Review: Oppostion

Title: Lux #5: Opposition

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Date of Publication: August 5, 2014

Formats Available: Hardback, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon.com

Synopsis: Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

My Review;

The Lux series has been a long time favorite of mine and it's taken me entirely too long to finally get around to finishing this last novel. After how much I loved the previous one I had high hopes for this book and I couldn't wait to watch the romance develop between Katy and Daemon and finally watch the conclusion of the series unfold. Unfortunately, while this novel was still fantastic, it just wasn't quite all that I had been hoping for. 

First of all, the plot was exciting and action packed, but it didn't have the same level of excitement that I was expecting. The Lux have come to earth looking to take over and this novel has a bit of an apocalyptic vibe to it, however despite all the danger surrounding them it felt like Katy and Daemon were sitting around doing a lot of talking, rather than taking part in the action. Of course there were some moments, like when Katy goes home to see her mom, but overall I just found myself getting a little bored during the parts where everyone was talking rather than doing. 

The one thing I really missed was the romance between Katy and Daemon. In previous novels their romance was so sweet and heartfelt, but in this one it just fell a little flat. Because they were already married it felt like less effort was put into their romance and I missed the silly banter and romantic moments that I'd grown accustomed to in previous novels. It felt like their romance mostly centered around them having sex rather than having a deep and meaningful connection. Even though the romance hadn't quite lived up to my expectations I really enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives and the few moments they did have were absolutely fantastic.

Even though there were a few things I didn't like Opposition was still a great conclusion to the series and a wonderful read. Armentrout tied everything up nicely and I didn't finish this novel feeling unsatisfied or with any lingering questions. I loved watching Dawson and Beth finally get their happy ending and see how much everyone has changed since the very beginning of the series. Daemon was still the bad boy we've all come to know and love and Katy was still her sweet self, just with a lot more character development. I'm going to miss them!

Finishing up a series is always difficult and Armentrout did it with a lot of grace. Though it wasn't my favorite Opposition was a great conclusion to a fantastic series that I can't recommend enough. The first four books are some of my favorites of all time and Opposition doesn't fall far behind. One of my favorite YA series! 

4/5

Short Story Saturday: The Princess of Egypt Must Die

Title: The Princess of Egypt Must Die

Author: Stephanie Dray

Date of Publication: December 5, 2013

Formats Available: E-book

Number of Pages: 56

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Before she became one of Egypt's greatest queens, she was a lonely princess who ached to belong...

Princess Arsinoe came of age in the glittering court of Ptolemaic Egypt. Abused by her ruthless sister, a pawn in the dynastic ambitions of her father, and dismissed by the king who claimed her for a bride, young Arsinoe finds herself falling in love with a young man forbidden to her. She dreams of a great destiny, but if she is ever to rule Egypt, she must first survive the nest of vipers otherwise known as her family.

My Review:

I've always been fascinated by Egyptian history so when I saw this short story for free on Amazon I just knew that I had to download it. I don't know as much about Egypt's history as I would like so I was excited to start this story and hopefully learn a little bit in the process. I've never heard of Arsinoe and her story was interesting and heartbreaking, unfortunately I felt like The Princess of Egypt Must Die just didn't quite do justice to what could have been a fascinating story.

Because of the short length I felt like the majority of the story was rushed and not very well put together. I was thrown into the world of Arsinoe without any prior knowledge and had to piece together little everything along the way. Additionally this story is a very dramatic one; full of lying, backstabbing, and deceit, however because of the rushed feel of the story I felt like a lot of the suspense and drama was lost because the author was in such a hurry to move from one event to the other. I felt like this story was a summary rather than an actual short story. 

Even though Arsinoe was somewhat developed I felt like all the secondary characters were nothing more than shells. I barely knew anyone in the story other than Arsinoe and because of the nature of the story I felt like I needed to know the secondary characters a little more to truly appreciate it. There was lots to learn about each of the characters, and they each had their own angle, but they were barely skimmed over in order to move more quickly to the next event. 

I wouldn't say this was a bad short story, just because of the original and fascinating premise, but it just wasn't long enough to make it truly amazing. Had it been a full length novel, which would have given each of the events enough time to be properly executed and allowed all of the secondary characters to develop more of a personality, I would have enjoyed it much more. Fans of Egyptian history will be interested by the story but this novel feels more like a summary than an actual work of fiction.  

3/5

Short Story Saturday: Bitter Sweet Love

Title: Dark Elements #0.5: Bitter Sweet Love

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Date of Publication: December 1, 2013

Formats Available: E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

My Review:

After reading and loving the first two books of the Dark Elements series it only seemed natural that I had to pick up the prequel novella. Though I don't really remember Dez all that much I was excited to read more about Jas and Danika and see what life was like for a female warden. Plus, knowing Armentrout like I do, I was sure that we would get to see a cameo of Layla!

My biggest complaint about short stories is that I feel that sometimes the story just isn't fleshed out enough to make it enjoyable. It's hard to develop a whole world and characters in a short amount of time but Armentrout did it beautifully and I loved all the action and romance she managed to pack into such a short time. With a unique cast of gargoyles and demons, and even a new creature I've never heard of, Pukwudgies, Armentrout makes the most of her 105 pages, and I adored every minute of it!

