Oblivion by Kelly Creagh (Nevermore #3)

**I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. It will be released on July 28, 2015.**

Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Pages: 448

This electrifying conclusion to the Nevermore trilogy takes one last trip to the dream world of Edgar Allan Poe to reveal the intertwined fates of Isobel and Varen.

The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins? —Edgar Allan Poe

The fine line between life and death blurred long ago for Isobel Lanley. After a deadly confrontation with Varen in the dreamworld, she’s terrified to return to that desolate and dangerous place. But when her nightmares resume, bleeding into reality, she is left with no choice. Varen’s darkness is catching up to her. To everything. Threatening to devour it all.

Isobel fears for her world. For her sanity and Varen’s—especially after a fresh and devastating loss. To make matters worse, the ghostly demon Lilith wants Varen for her own, and she will do anything to keep him in her grasp—anything.

Can Isobel ever find her happy ending? Worlds collide and fates are sealed in this breathtaking finale to the Nevermore trilogy.

My Thoughts:
I have been waiting for this book for YEARS!!! I read the first book Nevermore when it first came out!!!!!! Nevermore is STILL on my most favorites list. The second book Enshadowed was a bit of a disappointment as I felt that the whole book was about rehashing what happened in the first book. It was only the ENDING that made it worth reading and it killed me when I read that ending. AAAH that ending....

Book three the FINAL book in this trilogy is finally here. Throughout the whole last book, Kelly Creagh stayed true to her imagination that is dark and haunting. Yet, beautiful in her writing style and creativity.
I am absolutely in love with the dynamics between Varen and Isobel. You have polar opposites who were able to see and reach beyond the surface and find each other.

I love the tragic side of Varen and how he coped with life throw dark tales of Edgar Allen Poe which brought about the adventure of all three books.

I love the character development of Isobel throughout the series where nothing became more important to her than getting Varen back.

The dark and twisted tale that brought about the separation of these two was utterly brilliant and in book three we continue to see how far one can fall and how hard it is to come back from a deep dark place. There is more to the story than meets the eye. I enjoyed the aspect of Edgar Allen Poe's stories brought to life and how dark and twisted they can be. I enjoyed the modern take that is weaved throughout the story.

I enjoyed learning more about certain characters and the 2 sides which mirrors another character in the book. It was fascinating. I loved it and even felt sorry for it. Brilliant.

However I must admit that even in this last book it got a little redundant in the fact that I felt I was just going in circles and I just wanted it to end! I wanted a happily ever after and instead I got 448 pages of ring-around-the -dark-twisted-rosy.

I was very pleased and satisfied with the ending. I can't wait to own this third book and reread them. But the first book, Nevermore, will still be-in my opinion-the best of all. I look forward to more from this author.

Sexual Content: mild
Violence: moderate (dark, a little creepy at times with characters)
Language: mild
Drugs/Alcohol: none

The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Will be released June 16, 2015.

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life.

But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.

And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.

My Thoughts:
This was a romance. That's it. I kept hoping there would be some kind of something else going on here--like any kind of plot line other than the romance--but nope.  I guess maybe the band thing could have been considered the sub-plot but it was so minimal that I don't really think it was.

I mean, really, there just wasn't much going on here. Except that it was set in Orlando. Which is where I'm from. So automatically it gained an extra half star for that. Yay, Florida!

So this book jumps back and forth between Then and Now, where the stories parallel each other. The similarities are so close that I kind of felt like I was reading the same book twice. Repetitive. Redundant. There were even things that we'd read about in the Then part, that then would be reiterated in the Now part. A lot of repetition. I started skimming after a while.

Something that majorly bugged was how much these teenagers drank. Almost every scene involved alcohol. I guess I don't get that because I'm not a partier, really, and never was but it makes me kind of angry that this book so glorifies drinking. That, and I think a lot of emotional dialogue could have been spared had these kids not imbibed so much alcohol.

I don't actually know what else to say about this without giving away the whole story. Because there's not much of a story. Gibaldi relies on characters and cutesy interactions to carry the book rather than plot. So I guess I'll talk about that.

