Review: The Leveller by Julia Durango

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons

Jul3

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

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons

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

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

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

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

Sometimes, the rabbit hole leads to terrifying places.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Spelled by Betsy Schow

Jun19

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.

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

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

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

Talk about unhappily ever after.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Jun16

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

Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What you see… It isn’t me.” – Sam

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: The Eternal City by Paula Morris

Jun10

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

Review: The Eternal City by Paula Morris

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Jun3

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

Review: srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Jun3

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: YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

YOLO Juliet by Brett Wright, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on May 26, 2015
Pages: 112
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Romeo and Juliet, one of the greatest love stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Two families at war.
A boy and a girl in love.
A secret marriage gone oh-so-wrong.

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

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

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

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. And Romeo & Juliet is by far one of the most well-known of Shakespeare’s plays. There are so many retellings and adaptions based off it – not to mention the fact that the concept of “star-crossed lovers” pretty much originated with Romeo & Juliet and can now be found all over the place in books, movies/TV shows and plays.

With that said, YOLO Juliet was hilarious and entertaining. I sped through it in roughly an hour and a half. It took something complex and broke it down into an easy-to-understand language that teens today will be able to connect with. It made Romeo & Juliet fun to read, even with the tragic events that take place in the play. My brother teaches English and he definitely wants to add these to his classroom library – something I think every teacher should do! It will make teens WANT to read the classics because they’ll be entertained and amused, rather than bored and confused.

Also, can we talk about how hilarious and ironic that title is, considering how the play ends?

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

Review: Killer Within by S.E. Green

May18

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.

Killer Within by S.E. Green
Series: Killer Instinct #2
Published by Simon Pulse on May 19, 2015
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

In the heart-pounding sequel, teen vigilante Lane must face the secrets and unexpected consequences that arise in the wake of her first kill.

It’s been three months since the sadistic Decapitator’s demise, and Lane feels both closer to and more alienated than ever from her united, grieving family. Haunted by conflicting memories, she resumes the role of Masked Savior vigilante—but her heart just isn’t in it. For Lane now knows the rush of deeper thrills. Darker thrills. And a growing part of her wants to revisit its seductive power.

To Lane’s chagrin, the Masked Savior inspires its own fan site, where groupies gather online to praise, document, and debate each delivered act of justice. But then one of Lane’s secret admirers becomes a cunning copycat, assaulting the defenseless with escalating violence. And Lane suspects someone is spying on her, edging closer to making contact-someone who knows her secrets.

Will Lane be able to stop the copycat and keep her identity protected? Or will she give in to the thrills that tempt her? Because as her life continues to unravel, the revelations shake Lane to her core.

I read Killer Within in roughly six hours. I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t go to sleep without knowing how it ended. It captivated me just as much as Killer Instinct did, if not more. My brain still hurts from all the epic twists and turns. This incredible sequel had characters we know and love from the first book, plus some new ones that drew our attention for both good and bad (creepy, suspicious bad) reasons; and it had an epic plot that will keep you guessing until the very last page – and long after you close the book!

Once again, Lane was fascinating and creepy. She doesn’t have a huge amount of character development throughout the book, but I can definitely tell she’s a different person from who she was at the end of Killer Instinct – which is completely understandble given the things that happened to her and the things she did. I like the way she tries to stay connected with her stepdad and siblings. I love that one of the few things that grounds her is working with animals. She’s still a thrill-seeker dealing with urges she doesn’t completely understand and she’s a bit impulsive and reckless at times, which led her down some scary roads in this book. She’s blunt and hilarious and the flashback scenes were pretty creepy. My heart broke for her at the end.

I loved Daisy’s character development. She was like a whole new person in Killer Within. It’s sad that it took a tragedy to make it happen, but that tragedy made her re-evaluate her life choices. I loved her relationship with Lane in this book and their continued relationship with Justin. The revelation with Daisy was shocking and I’d love to see what – if anything – comes of that, so I’m definitely crossing my fingers for a book three!

We didn’t see as much of Reggie in this book, which made me sad because I adored her and was hoping to see more of her, not less. It saddened me the way she and Lane fought, but I can see both sides of the argument: On the one hand, Lane wasn’t a very good friend and she could have tried harder. On the other hand, Lane had a lot going on in her life and, if Reggie were a true friend, she would have understood that. I really, really want a book three because I’m crossing my fingers for a reconciliation between Lane and Reggie.

