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Review: Alive by Chandler Baker

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Alive by Chandler BakerAlive by Chandler Baker
Published by Disney Hyperion on June 9, 2015
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

Stella Cross's heart is poisoned.

After years on the transplant waiting list, she's running out of hope that she'll ever see her eighteenth birthday. Then, miraculously, Stella receives the transplant she needs to survive.

Determined to embrace everything she came so close to losing, Stella throws herself into her new life. But her recovery is marred by strange side effects: Nightmares. Hallucinations. A recurring pain that flares every day at the exact same moment. Then Stella meets Levi Zin, the new boy on everyone's radar at her Seattle prep school. Stella has never felt more drawn to anyone in her life, and soon she and Levi are inseparable.

Stella is convinced that Levi is her soul mate. Why else would she literally ache for him when they are apart?

After all, the heart never lies...does it?

From the moment I heard about Alive, I was incredibly excited to read it – it sounded amazing! But when I first started reading it, I had a lot of trouble getting into it. The first 46 pages were incredibly slow and flat. I was tempted to DNF, but I kept going because I snuck a peak at a semi-spoilerish Goodreads review and what I read had me intrigued! In the end, I stayed up until 3:30am to finsh it – In total, I read 311 pages in 7 hours – because I couldn’t put it down!

I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters. Usually for me, not connecting with the characters is an automatic DNF. But the story itself intrigued me enough that I kept going. But I had a love/hate relationship with these characters throughout the whole book. First of all, I have no idea how any of them were friends or how any of them could hang out in the same group – They were all so nasty to each other! I know friends fight sometimes, but wow! They almost never stopped being rude and mean to each other. It was ridiculous!

Sometimes, Stella was great. In the first chapter, I felt her panic so intensely, it was like I was the one going in for surgery! But at other times, she was rude and mean, abandoning her friends for a guy she barely knew and saying the nastiest things. Henry kept pressuring Stella to define what their relationship was – Um, dude! She just went through heart transplant surgery!!! Let her breathe!!! But other than that and his intense dislike for Levi, he was actually the calmest/nicest of the characters and I felt bad for the way Stella was treating him. And Brynne was just snippy and brutally honest.

I liked Levi a lot at first. He seemed really great and I loved his chemistry with Stella. But it quickly became clear that something wasn’t right. He lied to Stella a lot and he became very possessive. At one point, he even becomes a bit abusive. But then there’s a major twist with his story and.. Wow.

This is not your run-of-the-mill contemporary. I don’t know how much to say without spoiling it, but it has a lot of supernatural elements to it, especially in the second half of the book. I had so many crazy theories running through my head, it made me dizzy. And every few chapters, my theories changed. In the end, I was half-right. But the mystery and suspense of it kept me awake until well after 3am. I don’t scare easily (I LOVE horror and scary things!), but at one point, I was actually super creeped out. And I don’t think I could have gone to sleep even if I’d tried! Plus, I was so desperate to discover what what happening, there was no way I could put the book down until I was finished.

Overall, this was a really intriguing book. It started out slow, but once it picked up speed, it never slowed down. It kept me hooked with twists and turns, kept me guessing and theorizing, until the very last page. Like I said, 311 pages in 7 hours… *Nods.* So I definitely recommend this one, especially if you like creepy/scary and books with supernatural elements. If you go into this book thinking it’s a straight-up contemporary, you may be disappointed. But give it a shot – try to push past the first 50 pages and give it a chance! I’m very excited to see what this author does next!

PS: The only thing I could have done without – seriously!!!! – was the detailed sound description of a one-year-old throwing up. I actually had to put this book down for a bit because it made me feel physically sick. Scenes in books and movies with people throwing up make me gag and feel like I’M gonna throw up – I blame it on the fact that I got Strep 3-4 times a year from the time I was 18-months-old until I was 10-years-old and, without fail, I threw up each time I was sick. So even though I know that NO ONE likes to throw up, it’s particularly triggering for me. So yeah. Just a little pet peeve of mine! *Shudders*

four-stars

Review: Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Material Girls by Elaine DimopoulosMaterial Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on May 5, 2015
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
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two-half-stars

In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla approves. Both girls are pawns in a calculated but seductive system of corporate control, and both begin to question their world’s aggressive levels of consumption. Will their new “eco-chic” trend subversively resist and overturn the industry that controls every part of their lives

Smart, provocative, and entertaining, this thrilling page-turner for teens questions the cult like mentality of fame and fashion. Are you in or are you out?

I’ve been blogging for two years. In that time, I’ve only had one book that I rated below 3 stars and still reviewed. For me, less than 3 stars usually means a DNF. But in that case – and now in this case, with Material Girls – I feel like I have a lot to say and I feel like I can say it in a constructive, respectful way. It took me a long time to start Material Girls. I tried three times – and I didn’t make it past the second page any of those times – before I was successful. But I was intrigued by the premise and I kept putting it aside, hoping I’d be in the mood for it at some point. I finally managed to read it and I was pretty disappointed. But as bad as this book was, there was obviously SOMETHING about it that I enjoyed, because I didn’t DNF it, couldn’t put it down AND I finished it in a day.

