick's cousin is in trouble and needs to go to rehab, he decides he is going to take care of her 4 kids - ages 8 to baby. Wren steps in and says that they are going to stay at her place because she has 4 bedrooms, verses his 1 bedroom apartment. And then when Mick needs to take the kids to California - across the entire continent - by driving, Wren comes with too.

Mick is not sure if Wren will be okay with the kids after what she has been through, but he is willing to risk it to be with her more and to show her exactly what he is wanting between the two of them. Even if it means putting his heart on the line when Wren doesn't feel the same.

I love Tammy Falkner's Reed Brothers Series!!! Seriously!! I am so glad that Logan and Emily's story was free so so long ago and I took a chance on trying it to see if I would like it. Because 18 books later, I am still in love and I still want more, even though I have a high suspicion that this may be the last one? Unless she write a book about a family reunion or something haha.

Wren has been through something very traumatic, and I am glad that Mick was there to give her the space she needed, but also to push her when it came time to get past her grief. He is definitely the best match for her and she is the best match for him.

One of these days, I'm going to re-read these books and fly through all of them back to back to relive these lives, because they are amazing stories, amazing characters, and amazing things that all of them do.

If you have been living under a rock and haven't read these, I definitely recommend that you do right now! You won't be sorry :)

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Review: Antisocial

Antisocial by Jillian Blake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Coming back from Christmas break single and friendless is not what Anna thought was going to happen. But sadly it's what did happen. Palmer broke up with her after 3 months of dating, with no reason as to why or what went wrong. And in those three months, Anna lost all of her close friends because she ditched them for better things when she was with Palmer.

What Anna did was wrong and mean and terrible, and she is going to do whatever she can to get their trust and friendship back. And Jethro? Well maybe she wants more than friendship with the guy who knows exactly how to calm her down when she is starting to have a panic/anxiety attack. But it's too soon after her break up...right?

Just when Anna is trying to mend her fragile life, shit hits the fan at her school. Someone hacked into the schools app and took all of the students personal information - including texts, photos, IM, and anything else you can think of. And now that person is sharing that information to EVERYONE and causing a lot of riots between friends.

Anna is an outcast and antisocial and has attacks when it comes to crowded places. But she needs to mend her friendships, so she may have to have confrontations with a lot of people before that happens. Especially with Palmer because Anna knows his secrets that many people do not.

The synopsis of this book really intrigued me when I found it on a list in my email about a YA book not to be missed. So I put it on hold at the library and started reading it when I got it.

And for the most part, it was a pretty decent book. There were moments I found myself skimming over paragraphs that weren't really needed, but there was enough dialogue to keep my interest and there was enough mystery to keep the suspense going.

I'm bummed that we really don't find out who the real hacker is, but I guess I'm okay with the ending.

The thing I liked the most about this book is how Anna overcame her fears and was fighting her disability throughout the whole book to make the hard decisions that she had to make. She had a lot of great character development through this novel and it will definitely benefit her when she is off to college in less than a year.

There were so many characters to keep straight in this book, so some times I had to stop and make sure I was remembering correctly.

But overall, I did enjoy this book. It won't be something I re-read in my future, but I am glad that I got a chance to read this debut novel and I will keep an eye out for more by Jillian Blake in the future :)

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Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Molly is well-known for her 26 crushes among her friends and family. She is a professional crusher and now she is really wanting to move past the crush status and maybe get into the kiss status.

But the problem about that is the boy she is crushing on has to have a crush on her as well. Because...well duh... can't really kiss a boy if they don't think the same way of you.

It's been really hard, lately, too because her moms are all lovey dovey getting ready for the wedding, her twin sister, Cassie, has just started dating Mina - her first official girlfriend, and Molly's two friends Ally and Olivia both have boyfriends. So Molly is all by her lonesome and the odd man out when it comes to conversations about boys and sex and kissing.

When Cassie starts dating Mina, that meant that Mina's two close friends Max and Will started hanging out when them as well. And boy, is Will extremely good-looking. Except Molly knows that popular, good-looking boys don't look twice at her because she's on the chubbier side of the scale. Molly is totes okay with her figure, but she knows the majority of guys are looking for skinny, pretty girls that she doesn't fall into so much.

