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Review: Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah

Oct8

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: Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea HannahOf Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah
Published by Flux on October 8, 2014
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
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three-stars

After her little sister mysteriously vanishes, seventeen-year-old Claire Graham has a choice to make: stay snug in her little corner of Manhattan with her dropout boyfriend, or go back to Ohio to face the hometown tragedy she's been dying to leave behind.

But the memories of that night still haunt her in the city, and as hard as she tries to forget what her psychiatrist calls her "delusions," Claire can't seem to escape the wolf's eyes or the blood-speckled snow. Delusion or reality, Claire knows she has to hold true to the most important promise she's ever made: to keep Ella safe. She must return to her sleepy hometown in order to find Ella and keep her hallucinations at bay before they strike again. But time is quickly running out, and as Ella's trail grows fainter, the wolves are becoming startlingly real.

Now Claire must deal with her attraction to Grant, the soft-spoken boy from her past that may hold the secret to solving her sister's disappearance, while following the clues that Ella left for only her to find. Through a series of cryptic diary entries, Claire must unlock the keys to Ella's past—and her own—in order to stop another tragedy in the making, while realizing that not all things that are lost are meant to be found.

Of Scars and Stardust is probably the most weird, confusing, intriguing mind-twist of a book I have ever in my life read. Never have I been so torn between wanting to DNF and wanting to get to the end and finally get answers. Never have I been so torn with how to rate a book. A book that manages to confuse and intrigue a reader as much as this one did deserves to be read.

I couldn’t stand the characters in this book. They all annoyed me so much and in so many ways. I think that was the first thing that made me want to DNF. I never connected to Claire, at all. She made stupid decisions and was very immature and disconnected. But knowing what I know now that I’ve finished the book, I understand why. I still did NOT like her, but I understand why she was the way that she was.

I absolutely hated Rae with such a passion. I don’t think I’ve ever hated a character as much as Rae. She was a horrible friend, a mean person and, at times, down-right nasty. I never understood her motives for any of the things she did. I don’t feel like we got any closure with her story.

Ella was annoying. Probably the most annoying younger sibling character in the history of annoying younger siblings. She was a stubborn tag-along who refused to listen. But she also had Claire for a sister, so that couldn’t have been easy. I was really confused by the plot because of something that happens early on – it didn’t mesh with the synopsis. It takes a few pages to realize what we THINK happened, didn’t actually happen. But it still threw me.

Grant was.. Odd. And annoying and I was always suspicious of him for various reasons. I didn’t feel the chemistry between him and Claire at all. I couldn’t picture them together. It felt like he was just humoring her most of the time. They also seemed to enter into a relationship very suddenly and with no warning, explanation or discussion. I definitely didn’t expect what happened in the end and I feel like we were left hanging with some things.

About half-way through reading, I came up with several theories. Both turned out to be partially correct. I think the twist at the end, what the truth ended up being, was my favorite part of this book. It explained a lot and made me look back at a lot of what had happened with a clear mind. I think this is the kind of book you need to read twice in order to fully appreciate it.

The ending was incredibly twisty and crazy and mind-blowing and I’m still not sure I fully understand what happened. I mean, I do.. But I don’t. I know that doesn’t make sense, but it goes back to my theory that this is the kind of book that has to be read twice in order to fully understand and appreciate it.

Despite my desire to DNF early on, this book was riveting and refused to let me go. I was confused and flabbergasted and had no clue what was going on, but I knew I would go crazy if I didn’t read every single page until the very end to get some answers and get my theories confirmed or denied. I’m incredibly impressed by Hannah’s ability to pull off multiple epic plot twists. I’m a pretty good guesser and even I couldn’t fully comprehend what was going on until the very end. Because every time I thought one of my theories was correct, Hannah threw a wrench in the story and did something that made me doubt said theory. She did a mind-blowing job of playing cat-and-mouse with my head – I STILL can’t stop thinking about this book, what happened and how it ended. Despite my many complaints, this is the type of book that will keep me up at night, pondering WTF just happened.

So yes, I gave this book 3-stars. But yes, I absolutely, 100% fully insist (nicely, of course!) that you get this book from your local bookstore, library, Amazon – wherever you shop – ASAP and read it. Even if, like me, you don’t enjoy it at first, I implore you to push through until the very last page. Because this is the kind of book that will stay with you for a very long time, whether you enjoy it or not, whether you want it to or not. And personally, I’m hoping there’s a sequel because I feel like so many things were left unsaid and I’m curious to see what happens next.

three-stars

Review: Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

Oct6

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: Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra HarveyWhisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey
Series: The Lovegrove Legacy #2
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on October 7, 2014
Pages: 408
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

Cousins Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope are all dealing with what it means to be a Lovegrove. For Gretchen, it means she often feels like her head is going to explode. As a Whisperer, Gretchen constantly hears the whispers of other witches' spells. And while this does help her to know when one of her own spells is going wrong, the incessant buzzing and pain the whispers cause makes it difficult to use her gift.

But when something evil begins to menace Mayfair, Gretchen must find a way to master her power. Along with her cousins, a madcap named Moira, and the icy yet irresistible Tobias Lawless, Gretchen faces deadly threats and unimaginable loss in the hopes of preventing the terrible Greymalkin Sisters from rising again.

The second book in The Lovegrove Legacy trilogy, Whisper the Dead will leave readers spellbound.

Whisper the Dead was such a fun read and a pleasant surprise. For the most part, I love Alyxandra Harvey’s books, but after getting so frustrated with A Breath of Frost (book one in the trilogy), I was a little worried about reading Whisper the Dead. For those who haven’t read my review for that, my main frustration was the confusing style of writing I’ve often noticed in Harvey’s books. Though there were definitely a handful of confusing moments in Whisper the Dead, it wasn’t nearly as bad as A Breath of Frost. And right off the bat, that made Whisper the Dead that much more enjoyable. It had an intriguing plot, awesome characters and a crazy cliffhanger that left my jaw on the floor.

