Review: Consume by Melissa Darnell

Consume (The Clann #3) 
By Melissa Darnell
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Harlequin Teen through NetGalley
Reviewer: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars

Summary:
Tristan Coleman has survived the change from Clann magic user to vampire, much to Savannah Colbert's joy—and despair. By changing the Clann's golden boy and newly elected leader, even to save him from death, she has unleashed a fury of hatred and fear that they cannot escape.

As the Clann and the vampire council go to war, Tristan and Sav face a new threat—a fracturing of the all-consuming bond they share. To fight for peace, they must forge a new trust and risk everything to take down their deadliest enemy, even as they must run for their lives. Soon they will learn that some bonds are stronger than love—and some battles cannot be won without sacrifice.


              Consume picks up where Covet left us and we're thrust right into the action. This book definitely had faster pace than the previous two and for that I'm very happy. One of my complaints from the first two books was that it was so slow going that it dragged on for me. However, Consume is a go from the start. 

Savannah has to deal with the consequences of her actions and considering everything, from what happened in the previous books and now, I think she has certainly grown from that naive girl in Crave. As for Tristan, there were times when I wanted to shake some sense into him because he was being so stubborn. However, considering the circumstances, he was acting out because his grief and so I can't blame him. Both Savannah and Tristan did a lot of growing up throughout the series that I can appreciate this book a lot more due to that. I have to give it to Ms. Darnell for doing such a good job in their character growth.

I have to say that I'm very surprised by how much I like this book than the previous two. I guess because the other two were so slow and had a lot of useless information that I just couldn't love them. All the questions were answered and even though I had figured out who was behind everything, the surprise twist was definitely well done.

Overall, I found Consume to be a lot more entertaining and I was glad that Savannah and Tristan got their happy ending.

Swoon Thursday (#7) - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

A weekly meme from YA Bound.

From the book you're currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What  got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog. The awesome girls over YA Bound and I want to know!


Morning Swooners!

So I have some swoons for you guys, hope you enjoy it.



"You're not all hands..." he whispered later. He was tucked back into the corner of the love seat, and she was resting on top of him. She'd spent hours on top of him. Curled over him like a vampire. Even exhausted, she couldn't stop rubbing her numb lips into his flannel chest. "You're all mouth," he said.
"Sorry," Cath said, biting her lips.
"Don't be stupid," he said, pulling her lips free of her teeth with his thumb. "And don't be sorry...ever again."
He hitched her up, so her face was above his. Her eyes wandered down to his chin, out of habit. "Look at me," he said.
Cath looked up. At Levi's pastel-colored face. Too lovely, too good.
"I like you here," he said, squeezing her. "With me."
She smiled, and her eyes started to drift downward.
"Cather..."
Back up to his eyes.
"You know that I'm falling in love with you, right?"

Siggghhhh...I love these two. This is from an ARC copy so quotes may not be in finished copy.

What are you swooning over this week?

Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate (Newsoul #1)
By: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Source: Friend's Copy
Reviewer: Nahomi

My rating: 4 stars out of 5 Stars

Summary:
NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies-human and creature alike- let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

       When I started reading Jodi Meadows Incarnate I had no idea what to expect. My friend Daisel had bought it because of its beautiful cover, so I took a chance and decided to read it. I was pleasantly surprised and I fell in love with this story. I was transported to Ana's world! I experienced her confusion, rejection, and the sensation of falling in love for the first time. The premise of the story was really interesting and refreshing. The idea of the same souls reincarnating over and over with the ability to retain their memories from their past lives is cool and disturbing at the same time. Incarnate follows Ana through her journey of self discovery.

The author intricately weaves Ana's past and present to give her readers a more complete picture of what is happening. Jodi Meadows does a fantastic job building the Incarnate world. There are several things I really enjoyed about this novel but my number one has to be the way this book was written. Incarnate is a complete novel, the pacing is just right. There is enough mystery to keep you turning pages and enough of your questions are answered to make it bearable to make it to the next book. Yet there is enough unanswered questions that you want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

I love the main characters Ana and Sam (Dossam). Although, sometimes the age thing can be a little creepy, what with Sam having lived several lifetimes and all. Ana can come off as whiny and defensive at times, but given her past, I can understand where she is coming from. She has this inner strength and even though a lot of people hate her, she pushes on to find the answers to her questions. In the end, I felt that Ana grew and I grew a little with her. Sam *swoons* Just thinking about him gives me the warm and fuzzies in my belly. I am normally a sucker for the bad boys that show their softer side but that is the opposite of Sam. He is just a nice, very sweet, symphony writing, very patient guy, and I'm head over heels for Sam. Having said that, I've added him to my book boyfriend list and he's towards the top.

