Review: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Bloodspell by Amalie Howard
Series: The Cruentus Curse series #1
Published by Langdon Street Press on June 1, 2011
Pages: 394
Format: Paperback
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

The spell was simple...

Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)

But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

It literally hurts my heart to have to write this review. Amalie is one of my favorite authors and favorite people. I’ve read all her currently published books ((Waterfell [The Aquarathi #1], Oceanborn [The Aquarathi #2], The Almost Girl, Alpha Goddess)) and I loved them all so much! Sadly, Bloodspell (Amalie’s first book and the one I was most excited for, given my love of vampires and witches) left me wanting more. And that made me Sad Panda :(

First, let me discuss some of the things I liked! I loved the world that Amalie created. The magic and the rules and the way everything worked was truly fascinating. The plot itself was something I haven’t really read before – yes, I’ve read a LOT of vampire and witch books over the years – they’e two of my favorite supernatural creates to read about! – but the idea of Le Sang Noir and the Cruentus Curse were pretty original (to me, anyway) and I loved the whole vampires versus witches theme (I’ve always loved stories where they are enemies, I don’t know why..)

Now.. Unfortunately, it was very obvious that this was Amalie’s first book. And it’s very much a book of its time. Meaning, from roughly 2005/7-2011, Young Adult books had a very different tone to them. They had a certain structure and certain things happened. This was especially true with supernatural/paranormal books of this time period. At the time, these structures and plot devices were new, so they were awesome and fascinating. Now, they’re considered cliche. On the one hand, these plot devices/tropes brought me back to that time in my life, when reading was simple and fun, before blogging and critically analyzing everything I read took over. On the other hand, I’ve outgrown many of these plot devices/tropes and I couldn’t help but cringe at some of the things that went down.

There was a lot of telling (as opposed to showing) and it made me feel a bit disconnected from the story and the characters, especially in the beginning. Some of the characters were a bit cliche, as were some of their actions. It was a little hard to grasp how quickly Tori came into her magic and how she knew all these spells and things without even trying. I know she practiced with Leto, but it still felt like it happened super quick. Christian was very cliche vampire. I found myself comparing him and Lucian to Stefan and Damon. Charla was way too perky for my liking (I don’t know why perky female characters always end up being untrustworthy in YA, but they just are for some reason…) and I didn’t trust Gabe from the moment we met him. I really liked Holly and Angie, though. And Enhard.. Ugh, the way his story ended? Crushed me!

I constantly felt like I had missed something with this book. Something would happen and I’d be like, “Wait, when did ____ do _____?” And the pacing was all over the place. Sometimes I sped through several chapters, finding myself (finally) pulled in to the story. Other times, I had to push incredibly hard just to read one chapter. Now, I will say that I had some things going on in my personal life while reading this. My family suffered a terrible, unexpected loss. And it was very difficult for me to even find the energy to read. So that might be part of the reason this book was so meh for me.

To be brutally honest, if it weren’t for the fact that it’s Amalie, I would have DNF’d. But I adore Amalie and I know from reading her other books that she’s an AMAZING writer. I always love her books/plots, her characters and the worlds she creates. She always has a unique take on things and I love that! So I pushed through. The last 80 pages actually really picked up and, though the ending was a bit cliche, it was also really intriguing and I’m very excited to read the sequel, Bloodcraft. My thinking is, Amalie has grown SO MUCH as a writer over the years and Bloodspell had so much potential, it’s the perfect equation for an epic, wonderful, brilliant sequel!

If you haven’t read any of Amalie’s books, I suggest starting with a different one. Amalie’s amazing and her books are amazing. Bloodspell started off weak and she had some growing pains, but her other books are wonderful! If you’ve read Amalie’s other books and you’re uncertain about this one, I urge you to read it with an open mind and remember how fabulous her other books are!

2015 Debut Authors Bash: Heather W. Petty (Interview + Giveaway)

Dec12

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the 2015 Debut Authors Bash! I’m so excited to be hosting Heather W. Petty, author of Lock & Mori (September 15, 2015, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers). Today, I’m pleased to share with you an interview with Heather, as well as an epic giveaway! First, here’s the epic cover and synopsis:

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

Goodreads | Amazon | IndieBound

And now here’s the interview! Enjoy!

~*~*~

Question: Lock & Mori is a YA Sherlock Holmes retelling! Where did the idea come from? Why Sherlock Holmes?
Answer: I was reading an article about nemeses relationships that mentioned Sherlock is the only person in the canon to ever actually meet Moriarty. We only know what Sherlock told Watson about Moriarty. So I thought, what if he lied? What if Sherlock knew Moriarty from when they were in high school? What if something happened in high school turned them into enemies? And the book ideas kind of spun out from there.