But Mina and Cassie are trying to hook Will and Molly up together, which is a lot of pressure for Molly, to be honest. She gets a bit of relief from their badgering when she starts her summer job and is working with Reid, another fellow senior in high school and he's working for his parents. Reid is a bigger guy, and so, so dorky - always wearing Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones t-shirts and Reid is very easy to talk to.

If fact, it's like Molly is a completely different person when it comes to Reid and Will, to be honest.

But things are slowly changing in Molly's world when it comes to her friends and family, but also with herself as well. And the longer Molly knows both boys, the more she realizes just where her real feelings lie. But can she handle rejection if she tells the boy how she really feels?

This was a great book! I've read many high star reviews from publishing companies and when it came to my library, I just had to get it and see what all the hype was about.

And honestly this book is so real. This is what all teenage girls go through during crushes and first loves and first boyfriends/girlfriends. And to be able to read about Molly's feelings and the bipolarness that she has is just like seeing a girl at school act when she's so confused and upset about what is happening.

I love Molly and Reid's scenes. They are so silly and goofy and just normal around each other. And I love Molly and Will's scenes because being able to watch their reactions to one another is so real and had a high tension of what was going to happen next.

The situation that happened between Molly and Cassie after Cassie started dating Mina was on par. Both sisters were in the wrong, but neither one was going to fess up to their mistakes because they were also both in the right and were adamant that the other one shouldn't have done/said what they did.

I am so glad that I picked up this book and gave it a chance. I am debating about picking up Becky Albertalli's other book since apparently there was reference to the characters in this novel of those characters! And after I thought about it, I did see Simon's name, but I haven't read his story so I didn't see the big significance and didn't connect with them.

I think tons of readers will enjoy this novel and I will definitely be recommending it!

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Review: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 5: Like I'm the Only Squirrel in the World

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 5: Like I'm the Only Squirrel in the World by Ryan North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mew's point of view issue was fantastic! And the rest of the book as well :)

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Review: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 4: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 4: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It by Ryan North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Choose Your Own Adventure is great! Such a refreshing way for a graphic novel by using such an old school method :)

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Review: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 3: Squirrel, You Really Got Me Now

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 3: Squirrel, You Really Got Me Now by Ryan North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love it! Can't get enough of Squirrel Girl! :)

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Review: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 2: Squirrel You Know It's True

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 2: Squirrel You Know It's True by Ryan North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I seriously just love that there is a superhero that is a squirrel because squirrels are cute and deserve to be recognized for it :)

I don't have anything worth wild to say about these because I am just enjoying the fun-ness of it and reading comic books is actually much harder for me to do than reading a 1,000 page fiction book haha!

Lovers of Squirrel Girl will love this second installment of her issues!

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Review: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every year, on the Day of Sacrifice, the village of Protectorate takes the youngest baby and delivers him/her to the witch as a sacrifice to protect their village. It is a terrible thing to do, but that is what the witch demands as payment of her protection.

And each year, the parents of the baby girl or boy sadly hand over their bundle of joy and know that they will no longer be with the living because the witch is going to kill the baby. Except for the one mother, who would not hand over her child. She was yelling, screaming, hanging from the rafters of her house, and even bit her husband when he tried to take the baby.

But the Elders of the town eventually got the baby girl, and the mother went mad. She went so mad, she was locked in the tower with the Sisters of the Star until she was well.

The kicker though? All of this is a lie. The witch is not evil, and she does not eat the babies. In fact, one day, long, long ago - almost 500 years - she found a screaming baby outside of a town that was so full of sorrow and she took the baby with her on her travels, feeding it starlight to keep it nourished. Then, when she got to another town, she found a great home for that baby, parents and siblings who loved it so much the first time they met it.

And every year after that, the witch will find another baby on the same day, in the same place, and she will travel to another town to do her medicine routines and find another home for the baby that year. All of the towns celebrated the day that the witch came with a new baby, because they were celebrating another life being added to their lives.

As for the baby whose mother fought for her? The witch, Xan, was going through the same yearly routine. But she made a mistake. Instead of feeding the baby starlight, she fed the girl moonlight, which gave her magically powers. This isn't normal magic either, but magic that is seeped into her bones and thoughts and her very being.

Xan knew she made a mistake, but she also knew that no normal human could take care of such a baby with an enormous power. So Xan decided to name her Luna and keep her as her granddaughter to train her on how to use her magic.