Bottom line: I really enjoyed reading Incarnate! This is a great book! If you're into fantasy, romance, and mystery, it's a great read.

Until next time
Nahomi

Waiting on Wednesday (#25)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spinethat spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

Expected Release Date: September 3, 2013

Goodreads Summary:
When Max, Henry, and Will steal Bennett away for a weekend of shenanigans and strippers in Vegas, the first stop of the night doesn't go at all as planned. With their scheme for a Guys Weekend completely derailed anyway, Max and Bennett begin to play a wild game of stealth and secrecy in order to have their bombshells all over Sin City.

I'm super excited about this release because I just love these ladies, Christina and Lauren. Especially, since Nahomi and I had the lovely honor of interviewing them. Yes, we actually talked to them and yes, we were fangirling like crazy. Stop by next week to see just what we were up to. There will be a special giveaway to help celebrate Beautiful Bombshell's release.

What are you currently "Waiting on?"

Review: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

The Beginning of Everything 
By Robyn Schneider
Expected Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: BEA 2013
Reviewer: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Summary:
Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them - a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra's knee, his athletic career, and his social life.
No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra's ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.
But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one's singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a but, what happens when more misfortune strikes?
Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything is a lyrical, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.


           The Beginning of Everything was a really surprising read for me when I realized that it was in a male’s point of view. I knew of the synopsis but it didn't really click until I started reading. However, Ezra is a really interesting character and I really enjoyed being in his head.

We all know people like Ezra; the one who have everything going for them and seems to lead a perfect life. However, in the course of night, everything changes for him. His girlfriend cheats on him, and he was hit by a car which ends up shattering his leg. He now has the struggles of coming to terms with what has happened. He can no longer play tennis, he lost his girlfriend, and is no longer the homecoming king. He is lost as to who he really is and what person hasn't experienced that?

However, things slowly begins to change for him. He becomes friends again with his old best friend, Toby. Toby and Ezra were best friends all through elementary school but it changed when Toby goes through his personal tragedy and they slowly drift apart. He also meets Cassidy Thorpe, the new girl, who Toby and his friends seem to know. While I like Cassidy, I can’t help but not be a fan of her. Yes, she helped Ezra into believing that there is more than to life than sports and popularity but I always thought that she was this know-it-all that was hiding something. She’s one of those characters that hides a dark secret but get everyone, in this case, Ezra, to spill their secrets. But when it comes to her, everything is off limits.

Once everything comes to fruition, and the secrets are revealed, I wasn't as surprised as by what Cassidy was hiding but I was surprised by what happens afterwards. However, I did like that it ended the way it did because it took Ezra to the place where he needed to be. He went through a tragedy, as he puts it, and he figures out what it is that he needed to do.

She was right, though, in the end. I never should have given her so much credit. It all got tangled together, her appearance and Toby coming back into my life and the first time I ever read a book that spoke to me, and the question of who I wanted to be in the aftermath of my personal tragedy. Because I made a decision that year, to start mattering in a way that had nothing to do with sports teams or plastic crown, and the reality is, I might have made that decision without her, or if I’d never fallen in love with a girl who considered love to be the biggest disaster of all...

...She lent a spark, perhaps, or tendered the flames, but the arson was mine.

I really enjoyed this book because I feel like there aren't many like it at the moment. Yes, there are many coming of age stories but this was so well done that I just can't compare it to anything else. The way Robyn Schneider writes is sort of lyrical and Ezra is such a well written character that I became invested in his story and I hope he gets his happily ever after.

All in all, this was very good read and I really enjoyed Robyn Schneider’s words and can’t wait to read more from her.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful girls at The Broke and The Bookish. Every week the girls from The Broke and The Bookish come up with a subject and we have to answer them.

This is my first time joining in so I'm just trying it out and see how it goes. Who knows, maybe I can do it weekly, but no promise. 

This week topic is Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters. 

In no particular order:

 Warner in the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. - For those that have read the series, need I say more?

Kenji in the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi - He's the comedic relief but also the guy that you can count on. For everything as well as calling you out on your mistakes.

Roar in the Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi - Roar, I have no words for how much I love him except: I love him.

Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - Seriously, these two are the bestest best friend a person could ask for.

Zuzana in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor - Sometimes, you just need to Zuzana to come and kick some ass for you.