While these books are about three cousins, the focus was definitely on Emma in A Breath of Frost. I was convinced she was my favorite character, though I liked Gretchen a lot. And I really didn’t form an opinion – one way or the other – about Penelope because we saw very little of her on her own and, therefore, couldn’t really get a sense of her personality. However, Whisper the Dead focused more on Gretchen and she’s officially my favorite of the three now – though we saw a lot more of Penelope as well, so this could change by the time I read the third book!

Emma was still an awesome character. I love her powers. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of weather witches and how amazing their powers are when used for good, but how terrifying and destructive they could be when used for evil. I think Emma had some of the best revelations in the book and the cliffhanger with her and Cormac was insane. I’m very interested in seeing what that ending means for them in book three!

Speaking of Cormac.. I wasn’t crazy about Cormac in A Breath of Frost. He went back-and-forth with his allegiances so many times, I constantly had to ask myself, “Can he be trusted?” It got so annoying, I gave up trying to like him. But in Whisper the Dead, that didn’t happen. We firmly and officially know whether or not we can trust him. Also, I didn’t find him and Emma to be a believable couple in A Breath of Frost. But as of Whisper the Dead, I officially adore him and Emma. They were adorable together and strong together. They definitely bring out the best in each other.

Gretchen was everything I love in a female character from the 1800s. I love reading books from this time period. I love the balls and fancy gowns and horse-drawn carriages and the idea of “society.” But as much as I love that, I also love seeing a female character that rebels against that, who doesn’t want to attend the fancy balls or be married off to some random guy she doesn’t know or love. And Gretchen was that character and more. She rebelled against every aspect of being a proper lady. She has an awesome power. She also had the most tragic plot twist in the entire book. My heart broke for her.

I wasn’t crazy about Tobias at first. It took a good portion of the story before he grew on me. I didn’t necessarily dislike him in the beginning, but I knew he was working for the Order and I didn’t trust him. Something I did like, though, was the slow build-up to him and Gretchen liking and trusting each other. Also, Tobias had an interesting secret that I’m eager to see more of in book three.

Like I said, I didn’t like nor dislike Penelope in A Breath of Frost. We just didn’t see much of her, so I really had no opinion. But, despite Whisper the Dead focusing mainly on Gretchen, we saw a lot more of Penelope, as well, and learned more about her personality. Her power confuses me the most, so I’m hoping we learn more about how it works in the third book.

Like with Tobias, I couldn’t really remember who Cedric was at first. Later on in the story, it’s explained and I remembered exactly who he was and how I felt about him. I really love the idea of Penelope and Cedric together, though I don’t know if it will happen, which makes me sad. And Lord Beauregard certainly threw a wrench in things, too. Although, I can’t say much more on that.. But poor Penelope was certainly put into some unfortunate situations in Whisper the Dead. And her cliffhanger was almost as insane as Emma’s and Cormac’s.

There are certain characters I can’t discuss in detail for fear of spoilers, but they deserve an honorable mention and, in some cases, tears and feels: Godric, Moira, Lady Theodora, Ewan and .. I’m sure I forgot one or two people, but those are the main ones!

I’ve mentioned it briefly throughout my review, but the ending of this book was insane! The revelations, the plot twists and the epic cliffhanger just broke my feels completely. I think the only issue I had with this book was it was really long, which I don’t mind, but it did drag a bit in a few sections. And it wasn’t nearly as confusing as A Breath of Frost, but there were still a couple moments were I was a little bit lost and had to do some re-reading.

Overall, I really enjoyed Whisper the Dead. It was so much better than A Breath of Frost, which is a hard thing to achieve with a second book in a trilogy. It didn’t really suffer from Second Book Syndrome, though it had its moments. I never felt like anything in Whisper the Dead was just filler, meant to move the story along from point A to point B – The things that happened in Whisper the Dead were important to the overall plot of the book, as well as the complete trilogy plot. It set things up nicely for book three and I’m really, really excited to read it! I would definitely recommend this book!

four-stars

Review: Remember Me by Romily Bernard

Sep29

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: Remember Me by Romily BernardRemember Me by Romily Bernard
Series: Find Me #2
Published by HarperTeen on September 23, 2014
Pages: 355
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

In the sequel to Find Me, Wick Tate, sarcastic teen hacker, is back and once again dealing with criminals and corrupt cops…and a brooding new love interest. Will Wick persevere when some secrets refuse to stay hidden?

Wick had thought her troubles were over.

But she should’ve known better.

Not only is she embroiled in a new murder case, which starts with a body with “Remember Me” carved into it and doesn’t stop there, but she also discovers new evidence surrounding her mother’s suicide…which leads her right back to her imprisoned deadbeat dad. And she has to deal with her flirty new hacker friend, Milo, sniffing around—which her boyfriend, Griff, isn’t too happy about.

The pressure might be too much as secrets—including Wick’s own—climb to the surface.

Remember Me is an edge-of-your-seat thrilling read that’ll have readers turning the pages at lightning speed! The paperback of Find Me is on sale simultaneously, and a digital original novella from Romily, featuring Griff, is on sale just a few weeks before!

Remember Me was an epic, intense and suspenseful read. My heart was in my throat for at least half of the book, if not more. I absolutely loved Find Me – it was one of my favorite reads of 2013! And to have the sequel surpass it in awesomeness? That’s impressive! I definitely didn’t notice any Second Book Syndrome in Remember Me!

Wick hasn’t changed much since Find Me, character-wise. I mean, she has new fears and nightmares from what happened at the end of Find Me and she’s been pulled in even deeper by Carson. But otherwise, she’s still skeptical of everything and everyone and completely untrusting. She’s still protective of Lily and wary of Bren and her affections. She’s still confused about how she feels about her dad, still misses her mom – and still keeps Griff at a metaphorical distance. But in Remember Me, Wick becomes very stubborn and slightly paranoid. She worked alone before Griff, but has since come to rely on him a lot. Yet she pushes him away in Remember Me, refusing to confide in him or ask for help. I really wanted to shake some sense into her at times!

As for Griff himself.. Griff frustrated me. I really loved him in Find Me, but he was very stubborn and childish and annoying in Remember Me. He should have been supporting Wick, not pushing her away or condemning her for her lifestyle. She had her reasons for doing the things she did and if he trusted and loved her as much as he claimed, he should have been more supportive or pushed to help more. And what he did in the end? It broke my heart, but you know what? Good riddance!

Now Milo.. Milo I liked! He was kind of odd in the beginning and his awe at meeting Wick was borderline creepy worship. But the more we get to know him – and the more he and Wick get to know each other – the more he grows on you. He’s loyal, smart and has the connections necessary for Wick to do what she needs to do. He’s almost like a male version of Wick. They get each other, they understand what’s at stake in their line of work and they work well together. I still don’t completely trust Milo yet, though..

The whole Carson story line was really starting to bug me. I think it was one of my biggest issues. I despise dirty cops and he was the lowest of the low, scum and a pain in the butt! I think, deep down, he thought what he was doing would help the greater good, but he sure went about it the wrong way. I think if he’d been nicer to Wick, they could have been an epic team. I’m not sure he deserved what happened to him in the end, though he really did deserve to get knocked down a few pegs. I guess we’ll see where his story goes in the third book – I have a feeling Carson is going to end up being the lesser of the two evils…

Bren and Lily really made me angry in this book. Like, I would have thrown it if I had the physical copy of the book. As it was, I was reading on my iPad and I figured throwing that wasn’t a good idea. But wow.. At one point, roughly half-way into the book, Bren said some things and I just… I flipped out. I wanted to punch her so badly, more than I’ve ever wanted to punch anyone in my life – real or fictional!!! I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth! And Lily.. I know she’s young and she just wants a family and a normal life, but WICK IS YOUR SISTER! STOP TREATING HER LIKE CRAP, YOU LITTLE BRAT! I mean, really. The things she said to Wick were so cruel.. And Bren and Lily were two characters I REALLY loved in Find Me. So for them to do the things they did.. Honestly, what Bren said is unforgivable and I don’t know if there’s anything she can do that will redeem her.

I love Romily’s writing style and the unique voices she gives her characters. The plot was truly intriguing and incredibly suspenseful. It was a fast-paced read, too. I basically read it in three sittings. Each time I picked it up, I read a huge chunk of the story – I was so engrossed in it, I just didn’t want to put it down. I loved the revelations at the end and I loved the introduction of the new “bad guy,” plus the set-up for the third book – it was all very ominous and creepy! I also can’t wait for the third book!! I’m really excited to see how everything wraps up and how it all ends.

Romily Bernard is an amazing writer. She’s created an amazing world with incredible characters. The story sucks you in and refuses to let go. I’m excited for Trust Me (the third book in this trilogy), but I’m also excited to see what else Romily does in the future.

Overall, if it isn’t obvious already, I highly recommend this book, this series and this author! If you haven’t read Find Me yet, I suggest you do so ASAP! You’re missing out on an amazing read if you don’t!

four-stars

Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Sep25

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: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. MaasHeir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on September 2, 2014
Pages: 565
Source: the publisher
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five-stars

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Heir of Fire has broken my feels and stomped all over them. That is all.

Okay, kidding. I have way more to say than that. But that about sums it up! The ending of Crown of Midnight was pretty intense, but everyone warned me that Heir of Fire would break me – and it did. It was intense, insane, crazy. After reading all four (The Assassin’s Blade included) Throne of Glass books in one month, I’m emotionally drained and I have an epic book hangover.

Celaena has always been a kick-ass, take-no-prisons kind of person. She was broken after the events that occurred between the end of The Assassin’s Blade and the beginning of Throne of Glass. She built herself back up between Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, but she still tried to forget about her past and deny who she really was. But finally, in Heir of Fire, Celaena slowly comes to accept her past, who she is and what she needs to do. She trains and fights and goes through the emotional ringer – first with Rowan, then with all the bad guys she faces throughout the book. Every time she was broken down, she struggled to come back from the blow. At times, it felt like she wouldn’t be able to come back, that she had finally spiraled down into a dark abyss. But in the end, Celaena triumphed. It was a struggle and she suffered tremendous heartbreak, but this book definitely set Celaena up to be incredibly fierce and strong in book four.

Chaol. Oh, Chaol. I adore Chaol so much. I’m Team Chaol. I felt so bad for him though. He basically lost everyone he cared about in Heir of Fire. He worked so hard to protect everyone, to show loyalty to the king and still fight for what was right. I’m happy with the way his story ended in Heir of Fire. It feels right for his character and I’m eager to see what that means for him in book four.

As for Dorian.. I still don’t ship him with Celaena (Sorry Team Dorian!) but I really liked him in this book. He has a kind heart and it’s obvious he’ll be an amazing king one day. I seriously hope, before the series is done, we get to see him as King of Adarlan. I can totally see him righting all the wrongs of his father. But the journey to become king… After that ending? OMG!!! I think Dorian’s story was the one that hit me the hardest. That ending… What happened.. I.. I… I CAN’T TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF SPOILERS BUT IT BROKE ME!!!!!!!

Sarah J. Maas writes epic, amazing characters. Whether they be secondary, tertiary or so in the background, we don’t even learn their name – they all stick with you for one reason or another. It’s really hard to talk about some of them while avoiding spoilers. But I absolutely LOVED Aedion, Rowan, Emrys, Luca, Malakai and Sorscha – though not all of them got happily ever afters and I’m DYING to get my hands on book four to see what happens next for those still… okay.

My biggest complaint with Heir of Fire was that it was REALLY long. I don’t mind reading long books, but there were several sections in Heir of Fire that dragged and were boring – like the ones with Manon. I HATED most of the scenes with Manon and that group of characters (Er.. being vague to avoid spoilers). I liked Manon and Abraxos together, though.