With the help of the Swamp Monster, Glerk, and a Tiny, but Simply Enormous Dragon, Fyrian, Xan raises Luna. Not by training her to use magic, because of a terrible side effect of a spell, but they raise Luna to be a sweet girl of 13.

But when Luna gets closer to the age of 13, the more her magic is about to burst out of her.

And other big events are about to happen at the same time:
- a father is not willing to give up his son for the Day of Sacrifice - he is going to kill the witch instead
- the real witch of the story is about to see what happens when she up against a lot of love between a mother and her daughter
- the volcano is going to erupt after 500 years of being dormant

And much, much more.

Luna needs to figure out all of the lies that she has been told throughout the years, and figure it out fast to save all of the ones she loves the most.

I decided to read this book because I was making a list for work of the winners for the Newbery Awards for Children. The cover really caught my attention, and when I read the synopsis, I was snared and had to find a copy.

And this book definitely deserves the award! I so enjoyed the story and even though there were a lot of viewpoints going on throughout the novel, it was a very quick read that had an amazing moral and message.

I could only image what a 5 year old hooked on magic would be like. I know how a normal 5 year old acts, so having one with magic just makes me shudder. I don't blame Xan for what she did, because Luna would have been a terror if she continued the way she did.

I loved all of the side characters from the forest, to the village of Protectorate, and to the people of the other towns. There was a lot of information crammed into this book, but it was told in a way that didn't make the reader too overwhelmed.

I'm very glad that I decided to read this book, and it will definitely be a book that I recommend to other book lovers, no matter what age they are :)

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Review: Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Lucky in Love by Kasie West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maddie's home life is struggling quite a bit lately. Since her dad lost his job 3 years ago, things have been falling apart left and right. He can't find another job to work for, her mom has had to go back to work and is now working doubles to pay the bills, and her older brother had to take off a few years of college because he can't afford the schooling, so now he is becoming depressed and not motivated to do anything.

The only thing Maddie can do is work, work, work. She needs to get the best grades, do as much volunteering as she can, is working at the zoo because she loves it and it will also be good for when she goes to vet school, and she is constantly studying to keep up her grades to get into her dream school and to get a lot of scholarships to pay for it.

The night Maddie turns 18, her two best friends are nowhere to be found, even through they have been talking about the "party" she was having for her big adult day. Because she was mad about being ditched, and she had no candy that she likes, Maddie goes to the gas station and - instead of buying the candy she really wanted - she ends up buying a lottery ticket because of the attitude of the cashier.

Little did she know that the next day, Maddie would be the sole winner of the lottery and would win $50 million - or rather $30 million after taxes.

Now, all of the little things in life that were a constant struggle are now fixed! Her parents aren't going to fight over money any more because Maddie is giving them $1 million each! Her brother can go back to school and pay off his school loans, because she is giving him $1 million!

And Maddie is still working at the zoo because she really loves her job. Oh, and Seth might also be a reason she loves that place. Seth, who she can't seem to tell him that she won $30 million. Because the longer she is known as the lottery girl, the more that people around her start acting differently. But Seth is treating her like the old Maddie, and Maddie doesn't want to ruin that by having a huge chunk of money between them.

They say that money brings out the real side of a person, and sadly Maddie is figuring that out. She is only trying to be nice to everyone, but it seems that she can't trust a single person in her life, because money does change a person - for good or bad.

This was a cute novel. It took me no time at all to fly through this book and I really did feel for Maddie. Though there were a lot of times I wish I was there to slap her across the face for the dumb decisions she was making throughout the novel. I mean, there were some no brainer moments that she definitely shouldn't have done.

But I guess she learned her lesson in the end, so that's all that matters.

YA books about teens winning the lottery has become very popular in 2017. I'm not sure why, but it has definitely brought up the thought of what I would do with all of that money. I seriously couldn't even think of how to spend that much money. And I think I would do what I needed to do, keep a safety net in my account, and donate the rest. Because money does bring out the real monster in people and I wouldn't be able to handle not knowing who I could or could not trust in my life. That would be way too much stress and I just wouldn't want to live my life like that.