I love books where two characters travel together and fall in love so Bitter Sweet Love was right up my alley. The romance between Jas and Dez was adorable and heartwarming. Even though Jas started off not trusting him, since he abandoned her, he quickly redeems himself and I fell in love with him right along with Jas. The road trip device gave plenty of opportunity for action and romance and from the streets of New York city, to a hilarious scene with a Pukwudgie, this novel had it all!

Fans of the Dark Elements series will no doubt fall in love with Jas and Dez and I highly recommend this novel to fans of the series or those wanting to try something by Armentrout without the commitment of a whole novel. Armentrout is one of the best writers in paranormal romance and I'm excited to see what she does next!

4/5

Review: Lord of Misrule

Title: The Morganville Vampires #5: The Lord Misrule

Author: Rachel Caine

Date of Publication: January 6, 2009

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon.com

Synopsis: In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat.

Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.

My Review:

I've always been a huge fan of the Morganville Vampire's series. Each installment is a short, quick read and they all read like one continuous novel since each one picks up right where the last left off. I picked up my first Morganville book 6 years ago and even though so much as changed since then I still love this series and I just can't recommend it enough to fans of YA fiction. With action, excitement, and romance this series has it all and each of the books is more addicting than the last.

That being said, Lord of Misrule was probably my least favorite in the series so far. Though I enjoyed the action I really missed a lot of the character interactions that were present in the previous books. Claire, Shane, Eve, and Michael spent most of this book doing their own things and I really missed seeing the interactions between the four of them. There was barely a moment when they were all in the same room together and I especially missed seeing the romance between Eve and Michael. 

However, what was lacking in character interactions Caine made up for in plot. Lord of Misrule is easily the most exciting installment so far and most definitely a turning point for the series. I absolutely devoured this novel; between the upcoming war between the vampires and the reappearance of Shane's father there was hardly a dull moment. The ending was especially exciting and with all the death and destruction, paired with the cliffhanger, I ended this novel already reaching for the next one!

Claire and Shane are always going to be one of my favorite fictional couples and even though interactions between the two of them were limited this time around I still loved every stolen moment between them. I was sad to see that the romance between them was a little light this time around but I've got my hopes up for upcoming novels, I just love the two of them together and I can't wait to see where it goes. Shane is one of those characters I just love even though he can drive me a little insane sometimes, especially when it comes to some of his life choices. However, Claire is his perfect match and when Shane decides to be sweet and adorable he sure does it right. 

Overall Lord of Misrule wasn't my favorite in the series but it was still a fun and exciting read. The Morganville Vampires has always held a special place in my heart and if I had to recommend one YA vampire series it would most definitely be this one. 

4/5

Review: Sisters of Blood and Spirit

Title: Sisters of Blood and Spirit

Author: Kady Cross

Date of Publication: March 31, 2015

Formats Available: Hardcover, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon.com

Synopsis: Wren Noble is dead—she was born that way. Vibrant, unlike other dead things, she craves those rare moments when her twin sister allows her to step inside her body and experience the world of the living.

Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn't exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she's not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.

Now the guy who saved Lark's life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive.

My Review:

I'm a huge fan of The Steampunk Chronicles series so when I saw that Cross was coming out with a new book I was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on it. Sisters of Blood and Spirit is unlike anything Cross has written before but I loved the originality of the idea and though the execution wasn't perfect this series definitely holds a lot of potential. 

I didn't immediately like Lark and Wren, but once I got used to their characters I enjoyed reading about them. Lark was an interesting character because though I didn't necessarily like her I really liked reading about her story. By far the hardest part of this novel was finding ways to connect to Lark, I really wanted to like her but she just made it really difficult. She wasn't just cold and distant to the secondary characters but to the reader as well. Wren was a little bit easier to relate to but she played a much smaller role in the novel so I didn't get to see her as much as I would have liked. 

What really made this story was the fantastic plot and world building. I loved reading about the Shadowlands, which I hope we get to learn more about later, and the world of deliciously eerie ghosts who are out for murder. Its been a long time since I read a book as creepy as this one and Cross did a fantastic job chilling me to the bone with her murderous ghosts and violent visions. I absolutely loved the lore surround the ghosts and I'm excited to learn even more about this world in following novels.  

My biggest complaint about this novel was, that while I really loved the story itself, I felt like I barely knew the characters. I felt like Lark and Wren had a super interesting back story but we barely learned anything about them and I spent the whole novel feeling a little disconnected from the two of them. Because Lark has such a harsh personality she didn't develop many relationships with any of the secondary characters and that made it hard to connect with anyone other than Wren. Since I felt like I barely knew the characters the romance ended up feeling a little forced but hopefully the second novel will give more opportunity to connect with each of the characters. 

Despite a little bit of a rough start this series has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see where it goes next. Cross is a fantastic writer and with a little more character development I know I could get really into this series. I definitely recommend this series to fans of YA paranormal!

4/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Review: Don't Look Back

Title: Don't Look Back

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Date of Publication: April 15, 2014

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon.com

Synopsis: Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

My Review: 

When I started this novel I never expected to end up loving it as much as I did. I started it as something to read in-between sections of a longer book I was reading but before I knew it the other book had completely fallen to the side as this one took priority on my reading list and I finished it in less than a day. I've always loved Armentrout but this book surpassed all of my expectations!