Before I begin, fair warning: This review has spoilers, both minor and major. So read with caution or, if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read this review until after you’ve read the book.

So let’s start with the plot. I love Dystopian but, with all the Dystopian books out there, a lot of them are the same or very similar. Material Girls intrigued me because it seemed different. I’m not a huge fashion person, but I hoped it would be about more than that – that it would have a greater lesson, or something. Sadly, it was almost exclusively about fashion. For those who read Dystopian, this was basically the “rebellion” happening against the “Big Five” fashion houses instead of the entire government.

In this world, kids are “Tapped” at 13 to work in a certain creative industry, at a certain company and in a certain role. And they do that until they’re 16-19 and then they’re considered obsolete and either demoted or let go. So… You peak in your career before you’re even out of your teens. If you aren’t “Tapped,” you’re considered an “Adequate” and take on “menial” jobs like being a teacher, doctor, etc. People who are Tapped look down on the Adequate’s and treat them as lesser human beings. Basically, as with any typical Dystopian, this creates the divide that sparks a rebellion.

Marla is at the top of the food chain at one of the Big Five fashion houses, but she speaks up to defend fashions that no one else likes. This gets her demoted. Of course, getting demoted means she falls in with the group that desires to rebel and “fix the system.” Marla doesn’t have any significant character growth until 73% in to the book, roughly. She wasn’t very likable, though I did feel bad for her when she lost everything. Her story ended in an intriguing way, however, giving me hope that things might turn out okay.

Ivy is a hugely successful pop star who’s tired of her image and wants to change it up in order to get her ex-boyfriend back. Unlike Marla, she had a lot of character growth in the beginning. Unlike Marla, her character growth became stagnant roughly half-way in to the book and then tapered off until she ended up right back where she stared at the beginning of the book. Only, she was worse off by the end than she was at the beginning, in my opinion. Honestly, I had high hopes for her and the way her story ended was very disappointing.

I was incredibly annoyed and upset with the way Marla and Ivy’s friendship ended. Them working together was incredibly predictable, but I thought they’d be together at the end, fighting the good fight or something. I didn’t like the way Felix came between them. That whole weird love triangle was just… weird. And unnecessary. Ivy acted as though Marla was an evil home-wrecker, when Marla didn’t even know about Ivy and Felix’s history until after the fact.

There were a lot of secondary characters in this book and I really didn’t connect with any of them and, therefore, didn’t really care about them. Most of the were shallow and had no sense of loyalty. Marla’s best friend and boyfriend were quick to dump her and run when they thought associating with her would jeopardize their Tap positions. Everyone was mean to each other, doing anything they could to stay relevant and at the top. It was heartbreaking to see some of the things that happened. And a lot of the characters blended together, so I had a hard time remembering who was who.

My biggest beef with this book was the ending. It was disappointing, anti-climatic and left me hanging. The rebellion was snuffed out and nothing really changed. At one point, Vivienne mentioned that change doesn’t happen over night, so I understand why the rebellion fizzled and I get the point the author was trying to make – it takes years and years and constant fighting to make change happen. But as a reader reading a book, this made for a very disappointing ending. I felt jipped, like I’d spent my time reading this book for nothing. I guess the lesson is “be the change you want to see.” Don’t give up, even if you lose. It’s a great lesson, but it made the ending feel anti-climatic and unfinished.

Despite all that, there must have been SOMETHING good/interesting about this book because I never DNF’d and I finished it in roughly a day. But I honestly don’t know why. I have no clue why I held on or what intrigued me so much. I guess I connected with these characters on some level, enough to want to know how their stories ended and if they got their happily ever after. The plot/world kept me intrigued enough that I couldn’t put it down and read it super fast. But if you asked me for exact reasons why I kept reading, or what about it was interesting enough… Well, I couldn’t tell you. It was entertaining in some level, though.

I think if I knew this was part of a duology, trilogy or series, I wouldn’t mind the ending as much. If I knew that at some point, we’d get closure for these characters, that there was a point to the rebellion (and it was successful), I’d give this book the benefit of the doubt and maybe attempt to pick up the second book when it released. Who knows, if we get a second book, I might even come back and revise this review and bump it up to a 3-star rating. But until that happens, I’m standing firm with my rating and my reasons why.

I have a lot more thoughts on this book and I could discuss them all in great detail. But, as always, I hate thinking that my reviews might discourage someone from reading a book. I might not have enjoyed Material Girls, but someone else might love it. I saw a number of positive 4-star reviews for it on Goodreads. I will NEVER tell someone NOT to read a book. Though I won’t go out of my way to recommend it, I won’t tell you not to read it, either. So if you were excited for this book, give it a chance. You might love it! I truly hope you do! If you love fashion, especially, then this book is likely for you. If you DO read it and DO love it, let me know in the comments – tell me why you loved it!

two-half-stars

Review: Paperweight by Meg Haston

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Paperweight by Meg HastonPaperweight by Meg Haston
Published by HarperTeen on July 7, 2015
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher
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three-half-stars

Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.

Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.

Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.