Simone in Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young - She is the best when distracting you when times are sad but she won't let you run away from your problems.

Nehemia in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - If both Celaena and Nehemia team up against the Ardarlan empire, I fear for the King. Ok, not really, but seriously.

Isaiah in Dare You To by Katie McGarry - If I could hug Isaiah for everything and every time he tried to save Beth and she couldn't see it, I'd never let him go. 

And Reagan in Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - Reagan will be there for you because she can't leave anyone looking so sad and pathetic after learning that your twin basically broke up with you. But you'll get food and gossip out of it so it all good.

I'm sure there are plenty of more but these are just the few that I really enjoyed and can remember.

Who is your most memorable secondary characters?

Review: Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young
Expected Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: BEA 2013
Reviewer: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars

Summary:
Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape - both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.
The consequences of this decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths - and she's about to live them both.

Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted...

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...


        Just Like Fate has to be a surprising read for me. I went in excited but apprehensive about it and it completely exceeded my expectations. I was expecting a really sad read and while it was, I was completely immersed and I fell head over heels in love with the characters and story line. I felt every emotion and I like I was living out the story myself.

Some people may call Caroline a selfish character but I actually found her to be very relatable. She’s dealing with the death of her grandmother, whom she used to live with, so I understand why in her grief, she wasn’t the most likeable person. Everyone deals with grief a different way and unfortunately, Caroline dealt with it by running away from the people who are closest to her or are in the same position as her.  Yes at times I wanted to shake and tell her to just talk to Simone/Teddy/Chris/Natalie and try to work things out but she’s stubborn and hurt and embarrassed and can’t face reality yet.

The whole story line with Chris, the love interest, was the cutest and sweetest thing ever. I feel like Chris is a typical boy that you can meet anywhere in real life: at the coffee shop, a bar, a concert. He made everything lighthearted for Caroline at a time when she needed it. I’m pretty sure I was smiling like a loon every time he would appear in the book. Here are some of my favorite lines:

“I’m writing you a song,” Chris texts.
I smile so hard my cheeks hurt. “Really?”
“Uh-huh. Maybe I’ll let you hear it sometime. You like Neil Diamond, right?
I laugh. “It’s sweet Caroline, isn’t it?”
“How can you hate that song??”
“Because when your name is Caroline, everyone thinks you want to be serenaded with it. All the time.”
“Sounds to me like it’s more a problem with their lack of creativity.” – pg. 106-107

~B&S~

He catches my hand and runs his gaze over me, his smile fading when he meets my eyes. “I wish I had the guts to kiss you right now”
It knocks me out: The way he says it sends my body into an absolute free fall. “Then why don’t you?” I ask, surprised at my boldness.
He takes his hand reluctantly from mine. “I’m shy.”
I laugh loudly. “Christopher, you are not shy. Not even a little.”
“Not normally,” he says. “Just with you.  It’s completely unsettling.” He smiles. “But thrilling as hell.”  - Pg. 131

~B&S~

“Let me rephrase, then,” he says quietly. “I want to be your boyfriend.”
The joking is gone, and I see in his eyes a vulnerability I don’t really understand, even though I think I feel it too. My heart thumps, and when Chris lets go of my hand, tilting his head as if unsure of my answer, I shrug.
“Yeah, okay.”
He bites back his smile. “I should probably warn you,” he says, passing me my chopstick. “I’m going to do super-romantic shit all the time. I’ll even sing to you every night.”  - Pg. 160

*Sigh* Love him.

The secondary characters, I love them as much as I love Caroline and Chris. Simone, Caroline’s best friend is my favorite and I just love how she is supportive of Caroline but she also calls her out on her mistakes when she’s wrong. That’s exactly what a best friend should do. Natalie, while I found her to be a bit of a bitch, she said what Caroline needed to hear even though she wasn’t ready for it. But when it came down to it, she was a sister when Caroline needed her and I loved how their relationship slowly repaired.

Overall, I loved this book. I think that the authors did such a great job that I’m curious how they managed to create such a seamlessly, cohesive book. I can’t tell where one author ended and the other began. While the book is really sad and I even shed a few tears, I have to admit that I love the message of it. I loved how everything came together at the end and it rings true in real life. People go down the road of life and they might take a different turn or make a wrong detour but it doesn’t matter. Because in the end, you’ll end up where you needed to.

*Note: Quotes were taken from an uncorrected copy and should not be compared to the finished copy.*

Quotes (#25)

I need to watch this show. Just for these two.
Moooorning lovelies!! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I think we can take on Monday just like the gif, hehe. I've been trying to be a productive person this weekend and idk idk idk. I think I was? Whatever. Here's some quotes for ya.

"It's a dangerous mission. You could die out there. You could go on forever." - Tess Gallagher

"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." - Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

"Each of us, when our day's work is done, must seek our ideal, whether it be love or pinochle or lobster a la Newburg, or the sweet silence of the musty bookshelves." - O. Henry

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end."  - Gilda Radner

"Everything is possible. The impossible just takes longer." - Dan Brown, Digital Fortress

"If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry." - Emily Dickinson

"If books could have more, give more, be more, show more, they would still need readers who brings to them sound and smell and light and all the rest that can't be in books. The book needs you." - Gary Paulsen, The Winter Room

I love that Emily Dickson quote. It rings true for me and for all book lovers alike, I'm sure. 

I hope everyone has good week!

DNF Review: Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman

Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Walker & Company
Source: ARCycling 
Reviewer: Nahomi
Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Goodreads

My rating: 1 out of 5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:
"Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins-so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself?"

**This is a Did Not Finish review. I didn't read the whole book, I only got until page 124. The following are my thoughts on what I did read.**

        I borrowed a couple of books from Jenn to review and upon reading the synopsis, I thought this would be more up my alley. I love a good mystery and I'm usually so impatient to find out what happens, that I normally finish fairly quickly. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with this book. I've been struggling to get through it for a couple of weeks until I gave up last Wednesday when I hit, what seem to me, another long flashback over filled with needless details. I had reached my limit and decided I couldn't keep reading.

I normally love books with details and flashback but this story has an overabundance of mindless details which distracted me from the actual story. While reading, I found myself drifting off and all the details stopped me from imagining the scene. The flashbacks are full of these details and although, I can see why she is trying to do this, it isn't done very well. There are plot twist within the first 50 pages, which I wasn't expecting but it wasn't enough to hook me. I never felt that sense of urgency from the characters because of what was happening. In the end I wasn't even a little curious to find out what happened to the twins.

Bottom line: Every time I thought, "Ok, I can get through this." another mind numbing flashback would come, or the character would start describing everything down to the last little detail and I would have to put the book down. This book wasn't my cup of tea and it just my opinion of it, but you're more than welcome to give it a try.

Until next time,
Nahomi

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas


Crown of Midnight 
(Throne of Glass #2) 
By: Sarah J. Maas
Expected Release Date: August 27, 2013
Source: BEA 2013
Reviewer: Jenn
An assassin's loyalties are always in doubt. But her heart never wavers.
After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown - a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.
Keeping up the deadly charade - while pretending to do the king's bidding - will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on horizon - forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.
Where do the assassin's loyalties lie, and who is she the most willing to fight for?
5 stars out of 5 stars

Oh.My.God! This book! This book ruled my life when I was reading it. It just so good and amazing and I can’t wait until everyone read it so we can all gush and squeal about it. Like I’m ready for book 3 and Crown of Midnight has barely even come out.  I feel like I can’t properly talk about this book for fear of spoiling it and because I’m just over the place with it and I just loved it so much I just don’t know how to do it’s justice. So prepared yourself for some ramblings.

For me, Crown of Midnight has to be even better than Throne of Glass. I definitely enjoyed it more and it just blew me away. From start to finish, CoM was a crazy ride. I never knew what to expect and I was surprised at every turn. 

Celaena, again, has to be a character that is just becoming a favorite of mine. Her character growth amazed me. Maas managed to create such a 3 dimensional character in Celaena. She hides so much vulnerability under her hard exterior and even though we’re still learning about her (and boy do we learn something shocking about her) I can’t help but cheer her on. I can’t wait to see what else she does and where her cleverness takes her.

OMG, Chaol. He certainly proved himself to be a good match for Celaena. There were so many times that he had me swooning and I just want to keep him for myself and put him in my pockets. I find him to be the perfect match for Celaena because I think that he really sees her for who she is and doesn’t judge her and thinks that she can stand up for herself. He knows that she can take care of herself but he still wants to help and take care of her.
“Believe me, Celaena, I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I shouldn’t, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens.”
More Chaol swoons:
“For you, I’d say that chocolate cake is most definitely a need.”
~B&S~
“There had never been any line between them, only his own stupid fear and pride. Because from the moment he’d pulled her out of that mine in Endovier and she had set those eyes upon him, still fierce despite a year in hell, he’d been walking toward this, walking to her.”
Crown of Midnight was nothing and everything I was expecting. It lived up to my expectations and it I can’t wait until Book 3 comes out. I’m so excited to see what else Sarah J Maas has up her sleeves and what book 3 will bring us. CoM was definitely a sequel that lived up to hype and I can’t for everyone to read. If I could, I would give this book ALL THE STARS. All of them.

