All I Need by Susane Colasanti

Title: All I Need
Author: Susane Colasanti
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 21st, 2013
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Acquired: BEA 2013
Age Group: Young Adult

The last night of summer is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever

My first Susane Colasanti novel and I must say, this was worth it! A quick, fast, fun read about summer romancing. While I may never have one (then again, we can never say never) it was interesting the way this novel played out. Believe me, the line waiting (and the sore feet) I had to do at BEA in order to get this book was well worth it.

When Skye meets Seth, it's a summer romance waiting to happen. Skye, though, is still a high school junior, while Seth is off to college. Not only that, but they have their socioeconomic differences that come between the two throughout the novel.

While simple, this book still touched on a lot of really important and real life issues; not just for those in high school, but those in college.

I absolutely adored the changes in point of view throughout the book. Between Skye and Seth, I had a lot of fun getting into the mind of a guy.

The whole thing was entertaining and made me like this book a whole lot more.

Colasanti is wonderful.

Black Dawn by Rachel Caine

Title: Black Dawn
Author: Rachel Caine
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Publisher: NAL Trade
Pages: 367
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Glass House, The Dead Girl's Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out, Kiss of Death, Ghost Town, Bite Club, and Last Breath
Age Group: Young Adult

Ever since the draug—mysterious creatures that prey on vampires—took over Morganville, the lives of student Claire Danvers and her friends have been thrown into turmoil. Most of the town’s residents have evacuated, but Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael have chosen to stay and fight.Using the city’s water system to spread, the draug have rapidly multiplied. Things in Morganville look grim, especially since vampire Amelie—the town founder—has been infected by the master draug’s bite.

Now, if Claire and her friends don’t figure out how to cure Amelie and defeat the draug, it looks like Morganville will become little more than a ghost town…

Morganville is falling apart, but Rachel Caine is truly building something even cooler.

Things are heating up or watering up now with the draug slowly taking over Morganville. Now that the gang and pretty much the whole time are cornered up, an attack has to be placed in order to take back their town.

I still love how Rachel Caine is mixing it up by changing point of views. Unlike the other ones that started out slowly with one point of view here and there, and then giving whole chapters, but still focusing heavily on Claire, to giving a lot of equal time to many of the characters.

Things between Eve and Michael are a little rocky, Amelie is falling deeper and deeper into her sickness, Oliver has sort of taken over/fawning over Amelie, Shane is protective, Myrinn might be in love with Claire, and the said Claire is trying to make it another day.

Yep. Caine knows how to keep the interest in the series. I love how she added this, just so effortlessly, while still closing up what remind of the last few story-lines.

I'm very excited the way things are going. The story is getting more and more complex, the characters more interesting (or in the case of Eve, more annoying) and I am truly sad knowing that the series is coming to an end soon, because I don't know what I'll do knowing that I won't have my favorite quartet to look forward to.

Le sigh. You win some you lose some, I guess. 

Last Breath by Rachel Caine

Title: Last Breath
Author: Rachel Caine
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 1st, 2011
Publisher: NAL Trade
Pages: 335
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Glass House, The Dead Girl's Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out, Kiss of Death, Ghost Town and Bite Club
Age Group: Young Adult

With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely

Rachel Caine does it again by blowing me away!

Usually, in a series that is this long, I always fear that the interest will die away and that the characters will no longer be interesting, but that is not the case with this book series. If anything, they just keep getting better and better.

I absolutely love how Caine changes things up, which is why things become so interesting, I feel. Now the readers are no longer just looking at Claire's point of view, but looking into Shane, Eve, Michael, and even Amelie. Now that was interesting, to say the least.

As for Eve and Michael, all I can say is that the chick is really grinding on my last nerve. I mean, marriage, really? She was okay in the beginning, but now she's just irritating me and I really don't like her. And then she has this bad habit of complaining on just about everything and all I can think is, Why is she still around?

Shane and Claire are just as cute as ever.