To counter that complaint, I loved all the background we got in Heir of Fire. We learned a LOT about Celaena’s past and what happened Before. We even got a glimpse into what the future could bring, if all goes well.

I’ve mentioned this a little bit throughout my review, but the ending was MIND-BLOWING!!!!!!!! I feel broken and drained and I can’t believe all the crazy things that happened in such a short amount of time near the very end. I’d say the last 15-20% (I was reading an eBook so I don’t have exact page numbers) of the book was intense and the intensity never let up!

After a month of reading the Throne of Glass series, I can officially say this series is amazing. Each book gets better and better. And Sarah J. Maas is an epic, amazing writer. She has created an incredible world with amazing, well-rounded characters. She has broken my feels and I may never recover. And…. WHEN CAN I HAVE BOOK FOUR?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I need it!!!!!

So basically, if you haven’t read Heir of Fire – or any of the Throne of Glass series – you NEED to. Prepare your feels, grab some tissues and read them ASAP! Sarah J. Maas is now forever on my “Auto-Buy Author List” and I can’t wait for Throne of Glass #4, as well as her new series, A Court of Thorns and Roses!

five-stars

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Sep17
Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. MaasCrown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on August 27, 2013
Pages: 420
Format: Hardcover
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four-stars

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

On a scale of one to ten, Crown of Midnight was a twenty… thousand… million… and one. Sarah J. Maas blew the lid off the notion of Second Book Syndrome – which I know is typically something reserved for trilogies anyway. Unfortunately, I’ve come to expect Second Book Syndrome from every series of every length. But Crown of Midnight did NOT read like a second book. It stood on its own and blew my mind.

Like I said in my review for Throne of Glass: Celaena is a kick-ass bitch. She’s fierce and loyal to those she trusts. She’s amazing at what she does, yet DESPITE what she does, she’s still managed to hold on to her humanity – for the most part. I can’t say much without risking spoilers, but the things she did in the first half of the book were epic. What happened in the second half though… My heart broke for her. She was broken and lost, lashing out at whoever she could. But, as always, Celaena can handle herself and she did what needed to be done. The reveal with Celeaena at the end was epic, insane, crazy… But I figured it out 83 pages in, so it was more about the validation than the shock of finding out for sure that I was right.

I adore Chaol! He’s just.. Chaol! I love the way he and Celaena strengthen each other. In some ways, they bring out the best in each other. And in some ways, they bring out the worst in each other. They’re definitely working on building the trust, but they challenge each other. What happened between them half-way through the book, though… And then the things left unsaid at the end? IT BROKE MY FEELS!

Dorian was a thousand times more awesome in Crown of Midnight than he was in Throne of Glass – and that’s really saying something because I already really liked him in Throne of Glass. His is a very heavy burden to bear, one he still has to come to terms with. But he grew and matured a LOT in Crown of Midnight – though I suppose he didn’t have much of a choice. Still, he really came through in the end and I’m very eager to see where his character goes in Heir of Fire.

For the most part, I really loved Nehemia, but I was very suspicious of her all throughout Crown of Midnight. I thought I had finally started trusting her by the end of Throne of Glass, but there were just too many things going on in Crown of Midnight.. And then the end of Part One.. Oh, man.. I can’t even.. Another notable character was Archer. I actually really liked Archer and trusted him right from the beginning. I never doubted his loyalties or his motives. But… Hm…

Despite being epic, Crown of Midnight still had its moments. There were sections that were a bit boring and small plot points that dragged. The book could have been 50-75 pages shorter and still epic. It was also pretty predictable; I’d say I guessed over half of the plot twists, both major and minor. Despite all that, Crown of Midnight still had some epic revelations and crazy plot twists. I still love all the characters and I have a feeling Heir of Fire is going to completely and utterly break me.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed Crown of Midnight. Though I wouldn’t call it my favorite in the series, it was better than Throne of Glass, had some major twists and turns and kept me engaged and interested, even during several boring sections. Crown of Midnight stands tall as an epic sequel, with no traces of Second Book Syndrome in sight. If you weren’t a fan of Throne of Glass but are debating reading on, I highly encourage you to do so. I was told each book is better than the last and, so far, that statement is holding true!

four-stars

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Sep11
Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. MaasThrone of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on August 2, 2012
Pages: 404
Format: Hardcover
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four-stars

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

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

I was really terrified to read Throne of Glass after reading – and not really enjoying – The Assassin’s Blade, the compilation of all the prequel novellas. While I don’t regret reading The Assassin’s Blade first, I don’t think it was necessary to do so and I think I would have enjoyed reading Throne of Glass with or without it. It was certainly intriguing knowing some of Celaena’s background and knowing about a certain fellow assassin. But otherwise, I feel like I actually missed out on some important references in the novellas by reading them first. Someone on Twitter told me Celaena meets Dorian and Chaol in one of the novellas and, had I read Throne of Glass first, I would have picked up on that.

That being said, I really did love Throne of Glass. My fear kept me from picking it up for about a day and a half after finishing The Assassins Blade, but once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down! I basically read it in two days! I loved the way the book started (it was a nice tie-in to The Assassin’s Blade), I loved the plot and I loved the characters. And, as mentioned in my review of The Assassin’s Blade, I love Maas’s writing and world-building skills.

Celaena is still a kick-ass bitch in Throne of Glass, though she feels a bit defeated in the beginning. It was hard seeing her that way, knowing how fierce she was in The Assassin’s Blade (one of the perks/draw-backs of reading The Assassin’s Blade first). I knew Celaena could be strong-willed, knew she could take care of herself. But I also knew she had been betrayed many times before and was scarred from those betrayals. She didn’t trust easily and was convinced her fate was sealed – that she was doomed. She picks herself up, though, and pushes forward, accepting that whatever will be, will be. She knows how to pick and choose her battles.