I liked these characters. Mostly. They were fun and crazy and impulsive but ultimately very loyal to each other. But they were stupid and immature and just a bit flat. The on-again-off-again relationship between Jake and Meg drove me crazy. Not in a good way. I just don't understand people like that, I guess, and this book got me no closer to understanding it. They were mean to each other and just kind of gross in general. Our main character, Ella, was sweet but not very exciting. I mean, I kept reading because there were some cute parts and it was only 200 pages anyway. But yeah, not too exciting. Cute, yes. I'll admit I was grinning now and then, reading about the sweet little lovey-dovey stuff. But mostly I was annoyed with the over-explaining and massive amounts of introspection. There was so much explaining. And wondering. And pining. And questioning. So. Much. Drama. Not my thing.

Dialogue didn't exactly sound natural to me. The band thing: I don't know what to say about this. The way it came across in the book, it felt like these girls just wanted to date guys who were in bands, which is fine and all, but it felt like a second-hand story. It wasn't the main character's thing. Ella just hung out with the guys in the band and watched their shows. Except for that one scene. I don't know, I just felt like the band thing was a weak attempt to introduce another story focus other than the romance. Emphasis on Weak. Fun, yes. Relevant, no.

I know a lot of people will like this book. It's a sweet YA romance. It is cute. But it's not really my thing. I like for there to be something else going on in addition to romance. Any other kind of focus or conflict would do; Something to make the story more interesting. So if you're looking for a nice romance with lots of introspection and DTRing, this is your book. If you're like me and need something else along with it, you might want to look for something else.

Sexual Content: Moderate
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Heavy

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

**I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It will be released on June 16, 2015.**

Don’t get mad, get even! In this poignant and hilarious novel, Rachael Allen brilliantly explores the nuances of high school hierarchies, the traumas sustained on the path to finding true love, and the joy of discovering a friend where you least expect.

In the small town of Ranburne, high school football rules and the players are treated like kings. How they treat the girls they go to school with? That’s a completely different story. Liv, Peyton, Melanie Jane, and Ana each have their own reason for wanting to teach the team a lesson—but it’s only when circumstances bring them together that they come up with the plan to steal the one thing the boys hold sacred. All they have to do is beat them at their own game.

My Thoughts:
I kind of loved this book.

Let me tell you why I loved this book so much: It challenged date rape culture. The whole book. Every storyline and subplot was carefully crafted to demonstrate how date rape culture begins and is perpetuated and how girls don't have a say in what in what happens. And then--AND THEN!--these girls fight back. In a hilarious way. 

The very first page was a list of dares which, I'll admit, were a bit raunchy. But intriguing. I wanted to find out what it was all about even though I was worried that the whole book would be gross. It wasn't gross, thank goodness, but it did have it's moments.

Ok, so we follow four different girls, hearing their different points of view: Ana, Liv, Peyton and Melanie Jane. Each girl has had to deal with a different form of stereotyping or gender inequality on top of all their other problems. I was actually really impressed with the way Allen was able to give everyone so much depth. The main characters, the secondary characters, even people who only appeared on a few pages had excellent depth. I didn't find anyone flat, except maybe Big Tom. 

Anyway, the social issues dealt with here are numerous and heavy but it's done very well. I never felt like I was being preached to. Everything that happened was just part of the story, even though I'm absolutely certain Allen went into this with an agenda and a long list of topics to hit on. Included are: Slut slamming, controlling boyfriends, date rape, favoritism, virgin complex (where people try to make others feel inadequate because they haven't had sex), harassment, sex shaming (where people try to make others feel inadequate because they have had sex), religious judgement, chastity guilt, controlling parents, bullying, etc. I could go on. There's so much going on here. But I didn't feel like the book had too much going on. With a list like that you'd expect some seriously graphic scenes, right? But there weren't. There were some make-out scenes and the knowledge that characters had had sex and a few moments of blunt talk but nothing graphic. The most explicit it got was when we read about date rape. And even that could have been far worse. Allen really did us all a favor by dealing with serious events in way that I would be comfortable with teenagers reading. Because all girls need to know about this kind of stuff. It is important to understand that these things happen all the time and they could happen to anyone. It's also important to know how to deal with these things happening.

