Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
First in the His Fair Assassin trilogy

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Let me just start this off by saying that even though historical fiction is one of my favorite genres I have actually never read a book set in this time period. Grave Mercy is set in 15th century Brittany which is on the verge of being taken over by France. There was a duchess and duke, arranged marriages, and everyone was either a lord or a lady. The language was a little hard to get used to at first but once I did I thought it was great and really made me feel like I was actually in the 15th century. Now since I've never read anything set in the renaissance era this was all new to me and I found it all incredibly fascinating.

I'm the kind of reader who makes goals. I try to get to a certain page or a certain part that I know is going to happen. So with this book my first goal was 200 then 250 then until it got cute and then until this one part I accidentally saw when I was skimming through that I really wanted to read. Before I knew it I was 350 pages in, it was 5am and all I wanted to do was finish it but by some amazing ounce a self-control I went to bed. To say this book was addicting is an understatement the fast paced plot added to the fabulous writing kept me hooked. I never wanted to put it down and I read it every chance I got and everywhere I went.

The characters were amazing too. I loved every single one. Ismae who I think has a fantabulous name by the way was an amazing protagonist. She went through so much at a young age her mother who used poison to try to get her out of her womb died leaving her with an abusive father (she didn't even know how to to read at 14 that is certainly neglect) who put her in an abusive arranged marriage at 14. Though luckily that didn't last long and she escaped to the covenant of St. Mortmain where she was trained to be a 'handmaiden of death' which is basically a kick-butt assassin. I thought Anne, the duchess, was such a strong character. She had the weight of a whole country on her shoulders, the French watching her every move and she had to decide which marriage would be most beneficial to protect her country. Yet again someone who has to deal with a lot at a young age she was only 12. Duval was so freaking adorable and I loved Beast and de Lornay. I even loved reading about the bad characters because they were just so well written and had a reason behind everything they did (except d'Albret he was just an evil, pervy old guy). Of course I have to mention the romance because there certainly was one and it was adorable. I loved how it was slow and sweet and how Ismae was afraid to fall in love at first but she faced her fears anyways. I'm not going to say who the love interest is because I think it's more fun to figure it out for yourself (and honestly it's not that hard).

Grave Mercy might just be my favorite book that I've read so far this year and believe me I've read some pretty amazing books. I absolutely adored everything about it the setting, the writing, the characters, the romance. Everything. My favorite thing about books set in another time period is how they can make me feel like I'm actually there and make me never want to leave and that is exactly what this book made me feel.
5/5 stars
-Marissa :)

Of Light And Darkness Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
First in a series
*this was gifted by author for review*
When one human stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of overcoming them in this coming-of-age modern fairytale may result in war between light and darkness.
Abandoned as an infant in Prague, naive and strong-willed Charlotte Ruzikova was raised by one of the last Vampires left alive. As a human, she knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches drew spells of enchantment, Phasers threw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin. Charlotte has lived her life in the dark with her Guardian, content to having him to herself and reveling in his attention, until she's realizes she wants more...
Resident medical doctor and Vampire, Valek Ruzik fears the day his ward would come of age and blossom into a fine woman, and he is forced to confront his own motives as time is of the essence once his past catches up to him, and their lives become endangered...
As genocide and war threatens their secret society, the dictator in power is ready to wipe out Valek's race, but Charlotte will not allow that to happen. Fighting for the only one she's ever loved and truly believed in, she will do whatever it takes to save their love...before the sun comes up and light takes over.

Review
This book is 258 pages of awesome. It had the perfect amount of humor, plot, and romance.


I really liked Charlotte. Of course in the beginning I thought her relationship with Valek was super creepy. First he was a father figure then he was like a brother then all of the sudden she was in love with him. Their relationship seemed a little rushed but they were super adorable together. That was probably my favorite part. Valek was kinda creepy. He was always thinking about Charlotte. Sometimes it was cute sometimes it was weird. I loved how he called her Lottie. They are seriously absolutely adorable. Aiden was incredibly annoying. He loved Charlotte but he was really mean to her. All he wanted was power. I'm kinda glad something bad happened to him.


The plot was very fast paced. I've never read a vampire book like this. Something was always happening. It was very difficult to put down. It ended like a stand alone but I know there is a sequel so I'm excited to see what happens next. Overall I really liked this book. I would recommend if you like vampire books. 4/5 stars


Jasmine :)

Review: Cycles by Lois D. Brown

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Self Published
First in a series
*This book was gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review*

She remembers things that never happened.
She's a stranger in her own home.
She always knew she was different.
She just didn't know why.
Until now.

Renee Beaumont is about to die . . . again.

That short synopsis doesn't really explain much but that makes sense because this book is so different and hard to explain. Plus it's a mystery so it can't give away much. Basically this book starts off with a 13 year old girl named Renee narrowly escaping death in an accident involving her neighbor’s horse. When she wakes up in the hospital she finds out that she needs a blood transfusion and that she has a type of blood that the hospital has never heard of and doesn't have. But luckily for her Dr. Dawson (her neighbor) just happens to have some of her very rare blood in his basement. He says that he has it because he helped her out with a science project but Renee is almost positive that is a lie. So Renee with the help of her best friend Sam searches to uncover the truth of what really happened, who Dr. Dawson really is and ultimately who she is. From there everything just spirals out of control and there is so many twists and secrets and mystery and it was so much fun to read.

This book is told from 3 different perspectives Renee, Sam and these mysterious journal entries. I really liked that you got to see the story from two different views and I kept going back and rereading the journal entries trying to figure out what they had to do with Renee and Sam's story. I thought Renee was really cool and I liked how she never wanted to believe the worst in people. I also felt really bad for her since she had to go through so much. Sam was probably my favorite. I related to him since he was such a big bookworm and I really liked the relationship between him and Renee. But I do think they should be more than friends :). I really liked Dr. Dawson even though he was suspicious throughout the whole book he was really there for Renee and never tried to hurt her he was actually there for her more than her parents were so I never thought he was that bad. I thought it was great trying to figure out if the rest of the characters were friends or foes.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the sequel though sadly it doesn't come out until next year :(. I would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't taken me so long to finish it (that was probably my fault I stopped reading it for a while and read 2 other books). Once I got into it I didn't want to stop reading because I was so confused that I had to finish it and figure out what was going on. This book will definitely keep you guessing though your guesses probably won't be anywhere close to the truth and trying to figure out to trust along with Renee and Sam. I would highly recommend it if your looking for a mystery with a definite creep factor.
4.5/5 stars.
-Marissa

The Fault In Our Stars Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Dutton books
Standalone
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind

Review
This book made me think. I never would have known what people with cancer went through until now. I think this is a book everyone should read. This portrays cancer in a different way. Don't let the fact that it's about cancer scare you away. Its worth it.


When I picture someone with cancer they are nothing like Hazel. She's so full of life. She just wants to feel normal. She wants to make the most is what little time she thinks she has. Oh how to explain Augustus. I love him. I wish he was real. Him and Hazel are made for each other. There was one more character I loved. That was Isaac. He is absolutely hilarious.


There are two reasons I loved this book so much. One is the humor. It was only little sad because there was so much humor. I was seriously laughing while I cried. The second reason is the romance. What makes or breaks a book for me is the romance. I will always love a book more if it's cute. This had the perfect amount of romance. I really loved that it wasn't rushed. They took the time to get to know each other and become friends first. Then they decided to become absolutely adorable. I could go on and on about how adorable they are but I'm going to move on.