I was immediately fascinated by Sam and her story. I love reading about characters with amnesia and Armentrout did a wonderful job giving Sam a unique and original personality despite the fact she didn't know anything about herself. Sam's new personality is such a contrast to who she used to be and I loved watching her learn more about, as well as come to hate, the person she was before. Likewise I love watching the character interactions between her friends from her old life, mean and conceited they were a complete opposite to the new Sam. The character interactions were fascinating to read and I just loved the cast of characters Armentrout created.

Even though the interactions between characters was fantastic what really made this novel was the plot. Full of twists and turns and an unexpected ending, I absolutely loved it. Mysterious notes, flashes of memory, and the hint of insanity made this whole novel come together. From Sam's own parents thinking she was capable of murder, to her isolation from her old friends there was plenty of drama and excitement to keep me interested. Armentrout kept me guessing for the duration of the novel and I definitely didn't see the ending coming.

The only thing that didn't completely grab me was the romance. I just couldn't feel any kind of spark or connection between Sam and Carson, sure they had their moments but overall the romance felt a little forced and unbelievable. Part of the problem was knowing so little about Carson, he had an interesting enough story but we barely scratched the surface before moving on to the romance. Even though the romance wasn't bad I just wasn't feeling it between the two of them other than a few brief moments. Usually I love Armentrout's romances but since this was such a plot driven book, and the romance really had nothing to do with the plot, it was overshadowed by the action and left a little underdeveloped.

Despite the romance Don't Look Back is another fantastic book by Armentrout and I can't recommend it enough. Full of mystery and excitement this book has been on of my best reads so far in 2015 and I'm excited to read even more by Armentrout!

5/5

Review: The Ruby Circle

Title: Bloodlines #6: The Ruby Circle

Author: Richelle Mead

Date of Publication: February 10, 2015

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon.com

Synopsis: The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

My Review:

It's always sad to see a series end, especially one I've been so dedicated to following for the past four years. It's been a wild ride with Sydney and Adrian and I'm really sad to see them go.  The Ruby Circle did a great job tying up loose ends in the series but leaving just enough threads behind to make another series entirely possible, and my fingers are crossed that there will be one!

I was super nervous to start this novel since the last one, Silver Shadows, hadn't quite lived up to my expectations. Sadly, I found myself having similar feelings about this novel. It's not to say I didn't like this novel - I loved it, but there was just something missing that was present in the first 4 books of the series. But despite all that Mead did a fantastic job wrapping up the series and answering any lingering questions, plus Mead threw a few twists in there that I totally wasn't expecting. I think what I really missed was the interactions between Sydney and Adrian, something felt a little off between them this time, but I just couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

Now that Sydney and Adrian are married the romance has cooled off a bit. I missed the old banter between the two of them but the two of them have come such a long way since the beginning of the series it would be impossible for everything to stay the same. However, I wished there had been a few more romantic moments between the two of them, Adrian is one of my favorite book boyfriends and I was sad not to see him sprouting his trademark lines that made me love him in the first place. The epilogue was adorable though and I was happy to see that it not only included Sydney and Adrian but Rose and Dimitri as well.  

Though The Ruby Circle is the last book in the Bloodlines series I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of this world. Mead has started so many overlying story arcs, especially regarding Spirit, that it would be impossible for her to stop now where there are so many questions that still need answering! My money is on Angeline being the protagonist of a new series, but I would honestly be happy with just about anyone! 

The Bloodlines series is one of the most amazing series in young adult fiction and I honestly can't recommend it enough! I can't wait to see who Mead writes about yet, and learn more about the fantastic world that she's created! 

5/5

Review: The Lost Hero

Title: The Heroes of Olympus #1: The Lost Hero

Author: Rick Riordan

Date of Publication: January 1, 2010

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

My Review:

If there is one person who can write about Greek Mythology it's Rick Riordan. It's been years since I read the Percy Jackson series but I remember absolutely loving that series and I had a feeling that this one would be just as good. Full of Greek and Roman lore, as well as an action filled plot, this book was a great start to what promises to be a fantastic series!

The best part about The Lost Hero was, hands down, seeing characters from the Percy Jackson novels from a new angle. I loved getting reunited with Annabeth and I'm eager to get my hands on the next book in the series so I can finally reunite with Percy! After the horrible cliffhanger at the end of this one I have a feeling the next book is going to focus fully on finding Percy, and I'm super excited to finally see him again. Not only that but it seems like there's a whole different facet of the world Riordan has created focusing on the Roman versions of the same gods, though I know a lot about Greek mythology I'm shaky on the Roman versions, so I'm super excited to learn more about the differences between them.

I also really enjoyed focusing on a new set of gods and goddesses and seeing Rirodan's take on each of them. Though we only got to see Hephaestus and Hera in this novel I have a feeling Aphrodite and Zeus aren't far behind. I really loved Hephaestus and his awkward but likable personality and I really hope we get to see more of him in the future. I also really enjoyed reading about all the minor enemies along the way, including the Cyclops, and my personal favorite Medea. Instead of being outright evil she was sinister in a more underhand way, making her the most fascinating person on their journey. I wasn't as familiar with her as I am with other figures in Greek Mythology so it was fun learning more about her and watching the interactions between her and our three heroes.