So I loved all that. And the general tone of the book was sarcastic and full of humor. There were just a few things that bothered me:

The Football-God Syndrome. I get that a lot of guys follow the pack mentality and will band together and do what their "leader" says but if the captain of the football team tells a guy to break up with a girl because he doesn't approve of her, would they? Would anyone? Would the rest of the team go along with it? Does anyone else find this incredibly stupid? And with all the attention given to teams and fraternities and what-not that get in trouble for hazing and bullying and being jerks in general, why is this happening at all? And do the jocks really rule the school? When I was in high school I pretty much completely ignored the football team (and cheerleaders) and thought they were douche-bags. Unless this town is really backwoods or this novel was set in the 80s, I just don't find the main plotline of this book very believable. The varied subplots, however, are very believable and happen so often it only feels natural. Meaning, it's such a common aspect of life for girls and women in general that it almost feels redundant to write a book about them. But harassment and gender stereotyping and favoritism should be brought to more peoples' attention because it is a problem. And it should change.

Teenage Sexual Activity.  Given the subjects listed above, you know there is going to be some talk of sex going on here. Again, nothing graphic. And I was actually impressed with the different viewpoints presented. There was a girl who openly chose to remain a virgin until marriage. There was another who candidly had sex with her boyfriend. Another who had sex before she was ready--I really appreciated that that was included here. So often YA books deal with teens having sex and it being wonderful and exciting but I don't think I've ever read a book where a teen was very realistically too immature to deal with sex. That would be the norm, in my opinion. Most teens aren't mature enough to handle the emotional significance of sex and I'm glad this book included that viewpoint. Although I would probably prefer that no high-school-aged kids had sex at all. That said, I understand that Allen was trying to say that girls should have the right to choose what to do with their own bodies and when and I very much agree with that sentiment.

Then there were some general timeline confusion issues and editing problems that I'm expecting to be fixed between the proof that I read and the final edition that will be published for general audiences. So I won't even go into that.

Overall, I love this book. I love the characters. I love the attitude. And I especially love the message this should send to anyone who reads it. I would recommend this to older teens and I want every man and teenage boy in the world to read this book so they'll hopefully understand a little bit better how girls think and what we go through. 

Sexual Content: Moderate
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate

The Cage by Megan Shepherd (To be released May 26th!)

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

My Thoughts:
**An ARC of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.**

Megan Shepherd has diverse taste: This is straight-up Slaughterhouse Five (the alien zoo parts) meets Lord of the Flies plus any recent YA love-triangle novel. Any at all. There are thousands, take your pick.

So major props for coming up with a somewhat unique idea. Or at least, you know, borrowing ideas from less borrowed-from stories. Meaning the Slaughterhouse Five one, not the Lord of the Flies one. Lord of the Flies has been borrowed-from I don't know how many times. Honestly, I almost feel burnt-out on books about kids turning against one another and going crazy and being violent. Interesting and thought-provoking (or at least it was the first few times I read it) and entertaining, yes. But a little overdone. Kurt Vonnegut is a worthy author to borrow ideas from but after seeing the Slaughterhouse Five connection to this book I can't help but compare the authors. No offense, Megan Shepherd, but you're no Kurt Vonnegut. That is all I will say about that.

I actually liked the way this began. Six human teenagers are abducted by aliens and relocated to a fabricated alien world made to look human. They are given 3 rules: Eat, sleep, procreate. They are even told with whom they should procreate. They're also given puzzles to solve, entertainment and whatever they need to live. Aside from all that craziness, there's weird things going on all around them, visual tricks being played on their heads, and just weird mind games in general. You see that everyone is going to slip into madness; It's going to happen, right? You see it coming. But I felt like it happened so suddenly. One day they're all working together to solve puzzles and figure out their environment, the next nearly everyone is ganging up on Cora (our protagonist) and blaming her for everything going wrong. The only person whose fall from sanity felt legit was Leon's because a) he was already a little unstable when he arrived, b) he isolated himself early on and c) he had a lot of guilt to spike his crazy meter. Seeing inside everyone's heads and how they thought and processed--especially after slipping out of sanity a bit--was interesting. But it could have been done more convincingly.