Question: Imagine you’re speaking to someone who hasn’t heard a single thing about your book. Without using the phrase or words “YA Sherlock Holmes retelling,” how would you describe your Lock & Mori to them?
Answer: It’s the origin story of a criminal mastermind, whose high school relationship with her future nemesis set her on the path to what she would become.

Question: Did you do a lot of research prior to writing Lock & Mori? If so, what was the most interesting thing you learned?
Answer: Definitely. And I think the most interesting research was learning more about the way the English legal system works and how it differs from ours. But, then, I really love to study law, so I may have just been geeking out a bit.

Question: Biggest difference (editorial, character, etc) between your first draft and the final first edition of the book?
Answer: Well it definitely got better! Nothing major got added or taken away, but my editor definitely helped me to make the book much stronger. I learned a lot for sure!

Question: According to your bio, you’ve been obsessed with mysteries since you were twelve. What’s your favorite mystery book? Favorite mystery author?
Answer: Agatha Christie was my first and will probably always be my favorite mystery author. (Even though she totally cheats.) And MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS will probably always be my favorite, although I love the Tommy & Tuppence books so much, it’s hard not to pick one of theirs. MOTOE, though, blew my little 12-year-old mind back when I read it. It was the book that made me obsess over mysteries for the rest of my life.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: I once Googled abandoned buildings in East London, how to delay-start a fire, and how alcoholism affects decomposition of a corpse in the same night. I’m pretty sure I made it onto some kind of watch list with all of that.

Question: Name one book you read within the last six months and STILL can’t stop thinking about.
Answer: My most recent would be MOSQUITOLAND by David Arnold. That book completely opened, broke, and revived my heart in ways I never expected. I literally had to be consoled by a flight attendant while reading the end. He got very confused when I was smile-crying at my iPad and then hugging it. (It’s possible I should never fly Southwest again.)

Question: Favorite part of the publishing process so far?
Answer: Definitely the people. Beyond all of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet through my literary agency and publisher, meeting other authors is so very cool. Honestly, going to some of the events/shows/festivals and hanging out with brilliant and hilarious authors for a weekend is like my utopia. It’s really hard to say goodbye.

Question: Lock & Mori is going to be a trilogy! Can you share any news? Are you editing book two? Writing book three?
Answer: I am currently editing book 2 and starting to write book 3. I’m super excited about what happens next!

Question: Aside from the Lock & Mori sequels, are you working on anything new?
Answer: I am! But I can’t tell you about it yet. (And I want to talk about it SO VERY MUCH.) Fingers crossed I’ll be able to make an announcement about it someday soon. :)

~*~*~

Heather has been obsessed with mysteries since she was twelve, which is when she decided that stories about murders in London drawing rooms and English seaside villages were far superior to all other stories. Lock & Mori is her first novel. She lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband, daughter, and four hopelessly devious cats.

Website
Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

~*~*~

Finally, thanks to the lovely Heather, we have an AMAZING giveaway for you guys! One lucky winner will receive a copy of Lock & Mori, plus an awesome swag pack! One winner, US & CAN only!

So, the rules:

-Giveaway is US & CANADA Only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

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Review: Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty

Dec5

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty
Series: Lock & Mori #1
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on September 15, 2015
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

This book was really frustrating for me. I wanted to love it, but I only liked it. I had some major issues with the characters, but the criminology aspect of it was really intriguing and I loved the guessing game involved with the investigation. I just wanted more from this book than I got.

The characters were probably the most frustrating part of this book. They were pretty flat and I had a hard time connecting to them because of that. Sometimes, they had these amazing moments where I really liked them and thought things were looking up. And then something would happen and I couldn’t stand them again. I loved the tension and banter between Lock and Mori; however, sometimes Lock was incredibly cold and cruel towards Mori. And Mori was stubborn in not asking Lock for help. They liked each other, but they were super awkward around each other. I didn’t ship it. I liked them as friends and maybe over time, I could see them as more. But after this first book? Nope. No ship feels.

Obviously, I couldn’t stand Mori’s father. He was horrible and cruel and his character almost made me DNF. But it all made sense by the end. And it was actually pretty intriguing, the way it all went down. We were also introduced to Watson, but briefly. I wanted more Watson! Mycroft, Lock’s brother, was pretty cool, but (like with Watson) I wanted to see more of him.