In this emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut, Meg Haston delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, while posing the question: Why are some consumed by their illness while others embark on a path toward recovery?

Warning: This review could be a Trigger for eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide, etc. Please read with caution.

This is a really difficult book for me to review. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the story and the characters and, very early on, I considered DNFing. Despite the disconnect, something about it was compelling enough that I kept reading. While I never fully connected to the story or characters, I did feel for the characters and I did find the story intriguing. At its core, Paperweight was a heartbreaking story about a hurting, grieving girl who didn’t know how to deal with the guilt she felt. For better or worse, this book pulled me in and refused to let go until the very last page.

I didn’t necessarily dislike Stevie, but I really didn’t like her and I’m still not sure why, exactly. I had a lot of trouble relating to her, which made it hard to connect with her. I definitely felt for her and her situation. Though I’ve never had an eating disorder, I’ve always struggled with my weight and my relationship with food. So on some level, I understand what she was going through. But Stevie’s story was more than just her eating disorder. It was her troubled relationship with her parents, her grief over her brother, her toxic relationship with Eden. Stevie had a lot of things/people she had to come to terms with throughout the story. Every time Stevie had a major revelation/turning point in her journey, it was deeply felt and her character growth was obvious. She changed a lot from beginning to end.

I really liked Ashley. I liked how she tried to be nice to Stevie, even when Stevie pushed her away. She was always so optimistic on the outside, even though she was hurting on the inside. My heart broke for her, especially near the end. I also really liked “Shrink” Anna. I actually liked her more than Stevie. I think because I could relate to her a bit more than Stevie. I didn’t go to school for psychology, but I took a lot of psychology classes during my first two years in college and I really felt an affinity to psychology and the idea of listening to others and helping them work through things. So Anna’s character really spoke to me. I’d love a companion novel that focuses on Ashley and her journey and I’d love to see more of Anna, too.

We never really met Eden directly – we just heard about her from Stevie, or saw her in flashbacks/memories. But she was a very toxic friend for Stevie. We’ve all had that kind of friend in our life at some point, so it was easy to understand why Stevie felt she needed Eden, even when she knew Eden was bad for her and her recovery.

It’s hard to talk about Josh because we didn’t officially meet him – like with Eden, he’s just a talking point in Stevie’s sessions with Anna, or someone we see in flashbacks and memories. But he’s very crucial to the story, since his death was the trigger that caused Stevie to spriral down this path of self-destruction. There were times I liked Josh and the way he tried to look after Stevie and there were times I hated him for the way he treated her. But overall, it was a typical brother/sister relationship. I can’t imagine being in Stevie’s shoes and losing a brother, though my heart ached just seeing what the guilt and grief did to her.

Rain was an interesting character. For the most part, her only purpose was to be an eye-opener for Stevie, to see what she was like when she first arrived in the treatment center and to see the progress she’s made. I would have liked to see Stevie interact more with Rain, but it was still an interesting plot element.

The writing was a bit stilted and awkward in the beginning and though the pacing was never slow, it wasn’t a fast read, either. However, the last 30% of the book (roughly) had a LOT going for it. Stevie made the most progress in this section and there were a lot of character twists and revelations. I definitely think the last 30% is what kept me reading, more than anything.

Overall, I’m glad I read this book. Though I never fully connected with the story or characters, it was an intriguing book with very important lessons regarding mental/physical health and the toll that grief can take on our minds and bodies.

three-half-stars

Review: The Leveller by Julia Durango

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Leveller by Julia DurangoThe Leveller by Julia Durango
Series: The Leveller #1
Published by HarperCollins on June 23, 2015
Pages: 256
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

Nixy Bauer is a self-made Leveller. Her job? Dragging kids out of virtual reality and back to their parents in the real world. It’s normally easy cash, but Nixy’s latest mission is fraught with real danger, intrigue, and romance.

Nixy Bauer is used to her classmates being very, very unhappy to see her. After all, she’s a bounty hunter in a virtual reality gaming world. Kids in the MEEP, as they call it, play entirely with their minds, while their bodies languish in a sleeplike state on the couch. Irritated parents, looking to wrench their kids back to reality, hire Nixy to jump into the game and retrieve them.

But when the game’s billionaire developer loses track of his own son in the MEEP, Nixy is in for the biggest challenge of her bounty-hunting career. Wyn Salvador isn’t some lazy kid looking to escape his homework: Wyn does not want to be found. And he’s left behind a suicide note. Nixy takes the job but quickly discovers that Wyn’s not hiding—he’s being held inside the game against his will. But who is holding him captive, and why?

Nixy and Wyn attempt to fight their way out of a mind game unlike any they’ve encountered, and the battle brings them closer than either could have imagined. But when the whole world is virtual, how can Nixy possibly know if her feelings are real?

Gamers and action fans of all types will dive straight into the MEEP, thanks to Julia Durango’s cinematic storytelling. A touch of romance adds some heart to Nixy’s vivid, multidimensional journey through Wyn’s tricked-out virtual city, and constant twists keep readers flying through to the breathtaking end.