Of course, things took an interesting twist that left me, well, with my last breath (no pun intended). Caine finds new and better ways to keep the interest alive, and she is winning.

Bite Club by Rachel Caine

Title: Bite Club
Author: Rachel Caine
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 3rd, 2011
Publisher: NAL Trade
Pages: 340
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Glass House, The Dead Girl's Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out, Kiss of Death, and Ghost Town
Age Group: Young Adult

After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.

There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare—knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other—or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire—accompanied by her friends and frenemies—to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville...

Just when I thought that Rachel Caine could not surprise me more, she does it again, but this time two fold. Not only are we reading about Claire and all her adventures, but now we even get Shane's point of view. And things are getting a little tense.

The whole book kept me on edge, as Shane fell further and further down a road of no return, while Claire scrambles to find a way to bring him back. When a new gym opens up, things with Shane begin to change as he begins to change.

And an old enemy returns, one that many faithful readers would be very familiar with.

As much as I love this book, I was also starting to get irritated with Eve. For once, I was really wishing that she wasn't around because she just annoyed me and I have a bad feeling that she will continue to irk me for the rest of the book series.

Every time she appeared, I just had to roll my eyes because she was a thorn on my side.

Besides that, I honestly liked the book. A lot of things in Morganville are going to change and I'm a little excited to see just what happens!

Ghost Town by Rachel Caine

Title: Ghost Town
Author: Rachel Caine
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 26th, 2010
Publisher: NAL Trade
Pages: 338
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Glass House, The Dead Girl's Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out, and Kiss of Death
Age Group: Young Adult

While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re-establish the field around this vampire-infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders.

But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are-even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment- before she forgets how to save Morganville...

As many of you know, I was reading these books in volumes as they came out, but it has been well over a year since the last volume was released and I was getting impatient and needed my Morganville fix, so instead of waiting, I just got the rest of the books individually. Now, I'm just waiting for the last one.

And what a fix I needed. I have been on a nonstop Morganville Vampires marathon since I got the books, which for those of you that follow me on Instagram know that I got a lot of them.

First can I say how much I love the cover? I looked back at some of the covers for the earlier books, and this I have to say is so much better. The other books that followed afterwards also look amazing. And I love the color schemes that they got going on.

Now, to the story. Rachel Caine has developed the characters beautifully. Even though it has been awhile since I last read anything Morganville I love how I'm able to pick this up and still be able to remember everything that occurred in the last novels. And I'm able to remember how the characters are and compare them to now. It's crazy how things happen.

I'm so glad there was much more of Amelie and Oliver.

Also, is it just me or do the vampires get much deadlier in this book and those that follow? I feel like they do, which just reminds me how vampires are supposed to be. Deadly and fierce.

Rachel Caine is a genius and I absolutely love this series. I love it so, so much!

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: The Lonely Hearts Club
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 1st, 2010
Publisher: Point
Pages: 290
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

This is the first time I'm reading an Elizabeth Eulberg book, even though pretty much all her books are on my TBR pile and I am really excited I got to read this.

This was a quick read and I found it incredibly enjoyable.

Penny was a fantastic girl. She had a lot to work on and I'm glad she was able to grow from all her experiences. I kind of wish there had been a Lonely Hearts Club in my school, or that I had been smart enough to do one myself. I felt bad for her, but I was glad that she was able to move forward from that jerk.

I also learned a lot about the Beatles from her Beatles-loving-slightly-obsessed-parents. There were some characters that really surprised me, and I was glad about that. Eulberg didn't make her novel blatantly obvious. She had a lot of good tricks up her sleeves that brought the novel to life in interesting ways.

If you haven't read this book yet, don't waste time and I get going! It is unforgettable!

Weather Witch by Shannon Delany

Title: Weather Witch
Author: Shannon Delany
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: June 25th, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 336
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Netgalley
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

In a vastly different and darker Philadelphia of 1844, steam power has been repressed, war threatens from deep, dark waters, and one young lady of high social standing is expecting a surprise at her seventeenth birthday party–but certainly not the one she gets!