The love triangle. Well. Blah, first of all. I'm sick of them. And secondly, it was just weird. Cora is a beautiful, tough, take-no-crap from nobody type of girl. One love interest is Lucky, the human she is paired with in the enclosure. He is hot, smart, thoughtful and they share a past. Lucky is irrationally in love with Cora, but, honestly, kind of creepily so. He seems sweet and strong at first but about halfway through the book he becomes this love-sick puppy. Did. not. like. Then there's Cassian, the third part of the love triangle. He is the alien who stole all these kids from their homes and now keeps them in the alien enclosure. He's also incredibly beautiful, feels deeply for the human plight and is falling in love with Cora. I just--How does Cora not find it creepy that Cassian watched her for years? YEARS! And Cassian is an alien who can read her mind (more on that later) and do other psychic stuff. And Cassian abducted her from Earth to place her in an alien environment. How old is he? Because she's a teenager. Why did Cora not find this incredibly creepy?!? But, oh, he mostly looks human, only more beautiful, and he seems to care about Cora even though he told her flat-out that he specifically chose her for this habitat. Really?

Ok, and Cora convinces everyone to make plans to break out of the habitat. Which makes sense to me, I would have had the same thought. But there's no real planning. They don't find out much about the enemy at all, the plans mostly revolve around turning toys into makeshift weapons and the aliens can READ THEIR MINDS! That right there would probably put a huge damper on everything since, you know, the aliens would know exactly what they were doing (that said, why didn't they put a stop to more things? Weird). They learn that feeling pain clouds their thoughts so that the Kindred (aliens) can't read their minds, right? So they start pinching themselves whenever they think about certain things or whenever they talk to each other about plans. Only, thing is, the aliens can still hear them talking even if they can't read their minds. So... that could have been handled a whole lot better.

There were some things that I really loved in this book: The actual habitat that the human kids were placed in was fascinating. All the weird perspective stuff and the way it was designed and how the puzzles worked--all of it was fun to read. The actual writing was easy-to-read and addictive. I wanted to know what would happen, I was invested in the story, I even mostly liked the characters until they all went crazy. There were a few cases of annoying reiterated thoughts ("His lips were so close to mine. Did he want to kiss me? Did I want to kiss him? What if it happened again?" that kind of thing) that got annoying. But mostly I was okay with the writing. Not spectacular, but not sub-par, either.

I will definitely read the sequel. I want to know where this goes. But it better be better than this because right now I think I like this series but I need some major convincing.

Sexual Content: Moderate-Heavy
Language: Moderate (I think--don't remember)
Violence: Moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate

Crimson Bound by: Rosamund Hodge

Publication: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 448

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)

My Thoughts:

Can I just say that I LOVE Rosamund Hodge. She is now on my "must read" authors list.

Here we have another dark fairy tale retelling. Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.
I was utterly impressed with the amount of imagination and creativity that went into this story.

The characters in the story weren't simple, or even black and white. They were all complex and there was a lot of gray in here.

Rachelle (Little Red) thinks she knows what she is doing. Over estimating herself and a man she meets in the forest she ends up making a deadly mistake, one that would not only cost her, her life but that of another-one whom she loved dearly.

To atone Rachelle throws herself into training and killing evil creatures that come out of the dark forest. The Dark forest is getting stronger and eventually it will take over the kingdom and the world.

Regardless of Rachelle and the fact that she has become part of the forest and bound to an evil king that is trying to return, she fights herself constantly and the evil that is trying to overtake her.

I really liked Rachelle and her constant battle, however I am sad of some of her mistakes. It irritated me that she lasted so long and held out so long but ended up making some pretty stupid choices.