I’ve only read a small number of books that have virtual worlds and/or gaming. They were good, but they weren’t very engaging for one reason or another – usually because the virtual world felt under-developed or I didn’t connect with the characters. So I was hesitate to read The Leveller, but it really sounded amazing and I ended up really enjoying it.

I really liked Nixy as a whole – her character, her personality, her voice and especially the reasoning behind her avatar’s appearance. She could be a bit cocky, thinking she was the best at Levelling, but she also acknowledged her faults and weaknesses. When she went into the MEEP for Wyn, she had to conquer some epic fears and phobias. She didn’t always succeed on the first try but, through it all, she never gave up. She was determined to make it through and find Wyn and I really liked that about her. I also really liked her relationship with her parents. So many YA novels have the parents absent or they fight and don’t get along with their kids at all. While these things may be true for some families, it’s not true for all and it’s nice to see a great family dynamic for once.

Wyn was an interesting character. I liked him well enough and there wasn’t really anything I didn’t like about him.. He was usually nice to Nixy, though they had some heated moments – which is understandable, given their circumstances. He was pretty good at holding his own when he and Nixy had to fight their way out of a bad situation, too. But he didn’t really stand out among the sea of male YA love interests. He grew on me, though, and I liked him a lot more near the end.

My only thing with Wyn and Nixy was, while I really liked them together and don’t usually mind insta-love, it bugged me a bit this time. While I could sense the chemistry and the connection between them, I felt like they needed more time to get to know each other. This felt like the whole “bonding during a natural disaster” or crisis kind of situation – is it a real “I like/love you” thing or just the adrenaline from the situation and being forced to spend time together? I think, given more time, they’d make an adorable, epic couple. But not yet.

I have a LOT to say about Moose and Chang. They were hilarious and I really liked them in the beginning, but as the story went on, I started to feel like they knew more than they were letting on and I grew very suspicious of them. I won’t say more because I don’t want to risk spoilers but.. Ugh. On the flip side, I adored Nixy’s parents and Wyn’s Mama Beti! Wyn’s father, though.. He wasn’t always the nicest guy and his concern for the game felt like it took precedence over his concern for his son, which is wrong on so many levels.

The world-building in this book was epic! The MEEP – the virtual gaming world – was incredibly well-developed. I could visualize it so easily, I almost felt like I was there with Nixy. The world is really what pulled me into this story, more than anything else. At one point, Nixy is in this epic maze that made this book feel like gaming meets Labyrinth. Unlike the previous gaming/virtual reality books I’ve read, the MEEP felt like something that could actually exist. It also helped that, aside from the MEEP, it felt like the story was set in the present day. Most books with this level of technology are set in the future, making it feel like it could happen, but not for many years. The Leveller felt like it was happening right here, right now.

A little over half-way through the book, the pacing and action slowed down a bit, making the story drag. It didn’t last long, though. And overall, the story was pretty fast-paced and intriguing. Durango is a great writer, which helped keep me engaged during the slower parts.

There were a handful of crazy twists and character revelations. With one character, I didn’t expect what happened to happen at all and I was pretty shocked. But with another character, I saw the twist coming way before it happened. The ending was a bit of a let-down, though. I would have liked a little more closure, maybe at least an epilogue. But there’s apparently going to be a second book, so hopefully that will answer all my unanswered questions.

Overall, this book was a really fun read. I loved the MEEP, the characters and the writing. I’m very excited to see what happens in book two with Nixy and Wyn, Chang, Moose and LEGION. I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of virtual reality and/or gaming.

four-stars

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather LyonsThe Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons
Series: The Collectors' Society #3
Published by Cerulean Books on June 25, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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five-stars

After years spent in Wonderland, Alice Reeve learned the impossible was quite possible after all. She thought she left such fantastical realities behind when she finally returned to England.

Now Alice has become a member of the clandestine Collectors’ Society, and the impossible has found her again in the form of an elusive villain set on erasing entire worlds. As she and the rest of the Society race to bring this mysterious murderer to justice, the fight becomes painfully personal.

Lives are being lost. Loved ones are shattered or irrevocably altered. Each step closer Alice gets to the shadowy man she hunts, the more secrets she unravels, only to reveal chilling truths. If she wants to win this war and save millions of lives, Alice must once more embrace the impossible and make the unimaginable, imaginable.

Sometimes, the rabbit hole leads to terrifying places.

The Forgotten Mountain is Heather Lyons’ ninth published book – and I’ve read all nine of her books and each and every one is an epic win. I’m actually getting to a point where I can’t formulate words to describe how amazing Heather and her books are – or I repeat the same things I’ve said in every single review of her books, but they’re all still 100% true – Heather is an amazing writer and storyteller. She creates amazing worlds that feel real and multi-dimensional characters that feel like real people. I’m always anxious for her to publish a new book and when I do find out she has a new one coming out, I’m like

The second I picked up The Forgotten Mountain, I fell right back into this amazing world. It was like no time had passed since I finished The Hidden Library (which I read in February). I know it’s probably cheesy, but it felt like coming home after a long vacation.

Alice has always been a fierce, epic character – and one of my all-time favorite MC’s. But in The Forgotten Mountain, she was especially so – and sometimes a bit scary, too! So you have an idea what I mean, here are some epic/scary quotes from Alice:

“Madness – that old, dear friend of mine – has come home for a visit. And I welcome its return with open arms.”