Zach’s an intriguing character and I never know if I should be praying he and Lane make-up or if I should be handing Lane pepper spray to keep him away! There were times when he really had me suspicious of his behavior. Especially after his ordeal in Killer Instinct. It makes sense that he’s traumatized and I expected that to effect him in profound ways. Dr. Issa was another one that had me dancing between heart eyes and suspicion. His personality and attitude in Killer Instinct always had me suspicious, but I never expected what happened to happen.. I mean.. Whoa… And… *Zips lips* Read the book!!!

I never trusted Catalina or Tommy. They were always behaving oddly. Catalina was like a mirror image of Lane in many ways. And Tommy was just as big a thrill-seeker as Lane. I knew nothing good could come of either character/story line. The only thing with Tommy, though.. As much as I love Zach and ship him and Lane, I also really shipped Tommy and Lane. Though I’m still convinced Zach is her perfect match, I think Tommy is more the yin to her yang. And the way the Catalina story ended… Whoa…

And then there’s the Margie story line. Holy crap, that was intense! And… I can’t say much more than that..

I thought the twists and turns in Killer Instinct had me going crazy, but they were NOTHING compared to the twists and turns of Killer Within. I mean, like I said, I read this book in roughly 6 hours (Less because about 1.5 hours of that was a dinner break) and I stayed up till 3am reading, knowing there was no way I’d be able to fall asleep until I found out the truth. Every time I thought I had nailed down a suspect, I was wrong. And every time someone was “cleared,” I let my guard down with them and then… BAM! Something would happen and I’d suspect them again. S.E. Green is such a master of red herrings! Plus, she does an amazing job with her endings,, They’re quick and precise and the “reveal” and final scene get wrapped up in just a few pages. With other books, the ending would feel rushed. But Green does such a wonderful job, it doesn’t feel rushed at all.

Overall, this book was deliciously creepy, epic and intense. I can’t even properly put into words how much I enjoyed it, though I’m sure you can guess from my fangirl review! S.E. Green is definitely one of my new favorite authors. My fingers are crossed she writes a third book in this series, or at least a book similar to it, within the same genre. As with Killer Instinct, I highly recommend Killer Within if you love psychological thrillers and books with epic plot twists that leave you guessing with every flip of the page.

Review: A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin (Blog tour + Giveaway)

May12

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.

A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
Series: Stranje House #1
Published by Tor Teen on May 19, 2015
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts...

~*~*~*~*~

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin! I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! I absolutely loved this book and I hope you enjoy my review!

~*~*~*~*~

When I first heard about A School for Unusual Girls, I convinced myself it had supernatural elements in it – likely because I read the synopsis wrong. Though some aspects of the book could be considered borderline-supernatural, it’s really more of a contemporary historical novel. And you know what? I loved it! I love historical books with supernatural elements in them, but I’ve read so many supernatural/paranormal books lately, it was really refreshing to read a straight up historical fiction. And it wasn’t just any historical book – it was an historical book set in an alternate nineteenth-century Europe. Couple that with an intriguing plot and awesome characters, and this book was one epic win!

I love Georgiana – a.k.a, Georgie. She was defiant, refusing to confirm to society. Her parents are cold and cruel towards her, having no use for a daughter who can’t be married off due to her stubborn, unusual personality. I wanted to smack her father for the majority of the book. Her mother wasn’t much better. Georgie has three older brothers and, of course, the one that adores her isn’t in the picture, which made my heart ache for her. But Georgie was strong in the face of everything her family threw at her. She refused to bow down and give in; she loved math and science, not needlepoint, and she refused to change her mind because others told her to. She constantly asked questions, demanded answers and took charge of her responsibilities. Basically, she was epic and I adored her.

Miss Stranje was an interesting character. She always seemed to know what was going on, even when she didn’t appear to be around to witness the events happening in Stranje House and elsewhere. She was a bit scary, but also the mother that the girls of Stranje House desperately needed. She provided support and discipline, balancing love and affection with rules and etiquette. I also absolutely adored her relationship with Captain Grey and totally shipped them.

The other girls at Stranje House – Tess, Jane, Seraphina and Maya – were all awesome and unique in their own ways. Sometimes Tess was bold and brazen; sometimes she was stubborn and rude, just barely toeing the line. But she was fierce and strong, independent and willful. She didn’t let people push her around and she protected herself when she needed to. I’m really excited that we’re getting her story in the second book in the series. I can’t wait to get to know more about her, especially since I’m curious about her dreams and how they work. Overall, Tess knows what she wants and knows what she needs to do to protect herself and she’s completely unapologetic about it.