Though I don't love Jason, Piper, and Leo as much as I did the character in the last series (yet anyway!) I still enjoyed reading about them and their adventures. Piper was by far my favorite and the cabin she ended up in really threw me for a loop since it was such a clash with her personality. I loved her tomboyish attitude and her bravery, plus her standing up to Drew was pretty awesome, she definitely gets extra points for that. I also liked Leo, he was a little childish and immature, but he brought a certain amount of comic relief to the story and he ended up saving the day on more than on occasion. My least favorite character was Jason, maybe it was because he didn't remember any of his past but I just felt like his personality was weak compared to Piper and Leo, I hope that as his memories return he'll become a stronger and more relatable hero in upcoming novels.

The Lost Hero is a strong start to the series and I'm excited to see where Riordan takes it. I'm especially excited to see more of Percy and Annabeth and watch the relationships between Jason, Piper, and Leo develop. All in all a great novel and I highly recommend all of Riordan's works to fans of Greek and Roman mythology.

4/5

Review: Stone Cold Touch

Title: The Dark Elements #2: Stone Cold Touch

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Date of Publication: October 21, 2014

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

My Review:

After how much I enjoyed White Hot Kiss I had big expectations for this novel, however the farther I along I got in Stone Cold Touch the more I realized this was not going to be the novel I was expecting. Though I knew there was a minor love triangle going on I wasn't prepared for how intense the love triangle was going to get in this novel. A huge portion of the plot was devoted to creating one of the biggest love triangles I've witnessed in YA lit in a long, long time and I'm not going to lie, I wasn't a fan.

I'm not a huge fan of love triangles and this one was no exception. Zayne drove me absolutely insane, he's so cheesy and perfect that I had a really hard time taking anything about him seriously at all. Layla has built him up to be so much in her mind that she can't see any of his faults, which honestly he has plenty. Though his rival Roth does have his share of issues, the main one being that he's the Crown Prince of hell, he's a much more believable love interest in the sense that Layla can see his faults and still likes him anyway.

Though I still hate Stacey (can we please have a best friend character that isn't sexed up and a terrible influence) I ended up enjoying most of the other main and secondary characters. I was sad to see Roth playing less of a role in this one but I guess Zayne needed his time to shine. The relationship between Layla and Danika took an interesting turn and I'm eager to see how everything between them is going to play out, especially after how much the romance between Layla and Zayne heated up. Abbott also took on a more of a villainous role in this novel and its definitely going to be interesting seeing what he does next.

The best part about this novel was, hands down, the plot. I was fascinated by the development of the Lilin and what that meant for Layla, Roth, and Zayne. The effects of the Lilin were devastating and after watching characters die one after the other I began to wonder who was next. There was plenty of excitement and intrigue to hold my interest but the love triangle kept driving me insane at ever turn. Layla wasn't as strong of a character in this novel and she was constantly running back to Zayne every time something happened. However the cliff hanger ending has me definitely signing up for the next novel (with the hope that Roth gets much more action the third time around)!

The Dark Elements is a good series, however most of the plot is dependent on a major love triangle so love triangle haters might want to take a pass on this series. Though I can't stand all the back and forth between Roth and Zayne I'm excited to see where the series goes next!

4/5

Review: The Girl with the Windup Heart

Title: The Steampunk Chronicles #4: The Girl with the Windup Heart

Author: Kady Cross

Date of Publication: May 27, 2014

Formats Available: Hardcover, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: In 1897 London, a final showdown is about to begin.

London's underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart and part-automaton like Mila. But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off, determined to find an independent life, one entirely her own. Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End's most dazzling circus.

Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison, and at the mercy of his archenemy, The Machinist. If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control of the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe-especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.

Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying. But she cannot parry The Machinist's maneuvers for long. To defeat him for good, Griffin will have to confront his greatest fear and finally come face-to-face with the destructive power he wields.

My Review:

From the very beginning I knew this was going to be an amazing novel, I just didn't know how amazing until I was up at 2 am reading because I absolutely had to finish it.  Cross has an amazing talent for steampunk and each novel only gets better and better. With amazing characters and a fascinating London setting there's nothing not to love about this wonderful addition to the Steampunk Chronicles series!

The first thing I have to say about this book is: JACK AND MILA. Oh my god, I cannot even put into words how much I absolutely loved every portion of this novel about the two of them. Mila is absolutely adorable and her devotion to Jack made my heart melt. Jack has always been played off as the "bad boy" character but watching him take care of Mila brought out a whole new side of him that I absolutely love. Jack is so protective of Mila, and obviously loves her so much, that I can't help but love him more with every page. Their story made my heart flutter and I had to force myself not to flip through the book and read all of their sections before I got there!

I also enjoyed the story about Finley and Griffin but, even though their story was more exciting, they didn't have the character interactions that made Jack and Mila's story shine. It was interesting to finally learn more about the Aether and Griffin's powers, as well as be reunited with some long dead characters. Finley and Griffin have always had an adorable story, I just wish they could have spent more time together so we could watch their relationship develop. It seems that something is always interrupting them and though the moments they have together are cute, they just aren't enough!