“I do not play by his rules. I play by mine and mine alone.”

But she was scary because she was determined and loyal – to Finn, to the other members of the Collectors’ Society, to Wonderland and, most importantly, to herself. With every book, she keeps growing, maturing and coming into herself. And I love that about her.

As always, I adored Finn! His… predicament in this book… Was terrifying and upsetting and heartbreaking. The cliffhanger from the last book was RIDICULOUS and I’m still upset we had to wait so long to learn his fate! But I loved where his character went in this book. Alice and Finn are one of my top favorite ships and I absolutely adore them together! They make each other stronger and bring out the best in each other! And then the way the book ended…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I’ll get more into that in a bit.

I still love Mary and still want more of her story. I’d love a novella from her POV or a spin-off with her. I’d love to see her back in her world, especially. I think that would be epic and hilarious! *Stares at Heather… Makes puppy eyes…* She’s just an amazing character – smart, determined, loyal. She’s not the best fighter, but she holds her own in a fight and pulls her weight in other ways. I adore her and Victor and the way their relationship always thrives, despite the things they’ve been through. Although that ending…!!!!!!!!!!!

Of all the characters, the Artful Dodger (A.D.) had the most character growth in The Forgotten Mountain. His character always felt a bit one-sided in the previous books, but we saw a LOT of different sides to him and learned a lot more about him this time. He’s a fierce fighter, smart, sly and a ladies man – or so he thinks! I’m definitely excited to see more of him in the next book!

I really like Wendy and Sarah and I’m hoping they get happy endings. Marianne is still a great character, as well. I like the way she fits in with the group, despite their uncertainty about her in The Hidden Library. I still like the Librarian, but I don’t really trust her anymore.. And I’m DYING to know her real identity! And Brom, as usual, was a great character.

The pacing in this book was excellent. There was always enough action to keep the plot moving forward, but not so much that it felt exhausting. Heather’s writing gets better with every book she does – and that’s saying a lot because her writing has always been exceptional! Her writing – coupled with the plot and where the characters all were in their journey(s) – made this book the best one in the series (so far) – and again, that’s saying a lot because I’ve loved every book in this series! All the characters are at the height of their character development; they’re all fierce and strong and loyal. The plot is intriguing and the story really hit a major turning point. No one is holding back now! It was epic and amazing!

And then that ending!!!!!!!!!

I thought the cliffhanger at the end of The Hidden Library was evil but this… this.. this… GAH!!!! HEATHER, WHY?!?!?!?!?!?! These status updates from Goodreads basically sum up my feelings at the end of the book:

87.0% “Ooohhhh…… *Gulps*”
88.0% “Oh crap!!”
88.0% “OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!”
91.0% “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????!!!!!!!!!!!?????”
97.0% “Omfg!!!!!!!!!!!! No no no no!!!!!!!!!”
97.0% “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Seriously, I have no idea how I’m going to survive the next few months, waiting for book four to come out!

So, obviously, I adored this book! I adore all of Heather’s book! And – as usual – I HIGHLY recommend this book (plus the first two, if you haven’t read them). Plus all her other books. All of them. Like.. Go read them all right now. I’ll wait… *Sits, stares creepily at you…*

five-stars

Review: The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

Review: The Witch Hunter by Virginia BoeckerThe Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
Series: The Witch Hunter #1
Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on June 2, 2015
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.

Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.

Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

I’ve been a fan of stories about witches ever since I started watching Charmed in 1998 and I love that witches have been making a strong comeback – both in YA books and on TV – in the last few years! So, as I’m sure you can imagine, when I first heard about this book, I was beyond excited to read it! The cover and title alone had me drooling! As awesome as the synopsis made the book sound, it ended up being even more awesome than I expected!

It’s a bit hard to like Elizabeth in the beginning, because of who she is and what she does. But despite that – and knowing, from the synopsis, what was going to happen to her – I tried to look past the whole witch hunter thing and I really liked her character, overall. She fights hard to survive and stay under the radar of those who wish her harm. She believes fiercely in Caleb and his ability to protect her – until he can’t. Or doesn’t. I’m still not convinced of which it is.

I really liked Elizabeth’s character development, too. It was a bit obvious/predictable that she would end up caring for the witches and wizards she was supposed to hunt. But I still liked what it meant for her and the way she grew from her experiences with Nicholas and his group. I loved their interactions and the slow build-up to them all trusting each other.

I was never a fan of Caleb. I don’t know if that puts me in the minority or majority with this book. But honestly, I had a horrible feeling about him right from the start. Elizabeth’s feelings for him really clouded her judgement and I think the times she worshipped Caleb were the only times I really wanted to smack her.

I really liked George, even though I didn’t trust him at all when we first met him. I loved the banter between him and Elizabeth and I’m still not sure if he’s the third part of the love triangle or not. But as much as I loved him and his banter with Elizabeth, I loved the connection Elizabeth had with John even more. There was just something about them.. Whenever they got together, it just felt right.