The romance was good and I really REALLY liked Armond and his story, I loved the mystery behind a lot of these characters and the twist Hodge took in regards to a few of the main characters.

Overall this is a very dark retelling and if you enjoy battling evil and fantasy then give this a go.

Sexual Content: moderate (PG-13, kissing, sexual tension, knowledge that 2 characters had sex)
Language: moderate
Violence: moderate (fantasy killings, talk of blood and gore, fighting)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley (Coming April 28, 2015)

Neil Gaiman’s Stardust meets John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars in this fantasy about a girl caught between two worlds…two races…and two destinies.

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air.

Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live.

So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn’t think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

My Thoughts: No spoilers because I REALLY want you to read it! 

Same, Emma Stone.  Same.

I picked this book, solely because of the feather on the cover (don't judge me).  Yes. I like feathers.  Some might even go so far as to say I “love” feathers.  I think they are beautiful and amazing.  But I digress… 

I have never, ever read a book like this one.  This story was just so completely original that, despite my initial disdain for Aza (which lessened as the book progressed - I loved her in the end) I was entranced after a few chapters.  As for her name? Aza Ray = beautiful.  Even if she was referred to only as Aza, I called her Aza Ray in my head through the whole book.

Aza is dying of a disease that is so rare it bears her name – although she prefers to call the disease Clive.  Her parents and sister practically live their lives on pins and needles because the smallest thing can set off an episode that will send her to the hospital. 

In the book, it all starts when she sees a very real ship floating in the sky and no one believes her.  They all think it is a hallucination brought on by her medication(s).  She starts to hear her name in the wind, so to speak.  Someone or something is calling to her.  Things continue to get worse until finally, in a horrific, can’t-stop-reading episode - Aza dies.

She wakes up in Magonia (which, by the way, is a place that she and her bff/love interest Jason had discussed (but dismissed) shortly before her death, because he is the only one who will listen to her).  She is a brand new person with strong lungs and a strong body.  And: she’s blue.  *The creatures that inhabit Magonia are simply amazing.  When you read it (which you should) you will understand.*  She is reunited with her mother, from whom Aza was stolen when she wasn't even hatched. (Yes. Hatched.)

Chaos, danger, and high fantasy adventures ensue as Aza tries to discover who she is and where she belongs in her new-found life.  Where are her loyalties?  Who can she trust?  YOU HAVE TO READ IT.

I believe this will be a “love it or hate it” book, whenever it finally catches on.  I sincerely hope it does, because this book deserves so much attention!  I’m totally fangirling over Headley’s writing and I will be finding other works of hers to devour asap.

PS - HarperCollins picked up Magonia & "a sequel", so I can't wait to see where this goes!!!!!

Sexual Content: very mild

Violence: moderate to heavy (depending on your gore tolerance)

Language: mild/moderate (I don’t remember it being that bad)

Drugs/Alcohol: mild (there may not be any at all, but I can’t be 100% sure, sorry)

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

**An ARC of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. And honest it is.**

**To be released May 26th, 2015.**

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

My Thoughts:

Black Swan in-frickin'-deed. I couldn't finish this book. I'll usually read at least halfway through a book before posting a review about it but I didn't even make it that far. When you cringe while reading each page, you know it's time to quit.

The book is told from the perspectives of three different girls studying to be ballet dancers. None of the characters were likable. Bette, the resident Mean Girl and perfect ballerina, is just psychotic and evil. She doesn't like anyone, especially herself and she puts everyone through crap that is just crazy. June, the ostracized half-Korean girl, self-isolates causing all sorts of loneliness problems and has major self-esteem issues. Gigi, the new black girl from California, obsesses over another girl's boyfriend and kind of notices that the other girls are insane but still brings attention to herself. Admittedly, Gigi is the relatable one in this book. She's the nicest and least crazy. But she's still not normal and not all that likable.

