Ruby Red is a wonderful time travel novel! I’ve read a lot of time travel stories—but nothing quite like this. It is clearly the start to something wonderful, and as much as I enjoyed it I’m pretty sure I’ll love the future installments even more. Ruby Red provided a pretty good introduction to the characters and the world that Kerstin Gier has created and took us on quite a few exciting adventures!
Gier’s writing style is very engaging and keeps the pages turning quickly. She immerses you in the story and then captivates you with the world building and her unique spin on time travel. As soon as I finished this novel I wanted to pick up Sapphire Blue and read more.
One of the things that makes Ruby Red really great is the mystery. We have gotten so many glimpses into a very complicated, tangled story and it is clear that our main characters, Gideon and Gwyneth, have just about as much as learn to we do. Ruby Red gives you a little taste of what’s coming in the subsequent novels and I definitely want more.
I also liked the characters in this one. Gwyneth was relatable and strong and Gideon was kind of arrogant, but I still liked him. I can’t wait to see how these too develop as the story continues—particularly Gideon as he will have to really challenge himself in the future. There were certainly characters I didn’t like though, most notably Aunt Grace who was just horrid.
Ruby Red is an amazing introduction to what is sure to be an unforgettable series. Time show more travel, mystery, and deceit all combine to form an amazing plot, which is topped off with a great set of main characters. I can’t wait to delve into Sapphire Blue! show less
Gier’s writing style is very engaging and keeps the pages turning quickly. She immerses you in the story and then captivates you with the world building and her unique spin on time travel. As soon as I finished this novel I wanted to pick up Sapphire Blue and read more.
One of the things that makes Ruby Red really great is the mystery. We have gotten so many glimpses into a very complicated, tangled story and it is clear that our main characters, Gideon and Gwyneth, have just about as much as learn to we do. Ruby Red gives you a little taste of what’s coming in the subsequent novels and I definitely want more.
I also liked the characters in this one. Gwyneth was relatable and strong and Gideon was kind of arrogant, but I still liked him. I can’t wait to see how these too develop as the story continues—particularly Gideon as he will have to really challenge himself in the future. There were certainly characters I didn’t like though, most notably Aunt Grace who was just horrid.
Ruby Red is an amazing introduction to what is sure to be an unforgettable series. Time show more travel, mystery, and deceit all combine to form an amazing plot, which is topped off with a great set of main characters. I can’t wait to delve into Sapphire Blue! show less
Crown of Midnight was an excellent follow up to Throne of Glass. The first chapter or so was a little rough for me because it was assassin-centric and I thought that the series was taking a turn into a direction I wasn’t going to like. Fortunately, I was wrong and quickly remembered why I loved this series so much. The characters are great, the romance is amazing, the plot is fantastic, and I am really fascinated by the world building.
Sarah J. Maas has created a really fascinating world filled with magic and war. Honestly, the tyrant king and his agenda isn’t that interesting to me, but the way Celaena’s story lines play out always keep me glued to the book. I am dying to know more about the magic that existed before the king took over most of Celaena’s world. We are just scratching the surface with Crown of Midnight and it is clear that there is much, much more for us to learn about.
My favorite part of Crown of Midnight was really the love story. I had no idea where it would go after I finished Throne of Glass and I wasn’t even 100% sure where I wanted to go, but I can say that it worked out perfectly and I couldn’t be happier. It was completely swoon-worthy and I can’t wait for more.
Crown of Midnight has everything I loved about Throne of Glass and maybe a little more. Chaol, Celaena, and Dorian are as wonderful as they always were and I loved the additional glimpses into the magical aspects of their world. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book, show more but I’m sure it’ll be worth it. Definitely a must read! show less
Sarah J. Maas has created a really fascinating world filled with magic and war. Honestly, the tyrant king and his agenda isn’t that interesting to me, but the way Celaena’s story lines play out always keep me glued to the book. I am dying to know more about the magic that existed before the king took over most of Celaena’s world. We are just scratching the surface with Crown of Midnight and it is clear that there is much, much more for us to learn about.
My favorite part of Crown of Midnight was really the love story. I had no idea where it would go after I finished Throne of Glass and I wasn’t even 100% sure where I wanted to go, but I can say that it worked out perfectly and I couldn’t be happier. It was completely swoon-worthy and I can’t wait for more.
Crown of Midnight has everything I loved about Throne of Glass and maybe a little more. Chaol, Celaena, and Dorian are as wonderful as they always were and I loved the additional glimpses into the magical aspects of their world. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book, show more but I’m sure it’ll be worth it. Definitely a must read! show less
I loved Defiance, so I was really excited to read Deception. There were so many things that made Defiance amazing and I was really hoping to see them in Deception: a swoon-worthy romance, a badass Logan (my only real book boyfriend), killer world building, and an amazing plot. While the swoon-worthy romance wasn’t really present in Deception, the rest of the elements were and I really enjoyed reading it.
We meet two new characters towards the end of Defiance that end up playing a much larger role in Deception: Quinn and Willow. I ended up loving both of them, and that was really unexpected. Quinn is sweet and compassionate, but still fierce and smart. Willow is just a badass and a girl, and I love that she doesn’t care if people think she should be playing with dolls.
As much as I loved the supporting characters, though, Logan and Rachel were one of the main reasons that I fell in love with this series. I still enjoyed reading about Logan and he is still both a brilliant scientist and a certified badass, but Rachel was a little to ... vengeful ... this time around. She was very single minded in her quest to destroy the commander, but considering all the trauma she endured, it was understandable. However, as much as I like Logan and Rachel as characters, what I really like is them as a couple. They didn’t feel like a couple at all this time around though. We hardly saw them together and when we did, there wasn’t really anything romantic about it. I could’ve been show more reading more about friends than soul mates.
Even though I was a bit disappointed with Rachel, and her relationship with Logan, the world building and plot were still amazing. The descriptions of the world after the creature had terrorized the United States and the people’s descriptions of the “old world” were fascinating. I also enjoyed learning about the other city states, their different cultures, and how they interact with each other.
Even though I missed having a strong love story between Logan and Rachel, the plot and world building more than make up for it. Additionally, we have several supporting characters add that a lot to the book and make you fall in love with it a little more. The story is just excellent and I am really looking forward to the next book. show less
We meet two new characters towards the end of Defiance that end up playing a much larger role in Deception: Quinn and Willow. I ended up loving both of them, and that was really unexpected. Quinn is sweet and compassionate, but still fierce and smart. Willow is just a badass and a girl, and I love that she doesn’t care if people think she should be playing with dolls.
As much as I loved the supporting characters, though, Logan and Rachel were one of the main reasons that I fell in love with this series. I still enjoyed reading about Logan and he is still both a brilliant scientist and a certified badass, but Rachel was a little to ... vengeful ... this time around. She was very single minded in her quest to destroy the commander, but considering all the trauma she endured, it was understandable. However, as much as I like Logan and Rachel as characters, what I really like is them as a couple. They didn’t feel like a couple at all this time around though. We hardly saw them together and when we did, there wasn’t really anything romantic about it. I could’ve been show more reading more about friends than soul mates.
Even though I was a bit disappointed with Rachel, and her relationship with Logan, the world building and plot were still amazing. The descriptions of the world after the creature had terrorized the United States and the people’s descriptions of the “old world” were fascinating. I also enjoyed learning about the other city states, their different cultures, and how they interact with each other.
Even though I missed having a strong love story between Logan and Rachel, the plot and world building more than make up for it. Additionally, we have several supporting characters add that a lot to the book and make you fall in love with it a little more. The story is just excellent and I am really looking forward to the next book. show less
The Boyfriend App is a quick, enjoyable read. I had a little trouble getting into it because the beginning of the book had one of my top ten hated YA book cliches, but once we moved past the first few chapters, the book had more than recovered.
Let’s start with where I had problems with this book: mean girls. Mean, popular girls. The kind that are so mean, I have trouble believing they would ever actually exist. I also really hate when people are supposed to be mean just because they’re popular and the entire popular crowd in this novel was just heinous.
But then, the book starts to pay way less attention to the under-developed, over-cliched cool kids and focuses on Audrey’s quest to build The Boyfriend App and it turns into something really special. I actually work in the technology field, so it was really fun to see coding and programing featured so prominently in a book. I loved Audrey’s determination and ambition. Her quest to build this app and the reasons that motivated her made her such a great character and it made me love the story.
Aside from Audrey’s brilliance, though, The Boyfriend App also boasts a fantastic team of supporting characters. A fashion-blogging cousin who has a very successful future in both fashion and PR, two brilliant and cute fellow programers, and a supportive best friend. There were multiple really sweet love stories throughout the novel, and even a few crushing ones. The sense of friendship and family also added a lot to the story show more and makes the reader feel more connected to the characters.
Even though The Boyfriend App had a rocky start, it has a brilliant plot and an excellent cast of characters. Exciting and fast-paced, readers will fall in love with both Audrey and her friends - especially the brains and ambition they add to the story. show less
Let’s start with where I had problems with this book: mean girls. Mean, popular girls. The kind that are so mean, I have trouble believing they would ever actually exist. I also really hate when people are supposed to be mean just because they’re popular and the entire popular crowd in this novel was just heinous.