The storyline was addicting. I couldn't put this down. I read it in like a day and was incredibly depressed when it was over. This is one of those books I'm gonna reread for my entire life. Overall I loved this book. I think everyone needs to read it. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of John Green's books. 5/5 stars
Jasmine <3

Talented Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Self Published
First book in Talented series
*this was gifted to me by author for review*
In a futuristic setting, life on Earth has turned upside down. Due to the Great Contamination - and the leaking of nuclear waste resulting in nuclear contamination - a generation of children with abnormalities are brought into the world. Some, though, are slightly weirder than others. They are the Talented. Whether Morphers, Light Manipulators or Telekinetics, these kids are taught to hone their abilities and make use of them under the protective eye of the government. To use their Talents for good. But all Talia wants is revenge.
Talia joins the Hunters, in the hopes of one day killing Ian Crane - the man who had her parents killed before her eyes. But she has a lot to learn. With help from Hunters Erik and Henri she trains to become what she believes will help ease the pain inside. A thousand question run through her head: Who is she really hurting? Is Donovan, her life-long friend, her true love? Or is Erik, her right hand man? Is revenge a dish best served cold? And most importantly, is the government really protecting the Talented...or is there something sinister occurring behind the smiling facades?


Review
This book seriously blew my mind. The concept is like nothing I've ever read. I read it in one sitting and now I'm dying for more.


Talia is an incredible heroine. Her powers are amazing and her strength is unbelievable. I never change my mind about which boy I like. This is the first time it has happened. When I started it I loved Donavon. Then by the end I hated Donavon and loved Erik. Erik and Talia are meant to be. Their adorable together.How cute they were is probably why I loved it so much. Donavon is just a jerk.


I really wonder how the author came up with this. It's so unique. The storyline never slows down. It's very action packed. Overall I really really really liked this. Im dying for the sequel. I highly recommend this. 5/5 stars


Jasmine <3

Dreaming Of Beauty Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Self Published
I think it is a stand alone but I'm not positive
*this was gifted to me by author for review*
A three hundred year old curse, a timeless legend, a love strong enough to last forever...

Fifteen year old Chloe Duncan finally has her Prince Charming and her life could not be more perfect. But after she meets a mysterious new boy, Logan Salinger, on the first day of school and is attacked by a womans hand that suddenly appears from the supply cabinet in art class, her story-book romance quickly unravels. Certain that the incident in her art class and the other bizarre things that have happened to her are due to an undiagnosed brain tumor, Chloe struggles with school and her relationships. Over the holiday break, during a much needed vacation, she travels to France with her family and it is there, at Manoir de Kergrec&#x2019;h, the enchanting castle by the sea, that she learns about Camille Deveraux who lived at the manor over three hundred years ago. But things are stranger in France then they were back home, and Chloe soon discovers that she was Camille Deveraux, the real Sleeping Beauty. Now she knows the reason for her strange connection to Logan and she hopes that their love can finally break the curse that has plagued her for over three hundred years

Review
This wasn't what I was expecting. It has such a cool concept and the cover is beautiful. I was expecting it to be amazing. I think the writing focused a little too much on the characters and not enough on the plot.


I liked Chloe. I didn't like how she strung Evan along though. She knew how she felt and what she was doing to him but she never did anything about it. I loved Evan. I felt so bad for him. He was sweet. Logan was incredibly annoying in the beginning. How aggressive Chloe and Logan were towards each other was annoying. I knew she was gonna end up with him and once they got together they were cute. It just took too long. By the end I did like Logan.


The plot was slow in the beginning but it picked up in the middle. Overall this was a good book. I think it needed a little more excitement. I really like the idea of modern day fairy tales. This made me want to read more of them. I would recommend if you like fairy tales or your looking for something new. 3.5/5 stars


Jasmine :)

Creature Kid Volume 1:The Teenage Chronicles Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Self Published
First book in a possible series
*this was gifted from author for review*


Review
The beginning of this book was very slow. It's kinda short so I wondered if it was gonna pick up. It did :). This was actually a very fast paced book.


Anthony is just an average teenage boy about to start his first year of high school when he randomly grows wings in the school bathroom. Anthony was smart and seemed to be worried about the dangers. His friends just thought it was cool and didn't bother to think about what could happen if someone found out. Of course someone does find out and then they go on some crazy adventure in the woods. If you can't tell this was a very entertaining book.


Overall I really liked this book. It has everything a good book needs. Great characters with a fast paced plot and some humor. 4/5 stars
Jasmine <3

Article 5 Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Tor Teen
First book in Article 5 series
New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved

Review
I knew from the moment I started this I was gonna love it. It was so amazing. I read it in like 4 hours and stayed up till 2 in the morning . This whole review is probably gonna be just fan girling. Sorry :). It's been awhile since I've read a dystopian. This was a perfect dystopian fix.


Ember is an amazing heroine. But she is also very frustrating. I love it when a heroine can annoy me to no end. Half the time I kept wondering what in the world she was thinking. Her mother was a huge part of this. At first it made sense but after awhile it got really old. Oh Chase I shouldn't love you as much as I do. It's unhealthy. Ember and Chase's relationship is why I loved this so much. I kept waiting for them to feel the same way about each other that they used too. Then I realized how much their relationship really had changed. All Ember thinks about is how she wants things to be the same. All Chase thinks about is protecting Ember. They both basically lost everything. All they had left was each other. I absolutely adore that with all my heart. It makes them so real and easy to relate to.


The storyline reminded me of Legend by Marie Lu. Both books are really different but the same in some ways. In both books the characters are really just stuck with each other and traveling all over the place searching for something. The action never stops in this book. Overall I absolutely adored this book in case you can't tell. If you haven't read this you need to like right now. I will hunt you down and force you :). 5/5 stars


Jasmine <3

Spear of Seth Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:CreateSpace
First book in a possible series

Review
This book was great.I love Egyptian themed books. I wish there were more of them. I've actually never seen Indiana Jones. People say this is a lot like it. So if you like Indiana Jones I'm sure you will love this. One of the best parts was the Egyptian mythology. That plays a huge part in this. This made me want to learn more about Egyptian mythology. Im extremely curious as to what story's were real and what were made up.


Spear of Seth is told from two points of view. Alex and Heather. Both are college students who don't seem to like each other very much. Alex is a sweetheart. I loved him. He was willing to risk everything for Heather and they didn't even like each other. At first I didn't like Heather. She kinda seemed like a brat. By the end of the book I loved her. I wish that Alex and Heather had go together in like the middle instead of the end. There were a lot of secondary characters. I had a little trouble remembering who was who and who was good and who was bad.


Overall this book was very entertaining and action packed. I would recommend if you like Egyptian mythology or Indiana Jones. 4/5 Stars


Jasmine :)

My Super Sweet 16th Century Cover Reveal

We are so happy to be part of the cover reveal for My Super Sweet 16th Century by Rachel Harris. Here is the synopsis:

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Doesn't that sound awesome? Now what you came here for. Drumroll please.........
                                                               
                                                          



Don't you love it?

And there is even an excerpt for you:

Alessandra jerks back like I just suggested she prance around the square naked or something. “No! I believe I understand your meaning, and Lorenzo is certainly not my suitor. He is like a brother to me—the three of us grew up together.”

She resumes walking and I fall in step beside her, understanding there has to be more to the story. And as we near the end of the row, I finally ask, “If you’re not into the guy, then what’s the problem?”

At that same moment, a rich, deep chuckle hits my ears. My stomach involuntarily clenches and my gaze sharpens on the back of this mysterious Lorenzo.

Alessandra sighs. “That is the problem.” She places her hand on my arm and solemnly looks me in the eyes. “You must be careful. Lorenzo is beautiful, and it is not uncommon for a girl to walk away from meeting him with a piece of her heart left behind. But he is just eighteen, and not yet ready for marriage.”

I roll my eyes and laugh, then realize she’s serious. “Yeah, I assure you, there’s no danger on my end. I’m not exactly looking for marriage myself.” Because that would be crazy-town.

