Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin Review

Reading Level:young Adult
Publisher:Harper Collins
First book in Masque of the Red Death series
Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her

Review
After reading this in insanely curious about Edgar Allan Poe. I have no idea who that is. I'm going to put some research into it. I've seen some mixed reviews for this. For basically the first half I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this. I think the concept is very interesting and I love the characters.


I liked Araby. She seemed humble and always wanted to help if she could. I'm really glad she let go of all her guilt and let herself live her life. I really don't like Elliot. He's pushy and creepy. I ended up liking him more by the end than I thought I would. I'm not looking forward to a love triangle but I know there's one coming. I love Will with all my heart. I loved him from the second he came in. It was really easy for me to chose which guy I liked. I wish he played a bigger part but I have a feeling he will in the sequel. His siblings were adorable. I love how family is such a big part of this. It makes it feel more real.


For some odd reason I thought this book was going to be scary. It was creepy but it wasn't scary. I don't really read a lot of books about disease. I like the idea and hope to read more about it in the future. I like how there was two diseases. I love the masques. I find this somewhat steam punk and post apocalyptic. I'm not sure if it actually is but it seemed like it was.


I liked the second half better because it was faster. The first half was more buildup. It also confused me a little. It took me awhile to figure out who was who and what was going on. Overall I ended up liking this more than I thought I would. It's something I normally wouldn't read and I'm excited to see where this story goes. 4/5 stars


Jasmine :).

Fated by Alyson Noël Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:St. Martin's Press
First book in Soul Seekers series
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.


Review
Let me start off by saying I'm a huge Alyson Noël fan. I have been for a long time. The Evermore series is one of my favorites. Lately it seems like I end up liking the second half of a book more than the first. It was the same with this. I love the characters but the plot was kinda slow. I knew it would pick up and I knew when it did I would fall in love.


I really like Daire. I like her personality. She has a strong and somewhat snarky personality. I love Dace. He is so adorable. Although I'm not a big fan of his hair but that's not important. Daire and Dace were kind of insta love but there was a reason behind it. She had been dreaming about him for months so it made sense for them to get together. Plus they were adorable. I'm actually surprised I liked Cade. He's the bad guy and I never like the bad guy. I really fell in love with these characters and I can't wait to read more about them.


There's a lot of mixed reviews and negativity about this book online. I understand where they are coming from but I don't believe in giving up on a book. I think if they hadn't stopped reading they might have had a different opinion by the end.


The first half was very slow. I knew it would pick up and it did. That's the only reason this is getting four stars instead of five. The second half was amazing. The plot was great. The characters are amazing. Everything about the second half was great. I wish the first half had been a little more like the second but I'm not picky. Overall I loved this. I'm so excited for the next book. If you are thinking about reading this remember the second half is worth the wait ago don't stop reading. 4/5 stars


Jasmine <3

Teaser Tuesday #5

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.
Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them both legions of faithful fans.




Teaser:
After a moment, Tiny says, "Straight girls think he's cute, that's all I'm saying." And then I realize the full extent of the insanity. Tiny Cooper has brought me to a Gay-Straight Alliance meeting to hook me up with a girl.

That's it. This paragraph is from page 43 of my paperback copy.

Jasmine :)

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:HarperTeen
Second book in Starcrossed series
Source: Bought
Can true love be forgotten?
As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.
Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.
As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.
Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.


Review
I love this book so much. Actually I love this series/author so much. The books just keep getting better. Star crossed was amazing. I didn't think it could get any better. I was wrong. This book blew my mind. I'm obsessed. After I finished it my first thought was i could reread this a million times. That was after i spent half an hour staring at the wall and thinking about how amazing it was. That might be enough fan girling for now :).

I absolutely adore these characters. Helen is an amazing heroine. She was going through so much and she never gave up. She didn't give up on herself or anyone else. She always had faith that they could figure it out. There was only one thing that annoyed me and that was Lucas and Helen not being together. My obsession with Lucas is unhealthy. I adore him. Even when he was being a jerk. I wish they had been together but I understood why they weren't. There was supposedly a love triangle but it didn't really feel like one. Orion seemed more like a friend. You can tell there's some feelings but I don't think they are going to act on them. Actually I hope they don't act on them. I'm surprised I like Orion as much as I did. He was pretty sweet. The only two characters other than the ones I've already talked about that didn't annoy me were Hector and Claire. The rest of the Delos family bothered me. They were being really mean and pushy. I'm gonna miss these characters while I wait for the next book. I'll have to reread this soon.

I love Greek mythology. This is my favorite Greek mythology series other than Percy Jackson. This made me want to learn more about it and the story behind everything featured. The plot was addicting. It was impossible to put this down it was so good. It never slowed down. Something exciting was always going on. Overall I loved this. I plan on rereading as soon as possible. If you haven't read this series you need to. I highly recommend because its one of my favorites. 5/5 stars

Jasmine <3

Review: Timepiece by Myra Mcentire

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Second in the Hourglass series.
Expected release date: June 12, 2012
A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

*This is a review for a sequel so there is going to be spoilers. If you haven't read Hourglass stop here and go get it*
I read the first book in this series Hourglass last year and thought it was absolutely fabulous. I fell in love with the main character and all the secondary characters. The romance was so adorable and the storyline was fast paced and awesome. I've always thought time travel was interesting but it could be really confusing and I liked how in Hourglass time travel was explained enough that I knew what was going on but it didn't get to textbookish. Ever since I read it I've been completely fascinated by time travel and wanted to read any book that included it.

Like I said I loved the main character Emerson. She was kick butt (to this day I still want to be able to flip a guy over my shoulder like she can) and I loved her story. So when I heard that Timepiece was going to be from Kaleb's perspective I admit I was a little apprehensive. I wasn't as obsessed with Kaleb as a lot of other people seem to be but I did like him. Mostly I didn't want to say goodbye to the Michael and Emerson cuteness. But I still had faith in Myra Mcentire's ability to create and amazing story and I knew that it was told from Kaleb's perspective for a reason. Yet again I was completely blown away.

I'm always a little nervous about perspective changes but once I finished this book I knew that it couldn't have been told by anyone other than Kaleb. Even though the same storyline that started in Hourglass is still happening in Timepiece Emerson's individual storyline and the conflicts she had to get through as a character were sort of wrapped up. Kaleb's story on the other hand was just picking up. His dad is back, the person who killed his dad in the first place is back and his mom is still in a coma. He can also sense other peoples emotions so that adds to the story. There's so much going on in his life that we don't see in Hourglass. I seriously fell in love with Kaleb in this book. He drinks so he doesn't have to feel other peoples emotions and really so he doesn't have to feel his own. He's tries to hide it but inside he's such a sad person and he blames himself for a lot of stuff. I loved how the whole cast of characters is back in this one. I love all the relationships that the characters have and how they all interact with each other. It's hilarious seriously these are some of the funniest books I've ever read.

One thing of the main things I was worried about is that there wasn't going to be any romance. I know that sounds bad but I'm a romance freak and if a book doesn't have romance in it I'm not going to enjoy it as much. But believe me there is romance in this book. A lot of it. I'm not going to say who Kaleb's 'romantical interest' (to put it like Myra Mcentire) is because it's more fun to figure it out. Seriously though I loved their relationship. At first they didn't really like each other (maybe because he grabbed her butt the first chance he got and that didn't go over very well with her) but they were forced to work together and over time they started liking working together. They really are perfect for each other because she doesn't put up with his crap and tells him exactly how she feels and she helps him not feel so guilty all the time. When they got together I was seriously on cute over load. One of the horrible things about it not being from Em's perspective was you didn't get to see the cute moments between her and Michael. They would be behind closed doors and you knew they were being cute and it made me crazy. Don't close the door I'm sure Kaleb would love to tell me what's happening ;).

The stakes were so much higher than in the first one and there was more villians and tons of action. And we got to know so much more about Jack the bad guy from the first one. We got to know what his motives were and why he wanted what he wanted. It made him a really interesting person to read about. He's still evil though.

This book was absolutely amazing. It was hilarious and adorable and there was tons of twists and action and best of all it doesn't end in a huge cliffhanger. It didn't answer your questions but it didn't make you insane. I'm still dying for the next book Infinityglass though. If you haven't read Hourglass I highly reccomend you do and then go get Timepiece when it comes out June 12.
5/5 stars
-Marissa

Review: Torn by Ashley S. Morgan

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self published
Standalone

Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her. Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it. Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver, Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody, and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

As soon as I started this book I was hooked. The story started on the first page and didn't stop until the last one. I never wanted to stop reading.

Isadora Rivers is just a normal highschool girl with a reckless streak a mile long. She hates her suffocating high school and is most comfortable on stage. All she wants is to get the role as Juliet in her school play, get noticed by an agent and get out of there. But when a boy almost runs her over her life completely changes. The boy is Tristan Blake and he's oddly familar to Izzy. The way he looks, smells even the litle gestures he does remind her of someone and she can't figure out who. She's sure she has never met him before and he's sure too. But when she starts having strange visions-visions including him she knows something weird is going on. The story immediatly picks up and has you guessing until the end.

I felt very back and forth about Isadora. There were times when I really liked her and times when she really annoyed me. She had a very impulsive personality to the point of recklesness and even though that was her fatal flaw I liked it about her. She doesn't think before she acts and goes head first into every situation and gives it her all. Her recklesness got her into some crazy situations and I thought it made her a very well developed character. Tristan was very back and forth too. He was really hot and cold with Isadora and there was times when I just wanted to shake him and tell him to tell Isadora what the heck was going on. I'm sure Izzy felt the same. He just kept to many secrets. Their relationship seemed a little insta-love at first but it was okay because I knew they had some sort of connection and that was why she felt so strongly about him so quickly. Their relationship got really, really cute and I just wanted to know what was going on and for them to stay cute forever. I loved Izzy's best friend Sara she was always there for her even when Izzy wasn't a very good friend. Tara annoyed me of course. I thought the fights her and Isadora got into were stupid and I didn't see why she didn't just avoid her like the plague. I would have.

As the visions got worse the plot picked up and I rushed through it wanting to know what all these visions meant and why Tristan was keeping all these secrets. I figured out what was going on right before it was revealed and there was some other things that were a little predictable but that didn't keep me from enjoying the mystery.

Overall I thought this book was awesome. There was romance, and a mystery that kept me guessing and I loved it. I'm sad that it ended like a stand alone because I would love to read more about these characters.
4/5 stars.
-Marissa

Beautiful Blogger Award

I was nominated by the lovely Scarlett Rains .Thank you so much Scarlett for this award :).This is what happens when you are nominated: You write seven facts about yourself, You link the blog of the person who nominated you, You link seven bloggers who you think deserve the award, And you let those bloggers know they were nominated.

Here are my seven facts-
I have six dogs.
I'm a cheerleader.
I'm homeschooled.
I'm only 15 :).
I'm obsessed with the color blue.
I love talking to people on twitter.
Lastly I own too many electronics.

Pretty boring right?

Here are my seven bloggers-
Marissa because she is my bestfriend.
Karen because she is so nice.
Ren because I love talking to her on twitter.
Monica because of her obsession for the Fallen series.
Alison  because I love meeting new bloggeres.
Aneeqah because I love her reviews.
Lastly Kristen because I love meeting new bloggers.

Thats it. Check out all the links. I'm excited to see everyone's posts. Happy reading.

Jasmine <3

Waiting On Wednesday: Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Expected Publication: August 14th 2012.
Publisher: Entangeled Teen.
Second book in Lux series.

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarre connection. I’ve sworn him off even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But against all common sense, I’m falling for him. Hard.
Our relationship issues aren’t out biggest problem…
The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And when a new boy shows up a school with a secret of his own, things get complicated fast. I need to choose between my own instincts and Daemon’s.
But then everything changes…
I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. Daemon’s never going to stop searching until gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?
No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies.

I seriously cannot wait for this. Obsidian was one of my favorite books this year. Mostly because of the characters but also because of the storyline. I cant wait to see where this author takes this story. If you haven't read her books there is something wrong with you and you should go do that right now. If you chose not to do so I will hunt you down and force you :).

Jasmine <3

Review: The Godless by Suren Fant

Reading Level: Not sure but it didn't seem Young Adult.
Self published
Standalone (?)
*this book was gifted to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Centuries ago, when Earth was not under the control of God, it was controlled by a cruel and heartless creature, called Neuron. Coming to our planet, God saw, how Neuron treated as his subordinates. God and Satan decided to take to hands the authority on Earth. It was very difficult mission. God and Satan adapted all the people and their feelings.
In XXI century a young man from a wealthy family found new potentials, that ancestors of humanity and Neuron had. It becomes to him what had happened centuries ago and behind it hunting of angels has begun.

I didn't really know what to expect going into this book. Overall I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either.

The main character Aren just wanted to live a normal life. He was young, successful, rich and engaged to a woman that he loved. With his wedding just around the corner he starts having strange visions and flashbacks to a bad event that happened when he was younger. As the visions get worse he starts pulling away from his fiance Manush and resorts to drinking and at one point drugs. Being drunk or high makes him feel more in control but he starts hearing voices. Under the influence he gets in a bad car crash. Jump forward four months later and he's married but things aren't getting any better. He starts having dreams of being in someone elses body with no control. He has no idea what is going on and when his father is killed he is set on revenge. The story picks up from there.

I didn't really like Aren very much. At first I thought he was okay he just needed to lay off the drugs. But as the story progressed and he changed a lot I started liking him less and less. He didn't seem to have a concience. He just went around killing everyone who threatened him and didn't seem to show any regret and when his friends died he didn't seem very sad. His behavior made sense when everything was explained at the end but it still irked me. I thought him and his fiance were really cute but I wish there was more of a backstory to them. I felt like I was introduced to them in the middle of their story and I wanted to know more of the beggining.

Actually that's how I felt for most of the book. It felt kind of like a short story and there wasn't much of a back story. I was confused most of the time and the writing style seemed a little weird.

In the end I thought this book had an interesting concept but I was confused most of the time and found it really hard to get through. If there was a sequel I might consider reading it but I haven't heard any news of one.
3/5 stars
-Marissa

The First by Sara Zaske Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Self Published
First book in a possible series
*this was gifted to me by author for review*
Cassie Craig is not the chosen one. Not even close.
She's just an ordinary, 15-year-old California girl with a few problems. She talks too much. She has a crush on a guy in her school. She worries about her dad who is a Marine in Afghanistan.
Then, there's her new friend, Violet Starkey. The weirdest girl in school, Violet comes from a group of magical people who claim to be the first on earth.
When Cassie discovers that Violet has powers over nature, she will do anything to be her friend--all for the chance Violet might help bring her dad home.
But Cassie isn't the only one who wants Violet's powers, and she soon finds out just how dangerous it is to be the true friend of one of the most powerful magical beings in the world.

Review
I wasn't sure about this when I started it. It was kinda slow and one of the characters annoyed me a little bit. It picked up and I ended up liking that character more than I thought I would. I liked the concept the most. It is so unique. I hope there is a sequel because I think there is so much you could do with it.

Cassie never bothered me. I really liked her. I like how she gave Violet a chance before judging her. Violet annoyed me in the first half. She kinda grew on me. I liked her powers and how she finally stood up for herself in the end. She might have the most insane family I've ever read about/ I swear they were kinda scary. Talk about a controlling family.

I think everyone's powers was the coolest part of the storyline. It seemed like the whole book was about her grandfather. It almost like revolved around him. It seemed like he was controlling the story and I didn't really get that. I loved all the action in the end. That being said I think the first half should have had more excitement. I ended up liking the second half better than the first. Overall I really liked this. I hope there is a sequel because I would love to read more about the first people :). 4/5 stars

Jasmine <3

Teaser Tuesday #4

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Marissa's Teaser: "I'd always thought it interesting that our city is called Freedom when we have towering walls to keep us in. I'd never considered the walls existed to keep something out." -Page 66* of:

Surrender by Elana Johnson

Expected Publication date: June 5th, 2012 by Simon Pulse

       *Quote comes from an advanced reading copy. It may or may not change in the final version.

The Fairytale Keeper Avenging The Queen by Andrea Cefalo Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Scarlet Primrose Press
First in The Fairytale Keeper series
Expected Publication:June 1st 2012
*this was gifted to me by author for review*
Snow White was a pet name her mother had given her, but her mother’s dead now. Adelaide hates that name anyway. A rampant fever claimed Adelaide’s mother just like a thousand others in Cologne where the people die without Last Rites and the dead are dumped in a large pit outside of the city walls. Adelaide’s father is determined to obtain a funeral for his wife, but that requires bribing the parish priest, Father Soren. When Soren commits an unforgivable atrocity, he pushes Adelaide to her breaking point, but if she seeks justice against the cruel priest, she risks sacrificing everything: her father, her friends, her first love, and maybe even her life

Review
This wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was about snow white but it wasn't. It was more of a mix of fairy tales. There would be a passage from a fairytale and then the chapter would be about that passage. I think that is such a cool concept.


I really like Adeladie. I love how adventurous she was and how she wasn't embarrassed about her lifestyle. Her little romance with Ivo was so cute. I love how innocent it was. I also love how she stayed true to herself and what she believed. Even if it was someone close to her or a family member that doesn't change her opinion on their actions. I absolutely adore Ivo. I love everything about him he's adorable. I love the relationship between Ivo and Addie. They were friends but they weren't ever really just friends. There was always something more. I live how protective he was over her. I didn't like either of their families. Except Lexi him I liked.


I really love how the author did this storyline. I love historical fiction. It wasn't too fast paced but it wasn't slow either. I really love the concept and the characters. Everything was well done and I really enjoyed this. I'm really looking forward to the sequel and I highly recommend :). 5/5 stars


Jasmine <3

Waiting on Wednesday: Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto
Expected publication date: August 24, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Only sixteen when she started the series, Ally Adornetto knows how teen hearts beat, and this long-awaited conclusion is certain to be her most popular book yet.

Bethany, an angel sent to Earth, and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier, have been to Hell and back. But now their love will be put to its highest test yet, as they defy Heavenly law and marry. They don’t tell Beth’s archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, but the angels know soon enough, and punishment comes in a terrifying form: the Sevens, who are rogue angels bent on keeping Beth and Xavier apart, destroying Gabriel and Ivy, and darkening angelic power in the heavens.

The only way Bethany and Xavier can elude the Sevens is to hide in the open, and blend in with other mortals their own age. Gabriel and Ivy set them up at college, where they can’t reveal their relationship, and where there is still danger around each corner. Will Bethany be called back to Heaven – forever – and face leaving the love of her life?

Why I can't wait:
I know a lot of people didn't like the first book Halo but I absolutely adored it. Mostly because Beth and Xavier were so dang cute. I didn't like Hades as much because I missed Xavier but the ending made me insane. I am dying to know how the story ends for Beth, Xavier, Ivy, Gabriel and everyone else. Can I have an Xavier of my own? Please?

Surrender by Elana Johnson Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Simon Pulse
Expected Publication: June 5th 2012
Second book in Possession series
Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…
Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.
All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn. Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque....

Review
I'm always a little hesitant starting a book from a new characters point of view. I miss the characters from the first book. Somehow it always turns out well. I fall in love with the new characters. They always leave me curious about who's point of view the third book is going to be from. I wasn't sure about this at first. Of course it was amazing. It starts off kinda slow. It was the same with Possession. I think that's a part of her writing style. I read Possession awhile back and I didn't really remember much. I would suggest rereading the first book before starting this.


I really like Raine. I love how strong she is and her power is awesome. I love how she didn't want to let her father control her. Oh Gunner. He is adorable. He probably had no idea about Raines lifestyle before he was thrown into it. I hated Zenn. He has always bothered me. But he was kinda sweet in this. I feel bad for him. It's like he knows he doesn't have a chance. I hope he finds a girlfriend or something like that. Violet was a little confusing at times. I wasn't really sure how much she remembered. The chokers thing confused me too. I hope that's explained in the next book. Im so glad Jag was a part of this story. For some odd reason I thought he wasn't gonna be in this at all. I really love all these characters. Their all very well done.

The world building seemed a little different in this. It could be because I dont remember Possession. I really like the difference between the two books. The plot was a little slow at times. It didnt bore me though it was buildup to the excitment. Overall I absolutely adored this. It was amazing. I highly recommend this series and I cant wait to see what everyone thinks :). 5/5 stars

Jasmine <3

The Near Witch paperback release + The Ash Born Boy

It's May 15th!

Not only is my brothers birthday tomorrow (and mine in less than 2 weeks) but THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab comes out in paperback today. To celebrate its release, "The Ash-Born Boy" is finally up over at Disney*Hyperion's website!
So, what IS "The Ash-Born Boy"?

It's a free story Victoria wrote as a thank-you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer ONE question: "Who was Cole before he came to Near?"

Now, if you've already read THE NEAR WITCH, you know that Cole is the endearingly emo boy with a mysterious past that we all wish we had for ourselves.

And if you haven't read THE NEAR WITCH yet, don't worry, "The Ash-Born Boy" won't spoil anything! It might make you want to read THE NEAR WITCH super bad though. Which is a very good thing because seriously it's fabulous and original and the writing is beautiful. I absolutely loved it. It's also one of the first books I reviewed on here so it's kind of important to me. Now that it's out in paperback you really have no excuse not to read it so what are you waiting for?
And if you want to wait and read THE NEAR WITCH first, don't worry! Cole's story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion's website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free.

And!

Cole's story isn't the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. In the back of the paperback itself, you'll find the first chapter of Victoria's new book, THE ARCHIVED, which doesn't come out until January! I might have to sneak off to the bookstore just so I can read the first chapter because I am super excited.
Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at "The Ash-Born Boy," and don't forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of THE NEAR WITCH. Go! Buy it. You won't regret it. I promise

-Marissa

Rapture by Lauren Kate Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Delacrote Press
Last book in Fallen series
Expected Publication:June 12th 2012
The sky is dark with wings . . . .
Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.
Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.
For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.
In the fight for Luce, who will win?
The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.

Review
Let me just say it would be a good idea to reread the rest of the series before reading this one. It talks a lot about the past. I didn't reread and I was really confused the first few chapters. So I'm gonna fangirl a little bit so bear with me :). I'm so sad this series is over. Rapture was the perfect conclusion. It was amazing and went way beyond what I was expecting. Lauren Kate is amazing and she's really nice in person. I seriously cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.


I've seen a lot of hate on Luce. I don't really see why. I mean she isn't my favorite heroine but I don't hate her. I liked her best in this. She was so much stronger. She grows into herself. Daniel is seriously the love of my life. I swear he's amazing. Luce and Daniel are adorable. They have been through a lot and they still manage to make everything work. I know a lot of people love Cam. He's ok. I mean I like him he's pretty chill. I don't really have much of an opinion on him. I love fallen's secondary characters. Of course someone has to die(I'm not going to say who). That part made me tear up a little bit. It was really sad but I'm glad it wasn't one of the main characters. All of the secondary characters have their own part to play. I like that they were a big part of the story too.


This book had one of the best plots ever. Something was always happening. The action never stopped. But there was still time for Luce and Daniel to be all cute and lovey dovey. Those little adorable moments make my life. I've seen some people on twitter who say they want their questions answered. I think this answered any questions anyone might have. I honestly hope this meets everyones expectations. I think it was a perfect conclusion and I can't wait to see what everyone else thinks. 5/5 stars

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Harper Collins
First book in Under the Never Sky series
Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Review
This reminded me a lot of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. Only because of the speed. The worlds are nothing alike but both have similar speeds. This has become a new favorite. I absolutely adore this book. It was so so so good.


I really liked Aria. She was seriously thrown into this other world and managed to make it work. She never gave up. She stayed strong the whole time. She also kinda grew into herself. Plus she has the coolest powers ever. I love Perry. He's amazing. I love how Aria and Perry didn't even like each other at first. They took the time to get to know each other. Then they were adorable. At first they were just stuck with each other. And even though Perry didn't like Aria he still wanted her to be safe. I loved Roar. His personality is so cute and funny. I feel really bad for him. I hope we more of him in future books. And I hope he gets Liv back. He needs a girlfriend.


I absolutely adore the world Veronica created. It's so unique. It's one of the best parts. Along with the amazing characters. The plot is kinda slow in the beginning. It picks up around the middle. I liked the slowness because it gives you a chance to fall in love with the characters. I read this in like five hours so it wasn't boring at all. In fact it's incredibly hard to put down. One thing I didn't like was the confusion in the beginning. I'm not even joking I was really confused for like the first 100 pages. I could have just been reading too fast or some things could have been explained better. Overall I loved this book with all my heart. It was so good. I'm dying for the sequel. The wait is going to be killer. I highly recommend this one. 5/5 stars

The Finishing of Lady Amelia by Scarlett Rains Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:ARTEMIS Books
Prequel to Sisters of Heart series
*this has gifted to me for review*
Lady Amelia Fitzailwyn knows everything about everything... she certainly does not require Finishing School! If John and Alex had not tattled on her, she would still be home! It was fine for them to chase every skirt in the Kingdom but she has one kiss ...or two, and Uncle carts her off! Day one of her banishment, at Madame de Rigeur's Young Ladies Finishing Academie, is dismal. Her roommate is insular, Clarissa is cruel...and that spotty girl's rash is probably contagious! Then, she meets Monsieur Pelfrie, the handsomest man she has ever seen, and Amelia decides it might just be possible to endure the two long years away from home.
Enjoy this delightful tale of mischief and mayhem as a sheltered young woman comes of age in Georgian England. Includes excerpts from Scarlett Rains’ captivating Sisters of the Heart series

Review
It's been awhile since I've read historical fiction. I always really like it when I read it. This made me want to read more of it. I really enjoyed this. It was a nice break from all the paranormal I've been reading lately. This has some really awesome characters with a hilarious storyline set in the 1780s.
I think Amelia is the main character but I'm not sure. It flips through different peoples point of views. One thing I liked about Amelia is how she never gave up on love. She wasn't going to let her friends change her mind. Another thing I liked was how she didn't hold grudges against people. Even if they were mean she would give them another chance. Lydia had her snotty moments. She was really fun and somewhat nice most of the time. Anne was probably my favorite character. She was cute and sweet. I like Josie too. She seemed like the mature one of the group. Although I don't agree with the no romance or marriage stuff. One of my favorite parts was the teachers. Those teachers were seriously hilarious.


This has a real contemporary feel. To me it was like historical contemporary fiction. The plot was basically the every day life of the girls. I like the boarding school setting. I always enjoy books set in boarding schools. My absolute favorite part of the whole book was all the craziness the girls got into. They were always pulling pranks on each other and other girls. I'm gonna steal their ideas. They were seriously some of the best pranks ever. They were hilarious. It was also very realistic. I can totally see people in the 1780s doing some of this stuff. Overall I really enjoyed this. It was very fast paced and difficult to put down. Everything was very well done. 4/5 stars
Jasmine :)

Review: Of Light and Darkness: The Vampire's Daughter by Shayne Leighton

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
First in the Of Light and Darkness series
*this book was gifted by the author in exchange for an honest 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.

I love vampires. It might be a little more like an obsession but that's okay. They are my favorite paranormal creature and I love reading about them. It's actually been a while since I've read a vampire book and I have never read one like this. The concept for it was so original. A vampire finds an abandoned baby girl and takes her home. In this case home is an 'Occult' which is a walled city where mythical creatures can live without humans knowing about them. Charlotte is raised as the only human in a town full of faeries, witches, elves, shape shifters and many other creatures. The setting was one of my favorite things about this book. It was like nothing I've ever read and I loved reading about it. I wish I got to live there.

One of my favorite things about vampire books/shows/movies is how different the vampires always are. Sometimes they can walk in the sun and sometimes they can't, sometimes they sleep and sometimes they don't and sometimes they don't drink from humans and sometimes they do. These vampires do drink human blood, they can't walk in the sun without bursting into flames and when the sun comes up they die. Seriously every day at sunrise they start to die and are dead until the sun sets again. I thought that was so incredibly original and it made these vampires one of my favorite kinds.

Also one my new favorite vampires is Valek. *Sigh* Valek. I adored him. He was so appropriately dark for a vampire and loyal to Charlotte and just wonderful. I liked Charlotte she was so strong and would do anything for the people she loves. Two things I love in a main character. At first I wasn't sure about her having feelings for Valek. He was a father figure to her and I just wasn't big on it being more than that. But when Valek started to show feeling like that towards her I warmed up to it more. He wasn't really her father it was more like he was the only person she had and the same for him. By the time they actually got together I was totally rooting for them. They were adorable. I felt like they loved each other in many different ways. I don't know how I really felt about Aiden. I didn't like him but I felt bad for him. To me he didn't seem to know what love really was. He was more obsessed with the idea of being with Charlotte because he thought it would give him more power. That creeped me out a little. I loved Sarah. Witches are another of my favorites. I had very back and forth feelings toward Evangeline. Edwin was so adorable.

I thought this was a fantastic, imaginative debut with strong characters, a very fast plot and vampires. What more could you want in a book? I wish I had my own copy to mark the cute parts in and look all pretty on my shelf but I'll just stick with the e-book for now and anxiously wait for the sequel.
5/5 stars
-Marissa

Review: Talented by Sophie Davis

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self-published
First in the Talented Saga
*this book was gifted to be by the author in exchange for an honest 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?

A action-packed H.I.V.E-like adventure, about a group of teenagers who aren't afraid to embrace their fears and fight for what they believe.

Going into Talented I really didn't have any idea what it was about but I soon figured it out and was completely wrapped up in it. The concept is like nothing I've ever read. It's like an awesome dystopian world plus superheroes in it or in this case the 'Talented'. The story follows the main character Talia who is training to become a Hunter but not for the reasons most people would-she wants revenge and becoming a Hunter is the only way she can think of getting it. I though this was so interesting to read about and I never wanted to stop reading. There was so much action, romance an awesome futuristic setting and small hints at rebellion.


Talia was an amazing heroine. She knew what she wanted and didn't stop until she got it. Even when horrible things (or people yes you know who I'm talking about) got in her way it just made her work even harder. Donovan really annoyed the crap out of me. Sure him and Talia were cute at the beginning but I thought he was pushy and it seemed to me all he wanted to do was argue and he was very possessive of Talia. I just didn't like him. On the other hand Erik-one of her trainers-I loved from the beginning. He was funny and sweet and I could totally tell that he liked Talia. I was waiting (hoping) for her to ditch Donovan and be with Erik as mean as that sounds. I'm not going to say if I got what I wanted or not but I will say that some very crazy stuff happened and some things changed. Her other trainer Henri was hilarious. I adored him. Her best friend Penny was awesome. She was there when Talia really needed her and I loved her hair. Can she be my best friend? (Sorry Jasmine you just don't have bright red hair)