Jordan Astraea, who has lived out all of her life in Philadelphia’s most exclusive neighborhood, is preparing to celebrate her birthday with friends, family and all the extravagance they might muster. The young man who is most often her dashing companion, Rowen Burchette, has told her a surprise awaits her and her best friend, Catrina Hollindale, wouldn’t miss this night for all the world!

But storm clouds are gathering and threatening to do far more than dampen her party plans because someone in the Astraea household has committed the greatest of social sins by Harboring a Weather Witch.

My very first Steampunk!

I wasn't sure how to take this book at first, since I've never actually read any steampunk before so I had nothing to compare it to. I found it interesting, confusing at times, and I had to keep reminding myself that this was an alternative timeline to that of the actual time period, which I found annoying.

I liked the protagonist, Jordan, a lot. She developed beautifully. I liked everything from the beginning as it started to fall together nicely. The only reason I won't give it five stars is because of just how long it took me to get really into it.

Originally, I made it through the first few pages without a glitch, but I wasn't excited about it and I ended up putting the book down for a few days. I didn't get gripped in from the beginning, and when I picked it up again, it took me awhile to get through some of the pages to finally get into the tale.

As the novel started to develop I found myself enjoying it a lot! I liked the characters, plot line, and everything else about it. A slow start, but it's worth going through all the muddy parts to get to the good.

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours 

Title: Deeper We Fall

Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Release Date: January 24th, 2013

Publisher: DRC Publishing 

Pages: 280

Format: Electronic Copy

Acquired: From Author 

Interest: Series

Age Group: Young Adult

Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.

Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face.

Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen.

The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache.

 Acceptance. Forgiveness. Love. Redemption.

This novel really took me by surprise. It was interesting reading it, after not reading for what feels like a long time. It was a "wake up" call, in a sense, because I almost forgot what it was like to read something so well written with characters that take you in right away. This novel swept me away from the beginning and I was happy to get the chance to review it.

Lottie's life is all about moving on and forgetting, ever since a car accident that left her best friend with a traumatic brain injury. She feels like college is just the escape that she needs, until the men responsible for the car accident reappear in her life. One who enjoys to bring back the cruel past that Lottie thought she could leave behind, and the other who she finds herself attracted to.

But is two years enough to forgive? And if not, is there ever a chance for such a thing? These are the questions that Lottie is facing as she realizes that there are two roads ahead of her: One that would involve running from her past or the other that would open the doors to those that have hurt her.

This novel opened up a lot of questions and the way that Cameron drove these characters I felt was great. I loved them all (Zack only because he lived up to his reputation), and Cameron didn't make the choice that Lottie had to face very obvious; the readers were kept at the edge of their seat the whole time.

I would recommend this book heavily.

Surface by Tiffany Daune

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Surface
Author: Tiffany Daune
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: February 1st, 2013
Publisher: Noble Young Adult
Pages: 252
Acquired: For Review
Format: Electronic Copy
Age Group: Young Adult

Bound to the water bound to land, a Siren’s soul will never be safe on either side of the ocean’s surface. Hidden beneath the rolling waves lies the secret to Theia’s past and as she unveils each haunting truth, she realizes the last seventeen years of her life have been a lie. Now, drawn into a mysterious new world and with nowhere to turn, Theia must place her trust in Luc, a beautiful boy who stops her heart with each dazzling smile, but even his unearthly charm can’t hide the truth—he has secrets— dark secrets binding him to his world—an underwater world where Theia will never belong—a world determined to destroy her soul.

I have to say, I don't read many books on sirens but when I do, I am rarely disappointed. This book was no exception to the fact.

When Theia is kidnapped by strangers, unsure of why or what they will do to her, they throw her into the water, and she's saved by Luc, the main love interest. Soon, Theia discovers that not everything is what it seems.