Though I would buy lots and lots and lots of books before I donated it all away :)

I loved the relationship between Seth and Maddie. It was so adorable and sweet and you could instantly tell that they both had feelings for each other, even though the two dimwits couldn't tell if the other one liked them.

Kasie West is always writing amazing romance teen books and I'm never disappointed by them. I can't wait to see what else is in store for us by her, and I'm very glad that I got my hands on this book at the library! :)

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Review: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Cady wakes up in a cabin, she has no idea where she is, how she got there, and most importantly, who she is. Everything is blank to her and she is trying to figure out what has happened. Then the pain is being registered. She is bruised up and down all over her body, but the most pain she feels in on her hand, with her fingers.

When two men are talking about her and decide she doesn't have any useful information for them, they decide they are going to take her outside and kill her. And as much as she doesn't know what is going on, Cady does know she is not going to get murdered without fighting for her life.

After some really impressive moves that knocked the man taking her outside unconscious (she must be a badass if she can do self-defense, right?), she takes everything she can find off of the man and drives herself down the mountain side.

Once she gets help, she realizes that she may not be able to trust anyone. Rumor has it, she is from the crazy house and the authorities are going to hand her over to the "doctors". But she knows that everything that is stated in the news is a lie.

Surprisingly, Cady finds a friend in a fellow teenager who is working at McDonalds. For some reason, Ty believes Cady's wild story over the two professional gentlemen who are looking for Cady with a blurred out picture of her.

Now Cady and Ty are on a mission to figure out who Cady is, why she lost her memory, where her family is, and why are people out to kill her for something she has no inkling of what happened.

This was a short, fast paced book that kept me entranced until the very end. I called the twist and what was going to happen before it did, but I don't think that this book was so mystery, suspense, let's figure out who-done-it type of book, but rather about Cady getting to know herself again and for her to figure out the pieces when the right time came.

I actually really admire Ty. He is a guy who's been homeless, is trying to get his life back together and then decides to stir up his life to help a complete stranger who probably looks god awful. To tell you the truth, I definitely wouldn't be a willing player in helping a stranger who is in a ton of shit. I'm a pansy ass, sure, but I don't want to risk my neck for someone I have no idea what they are mixed into.

And I also really liked Cady. She is one tough cookie and she is determined to figure out what is going on, and how to fix everything so that people aren't trying to kill her anymore. I don't blame her, but she was willing to do whatever it took to survive, and I can only hope that I would be able to do the same thing in her shoes.

I think this was a great book and I'm glad I got a chance to read it!

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Review: Fallen Heir by Erin Watt

Fallen Heir by Erin Watt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Easton Royal has everything, and it's his senior year, so it's sky to the limit. He is king of the world and everyone in his town knows it. Except Easton is starting to become restless. Because of his poor choices in his lifestyle, his father took away the one thing that kept him steady: flying. Now that he's grounded, he needs to find a new outlet, but that is easier said than done.

When Hartley catches him in a ... compromising situation, Easton tries to turn on the charm with her, knowing that he will get his way.

Sadly for Easton, though, Hartley is not falling for his charms and he finds this refreshing. So refreshing that he decides he needs Hartley in his life. But she is avoiding him and keeping Easton at arms length because she has more pressing problems to deal with.

Hartley is new to school, though, and doesn't realize that Easton never gives up. He is going to become Hartley's best friend and hopefully more intimate later when he warms her up.

The more than Hartley and Easton are together, though, the more Easton is having to be more real with her. Because Hartley is not taking the bullshit easy going guy that everyone knows and loves. Hartley is way beyond that guy and she is only going to open up about her dark past if Easton does the same thing. But Easton hates being vulnerable, so this is going to be a battle of stubborness soon.

Oh, and also? Having the new "queen bee" of Astro Prep gunning against Easton and everyone who is close to him - including innocent bystander Hartley? Not the best way to live out senior year, to be honest.

But when Easton thinks he's trying to help with Hartley's issue, only to make matters 100% worse - that's when he realizes that he may be spiraling out of control. The only problem is how to get back in the cock pit and take matters in his own hands, when he's pretty much alienated from everyone who cares for him.

I am so, so, so happy that I got an eARC from the authors! I started and finished this book in one sitting and just devoured it! I couldn't get enough of Easton's story and I wish that I had all of the books of his right now! And by reading this book, it definitely made me want to re-read all three of Ella and Reed's story again, which I may just have to do because I forgot how much I love this world!