I really liked Sadie. Her friendship with Mori was excellent and a great example of what we need more of in YA. They were friends who drifted, yet they didn’t become mortal enemies. They didn’t bully each other or become cruel. In fact, over time, they drifted back together and became friends again – picking up almost as if nothing had ever happened. I don’t like how their story ended, though. That was super, super frustrating and made me really sad panda.

Now, my next issue with this book is.. weird. This book is set in London, England. For some reason, I found myself reading the prose in an American accent and the dialogue in a British accent, which made reading this super awkward and slow. I tried not to do it, but I couldn’t help it. My brain just couldn’t focus on the story as much while it was trying to do this. It’s especially weird because, when reading, I NEVER read with the intended accents. In my head, it’s always an American accent – my default, since I’m from the US. So I don’t know why that happened with this book. But it was really… Weird…

The pacing of this book was really weird, too. It had big sections that were epic and big sections that were meh. Sometimes, it felt like things were picking up; other times, it slowed down to an almost unbearable crawl. It took me a week to read it, which is a bit slow for me. Sometimes, all I could do was read one or two chapters before putting it down.

Yet, despite all my character and pacing issues, this book was still a fun read. The last 60 pages really picked up and the big reveal was – though not too shocking – pretty epic and intense. There wasn’t a lot of build-up to the second book, though, so I’m not really excited for it yet. Maybe once the cover and synopsis are revealed, I’ll get more into it. We’ll see!

I definitely recommend this book for fans of Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately, I haven’t read the original classic novel, so maybe that’s where some of my issues stem from – I couldn’t pick up on any hidden easter eggs from the classic because I’ve never read it. Maybe, for those who HAVE read the original book, it will be more intriguing! And if you like psychological thrillers and mysteries, then this book is also a good read for you!

Review: Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas

Dec4

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.

Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas
Published by HarperTeen on September 15, 2015
Pages: 464
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

A prince.

A ball.

A glass slipper left behind at the stroke of midnight.

The tale is told and retold, twisted and tweaked, snipped and stretched, as it leads to happily ever after.

But it is not the true Story.

A dark fortress.

A past forgotten.

A life of servitude.

No one has ever broken free of the Godmother’s terrible stone prison until a girl named Pin attempts a breathless, daring escape. But she discovers that what seems to be freedom is a prison of another kind, one that entangles her in a story that leads to a prince, a kiss, and a clock striking midnight. To unravel herself from this new life, Pin must choose between a prince and another—the one who helped her before and who would give his life for her. Torn, the only thing for her to do is trade in the glass slipper for a sword and find her own destiny.

I picked up Ash & Bramble four times before I finally read it. The first three times, I couldn’t even get through the first chapter. The fourth time, I almost DNF’d in the exact same spot. But for some reason – mostly curiosity – I pushed through and finally finished it. Some sections of the book were intriguing, but there were also big chunks that were meh. Though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped to, I’m still glad I finally got to read it!

Part one of this book was strange and confusing. We’re thrown into this world, we meet these characters and then… Nothing. Nothing is explained. Nothing makes sense. I felt very disconnected from the story and the characters throughout this whole section of the book. The transition from Shoe’s third person POV to Pin’s first person POV was really messy and confusing, as well. In several spots, the transition happened abruptly within the same chapter, with no notation indicating who was speaking. Even if the author didn’t want to do a new chapter for each POV switch, she should have at least noted which character was speaking or done some kind of page break. I was reading an eARC, though, so maybe this is corrected in the final book. Still, it made for a VERY confusing read.

Part two was interesting at first, but something was still missing – something that kept me from connecting to the story and characters. The pacing seemed really off – it took a long time for Pin to realize what had happened, yet it didn’t take Shoe that long at all to find her – it was ridiculous how easily it all happened. Other than that, I don’t even really have anything to say about this section. It basically followed the outline of a typical fairy tale… Oh, but I will say Shoe’s chapters were really boring and hard to get through. I really just wanted to be in Pin’s mind for this section because it was really interesting and could have been even better if it had been more fleshed out (and, again, with less Shoe chapters).

As far as pacing goes, part three was the absolute slowest, most agonizing section of the book. Yet it was the most intriguing, the one forcing me to ask the most questions – How will this end? What will happen? But curiosity was (still) the only thing that kept me reading. I literally couldn’t put the book down for more than a few minutes before I had to pick it up again, dying to know how it would end.

The concept of this world, of Story and the Godmother doing its bidding, was definitely intriguing and original – I’ll give it that! But the execution was seriously lacking. As I mentioned, I had a terrible time connecting with the story and the characters. There really wasn’t a lot of character growth, either. There was a bit in part three, near the end, but not much. I also didn’t ship Pin and Shoe at all. I’m not opposed to instalove when it’s done well. But the instalove between Pin and Shoe was ridiculous. Plus, the love triangle was barely a love triangle. It was incredibly obvious who Pin would end up with. And again, I had no ship feels for Pin and Shoe, nor did I ship Pin and the Prince. Zero ship feels. Sad panda!

Really, this whole book made me a sad panda. I love fairy tale retellings, especially dark, twisted fairy tale retellings, but this one was just off the mark. The book was way too long, yet the ending felt rushed and unfulfilling. I heard there’s a companion novel, but it’s set fifty years into the future. It’s very unlikely that I’ll read it, though never say never, I guess! But I’m doubtful. The one thing I can say is that, confusing parts aside, Sarah Prineas was a great writer who will get even better over time. So even though I might not read the Ash & Bramble companion, I’d definitely be interested in seeing what else she writes over the next few years!

Would I recommend this book? I’m honestly not sure. I’d never say, “No, don’t read this!!” because everyone should read whatever they want and no one should ever tell someone else not to read a certain book. I never want to think my reviews stopped someone from reading something they might have loved, but this one really fell completely flat and, after speaking with some friends, a lot of people had the same issues with this book as I did. If you’ve been dying to read this, I say go for it! Judge for yourself. If you love it, let me know in the comments and tell me what you loved about it! I’m always open to hearing bookish opinions that vary from mine! Maybe you picked up on something that I didn’t!

M9B Friday Reveal: Cover Reveal – Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil (Giveaway)

Dec4

M9B-Friday-Reveal-Bannernew

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing the cover for

Facsimile by Vicki L. Weavil

an upcoming Month9Books Title!

Author, Vicki L. Weavil, also shares her thoughts on the cover.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

I love this cover because it reflects the book so well. The image of a girl standing alone on a desolate world is a perfect depiction of my protagonist, Ann, as well as her “sand over stone” world, Eco. But it’s also symbolic, because although Ann isn’t really alone, she often feels isolated on her frontier planet. The addition of the image of the Earth is also appropriately symbolic. Ann can’t actually see the Earth from Eco, but since her goal is to live on Earth it’s always on her mind, so the inclusion of the Earth image is a wonderful metaphor for her hopes and dreams.

facsimile ebook final

For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.

Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home.

Facsimile (Facsimile #1)
by Vicki L. Weavil
Publication Date: March 8, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books

Available for Pre-order:
Amazon | B&N

About-the-Author

Vicki Weavil 11

Vicki L. Weavil is represented by Fran Black of Literary Counsel. Her Young Adult Fantasy, CROWN OF ICE — a dark YA retelling of H.C. Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” — is published by Month9Books. Two companion books to CROWN OF ICE — SCEPTER OF FIRE and ORB OF LIGHT — will be published in 2016 and 2017.
Her YA SciFi — FACSIMILE — will be published by Month9Books in 2016, with a sequel, DERIVATION, to follow.
A new YA Fantasy, THE DIAMOND THIMBLE, will be published by Month9Books in 2018.
She also writes adult SciFi.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win.
Title will be sent upon its release.

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Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Dec1

Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3.5
Published by Feiwel & Friends on January 27, 2015
Pages: 222
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Fairest was an intriguing read. I didn’t really know what to expect from it when I started reading, though I hoped for Levana’s backstory and answers to some burning questions – and that’s exactly what I got. Fairest didn’t make me like Levana any more or less than I already did; however, it definitely made me feel bad for her after learning all that she went through.

Young Levana was hard to grasp. She was still evil, but she had these odd moments of kindness mixed in with the evilness of the present-day Levana that we all love to hate (and hate to love). It was easy to see why she was so cruel – cruelty is all she ever knew. Channary was cruel and her parents didn’t love her, Channary or each other. So how could she be expected to express love and kindness when she never experienced it? Aside from loving Hayle, that is. And even that was more of an obsession than love.

Speaking of Channary.. Wow, considering how wonderful, kind and brave Cinder is, Channary was just cruel beyond words! I never expected Cinder’s mother to be so heartless. I can’t remember if this was hinted at in any of the books previously (though I’m fairly certain it was), but it still really threw me off my guard. It was so bad, Channary actually made Levana look like the nice sister! You know it’s bad when Levana is the sane, kind one…

I mentioned this in my Winter review, but it’s worth repeating: The scary thing about Levana is, she actually thinks her actions are justified. Her mind is so twisted, her sense of right and wrong so warped, she doesn’t even realize she’s doing bad things. And that makes her even more insane and dangerous. It also makes her an epic villain. While Channary was cruel just because she could be, Levana was cruel without even realizing she was being cruel. She completely convinced herself that her actions would lead to the betterment of Luna.

A lot of things made more sense after reading Fairest. Pieces of the puzzle slowly fell into place and I found myself saying, “Ah, so that’s how that happened!” a lot. Things that were mentioned in Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and Winter – whether they were hinted at or fully discussed – were finally put into context. That was probably my favorite part of this book – as was seeing Cinder as a young Princess Selene, playing with little Princess Winter. Those things made Fairest a worth-while read!

Overall, if you’re a Lunar Chronicles fan, this is definitely a must-read. You might not end up liking Levana any more or less than you did by the end of Winter, but you’ll understand her and her actions more. Fairest really fills in the blanks. And again, seeing young Princess Selene, young Princess Winter and young Jacin (!!!) is really fun!

Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

Nov30

Winter by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #4
Published by Feiwel & Friends on November 10, 2015
Pages: 827
Format: Hardcover
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

This book, you guys… I don’t even know where to begin! There were parts that were beyond epic and there were parts that were meh. It pains me to say that, but sadly, it’s true. The characters were mostly their usual epic selves and Marissa Meyer is forever the most beautiful story-teller I have ever encountered. She pulls you into the story to such a degree, you almost forget you’re reading a fictional book. However, on the flip side, the pacing was off in a major way and it severely impacted my feels.

I still love Cinder. She’s still my favorite of the four heroines. She’s come such a long way since Cinder. She’s grown, matured and embraced her destiny – which she did in Cress, but really did in Winter. She’s fierce, brave, loyal and overall awesome. Sadly, though, my Cinder/Kai Ship crashed and sank. Hard. No, this isn’t a spoiler because I’m not telling you whether or not they ended up together. This is my personal opinion on their relationship. After everything that went down between them, and though I still like Kai as a character, I just don’t ship them anymore.

Scarlet was still my least favorite character, though she definitely grew on me. She played a bigger role in Winter and I liked seeing her separate from Wolf a little bit. I’m still also not completely a Wolf fan, either.

Cress and Thorne were, by far, my favorite couple in this book and this series. I’d even go as far as to say they’re my Lunar Chronicles OTP. Cress was my second favorite of the four heroines and Thorne was my favorite of the guys, way above and beyond the others. I loved their stories, the progression of their relationship and their chemistry. Cress might not be able to hold her own in a fight the way the others can (though she certainly got better with this in Winter), but she’s able to contribute in so many other ways. And I love the way Thorne is her complete opposite. They just work so well together! I’d LOVE a spin-off with Thorne and Cress aboard the Rampion, with all their adventures and traveling.

I was really looking forward to meeting Princess Winter. Though I loved many things about her, I think my expectations were a bit high, so I was a little let down once we met her. But I still completely adored her and she’s my third favorite of the four heroines. Her mind is so warped and she views things so differently. Everyone tries to write her off for being “crazy,” but I think she thinks more clearly than any of the others at times. Aside from Cinder, Winter had the most to lose if they didn’t defeat Levana. Winter was brave and fierce in her ability to stand up to Levana, despite knowing what was at stake should they fail. I also loved Jacin. I had a lot of trouble trusting him, trying to determine who’s side he was actually on (especially after this one thing he did that made me rage… a lot…). But I never doubted his feelings for and loyalty towards Winter. I also loved the weird, crazy friendship that developed between Scarlet and Winter (probably the only times I actually liked Scarlet, period).

I completely and 100% ship Iko and Kinney. That is all. No, but really.. We saw a lot more of Iko in this book than we have in previous books and I just completely adore her. She’s an epic character and I’d so petition for a spin-off with her and Kinney. Or just her in general. I’m not picky!

The scary thing with Levana is, she actually thinks she’s being a kind, fair ruler, loved by her people. Her mind is so twisted, her sense of right and wrong so warped, she doesn’t even realize she’s doing bad things. And that makes her even more insane and dangerous. It also makes her an epic villain – my favorite kind of villain, honestly. I still wanted to smack her a LOT for how evil and twisted she was. But I also kind of felt bad for her. It was a REALLY strange juxtaposition of feelings.