The novel took me in right away. I'm a huge fan of various points of views because, while I am a fan of first person, there's a lot more that goes on with different versions. The changes helped the story a lot and for the most part I felt pulled it together nicely.

I was a fan of Theia. She grew on me rather quickly and I liked seeing the different stages she went through and it helped me a lot, as the reader, understanding her. Daune takes the time to develop her beautifully.

Another thing I am a huge fan of is the mythologies that each author takes the time to develop. I love it even more when they do it right and not confuse the reader. It was a great addition to the tale and cleaned up a lot of questions.

If you aren't a mermaid fan, I recommend you read this because you may just change your opinion on the mermaid mythology. I'm surprised this genre hasn't blown up yet!

Love's Forbidden Flower by Diane Rinella

 

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Love's Forbidden Flower
Author: Diane Rinella
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 28th, 2012
Publisher: Midnight to six
Pages: 309
Format: Electronic
Acquired: From Author; Blog Tour
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

The heart cares not what society forbids.

Lily nurtures a secret love for a flawless man—the one who is her soul mate. Donovan is gorgeous, charismatic, and delights in all of Lily’s talents and quirks. Their innate knowledge of each other is almost telepathic. Together they interlock like fine threads creating luxurious silk.

But society dictates this picture-perfect adoration is the ghastliest of all possibilities.

As Lily embarks on a quest for the romance the heavens intended, her suitor turns reluctant. Desperate to uncover why Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hiding decayed from a tender-hearted gentleman into a ferociously self-serving, cocky bastard, Lily is prepared for battle when it comes to the salvation of her soul mate. However, Donovan traps Lily in a mental game of chess, leaving her to question his sanity. When Lily’s revelations about Donovan’s destructive alter ego lead to an inconceivable truth, can she help Donovan survive fate’s cruel joke?

Impassioned, witty, and deeply moving, Love’s Forbidden Flower is filled with stunning controversies that will forever haunt your heart

I honestly don't even know how to start this review or even what to say in general.

To me, Rinella presented a wonderfully crafted tale that you expect to be just a simple ride and are instead blown into another world of love. And her writing! I'm in love. The way she wrote and showed Lily's murky thoughts put me straight into Lily's shoes.

There was a lot to take in: Sadness, happiness, romance, depression, confusion, patience - a whirlwind of other emotions that I started to question my own sanity.

When Lily gets trapped into a vicious game for the sake of her mind and the man she loves, how far will she go to get back what belongs to her? I wasn't sure how this story would play out and I had my doubts about even finishing it, because the confusion that I was sure would come. It's not easy to write a novel that leaves the reader trying to follow into the confusing haze that the characters live in, but when an author can do it, they can present a wonderful book.

Rinella takes the reader into a mind-playing game and the ending. Goosebumps. There really isn't much I can say, except to be prepared, I guess is the best way I can put it. Take it all in and just be prepared for anything because this book is not what it seems.

The Kings of Charleston by Kat H. Clayton

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: The Kings of Charleston
Author: Kat H. Clayton
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: July 10th, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 348
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Casper Whitley is forced to move to Charleston, South Carolina where she’ll be the new kid her senior year of high school. Casper’s upset about the move until she meets the Roman family’s gorgeous son, Cal, but there’s a problem. A mystery surrounds him which can be summed up in one word…Kythera. Never heard of it? Neither has Casper until she finds the word tattooed on cars, paintings and all her new friends.

After Casper’s life is threatened, someone is forced to tell the truth about her parents, the Romans and Kythera’s motives for her being in Charleston. Once the truth is revealed, she must decide whether to protect her family and Kythera’s secrets or walk away from everything she has ever known

A fun mixture of romance and mystery all thrown together into one big novel, where a central theme keeps asking the same question and wondering what is going on.