Emily and Sam, as well as Jasper and Wildcat, also make an appearance in this novel, though not as big of one as I would have liked. There was a lot of bouncing around between the two story lines in this one, so it only makes sense that these characters would all play more background roles, but after the last book about Emily and Sam I was hoping to see a little bit more of their relationship develop. However, every sentence about Mila completely made up for it, from the beginning I knew I would love her and there were moments when her character had me laughing out loud, I honestly don't think I've ever laughed that hard from a book before!

The Girl with the Windup Heat is hands down the best book in the Steampunk Chronicles yet and I honestly cannot recommend this series enough to fans of romance and steampunk. With an original premise, lovable characters, and plenty of romance old and new fans alike will be enchanted by the world Cross has created.

5/5

Review: The Shadow Prince

Title: Into the Dark #1: The Shadow Prince

Author: Bree Despain

Date of Publication: March 11. 2014

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

My Review:

The Shadow Prince didn't start off bad, in fact, in the beginning I was rather enjoying it. However as the novel dragged on and on and and I found myself enjoying it less and less, it's needless to say I was eager to finally get to the end of this giant novel. For such a long novel 500+ pages, this was a hard one for me to get through and, I'm not going to lie, it was a bit of a relief to finally mark this one as read.

Lets start with the main reason I didn't like this novel, Daphne. From the beginning Daphne struck me as a little bit of a cold-hearted person, leaving her mom (who obviously loved her so much) to go live with a dad she's never met. Even though I could understand the frustration Daphne went through with a mom who never let her leave her home town I was shocked that Daphne could just leave her without even a second glance. Then later in the novel when Daphne's dad tried to reconnect with her she shot him down at every opportunity. He made mistakes in the past but I don't understand why Daphne was just flat out mean to him all the time. Not that but she was presented as absolutely perfect in every regard, she had a perfect singing voice with a perfect range, so obviously all the girls hated her for her pefection (honestly who wouldn't). Then she blows off the only friend she makes in order to run off with Hayden, despite the fact that her friend warned her over and over that he was bad news.

Now for the second reason I didn't like this novel, Hayden. In the beginning Hayden wasn't bad, but as the novel wore on I found myself disliking him more and more. He was so completely full of himself that I could barely stand to read his self centered inner monologue. I understood that he felt that he had something to prove but his attitude just drove me up the wall. The only thing I'll say about him is that there were a few humorous moments when he was learning about what it was like to live in the human world, but those didn't make up for the rest of his faults.  Plus the romance between him and Daphne felt so forced and awkward that I had a hard time reading it without cringing the entire time.

Now the plot itself wasn't totally awful, it was just boring instead. The majority of the novel is spent at Daphne's new school reading about her perfection in the music department, which, trust me, got old fast. There's been some girls getting hurt from a mysterious assailant, and Hayden just happens to be there every time, making him the prime suspect. However Daphne just knows that it isn't him, despite everything telling her otherwise. I knew exactly where this story was going the moment it started and it wasn't a particularly exciting ride getting there. Of course Daphne and Hayden fall in love, despite the ridiculously small amount of time they spent together, and go off into the sunset to find a way to keep Hayden from having to take her back to the underworld. And don't even get me started on how Greek Mythology played into all this.

The Shadow Prince just wasn't an enjoyable book, no matter how I look at it. I was disappointed at every turn and every time I thought things were going to get better, they didn't. Maybe I'm just a little too old to really appreciate this one but I'm sorry to say that I just don't recommend this novel, especially to older fans of the YA genre.

2/5

Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies

Title: Finishing School #2: Curtsies & Conspiracies

Author: Gail Carriger

Date of Publication: January 1, 2013

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy--won't Mumsy be surprised? Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

In this sequel to New York Times bestselling Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season.

My Review:

I'd forgotten how much I absolutely adore Gail Carriger's writing until I started reading this novel. By far one of her best works yet Curtsies & Conspiracies was wonderfully written and full of quirky characters who I just can't get enough of! Paired with the comical writing this novel had so much going for it that it was easy to over look the few slow spots and get engrossed in the wonderful story.

Sophronia was absolutely hilarious and I just love reading about her. When I started this series I was a bit worried because I usually don't like reading about characters under the age of seventeen, but Sophronia is the one exception to that rule. Even though she's fifteen she acts mature enough to keep me from rolling my eyes at her antics but still acts young enough to get away with some of her escapades. I love her down to earth personality and even though she finds herself in some entirely ridiculous situations her level headedness brings even more hilarity to the scene.

There also seems to be a bit of a love triangle forming, but not in a serious way. Romance in this series definitely takes a back seat, and considering the main character is fifteen, I think it works out perfectly. I feel like in many YA novels, no matter how young the main character is, always has some sort of romance going on. Because of that it's refreshing to have a main character who acts her age in that regard and rarely thinks about boys in any way other than her friends. I have no doubt that there is going to be some romance for Sophronia in the future but hopefully after she matures!

Like the last book there wasn't a huge amount of plot, but everything that happened was hugely entertaining just because of the way it was written. There were plenty of moments where I burst out laughing just because of the talent Carriger has of phrasing things in the most posh and outrageous way she possibly can. The whole novel feels like a bit of parody on the Regency era, but in the most positive way possible. With ridiculous names like Professor Shrimpdittle and Bumbersnoot there's absolutely nothing serious about this novel, but thats the reason I love it so much.

The Finishing School series is one of the stars of young adult steampunk and there is no doubt in my mind recommending this novel to fans of young adult. Old fans of Carriger will no doubt be impressed by this novel and those new to her work will definitely be clamoring for more!