I guess it was interesting to get a look into the world of ballet which, if other reviewers are correct, is quite accurate. Actually, it was mostly just disturbing. The girls all starved themselves to be the perfect body size and shape of a dancer; Every one of them had some kind of eating disorder. Everyone was mean and lied to each other and made passive-agressive remarks and had extremely low self-esteem and wanted everyone else around them to have insanely low-esteem as well. It's like these young girls were placed in close living quarters as an experiment on how to turn everyone against each other and create sociopaths.

And the directors of the ballet company almost did things to discourage bullying and craziness but did nothing to stop it. Ew, and there were allusions to the director becoming romantically involved with young students. I just--Can't.

So I couldn't even read halfway through this book. I'm afraid of what legitimately insane things will happen. This book creeped me out.

Sexual Content: Moderate (as far as I read, anyway. I'm sure things would have steamed up even more if I'd kept reading)
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate

Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

**An ARC of this book was received in exchange for an honest review. Release date April 21st, 2015.**

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all. 

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

My Thoughts:
The idea was intriguing and the writing was lovely. So why only two stars? Well.

I wasn't actually drawn to any of the characters. Quinn, the main character, had no defining characteristics other than her severe depression and love of running. It's like she only existed to be in love with the boyfriend that died.

So when Quinn searches for and meets the guy (Colton) who received her boyfriend's (Trent) heart, only then can she move on. Sort of. Because she's only getting to know Colton because he has Trent's heart in his body. They never would have met otherwise. Honestly it just felt like Quinn only really liked the guy because it allowed her to hold onto a piece of Trent. Yikes. So many issues with that.

And Colton is kind of perfect in every way. I mean, yeah, that's common in YA romancey literature but I kind of hate it. Colton basically chases Quinn down and convinces her to go out with him. Very, very few guys are that persistent. There exists a tiny percentage of guys that will suffer rejection after rejection from the same girl without some kind of hint that he is making progress. Especially if that guy has been out of practice for a few years and most likely has very low self-esteem. I fail to see how Quinn and Colton's first interaction--where she knocked over a cup of coffee, then crashed her car into his--was endearing enough for Colton to want to get to know her better. Most guys would shy away from a girl like that; She may be a bit unstable.

I appreciated that there were other things going on in this book besides just the romance. Well, I guess just one other thing: Family problems. That's all Quinn did: Hang with her family and get to know Colton. And cry. She cried a lot. Alone. OK, I get that Quinn is on this self-healing journey to get over the fact that the boyfriend she was in love with died, but there was a little too much introspection here. Not that I disagreed with her finding herself, no no, not that. It was that the same ideas were reiterated over and over. Maybe that will be fixed before the novel is released. I hope it is. Because I got tired of reading the same things over and over.

I loved all the beach scenes and kayaking and sand and surf. I'm suffering beach withdrawals as I write this.

So, in short, I thought the idea for this book was interesting, if a bit cheesy. I loved the setting but didn't much care for the characters or for the way the story played out. Two stars is about right.

Sexual Content: Moderate (I think some characters may have had sex...?)
Language: Mild
Violence: None
Drugs/Alcohol: None

Invincible by Amy Reed

Evie is living on borrowed time. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer several months ago and told that by now she’d be dead. Evie is grateful for every extra day she gets, but she knows that soon this disease will kill her. Until, miraculously, she may have a second chance to live.

All Evie had wanted was her life back, but now that she has it, she feels like there’s no place for her in it—at least, not for the girl she is now. Her friends and her parents still see her as Cancer Girl, and her boyfriend’s constant, doting attention is suddenly nothing short of suffocating.

Then Evie meets Marcus. She knows that he’s trouble, but she can’t help falling for him. Being near him makes her feel truly, fully alive. It’s better than a drug. His kiss makes her feel invincible—but she may be at the beginning of the biggest free fall of her life.

My Thoughts:
First of all, that cover is a thing of beauty. I love it. And I know you're not supposed to judge books by their covers but, yeah, I do. The beauty drew me in.

And then I started reading it and it was a book about cancer. Teenagers with terminal cancer. Honestly I wasn't all that interested in reading another book about dying kids, after The Fault In Our Stars covered that topic so beautifully. And since the writing here wasn't exactly on par with John Green I wasn't exactly drawn in all that quickly.