Alessandra wrinkles her nose as if she doesn’t believe me, but she removes her hand. We close the distance and Cipriano flashes me an open, honest to goodness, lighthearted smile.

“Lorenzo, this is the cousin I was telling you about.”

Slowly the guy turns and I fall head first into the richest chocolate-brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He blinks and long, luscious lashes feather across his bronzed cheeks. I can feel myself gawking, but I physically can’t drag my eyes away. Lorenzo doesn’t smirk or act all conceited, either. He simply stares back, his eyes casually skimming over me, causing my skin to warm and break out in a whole body tingle.

Time seems to stop, and the sounds of the market mute. Alessandra was right. This boy is beautiful.

And he’s looking at me.

This book comes out on September 11 and you can pre-order it on: Amazon & Barnes & Noble
Be sure to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Thank you to Entangled publishing for letting us be part of this cover reveal :)

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
First in a possible series

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

I love, love, love historical fiction. I love how it can transport me to another century and make me want to live there but even though this book did transport me to the late 1800s I certainly don't want to live in it. In this setting the 'Brotherhood' controls everything and women have absolutely no power and being a witch means being arrested or worse. This makes life very hard for the main character and her two younger sisters since they’re witches.

I really liked Cate she was strong and stood up for what she believed in. She was also very protective of her younger sisters Maura and Tess and as someone with two younger sisters that made her very relatable. The middle sister Maura annoyed me so much. To me she was whiny and ungrateful but in the end I felt bad for her. The youngest sister Tess was awesome and I feel like we haven't seen all of her yet. Now onto the love interests yes there's two but don't let that turn you off. Finn was so adorkable he was a reader and he had freckles and I just absolutely loved him. The romance between him and Cate was so perfect and I loved how he would do anything for her. I totally want to go read the cute parts again. Paul was the other love interest and I actually liked him he was really nice and I really liked the history between him and Cate but I'm still very team Finn.

I thought everything about this book was fantastic and the ending already has me dying for the next one. I seriously hope it comes out as soon as possible. If you're looking for a book that's historical but not really heavy historical or a book about witches I would definitely recommend this :)
5/5 stars

-Marissa

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperTeen
Second in the Unearthly trilogy

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Once you start this book it is impossible to stop. I read this book in a few hours and I was blown away it was even better than the first one and that's saying something. There was more plot twists that I totally didn't see coming, more romance that I adored and more characters that were so easy to love. Everything about this book was just more. 

Clara has some really hard decisions to make in this book and she goes through so much and I felt like she handled everything really well or at least as well as she possibly could. Oh Tucker how do I even explain my love for him? He has to be one of my all time favorite love interests and probably one of my all time favorite characters. He is just so real and perfect and adorable. The romance between Clara and Tucker is just as cute as it was in the first one but at the same time it was so heartbreaking. I feel like their relationship has so much more at stake than it did in the first one and they really had to come to terms with that. I know that for a lot of people this book made them like Christian a lot more but it wasn't like that for me. Sure I think he has some redeeming qualities but me being such a Tucker fan everything he does just really annoys me. Angela really aggravated me in this book. I didn't like her very much in the first one and she was the same if not worse in this one. I really liked Clara's mom in this book their relationship is just so amazing and we don't really see that very much in YA. I also really liked Clara's dad this is a small spoiler but we do see more of him in this one and his relationship with Clara's mom was so interesting to learn about. I love Jeffery and I feel so bad for him in this book and I want his story to end happy but I'm not sure it will. Overall I feel like the characters really grow in this book and I thought that was great.

I knew this book was going to break my heart but it honestly tore me to pieces. When I finished it I was in awe but also in pain. No matter what team you're on, no matter how you feel about the characters this book will make you cry and cry and cry. I just want applaud Cynthia Hand for making these characters that I feel so strongly about. Seriously I should not feel this strongly about people that aren't even real. I normally don't like the second book very much but I honestly think this was one of the best sequels ever. Even though there wasn't a cliffhanger the ending left so many things unanswered that I have absolutely no idea was is going to happen in the next one. I am going downright insane without it because I already know it will be amazing.
5/5 stars.

-Marissa

Pitch Dark and Breathless Reads Tour Events

First off let us say thank you to HarperCollins and Penguin Group for hosting events in Texas. The events were so exciting and fun. It was great to get a chance to meet authors we haven't ever meet before and get our books signed.

(From left to right)
Brodi Ashton,Cynthia Hand,Jodi Meadows,Courtney Allison Moulton,Jasmine,Marissa,and Natalie.

Pitch Dark.

This event was great. We were incredibly excited to meet these authors. All their books are our recent favorites :). Except Cynthia Hand. We have loved her books forever.These authors are so hilarious and nice. If you haven't read every single one of these authors books. You should do that as soon as possible. Their amazing.

(From left to right)Jessica Spotswood ,Marie Lu,Jasmine,Natalie,Andrea Cremer ,Marissa, and Beth Revis.

Breathless Reads.

This event was amazing. All these authors have books that we read awhile ago. Were seriously obsessed with every book by every author. The authors are so so so nice. The panel was hilarious. Seriously all

these books are absolutely amazing. If you haven't read them go buy them right now.

 Marissa and Jasmine <3

Review: Guardians: The Girl by Lola St.Vil

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
First in a possible series

Emmy - a bookish, witty student - is rescued by six teenaged angels with powers, called Guardians. They've been sent to elicit the secret from her before the demons can. Emmy later learns that her name is the only clue to locating a sought-after bridge that for centuries, Evil has plotted to destroy; this would in turn bring about the end of humanity.

Things get worse when Emmy falls madly in love with Marcus, the well-intentioned but obstinate leader of the Guardians. He eventually confesses that he is in love with her as well. Unfortunately, Marcus has been warned by his clairvoyant and omniscient guide that should he and Emmy get together, the mission will fail and humanity will perish.

I really didn't know what to expect from this book but I was totally blown away. I can say that I'm tired of angel books until the cows come home but every time I read another one I love it. This one was no exception. One of the best things about this book was how different it was from other angel books. There was a different back story and they had different 'gadgets' which I thought were great and every angel had a different power based on their 'Core' which is basically the story of how they died. So I thought all of that was awesome.


I also really liked all the characters. Emmy (I love her name) one of the protagonists is just a normal human and she is thrown into this crazy world and I loved how she handled it like and normal human being would but she was also really strong. One thing I didn't like about her was how fast she said she was in love with Marcus when he was a real jerk to her at first. The other protagonist was Marcus. I really didn't like him at first but when it switched to his POV I understood why he acted the way he did. I actually liked how he tried to fight for his relationship with Ameana even though she knew he had feelings for Emmy. But in the end I was totally team Emmy because Ameana acted like a jealous girlfriend to the point of being violent and that ultimately pushed Marcus away. Jay was probably my favorite character. He was so funny and charming. I also really liked Reese the relationship between Jay and Reese was really cool. I loved the twins Rio and Miku. I loved how Rio wanted to save everybody even though it got him in trouble in the end. Miku was so sweet and nice to Emmy and she really needed that. I even liked Sage.

I don't understand why this book isn't more popular I absolutely loved it. It was fast-paced and there was tons of action and romance. It was just fabulous and I really hope that there's a second one and that I get the chance to read it.
5/5 stars

-Marissa

Waiting on Wednesday: Hidden by Sophie Jordan

The Hidden by Sophie Jordan
Expected Publication: September 11, 2012
Last book in the Firelight trilogy

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

I love this series and even though I'm sad that this is the last one I cannot wait to see how it ends. Sophie Jordan is awesome and totally not creeped out that I've met her multiple times :) and isn't that cover gorgeous?

Review: Narrative Loserdom by Ryan Collins

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: CreateSpace
First book in possible series

Justin Taggart doesn’t know anything (about being a loser). He likes girls and plays sports and has some friends. Unfortunately his fear of rejection outweighs his ability to deal with these well. Mostly there’s Sterling, the girl of his dreams who knows how to stop his heart by not knowing he likes her. Another thing is trying to get money with Adam, who’s rich anyway so it’s more about hanging out. As for Justin, he makes ends meet by mowing people’s yards with Adam, and sometimes by breaking into vending machines and selling late-night cable programming to peers (also with Adam). But it’s not like he doesn’t feel bad about it, since Jesus died for his sins. School is pretty terrible with all the work and practice, but there are a few people there worth mentioning. Anyone who picks up his journal will be in for something, if they feel like getting through a lot of grammar and spelling problems. They’ll probably end up seeing that they shouldn’t have looked at it anyway, because this is someone’s private anthem of girls, grass, and loserdom.

Narrative Loserdom is a book written in diary entries. The diary entries of Justin Taggart a 16 year old boy who lives in Texas. It explains what happens to him in basically one year but it does slow down a little when he stops writing as much which I didn't like. Another thing I didn't like was how it bounces back and forth between past and present a little to much especially towards the end.

Justin was a very interesting character. I really liked him he was relatable and since it was his diary I felt that we got to know him pretty well. He also seemed very real almost to a point where I totally thought this could be someones real life that was just made into a book. I didn't really understand his relationship with his besfriend Adam all they did was try to make money doing very interesting things and mowing lawns but in the end I thought they liked each other well enough. I did think that they should have spent more time doing school so that they could get out of the boring town that they lived in. Justin's crush on Sterling was cute but it got a little creepy sometimes I doubt he was really in love with her.

Overall I really enjoyed this book I've never read anything like it. I hope that there's a second one because I really want to know what happen to Justin and his friends next.
3.5 out 5 stars

-Marissa

The Earthquake Machine Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:AuthorHouse
Stand Alone
The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda's world but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda's life is her family's Mexican yardman, Jesus. But when the INS deports Jesus?'s back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation. Determined to find her friend Jesus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Boquillas, Mexico. There a peyote-addled bartender convinces her she won't be safe traveling alone into the country's interior. So with the bartender's help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesus. Thus begins a wild adventure that explores the borders between the United States and Mexico, adolescence and adulthood, male and female, English and Spanish, and adult coming-of-age and Young Adult novels

Review
This wasn't what I was expecting at all. I didn't really know what it was about when I said I would review it. The first half I didn't like very much. I've never read a book that has a lot of sexuality in it. At some points it made me uncomfortable. But this is one of those book that has real life issues in it. That is something I liked about this.I think the sexuality was a little much but it was also the whole concept of the book . The second half I loved. As soon as Rhonda/Angel found Jesus I loved it. I felt like that was the whole point of the book. Once I was done with it I realized that wasn't the point at all. This was about Rhonda coming of age and growing into herself.


Rhonda is an extremely strong main character. Her courage is incredible. How she managed to survive her crazy Mexican adventure I don't know. I wouldn't have been able to do that. She never gave up. Mama and Jesus were probably my favorite part of the book. I felt so bad for Rhonda in the beginning. Her family sucked. So when Jesus and Mama became her family it made me happy. I can admit I cried. The ending was incredibly sad.




The plot was kinda slow at first but it did pick up. There were plenty of twists and turns. I had no idea what was gonna happen next throughout like the whole book. Overall I did end up liking this. I didn't think I would. I would have never picked this up on my own but I am glad I got to read it. I recommend if your looking for something different but be careful this is a little adult.3.5/5 stars


Jasmine :)

CYCLES Review

Reading  Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Self Published
First book in Cycles series
She remembers things that never happened.
She's a stranger in her own home.
She always knew she was different.
She just didn't know why.
Until now.
Renee Beaumont is about to die . . . again

Review
This wasn't what I was expecting at all. This isn't something I would normally read. I really liked it. The action starts right off the bat. I think the best part was the mystery. Some of the biggest parts I guessed. That could mean it was hidden poorly or I'm just good at figuring things out. In other reviews people said they were shocked. I was shocked by the plot but not the character relationships.