4/5

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Date of Publication: June 7, 2011

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

My Review:

 This book has been on my radar for a long time now but it's taken me a long time to get to it, mostly because Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children isn't something I would usually read. However, after hearing such wonderful things about it I knew I had to finally give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up really enjoying this novel. From the fascinating plot to the haunting vintage photographs this novel was unlike anything I've ever read and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The most enchanting thing about this book was the inclusion of the vintage photography. I've always loved going through old pictures at antique stores and wondering what stories were behind the people in the pictures. Riggs took that a step further and wrote a whole novel about those people and it was such a pleasure to see how the author envisioned each of the characters. Some of the pictures were so mysterious and haunting that I found myself flipping back to look at them again, curious about their story.

Not only did I love the pictures but the plot Riggs created was absolutely fascinating. I absolutely loved reading about each of the children's abilities and I especially loved Olive, something about her just make me picture her as an adorable little girl floating up to the ceiling. One of the other things I found really interesting was that, while all of the children have something about them that makes them peculiar, not all of their abilities are necessarily useful, like Claire's. I wonder if her ability will have it's time and place in the future and what the circumstances will be.

Riggs also did a wonderful job creating the perfect atmosphere for the novel. The dreary island of Cairnholm, with limited access to the outside world, was the perfect place to stage such a peculiar story. I couldn't help but get completely wrapped up in the story and part of that was due to the setting. The setting is really what sets the mood and the dark, dreary, and isolated feel of the island was perfect for a story about children with strange abilities and the monsters who are out to get them.

I was much more impressed by this novel than I expected to be. Riggs truly did a fantastic job merging photography and writing and I'm eager to get my hands on the next novel in the series. I'm excited to see more vintage photographs!

4/5

Review: White Hot Kiss

Title: The Dark Elements #1: White Hot Kiss

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Date of Publication: February 25, 2014

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

My Review:

I've loved everything I've ever read by Armentrout and White Hot Kiss was no exception! When I first heard about this book I wasn't sure what to think, gargoyles has never been something that really appealed to me, but since it was written by Armentrout I was willing to give it a shot; and I'm so glad I did! A fantastic romance, fascinating world, and the fun writing style that only Armentrout can pull off, all came together to make this a wonderful read.

Even though the novel started off a little slow; with introductions to the characters, world, and the role of gargoyles, once the novel picked up it was a fast paced and highly entertaining read. The plot wasn't overly complicated but at the same time it was complex enough to keep me interested. Armentrout did a great job integrating the paranormal creatures into the story and making everything feel believable.

We all know that I hate love triangles but the little triangle between Zayne, Roth, and Layla actually brought a lot to the story. It's obvious, at least to me, who Layla is going to end up with so its more of a non- love triangle than anything else. I absolutely loved Roth's character, his off color comments always made me laugh and I loved watching him interact with Layla. Zayne had his good points too, but honestly he was too much of a goody goody to make much of a blip on my radar.

Though I loved this book I have just a small complaint, and it's Stacey. I'm so tired of reading YA books with the shallow and stupid "best friend" character. Stacy's only thoughts centered around hot guys, sex, and looks, and I couldn't stand her more and more with every page. What I hate most is that is she is nothing outside of her sexuality, she had absolutely no personality except for her pointless dialogue relating to boys and sex. Thankfully she played a relatively small role in the novel and I didn't have to sit through enough of her idiotic babble to make me really hate her.

In the end though, White Hot Kiss is another amazing book by an amazing author. I just can't get enough of Armentrout's writing and I'm so excited to get my hands on the next one in the series! I can't recommend this author enough!

5/5

Review: Silver Shadows

Title: Bloodlines #5: Silver Shadows

Author: Richelle Mead

Date of Publication: July 29, 2014

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

My Review:

After following this series for as long as I have, and loving every single book, I knew I had high expectations of Silver Shadows. Though I would definitely say that Mead delivered I felt like this novel fell just a little short of my expectations. However, despite it's faults I still really enjoyed it and I loved getting the chance to read about Sydney and Adrian again.

By far the most interesting part of this novel was the inner workings of the re-education facility that Sydney had been sent to. From book one I had been interested in what exactly happens in these places and Mead finally revealed exactly what happens behind closed doors. The facility was nothing like I had imagined and it was fascinating to see how deeply the Alchemists brain wash their members. Despite everything that Sydney went through she held true to her beliefs, even when it would have been easier to quit, and I really admire her a lot for that.

Romance wise the novel was a little slow in the beginning but the adorable ending definitely made up for it. Adrian has always been on of my absolute favorite love interests and his distress over the loss of Sydney was sad but a little heart warming to read about. I also adored how Mead continued with Adrian's POV, I just love getting inside his head and really getting to know him. Even though Adrian made me a little mad - scratch that, a lot mad- in this novel I still absolutely adore him despite his faults. Adrian is far from perfect, and maybe thats why I love him so much. Even though he could have it all, through his looks and money, he still has problems and Sydney loves him for it anyway.