But then, the book starts to pay way less attention to the under-developed, over-cliched cool kids and focuses on Audrey’s quest to build The Boyfriend App and it turns into something really special. I actually work in the technology field, so it was really fun to see coding and programing featured so prominently in a book. I loved Audrey’s determination and ambition. Her quest to build this app and the reasons that motivated her made her such a great character and it made me love the story.
Aside from Audrey’s brilliance, though, The Boyfriend App also boasts a fantastic team of supporting characters. A fashion-blogging cousin who has a very successful future in both fashion and PR, two brilliant and cute fellow programers, and a supportive best friend. There were multiple really sweet love stories throughout the novel, and even a few crushing ones. The sense of friendship and family also added a lot to the story show more and makes the reader feel more connected to the characters.
Even though The Boyfriend App had a rocky start, it has a brilliant plot and an excellent cast of characters. Exciting and fast-paced, readers will fall in love with both Audrey and her friends - especially the brains and ambition they add to the story. show less
I knew I was going to love Falling for Her Fiancé as soon as I saw it was written by Cindi Madsen, and I was right. Madsen is a fantastic writer and creates the best love stories. She has this way of making the story about the couple, but creating really unique situations, so that the story still has an interesting and funny plot. Falling for Her Fiancé was no exception and I adored reading about Dani and Wes and the semi-awkward situations they found themselves in.
Dani and Wes have been best friends forever and decide to fake an engagement so that Dani can get promoted at work and Wes can get his family off of his back for his sister’s wedding. The two have off the charts chemistry, though, and clearly struggle with the friendship line, which makes for some hilariously uncomfortable moments. The two are so perfect for each other that you just have to wonder what took them so long to figure it all out (which is of course explained in the novel).
Falling for Her Fiancé was both funny and sweet. Best friends find themselves in a few awkward situations and start to realize that they really are meant to be together. Like everything else I’ve read from Madsen, Falling for Her Fiancé was a great read with a wonderful love story and plenty of endearing moments.
Dani and Wes have been best friends forever and decide to fake an engagement so that Dani can get promoted at work and Wes can get his family off of his back for his sister’s wedding. The two have off the charts chemistry, though, and clearly struggle with the friendship line, which makes for some hilariously uncomfortable moments. The two are so perfect for each other that you just have to wonder what took them so long to figure it all out (which is of course explained in the novel).
Falling for Her Fiancé was both funny and sweet. Best friends find themselves in a few awkward situations and start to realize that they really are meant to be together. Like everything else I’ve read from Madsen, Falling for Her Fiancé was a great read with a wonderful love story and plenty of endearing moments.
I enjoyed Crave, but I was a little frustrated with the plot and wanted more from Archer and Ivy’s romance. There wasn’t really much to the plot as it focused almost exclusively on Archer & Ivy and I would have loved to be more engaged in an overall story line.
Archer & Ivy had a very promising start to the novel. They bicker a lot, but its clear that its because there is something more to their relationship that they need to explore. They fall into bed pretty quickly, which is fine, but a good chunk of their scenes involved sex and I just didn’t really believe in their love. I wanted to, but we read more about them screwing then seeing them interact on an intellectual level.
Since the whole plot is devoted to Archer and Ivy’s feelings for each other (and how they express that physically), there is really no action, adventure, or mystery to speak of. It is a short, quick read that can be finished in a couple of hours when you’re in the mood for something light and fluffy.
While I adore love stories, Crave had too much physical intimacy without allowing the reader to really feel the sparks between Archer & Ivy. It was hard to root for them as a couple since we see more intimate moments than heartfelt ones. The pacing, however, is good and I did enjoy reading it. I recommend it when you’re in the mood for something light and quick as it is a fairly short story and can be read in just a few hours.
Archer & Ivy had a very promising start to the novel. They bicker a lot, but its clear that its because there is something more to their relationship that they need to explore. They fall into bed pretty quickly, which is fine, but a good chunk of their scenes involved sex and I just didn’t really believe in their love. I wanted to, but we read more about them screwing then seeing them interact on an intellectual level.
Since the whole plot is devoted to Archer and Ivy’s feelings for each other (and how they express that physically), there is really no action, adventure, or mystery to speak of. It is a short, quick read that can be finished in a couple of hours when you’re in the mood for something light and fluffy.
While I adore love stories, Crave had too much physical intimacy without allowing the reader to really feel the sparks between Archer & Ivy. It was hard to root for them as a couple since we see more intimate moments than heartfelt ones. The pacing, however, is good and I did enjoy reading it. I recommend it when you’re in the mood for something light and quick as it is a fairly short story and can be read in just a few hours.
I dove into Fire with Fire the very day I got it. I loved Burn for Burn and I was anxious to see what would happen next, although I wasn’t sure exactly what direction the series was heading. Fire with Fire far exceed my expectations. It was impossible to put down, full of twists and turns, and even better than Burn for Burn!
By the end of Burn for Burn, I pretty much hated every character except for Lindy. I was certainly sympathetic to them all in one way for another, but it didn’t stop me from thinking that they were all basically bad people. By the end of Fire with Fire, the only characters I truly couldn’t stand were Rennie and, surprisingly, Mary. Everyone else (including Reeve) is now on my list of good people and characters I’ll always love (except for Kat, who has only been elevated to like).
As much as I love the characters, the plot was possibly even better —it’s just so good! It’s hard to say whether or not I think the plot or the characters are stronger, but they are both defiantly fantastic! Fire with Fire still has a plot that is revenge driven, but it has stronger notes of forgiveness. The end of the novel was so incredibly thrilling, that I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! This book is just 100% un-put-downable. I have so many theories and ideas for what might happen in the final novel and I am so anxious to see where everything truly ends up going.
Fire for Fire is an epic follow up to Burn for Burn. This is one of those books that show more I will certainly be recommending to everyone I know. It is such an emotional and thrilling read! From the mystery surrounding Mary to the unexpected romances and the overwhelming need for vengeance, Fire with Fire has a little bit of something for everyone. This is one series that simply cannot be missed. show less
By the end of Burn for Burn, I pretty much hated every character except for Lindy. I was certainly sympathetic to them all in one way for another, but it didn’t stop me from thinking that they were all basically bad people. By the end of Fire with Fire, the only characters I truly couldn’t stand were Rennie and, surprisingly, Mary. Everyone else (including Reeve) is now on my list of good people and characters I’ll always love (except for Kat, who has only been elevated to like).
As much as I love the characters, the plot was possibly even better —it’s just so good! It’s hard to say whether or not I think the plot or the characters are stronger, but they are both defiantly fantastic! Fire with Fire still has a plot that is revenge driven, but it has stronger notes of forgiveness. The end of the novel was so incredibly thrilling, that I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! This book is just 100% un-put-downable. I have so many theories and ideas for what might happen in the final novel and I am so anxious to see where everything truly ends up going.
Fire for Fire is an epic follow up to Burn for Burn. This is one of those books that show more I will certainly be recommending to everyone I know. It is such an emotional and thrilling read! From the mystery surrounding Mary to the unexpected romances and the overwhelming need for vengeance, Fire with Fire has a little bit of something for everyone. This is one series that simply cannot be missed. show less
Edenbrooke is the perfect summer romance. This jewel has been setting on my shelf for almost a year and I finally picked it up thanks to my cousin, Charlie, and my friend, Michelle. As soon as I finished it, I had to ask myself “What the hell took me so long?” It was utterly fabulous. I enjoyed every single second of it and it was a more entertaining version of an Austen novel. The plot was great, the characters were fantastic, and the love story was simply swoon worthy.
From their very first encounter, it is clear that Philip and Marianne have something special–even if they haven’t quite realized it. While their chemistry is instantaneous, their feelings develop more slowly at a natural pace (no insta-love here!). I adored reading their scenes together and I am still a little crushed that I’ve finished the story—I need more of these two and I may even re-read the novel since I enjoyed it so much.
The supporting characters were also very well done. I loved Marianne’s complex relationship with her sister (you guys know I’m a sucker for a good sister story), as well as her grandmother and father. The emotional complexity that Donaldson was able to convey in this story was outstanding. There were many scenes that my heart just broke for Marianne and her family.
There are so many times when a book revolves around a love story so much that it becomes the plot. Nothing really happens and you’re just reading about characters that you’ve likely come to know and show more love. Edenbrooke did not have this problem and that is one of the reasons I loved it so much. Even though a large chunk of the book is devoted to Philip and Marianne, there is still a mystery to figure out and a healthy dose of danger on top of the typical intrigue involving inheritances that are typical for novels taking place during this time period.
Edenbrooke is a fantastic novel. It has it all: love, mystery, and danger. Those looking for an epic romance with a great plot need look no further. I absolutely adored this novel and cannot wait to read more from Julianne Donaldson in the future. show less
From their very first encounter, it is clear that Philip and Marianne have something special–even if they haven’t quite realized it. While their chemistry is instantaneous, their feelings develop more slowly at a natural pace (no insta-love here!). I adored reading their scenes together and I am still a little crushed that I’ve finished the story—I need more of these two and I may even re-read the novel since I enjoyed it so much.