My biggest issue with this book was how long it was. And I’m probably in the minority with this opinion. But.. Man, this book did NOT need to be 800+ pages. So many scenes were unnecessary. So many scenes were dragged out beyond necessity. So many scenes became repetitive. I just ended up getting really bored. I think, if Meyer REALLY felt she needed 827 pages to finish the story, then it should have been divided into two books. That, or they should have found a way to shave at least 300 pages off. Because they could have and the book would have been even better! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind long books – when it’s needed. But with Winter, I just don’t think it was needed. But again, most people LOVED the length and don’t agree with my above opinion, which is okay! I totally understand and respect that. But for me.. It just didn’t work.

I will say, though, the last 200-ish pages REALLY picked up! And once things picked up, they never slowed down! Well.. Not until the last chapter or so. Because at that point, the ending (like, the VERY ending) felt a bit anticlimactic and sort of.. Unfulfilling. Which, guys.. It hurts my heart to say this! I’ve LOVED this series. But… Sigh.

Overall – length, pacing and anti-climatic ending aside – this was still an epic read. I still love these characters. Worry and fear for them kept me on the edge of my seat. Meyer is still a gorgeous story-teller, as well. I was so pulled into this world, sometimes it felt weird when I put the book down and had to adjust back to “real life.” I wish it had been a bit shorter and more streamlined. And I wish the ending had felt more fulfilling. But I’m happy to have gone on this journey with these characters. I’m mostly satisfied with how their stories ended, though I’m eager for Stars Above and hoping it gives us a little bit more closure.

If you loved the first three books in the series, you’re almost guaranteed to love Winter. If you haven’t read Cinder, Scarlet or Cress yet, I highly suggest you do! (Also, WTH are you doing reading this spoilery-ish review?!?!?!)!!! And if you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings, then I, again, definitely recommend this series and this book!

Review: For the Record by Charlotte Huang (Sunday Street Team)

Nov29

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: For the Record by Charlotte Huang (Sunday Street Team)

For the Record by Charlotte Huang
Published by Delacorte Press on November 10, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

If Almost Famous were a YA novel . . . a raw, honest debut celebrating music, friendship, romance, and life on the road.

Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything

Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.

Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

Sunday Street Team is hosted by Nori @ ReadWriteLove28

Hey everyone! Today, I’m reviewing For the Record by Charlotte Huang for Sunday Street Team! I absolutely loved this book and I hope you enjoy my review!

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For the Record has been on my radar for over a year now. After reading and loving Open road Summer by Emery Lord, I was eager to read something similar. For the Record ended up exceeding my expectations. I loved the plot, the characters, the pacing and Charlotte Huang’s writing style. I enjoyed this book so much, if I could, I’d re-read it right now!

I really liked Chelsea because she was relatable and down to earth – an average girl living her dream. I wish she’d been a bit more sure of herself and I wish she had stood up for herself more often. I get it, she was excited to be in the band and didn’t want to rock the boat or risk getting kicked out. But she was always doing things to please others, always making sure she toed the line. That’s not to say she didn’t have ANY moments where she stood her ground, because she certainly did. I really liked the way her story ended and I’d love to see what happens next for her, whether it be in another full-length book, a novella, etc!

I liked Mandy but I never fully trusted her. Some of the things she did really made me sad and, at times, angry. She kind of redeemed herself near the end but I’m still annoyed with her. I will say, though, the double standards near the end with her and a certain someone were ridiculous and unfair.

I adored Beckett and I shipped him and Chelsea from very early on. He was one of the only band members who made Chelsea feel welcome. He had his jerk moments, but they were few and far between (especially compared to the other guys!). He had this tendency to speak the hard truth – which Pem did, too, but Beckett had this way of doing it in a gentle but firm way, whereas Pem did it in a cruel, harsh way. I’m REALLY excited with the way Beckett’s story ended and it makes me even more desperate for a second book, spin-off, novella, SOMETHING!

Pem was an asshole. I know he had his heart broken and stomped on, but that doesn’t give him the right to treat Chelsea the way he did. He acted like she was to blame for everything that went wrong and, let’s be real, Melbourne was doomed from the start – so that certainly wasn’t Chelsea’s fault. He really treated her like dirt and some of the things he said to her were completely out of line. I didn’t even feel bad for him when the reason behind his “rules” was revealed because he was such a stuck-up, snobby snob. Malcolm was a total playboy and a bit of a jerk, yet I couldn’t help but like him. I really don’t know what it was, but he had this goofball side that I loved and that cracked me up.

In the beginning, I really liked Lucas – he was sweet and funny! I shipped him and Chelsea at first, despite being 100% Team Beckett, until roughly halfway through the book, when he started acting clingy and needy. And super attention whore-ish. Then I kind of wanted to slap him.