Fifer was an epic character, definitely one of my favorites. She’s horrible and nasty in the beginning, but her character growth rivals Elizabeth’s. She’s smart and sassy and completely owns her attitude. She’s loyal to her group and Nicholas and incredibly, incredibly protective of those she loves.

There are so many more amazing secondary characters, but to try and mention them all would make this review thousands of words long! Virginia Boecker is such an amazing writer. I felt so immersed in this story and I felt so much for the characters. I loved them all, even the ones I was supposed to hate! They were so real and amazing.

There were a ton of “OMFG!!!!” moments in this book, most of which completely caught me off guard. I had a few suspicions, but for the most part, the twists and turns were completely unexpected. There was one moment, near the end of the book, where a huge twist was revealed and I was completely thrown and speechless!! Seriously, this book looked amazing and then it ended up being even better than I imagined! It kept me guessing. I was completely invested in this story and these characters. There were a few moments where the pacing slowed down, but it always sped right back up.

Overall, if you couldn’t tell, I absolutely adored this book. It was everything I hoped it would be and then some! I’m beyond excited for the sequel, even though it’s going to be an agonizing wait!!! I highly recommend this book for fans of epic plots, killer writing and kick-ass characters! Also, if you loved Charmed and/or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I think you’ll love this book!

five-stars

Review: Spelled by Betsy Schow

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Spelled by Betsy SchowSpelled by Betsy Schow
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on June 2, 2015
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
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five-stars

Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after.

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

There are no words to describe how much I enjoyed Spelled! No, seriously.. I have no idea how to even BEGIN writing this review because I just want to be like, This book was epic! Go buy it!” But since I have to say a little bit more than that, I’ll try. But don’t judge if I just break down into crazy fangirling!

I stumbled upon Spelled one day when I was searching through Edelweiss for new reads to add to my TBR. I spotted Spelled and immediately fell in love with the cover. It was gorgeous and that, coupled with the title, caught my attention. And then I read the synopsis and holy crap…!!!!!!!!!! So then I went on a mission to acquire it for review. And when I was approved for it on NetGalley, I cried tears of joy. I’ve mentioned this numerous times, but for those who don’t know, I’m a HUGE Retelling Addict. Retellings of any kind – Greek/Roman God mythology, Fairy Tale retellings, Classic retellings, etc – are my Book Drug of Choice. So, right off the bat, this book was everything I love about reading. And even with that, it still exceeded my expectations!

In the beginning, Dorthea is such a spoiled brat – snobby and self-absorbed. She’s a princess, she thinks she has her Happily Ever After written in stone and she has money, clothes and servants. The only down-side is a curse that foretells the destruction of the world at her hands. Then, when she finds out her parents have arranged for her to marry someone she DOESN’T want to marry, she breaks a major rule from the Definitive Fairy-Tale Survival Guide (Yes, this is a thing. A thing I love, by the way!) and makes life worse than she ever could have imagined (or, as Dorthea would say, “All spell broke loose”). But she goes through this incredible journey and she matures so much. It was awesome to see how different she was by the end of the book! You really end of rooting for her by the middle/end.

Kato was frustrating in the beginning. Dorthea misjudged him, but he was still super rude to her in return. I know he had his reasons, which were later explained, but still. However, I loved his “transformation” and all the fuzzball/fuzz bucket jokes! They had my absolutely cracking up!! I can’t say much more without spoilers, but I’ll put it to you this way: If you’ve read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, just picture Kato as an epic mix of Tamlin and Lucien and you’ll know what I’m talking about ;D

For the most part, Rexi was hilarious. Once in awhile, she was more rude than funny. And the middle/end was… I wanna say it was shocking, but in a way, I also saw it coming. I don’t know if that makes sense because I’m kind of contradicting myself but it’s the best way I can explain it. But if I look at her character from beginning to end, I really did like her and I love how her story ended.

The “pixified” (thanks to Stacie for that word, hehe!) curse words were hilarious, as were all the pixified play-on-words. I found myself laughing out loud at the majority of them. It kept the book light and fun, despite some of the darker, crazier things that happened.

The ending was insane and the book ended on a super crazy ridiculous cliff-hanger. So obviously if there isn’t a book two, I’ll have a Beginning-of-the-book Dorthea-style hissy fit! Like, I’m crossing every cross-able body part that we get a book two. And just in general, I’m very excited to see what this author comes up with next! She’s for sure going on my auto-buy author list!!! Near the very top!!!!

Overall, this book was epic beyond words – seriously, I had so much trouble finding the right words for this review, it’s not even funny. This review in no way does this book justice. But I hope, for the most part, my epic fangirl feels translated well and you go by this book ASAP. Cause if you love fairy tales, classics and retellings, then you MUST get your hands on this book. Like right now.

five-stars

Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland StoneEvery Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Published by Disney Hyperion on June 16, 2015
Pages: 368
Source: the publisher
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five-stars

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

The second I heard about Every Last Word, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. I’ve never read a book where the main character has OCD and it seemed unique, intriguing and – for me – a bit personal. I’m not ready to share why yet, but I found I was able to relate to Sam a LOT. To a certain extent, I felt like I was reading my own story. And reading this book made me feel less alone.