Easton is a rascally little thing. I mean, he was in the first 3, but he's even worse when you get to read his own story! And I love Hartley. She is so strong and independant and brave. I love that both her and Ella are similar in those aspects, even if their younger lives were completely different. For the fact that Hartley is taking care of herself after being pretty wealthy when living with her parents is even bigger step than Ella's story. Hartley knows how good it can be, yet she is still surviving on her own and living day by day by fighting for what she wants. It just goes to show that you can do what you need to do to survive.

And now, here is my reaction to the final pages of this book (don't worry, it's non-spoiler):

OH. MY. GOD!!! HOW DARE YOU END THIS BOOK THAT WAY!!! I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE THIS RIGHT NOW!!! I NEED THE NEXT ONE NOW, AND I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY 2018!!! THAT IS TOO LONG!!

Okay. Okay. I got that out of my system. Sorry, but it was needed because I've been freaking out about it since I finished it a minute ago and I think my brain is still trying to process what just happened. Because I'm sitting here stunned and almost wanting to unread the last few pages until the next book is in my hand!

Let's just say that Erin Watt is evil, and leave it at that. I will love them again - probably in January - but right now I'm pretty traumatize and may need to go cry myself to sleep.

This was a great novel and I am so glad that the readers will now get a chance to dive into Easton's head to see what he is thinking. And most will already guess what is going on, but there are a few bittersweet moments that happen and definitely helps click why Easton acts the way that he does. I know with all of the people who love Easton, he will get to the right place that he needs to be at, but it is going to take some time, and some mushy feeling conversations before that is to happen.

Now is the moment where I wait forever to find out what exactly happens with that terrible, terrible cliffhanger that these pseudo-evil authors have left us. I know everything will be alright, so I will just wait patiently (*cough*) for Cracked Kingdom.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the eARC and I cannot wait for more novels by you, Erin Watt!

And to all of the readers reading this review, you are going to LOVE this book!! Just adore it!! :)

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Review: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Isadora is tired of feeling worthless at home. Her parents are immortal gods and ever since she found out that Isadora is a mere mortal, who will live a normal life, she feels like her parents only had her so they can survive by having one more person pray to them and keep their name alive.

Then, when her mother, Isis, decides to have another baby 3 years before schedule, Isadora knows that she is not loved, and maneuvers her way into going to visit her brother in San Diego, rather than being the nurse maid in Ancient Egypt with the Gods.

But it's not exactly freedom in America because her mother is making her volunteer at the museum to create an exhibit with some items she is donating for the Ancient Egyptian display. Now Isadora has to bum rides from her brother to go to "work" at stare at her mothers items ... it's like she never left home!

Thankfully, and reluctantly, Isadora makes a friend with Tylor, another teen forced to volunteer her summer away at the museum. And with Tyler comes her boyfriend Scott, and their ridiculously hot friend Ry. But Isadora is convinced that love and relationships are terrible, so anything that would happen with Ry isn't going to...maybe...

Dark dreams at night have convinced both Isadora and her mother, Isis, that something bad is going to happen, which is not good since Isis is about to have the baby and she is in no way prepared to battle it out like the big bad Goddess that she is. Isadora needs to figure out what the dark forced is, and if she is willing to do anything to save the parents who she thinks don't care for her.

But being halfway across the world may be a problem for Isadora to help her parents.

This was a cute little novel. I love Egypt, and the synopsis and the cover really called to me when I found it on the shelf at the library, so I said, "why not?" and took it home. Plus, it's a stand alone and that is even better in my book! Don't have to wait around for the next novel!

Isadora is a typical teenager who is bored at home and is starting to rebel against her parents. Plus, consider the fact that she is the only teenager around, and she is the only mortal around, and you have a very pissed off teenage girl who wants to do something against the rules.

I don't blame her, really, because she is being cooped up way too much and sometimes you just need to let loose a little bit and go crazy.

The tension between Ry and Isadora was great! I really loved it and there were many secrets that were revealed and made it even better.

This is a cute little story but it is full of mystery, romance, summer days, and saving family so I very much enjoyed it overall :)

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Review: Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

Freya loves science. She is determined to invent something realistic and useful to everyone and go to the continent and away from court so she can pursue her life in science and invent things. And she is going to take her best friend, Naomi, with, as her assistant, though Naomi will probably want to follow court and find a nice suitor to marry.

But since Freya is still under her father's care, she is being made to go to the King's birthday celebration where all of the royals are located. Freya hates being in the middle of attention and is always a good conversation topic for most of the people there since she is "odd".

Every time she is forced to go there, though, Freya usually finds a way to sneak out early. This time was no exception, because she just couldn't wait to go to her laboratory with Naomi to experiment when an idea she had while bored out of her mind at the party.

However, her sneaking out of court saved her life, because everyone who ate the king's golden cake died from poisoning. And since there were so many royals at the party, that means that Freya has now become the next living royal to ascend to the throne - even though she was number 23 in line.

Now Freya is stuck in court for the rest of her life, and to boot, she has to be queen to the people who weren't murdered at the party. She has no idea how to rule a kingdom, and because her head is always full of science, she was never interested to learn the proper procedures of what to do when in court.

And on top of everything else, her people are suspicious of her - thinking maybe she poisoned everyone to become the next Queen. Of course, that is ridiculous as Freya has no idea what she is doing.

So with her love of science, Freya is determined to prove her innocence, and also find out who the real murderer is so that she will feel safe and threatened. Because ignorance of how and why it happened could very well be the death of Freya if she cannot figure out who is trying to kill the royal family, and now herself as the current Queen.

Who says science can't save the day? Because Freya is out to prove that differently, if she can do so before the army comes crashing down her doorstep.

This was a great novel! I really enjoyed it! I love that it's a standalone and how this book ended all nice and wrapped up, and I love Freya as a character.

Freya is a scientist, through and through. She doesn't have a mind for court or politics or how to rule, but when she was told that she had to be anointed at the new Queen before someone tried to assassinate her, she went willing and knew that this is now her new duty in life. She knew taking the Queendom would stop her life long dreams of being a scientist and creating new inventions, and she became Queen with no fight. And I think that is so selfless and amazing, because I certainly would have fought against being the queen of the lands.

I loved how the science in this book wasn't too sciency. I loathe science with every part of my body, but Rhiannon Thomas made it possible for a non-science lover to understand what experiments Freya was doing and actually made me interested in the results of each test she did. That in itself is amazing because usually my eyes glass over and I blank out during those moments.

Freya's mind is wonderful. She is always solving puzzles and mysteries and I think she is a great pick (not that anyone picked her, mind you) to be the Queen. She is genuinely interested in the people she is ruling and how she can better the system to make things better for everyone, not just the royals who "deserve" it.

The little romance that happened in this book was great. It was just enough to have that tension between Freya and her new beau, but it was also not taking over the novel and making it into a typical romance novel either. I liked the guy she ended up with and I can only imagine how things continued between the two of them.

I'm so glad that I finally got a chance to read this book, and I am definitely going to read Rhiannon Thomas's other two books to see if they are as good as this one! I will most definitely recommend this book to other YA lovers out there!

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Review: Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacob just can't catch a break. Just when he thought they found Miss Peregrine, his new group of friends realized that they were duped with the wrong bird and now they are finding themselves having to save not only Miss Peregrine, but all of the other peculiar children that were just taken with another ymbryne.

So now it's just Emma, Jacob and Addison out to save their family, and they are about to go in the most peculiar place yet, with more peculiar beings than anyone knew existed. And they are doing this with the unwilling help of Sharon, the ferry worker, who is only helping Jacob because his boat was sunk by bullet holes.

But there is a lot of dealings going on inside Devil's Acre and Jacob may be biting off more than he can chew. Because of his new-found power, many peculiars are out to get Jacob for their own personal use and Jacob can't figure out if anyone is on his side trying to save his new family, or if they are out to gain more power for themselves.

And then, Jacob has the biggest question to find the answer to: if they survive, where will Jacob go? Back home to his parents, or stay with his peculiar family?

So many big revelations, but will Jacob choose wisely in all of his adventures to make that final decision?

I flew through this book. After spending agony minutes and hours on the 2nd book, I just couldn't get enough of Library of Souls! From the first page there was action, adventure, and mysteries to be solved that by the time I noticed, I was almost done with the book!

So I definitely recommend sticking it out through the second novel to get to this one, because it it worth it to find out what Jacob's fate is in the end.

And to think that all 3 books happened in a week or so time?! Craziness. Thank goodness I waited until all 3 books were out to read them in about a week's time, rather than 3 years time!

In the end, I found that Jacob grew a harder spine and was a good character to have the viewpoint from, even though I said otherwise in the 2nd novel's review. He just had to grow up a little and make some decisions that made him understand the direness of his situation. He knew what was the best thing to do, no matter what the cost, and was man enough to go through it, and I respect that in a character.

I'm glad that I read the rest of the series to find out what happens to the group and how they persevered through their peculiar abilities to save the day. I don't think I'll ever read these books again in my life, but it was nice to get their story and I still think it is fantastic that Ransom Riggs created this whole series just by some old, weird photographs that he found!

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Review: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacob and his band of merry peculiars are on a mission to save Miss Peregrine from being a bird forever. Once they got off of the island that the Peculiars have called home for the past 50+ years, Jacob found himself figuring out how to get everyone to another loop so they could get help for Miss Peregrine.

Along the way, Jacob is learning more and more about each child and how their ability is benefiting them and protecting everyone. Even Jacob is learning more about his gift and how he can use it, though most of the times he understands something new, it's through a dreamlike vision, so he's not sure if it's true, or if he is just imagining things.

And because the group is going through different loops, they are meeting more and more peculiars along the way. They are realizing that the stories they grew up with might not just be stories, but may be a version of a true story in their peculiar world.

Just when Jacob thinks everyone is safe and that they can get Miss Peregrine back again, things go terribly wrong. Everyone is being captured by the wights and hollows and Jacob is back in the present time - where he doesn't want to be.

But Jacob's peculiar talent is advancing very quickly, and he may be able to find a way to save everyone in the end. If only he can figure out how to use it.

I have to admit - I almost gave up on this book. I was so bored and started skimming and jumping to the next page because nothing was really happening and Jacob is actually a boring character. Having him as the main character might not have been the best pick, but I stuck through it because I am going to read the 3rd and final book in this series.

And I'm glad that I did, because that ending was great! Finally! Something to keep me entertained with and entranced in the story. And the way it ended? Those last words? I'm hooked and am so glad I can read the 3rd book right away!

I hope that Jacob will become a better character to follow around and get his viewpoint after that very big twist at the end!

For all of the fans out there that loved the book but couldn't get through this one: I get it. Believe me, I really do. But I do recommend reading this again, even if you have to skim like I did to get to the ending, because it is worth it and I can only imagine great things happening in the 3rd and final novel. :)

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Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jacob has always thought that his life was ordinary. Boring. Stuffy even. He would never had said that his life was interesting or weird or peculiar. But that was before. Before he found his grandfather dead in the woods outside of his house. Before he saw a monster in the trees.

Now Jacob wants answers, because since that night, he has had nightmares that are haunting him. The only way to do that is to go to the island where his grandfather went to school and ask the teacher: Miss Peregrine.

With the help of his psychiatrist, Jacob was able to convince his mom and dad that he needs to go to the island and visit the school. So while his father was off taking photos of birds for his new book, Jacob was roaming around the island to find the school. And at first, he just found the skeleton of the school, since it was bombed in the second world war.

But after much snooping and getting chased through town and running after a girl who looked remarkably like a photo his grandfather had when HE was a teen, Jacob figured out what the big secret that his grandfather kept from him: he is peculiar with a peculiar skill. And because of his peculiarity, a whole slew of people are after him to gain powers for their own purpose.

Now Jacob has to decide what to do: stay with his new friends who he feels a real connection to, or go back to his parents who are supposed to love him unconditionally, but will never understand this side of Jacob's life. But Jacob has to decide quickly, because time is running out for the house full of peculiar children, and one choice will be made, willingly or not.

I have been wanting to read this for a long time, but wanted to wait for the 3rd book to be out so I can do a massive read of the series at once. And since my two book clubs are reading this for the month of July, it was the perfect time to gather all three books!

Sadly, I watched the movie first, which is always a terrible idea for me, and so I was comparing this book to the movie a lot. There were a lot of similarities, but there were also a lot of differences. I definitely like the book better because there was a lot of growth of the characters and there was a better plot line laid out to be continued in the next couple of books.

And I liked how real Jacob was. He was an angst-y teen boy - so very realistic. But he was also very curious and wanted answers to unsolved questions. It's funny, because he called himself weak and scared all of the time, but I never got that impression from him. I always thought that he was brave and selfless - especially toward the end when he met the group of peculiar children.

The romance between Jacob and Emma is just weird - for two reasons. One, they are just awkward around each other. I never got the impression that Jacob liked her until they were kissing. I need a little bit more than "she has a knife against my throat" to "oh, I like her so much"! Just doesn't work for me. And two, Emma and his grandfather had a thing some 50 years ago... I mean... obviously nothing came of it, but it's still just really, really weird right? Or maybe it's just me.

I love the other peculiar children and think their gifts are amazing! I'm not sure which one I would want myself, but I think any unusual gift or talent would be awesome to have. Though I know they would disagree, saying that it outcasted them, but still. Pretty awesome.

I think Ransom Riggs is phenomenal in the fact that he came up with this story from just a bunch of unusual photos. It was like, one day he found them, came up with a story about each character, and then decided to write it down and create a story! Brilliant! Just amazing!

I'm so glad that I finally got around to read this, and now I'm off to dive into the second novel to see what else is going to happen! :)

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Review: Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't know how this book didn't get added to my Goodreads account when I own both the eBook and physical book and devoured it the second it was available, but I guess it was sneaking...

Anywho, I totally adore Daemon and this book (plust 2 and 3 on the eBook) gave me everything I ever wanted to know about Daemon, but us readers could always do with a little more ;)

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Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not even going to bother doing a description of this book - a synposis - because it's the third of the series so I'm bound to give something away and I just want to talk about how AMAZING IT WAS!!!!

I love, love, love this series. I have my all-time favorite author bookshelf and once I get my own copies of these books, they are being placed on that shelf. And this is really tying with my all-time favorite books by Jennifer L. Armentrout (who convinced me to read these books), but I wouldn't say that it's passed them...yet.

But they are that good!

This is a 700 page book and I finished it in 1.5 days. I would have finished it in one if I didn't have to adult and go to work, but that's beside the point.

Feyre is amazing. I loved her as a human and I loved her as a High Fae. She is seriously the most selfless person I've read about. She doesn't give one hoot about her own life, but the second that anyone she loves is in danger, she rushes off and saves them - even if it means her own life. I mean, she was willing to bargain with her SOUL!!! That is some crazy shit right there - especially in the world that she lives in. And she was willing to do ANYTHING to save the ones she loves. To know that they were safe, even if she could no longer be there was the best solution to anything in life. Even though those people would not want to live without her kind, generous soul in their lives.

This book had me in an emotional roller coaster. No, seriously. Sarah J. Maas almost gave me a heart attack about 4 times, back to back at the end of this book. I had to tell myself to breath during a couple of scenes in this book when I realized where she was going with her story, and threatening to end Maas's life if she actually went through what she had just revealed to me.

There were laughs. There were definitely tears. And there was blushing, for Rhysand is Feyre's everything, so that's a given.

I loved the side characters. I especially love Nesta because she is such a vicious person, but when you have her trust and heart, she will be vicious for you to the very end. And she is such a quiet person, that when she finally lets her emotions come out, you better start running because it will be 500% more than anyone else's you've ever seen before.

I am so emotionally attached to these characters that I'm not sure how to move on. I'm sitting here day dreaming about the entire 3 books that I just devoured and I just want to be in that world again. I spent every free moment I had for the last 1.5 days engrossed in Feyre's world, and I don't want to go back to my boring life!

I will never forget this story and these amazing characters and what they are willing to risk for peace. Though it will be interesting to see what they do to fill their time now since they are immortal and have nothing of importance to be done now. I'm sure Maas will find a way to stir up a little trouble.

I am so, so, so happy that I finally read the first book in this series, and I will be forever stuck in this world of love, magic, family and survival. Now I am going to hope I don't get into a book slump and I will try to read a different book.

I cannot wait for Fall 2018 to come and see who the next book will be about and what they will be involved with.

Thank you to Jennifer L. Armentrout for the recommendation and thank you to Sarah J. Maas for writing this beautiful, amazing story. :)

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