Though there was a love triangle and some insta-love (two things I’m not crazy about, though I don’t let them ruin the story for me), I truly loved this love triangle and everyone involved, so it was hard to be upset by it. In fact, I’m still torn on which team I’m on! There were moments, unfortunately, where the love triangle was very predictable, though..

Dorian was hilarious and kind, casually flirting back-and-forth with Celaena. He was a bit stereotypical, in that he was intimidating, as the crown prince, yet also laid back in his demeanor and not as scary as he seemed. As is typical of YA lit, he also despised his father and the things his father stood for – the things his father did. And though I liked Dorian already, something he did about halfway through the book changed my whole opinion about him and made me like him even more.

Chaol was so serious and proper in the beginning. I loved the way Celaena got under his skin so easily! They had a wonderful rapport, though, and I liked them together. Chaol is so sweet and protective – in a slightly brooding way. Kinda like Angel! Except, not so tortured.. I had heard truly swoony things about Chaol, but I wasn’t entirely convinced in the beginning. He was very guarded and distant for the first half (maybe less) of the book, so it took me awhile to really get to know him and like him.

I really liked Nehemia. She was a good, kind friend, though I definitely had my suspicions about her at times. And we’re definitely led to believe that we SHOULD be suspicious of her.. I kept praying that she wouldn’t turn out to be a back-stabber, the way a certain character was in one of the novellas. For Celaena’s sake, I just kept hoping it wasn’t true… And, well, you’ll just have to read the story to find out what happened with her!

Another secondary character I liked a lot was Nox. In another life, I think he could have been an amazing friend and ally to Celaena. I really hope we see him in future books. Also, the whole storyline with Elena was intriguing and I’m SURE it will play a bigger role in future books.

Characters I despised (for obvious reasons) and wanted to bitch slap were the King, Perrington, Cain and basically every single champion that aligned themselves with Cain. I can’t talk about Kaltain without MAJOR spoilers.. But omg I wanted to bitch slap her!!! And then I also felt bad for her at the same time.. Kind of confusing! But again, this is spoiler territory… So, yeah..

The ending was pretty insane and crazy and HOLY CRAP. There were several things that happened that I didn’t expect at all, but there were also some things that happened that I could see a mile away. It made for an interesting mix of surprise and intrigue. I’m definitely glad I didn’t give up on this series after reading The Assassin’s Blade. I’m very eager to read Crown of Midnight – and I’ve heard epic, ridiculous, insane things about Heir of Fire that make me terrified to pick it up (But not in the way I was terrified to pick Throne of Glass up).

Despite one not-so-great read (The Assassin’s Blade) and thanks to one amazing read (Throne of Glass), I can say with absolute certainty that this series is amazing, I’m sorry I didn’t read it sooner and I highly recommend it to everyone. It’s a must-read!

four-stars

Review: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Sep9
Review: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. MaasThe Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on March 4, 2014
Pages: 435
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
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three-stars

Discover where Celaena Sarthodien's thrilling saga began

Celaena Sarthodien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassin's Guild, she yields for no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.

When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes--and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she discovers friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn's orders, Celaena riskes unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn's clutches--and if they fail, they'll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives....

A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers readers a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling--and deadly--world.

Included in this volume:

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Healer
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire

When I first picked up The Assassin’s Blade, I was really excited to read it. I’ve heard so many amazing things about the Throne of Glass books. I was gifted Throne of Glass over a year ago by a good friend. People have been DEMANDING I read this series. So I’ve finally started! Unfortunately, The Assassin’s Blade did NOT meet my expectations.

So, why did I read The Assassin’s Blade before Throne of Glass (the official first book in the series)? I had a lot of people telling me to read The Assassin’s Blade first – they said they wished they had read it first because they would have understood and liked Throne of Glass more if they had. Some even said they re-read Throne of Glass after reading The Assassin’s Blade.

But then I had other people telling me to put The Assassin’s Blade down and read Throne of Glass first – they said it would be easier to understand the characters and world in The Assassin’s Blade if I read Throne of Glass first.

So, of course, my head was spinning and I was completely confused. But I had been set on reading The Assassin’s Blade for a long time – so long, in fact, that I tried picking up Throne of Glass and had to put it down because I’m a mood reader and I was too set on The Assassin’s Blade and, therefore, not at all in the mood for Throne of Glass.

I went into The Assassin’s Blade with high expectations for two reasons. One: Everyone LOVES Sarah J. Maas and her books. Two: I was, personally, very excited for The Assassin’s Blade. When I first picked it up in the bookstore, I read twenty pages and couldn’t put it down.

While I loved the characters, the world-building and Maas’s writing style, I wasn’t thrilled with any of the plots of the novellas. I rated each novella individually, then averaged them together. Overall, I gave The Assassin’s Blade a 3-star rating. Since I’ve never reviewed a novella compilation before, I’m just going to break this down and discuss each novella, plus I’ll include each individual star rating.

Here we go:

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord – Rating: 3 stars
As I mentioned, I had high expectations for this book, but especially for this first novella. The first twenty pages were what convinced me I HAD to buy it and read it first. But after the first twenty pages, things went downhill, fast. First of all, I’m not a huge fan of books that involve slavery of any kind. I’m also not that into books with pirates… Unless it’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Then I’ll make an exception ;)

I really like Celaena. She’s a tough bitch with a kind heart, which is an odd/rare combination, but also a perfect combination. She does what she has to to survive, but she has morals and lines she refuses to cross. She can take care of herself, but she’s not invincible and knows when to ask for help, though she does so a bit stubbornly.

I adored Sam! I liked the progression of his relationship with Celaena. They didn’t start out instantly in love. It took time and trust and, even at the end of The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, they still weren’t in the best of places. Though I could definitely feel the shift in their relationship when it happened.

I liked seeing life inside the Assassin’s Keep. I wish we had gotten to know Ben, though. He sounded like an amazing character. I never trusted Arobynn, not even for one second. I wanted him to be like a father figure to Celaena, but I knew it wasn’t in his nature, unfortunately.