Sam was such a relatable character. Even without the OCD, who doesn’t feel like one person during summer and another during fall? Or like one person with one group of friends and another with a different group of friends? We’ve all had those moments. I know I have! So even if you don’t have OCD, you can still relate to Sam and a lot of the things she goes through.

And man, does she go through a lot of things. She has this huge, epic journey she goes through and the amount of growth she experiences from beginning to end is incredible. We see a whole new side of Sam every few chapters and it’s amazing to see her come out of her shell and be bold and brave. Whether she’s dealing with her OCD, trying to make new friends or learning to stand up to her old ones, she’s making progress and finding her voice. She’s brave and I adore her. She’s definitely one of my Top Favorite YA MC’s ever.

“Telling someone with OCD to stop obsessing about something is like telling someone who’s having an asthma attack to just breathe normally.” -Sam

Caroline was an amazing character and friend to Sam. She was exactly what Sam needed and she showed up when Sam needed her the most. She helped Sam step out of the shadows and become the person she was meant to be. She was the sympathetic ear, the shoulder to cry on, the confidence booster, the encouragement in the face of something terrifying – I could keep going here! Really, she was everything Sam needed and everything she wanted to be. She introduced Sam to Poet’s Corner, something that changed her life. And then the twist at the end… HOLY CRAP! Completely mind blown!!!!!! Like.. I almost stopped reading and started the book over again because I was so shocked and thrown and confused and WHOA!

“What you see… It isn’t me.” – Sam

And then there’s AJ! I absolutely adored AJ and I seriously shipped him and Sam! I loved the slow and steady progression of their friendship and relationship. It was so realistic and a breath of fresh air from all the insta-love – which I actually don’t mind (if it’s done right), but it’s still nice to see! I loved the way AJ evolved and the way he dealt with his problems. He was a very direct person and often said what he was thinking without holding back. I loved the way he was there for Sam, even after he found out the truth.

I really loved the members of Poet’s Corner – Sydney, Emily, Abigail, Chelsea, Jessica and Cameron (and of course Sam, AJ and Caroline). They were all awesome and unique in their own ways. Outside of Poet’s Corner, you might not even expect any of them to be friends. But Poet’s Corner was like their safe haven and they all opened up and became like a little family. It made me wish my high school had something like that when I was attending – it would have been nice to belong to a group that had my back.

I especially liked Sydney. She seemed like someone I could relate to, like someone I would have been friends with if I’d known her in school. Emily seemed really sweet, too. Despite all the stress she had at home, she was still a good friend and always there for the members of Poet’s Corner. Abigail’s poem (entitled “As If”) really moved me, as well.

On the opposite side of things, I really couldn’t stand the Eights – Alexis, Kaitlyn, Olivia and Hailee. I especially couldn’t stand Alexis and Kaitlyn and my dislike intensified during certain scenes. They were all just so sobby and superficial. Sam was good at hiding her OCD and I’m not saying they should have guessed what was wrong, but if they were true friends, they should have at least noticed that she was unhappy or upset, that something was bothering her. But it was always about them. When she was upset or doing things on her own, they’d accuse her of abandoning them and being selfish. Like, really? Great friends *Rolls eyes.* Alexis sort of redeemed herself in the end.. And Hailee wasn’t nearly as bad as any of them were at any given point in the book, plus she redeemed herself in the end for the few times she WAS just as bad as the others.

The ending of this book threw me into a complete tail-spin. I was mind-blown, shocked and fully prepared to re-read it immediately! The twist was huge and absolutely unexpected, but completely epic and insane. My feels were shattered multiple times and I just.. I just can’t. I can’t recommend this book enough. Whether you have OCD and need someone to relate to or don’t have OCD and just feel alone and like you’re hiding who you truly are from your friends – this book is a MUST read that I’ll never stop pushing on people.

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from my insanely fangirly review, this book was amazing. It was my first Tamara Ireland Stone book and I can assure you, it won’t be my last. I think this is one book I need to make sure I collect multiple copies of because I’ll for sure be re-reading it over and over! As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, it’s not easy to talk about myself or share personal things. But this book really hit close to home and I needed it. I needed to feel less alone and this book really helped me with that. So, Tamara: thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for writing this wonderful, amazing book!

five-stars

Review: The Eternal City by Paula Morris

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Eternal City by Paula MorrisThe Eternal City by Paula Morris
Published by Point on May 26, 2015
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

From master of suspense Paula Morris comes a tale of gods and goddesses, thrilling romance, and mystery set in present-day Rome.

Laura Martin is visiting Rome on a class trip, and she's entranced by the majestic Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon. . . . Everything in this city seems magical.

That is, until the magic seems to turn very dark.

Suddenly, statues of Cupid and ancient works of art come to life before her eyes. Earthquakes rumble and a cloud of ash forms in the sky. A dark-eyed boy with wings on his heels appears and gives her a message. Laura soon realizes she is at the center of a brewing battle -- a battle between the gods and goddesses, one that will shake modern-day Rome to its core.

Only she and her group of friends can truly unravel the mystery behind what is happening. As tensions mount and secret identities are revealed, Laura must rely on her own inner strength to face up to what may be a fight for her life.

Acclaimed author Paula Morris brings the ancient world to vivid life in this unstoppable tale of friendship, love, and the power of the past.

The Eternal City was my fourth Paula Morris book – I read Ruined, Unbroken and Dark Souls many years ago and really enjoyed them. So when I heard about The Eternal City, I was so excited! Paula Morris + Roman Gods = Need!!!! Though I really enjoyed the setting (Rome!!!) and the mythology, the characters felt flat and hard to connect with and I had a hard time keeping track of all of them. Since I’m used to Morris’s writing style, I expected some of this and it didn’t dampen my desire to read The Eternal City, though it did take longer than expected to get through it.

Morris has a tendency to throw you into the story, head first, without any fluff. I love stories that get right into the action and I loved all the mythology in the prologue; however, I hate to say it, but I was very confused! I had to read the prologue slowly, writing down every God, who they were, what their relation was to the other God’s mentioned, etc. And chapter one was a bit convoluted, with all the characters we met and a small amount of info dump, as well.

Laura didn’t really stand out, as far as main characters go. She sort of went through the motions and that was it. She wasn’t a completely helpless Damsel in Distress, but she needed a lot of protecting and she didn’t demand too many answers, just stumbled on them as she went and as needed. She was likeable enough that I kept reading, but I definitely felt disconnected from her and her story.

I really liked Maia. There was something intriguing about her and I always felt there was more to her than she was letting on. I was a little less trusting of Sofie, though I definitely had a strange feeling about her – but I always thought it was a BAD feeling, until near the end. Maia and Sofie were definitely my favorite characters.

I had so much trouble keeping track of the guys. I think Dan was the only one that I could remember, since he was Laura’s crush. I also kept picturing him as Michael Welch in Twilight (So, like a puppy dog that thinks he has claws, hehe). I liked the slow build between him and Laura (no insta-love here), but I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them.

One thing that really threw me was that Laura’s best friend was almost never around. Usually, in this kind of story, the best friend is around for the whole adventure, despite one or two small (or huge) arguments. But Morgan wasn’t and that made me sad. Overall, I just felt a huge disconnect with all of the characters except Maia and Sofie – and even then, it was hard to trust them enough to truly like them.

The writing was very blunt and to the point, with very little fluff and some info dumping in places. As I mentioned, that’s a bit typical of this author’s writing style, so I knew what to expect, but honestly… if this had been my first Paula Morris book, I don’t think I would have been able to finish it – Or I would have finished it, but given it 3 stars instead of 4 stars. There was just too much of a disconnect with the characters and story.

The mythology in this book is what fascinated me the most. Books with Greek Mythology are like my Book Drug of Choice! Since I haven’t read as many books with Roman mythology, I feel like I learned a lot from this book, which made it fascinating! That, above everything else, kept me reading and is the reason this book still earned 4 stars from me, despite the (many) issues mentioned in my review.

If you haven’t read any of Paula Morris’s books, I ask that you have patience with The Eternal City. It’s hard to connect with the characters and the pace is a bit slow, but the plot is intriguing and the Roman Mythology is epic. I’d also recommend reading Ruined and Unbroken first – I think Morris’s writing was way better in those and they will ease you into her writing style, so you might enjoy The Eternal City more.

But overall, I still really enjoyed it and I hope Paula Morris comes out with another book very, very soon! I really enjoy the worlds she creates and the settings of her books (Rome! New Orleans! York, England!) are always amazing and intriguing!

four-stars

Review: srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbonesrsly Hamlet by Courtney Carbone, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on May 26, 2015
Pages: 128
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
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five-stars

Hamlet, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, and the tragic Ophelia had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

A kingdom on the brink of war.
A stolen throne.
A boy seeking revenge.

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, checking in at certain locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. srsly Hamlet broke the play down into its most basic elements, making it less confusing and highly entertaining.

When I first went to read srsly Hamlet, I felt a little overwhelmed; I remembered a lot of Romeo & Juliet, but not a lot of Hamlet. Mostly, I had some trouble remembering all the different characters, so I was grateful for the character descriptions in the beginning of the book. I definitely had to reference that a few times! But once I got into the book, I sped through it in roughly an hour and a half. For some reason, I was even more entertained by srsly Hamlet than I was by YOLO Juliet. While YOLO Juliet was great, I found myself laughing out loud at srsly Hamlet. Shakespeare characters cursing autocorrect? Too funny for words! Breaking down these famous, epic monologues into notes with emojis? Epic and hilarious! Apparently, emoji’s turn a tragedy into a comedy!

Like with YOLO Juliet, srly Hamlet took something complex and broke it down into an easy-to-understand language that teens today will be able to connect with. It made Hamlet fun (and hilarious) to read, even with the tragic events that take place in the play. I LOL’d (see what I did there?!?) more times during srsly Hamlet than I can count! My brother teaches English and he definitely wants to add these to his classroom library – something I think every teacher should do!

So, whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Hamlet in the same way, ever again! And you’ll enjoy reading it!

five-stars