Cover Reveal - That One Summer by C.J Duggan

Expected Release Date: 2014
Publisher: C.J Duggan
Cover reveal organized by: Xpresso Book Tours
Links: Goodreads

Summary:
Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what it there about him to love? He's moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that's on a good day... but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day... 

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for NewYear's Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she's missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow boy leaning against his black panel van. 

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in the car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can't help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again. 


About the author:
C.J. Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.
Author's Links:

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Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass 
(Throne of Glass #1) 
By Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Source: Friend's Copy
Reviewer: Jenn
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothein is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of elimination, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.
Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her...but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead...quickly followed by another.
Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

4 stars out of 5 stars

When I first heard of this book, I was intrigued. But since it is not something I typically read, I let it release pass me by. After seeing many of my bookish friends go crazy over it, I moved it my TBR list but I still hesitated. It was only when I was heading off to BEA that I decided to give it chance. Stacee told me to be on the lookout for Crown of Midnight and even Daisel, occasional reviewer here and blogger over at Owls Always Be Reading, told me to bring her back a copy of CoM. So, off I went to BEA and I managed to meet Sarah J. Maas (after the most hideously longest line at BEA) and got me two lovely ARCs of CoM. I borrowed Daisel's copy of Throne Of Glass and here we are. I have yet to return her book and I probably won't do so until I get my own copy. 

We are first introduced to Celaena just as she is being summoned to the Crown Prince. She has just endured a year in the slave labor camp of Endovier for the crimes she committed as Arobynn Hamel's protege. The Crown Prince offers her a deal: to act as his champion in a competition that would find the Adarlan empire new royal assassin.


Celaena is such a kick ass heroine and the fact that she is an assassin definitely piqued my interest. That's not something you normally find in Young Adult book. She is smart, sneaky, resourceful and a very complex human being. She has to be one of my favorite female characters ever and I never know what to expect from her. She's the kind of person that I want on my team if the world is going to hell.


There is a love triangle but I don't even care about that and you know how much I hate love triangles. I loved both boys but the romance is not the main focus of the book, the romance is just a bonus. I love that because there doesn't all need to be romance all the time and that's okay with me. Girls can kick ass and rule the world just like boys. If there's love story on the side then fine. I love the fact that Celaena isn't all sighing and giggly about Dorian and Chaol.


I absolutely loved this book. The world building and the story is amazing. This book was not what I was expecting at all. It is completely unique and I am beating myself over for not reading it sooner. I loved it! I can't wait to dive into my signed copy of Crown of Midnight. Now, go read this, I'm telling you.will.love it!

Quotes (#24)

So it the first day of school and this me. That means it school traffic and waking up at the time my alarm actually goes off or else I won't make it to work on time. Joy. Monday blues. I haz them.

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West

"The world is like that - incomprehensible and full of surprises." - Jorge Amado, Gabriela, Clavo y Canela

"...you can hate a place with all your heart and soul and still be homesick for it." - Joseph Mitchell

"In the world I am
Always a stranger
I do not understand its language
It does not understand my silence." - Bei Dao

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."  - Phyliis Diller

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

DNF Review: The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Gallery Book through NetGalley
Reviewer: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Summary:
Lizzie's reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend's boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn't letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie's diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn't deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie's tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High - and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh realities of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie's quest for the truth behind Lizzie's suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for - even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

**This is a Did Not Finish review. I did not read the whole book, only up to 23% . So this is just my thoughts up to where I read.**


Unfortunately, this is a DNF review. I tried and tried to get into this book but I just couldn't. The premise of the story really intrigued me especially after reading Speechless by Hannah Harrington last year. It reminded me a little bit of it and so I was excited when Gallery Books approved me on NetGalley.


First off, the galley was filled with errors which made the reading experience a little bit more difficult. I could live with that if only the female protagonist wasn't such, excuse me for the word, a bitch. Angie was Lizzie best friend and she was one of the people that ostracized Lizzie. Now, with Lizzie dead, she finds out that someone is posting Lizze’s diary around school. Angie decides that she needs to find out who it is and goes on a hunt.