I think my biggest issue with The Assassin and the Pirate Lord was definitely the plot. It was slow and boring and not something I’m a fan of. I also didn’t really like any of the secondary characters.

The Assassin and the Healer – Rating: 3.5 stars
I actually really enjoyed The Assassin and the Healer, though it still wasn’t my favorite of the five (maybe second favorite?). I liked the setting a lot, as well as the secondary characters. It was the shortest novella and likely meant just to be filler to get to the third novella, but it was enjoyable. It was interesting seeing Celaena out of her element and on her own, without Sam, Arobynn or any other familiar faces. I really like Yrene, but what are the odds we’ll ever see her again, outside of this single novella? For that reason, I tried not to get too attached. However, Celaena’s interactions with Yrene proved that, deep down, Celaena is a kind person with a warm heart. I liked seeing that side of her.

The Assassin and the Desert – Rating: 3.5 stars
I loved the plot, the secondary characters (Ansel, Mikhail, Ilias and the Mute Master) and the lessons learned in this novella. Going into it, I was nervous that it would be Celaena traveling in the desert for weeks by herself (boring!) so I’m glad Maas skipped all that and went right into the action of the main plot.

The Assassin and the Desert definitely had a lot of action and betrayal. I was so upset with where things ended for most of the characters and I felt so bad for Celaena. That said, I can see Ansel playing a major part in one of the main books. I’m eager to see her and Celaena reunite!

Sadly, despite being my favorite of the novellas, The Assassin and the Desert still had small sections that were slow and a bit boring. Certain things annoyed me, though I don’t think I can really explain why.. They just did. But, as I said, it was still my favorite, despite these small issues.

The Assassin and the Underworld – Rating: 3 stars
The title of this novella had me really excited. I took the title literally and assumed all the wrong things. So that was a bit disappointing. I also found this novella to be the most slow and boring of the five.

With this novella, my distrust in Arobynn increased tenfold. I was so mad at Celaena for not questioning Arobynn more, though Sam was incredibly suspicious of him and sort of made up for Celaena’s behavior. I definitely fell for Sam in this novella, which was such a bad idea.. Someone on Twitter spoiled me regarding his fate, yet I still let myself fall hard for him. Sigh.

Though this novella had a handful of good – and even intriguing – moments, I was mostly just bored and disappointed.

The Assassin and the Empire – Rating: 3.5 stars
I mentally and emotionally braced myself for this novella. As I mentioned, the major plot point in this one was spoiled for me. But I didn’t know how or why it happened, so that was still a shock – though, as I’ve said, I never trusted Arobynn, so that part wasn’t a shock at all! Even knowing what would happen, my heart still broke into a million tiny pieces. *SOBS*

The ending of The Assassin and the Empire was definitely the most intriguing/exciting/crazy/etc of all the novellas. Sadly, it was also really predictable. In The Assassin and the Underworld, Celaena was tricked. But in The Assassin and the Empire she was played – big time! I knew by whom and I had a good guess as to why.. But seeing the actual explanation was a bit shocking.

~*~*~*~*~

Overall, The Assassin’s Blade was an interesting read. I loved the characters and world. Maas is a great writer! But I really couldn’t get into the plots of the novellas. Some of them were slow and boring, some just were about subjects that I don’t normally like to read. Each one had certain moments that were enjoyable or memorable. There were some amazing secondary characters that I truly hope we’ll meet again in later books.

As for reading The Assassin’s Blade before Throne of Glass? I should probably wait until I read Throne of Glass to see how I feel about it. But as of right now, I definitely have no regrets. The Assassin’s Blade is described as being a prequel. In my eyes, reading it first was the only logical thing to do.

Final Thoughts: Despite being bored with The Assassin’s Blade and its plots, I’m still very excited to read Throne of Glass. I like the flow of the stories in The Assassin’s Blade and I like where it ends, setting things up perfectly for the beginning of Throne of Glass.

three-stars

Review: Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo (Blog Tour)

Sep8

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: Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo (Blog Tour)Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo
Published by Random House on August 26, 2014
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
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three-half-stars

Home is where the bodies are buried.

Darkly humorous and heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Jennifer Longo’s YA debut about a girl stuck living in a cemetery will change the way you look at life, death, and love.

Leigh sells graves for her family-owned cemetery because her father is too lazy to look farther than the dinner table when searching for employees. Working the literal graveyard shift, she meets two kinds of customers:

Pre-Need: They know what’s up. They bought their graves a long time ago, before they needed them.

At Need: They are in shock, mourning a loved one’s unexpected death. Leigh avoids sponging their agony by focusing on things like guessing the headstone choice (mostly granite).

Sarcastic and smart, Leigh should be able to stand up to her family and quit. But her world’s been turned upside down by the sudden loss of her best friend and the appearance of Dario, the slightly-too-old-for-her grave digger. Surrounded by death, can Leigh move on, if moving on means it’s time to get a life?

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Six Feet Over It blog tour! Today, I’m sharing with you my review of this young adult coming-of-age story. Enjoy!

Six Feet Over It was a quirky, if not slightly morbid, book about a young girl growing up – and learning important life lessons – in a cemetery. Surrounded by death all day, everyday, Leigh has to learn to cope with life’s many challenges, shocks and surprises (both pleasant and unpleasant).

Leigh was an odd character and it took me awhile to get inside her head, though I never completely did. She’s slightly younger than I realized when I first started reading – just 14-years-old at the start of the book, 16-years-old by the end. Leigh starts out sounding and feeling very young. She takes what life gives her and goes through the motions of day-to-day chores and activities. Leigh has little to no character development for the majority of the book. Then, suddenly, she wakes up one day and – BAM! Her whole outlook on life has changed. She makes things right with everyone, standing up to her father and apologizing to those she wronged. It was a little jarring, if not desperately needed.