When Casper moves to Charleston, South Carolina she finds more there than what she had originally anticipated, especially when it comes to Cal and his family. And when it comes to the town as a whole and the one mysterious word: Kythera.

Why I liked the mystery aspect of this so well is that Clayton didn't say that 2+ blank = 5. She gave an entire equation into the mystery instead of laying it out for the reader to see, and that added to the tangled mystery and how it worked to the benefit of the story as a whole.

Her writing, on top of that, was amazing. The words connected and drew the readers in from page one. The one thing that kept going was on what Kythera meant, and just who was Casper herself.

And of course the story between Casper and Cal - well, I'm always a sucker for a good romance. 

While there were a lot of great aspects to the story, some parts left me a little shaky. One of them had to deal with the characters. Her writing was well, but sometimes I kept going back to the characters and seeing that there wasn't much development at all. While resolutions may have happened, I didn't see the growth that I would have liked.

And I think what set my teeth on edge a little was what happened in the end. I know this is a series, especially since book 2 is about to be released, so I wasn't expecting the wrap up that happened in this book until the last one or at least to let it hang over into the second novel. Yet, Clayton closed up like that was the final and even beginning a new plot, or at least from where I stood that's how it felt like.

Despite these moments, I still found the book enjoyable enough to make it to the end and even anticipate the second book.

Fraction of Stone by Kelley Lynn

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Fraction of Stone
Author: Kelley Lynn
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: March 21st, 2013
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Pages: 293
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Wind tunnels, torrential rains and earthquakes tear apart Casden. The cause of the world’s imbalance is unknown, but the mounting occurrences suggest there’s little time before life ceases to exist.

Rydan Gale and Akara Nazreth are the only humans with the ability to wield magic. The tattoo on their necks and the discovery of an ancient book, dictate they are the key to the world’s survival.

But the greatest obstacle for saving mankind isn’t the bizarre creatures, extreme betrayals and magic-fearing men hunting them.

It’s that Akara doesn’t believe the world is worth saving

I have to say, I don't know what I loved more about this novel. The romance between Akara and Rydan or the plot that just take the reader away into another place.

Lynn really had me impressed me from the gripping beginning when Rydan finds Akara in jail, and the moment he sees her he knows that he has to take her with him. After Rydan takes Akara to his instructor, they both try to find answers to who they are: magic welding Namaqua people, the last two, actually, remaining in the world.

When they find out that they have the ability to save the world, Akara is not interested. The girl has had a rough life and doesn't want to save a world that has abused her greatly.

And the journey and adventure that they take throughout the tale, facing crazy whether and evil Faris, who have been angered by Rydan's action in taking Akara in the first place.

The world made is wonderful and full of such imagination, I really want to know where Lynn got all this from.

This story sweeps you away in another place that you never been before and it is just wonderful. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Disconnect by Imran Siddiq

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Disconnect
Author: Imran Siddiq
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 27th, 2013
Publisher: Flickimp Publishing
Pages: 277
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Dirtying fingernails in sewers is fast approaching worthlessness for Zachary, a 16-year old Underworld scavenger. When footage of an Overworld girl, Rosa, is discovered, his intrigue heightens at why she expresses sadness with a lavish lifestyle.

In meeting Rosa, Zachary is scorned by her opinion of the deprived. She pities him and provides a means for them to communicate. With time, friendship and something he’s never felt grows; love for another human. Knowing Rosa calls him when it suits her isn’t enough; he wants to meet her, but how? Relationships in Underworld are few, let alone the impossibility with those above the ceiling.

Underworld will suffer when plans to conquer Jupiter’s moon, Europa move ahead. Worse is Rosa’s father, a disgraced Overworld ambassador, approving the plan.

Zachary must defeat the prejudice of the worlds, sneak within opposing forces, lose friends and challenge Rosa’s sadness. In doing so, a twisted secret is uncovered that may devour the reason he lives; Rosa.

In space, love had boundaries.