I really liked Renee. Her life was practically falling apart. She had no idea who she was or where she came from. Instead of melting down she decided to try and figure out what was going on. I loved that. Sometimes when big things change characters melt down and go crazy. That's incredibly annoying. Renee was definitely a strong main character. I loved Sam. He's adorable. He's like the helpful sidekick that ends up saving your life. I wish him and Renee had gotten together.


The plot was full of twists and turns. I never could have guessed what was gonna happen. Overall I really liked this. I highly recommend this. I'm looking forward to seeing what else this author has in store :). 4/5 Stars


Jasmine <3

Daughter Of The Smoke And Bone Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Little Brown
First book in a series
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review
I love this book with all my heart. For some odd reason I didn't want to read it when it first came out. I thought it looked weird and I was over angel books. I don't know what I was thinking. This book is absolutely amazing in every way possible. Seriously how does this author come up with this. I can honestly say I've never read a book like this before in my life.


I loved Karou. She's an incredible heroine. Her strength is unbelievable. She has basically everything she could ever want. But underneath all that is loneliness. Akiva is fantastic. I love him. I really liked how it switched between his point of view and Karou's. We got to learn about both of them. Karou and Akiva's relationship was so adorable. It was kinda short though. It seemed kinda rushed and left me a little confused. I absolutely adored Zuzana. She was hilarious. At first I hated Brimstone. I thought he was mean. By the end I loved him. I wish he played a bigger part with the rest of the monsters. One thing I didn't like was when Karou learned who she was it got slow. I kinda wanted to skip chapters 50-57. I didn't though and I'm glad because it was super adorable. It just started off a little slow.


The plot was unique and interesting. This book was incredibly hard to put down. There were so many twists and turns it was insane. I still wonder how the author came up with this stuff. Overall I absolutely adored this book. It was amazing. I can't wait for the sequel. 5/5 Stars


Jasmine <3

Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Katherine Tegan
First in the Newsoul trilogy

New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

The cover is originally what drew me to Incarnate. It's definitely one of my all time favorite covers and even when you take the cover off the book is pretty. Even if you don't think you will like this book buy it just because of how pretty it is but believe me the fabulousness of the outside perfectly matches the inside. Everything about this book is just gorgeous. Also can I just say that Jodi Meadows is super nice? I met her at the Dark Days event in Dallas (Jodi if you're reading this I was one of the really excited girls in the front) and she was awesome.


Incarnate is one of the most original books I've read in awhile. The whole idea of a world where people are reincarnated every time they die and are who know how many years old was fascinating. It really makes you think. Ana is an awesome protagonist. I love how curious she was and how she really changes and grows throughout the book. Her whole life she is beaten down by her mother, Li, and she has taken that to heart and believes she's just a good for nothing no soul. The great thing about Sam is that he tries so hard to convince her otherwise and he's so patient about it. Now let's talk (more like I gush and you read) about Sam. He was fabulous, and wonderful, and a musician and I just loved him. Plus guys who play piano are super hot and guys who teach girls to play piano are even hotter and guys who write songs for girls are-okay I'm done I can't even describe how hot that is. The romance between Ana and Sam was slow but it was well worth the wait. They were so perfect for each other and that masquerade scene oh my goodness. I loved all the other characters too. Stef was hilarious and Tera and Ash were such an interesting couple.


I absolutely loved every minute of this book and I could have read another 400 pages. I'm really sad that it's over and I cannot wait for the next one. Can it come out tomorrow? Please? I think you should go read it. Seriously go you already know what the rating is going to be and if this review hasn't convinced you to read it nothing will.
5/5 stars.


-Marissa