I really didn’t connect with Dario. Though his relationship with Leigh was completely platonic (at least in his mind.. She may have thought otherwise at some moments..), it was still a bit odd to see their interactions, with him being five years older than her. He taught her a lot about life and death, though, and helped her cope with so many things. He encourages her to stand up to her parents, to embrace new friendships. In the long run, he helped her learn some valuable lessons. But what he asked of her in the end? It was stupid and dangerous and he never should have asked that of a young girl.

I couldn’t stand Kai. I know she went through a lot. I feel bad about that. But all she does is whine, sigh and cry until she gets her way. Her attitude, on several occasions, resulted in Wade and Meredith (aka mom and dad) forcing more responsibility upon Leigh, responsibility she shouldn’t havet had to bear the weight of alone. Kai was the big sister, but she never acted the part.

I really, really loved Elanor. There was something about her that made me want to root for her. She was brave and strong, kind in ways Leigh was not in the beginning. She reminded me of a girl I knew in elementary school – one I had a falling out with, something I still regret after all these years. Despite Elanor’s odd upbringing, she was more sure of herself and more confident than Leigh. She knew how to stand up for herself and I admired her for that. I’m really happy with the way her story ended.

I couldn’t stand Wade and Meredith. If there’s a Worst Parent of the Year Award, it would be a tie between these two. Though if push came to shove, Wade would win it. Meredith kind of redeemed herself a little bit in the end. Wade was never fair to Leigh. He saddled her with so much responsibility, forced her to handle certain situations that she should NOT have had to handle. Wade, as the adult – as the one who decided to buy the cemetery – should have done more than he did.

A big issue I had with this book was the writing style. It took me awhile to get used to it. It was very choppy, with short, jerky sentences and incomplete thoughts. I didn’t like it at first, though I got used to it after awhile. It slowly blended with Leigh’s voice and character. Another thing I had an issue with is the timeline. The timeline moved freakishly fast and with little to no logic. One second it was fall and Leigh’s birthday, then suddenly it was summer then, out of nowhere, winter. Then summer again, then fall and back to Leigh’s birthday. I will say that this allowed the book to come full circle, which allowed for more closure. But it wasn’t a logical jump and it really threw me off.

Though Leigh’s character development was late in the story and very abrupt, she still did learn some important lessons that allowed her to see the error of her ways and mature in the end. The plot was unique and intriguing. It allows the reader to process the idea of death and change in a safe, comfortable way. It teaches the reader that death doesn’t have to be the end, change doesn’t have to be scary and life does go on after the loss of a loved one.

Overall, though Six Feet Over It didn’t wow me as I’d hoped it would, it was still an enjoyable book, flaws and all. I definitely recommend it to the 13-16 age group, though older readers might also appreciate it. I think it’s safe to say that we can expect great things from Jennifer Longo and I’m still definitely excited for her next book, whatever it may be about.

three-half-stars

Review: Athena’s Ashes by Jamie Grey

Sep1

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

Review: Athena’s Ashes by Jamie GreyAthena's Ashes by Jamie Grey
Series: Star Thief Chronicles #2
Published by Clever Crow Press on August 26, 2014
Pages: 350
Source: the author
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four-stars

It’s Renna’s biggest job yet – convincing MYTH leadership that she’s put away her lock picks and is ready to save the galaxy, despite the dangerous implant in her brain. But with the Athena on the run, she’s working solo and facing her most ruthless enemy, the traitor Pallas, who’ll go to any lengths to destroy the MYTH organization. Including framing Renna for a devastating assault on MYTH HQ that leaves their defenses crippled and hundreds dead.

Now that MYTH believes she’s a dangerous double-agent, Renna escapes their firing squad before they put more holes in her than a pair of fishnet stockings. But the ticking time-bomb in her head is the one thing Pallas needs to complete his master plan and he’s not about to let her get away. Even worse, he’s discovered the only thing that will bring Renna to her knees – threatening Captain Nick Finn.

Out of time and options, Renna’s got one shot to take down the traitor before he annihilates everything she loves, even though winning this battle may cost her everything.

Athena’s Ashes was an epic, action-packed sequel. As always, Jamie Grey has done an amazing job. The Star Thief Chronicles is the perfect example of an amazing world that feels realistic and a group of characters that feel real and relatable.

I adore Renna. I’ve adored Renna since the first book. Yes, she has her flaws – all characters do. But that’s what makes them feel real. She’s such a strong, brave character. She can hold her own and she doesn’t just sit around, letting people die to save her own skin or waiting to be saved. She has grown and changed in so many ways since The Star Thief – emotionally, mentally and physically. She went from working alone and wanting nothing to do with anyone, to having people in her life that she considered good friends, even family. In Athena’s Ashes, Renna takes a bit of a step back with all of this, though. But not for the reasons you’d think. Renna’s physical changes really start to take a toll on her, too, though she fights those changes with every ounce of willpower she has.

Finn.. Oh, Finn. I swooned HARD over Finn in The Star Thief. He’s swoony and adorable and amazing. As he is in the beginning of Athena’s Ashes. And then some things happen and things go down hill and… Well, I got VERY angry with him a few times. And I’m still kind of angry with him. I get why he did what he did. I understand. But I’m still SO mad at him… Grrrr, Finn!!

I really, really liked Dallas but I had a hard time trusting him. I was so nervous he was going to betray Renna, or that we were going to find out he was working with the bad guys. I also adored Blake. I kind of wanted him to be the third component of a love triangle – and I don’t usually WANT love triangles. I don’t mind them, but I don’t seek them out. But I really, really liked him. He was awesome and adorable and he made Finn soooooo jealous! Hehe. But then again… Viktis!!!! I said it in my review for The Star Thief and I’ll say it again: I really, really like Viktis and I’m not sure what this says about me…

I really liked Jayla, as well. Renna needs more girlfriends in her life – ones that don’t betray her. I kept hoping Jayla would be on her side, kept hoping that she wouldn’t turn out to be in league with Pallas. And…. Well, I’ll let you read the book to find out!