In the first part of the book we have Cancer Girl Evie, who is kind and defeated. She basically gives up on herself and allows the people around her to coddle her. She's expected to die and everyone around her pretty much says goodbye while still being supportive and helpful and sweet. Evie has the most perfect boyfriend in the world who stays with her for the whole year she has cancer. Evie's best friend is the same way. Honestly, I couldn't get over the fact that the boyfriend and best friend were so loyal. I don't know why it didn't feel right but it didn't. Evie's cancer friends were more fun and more believable, bonding over shared misery.

After Evie miraculously heals she goes home and immediately begins to alienate herself, gets herself addicted to painkillers and starts using recreational drugs. I get that Cancer Girl gave up on herself a long time ago and doesn't know how to turn that around. I get that a version of the scenario played out in this book does happen in real life; Survivors self-destruct and push everyone away. I get that Evie's grieving for her friend, the life she knew, and the life she would have had without cancer. But I just couldn't get myself to like post-cancer Evie.

Her go-to solution was to take drugs. Her method of escape was to have sex. She complains about people caring about her too much, about her parents being too naive to realize what she was doing, about her friends being too nice to her. There are worse problems out there, Evie!! Get over yourself. A few times Evie laments the fact that she didn't just die and I couldn't help but agree with her. "Jeez, you're annoying," I would think. "Why couldn't you have just died halfway through the book?"

That said, I will say that the way Evie's addiction came about was very realistic. If I wanted to share a cautionary tale with someone about addiction and self-destruction, this book would be a good jumping-off point for a discussion.

But then it ended with a cliffhanger. Wha-- Why would there be a cliffhanger ending on a book that's only 230 pages long?? If the sequel is about the same length you should just mash them together into one friggin' book. Irritating.

So, did I like this book? Not really. Will I remember this book? Most likely. Would this book make an interesting discussion? Absolutely.

Sexual Content: Heavy (nothing graphic but a few sex scenes)
Language: Heavy
Violence: Mild, if any
Drugs/Alcohol: Heavy

Rook by Sharon Cameron + GIVEAWAY

Publication: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 464

History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she. 

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

My Thoughts:
Can I just go ahead and just rant and rave about how awesome this book was?! Well, it was amazing! I couldn't put it down! I was so impressed with how Sharon Cameron redid her own version of The Scarlet Pimpernel (which is a favorite of mine book and the 1982 Jane Seymoure movie adaptation). It was BRILLIANT, she took apart characters and created different/new characters with individual aspects that were in specific characters from the original telling.

I enjoyed how this story takes place MANY years from now where the world went through a technology-earth destruction that killed many people as they relied so much on technology that they didnt know how to survive without it. So technology has been outlawed and those that fund, use, or any way get access to technology are put to death. This society has decided to revert back to the 17th century style of living. With big hair, lots of makeup and ridiculous outfits.

We have Sophia who is our main character and she is a completely fun, I had a blast reading her adventures and character development. She's normal too, with all the feelings and emotions  of any normal girl. Yet with a bit more adventure than the average girl she is just cool.

I completely enjoyed the brother/sister relationship between Sophia and her brother Tom. I loved reading their interactions and what they were willing to do for each other.

The action was crazy and had me biting my nails and sitting at the edge of my seat holding the book 2 inches from my face because I had to know what was going to happen next.

LeBlanc our villain was INSANE, literally INSANE, his logic, way of thinking the world should be and the sickness in his own mind was fascinating! I was creeped out and disgusted by him which made him completely fun to read about. Creepy creepy man....

I was floored with the twist and turns of this story. I kept second guessing myself with pointing the fingers to every character who I thought was the "bad guy" and when all was reveled...whoa. didn't see it coming.

I actually didn't mind the romance in this. There is a bit of a love triangle that wasn't bad to read at all! Plus the romance didn't overwhelm the story. It was a nice undertone which kept you interesting which I prefer!

Overall the author did a GREAT job of writing her own version of this story and I thought she was brilliant!

Sexual Content: mild
Violence: moderate (PG-13 not too graphic)
Language: none
Drugs/Alcohol: mild

Meet the Author:

Sharon has been a classical piano teach, genealogist, chair of a non-profit local theater group, coordinator of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Midsouth Conference. Sharon has been awarded the 2009 Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award for her debut novel The Dark Unwinding. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her family and loves to shoot her longbow and search for secret passages while traveling the world.

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The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Book Description:
Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them. 

My Thoughts:
Oh the FEELS!!! Wow. Just. Wow. If you have read book one which is The Winner's Curse then you need to stop reading this, right now, pick up book one and read these 2 books. They are a MUST OWN, A MUST READ. You want a book that has everything? then look no further because this is it. AND THEY ARE CLEAN! There is romance to swoon for, adventure, political intrigue, lies, truths, heart breaks (reader and character), an amazing cast of characters that you just want to kill of and root for!

The story carries on with the engagement of Lady Kestrel to the Valoria's crown prince who you aren't sure if you want to like or just hate. The engagement itself is a problem yet to save those she loves Kestrel cannot tell anyone of the reason behind her engagement for fear of too many people's lives. Yes Kestrel thinks she can play a serious game between life or death for her and those she's trying to protect. When things spin out of control, Kestrel finds herself utterly alone. This book gets zoo utterly twisted you can't put it down!

I LOVE Kestrel's character even though you want to yell at her, you also cheer her own, ache with her, and hope she knows what she is doing. While surrounded by the gorgeous beauty of a palace and the balls and gowns, Kestrel has to constantly wear different facades in order to protect the ones she loves and herself, yet for how long is she able to uphold it all up and still try to save a people other deem not worth saving?

Arin...Arin, Arin. You....kinda bothered me in this book. You seemed a little whinny and I wanted to slap you across the head at times, yet I understand what you were trying to do. You just FEEL for Arin throughout this whole book. UGH! Why must life be so complicated!

New characters come into play and it's mesmerizing to see how they all play in the game that Marie Rutkoski sets up and how you aren't sure if some of them are good or bad.

This book is different from book one with all the political intrigue that has your mind spinning.

Overall I loved it and I couldn't put it down, it tugged on my heartstrings and is a must own.

Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott + GIVEAWAY

Publication Date: Feb. 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 320


What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win. 

My Thoughts:
Victoria Scott is now on my must read author's list for YA. These two books have blown away ANY expectation I've had in regards to these books. Both times I was floored by her writing and how she navigated my feelings and emotions through this adventure. Honestly, I don't think there is anything about this book that I didn't like or that I would change. It was just, perfect.

We follow Tella and the rest of her contender friends from the first leg of the race in book one as they move forward with their plans and with winning the race. Regardless that all of them have someone to save they are willing to help each other out in surviving the race/game set for them by the Creators.  The last leg of the race is for the contenders to cross water and snow and it's awesome, tragic, edge of your seat kind-of-crazy.

What I loved about this book is that it is so real, raw, heart wrenching, funny, heart warming, frightening and all of the other adjectives that make a book unforgettable.

I loved the romance in this, why? because it's not "insta-love" it's not a "bad" boy who treats a girl terribly, it's about 2 people with struggles in regards to everything happening around them and their desires, they can't deny their feelings for each other but it's a slow process and it's wonderful to read. It was just awesome.

We have brooding Guy continuing to be himself from book one and his character development is slow and subtle and perfect. Tella's character development was so fun to read, the author was able to develop her character without loosing sight of the original Tella character that we all connected with in book one.

With all the harshness of everything going on in this race of life or death the humor was a great relief and so cute it was wonderful.

There isn't too much I want to say in case I spoil it along with those who haven't had a chance to read book one. GO! READ IT!

Overall: This series is a must own. Because it's an adventure you won't be able to put down.

Sexual Content: moderate (PG- some kissing)
Language: moderate (1 F word, and a few other choice words)
Violence: moderate (animals fighting each other, near death experiences)
Drugs/Alcohol: none

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