She acts all self-righteous when confronting people, as if she were any better than them. After a while I became so angry at Angie that I decided I just couldn't continue reading anymore. Unfortunately, I don’t see myself picking up a finished copy and finishing this book.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Teaching Roman by Sophia Bleu

Expected Release Date: September 2013

Summary:
Jessica Stone has her life in perfect order until her perfectly boring boyfriend Brett puts things in perspective. So when she received a call to action from her heartbroken best friend Cassie, she ditches her plans for Winter Break in gloomy Olympic Falls and sets off to Mexico for some fun in the sun. 

Determined to use her oceanview to prep for her MCATS, she doesn't plan to run into anyone from Olympic State, least of all the cute communications prof she's been crushing on a year. When he unexpectedly saves the day, the two are thrown together in a distinctly extracurricular activity.

Roman Markson doesn't expect to run into anyone he knows from Olympic Falls while visiting his family in Puerto Vallerta, especially not a former student. Although Jess Stone has a way of catching men's attention, a relationship with her is strictly off-limits. However, the rules feel less strict in Mexico, so they agree to a plan: one week in paradise and nothing more.

But avoiding each other back on campus is harder than they anticipated, especially when they can't stay away from one another. Neither is sure what they have to learn - and lose - before life teaches them a lesson they'll never forget.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sophia Bleu's Bio:
I'd rather be walking on the beach than watching TV. I'm a hopeless romantic, a fan of kissing scenes, and I'm always hunting for my next book boyfriend. I write YA books by day and books about falling in love by night. That might make me a super hero.

Author's Links:

Waiting on Wednesday (#24)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spinethat spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

Expected Release Date: December 31, 2013

Summary:
Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she's not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, "good" girl who's always done what she's supposed to - only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn't know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe's. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future - until he was expelled for being a "term paper pimp." Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn't know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren,working on her family's Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are - and falling in love.

This looks like is could such a sweet, fun read and I can't wait for it.

What are you "Waiting on?"

Review: Spellbinding by Maya Gold

Spellbinding by Maya Gold
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Source: Scholastic Point through NetGalley
Reviewer: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Summary:
There's more than one way to be powerful...

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva - sixteen and nearly friendless - makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in the 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush - and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and dangers. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history - and her heart - before she can face the powerful truth.


After reading the summary of Spellbinding, I was really excited about starting this book. It sounds like it would be full of adventures with some romance thrown in; I love those kind of books. However, after a slow beginning, I realize that this may not be the book for me. This book really dragged for me. I tried to get in the right mindset for it but I just couldn't get there.

My biggest issue is with Abby, the protagonist. At first, I thought that she was way too dense. She could not or would not see things that were happening right in front of her until the last moment. She would have these “aha!” moments but I believe that the reader had already seen what was happening. Also, Abby kept giving a whiplash with how fast she would change her mind. With both boys and with her dad’s new girlfriend, she couldn't make up her mind and honestly, it drove me insane.


Another issue I had was with the storyline and that I felt that it moved much too quickly. Yes, I was bored and I had been reading this galley forever and I couldn't wait to be finished, but the storyline moved much too quickly for it to be believable. When she found out she was a witch and couldn't believe it then a couple of paragraphs later she was decided that it made sense since she was always a little bit strange. Also, how quickly she started doing magic on her own. With one little book of spells and she was set. And the whole insta-love with Rem just didn't work for me. I know they had their “history” but it just wasn't believable.

Thankfully, I’m glad that I didn't waste my money on this book but I am frustrated that I spent time reading this book.

Cover Reveal - Odin's Murder by Angel Lawson and Kira Gold

Odin's Murder by Angel Lawson and Kira Gold
Expected Release Date: September 2013
Publisher: Angel Lawson and Kira Gold

Summary:
"Hard time prepared me for many things, but playing research assistant to a flock of nerds wasn't one of them."

Ethan Tyrell is out of his element at the College Scholastic Honors Program for exceptional students. But at least he's out of prison. Keeping his temper and his hands to himself isn't so easy when an irritating professor demands full participation with a mismatched study group, where he clashes with his roommate's sister, Memory.

Memory Erikssen is not the kind of girl a boy can forget; she makes sure of that. Quick with both a charcoal pencil and a lipstick, she won't draw the same line or walk the same path twice, and antagonizing Ethan is break from the usual academic doldrums.

Ethan and Memory find themselves tangled together by more than their special abilities -- and mutual irritation -- as members of their team go missing, and they unravel a dangerous mystery that spans centuries of local and distant legends.

Authors' Links:
Angel Lawson: Facebook / Twitter / Website
Kira Gold: Twitter / Website


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