The whole Pallas storyline was… Shocking. Unexpected. Mind-blowing. Crazy. I just… There are no words for how surprised I was! Everything surrounding the Pallas storyline was hard-core, action-packed.. I just couldn’t believe what I was reading! And the thing is? Pallas is the scariest kind of villain because they believe what they’re doing is for the good of humanity and that what they’re doing is GOOD and RIGHT, that they are the good guy, not the bad guy. You can’t reason with a person who believes they are doing something for the greater good. And that makes them terrifying.

The story behind the book title becomes VERY obvious near the end of the book… And it was so, so sad! Like.. I almost cried, it was so upsetting! But it happened the way it was meant to and I’m so pleased with the ending. Everything was wrapped up nicely, leaving just enough open that there’s potential for a third book. And if there is? I really, really like the set-up for it!!

There were also some major twists and turns in the ending that I didn’t expect. For Renna, things came full circle. It really kept me on the edge of my seat! Especially the last 44% – I felt like my heart was in my throat the whole time. I got so angry and so scared on Renna’s behalf.

Overall, if you couldn’t tell already, I adored this book. I adore Jamie Grey. She will forever be on my “Auto-Buy Author” list. If you haven’t read her books, I highly recommend them! … So.. What are you waiting for…? Go buy them! Read them! Now, now! :)

four-stars

Review: Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre

Aug23

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: Mortal Danger by Ann AguirreMortal Danger by Ann Aguirre
Series: Immortal Game #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on August 5, 2014
Pages: 372
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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three-half-stars

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book can be considered a trigger book. Meaning, if things such as depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide upset you, you might not want to read this book; therefore, you might also want to skip reading this review, since I discuss the main character’s experience with bullying and suicidal thoughts/tendencies in relation to the plot.

I’m very conflicted over how to review Mortal Danger. On the one hand, it was amazing! Creepy, bullying gone wrong, revenge taken to a deadly level. On the other hand, parts of the book were morbid, upsetting and borderline emotionally traumatizing. Not to mention the fact that it took me 18 days to finish it – In the beginning, that was totally me and not the book. But near the end? It was definitely the book. Certain sections dragged, certain sections felt like filler and the pacing slowed down a lot.

Edie was an… interesting character. But for the most part, I liked her. She wasn’t a strong, take-charge character in the beginning. She was ready to end her own life, to end the bullying she had experienced – the truly horrible and and heinous bullying. And then she makes a deal with the devil to take back her “life” and even the score with her tormentors. And, of course, this doesn’t end well for anyone involved – and even those not involved. As the story goes on, she gets a little bit stronger and more confident, but she still isn’t very take-charge. I can understand why, given the circumstances, but I hope this changes in book two. I have the feeling Edie is a fighter.. She just hasn’t shown us that side of herself yet.

Despite all that, Edie was definitely a relatable character. For the most part, everyone experiences bullying in some form or another at some point in their lives. It’s easy to picture yourself in her place and wonder, “What would I have done?” Edie goes through some truly horrifying things and she DOES some truly horrifying things in the name of revenge. You never want to think you’re capable of any of the things she did. But in her shoes, it really makes you wonder.

Edie’s relationship with Kian was confusing and hard to grasp. One minute, she loved him and the fact that he loved her before her “changes.” The next second, she’s questioning his loyalty. Five seconds later, she’s swooning over him. I know a lot of people hated this back-and-forth. For the most part, I was fine with it. It felt realistic that she was conflicted. Honestly, I’d be concerned if she HADN’T been conflicted. But near the end, after suffering through almost the whole book with her indecision, it did start to grate on my nerves. I didn’t like going back-and-forth, wondering if I could trust him or not. It distracted me from the story. It especially sucks because I LOVED their chemistry in the beginning, but it just unravels throughout the whole book.

Kian himself.. Meh. I found myself swooning over him in the beginning, but then he got dull and weird. Plus, Edie constantly questioning him made ME question him, which made me not like him as much.

It became very apparant very quickly that Edie was in over her head. It was so easy for her to condemn those that had bullied her. She literally sold her soul to get back at them. But just as they didn’t know her, she didn’t know them. She didn’t know what was going on in their lives to make them behave that way… Everyone has a story, even bullies. You just never know and can never assume. It doesn’t make it right and it’s not an excuse.. Not at all. But still. This was the case for almost every member of, as Edie called it, the Teflon circle. And as the story went on, Edie learned this lesson the hard way.

There were a LOT of secondary characters in this book, so I’m just going to touch on some of them briefly. I loved, loved, loved Vi, Ryu and Seth. I really liked Davina and Jen, though I never completely trusted Jen and I don’t feel like we got any resolution on that – Hopefully we will by the end of book two! I wanted to bitch slap Allison and Brittany. I REALLY wanted to punch Cameron and Russ a few times. Some of the characters, though… I wouldn’t wish their fates on my worst enemy.

The last sixty or so pages were really hard to read for so many reasons. Honestly, if it hadn’t taken me almost three weeks to read and if I hadn’t been so close to the end, I would have DNF’d the book. There were two twists that weren’t shocking or twisty at all. I could see them coming from a mile away. And while I usually don’t mind that – I love having my hunches validated – in this case, I felt really annoyed and let down. It was SO predictable, it wasn’t even fun to get that confirmation.

Overall, I still recommend this book. I had a LOT going on in my personal life, which is the main reason it took me so long to read it. And I’m sure that’s also why some things hit me really hard, emotionally. I still loved the book, despite everything. What annoyed me may not annoy other people. I will warn you again that this can be considered a trigger book so be cautious if you’re easily upset by the previously mentioned trigger warnings.

Basically, this book ripped my heart out and stomped on my feels. If you’re looking for a semi-scary/creepy/horror-type book, then I definitely recommend this. Though I had some issues with it, I’m still excited for book two and can’t WAIT to get my hands on it!

three-half-stars