So, anyone who reads this blog knows that I am not a space fan. I really don't like books that center too much on space because it feels like there's too much alien and very bad connections with franchises I just don't like. So I tend to just keep to certain space books (although there is an exception to my rule but that's for another day).

But I am glad this book was very surprising in the way things turned out.

Zachary lives in the Underworld with his father where he spends his day rummaging through the trash that was dropped off from the Overworld in order to find materials to sell off. This is the way that Zachary is able to put food on the table. One day when he finds a communication device filled with materials about a girl from another place; one where Zachary wants to meet her and see.

His obsession over her and it doesn't help when he actually meets her. That's when things get rolling.

Siddiq has created an original world filled with political unrest and a divide that goes beyond even the scope of space.

When those at the top give orders to get rid of the Underworld people - who are considered nothing more than just garbage - everything falls to pieces quickly, and the worse part is that those on top will stop at nothing to get rid of those at the bottom. And one of those people is the Rosa's father himself.

It was simple and clean, and I liked the fact that the story was able to grow and the characters develop at a nice pace. I was surprised by how much I actually liked it and I would recommend this to just about anyone else who is a space lover but not a lover of alien attacks and the like.

Siddiq works to create a wonderful masterpiece.

The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H. Smith

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: The Crimson Hunt
Author: Victoria H. Smith
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 8th, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 340
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

Another awesome tour by an awesome author presented by the amazing Giselle.

I really didn't expect myself to like it, which is bad, I know, but sometimes I get that feeling, like this book just won't be good. I'm glad to say my feelings about this novel were incorrect. I thoroughly found myself enjoying this novel from page one until the very end.

Ariel and Luca just left sparks in their wake and this twist on sci-fi is crazy. I know this is supposed to be "New Adult" but since I'm so against this new age group (even though, technically speaking, I am a part of it) I'm just not listing it as such.

So, I want to start with the cover. It draws people in and it is captivating and really tells a story. And I just love the red; it just looks beautiful and makes the cover 100% more attractive.

Now, onto the story. So, this book pretty much starts out dull. I'm just going to lay it all out there. It feels normal, it sounds normal; you may as well just call it normal. But there's the rub with Ms. Smith, because the novel is anything but that (it has to be because it's also classified as Paranormal and I do not do false advertisement).

I thought by now that I would be getting sick of this "cold" "distant" "bad boy" thing that keeps appearing again and again in YA fiction, but I was surprised to find that I really did like the way that Smith ended up working it in with Luca. There was so many times that Luca and Ariel should have just gotten together and I wanted to smack someone.

This is a novel that keeps you guessing and every time you think you have figured it out it proves you wrong. I'm actually looking forward to the second book!

This was a great novel. I recommend it to all.

I Am Alive by Cameron Jace

   I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: I Am Alive
Author: Cameron Jace
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: May 23rd, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 267
Format: Electronic
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Sixteen-year-old Decca Tenderstone feels captivated when she meets Leo, who is arrogant, silent, beautiful, and shoots almost every one he meets.

the usual boring girl meets badboy story... hmm... with a twist ...

They live in a dystopian future in Los Angeles where every sixteen-year-old is ranked on a scale from one to ten to determine their future. Outranks, who are considered a danger to society, are forced to attend the Monster Show, a brutal sacrificing ritual that is broadcasted worldwide on live TV, where rebellious teens are labelled Bad Kidz or Monsters and get to fight for their lives in deadly games.

To prove that you're still alive you have to scream I Am Alive every six hours. Lower your voice, and you're dead.

Decca doesn't need Leo's company. She has secrets of her own. While they both can't stand each other, she will find out why she doesn't fit into any rank.

Nothing will stand in her way as she has to make choices concerning love, life, staying alive, growing up, and finding out who she really is

I'm not sure what to say. This book...was something else.

I've been hearing a lot of comparison to The Hunger Games, and while in some aspect I can see that, at the same time I feel like this book was too different from THG.

In this society rank matters, especially when considering the type of government that runs it. Going into a battle ground with monsters is not a way I would enjoy spending my time.

The one thing that I would consider is the hot mess of grammar. It was really hard to get through this piece actually because all I could think about was sitting down and editing this book and I haven't had that urge in a long time. I can almost understand if there was no editor involved, but I was hoping for a little something better.

I thing the grammar distracted me a little too much to really get into the story and connect with characters, but I'm sure if given the chance I may have liked Decca. She wasn't completely out there and something new and exciting, but she wasn't normal either.

Like most dystopian novels I absolutely love the world building and I liked this one. I'm still unsure about the whole THG thing, but the dangerous aspect of sending kids to an arena as a sacrifice is something that I think makes the novel unique and unusual and something fun to read.

I say this is worth the shot. If anything, just to at least check it out!

Surrender by Rhiannon Paille

 

  I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Surrender
Author: Rhiannon Paille
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 402
Format: Electronic
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?

Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice

 I was a little hesitant about reading this series. Not just because it has been a long time since I've read high fantasy, but because I wasn't sure how much I would like this book or not. And, at first, it did feel a little confusing. The author just dives right into the story, with a prologue that doesn't make much sense at first, but as the story goes on and it unravels my confusion lessened and I was able to actually enjoy it!

Kaliel is a Flame, who is in live with a Ferryman. This is something that is heavily looked down upon.

The way the story opens, from the captivating and mysterious entrance, to the way it slowly begins to reveal itself along the way made the imagery and the world come to life. Kaliel originally appeared as gentle as a rose to me (like the way the book cover pictures) but as it continued I saw the way she was just as wild as a tiger.

I had a small problem connecting with Krishani, mainly because he just didn't seem like the kind of guy that I could picture a girl with. But his motivation to prove himself stuck out at me a lot and I found myself warming up, but just a little. I wasn't completely crazy about him throughout the story. 

Either way, with approval or without, the story developed in a fantastical way. Paille created a wonder in this series that I hope more people get to experience. The limits on love, the limits on what is right and wrong in this world - all those boundaries are pushed in this tale.  

Frost Fire by Olivia Rivers

 I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Frost Fire
Author: Olivia Rivers
Info: Website | Twitter
Release Date: November 20th, 2012
Publisher: Red Sparrow Press
Pages: 213
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

Like sand in an hourglass, Allai’s future is dwindling away. She’s spent her entire life fighting the Mages who threaten humanity, and dreams of someday eradicating magic. But all it takes is an anonymous phone call for the truth to spill out: Allai is the one thing she despises most.

She’s a Mage.

Though ancient law mandates Allai’s death, she still has one last chance of survival. His name is Drake Rhaize, and he swears he can lead Allai to a sanctuary for Mages. Allai hasn’t seen Drake in years, but she remembers him as the Demon boy who used to hold her close and softly whisper that he’d keep her safe. But Drake has changed since then: He’s now suspected of murder, and has been out-casted for betraying his own kind.

While Allai doesn’t trust Drake, she has no choice but to put her life in his hands and hope he can get her to safety. Because Allai’s father has hired a pack of Demons to bring her back to him, dead or alive–and Demons never stop the hunt.

I have been thinking about a million ways to start this review. It wasn't that this story was bad - it was different. It was different in a good way.

It has been a long time since I've read a story like the one presented here, because I've been stuck in the contemporary/erotica world for a little too long that sometimes I tend to forget that fantasy tales like these exist and that they make me happy.

Allai has been fighting Mages all her life and in a twist of events (or not, depending on who's point of view one is looking) Allai discovers that she is a Mage. In order to escape the death sentence she must put her life in the hands of Drake Rhaize, but can she trust him?

In a tale filled with magic and deception and love and sadness.

I think Allai is instantly a character that one can connect with. She is forced to bring out the bad side of herself, but that doesn't mean she's made of steel - there were a lot of good parts to her as well. And Drake...well, he was Drake, I don't really have an opinion on him.

What I do now, though, is that I will be reading the second book because it would be crazy of me not to!

It is a worthwhile read!

None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing

 I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: None of the Regular Rules
Author: Erin Downing
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 20th, 2012
Publisher: ebook exclusive
Pages: 260
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Age Group: Young Adult

Sometimes, a few dares can change lives…

The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.

Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?

As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

It has been a while since I read a good book, it has especially been a long while since I read a contemporary book that has hit home in a lot of places.

When I first heard about this novel, I knew it would be as wonderful as people claim it to be. It had a lot of potential and from the very first page that I read I feel in love.

Now, I haven't read too much from Downing beforehand, so it was a little refreshing to read this and have so much with it.

When Sophie and her best friend discover Sophie's dead Aunt Suzy's bucket list, Sophie decides to complete what her aunt never got the chance to. And one by one, Sophie and her friends begin to tackle a list that ends up changing their lives forever - not just for the good, but the bad as well.

In the beginning there was a great mix between Sophie and her friends, which I felt really brought out the story. Different girls who fit together perfectly, and who all took the list one by one discovering new things along the way, and not just about each other, but about themselves.

This was a quick read and can be done in one sitting. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it'll break your heart, and it'll make you want to start finishing up all the things on your own bucket list. This book really had it all and I'm glad that it lived up to all the talk that I heard about it.

This book is one that if I could, I would reread all over again!

Time's Twisted Arrow by Rysa Walker

Participated in the tour, which is run by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: Time's Twisted Arrow
Author: Rysa Walker
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 1st, 2012
Publisher: Gypsy Moon Books
Pages: 351
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

They weren't panic attacks. Of that, seventeen year old Kate is certain, no matter what the shrink told her parents. But it's even harder to accept the explanation offered by her terminally ill grandmother - that Kate has inherited designer DNA from the time-traveling historians of CHRONOS, who were stranded in the past by a saboteur. Kate knows that her grandmother's story could easily be the brain tumor talking, but that doesn't explain the odd medallion or the two young men - one of them hauntingly familiar -- who simply vanish before her eyes on the subway. It doesn't explain Trey, the handsome stranger who now occupies Kate's assigned seat in trig class. And it definitely doesn't explain why Kate is now in an alternate timeline, where leaders of a previously unknown cult hold great power and are planning a rather drastic form of environmental defense.

In this new reality, Kate's grandmother was murdered at age twenty-two on a research trip to the past, which means that Kate's mother was never born, her father doesn't know her and, for all intents and purposes, she doesn't exist. The only thing keeping her from disappearing entirely is the strange blue medallion around her neck, and the only thing keeping her sane is her burgeoning relationship with Trey. To restore the time line, Kate must travel back to 1893 and keep herself and her grandmother clear of H.H. Holmes, the serial killer who is stalking young women at the Chicago World's Fair. But that choice comes at a price - she'll remember the past few months with Trey, but when he looks at her, he'll see a total stranger.

I was really glad I was able to take part in this tour. I didn't even think I would like this book as much as I did.

The story begins with Kate who meets her grandmother that tells her something that rocks Kate's world. Panic attacks that she has been suffering from turn out to be something more than what they claim to be. And when Kate realizes the truth, a wave of events occur that change the course of Kate's life forever.

From the beginning the story sucked me in. Kate was a character that I instantly liked. There were moments that I was a little hesitant about what was going on, because from the outside it felt like there was so much going on and I wasn't sure how walker would be able to condense everything down to where it needs to be, but I was really glad by the way things were taken.

Now Kate is off to another time period where a set of different rules exist in order to keep her grandmother and herself safe from harm, but at a heavy cost.

Kate was someone I liked. She was very likeable and a lot of the characters came to life. Walker did an excellent job in her writing, and while I felt really confused at times, things started to click easier as the story progressed.

This is a story worth the read!