The pacing of this book was spot-on. Chapter one jumped right into the action and the first few chapters had a great, easy set-up. This allowed Huang to jump into the heart of the story very early on. Still, there were a few things that caused the pacing to stagger. For example, the Lucas story line, which took up too much valuable page space and ate away at the rest of the plot. I think the book would have benefited from a shorter Lucas story line and more Chelsea, Beckett and Melbourne scenes.

That aside, this book was amazing in every possible way. I LOVED Huang’s writing style! It was smooth, rich and really pulled me in. It was detailed enough that I could visualize everything, yet it wasn’t weighed down with too many details. Finally, I just want to mention the tour guide appendix (featured at the end of the book) real quick. This was such a fun, creative element! I’m especially excited to see how it looks in the finished, physical copy of the book (as opposed to the eARC I was reading)!

I definitely recommend this book to those who loved Open Road Summer by Emery Lord! For the Record has a similar vibe and epic characters, as well as Huang’s gorgeous writing. The ending had this happily ever after – but still realistic – wrap-up that I really, really loved! Huang is definitely a debut author to watch out for and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Review: The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill

Nov25

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 Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill

The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill
Published by Delacorte Press on December 8, 2015
Pages: 272
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
two-stars

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey...

With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize.

Liza can’t imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She’s therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she’s especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens be Liza’s ex–best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that’s the band’s greatest competition.

But it’s not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza’s best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she’s about to find herself lost at sea.

It always makes me sad when I have to give a book 2 stars. Mostly because below 3 stars is usually a DNF for me, so it’s rare that I have to actually rate and review a book that was a 2-star read. It’s happened a handful of times, though, and the reason I review these rare 2-star reads is simple: Though I didn’t enjoy them as much as I’d hoped to, I was still pulled in enough that I couldn’t bring myself to DNF. In those cases, I like to review, so I can explain my thoughts and feelings. And that’s the case with The Trouble with Destiny. I wanted to love it, since I really enjoyed Morrill’s Being Sloane Jacobs. Sadly, I had many issues with it.

The biggest issue I had with this book was the characters. I’m super character-focused, so if I don’t like the characters, I have trouble enjoying the book. I always try to keep an open mind while reading, but this book made it difficult. Our main character, Liza, was whiny and bossy. I loved how determined she was to win the competition and save her beloved marching band, but she definitely went about it the wrong way and she ended up being in her head the whole time and basically ignoring the thoughts and feelings of everyone around her. There’s nothing wrong with being focused and determined, but it felt like she lost sight of her true goal and the more she tried to get back on track, the more she sank (Sorry, couldn’t help it!).

I could NOT stand Demi. She just barely redeemed herself in the end, but it was done in a unrealistic (in my opinion) way. First of all, I’m SICK BEYOND WORDS of the mean girl trope in YA. Mean girls aren’t mean girls – they’re bullies! And no one seems to want to acknowledge that. Second of all, I’m even more sick of the “_____ is my ex-best friend. We are now mortal enemies” trope. From my experience, when you stop being friends with someone, you completely ignore them and forget about them. You don’t attack them and bully them. But maybe that’s just me. And then the resolution with their friendship at the end was ridiculous. Yes, I’ve had epic, massive fights with friends and then we’ve made up. But it’s not that simple and things don’t just go back to how they were. You need to talk out what happened and resolve the underlying issues. I get the miscommunication they experienced and how each felt ditched by the other – That was realistic. But Demi was SO nasty to Liza, the things she said and did SO horrible… No, I could forgive the miscommunication but not the nasty bullying. You don’t just go back to being friends after that. But again, that’s just me.

The Russ/Lenny thing was one of my least favorite love triangles ever. I mean, it kind of broke some of the stereotypes that surround love triangles, which was nice, but it was just poorly done and pretty predictable. I knew almost immediately how it would end. Also, I didn’t like Lenny at all and I got more of a friend-vibe from Russ. So there’s that, too.

Characters I did like? Huck and Hillary. Huck was hilarious, epic and had good taste in karaoke music. We didn’t see a lot of Hillary, but she seemed like a great friend.

Character issues aside, the things I DID enjoy about this book? Morrill’s writing. Her writing flows and pulls you into the story. The plot really intrigued me and that’s what kept me reading, more than anything. I really wanted to see what happened with the cruise ship and if the marching band would win the competition in the end. The pacing was fairly well done, as well. It’s a short, easy read.