Seraphina (Sera) was an intriguing character and probably my second favorite of the Stranje Girls, right after Tess. She was quiet and a little bit shy (or so she let us believe), with impeccable attention to detail. Her ability, similar to Tess’s, was intriguing and I’d love to learn more about it, since all we really know is that she “sees what is” and knows things she couldn’t possibly know, just by assessing people, things and places.

Maya was the diplomat of the group, the voice of reason – literally. She could talk anyone into doing anything. As with Tess and Sera, I’d love to know more about her background and ability. And lastly, there was Jane, who I think we learned the least about. She was calm and reasonable with a penchant for picking locks. But that’s about all I remember about her. So I definitely hope she gets her own book in the future – I really want to know if she has any special abilities, aside from lock-picking, and what her background story is.

Lord Sebastian Wyatt was a frustrating character. I shouldn’t like him for the way he treated Georgie in the beginning; he was rude and arrogant and so full of himself. He dismissed her and her knowledge simply because she was a woman. I don’t often use this word, but he came off as being very sexist. But as the book went on and he opened up to Georgie more, I really started to like him. I think he did the things he did because he didn’t want to form attachments of any kind. He’d been hurt too many times and didn’t want it to happen again, nor did he want to drag her into his life and the dangers that entailed. But by the end of the book, I fully shipped him and Georgie and I hope we see more of him in the next book!

Lord Ravencross was another frustrating character. He was so, so rude to Tess – borderline nasty, even. But he was a complex character with a painful past and I think he had just hardened his heart to everyone and everything. I also think his bickering with Tess was his way of pushing her away but, deep down, he truly cared for her. Like with Sebastian, I shouldn’t have liked Lord Ravencross for the things he did in the beginning of the book but, as the story went on, he opened up a lot and I ended up liking him and shipping him and Tess completely! I especially loved their back-and-forth banter, which was hilarious and had me grinning like an idiot!

I never liked Lady Daneska and I never trusted her. Right off the bat, I got this weird vibe from her that I just couldn’t shake throughout the book. She was uppity and haughty, acting as if she were better than everyone. Lady Pinswary had a similar, stuck-up attitude, though Miss Pinswary wasn’t that bad. Away from the influence of her mother and Daneska, I think she could be a very nice person. By the end of the book, Daneska had proven that she was worse than I had first assumed and I was right to be wary of her.

At one point, the pacing of the book slowed down considerably. There were a lot of secrets and a lot of “Figure it out for yourself/figure it out as you go along” moments that were very frustrating. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just explain everything to Georgie right away? And if not right away, at least at some point, once she proved her loyalty? It seems that all the secret keeping in this book complicated things more than necessary. Some secrets added intrigue, while others just caused more problems than they solved. But while some of the secrets/twists were predictable, others took me by surprise and pushed the story along.

I loved the writing and attention to detail in this book – it made up for a lot of the pacing issues. I got a little bit confused by some of the chemistry talk between Georgie and Sebastian, but otherwise, the writing flowed really nicely and all the descriptions and details made the story feel that much more real. I love reading books set in the nineteenth century and all the detail the author put into the story really made it come alive. I also loved that it was an alternate history of the nineteenth century, asking all these “What if?” questions and showing the domino effect that can occur from one small decision or mistake.

Overall, I loved this book, the plot and the characters. I’m very excited for book two and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I’m excited to see the continuation of the story from a different character’s POV, especially since I’m so intrigued by this other character (Tess) and can’t wait to see into her mind and learn more about her. I think Kathleen Baldwin is an amazing writer and creator of epic characters. She’s definitely going on my Auto-Buy list and I’m excited to see what she does next, both in and out of the Stranje House series.

I highly recommend A School for Unusual Girls to those who love historical fiction, alternate history stories and books with spies and intrigue!

~*~*~*~*~

And now for the giveaway! 10 winners will receive a finished copy of A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS. US Only. To enter, complete the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*~*~*~*~

About the Author:

“I love adventure in books and in real life. I’ve roamed the Rocky Mountains, wandered the desert, enjoyed way too many classes in college, was stalked by a mountain lion, lost an argument with a rattlesnake, fell in love at least a dozen times, finally met and married my very own hero, and together we’ve raised four free-spirited children.”

Award-winning author – Kensington published four of Kathleen’s Regency romantic comedies, including MISTAKEN KISS, a Holt Medallion finalist. DIARY OF A TEENAGE FAIRY GODMOTHER, was a Golden Quill finalist. Her upcoming Historical YA series with TorTeen, A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS, is a Junior Library Guild Selection and won a Marlene.