The supporting characters were also very well done. I loved Marianne’s complex relationship with her sister (you guys know I’m a sucker for a good sister story), as well as her grandmother and father. The emotional complexity that Donaldson was able to convey in this story was outstanding. There were many scenes that my heart just broke for Marianne and her family.
There are so many times when a book revolves around a love story so much that it becomes the plot. Nothing really happens and you’re just reading about characters that you’ve likely come to know and show more love. Edenbrooke did not have this problem and that is one of the reasons I loved it so much. Even though a large chunk of the book is devoted to Philip and Marianne, there is still a mystery to figure out and a healthy dose of danger on top of the typical intrigue involving inheritances that are typical for novels taking place during this time period.
Edenbrooke is a fantastic novel. It has it all: love, mystery, and danger. Those looking for an epic romance with a great plot need look no further. I absolutely adored this novel and cannot wait to read more from Julianne Donaldson in the future. show less
My feelings for The Fame Game series have changed so much since I read the first novel. Now that I’ve finished Infamous, I have to say that it was great to see the characters grow and evolve, but I was a bit disappointed by the subdued drama in the plot. Nevertheless, the writing style is very engaging and I just flew through it.
When I first read The Fame Game, I thought Kate would be my favorite character and expected her to be exactly like Jane Roberts/Lauren Conrad. Maybe Kate was at first, but by the time Infamous came around she bore almost no resemblance to the girl I liked so much in The Fame Game. Similarly, I really thought I would love Carmen, but she was basically just a backstabbing bitch. One of those girls who thinks they’re doing the right thing and honestly does mean well, but is just too selfish to truly care about anyone but themselves. The character that surprised me the most, however, was Madison.
I absolutely hated Madison in L.A Candy—she was a selfish, back-stabbing social climber. These qualities never fully disappeared in The Fame Game, but Madison evolved into a much more compassionate and caring person. We see why she put up so many walls and was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her success. She was by far my favorite character in the series and she had the most depth.
Those who read L.A. Candy will remember all of the drama that occurred—Jane Roberts constantly being betrayed by everyone, on camera surprises, etc. Where was that show more in Infamous? When I finished reading Infamous, I was actually thinking to myself, “is this the really end?” because nothing really happens. It does put a nice bow on all of the plot lines, but that’s really it. There were hardly any new story lines and the ones that were there were surprisingly boring.
While Infamous was sufficiently lacking in the plot department, I really enjoyed seeing where the characters ended up—particularly Madison. Even though the plot wasn’t great, the writing kept me entertained and I didn’t really want to put the book down. The ending was so lackluster that the series is practically begging for a fourth book, but since all of the plot points have been resolved there isn’t really any place for a sequel to go unless there is an entirely new spin off series. show less
When I first read The Fame Game, I thought Kate would be my favorite character and expected her to be exactly like Jane Roberts/Lauren Conrad. Maybe Kate was at first, but by the time Infamous came around she bore almost no resemblance to the girl I liked so much in The Fame Game. Similarly, I really thought I would love Carmen, but she was basically just a backstabbing bitch. One of those girls who thinks they’re doing the right thing and honestly does mean well, but is just too selfish to truly care about anyone but themselves. The character that surprised me the most, however, was Madison.
I absolutely hated Madison in L.A Candy—she was a selfish, back-stabbing social climber. These qualities never fully disappeared in The Fame Game, but Madison evolved into a much more compassionate and caring person. We see why she put up so many walls and was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her success. She was by far my favorite character in the series and she had the most depth.
Those who read L.A. Candy will remember all of the drama that occurred—Jane Roberts constantly being betrayed by everyone, on camera surprises, etc. Where was that show more in Infamous? When I finished reading Infamous, I was actually thinking to myself, “is this the really end?” because nothing really happens. It does put a nice bow on all of the plot lines, but that’s really it. There were hardly any new story lines and the ones that were there were surprisingly boring.
While Infamous was sufficiently lacking in the plot department, I really enjoyed seeing where the characters ended up—particularly Madison. Even though the plot wasn’t great, the writing kept me entertained and I didn’t really want to put the book down. The ending was so lackluster that the series is practically begging for a fourth book, but since all of the plot points have been resolved there isn’t really any place for a sequel to go unless there is an entirely new spin off series. show less
I really loved reading Smart Girls Get What They Want. It was fun, original, and broke away from the tired high school cliches about the popular crowd. I adored the characters and liked the plot, even if it was a bit extreme (and therefore probably unrealistic).
Gigi, the school’s smartest girl (who also happens to be pretty), is accused of cheating on a test and gets a 0, which pretty much ruins her chances of getting into an Ivy league. She is forced to work on a project with Mike, the cute jock she was accused of cheating with. While neither of them are thrilled with the additional work, they quickly discover they have a lot in common and form a friendship.
I loved how Gigi decided she needed to be more social at school and focus on more than her grades. I also really liked that she started hanging out with the nice, popular kids. Too often the popular group is portrayed as unrealistically mean for no other reason than if you’re popular, you must suck. I’m just beyond tired of that cliche, so Strohmeyer’s portrayal was like a breath of fresh air.
One of my favorite parts was the love story. While I wasn’t surprised by it, it was just so nice to see it develop. Gigi and her future boyfriend were so much fun to read about. Smart Girls Get What They Want had a great cast of supporting characters and they pretty much all had their own love stories. While I wasn’t crazy about Neerja’s romance at first, I was so pleased with it by the end!
A touching story of show more love and friendship, Smart Girls Get What They Want will leave you wanting more. It is a light, quick read with a fantastic cast of characters and a solid plot. Gigi and her friends learn to live in the moment, make friends, and really expand their horizons. It is a much more realistic portrayal of high school than you typically find in young adult literature and I loved every minute of it. show less
Gigi, the school’s smartest girl (who also happens to be pretty), is accused of cheating on a test and gets a 0, which pretty much ruins her chances of getting into an Ivy league. She is forced to work on a project with Mike, the cute jock she was accused of cheating with. While neither of them are thrilled with the additional work, they quickly discover they have a lot in common and form a friendship.
I loved how Gigi decided she needed to be more social at school and focus on more than her grades. I also really liked that she started hanging out with the nice, popular kids. Too often the popular group is portrayed as unrealistically mean for no other reason than if you’re popular, you must suck. I’m just beyond tired of that cliche, so Strohmeyer’s portrayal was like a breath of fresh air.
One of my favorite parts was the love story. While I wasn’t surprised by it, it was just so nice to see it develop. Gigi and her future boyfriend were so much fun to read about. Smart Girls Get What They Want had a great cast of supporting characters and they pretty much all had their own love stories. While I wasn’t crazy about Neerja’s romance at first, I was so pleased with it by the end!
A touching story of show more love and friendship, Smart Girls Get What They Want will leave you wanting more. It is a light, quick read with a fantastic cast of characters and a solid plot. Gigi and her friends learn to live in the moment, make friends, and really expand their horizons. It is a much more realistic portrayal of high school than you typically find in young adult literature and I loved every minute of it. show less
Of Beast and Beauty is a beautiful love story and a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The story was a bit slow for me at first because it wasn’t at all what I expected it to be, but I was soon taken in by the creativity and originality that Jay breathes into the timeless tale.
Jay combines the elements of a classic fairytale with a dark paranormal world to create something truly special. I adored Gem and Isra and was just fascinated by the world building and folklore. As a retelling of Beauty and the Beast much of the plot is dedicated the love story, but just as much emphasis is placed on Isra’s quest to serve her people well.
Isra’s defiant nature, feelings for Gem, and her need to figure out the mystery of the roses propels the plot forward at an exciting rate and it was perfectly paced. We had plenty of time to get to know the supporting characters (I loved Needle) as well as learn about the world Jay created. No detail was left unexplored and when I was finished reading, I was left with a happy, satisfied feeling.
Of Beast and Beauty is an imaginative and shockingly original retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Fans of the classic will not be disappointed and neither will those looking for something fresh and creative. Stacey Jay did an incredible job with the story and it is definitely a must read.
Jay combines the elements of a classic fairytale with a dark paranormal world to create something truly special. I adored Gem and Isra and was just fascinated by the world building and folklore. As a retelling of Beauty and the Beast much of the plot is dedicated the love story, but just as much emphasis is placed on Isra’s quest to serve her people well.
Isra’s defiant nature, feelings for Gem, and her need to figure out the mystery of the roses propels the plot forward at an exciting rate and it was perfectly paced. We had plenty of time to get to know the supporting characters (I loved Needle) as well as learn about the world Jay created. No detail was left unexplored and when I was finished reading, I was left with a happy, satisfied feeling.
Of Beast and Beauty is an imaginative and shockingly original retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Fans of the classic will not be disappointed and neither will those looking for something fresh and creative. Stacey Jay did an incredible job with the story and it is definitely a must read.
Act Like You Love Me was a perfect summer romance. From the very beginning, its easy to tell that Brynn and Sawyer will make a great couple if Brynn could get over their secret past. I absolutely adored reading about them and have officially resolved to read everything that Cindi Madsen ever rights—it was that good!
I really enjoyed the characters. Brynn actually reminded me of one of my friends, and while I was a little put off by her lies I did forgive her since she kind of got herself stuck in a hole. As great as Brynn was though, she was a bit dense and insecure. I would have loved to see her be more confident in herself, but her refusal to be herself did make for an entertaining story. Sawyer was also great. He was the perfect hero for Brynn—sweet and charming, but also somewhat tortured and reluctant to commit. He was exactly what the story needed.
The plot really centered around the love story, so there wasn’t a ton of action involved. It was just a sweet, romantic story about a girl who refused to fall in love and a boy who really wanted to, but was a bit reluctant. Given the “lying” situation, there were plenty of funny scenes where I really loved seeing how Brynn was going to deal with her circumstances.
Reading about Sawyer and Brynn was an absolute joy and I can’t wait to dive into more of Madsen’s stories. Act Like You Love Me is a wonderful contemporary love story for summer and extremely hard to put down.
I really enjoyed the characters. Brynn actually reminded me of one of my friends, and while I was a little put off by her lies I did forgive her since she kind of got herself stuck in a hole. As great as Brynn was though, she was a bit dense and insecure. I would have loved to see her be more confident in herself, but her refusal to be herself did make for an entertaining story. Sawyer was also great. He was the perfect hero for Brynn—sweet and charming, but also somewhat tortured and reluctant to commit. He was exactly what the story needed.
The plot really centered around the love story, so there wasn’t a ton of action involved. It was just a sweet, romantic story about a girl who refused to fall in love and a boy who really wanted to, but was a bit reluctant. Given the “lying” situation, there were plenty of funny scenes where I really loved seeing how Brynn was going to deal with her circumstances.
Reading about Sawyer and Brynn was an absolute joy and I can’t wait to dive into more of Madsen’s stories. Act Like You Love Me is a wonderful contemporary love story for summer and extremely hard to put down.
Cruel Summer has all of the elements of a perfect summer read: an exotic location, a love story, and a summer full of beaches and relaxation. In fact it even sounds like the perfect thing to read while on vacation to Jamaica (which I was while reading it). Unfortunately, the main character, Colby made the story almost painful to get through. The angst, selfishness, and overall bratty attitude was just to much to bear.
Despite spending a summer in Greece, all Colby does is complain. Sure, Colby’s parents are getting divorced and she’s going through a lot, but that didn’t make her any less ungrateful or unappreciative. The only thing she cared about for the majority of the novel was making sure she staid friends with the popular kids while she was a zillion miles a way in Greece. There were just too many problems with this to count. My top two though are that the popular kids are so cliche (bitchy and obnoxious) and that they clearly aren’t even real friends! So why does Colby care about staying in touch with such awful people? She’s incredibly superficial.
Next, she is in Greece! Greece! And what does she do the entire time? Complain! That’s it—she just complains. At any time she could have traveled to another island and explored, but all she wanted to do was sit in a cafe and write about how her summer sucked. Then when she finally starts to live a little, she decides that a lot of the things Greeks do are stupid because one of her obnoxious popular show more “friends” makes fun of a few pictures. AND she defiantly betrays a few people who really trust her. To be fair, Colby does see the error of her ways by the end of the book and grows as a person, but she was far to unlikable to really be redeemed.
Cruel Summer had all of the elements of a perfect beach read, except for a likable main character. Colby was so unlikable that it was pretty much to enjoy the story, and even though it was only about 125 pages, it felt like it would never end. There are many light contemporary reads out there that are great for summer, and this book just wasn’t one of them. show less
Despite spending a summer in Greece, all Colby does is complain. Sure, Colby’s parents are getting divorced and she’s going through a lot, but that didn’t make her any less ungrateful or unappreciative. The only thing she cared about for the majority of the novel was making sure she staid friends with the popular kids while she was a zillion miles a way in Greece. There were just too many problems with this to count. My top two though are that the popular kids are so cliche (bitchy and obnoxious) and that they clearly aren’t even real friends! So why does Colby care about staying in touch with such awful people? She’s incredibly superficial.
Next, she is in Greece! Greece! And what does she do the entire time? Complain! That’s it—she just complains. At any time she could have traveled to another island and explored, but all she wanted to do was sit in a cafe and write about how her summer sucked. Then when she finally starts to live a little, she decides that a lot of the things Greeks do are stupid because one of her obnoxious popular show more “friends” makes fun of a few pictures. AND she defiantly betrays a few people who really trust her. To be fair, Colby does see the error of her ways by the end of the book and grows as a person, but she was far to unlikable to really be redeemed.
Cruel Summer had all of the elements of a perfect beach read, except for a likable main character. Colby was so unlikable that it was pretty much to enjoy the story, and even though it was only about 125 pages, it felt like it would never end. There are many light contemporary reads out there that are great for summer, and this book just wasn’t one of them. show less
The Sweet Dead Life was just not for me. The characters were a bit juvenile and the plot was incredibly predictable, and there was not really a love story. It is really more suited for middle grade readers than fans of YA.
The Sweet Dead Life is supposed to be a mystery, however, the plot is just so predictable that instead of being enjoyable, you can’t help but wonder when the characters will finally catch up and figure everything out. Even though the characters are likable enough, it is hard to get past how slow they are. I like my characters to be bright, witty, and daring. Casey and Jenna, however? Nope. They were boring and took entirely too long to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Characters aside, the plot wasn’t that great either. I did enjoy the mystery element and think it was a good idea, but there just didn’t seem to be a lot of build up and I found myself to be bored and un-engaged while reading. Additionally, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I wanted certain characters to be happier, and there were other characters whose endings were just too perfect. I can’t really get into the specifics without ruining the novel, but I was just all around unsatisfied.
The Sweet Dead Life is best suited to young middle grade readers who enjoy mysteries, but haven’t read too many novels yet. If they are still in the stage where they aren’t able to predict the outcomes of stories, than they will probably really enjoy the book. However, readers who devour show more stories and are typically able to determine where the plot is going will see the ending coming from a mile away. show less
The Sweet Dead Life is supposed to be a mystery, however, the plot is just so predictable that instead of being enjoyable, you can’t help but wonder when the characters will finally catch up and figure everything out. Even though the characters are likable enough, it is hard to get past how slow they are. I like my characters to be bright, witty, and daring. Casey and Jenna, however? Nope. They were boring and took entirely too long to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Characters aside, the plot wasn’t that great either. I did enjoy the mystery element and think it was a good idea, but there just didn’t seem to be a lot of build up and I found myself to be bored and un-engaged while reading. Additionally, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I wanted certain characters to be happier, and there were other characters whose endings were just too perfect. I can’t really get into the specifics without ruining the novel, but I was just all around unsatisfied.
The Sweet Dead Life is best suited to young middle grade readers who enjoy mysteries, but haven’t read too many novels yet. If they are still in the stage where they aren’t able to predict the outcomes of stories, than they will probably really enjoy the book. However, readers who devour show more stories and are typically able to determine where the plot is going will see the ending coming from a mile away. show less
Like the other novels in this series, Awaken had a rocky start and a strong finish. I really enjoyed the character development, but the plot is not nearly as strong. Some of the plot twists seem pointless and even random, but once we move past that it’s an enjoyable story (especially for mythology fans).
The characters are still likable and I really enjoyed Pierce and John’s story. John is probably my favorite character in the novel. He is the most consistent character (Pierce flip flops in her opinions quite a bit), as well as the most intelligent. I was happy to see more of Pierce’s father in Awaken as well. He is pretty much villainized in the previous novels, but he’s really not a bad guy.
The plot, however, is what really causes me to scratch my head sometimes. I won’t get into details, as I don’t want to spoil the story, but there is an unexpected plot twist in the beginning of the story. Is it a good plot twist? No. Did it make the story more exciting? No. After that plot point is resolved, however, the story picks up pace and becomes enjoyable once more. The resolution was actually pretty interesting and I really enjoyed the story from that point forward, but I don’t really understand why it was there to begin with. As a side note, the way Pierce put the pieces together were silly and nonsensical as usual.
Awaken is a fairly strong conclusion to the Abandon trilogy. The series as a whole has it’s ups and downs, and Awaken was no exception. Those who show more have read the first two novels will find a satisfactory ending to the story. All major plot point have been resolved and we aren’t left with any burning questions. show less
The characters are still likable and I really enjoyed Pierce and John’s story. John is probably my favorite character in the novel. He is the most consistent character (Pierce flip flops in her opinions quite a bit), as well as the most intelligent. I was happy to see more of Pierce’s father in Awaken as well. He is pretty much villainized in the previous novels, but he’s really not a bad guy.
The plot, however, is what really causes me to scratch my head sometimes. I won’t get into details, as I don’t want to spoil the story, but there is an unexpected plot twist in the beginning of the story. Is it a good plot twist? No. Did it make the story more exciting? No. After that plot point is resolved, however, the story picks up pace and becomes enjoyable once more. The resolution was actually pretty interesting and I really enjoyed the story from that point forward, but I don’t really understand why it was there to begin with. As a side note, the way Pierce put the pieces together were silly and nonsensical as usual.