Even though there were a lot of things I enjoyed about the latest book in the Bloodlines series there were a few things that were missing. The number one being character development; even though both Sydney and Adrian went through a lot I felt like neither of them really developed as a character. That being said, the lack of development didn't really negatively impact the novel but it did make it feel like something was just a little off. Sydney especially went through a lot while she was at re-education and I felt that should have made more of an impact on her character. The lack of development made this book in the series feel just a little bit unneeded, not because it was a bad story, just because the characters didn't learn anything from it.

Overall fans of the Bloodlines series will be satisfied with Silver Shadows and although there could have been a little bit more character development Mead definitely delivered. I know that after following this series religiously for 3 years I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on the final novel and I have no doubt that other fans are as well; February 10th won't come fast enough!

5/5

Review: Newsoul #3: Infinite

Title: Newsoul #3: Infinite

Author: Jodi Meadows

Date of Publication: January 28, 2014

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.

With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions.

My Review:

After how much I absolutely adored the first two books in this series it's needless to say that I had extremely high expectations from this novel. Since my expectations were so high I suppose it's only natural that this one let me down a little bit, but I just wasn't prepared for how much it would let me down.

I think one of the things I missed most in this novel was the interactions between Sam and Ana. In the past two novels I could feel their relationship through the pages, there was something more than just words on a page that bound them together, and this time around I didn't feel it. Their relationship felt a little flat and superficial and even though there were some cute moments between them it just didn't feel the same as it did in the first two novels.

The other thing I wasn't impressed by this time around was the plot. To be honest it was just kind of... boring. There wasn't much growth for Ana as a character, one of the things I loved most about the first two books, and even though it had some action filled moments most of the book felt like dialogue. I was also a little unimpressed with the mythological creatures like the Sylph and dragons. I know this series is YA but I felt like the way the dragons and sylph were handled made this book feel like it was meant for a younger crowd than the previous two novels.

Despite the fact that I wasn't particularly impressed by this novel there were still a few fantastic moments thrown in. One of the best was the ending, it tied the whole series together and was a wonderful way to end the series. Sometimes conclusions to series leave me feeling unsatisfied, but the ending of this trilogy was absolutely perfect. No lingering questions, no shocking revelations; it was perfect!

Overall I would still highly recommend the Newsoul series to fans of YA fiction. Even though the final book in the series wasn't my favorite the Newsoul trilogy is a great one and fans of romance and fantasy will no doubt enjoy it!

3/5

Review: Bloodlines #4: The Fiery Heart

Title: Bloodlines #4: The Fiery Heart

Author: Richelle Mead

Date of Publication: November 19, 2013

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

My Review:

This review has been one of the hardest ones to write since I've started my blog. Richelle Mead never fails to completely blow me away and this novel was so devastatingly wonderful that I've spent days thinking about what I could possibly say about it. With alternating POV's between Sydney and Adrian (a bold move that worked out beautifully), a healthy dose of romance, and fantastic plot development this novel was most definitely the set up for even bigger and better things coming in the series.

Much of this novel was focused on build up for what can only be the "big finale" of the series so the excitement level was pretty low until the end. However, that didn't mean that there was a huge amount of plot development going on. Both Sydney and Adrian have come a long way since we were first introduced to them and this novel really emphasized how much they've both changed, Adrian especially. Hes started to leave his partying "bad boy" ways behind and has started to turn his life around. I loved watching Adrian start to use his abilities with Spirit for the greater good and watching the secondary characters realize that Adrian is capable of more than just the drinking and partying he's always been known for.

Both Sydney and Adrian start to fall apart a little bit in this novel, not in terms of romance but in terms of mental/emotional states. There have always been rumors of Spirit causing madness and this novel really brings to light the struggles Adrian goes through when he uses it too much. The parts of the novel from Adrian's POV gives readers a deeper look into his mind and gives readers the chance to find out what really makes him tick. Likewise Sydney beings to lose her calm and cool demeanor, taking risks and making hasty decisions that are very un-Sydney like and ultimately lead to the horrible (but wonderful!) cliff hanger at the end of the novel.

The romance between Sydney and Adrian also really started to heat up in this novel. Even though their times together were short Mead packed as much of a punch as she could in the time that she gave them. One of the things I love most about their relationship is how opposite they are; Sydney and Adrian are and two totally different sides of the spectrum but thats half the reason why the chemistry between them is so intense. I was swooning the whole time Sydney and Adrian were trapped together at the hotel during a snowstorm and I just  couldn't get enough of their secret meetings and texts on the "Love Phone". Their relationship is just so adorable I can't help but fall more in love with them after every page.

Another absolutely fantastic addition to the Bloodlines series The Fiery Heat was everything I hoped it would be. A pivotal novel in the series this book left me absolutely desperate for more and I don't know how I'm possibly going to wait until Silver Shadows is released next year!

5

Review: Ghosts of Palladino #1: Rory

Title: Ghosts of Palladino #1: Rory

Author: Ciye Cho

Date of Publication: August 10, 2013

Formats Available: E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Far beyond heaven, earth and hell is a city known as Palladino, a place ruled by ghosts and filled with demons, magic, and all sorts of darkly beautiful things. A city where no one can ever escape.

Eighteen-year-old Rory is a cake decorator who makes stunning confections. But no amount of frosting or miracles can save her when a demon kidnaps her—and carries her to Palladino. Here, Rory ends up in a deadly charm school where young women are forced to become companions for the Ghost Lords. And for her to survive, Rory must become everything that she isn’t: graceful, elegant... and perfect.

But nothing is what it seems in Palladino. Not the magic. Not the ghosts. And definitely not Martin Marius, the bizarre Ghost Lord-slash-inventor who is drawn to Rory. For amid a thousand machines and a hundred cats, Martin holds a secret that could change everything. A secret that could either free Rory... or destroy her.

My Review:

When I heard the synopsis for Rory I knew that I had to read it! The whole story sounded right up my alley and I was excited to see what this novel had in store for me. I was engaged by the first sentence and I really enjoyed reading about the world of ghosts that Cho had created.

I really liked the idea behind Rory and I was fascinated by the demons and the world of Palladino. Rory was a fun character to read about and I loved her spunk and determination. Not only was Rory a great character but I also enjoyed the unique cast of secondary characters Cho created; from Manny the demon and Martin the inventor/love interest/ghost. I was absolutely fascinated by the portion of the novel taking place in the charm school, with potentially deadly challenges and scary headmistresses. The charm school was a great way to introduce the world of Palladino and it really drew me into the story.

However, even though this book started off well enough I just lost interest after Rory completed charm school. The rest of the book seemed to drag on and on and on and I was bored by most of the events that took place. The end of the novel started to pick up a little bit when Rory finally started learning more about Martin and his inventions, however it just took so long to get there that I had already lost interest in the characters and it was hard to get that interest back. There was a lot of potential for exciting events it just felt like every time something happened it was cut short or had a solution that seemed almost too easy.

Although I was a little put off by the pacing Cho did a great job writing the novel. There were a few spots here and there but overall I though the novel flowed extremely well and the writing pulled me into the story. The characters were wonderfully developed and I loved learning more about each of them. I just wish the pacing had been a little bit better, with a better pace I definitely would have given this novel a higher rating than I did.

Overall Rory was an enjoyable book though a little slow in the middle. The ending sets up the story for an interesting sequel and I'm interested to see where this goes. Fans of indie YA and paranormal reads may want to check this one out, it has a lot of potential!

3/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Beautiful Decay

Title: Beautiful Decay

Author: Sylvia Lewis

Date of Publication: April 9, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Ellie Miller has always needed her space. Literally. With a touch that rots whatever she encounters, Ellie must keep people at a distance for their own good. Not that her classmates are itching to be best friends with the "freak" of the high school.

So when newcomer Nate MacPherson makes it his mission to get close to her, Ellie has her suspicions. But when he identifies her as a viviomancer who can work the forces of life and reveals himself to be a necromancer who can manipulate death, Ellie finds herself trusting Nate and the romance that is blossoming between them. Unfortunately for the two, family secrets can kill, and they will need more than their abilities to keep a zombie mom and a conglomerate of evil-doing supernaturals under control.

After spending her life pushing everyone away, Ellie's realization of the full extent of her power and willingness to let people get close to her may be the only way to save the ones she loves.

My Review:

Beautiful Decay was one of those novels that had an amazing idea behind it but just didn't quite come together right. Ellie was a great character and her ability as a vivomancer was absolutely fascinating, however her relationship with Nate and the story behind him just didn't quite bring the novel together the way I had been expecting. Definitely aimed at the younger set I have a feeling I would have really enjoyed this book when I was younger but being the age I am now it just didn't click with me the same way.

Let me start off by saying I love, love, love the idea behind this novel. Ellie's ability was absolutely fascinating and I was always at the edge of my seat whenever her gloves came off. I just couldn't get enough of watching how Ellie's ability worked and learning more about her gift. Nate's gift as a necromancer was interesting as well and although the story focused a lot on his family and the things he could do with his ability, Ellie's ability was the one that stole the show. Though the abilities were interesting much of the plot surrounding them, including the reason "bad guys" were after Nate, ended up falling a little flat. When I finally got to the reasoning behind their desperation to have Nate and why they needed his father I had to stop for a minute to make sure I read it right. It made sense but, I don't know, I just thought it would be more serious.

Ellie was one of those characters I could totally relate to even though she irritated me at the same time. Ellie was an outcast, a subject of bullying and isolation, and because of that I loved her. She was quiet but strong and she put up with a lot from not only her peers at school but from her family as well. Likewise Nate had some qualities I really liked, such as the ability to stand up to the people harassing Ellie and his need to take care of his family. Even though both of them had some really strong qualities they both annoyed me a little bit too, their childish "relationship" drove me insane and there were enough high school cliche's to make anyone rip their hair out. Even though Nate and Ellie both had their weak qualities that was what made them human and overall I liked them more than I disliked them.

My biggest complaint about this novel was definitely the romance, or non-romance in this case. One moment Nate and Ellie are getting to know each other and the next moments he says "wanna go out?" she says "sure" and suddenly their boyfriend/girlfriend and magically in "love." I may be exaggerating just a little but trust me, not by much. Even though Nate and Ellie are dating for the last half of the novel much of their relationship building is skimmed over and they don't even kiss until the very end of the novel and even that feels forced and fake. I felt like the romance was the weak link in this novel and honestly the story would have been a lot stronger without it.

Despite the weak romance Beautiful Decay has an absolutely fascinating premise and great characters. I would recommend this novel to YA fans looking for something original as long as they don't mind the non-romance romance and slightly childish characters!

3/5