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 The Trouble With Destiny, but someone else might love it. I will NEVER tell someone NOT to read a book, though I won’t go out of my way to recommend it. So if you were excited for this book, give it a chance. You might love it! I truly hope you do! If you’re a fan of Morrill’s other books, you’ll likely love it! And if you like cute, easy reads, then this one is definitely for you! If you DO read it and DO love it, let me know in the comments – tell me why you loved it!

Cover Reveal: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons

Nov23

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Cover Reveal for Heather Lyons’ ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET! Releasing December 15, 2015, ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET is a brand new standalone contemporary romance by Heather Lyons. Be sure you preorder your copy today!

So, are you ready to see the cover??

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

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Here we go!

Isn’t it awesome?!? I love it!! Now, here’s more information about the book, including the synopsis:

Every decade, the world’s monarchs and their heirs secretly convene to discuss global politics and social issues—and arrange marriages between kingdoms.

Elsa may be the Hereditary Princess of Vattenguldia, but she finds the entire situation archaic and unsavory. While she wants what’s best for her country, she isn’t about to jump into an unwanted relationship—let alone a marriage—with a virtual stranger. Of course, her feelings matter little to her parents, whose wheeling and dealings over trade pacts and alliances achieved at her expense begin the moment they set foot in California for the Summit. So when a blindingly handsome royal runs into her, she doesn’t hesitate to tell him there’s no way she’s marrying him.

Christian is all too happy to agree: no marriage. As the Hereditary Grand Duke of Aiboland, his main goal is to get through the summit without a bride being foisted on him. Which is why he suggests they help each other field potential intendeds. As Christian slowly gets to know Elsa, though, he realizes they have a lot more in common than just their feelings about the Royal Marriage Market. Only he can’t fall for her, because royal or not, they’re not meant for each other.

Elsa and Christian will have to evaluate matters of the heart verses those of state and crown, and decide whether or not tradition trumps love.

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Add to your Goodreads!

Pre-Order ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET Today!

iBooks | Amazon | Kobo

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And now here’s an epic excerpt from the book! Enjoy!

“You go by Chris?”

“It’s an acceptable nickname for Christian.” The owner of the name snatches his glass of champagne back, chugging the rest of the drink. Naturally, this promptly sets off another round of coughing.

Parker is now the one to smack Christian’s back, and I am grateful because I most certainly do not need to be touching him again, even if in a life-saving gesture.

“Maybe so,” I murmur as Christian, rapidly turning redder from what surely must be embarrassment more than alcohol down the wrong pipe, shoves his friend’s hand away. “But it doesn’t fit.”

“If I might be so bold to ask, Your Highness, how so?” Parker inquires at the same time Christian wheezes, “What does that mean?”

I side skirt the men to claim a chocolate covered strawberry from the dessert table. “Chris is a boring name.”

“I believe you’ve just issued an unforgiveable insult to all the Chrises in the world,” Christian says flatly while Parker struggles to hold in his mirth.

“Of course I haven’t. I simply said Chris is a boring name. Look at Elsa; it is a hopelessly old-fashioned name you find in old women who bake streusel. My parents aged me the moment I came out of the womb.” I point the zebra-striped berry at my sparring partner. “Now that is unforgiveable. You were given a nice name and have elected to make it boring when it doesn’t suit you one bit.”

Too much silence expands between us; I am tricked into looking up at him once more. One of his dark eyebrows arches upward. “Are you saying you don’t find me boring?”

Did I? Oh, bollocks. I did, didn’t I? I clear my throat and smile winsomely. “Just because I don’t wish to marry you doesn’t mean I find you boring as a bag of rocks.”

Both of his eyebrows shoot up, as if I informed him grass is blue and sky is green. As if he doesn’t already know he’s interesting. Please. Must I remind him of all the glossies dedicated to his comings and goings?

“When we were children, His Highness was teased quite a bit about his name,” Parker tells me.

I toss the strawberry stem back onto the table; it’s whisked up by a passing waiter in less than a second. “What! Why?”

“I’m named after a religion,” Christian grinds out. “There was Prince Jew. Prince Muslim. Prince Buddhist. Prince Hindu. Prince Zoroastrian. There were lots of choices, you see.”

Another moment I want nothing more than to just laugh and laugh. “How delightful. Now, those nicknames aren’t boring. Sacrilegious, yes, but definitely not boring.”

“You have a seed in your front teeth,” is Christian’s response.

“You are a veritable Prince Charming, publically pointing out women’s flaws. How chivalrous of you.”

It is annoying how much I like that he refuses to appear properly chastised.

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About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s website | Heather on Goodreads

Heather’s Twitter | Heather’s Facebook

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