Awaken is a fairly strong conclusion to the Abandon trilogy. The series as a whole has it’s ups and downs, and Awaken was no exception. Those who show more have read the first two novels will find a satisfactory ending to the story. All major plot point have been resolved and we aren’t left with any burning questions. show less
Gates of Paradise was the final installment of Melissa de la Cruz’s Blueblood series. I have had so many ups and downs with this story, and while the ending wasn't as good as I would have expected it to be from the first three novels, it was a lot better than I thought it would be after books 5 and 6. Gates of Paradise had a rocky start, but by the end Melissa de la Cruz was able to remind me what I loved about her stories when I first read them.
The plot is really where I have problems with the Bluebloods series and Gates of Paradise. As amazing as the Bluebloods series was at first, the plot started diverging in a pretty random direction—almost like there just wasn’t enough content for 7 books. It also felt like the worlds of Melissa de la Cruz’s series started overlapping in an entirely unnecessary and illogical manner. With Gates of Paradise we still have the annoying inter-play between series, but we started to move away from some of the random demon-human babies and that was a welcome relief. They were still there, but their role was mercifully de-emphasized.
As much as I’ve struggled with the end of the Bluebloods series, Melissa de la Cruz has been able to maintain an awesome cast of characters. Her characters have certainly evolved since the beginning of the series, but they haven’t become completely different people. More importantly, I like the characters—especially Mimi and Kingsley—and I truly wanted them all to have happy endings.
Gates of show more Paradise was a better than expected ending to a great series that started to go downhill. I am defiantly ready to close the door on this series, but it was a satisfactory conclusion. While I won’t be reading any of the other series that involve this world, I am looking forward to reading different things from Melissa de la Cruz. show less
The plot is really where I have problems with the Bluebloods series and Gates of Paradise. As amazing as the Bluebloods series was at first, the plot started diverging in a pretty random direction—almost like there just wasn’t enough content for 7 books. It also felt like the worlds of Melissa de la Cruz’s series started overlapping in an entirely unnecessary and illogical manner. With Gates of Paradise we still have the annoying inter-play between series, but we started to move away from some of the random demon-human babies and that was a welcome relief. They were still there, but their role was mercifully de-emphasized.
As much as I’ve struggled with the end of the Bluebloods series, Melissa de la Cruz has been able to maintain an awesome cast of characters. Her characters have certainly evolved since the beginning of the series, but they haven’t become completely different people. More importantly, I like the characters—especially Mimi and Kingsley—and I truly wanted them all to have happy endings.
Gates of show more Paradise was a better than expected ending to a great series that started to go downhill. I am defiantly ready to close the door on this series, but it was a satisfactory conclusion. While I won’t be reading any of the other series that involve this world, I am looking forward to reading different things from Melissa de la Cruz. show less
The Diviners is the perfect read if you’re in the mood for Jazz-age New York, or a murder mystery, or both. Libba Bray picks you up and drops you into the 1920s. Everything from the vernacular to the descriptions are magical and pulls you into the story.
Evie was a fantastic main character—reckless enough to be fun, but responsible enough not to be annoying. The other characters in the novel were also very well done. They were all so intriguing because there was clearly a lot of secrets surrounding everyone’s past and they were also very dynamic.
One of my favorite parts to the story was the paranormal element. While it scared the bejeezus out of me, and I adamantly refused to read it if I was alone at night, it was just incredibly well done. I was intrigued by the murders, I wanted to know what gave people powers—there are just so many paranormal questions! And we still don’t have answers to them all, so we’ll have to stay tuned for the next one.
Libba Bray’s writing is also utterly fantastic. There were times when I felt like I was watching a movie (particularly with that last scene)! Her language and descriptions take you to a whole new world, and that is one of the reasons I fell in love with her Gemma Doyle trilogy.
The Diviners is a perfect read for fans of historical fiction, paranormal, and mystery. It has something for everyone and will leave you instantly wanting more. This is also a fantastic read for Halloween time, but I do not recommend reading it show more alone at night if you’re a scaredy-cat like me. show less
Evie was a fantastic main character—reckless enough to be fun, but responsible enough not to be annoying. The other characters in the novel were also very well done. They were all so intriguing because there was clearly a lot of secrets surrounding everyone’s past and they were also very dynamic.
One of my favorite parts to the story was the paranormal element. While it scared the bejeezus out of me, and I adamantly refused to read it if I was alone at night, it was just incredibly well done. I was intrigued by the murders, I wanted to know what gave people powers—there are just so many paranormal questions! And we still don’t have answers to them all, so we’ll have to stay tuned for the next one.
Libba Bray’s writing is also utterly fantastic. There were times when I felt like I was watching a movie (particularly with that last scene)! Her language and descriptions take you to a whole new world, and that is one of the reasons I fell in love with her Gemma Doyle trilogy.
The Diviners is a perfect read for fans of historical fiction, paranormal, and mystery. It has something for everyone and will leave you instantly wanting more. This is also a fantastic read for Halloween time, but I do not recommend reading it show more alone at night if you’re a scaredy-cat like me. show less
September Girls was one of those novels that I really wanted to love, but didn’t. The concept sounded amazing, and I love mermaid stories, so I thought this book would be everything I wanted and more. While I didn’t dislike the book either, there was just nothing that made me love it.
Sam was really off-putting to me and I was actually a bit shocked by some of the things he said and thought. I couldn’t help but think, is this what guys actually sound like when girls aren’t around? I seriously hope not. As a person, he was actually pretty sweet, but the way he would express himself was just crasser than it needed to be. The supporting characters are all middle of the road. Some are weird, some are likable and dislikable at the same time, and others are just forgettable.
The plot was another aspect of the novel that I could really take or leave. On the one hand it was an intriguing concept, on the other hand I was bored most of the time. I did like the ending though and the way Madison tied up all of the pieces.
While I did not love or hate this book, I think that die-hard fans of Jackson Pierce’s Fathomless will enjoy it. The books are similar with regard to the plot, although Fathomless is more focused on memory and is a bit of a psychological thriller, while September Girls is more of a light mystery and a bit more character driven.
Sam was really off-putting to me and I was actually a bit shocked by some of the things he said and thought. I couldn’t help but think, is this what guys actually sound like when girls aren’t around? I seriously hope not. As a person, he was actually pretty sweet, but the way he would express himself was just crasser than it needed to be. The supporting characters are all middle of the road. Some are weird, some are likable and dislikable at the same time, and others are just forgettable.
The plot was another aspect of the novel that I could really take or leave. On the one hand it was an intriguing concept, on the other hand I was bored most of the time. I did like the ending though and the way Madison tied up all of the pieces.
While I did not love or hate this book, I think that die-hard fans of Jackson Pierce’s Fathomless will enjoy it. The books are similar with regard to the plot, although Fathomless is more focused on memory and is a bit of a psychological thriller, while September Girls is more of a light mystery and a bit more character driven.
“The Assassin and the Pirate Lord” precedes Throne of Glass. It is a short story about one of Celaena’s adventures before she was captured. She is just as bad ass and likable as she is in Throne of Glass and the story was enjoyable enough. While it was nice to read something about Celaena as I am anxiously waiting for Crown of Midnight, the best thing about it was the glimpses into Celaena’s life before she was captured.
This story certainty wasn’t necessary to enjoy Throne of Glass, but I would recommend reading it for you mystery fans out there. We know that Celaena was captured because she was betrayed, but we don’t have a clue as to who might have done it or why. Seeing into Calaena’s past gave me a few suspects and more than a few questions that I am sure will be answered later in the series. This is also a must for die-hard Throne of Glass fans. I can’t wait to finish the other e-novella prequels and see what other suspects I find for Celaena’s betrayal.
This story certainty wasn’t necessary to enjoy Throne of Glass, but I would recommend reading it for you mystery fans out there. We know that Celaena was captured because she was betrayed, but we don’t have a clue as to who might have done it or why. Seeing into Calaena’s past gave me a few suspects and more than a few questions that I am sure will be answered later in the series. This is also a must for die-hard Throne of Glass fans. I can’t wait to finish the other e-novella prequels and see what other suspects I find for Celaena’s betrayal.
Courtney Cole writes phenomenal love stories. I just eat everything she writes up, and If You Stay was no exception. While the story was off to a pretty disturbing and pretty gross start, it was obvious that it was going to turn out to be something special. If You Stay is a story of growing up, learning to trust, and letting yourself love.
Pax is a straight-up bad boy. He has a trust fund and spends his life getting wasted (even though he isn’t an addict) and just being an overall burden to society. Naturally, he is rescued and falls for good-girl Mila. It may sound a bit generic, but it is anything but.
The love story was believable and very well done. There were so many romantic and swoon-worthy moments. Since this is a new adult, there were also some pretty steamy scenes. Despite all of the obstacles the two faced, I couldn’t help routing for them. I also loved that Mila had her own troubled past (even though she dealt with them in a much healthier manner than Pax ever did). Mila is a good girl with her own problems and that just makes her so much more interesting than the typical girl who saves the guy.
Even though this is very much a love story, it’s also Pax’s story. Pax has a lot to cope with—more than he even realizes. When I think about all of the horrific things that happened, I still get chills. Courtney Cole did such an amazing job with Pax and after seeing his quest to rebuild his life, I realize why he was such a douche. There are some seriously show more messed up stuff in his past. The sheer tragedy of Pax’s life is enough to make this one worth reading.
If You Stay is an amazing read. From Pax’s tragic past to the incredibly sweet ending, Mila and Pax are two characters you just won’t forget about. Well-developed characters, steamy moments, and growing up all make this an amazing read that will stay with you forever. show less
Pax is a straight-up bad boy. He has a trust fund and spends his life getting wasted (even though he isn’t an addict) and just being an overall burden to society. Naturally, he is rescued and falls for good-girl Mila. It may sound a bit generic, but it is anything but.
The love story was believable and very well done. There were so many romantic and swoon-worthy moments. Since this is a new adult, there were also some pretty steamy scenes. Despite all of the obstacles the two faced, I couldn’t help routing for them. I also loved that Mila had her own troubled past (even though she dealt with them in a much healthier manner than Pax ever did). Mila is a good girl with her own problems and that just makes her so much more interesting than the typical girl who saves the guy.
Even though this is very much a love story, it’s also Pax’s story. Pax has a lot to cope with—more than he even realizes. When I think about all of the horrific things that happened, I still get chills. Courtney Cole did such an amazing job with Pax and after seeing his quest to rebuild his life, I realize why he was such a douche. There are some seriously show more messed up stuff in his past. The sheer tragedy of Pax’s life is enough to make this one worth reading.
If You Stay is an amazing read. From Pax’s tragic past to the incredibly sweet ending, Mila and Pax are two characters you just won’t forget about. Well-developed characters, steamy moments, and growing up all make this an amazing read that will stay with you forever. show less
The Watersong series just keeps getting better and better. Tidal gets even deeper into the siren mythology than Lullaby did. Not only do we know about how the sirens live and why they were cursed, but we also get glimpses into their past—which was absolutely fascinating!
Gemma and Harper have also grown tremendously. Gemma has become much more responsible and understands that her actions have consequences, while Harper has learned to relax. Harper still feels responsible for Gemma and is an incredibly protective sister, but she is no longer overbearing.
Harper’s romance with Daniel is still refreshing, but becomes a bit troubled thanks to the sirens. Penn is obsessed with Daniel and causes quite a few problems for Daniel and Harper—although at the end of the novel it isn’t entirely clear how far the damage will really go.
Tidal wasn’t incredibly action packed until the very end, but it has a lot of mystery. Gemma, Harper, and Daniel are doing everything in their power to learn more about the sirens and see if there is anything they can do to help Gemma. While I won’t reveal any of their findings, I will say that there are much deeper mysteries than one would have thought from reading Lullaby.
Tidal is a fantastic installment in the Watersong series. It is filled with heartache, mystery, and mythology and leaves readers begging for more. Ancient history is blended beautifully with the modern storyline and it’s hard not to feel a pang of sympathy for the show more villains. Hocking has created a well-developed cast of characters and an intriguing plot. Readers will want to pick up Elegy, the next installment, as soon as they finish Tidal. show less
Gemma and Harper have also grown tremendously. Gemma has become much more responsible and understands that her actions have consequences, while Harper has learned to relax. Harper still feels responsible for Gemma and is an incredibly protective sister, but she is no longer overbearing.
Harper’s romance with Daniel is still refreshing, but becomes a bit troubled thanks to the sirens. Penn is obsessed with Daniel and causes quite a few problems for Daniel and Harper—although at the end of the novel it isn’t entirely clear how far the damage will really go.
Tidal wasn’t incredibly action packed until the very end, but it has a lot of mystery. Gemma, Harper, and Daniel are doing everything in their power to learn more about the sirens and see if there is anything they can do to help Gemma. While I won’t reveal any of their findings, I will say that there are much deeper mysteries than one would have thought from reading Lullaby.
Tidal is a fantastic installment in the Watersong series. It is filled with heartache, mystery, and mythology and leaves readers begging for more. Ancient history is blended beautifully with the modern storyline and it’s hard not to feel a pang of sympathy for the show more villains. Hocking has created a well-developed cast of characters and an intriguing plot. Readers will want to pick up Elegy, the next installment, as soon as they finish Tidal. show less
I have not been able to get Kaiden and Anna out of my head since I finished Sweet Evil last year, so I was dying to dive into Sweet Peril as soon as I got it. It’s an excellent story and a great romance! It just has so much going for it that I was shocked that Sweet Peril wasn’t picked up for publication until after Sweet Evil was released. Lucky for us, it was picked up because Sweet Peril turned out to be even better than Sweet Evil!
At first I was suffering from a bit of Kaiden withdraw. He isn’t quite as present at the beginning of Sweet Peril and he is just so swoon-worthy that I really missed his presence. Even though my need for Kaiden Rowe wasn’t immediately satisfied, the plot kept me more than engaged in the story.
In the first half of Sweet Evil, Anna was definitely suffering from good girl syndrome and it was a bit annoying. She was just too good. By the time Sweet Peril rolls around, she is decidedly over that. Anna is still good, of course, but in a normal good-girl way instead of a holier-than-though way.
The plight of the nephilim and Anna’s quest to save them all is just fascinating. Wendy Higgins has created an intense and intricate angel lore in this trilogy and I’m eating it all up! It doesn’t come across as particularly religious, and that may be because it focuses more on hell than on heaven. The use of the seven deadly sins is also really unique, and despite the many angel books out there, Sweet Peril really stands out as one of the show more best.
Sweet Peril is every bit as steamy as Sweet Evil, but the characters and plot are even better! All of the characters have done some growing up, which made the story more enjoyable. We also get a much deeper look into the fascinating mythology and the quest to defeat the demons is pretty intense! Since its a covert operation there is a ton of sneaking and intrigue that will cause readers to devour Sweet Peril immediately. The only downside is the year long wait for the sequel! We need the next installment now!
If you liked Sweet Evil and Sweet Peril make sure to check out the bonus scenes on Wendy Higgins website! These are scenes from Sweet Evil told from Kai’s point of view. They will make you fall even harder for Kai and get you even more excited for the series. show less
At first I was suffering from a bit of Kaiden withdraw. He isn’t quite as present at the beginning of Sweet Peril and he is just so swoon-worthy that I really missed his presence. Even though my need for Kaiden Rowe wasn’t immediately satisfied, the plot kept me more than engaged in the story.
In the first half of Sweet Evil, Anna was definitely suffering from good girl syndrome and it was a bit annoying. She was just too good. By the time Sweet Peril rolls around, she is decidedly over that. Anna is still good, of course, but in a normal good-girl way instead of a holier-than-though way.
The plight of the nephilim and Anna’s quest to save them all is just fascinating. Wendy Higgins has created an intense and intricate angel lore in this trilogy and I’m eating it all up! It doesn’t come across as particularly religious, and that may be because it focuses more on hell than on heaven. The use of the seven deadly sins is also really unique, and despite the many angel books out there, Sweet Peril really stands out as one of the show more best.
Sweet Peril is every bit as steamy as Sweet Evil, but the characters and plot are even better! All of the characters have done some growing up, which made the story more enjoyable. We also get a much deeper look into the fascinating mythology and the quest to defeat the demons is pretty intense! Since its a covert operation there is a ton of sneaking and intrigue that will cause readers to devour Sweet Peril immediately. The only downside is the year long wait for the sequel! We need the next installment now!
If you liked Sweet Evil and Sweet Peril make sure to check out the bonus scenes on Wendy Higgins website! These are scenes from Sweet Evil told from Kai’s point of view. They will make you fall even harder for Kai and get you even more excited for the series. show less
Nantucket Blue is the perfect summer read. It’s carefree and fun, but still sad and tragic. It’s about growing up, discovering who you are, and falling in love. The setting was really charming and makes you want to escape for a perfect summer vacation.
Cricket is supposed to travel to Nantucket with her best friend Jules, but once Jules’ mom passes away unexpectedly, Jules just really needs some space. Cricket loved Jules’ mom and is devastated by her passing as well. She does everything she can think of to help Jules, and while she really goes about it the wrong way, it’s clear that she has the best of intentions.
Cricket makes sure she is on Nantucket in case Jules needs her. While she is there, she learns about herself and about being independent. Cricket really strikes out on her own that summer, and being so independent at such a young age is something I really admired.
The absolute best part about Nantucket Blue was the romance. It was sweet and innocent, and it is impossible to not hope that Cricket is able to find happiness with her love interest. While Cricket makes more than her fair share of blunders, and you sometimes have to wonder what she could possibly be thinking, I immensely enjoyed the young love story. It had me glued to the pages for hours and I know it’s one of those stories that will stay me.
Nantucket Blue is a wonderful tale of friendship and love. The Nantucket backdrop makes it the perfect summer read and will have you dying to go to the show more beach. Leila Howland finds the perfect balance between tragic and carefree in this not-to-be-missed contemporary. show less
Cricket is supposed to travel to Nantucket with her best friend Jules, but once Jules’ mom passes away unexpectedly, Jules just really needs some space. Cricket loved Jules’ mom and is devastated by her passing as well. She does everything she can think of to help Jules, and while she really goes about it the wrong way, it’s clear that she has the best of intentions.
Cricket makes sure she is on Nantucket in case Jules needs her. While she is there, she learns about herself and about being independent. Cricket really strikes out on her own that summer, and being so independent at such a young age is something I really admired.
The absolute best part about Nantucket Blue was the romance. It was sweet and innocent, and it is impossible to not hope that Cricket is able to find happiness with her love interest. While Cricket makes more than her fair share of blunders, and you sometimes have to wonder what she could possibly be thinking, I immensely enjoyed the young love story. It had me glued to the pages for hours and I know it’s one of those stories that will stay me.
Nantucket Blue is a wonderful tale of friendship and love. The Nantucket backdrop makes it the perfect summer read and will have you dying to go to the show more beach. Leila Howland finds the perfect balance between tragic and carefree in this not-to-be-missed contemporary. show less
As soon as I read the words “Salem witch trials,” I just knew I had to pick up Spellbinding. I have been fascinated with Salem since I was a child and have been dying to go to Salem since middle school. Reading Spellbinding renewed my desire to visit Salem and I’m hoping to pull it off in the next two years—wish me luck! I really loved this story. It was very well-paced, exciting, and slightly dangerous.
Abby knows she was descended from accused witches in the Salem witch trials. In fact, she has nightmares about drowning for being a witch! As soon as she visits Salem, she meets Rem (literally the boy of her dreams) and notices a bunch of strange things start to happen. Could Abby be a real witch? Yes, yes she can.
As Abby struggles to decide whether she is truly magical or simply crazy, the reader is pulled into a magical world where history resides side-by-side with modern day. Being in Salem, Abby is simultaneously surrounded by everyday life, and a past that just doesn’t seem to be completely gone. Abby struggles to answer all of these questions about who she is and about her ancestors, and the reader puts it all together way before Abby. While it’s always nice to be surprised by the plot, there are plenty of clues placed throughout the novel that Abby doesn’t piece together very quickly.
Aside from the page-turning plot, we have a pretty good love story and an ok cast of characters. Rem is very Edward Cullen like with his hot and cold syndrome, which can show more be a bit overdone, but worked well enough in Spellbinding. Megan, our quintessential bully, was pretty typical and maybe a bit over done in her meanness. That said, the goal is for the reader to not like Megan, and that is certainty accomplished. Travis, Abby’s childhood crush, mostly serves to add a love triangle and some drama. Overall, I could really take him or leave him, but he didn’t add much to the story for me.
The characters that truly shine in Spellbinding are Abby and Rem. They have this magnetic draw to each other and there is clearly some sort of shared ancient history there. As the two get to know each other, you can’t help but smile at how sweet they are together.
Salem provides the perfect back drop for Spellbinding. Filled with ancient history, magic, and a sweet love story, Maya Gold really uses the setting to make the most out of the story. If readers aren’t already intrigued by Salem, they certainly will be after reading Spellbinding. This is a must for those who are intrigued by the Salem witch trials and magic in general. show less
Abby knows she was descended from accused witches in the Salem witch trials. In fact, she has nightmares about drowning for being a witch! As soon as she visits Salem, she meets Rem (literally the boy of her dreams) and notices a bunch of strange things start to happen. Could Abby be a real witch? Yes, yes she can.
As Abby struggles to decide whether she is truly magical or simply crazy, the reader is pulled into a magical world where history resides side-by-side with modern day. Being in Salem, Abby is simultaneously surrounded by everyday life, and a past that just doesn’t seem to be completely gone. Abby struggles to answer all of these questions about who she is and about her ancestors, and the reader puts it all together way before Abby. While it’s always nice to be surprised by the plot, there are plenty of clues placed throughout the novel that Abby doesn’t piece together very quickly.
Aside from the page-turning plot, we have a pretty good love story and an ok cast of characters. Rem is very Edward Cullen like with his hot and cold syndrome, which can show more be a bit overdone, but worked well enough in Spellbinding. Megan, our quintessential bully, was pretty typical and maybe a bit over done in her meanness. That said, the goal is for the reader to not like Megan, and that is certainty accomplished. Travis, Abby’s childhood crush, mostly serves to add a love triangle and some drama. Overall, I could really take him or leave him, but he didn’t add much to the story for me.
The characters that truly shine in Spellbinding are Abby and Rem. They have this magnetic draw to each other and there is clearly some sort of shared ancient history there. As the two get to know each other, you can’t help but smile at how sweet they are together.
Salem provides the perfect back drop for Spellbinding. Filled with ancient history, magic, and a sweet love story, Maya Gold really uses the setting to make the most out of the story. If readers aren’t already intrigued by Salem, they certainly will be after reading Spellbinding. This is a must for those who are intrigued by the Salem witch trials and magic in general. show less
“One More Day” is the prequel to Aprilynne Pike’s Life After Theft (which was phenomenal by the way!). Even though it is a prequel, I ended up not reading it until I finished Life After Theft and I’m glad I did it that way. I got to know Kimberlee throughout Life After Theft and discovering more things about her and her past as the book progressed was one of my favorite parts.
Had I read “One More Day” before Life After Theft, I would have instantly known more about Kimberlee and I would have understood her better, but the reading experience would have been completely different. I so enjoyed getting to know Kimberlee through Life After Theft and I’m glad my experience wasn’t shadowed by the prequel.
The biggest question when reviewing a prequel or an in-between novella is whether or not it is essential to the plot. “One More Day” is definitely not essential. It provided a lot of insight into Kimberlee’s character and I was even more sympathetic to her than I was after reading Life After Theft. As much as I enjoyed this novella though, it is definitely in the “true fan” category. If you read Life After Theft and you loved it and are just dying for more, then this novella is definitely for you!
Had I read “One More Day” before Life After Theft, I would have instantly known more about Kimberlee and I would have understood her better, but the reading experience would have been completely different. I so enjoyed getting to know Kimberlee through Life After Theft and I’m glad my experience wasn’t shadowed by the prequel.
The biggest question when reviewing a prequel or an in-between novella is whether or not it is essential to the plot. “One More Day” is definitely not essential. It provided a lot of insight into Kimberlee’s character and I was even more sympathetic to her than I was after reading Life After Theft. As much as I enjoyed this novella though, it is definitely in the “true fan” category. If you read Life After Theft and you loved it and are just dying for more, then this novella is definitely for you!
Life After Theft is one of those books that you pick up and instantly love. It’s hysterical and romantic, but at the same time it’s tragic. It has all of the elements of a good romance, a good contemporary, and a good paranormal wrapped up in one. Everything from the characters to the plot and the bone-chilling ending is flawlessly executed, and while this is very different from Aprilynne Pike’s prior series, fans will eat it up!
From the very first chapter you are instantly drawn to Jeff—he’s likable and slightly out-of-place, which makes him more endearing. Thrust into an elite California private school after years in a western public school, Jeff has a bit to say about the uniforms and people he is now surrounded by—think Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye before he got annoying and you wanted to reach through the book and end him (I know I’m not the only Holden Caulfield hater out there!). Kimberlee, our resident ghost girl, is equally likable at first glance and will have you smiling the whole time! Remember the Disney Movie “Suzie Q.”? Think Suzie, only bad girl instead of goody-good.
The best part of the characters aside from their incredible humorous personalities, is their flaws. I felt so bad for Kimberlee reading the novel. She was so messed up and mean, but we saw the tragic part of her. The part that was lonely and had problems, and really just needed to be love. Jeff, on the other hand, for all his goodness and selflessness can be show more pretty mean. Sure, he had his reasons to be mad at Kimberlee at times, but man were his insults biting. He proverbially slapped Kimberlee a few times there! I love reading characters who are lovable, but realistic. No one is 100% good and no one is 100% bad. If an author can make me feel bad for the bad guy, then they’ve done a fantastic job at character development, as Aprilynne Pike clearly has with Life After Theft.
Since we have the characters down and they’re awesome, the next thing Life After Theft needs is a great plot to do the characters justice, and we have that! Kimberlee is a klepto, and while I wasn’t sure about that particular plot point going into it, it worked out wonderfully! Kimberlee had so many problems, and that is abundantly obvious from the amount of things she stole. She needed help desperately, and I personally think it was a cry for help. As we see people’s reactions to getting their missing belongings back we learn more about Kimberlee, her mistakes, and how people felt about her. The plot keeps readers engaged, while allowing us to learn more about the characters.
Life After Theft was utterly fantastic! The whole novel from start to finish was just incredibly well done. Seeing one of my favorite authors go from her debut series (more of a fantasy/paranormal) to something with a much more contemporary feel to it was great! Aprilynne Pike has more than proved that she is an incredibly talented author with an ability to tackle multiple types of stories. I am so looking forward to picking up whatever she chooses to write in the future! show less
From the very first chapter you are instantly drawn to Jeff—he’s likable and slightly out-of-place, which makes him more endearing. Thrust into an elite California private school after years in a western public school, Jeff has a bit to say about the uniforms and people he is now surrounded by—think Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye before he got annoying and you wanted to reach through the book and end him (I know I’m not the only Holden Caulfield hater out there!). Kimberlee, our resident ghost girl, is equally likable at first glance and will have you smiling the whole time! Remember the Disney Movie “Suzie Q.”? Think Suzie, only bad girl instead of goody-good.