News and more at: www.Kathleenbaldwin.com

Website | Blog | Twitter
Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

~*~*~*~*~

Tour Schedule

Week One
5/11/2015 – Two Chicks on Books – Interview
5/12/2015 – Pandora’s Books – Review
5/13/2015 – Her Book Thoughts – Guest Post
5/14/2015 – Pretty Little Pages – Review
5/15/2015 – Chapter by Chapter – Interview

Week Two
5/18/2015 – The Book Belles – Review
5/19/2015 – Alice Marvels – Guest Post
5/20/2015 – Bumbles and Fairy-Tales – Review
5/21/2015 – Bookish Things & More – Interview
5/22/2015 – Wishful Endings – Review

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

May5

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: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Published by Bloomsbury Children's on May 5, 2015
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

A Court of Thorns and Roses had my name written all over it from the very beginning. A Sarah J. Maas book? Yes, please! A Sarah J. Maas book that blends Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore? HELLZ YES, PLEASE! After binging Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire AND The Assassin’s Blade all in September, I was dying to get my hands on this beautiful book and it didn’t dissapoint! If anything, it exceeded my expectations and made me DESPERATE for book two – which is a loooonnngggg ways off! *Sobs*

In typical Maas fashion, the main character, Feyre, was a strong, independent, capable heroine. She has two sisters who really don’t care about her (though one does more than the other) and a father who tries, but fails, to support his family and understand his daughters. Thanks to a death-bed promise, Feyre feels responsible for her family’s welfare, though it often means sacrificing her happiness. Basically, Feyre is self-sufficient, willing to do whatever she has to in order to survive. And the twist at the end? Epic, epic, epic! I can’t wait to see what it means for Feyre in the next book!

Also in typical Maas fashion? A Court of Thorns and Roses had a TON of swoony boys! I was swooning over Tamlin before we were even officially introduced to him! He was incredibly scary and mysterious in the beginning, but as we got to know him, I fell hard for him. As the “Beast,” he tried so hard to be romantic with Feyre and just failed! He sort of reminded me of Dorian from the Throne of Glass series. In my review of Throne of Glass, I said Dorian 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.” And that really describes Tamlin pretty well, honestly. The only difference is Dorian was a bit better at flirting than Tamlin! Tamlin’s attempts at flirting had me laughing so hard!

And then there was Lucien… Oooohhhhh, Lucien! Psst, don’t tell Morpheus, but Lucien won my heart! He was hilarious, sarcastic and so, so full of himself – but in a playful, adorable way. To put it into the same context as I did with Tamlin, Lucien reminded me of Chaol! He was strong and proud, a fighter. He was so serious and cold in the beginning and I completely understand why, but it was nice to see him thaw out as the story went on. I loved the tension between him and Feyre, especially in the beginning. The progression of their friendship felt very real and believable, as did the progression of the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin.

And then there was Rhys.. Whoa… I should NOT like Rhys, but OMG, I do! *Fans self* He’s dark, sarcastic, cocky, dangerous… And yet I love him. I ship him with Feyre. I can’t wait to see his character development in book two!!! And I want to know what happened at the end, dammit! Why did he… Well, I won’t spoil it! But, wow, that ending!!!!!

I love, love, love the world Maas created in A Court of Thorns and Roses. The world-building, the mythology, how perfectly Maas blended Beauty and the Beast into a story about faeries, the faerie lore she created… It’s just all amazing. Maas is a gorgeous writer and a beautiful story-teller. She has this way with words and characters that just pulls you in to the story and refuses to let you go. Honestly, as much as I loved the Throne of Glass books, I’m pretty sure I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses even more! I LOVE retellings and I LOVE faeries and I LOVE Sarah J. Maas and her books, so A Court of Thorns and Roses basically combined everything I love into one book. I read this in December 2014 and I originally wrote this review in January; now that it’s May, I can officially say that ACOTAR is definitely my favorite book of 2015!

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from my super fangirly review, I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses beyond words!! ALL THE STARS! ALL THE HEARTS!! ALL THE FEELS!!! Seriously, if this isn’t on your TBR, it NEEDS TO BE! If I could give this book ten million billion x infinity stars, I would! Loved doesn’t even begin to describe my feels right now. Maas is on my Auto-Buy Author List, now and forever. I can’t wait to read Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) and A Court of Thorns and Roses #2 and everything else she ever writes, ever. Period. End of discussion.

Pandora's Books

Archives

Review: The Leveller by Julia Durango

Review: The Forgotten Mountain by Heather Lyons

Review: Spelled by Betsy Schow

Review: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Review: The Eternal City by Paula Morris

Review: srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Review: YOLO Juliet by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Review: Killer Within by S.E. Green

Review: A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin (Blog tour + Giveaway)

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas