Review: Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

Killer Frost (Mythos Academy #6)

By Jennifer Estep

Published: February 25, 2014

Publisher: Kensington Teen

ebook, 384 pages

Source: Online Library 

I’ve battled the Reapers of Chaos before–and survived. But this time I have a Bad, Bad Feeling it’s going to be a fight to the death … most likely mine.

Yeah, I’ve got my psychometry magic, my talking sword, Vic–and even the most dangerous Spartan on campus at my side, in Logan freaking Quinn, but I’m no match for Loki, the evil Norse god of chaos. I may be Nike’s Champion, but at heart, I’m still just Gwen Frost, that weird Gypsy girl everyone at school loves to gossip about.

Then someone I love is put in more danger than ever before, and something inside me snaps. This time, Loki and his Reapers are going down for good … or I am. --Goodreads

Purchase Killer Frost here: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | The Book Depository 

 

 4 Stars

Review

All wonderful things must sadly come to an end, including the fantastic Mythos Academy series. Despite my initial disappointments, Gwen and her gang have easily become part of my book-loving heart. Facing high expectations as the final book, Killer Frost defies these expectations and delivers an epic climatic finale.

After facing the Reapers in five books, it's wonderful to finally see the good guys fighting back at the Reapers, rather than just responding to their catcalls. This time, we see Gwen and the rest working to ultimately bring an end to Loki and his nefarious gang, instead of just holding off the next Reaper plan. Then again, we should feel pity for Loki. He's a poor god whose face is half burned off and just can't get the plastic surgery to fix his face. Loki just can never catch a break, can he?

Plot twists have become a staple in the book industry. Jennifer Estep is a master at surprising her readers. Continually, time and time again the Mythos Academy series has shocked me with its unpredictable, yet believable stories. Killer Frost has continued this legacy with its impressive intricacy of the plot. The realistic unexpected is always a plus in a world soaked with  "been there, done that".

Although Killer Frost does have a reasonably decent conclusion for the major characters (Gwen, Logan, Vic, Daphne, etc.), there should have been more closure to some other minor characters. The happily ever afters are sweet, but I wish there was more time spent developing Rory and her aunt. Rory and her aunt were both pivotal figures in the previous book, Midnight Frost. If there are characters introduced later in the series, these characters should be given more important roles to justify their late introduction. Besides, Rory is a kickbutt heroine, who really should have a spin-off series based on her. *crossing my fingers*

Overall, the Mythos Academy series has blossomed into a magnificent series. Even though it is bitter to say goodbye to Gwen and the gang, concluding the fight against Loki is definitely helping my heart. If you haven't picked up this series yet, this series is totally recommended!

Review: The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Iron Touch (Steampunk Chronicles #3)

By Kady Cross

Published May 28th, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Hardcover, 384 pages

In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has.... -Goodreads

Review

Warning. This is the 3rd book in the series, so it is highly recommended to read the first two. It can be read by itself, but to fully understand everything the first two must be read.

All in all this installment in the Steampunk Chronicles was great, but not an amazing but not an oh-my-god-I'm screaming-my-head-off 5 star read. So a few months have passed since the last book, and not everything is the same. Griffin is having problems with the Aether and refuses to tell anyone, making all of his friends worried sick. Meanwhile, Sam and Emily are doing great as they both pretty much know how the other feels, except right when they were actually going to confess to each other Emily is abducted by the Machinist who isn't dead (kind of). Then begins the main part of the story of the hunt for Emily and her time as a captive (Jack Dandy becomes involved at this point).

 In The Girl with the Iron Touch, there is definitely more of a focus on the romance. Sam and Emily are officially together, but Finley and Griffin are a bit more complicated. However, they do get together by the end of the book and the semi-love triangle between Finley, Griffin, and Jack is resolved, but not in the best way. With all of the loose ends, there is so much more room for the story to continue. I have heard rumors that this is the last book in the series, but I don't believe it. The Girl with the Iron Touch ends with too many unresolved questions that there has to be a following book. 

One of my favorite aspects of this read is that the focus is on Emily this time. The first one was about Finley, the second starred Jasper, and now this one focuses on Emily. I really think that the changing focus on all of the different characters gives the reader a deeper understanding and involvement with that character. It's great for character development. Maybe the next one (which there has to be) could be Sam's back story?

Another one of my favorite parts of this series is the whole technology in Victorian times aspect. I have to say, the Steampunk Chronicles are one of the best series in the steampunk category with a great balance of romance, action, mystery, and gadgets. I find how Cross adds a twist to modern inventions and makes them fit in with the story fascinating.

All in all, The Girl with the Iron Touch is a good continuation of the series with a deeper inside into some of the characters and the haunting possibility of the resurrection of the Machinist, everyone's worst nightmare. Romantic entanglements also come to play when everything is threatened by the Machinist and his robotic creations. It wasn't 5 stars, but it is still a must read for the series. 

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

  

 

Review: The Frog Prince by Jenni James

The Frog Prince (Fairie Tale Collection #8)

By Jenni James

Released: June 5, 2013

Publisher: StoneHouse Ink

eBook, 87 pages

A prince disguises himself to find true love—

Prince Nolan has had enough of Princess Blythe—the woman to whom he has been betrothed since infancy—and her simpering letters. Does the princess truly not have a brain in her head? Never before has he communicated with someone who seemed so childish and spoiled. It was time he met her for himself, to decide if he could actually follow through with this marriage. But to do it right, she must not see how handsome he is. He needs a disguise—something that would show him her true nature.

Nolan asks an old herb woman to transform him into a creature that is disgusting to any female—a frog. The spell will last thirty days unless the princess does the impossible and kisses him. Now the true test begins. Will Blythe prove to be as monstrously annoying as he believes she is, or will he learn to see past his judgments and find a loving princess waiting for him? --Goodreads

Purchase The Frog Prince here: Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes & Nobles (Nook)

4 Stars

Review:

Jenni James has once again proven herself to be extraordinarily gifted with her fairy tale retellings. While staying close to the setting and dreamy quality of fairy tales, Jenni James sends her readers off to a darker, more developed fairy tale world. These retellings all have a special quality about them that set them above all others. For example, Sleeping Beauty included a world of good warriors fighting off the evil witches. I mean who would ever think of that? What about a cannibalistic stepmother in Hansel and Gretel? The stuff Jenni James usually writes is just candy (fluff, but addictingly tasty fluff), so when she started exploring human nature through fairy tales, her retellings reach another level of amazing-ness.

We begin with a not-so stereotypical scene of a prince convincing his mother that turning into a frog is the best course of action. A majority of Jenni James' retellings involve witty banter, and this was no exception. It may seem as if the smart talk takes up a majority of the book because there is so much of it, but it really suits the story. In fact, it is way more amusing to see characters making fun of each other using their words, rather than the more commonly used body gags. 

The best part, though, was not the humor inserted in the dialogue: in reality, it was the depiction of the natural bond between Nolan and Blythe that develops. I know, it's ridiculous that a person can bond with a frog. But somehow it's easy to fly with this idea that people can bond with frogs realistically. The original fairy tale was kind of "meh" on explaining how a princess who hates frogs can deal with a frog hovering around her 24/7, so this take on The Frog Prince revises and improves the logistics of how princess and frog fall in love and eventually marry. We really see that from the moment Nolan and Blythe meet that these need each other and how their relationship shifts from acquaintances to close confidants to finally lovers is so romantic. It's difficult for a book to force a reader to fall hard for the romance, especially in an 87 page book, but this book managed to do it so effortlessly.

The thing that really strikes the most is the evolution Nolan and Blyth themselves. Remember him? How he thought that he was better than his fiancé and wanted to judge her? Remember her? The one who judges on first impressions? Yeah, these two flawed people are able to overcome their faults with one another's help, which is so adorable and meaningful. This relationship is definitely a keeper!

Sigh... Fluffy fairy tale retellings are always a relaxing, fun read, but only if they are done right. Too often writers incorporate too much detail or aren't able to sell their retelling. Thankfully, The Frog Prince didn't have too many problems with this. The only thing that was really annoying was the extremely rushed endings that Jenni James always ends with. Once again, the ending was kind of lame and needed more oomph to make it have greater impact. Rushed endings with quick little blah blah stuff is always a drag to read, so I really hope that the next fairy tale won't face this epidemic problem. However, this was expected, especially after this happening seven times already. Despite this minor issue, The Frog Prince is a fantastic retelling that stays true to the essence of the original while exceeding expectations with a beautiful romance that eclipses all others.

Review: Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Nobody
By Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published Published January 22nd, 2013 
Publisher: EgmontUSA 

Hardcover, 393 pages

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them. -Goodreads

Review

What if you were nobody? Someone without any friends or other relationships, and you're always forgotten it's almost like you aren't even there. That is the case for two teenagers, Claire and Nix. They grew up differently, but they are the same, they're Nobodies, invisible. Claire has parents, but they need sticky notes to remind themselves about her, so she does what she can to get by, emerging herself in imaginary situations. Nix grew up in a bare, blank room, raised by a group called the Society. His job is to assassinate Nulls, people who are the exact opposites of Nobodies, Nulls don't have feelings and can easily manipulate normal people, which is why they can be very dangerous and need to be killed. That's why Nix is sent to kill Claire, he is led to believe that she is a Null, but somehow, she can see him. That totally shocks him, and eventually he realizes that they are both Nobodies. What else has the Society hidden from him?

 I really pity both Claire and Nix, but more Nix. Both of them are very lonely, but Nix has definitely had it harder, after all he was trained to become an assassin (and a very harsh training at that). The characters of Claire and Nix are a bit meh, I mean they're lonely and unloved, but they need a bit more depth. Nix also had a much better background story that really showed you his pain and suffering, and all the wounds (literally and figuratively) that he has.

I love the idea of Nobodies, Nulls, and Sensors (people who can detect Nobodies and Nulls), and the concept of energy (or lack of) that gives them their powers. I think that it is a very unique idea, which is why I decided to give this book a try. I also like the alternating viewpoints of Claire and Nix, that way you can see how similar yet different they are from each other. The ending was just adorable (the epilogue) and so lovely. I am a bit sentimental, and I love happy endings, and this does not disappoint. After the last major battle scene, everything wraps up quite nicely, and Nix finds redemption.

The first third was kinda slow and boring, it seems to take Nix the longest time to realize that Claire is also a Null (I got kinda frustrated at how obvious it was). Finally, once that happened, they fell instantly in love. What is this folks? Yes, insta-love, that dreaded curse. I guess it may be more understandable as they are the only two Nobodies around (or are they?) and they've never met someone like them, but really. You think that maybe it would take a little bit more time for them to fall in love. Anyway, the book really picks up after the realization, and the rest is quite interesting and action packed. I also wish the Society was explained better and more in depth. 

Overall I would recommend this to anyone who likes a unique science fiction romance, with mysteries abound. 

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble /  The Book Depository

Review: Rebel Heart by Moira Young

Rebel Heart by Moira Young

Where in Series: Dust Lands #2

Published: October 30, 2012

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Pages: 432

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion. -Goodreads

4 Stars

Review

Well well well. Here I am, finally done the much anticipated sequel to Blood Red Road, and I have to say, when is the next book coming out? 

First of all, oh Saba. I feel like in this book she was less cool and badass, but that made her more realistic. Humans have flaws, and so does Saba. It is hard to defend against creeping doubts. Not only that but the ghosts of people she's killed kind of haunt her too. Also, she refuses to confide in her friends, bearing her burden alone. She doesn't want to trouble them (because they have problems of their own), but it's like really Saba? You need help (an intervention). To that extent she is also very brave and determined, but too rash in some of her decisions. I did do a facepalm (or two) concerning some of her not so bright ideas. She had her ups and her downs, but I think I liked her better in the first book (she was so much cooler).

For Rebel Heart, I almost enjoyed the development of other characters more than I enjoyed reading about Saba (especially when she annoyed me). I really liked how the characters of Tommo and DeMalo progressed (and throw in plot twists), and I just loved Emmi (she's so sweet and concerned about Saba, what a great sister). Poor Tommo, I feel like Saba should have been more honest with him and not have used his feelings to her advantage. It is hard to face some one and tell them some thing like that, but Saba should have done the right thing (she let me down). 

Also, for the most part, Lugh annoyed me. I get that he has scars, and that there is a new distance between him and Saba, but that is no reason for him to take her for crazy (she just like him is going through emotional times). He also intervenes at times when he should just shut up and go with the flow. Still, I found his subplot with Maev to be beautiful yet tragic. 

Ok, so I can't give too much away, but basically everyone's opinions about Jack do a complete 180. Admittedly, Lugh was always suspicious of Jack (after all he is the new most important guy in Saba's life, jealousy anyone?), but I was disappointed in everyone else. Especially Saba. She should have known better and trusted herself; she shouldn't have let her fears and doubts take over (yet I have to say there was some pretty damning evidence against Jack). It was kind of cliche.  

One thing that I really liked was Young's writing style. It was the same as in Blood Red Road, and by this time around, I was definitely more used to it and could get into it quicker. The language and writing easily makes this series stand out. One of the best parts was the ending. It was so sweet, yet so sinister. I am genuinely scared for Saba. Young did not disappoint, and the ending is a total cliffhanger. How will Saba's actions come back to haunt her?

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good dystopian (it's a bit more unique than others). However, I would strongly suggest reading the first book in the series, Blood Red Road, first, as to understand much of the ideas and struggles in this book that originate in the first one. Happy reading.

Date Me Blog Tour: ARC Review and Giveaway

Date Me (The Keatyn Chronicles #3) 

by Jillian Dodd 

Released: April 9th, 2013 

Publisher: Bandit Publishing

Event organized by: AToMR Tours 

I’m not scripting my life anymore.

I’m living it.

I’m done with the God of all Hotties. 

I’m going to give my heart to the boy who I think deserves it.

The boy whose kisses are hotter than molten lava. 

The boy who offered me the key to his heart.

The boy who asked me to Homecoming in a big, sexy way. 

There are so many things to look forward to. 

Parties at the Cave. Homecoming festivities. Drama Tryouts. Shopping trips to NY. 

But things aren’t always as perfect as they seem. 

I find out that my best friend has been keeping a secret from me. 

Not that I can blame him. 

I have secrets too. 

But, for now, I’m going to pretend I’m just a normal girl. 

I’m going to pretend he’s not still out there. 

I’m going to pretend he’s not getting desperate. 

I’m going to pretend I’ll never see him again. 

But, I will. And this time, I might not get away.--Goodreads

4 Stars

Review:

Ok. It's officially, the Keatyn Chronicles are like Gossip Girl, but boarding school edition! (Note: I love GG!) Keatyn is like Blair and Serena all in one person! The scandalousness of the book keeps you on your toes and wanting more. Also you get to meet the rest of the Dawson's family! 

The book starts of where the last book, Kiss Me, ended. ugh... I just realized that I have to wait months for the next novel. :( Ok so back to the review. Actually this novel is so hard to review because 1.) it's the third in a series and 2.) the series is basically like a TV show, I feel like I'll just be blabbing on about a show no one knows about.  Solution: Read the whole series! 

There's a love triangle in this novel and I hate how, even on the third book, Keatyn can't make up her mind! Arghhh ughhh! This is why love triangle frustrate me so much! #TeamAiden

My only complaint about the novel is that Keatyn has become a bit whiney since the last few novels. 

Check out my reviews of the series: Stalk Me review / Kiss Me review

Purchase this novel at: Amazon / B&N

About the Author:

Jillian Dodd grew up on a farm in Nebraska, where she developed a love for Midwestern boys and Nebraska football. She has drank from a keg in a cornfield, attended the University of Nebraska, got to pass her candle, and did have a boy ask her to marry him in a bar. She met her own prince in college, and they have two amazing children, a Maltese named Sugar Bear, and two Labrador puppies named Camber Lacy and Cali Lucy.

She is the author of the That Boy Trilogy and The Keatyn Chronicles Series.

Jillian Dodd | Facebook | Twitter

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Review: Time Walker by Meghan Ciana Diodge

Time Walker (Spirit Bound #1) 

By Meghan Ciana Diodge 

Released: December 7, 2012

Publisher: Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions 

Paperback, 188 pages 

Beth was sneaky. No lock could hold her. No cage could confine her. No door could bar her way. But, when your adoptive mother is a Spirit Binder, and all your siblings are elementals, being sneaky doesn’t really rank.

That is until the devastation of a city draws her omniscient mother’s attention, and her siblings go missing one by one, then Beth’s sneakiness is the only thing standing between her, her loved ones, and the worst enemy she’ll ever face: herself.

-----------

Time Walker is a 50,000-word young adult fantasy novel filled with magic, angst, and a kiss of romance. Loyalty and the bond between siblings, whether blood-related or not, is the backbone of this coming of age tale set a thousand years after spirit (aka magic) rises to take back the world in an apocalyptic event. It is the first book in the Spirit Bound series.

Written by Meghan Ciana Doidge (After The Virus, Spirit Binder) the novel begins ten years after the events of Spirit Binder, and though it's not necessary to read Spirit Binder before reading Time Walker it may give some extra background to the world and adult characters. Spirit Binder is written for a mature young adult or adult audience. --Goodreads

4 Stars

Review:

What makes the fantasy genre so magical is the magic a person finds within each book. A large majority of fantasy novels, YA or adult, contain vivid scenery with swooping medieval castles; rounded out characters full of angst and love; and best of all, the hocus pocus that makes the impossible happen. Time Walker was a powerful fantasy book that surprisingly enraptured me while reading and tested the limits for some societal issues.

The world of Time Walker is one with immense magical capabilities. Literally. Nearly all of the characters introduced are prodigious magic users who can manipulate their surroundings. However, Beth is not one of them. Unlike the rest of her adoptive family members, Beth only seems to have the power to unlock locks with her mind. It is a handy power, but by no means even close to the powers that her siblings and parents have, ranging from controlling people's feelings to controlling the elements. In a way, Time Walker is one of those underdog stories, with Beth rising up from the ashes to totally kick the evil's butt. Still, there is way more to the story that just draws the reader in so easily.

Antagonists are so easy to dislike and it is definitely no exception here. However, the conflict between Beth and her foe is one that runs so deep, so it is frightening to read. I have never felt so desperate and anxious for a heroine in a long time until now. Beth is a fierce heroine that is easily likable and root-able (?). While she does make many mistakes along the way, her resolve to save her family from the entity kidnapping her family members is what makes her stand out. Unlike many other heroines whose words don't follow their actions, Beth keeps her word and stays consistent throughout the novel. With so many weak, push-over heroines out there in the YA book world, it's refreshing to have a kick-butt female protagonist to root for.

Many of the mistakes that are made throughout the novel are ones that test the boundaries of morals. We see  one example in Beth having a crush on her adoptive brother. Although they are technically not blood-related, it can become quite uncomfortable to see Beth yearning for her brother. This "incest" isn't really portrayed in a positive or negative light, which is a nice change from the typical societal rant. Despite this mini-rant, the true focus of this book isn't the "incest," it's the familial love that we see between Beth and her siblings. I do say that there are so many siblings to keep track of, so at times I was extremely confused over who was who. It isn't something that major in the plot of the book, but the many references left me flipping back to match the faces to the powers.

My only truly serious complaint about Time Walker is the under-development of many of the characters. Besides Beth and her love interest, Finn, it was extremely difficult to understand the decisions of many characters. I never really understood the siblings or the mother of this enormous family, Theo, but I expect to find out more in the spin-off, Spirit Binder, which is to focus on Theo's childhood. Part of the problem was having too many siblings to keep track of. There wasn't really too many children, but there was more than enough for a shorter book. 

Time Walker is a book that will completely take you over for the few pages that it has. The advantage of shorter stories is that they tend to have all of the unnecessary details chopped out. This book was extremely short, as seen by the 188 pages, and every page of dialogue or action was so worth it. While the ending was neatly wrapped with a bowtie, many other questions lie ahead that I cannot wait to discover in Spirit Bound. If anyone likes fantasy, I would totally recommend this book for a refreshing change in the YA fantasy with the girl leading the way, like a true warrior. Ending this powerful book full of revenge, incest, and hatred, is a neatly tied up prologue that leaves nothing remaining, thankfully. I beg you, if you enjoy reading, you need to try this book as soon as possible.

Purchase Time Walker here: Amazon (Kindle)/ B&N (Nook)

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Published: Nov. 11, 2011 by Harper

Hardcover, 338 pages

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. --GoodReads

Review

Shatter Me is a dramatic, beautifully written story of a girl who is given the chance to hope, smile, and laugh once more. It's emotional, heartening, and many times, very DEPRESSING. And a bit very really uber repetitive. To those of you who have read the book, you will understand my stylistic joke.

Okay, so I know a lot of people out in the YA novel world think that this novel was "ahbsolutelygoodohmygawditwassodramaticandallthat." I can't say that it was perfection, but I would like to point out a few things. For those new and have yet to read it, I would suggest "Go for it!," but I shall warn you. It is quite, no, VERY d r a m a t i c. With an extra "-uh-"

That's my representation of the story in about three pictures. Oh, I kid, I kid. But really.

Soooo, for the new people around town that just skipped to the review. The story's about a girl, Juliette, who's lived a life without love - even from her parents! Yippee, that sounds like just a SWELL childhood. She's completely good, and takes crap from people around her just because of one thing. When she touches people, she kills them. Sorta like Rogue from X-Men. Except that she's blond, 5'3, can't fly, and just kills them (you know, instead of making them pass out.)

But, oh, hey! They both end up wearing dorky jumpsuits!! Oh, and every man she encounters, which is a lot,  by the way, thinks she's "stunning, gorgeous, beautiful." Yeeeeet, she can't see for herself that she's attractive. I don't understand YA heroines. JUST LOOK IN THE MIRROR. If you're gorgeous, you KNOW you're gorgeous. Don't beat around the bush. Just admit it. No body likes an indecisive girl.

But anyway. Juliette is really an unstable (sort of annoying) girl. It's narrated in her POV, so we get to hear her innermost thoughts! My joke from before was that Tahereh's writing style was to depict the story such a way that looks like the notebook she writes in all the time. There are fragments that make no sense, yet still work with the story. Those things are fine.

My only real pet-peeve is that she crosses out thoughts she thinks she shouldn't be thinking ALL THE TIME!!!!! It happens at least 4-5 times per chapter.  It's really annoying. No it's super annoying. Terribly horrible. And then you can barely read the letters because the darn line is right in front of eeverything so how are you really supposed to tell an "E" from a "C" in lowercase????

One more thing. This book is really emotional and deep so if you flip to a random page in the middle and start reading aloud to your friends, you'll probably burst out laughing because you won't know what's going on. I feel like you have to have understood the plot line and be really into it in order to feel the emotions that Juliette is trying to convey. Otherwise, it's just silly.

NOT TO MENTION, Adam (the love interest) and Juliette enjoy each other's presence. A LOT. Probably way too much. Every other chapter they're going at it like rabbits.

Frankly, I'm surprised it's still a YA novel.  Shut yer eyes, you little kids that shouldn't be reading YA lit!!

However, I cannot deny this book's addictive quality. Although the drama may be a little over the top, I can't ignore the fact that I couldn't put it down! Setting the cliché factor aside and an author who may have went a little too happy with the "strike-through" option, this book was over all pretty good. I would suggest this to anyone willing to give an emotional/feels book a try and/or loves Rogue from X-Men.

Order Shatter Me at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository

Things I Can’t Forget Blog Tour: Review of Things I Can’t Forget plus a Bonus

Things I Can't Forget (Hundred Oaks #3) 

By Miranda Kenneally

Publication: March 1st 2013 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Format via NetGalley

Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.

Some Rules Were Meant To Be Broken.

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt…with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…--Goodreads

Note: Mature themes, sexual situations, religious discussions.

4 Stars

Review:

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel! Everything in this review are my own opinions.

I HATED Kate. I know this is an incredibly negative approach to writing a review, but just deal with it for now and let me explain. It took me most of the book to like her. I thought she was judgmental and she wasn't open to things. For Kate, everything can only be seen and done one way. I kept reading this book mainly because of the other characters, like Matt and Parker and Will. (BTW Parker and Will are from Stealing Parker, which is my favorite of the Hundred Oaks series:) But the more I read, the more I hated Kate. There were parts were I liked her, but for the most part she wasn't a likable person. Then I got towards the end and really started to like Kate.

Ahhh Matt! All the guys in Hundred Oaks are awesome. But some of the guys stories I want to hear are Ryan's (Parker's older brother), Brian's (The coach from Stealing Parker. I wonder what happened to him), and Brad (from Things I can't Forget. Is he with Andrea now? I thought we didn't like her). Matt didn't judge Kate and did the cutest things for her, such as sleeping outside her cabin when she didn't want to sleep with everyone else at Dogwood. I really liked how Matt and Kate went to camp together when they were 11 and now found each other again! I'm such a sucker for cute things like that. :)

I love how Miranda Kenneally's novels are all about finding yourself and truly thinking about what YOU believe in. Kate was just trying to listen to what she was taught and when she didn't, she thought she sinned. Unlike the other Hundred Oaks novels, you might not like the protagonist right away, but she does make you think about your life and what you believe in.

Purchase this novel at: Amazon / B&N / TBD

About the Author:

Miranda Kenneally writes and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. She is also the co-creator of the website DearTeenMe.com. You can visit her at www.mirandakenneally.com or @mirandakennealy.

BONUS Part of the Post!

Top Ten Secret List - Learn about ten upcoming characters from THINGS I CAN'T FORGET and RACING SAVANNAH (Dec. 2013)

1. Kate Kelly: Kate is the heroine of THINGS I CAN’T FORGET. Kate is 18, a recent high school graduate, and she’s working as the arts and crafts director at a summer camp, where she meets up with Matt Brown, the boy who gave her her first kiss.


2. Matt Brown: Matt is the love interest in THINGS I CAN’T FORGET. Matt is 20, in a fraternity, and plays the guitar. He’s also training to run a marathon barefoot! He’s getting over a bad breakup with his ex-girlfriend when he meets Kate. Is Kate really the girl for him, or will dating again just lead to more heartbreak?

3. Emily Mansfield: Emily is Kate’s former best friend. They got into a fight after high school, and without her, Kate doesn’t know who she is anymore.

4. Ian Hot Boy With No Last Name: In THINGS I CAN’T FORGET, Ian is the wild crazy guy who cracks me up. He likes to fool around with his girlfriend in inappropriate places and refers to many people as “douches,” but he has a big heart and a soft side. I never gave him a last name, but I love him. Ha!

5. Parker Shelton: In STEALING PARKER, Parker doesn’t have many girlfriends. In THINGS I CAN’T FORGET, she doesn’t get along with Kate at first, but as they get to know each other, is there a chance for a real friendship?

6. Savannah Barrow: Savannah is the heroine of RACING SAVANNAH. She’s 17, a senior in high school, and she works at a high-stakes horse farm, doing everything from hauling hay to shoveling manure to mopping floors. She’s been living in the servants’ quarters all her life, but she wants nothing more than to become an exercise rider and work with the horses that compete in big races like the Kentucky Derby.

7. Jack Goodwin: Jack is the farm owner’s sexy son. Jack is being groomed to take over the farm one day, so his father makes him manage the estate and staff. Even though he’s attracted to Savannah, Jack knows he won’t be considered a responsible, gentlemanly farm owner if he goes after a member of his staff.

8. Marcus Winchester: Marcus is the villain of RACING SAVANNAH. Marcus is a rival farm owner’s son, and he has a past history with Savannah, which doesn’t make Jack too happy.

9. Rory Whitfield: Rory works on the horse farm in RACING SAVANNAH. He’s the younger brother of Will Whitfield (Corndog!) from STEALING PARKER. Rory lives next door to Jack and Savannah and he’s Savannah’s closest friend. Rory is in the drama club and wants to sell a screenplay to Hollywood.

10. Vanessa Green: Vanessa is the younger sister of Ty Green, the love interest from CATCHING JORDAN. Vanessa has a thing for Rory Whitfield… and is rather shocked that Rory has Star Wars sheets and sleeps with a Chewbacca stuffed animal.

Review: Talented by Sophie Davis

Talented (Talented Saga #1)
By Sophie Davis 

Released: January 11, 2012 

eBook, 281 pages

When Talia Lyons was just a child, her parents were murdered before her eyes. Offered a choice between accepting their fate and exacting revenge, Talia trains to become one of the country’s deadliest assassins in order to kill the man responsible for their deaths: Ian Crane. Luckily, Talia was born with a gift- the ability to read and influence the minds of others. At sixteen, Talia is poised to graduate from the McDonough School for the Talented, where she learned to control her abilities. Now there is only one obstacle standing between her and the retribution she craves... Talia herself.

Her greatest asset may also be her undoing; while a formidable weapon in the field, Talia’s talents prevent her from both shutting off the mental connection she shares with her questionable boyfriend and blocking out the thoughts of a beguiling fellow recruit. But Talia can’t afford to have the feelings and distractions of a normal teenage girl, when her life is far from normal.

She must regain the single-minded determination that has brought her this far, or it may cost Talia her life when she finally faces Crane. And even after being molded in to a weapon of war, she’ll still have to find the strength it takes to pull the trigger.

If James Bond and Sookie Stackhouse had a love child with a yearning for vengeance, her story would be TALENTED: an adventure about powerful teenagers who aren’t afraid to embrace their fears and fight for what they believe in. --Goodreads

4 Stars

Review

There are times when books that have summaries that interest you, but not in the way that the author probably intended. The whole little snippet at the end talking about James Bond and Sookie Stackhouse's love child is what had me sold. It wasn't like I wanted them to have a love child, that wouldn't be a pleasant experience, it was more that the writer of this blurb clearly wanted to prove that this book would meet the ridiculously high expectations placed upon it by comparing it to James Bond and Sookie Stackhouse, and I intended to determine whether it was a deserving honor or a farce.

The story begins with Natalia "Tal" proving herself as an expert 'Talented' who can kick butt with her mental capabilities. Whoo-hoo! Natalia is introduced along with the group she is assigned to as she is training to be a Hunter, which includes the ever-responsible Henri and the playboy Erik. With her childhood friend boyfriend, Donovan, and her new best friend, Penny, it seems as if Tal's life is an average one, even with the whole Hunter thing. In fact, Tal's life is a little too simplistic in this radically different dystopian world with people with superpowers. Soon enough, Tal is quickly caught into the net forcing her to challenge her ideals and the sacrifices she will have to make to finish her retribution. On a side note, the guy who killed her parents is kind of important here, but then again not really.

This summary that I have crafted is full of contradicting statements. I know, it is ridiculous. Well, the reason for that is because truthfully, I have no idea how to describe the basic plot. There are shifts from epic fighting scenes that deserved more description and detail to cute girly scenes about fashion and nail polish to highly emotional scenes that either make me want to smile or want to puke. So many descriptions to choose from, so how am I supposed to decide?

One of the things that I struggled with most was the emotions that a scene would try to evoke. Sometimes the author succeeded in her goal with certain scenes, while at other times, not so much. For example, Tal's questionable boyfriend is a playboy and everyone knows it, but her. Despite the fact that they know it will crush her, the teammates that Tal lives with, Henri and Erik, don't even tell her because they are afraid that it would ruin the karma within the group! In other words, they think that Tal is too weak to handle her cheating boyfriend, so they just let him continue cheating on her! It is ridiculous and totally hypocritical for a book that seems to advertise the girl power. 

There were scenes that had made me start tearing a bit, though they were few and far between. When Tal, Henri, and Erik are assigned a Kill Mission to assassinate a scientist, the author was able to capture the conflicting emotions that everyone was experiencing. Most books about spies and assassins tend to skim over the nitty gritty emotional conflict one may experience when killing another human being, but Talented instead used it to make the characters that originally seemed too uppity become more relatable. 

Even with all of the flip-flopping feelings I had about the characters and their decisions, Talented was an extremely enjoyable book. At times, it was hard to decipher what direction the author intended to take it. One of the most important characteristic that a protagonist must have is to be flawed, which Tal excels in. Her mistakes and teeny bit of arrogance make her a heroine I love to cheer for because it is always a surprise whether or not she succeeds. The dystopian world that Tal lives in is one that is quite fascinating, full of facets, that I cannot wait to discover when continuing on with this series!

Talented is free here: Amazon (Kindle)/ B&N (Nook)