The best part of the characters aside from their incredible humorous personalities, is their flaws. I felt so bad for Kimberlee reading the novel. She was so messed up and mean, but we saw the tragic part of her. The part that was lonely and had problems, and really just needed to be love. Jeff, on the other hand, for all his goodness and selflessness can be show more pretty mean. Sure, he had his reasons to be mad at Kimberlee at times, but man were his insults biting. He proverbially slapped Kimberlee a few times there! I love reading characters who are lovable, but realistic. No one is 100% good and no one is 100% bad. If an author can make me feel bad for the bad guy, then they’ve done a fantastic job at character development, as Aprilynne Pike clearly has with Life After Theft.
Since we have the characters down and they’re awesome, the next thing Life After Theft needs is a great plot to do the characters justice, and we have that! Kimberlee is a klepto, and while I wasn’t sure about that particular plot point going into it, it worked out wonderfully! Kimberlee had so many problems, and that is abundantly obvious from the amount of things she stole. She needed help desperately, and I personally think it was a cry for help. As we see people’s reactions to getting their missing belongings back we learn more about Kimberlee, her mistakes, and how people felt about her. The plot keeps readers engaged, while allowing us to learn more about the characters.
Life After Theft was utterly fantastic! The whole novel from start to finish was just incredibly well done. Seeing one of my favorite authors go from her debut series (more of a fantasy/paranormal) to something with a much more contemporary feel to it was great! Aprilynne Pike has more than proved that she is an incredibly talented author with an ability to tackle multiple types of stories. I am so looking forward to picking up whatever she chooses to write in the future! show less
I loved The Selection so much and just couldn’t wait to dive into The Elite. It has such a beautiful love story and it’s impossible not to root for Maxon and America. I was a little apprehensive, however, because Aspen was brought back into the story at the very end, and I was very much against that particular plot twist.
After having read The Elite, I am happy to report that the Aspen story line wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The Elite sucks you in, just as The Selection did and it is impossible to put down! I absolutely devoured it and cheered for America and Maxon the pretty much the entire time.
Reading The Elite was a wonderful experience, in part because I read The Prince first. The Prince is a novella told from Maxon’s point of view, and while it isn’t critical to the plot in anyway, it does provide crucial insight into Maxon’s character. There are so many times that I wondered what Maxon was thinking, and The Prince gave me the understanding I needed to figure it out.
My only gripe with The Elite is that it is very love triangle focused. The Selection was more of a complicated love story, and although there was a love triangle, it was more muted than in The Elite. The entire novel felt like a love triangle this time instead of a Maxon-America love story. I can’t help wondering what this novel would have been like as a stand alone, since it feels like the love triangle overdose exists to draw the story out into a trilogy, when it certainty could show more have been wrapped up very nicely by adding another 50 pages to The Selection.
We did learn more about Illea’s history, how the United States came to an end, and why the caste system evolved. I’d love to say it was interesting, but I’m not really interested in the world-building since the love story is why I am reading The Elite. Readers will instantly draw parallels between our current political situation and leaders and the history of Illea, and I have to commend Kiera Cass for making a statement whether I agree with it or not (note: I’m not stating whether I do or don’t agree, but it’s nice to see political issues addressed in YA, subtle or not).
The Elite still has that je ne sais quoi that makes it impossible to put down. Readers will absolutely devour it, and despite the love triangle being a bit over done, it is still a lovely story. Those who have been anxious for more world building will not be disappointed as Kiera Cass provides us with a healthy dose of history for Illea. At it’s heart, The Elite is a twisted, tangled love story and I am so looking forward to the conclusion, which will hopefully end happily for both Maxon and America. show less
After having read The Elite, I am happy to report that the Aspen story line wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The Elite sucks you in, just as The Selection did and it is impossible to put down! I absolutely devoured it and cheered for America and Maxon the pretty much the entire time.
Reading The Elite was a wonderful experience, in part because I read The Prince first. The Prince is a novella told from Maxon’s point of view, and while it isn’t critical to the plot in anyway, it does provide crucial insight into Maxon’s character. There are so many times that I wondered what Maxon was thinking, and The Prince gave me the understanding I needed to figure it out.
My only gripe with The Elite is that it is very love triangle focused. The Selection was more of a complicated love story, and although there was a love triangle, it was more muted than in The Elite. The entire novel felt like a love triangle this time instead of a Maxon-America love story. I can’t help wondering what this novel would have been like as a stand alone, since it feels like the love triangle overdose exists to draw the story out into a trilogy, when it certainty could show more have been wrapped up very nicely by adding another 50 pages to The Selection.
We did learn more about Illea’s history, how the United States came to an end, and why the caste system evolved. I’d love to say it was interesting, but I’m not really interested in the world-building since the love story is why I am reading The Elite. Readers will instantly draw parallels between our current political situation and leaders and the history of Illea, and I have to commend Kiera Cass for making a statement whether I agree with it or not (note: I’m not stating whether I do or don’t agree, but it’s nice to see political issues addressed in YA, subtle or not).
The Elite still has that je ne sais quoi that makes it impossible to put down. Readers will absolutely devour it, and despite the love triangle being a bit over done, it is still a lovely story. Those who have been anxious for more world building will not be disappointed as Kiera Cass provides us with a healthy dose of history for Illea. At it’s heart, The Elite is a twisted, tangled love story and I am so looking forward to the conclusion, which will hopefully end happily for both Maxon and America. show less
From start to finish, Apollyon is jam-packed with action. Aiden & co. struggle to deal with Alex’s transformation and determine which god is behind creating the second Apollyon to throw the world into chaos.
We don’t really dive too much further into the mythology than we have already, but we do learn more about Solaris and the First and we get to meet a few new gods.
While the quest to discover the mystery god was filled with action and kept me on the edge of my seat, it was very predictable. The god was the most likely candidate from the start (in my mind, anyway), and the more hints that were dropped, the more obvious it became.
While there are far more important things than love going on in the Apollyon world, I am happy to say that romance does not take a back seat in the story. Armentrout still sprinkles a very healthy dose of sweet nothings and swoon-worthy scenes throughout the story.
Filled with action and romance, Apollyon is another captivating installment in the Half-Blood series. Armentrout has done it again, leaving readers on the edge of their seat begging for the next installment. From the fabulous cast of characters to the mythological mysteries, Apollyon is definitely a must read.
We don’t really dive too much further into the mythology than we have already, but we do learn more about Solaris and the First and we get to meet a few new gods.
While the quest to discover the mystery god was filled with action and kept me on the edge of my seat, it was very predictable. The god was the most likely candidate from the start (in my mind, anyway), and the more hints that were dropped, the more obvious it became.
While there are far more important things than love going on in the Apollyon world, I am happy to say that romance does not take a back seat in the story. Armentrout still sprinkles a very healthy dose of sweet nothings and swoon-worthy scenes throughout the story.
Filled with action and romance, Apollyon is another captivating installment in the Half-Blood series. Armentrout has done it again, leaving readers on the edge of their seat begging for the next installment. From the fabulous cast of characters to the mythological mysteries, Apollyon is definitely a must read.
Flirting with Maybe was such a cute story. It was nothing at all like I expected—I thought it would be much more like Sweet Evil, but it has more in common with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. No matter what happened you couldn’t help cheering for Ryan and Brooke.
The entire novella is a love story. There really isn’t too much more to it other than that, but it is just beautiful. It was heartbreaking and sweet and I wanted more. The part of the novella that stands out to me most isn’t actually in the novella, it’s the epilogue that Wendy Higgins posted on her blog. This is seriously the best part of the story, so if you read make sure you get to the epilogue!
The entire novella is a love story. There really isn’t too much more to it other than that, but it is just beautiful. It was heartbreaking and sweet and I wanted more. The part of the novella that stands out to me most isn’t actually in the novella, it’s the epilogue that Wendy Higgins posted on her blog. This is seriously the best part of the story, so if you read make sure you get to the epilogue!
The Prince is kind of like Stephanie Meyer’s Midnight Sun (Twilight told from Edward’s perspective). We see the exact same events as we did in The Selection, only we see them from Maxon’s perspective instead of America’s. Since Selection fans already love Maxon so much, this works out well and it is really interesting to see how Maxon thinks and know exactly what he is feeling.
As much as I enjoyed The Prince (since I LOVED The Selection), it’s not essential to the plot line. You get to know Maxon better and there is more insight into his parents, but that’s basically it. As a huge fan of The Selection, I ate this short story up! However, unless you’re enthusiastic about the series, you are probably better off skipping over this one and jumping into The Elite.
As much as I enjoyed The Prince (since I LOVED The Selection), it’s not essential to the plot line. You get to know Maxon better and there is more insight into his parents, but that’s basically it. As a huge fan of The Selection, I ate this short story up! However, unless you’re enthusiastic about the series, you are probably better off skipping over this one and jumping into The Elite.