Whenever Talia got one of her assignments it was always so fast paced and action packed. Especially the last one. I totally didn't see it coming and I rushed through it until it was over. All in all I thought this was a kick-butt dystopian that I would highly recommend. I loved every page of it. I need to know what happens next for these characters. Especially Erik :) I'm also hoping for more world building. There's so much to expand on. I can't wait to read the sequel.
5/5 stars
-Marissa

Teaser Tuesday #3

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:McElderry Books
Book Five in The Mortal Instruments series

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.
No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own"
Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.
And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?
Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read, Open to a random page, Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
Teaser:
"You might want to button these all the way up. Nice boxers, by the way." She moved past him. toward Simon's bedroom. Jordan followed, muttering about how there was nothing strange about having a pattern of dancing panguins on your underwear.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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.

So if you have an internet connection or have been to the bookstore in the past couple of months you have probably heard of The Fault in Our Stars. Maybe you thought it didn't look like your kind of book or you're a huge John Green fan and have been waiting for this book for ages. I was part of the former but thanks to the awesome people of the latter group I decided to pick it up. And boy was I surprised. So if like me you weren't planning on reading this book I'm asking you to change your mind. This book isn't for a certain type of person. It's for everyone and I think everyone needs to read it. It was so incredibly amazing and it took me completely by surprise.

This isn't just another sad cancer book, movie or TV show. I could see that from the first page. The main character isn't all upbeat and set on fighting the cancer. She knows her lot in life and that she probably isn't going to live very long. She's come to terms with that or at least as much as one can. Another way this book is different is that it doesn't try to cover up cancer in any way. It's not something that the characters just happen to have like someone might have a bad haircut. Cancer is horrible and gross and sad and this book shows that. It also makes you thankful; thankful that you can breath, thankful that you can see, thankful that your body isn't fighting against you, thankful for pretty much everything.

 The characters in this book are some of my favorite characters ever. There was a point when I had to sit back and tell myself that these people weren't real outside of these pages. Sure characters are always real to me to an extent -that's part of the reason I love books so much- but I've never had to actually remind myself that I was reading about fictional characters. Hazel was amazing. She has gone through so much in her short life and all I wanted for her was some happiness, some good news. She is unlike any protagonist I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. The story wouldn't work the same if it wasn't told from her perspective. Augustus Waters how do I even begin to explain him? He is fabulous, funny, hot, honest and just everything you could ever want a love interest to be. He made me laugh, he made me cry and he will forever hold a place in my heart as one of my favorite characters ever. Isaac was the best. Why do blind guys rock so much? Don't worry Isaac I wouldn't break up with you even if though you’re blind. See what I mean about thinking the characters are real? Even if Isaac did exist he couldn't read that. I loved seeing how the characters family coped with the fact that their kids or siblings had cancer it was all so different.


 The romance between Hazel and Augustus was so perfect. It was awkward but adorable and slow and there's so many quotes in my quote journal from this book it's insane. It was cute but still true to the fact that both these characters had or have cancer but love anyways.


Now let me warn you about this book. Yes it's amazing and wonderful and I loved every minute of it but I've also never cried so hard over a book in my entire life. Believe me I cry in books all the time but never like this. It was 4 o'clock in the morning tears were streaming down my face, my shoulders were shaking, my face was red and I was trying so hard to be quiet about it. There was even a point when I was laughing but still crying at the same time. It was gross y'all. I even started crying again when I was rereading the cute parts. But no John Green again I don't mean that in a bad way. I was crying so hard because I cared so much about these characters and I was so wrapped up in the story. The stronger a book makes me feel the more I like it and if I'm sobbing in the wee hours of the morning you know I like it.


I don't think I'll ever think about this book without wanting to cry and could be bad because I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about this book. It makes you look at life a little differently and makes you thankful for the things you don't realize you have. Reading this was such an amazing experience and I plan on experiencing it again and again. The fault in our stars is that I can't give this book enough of them. If I could give this book a thousand stars I would but I'll just stick with 5 and tell you to go read it. Read it now.
5/5 stars
-Marissa

Caged by Sophie Davis Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Self Published
Second book in Talented series
After her brush with death at Ian Crane’s compound, Talia Lyons feels like a prisoner, confined in her childhood home. Plagued with seizures- the result of an unidentified drug injected in her neck by Crane’s men- Talia must put her dream of becoming a Hunter on hold. So when Agency Director McDonough asks Talia to go undercover at the School for the Talented, to find the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, Talia jumps at the opportunity.

Soon she learns that her new-found freedom comes with a price- working with Donavon on a daily basis. As if that isn’t awkward enough, her former teammate, Erik, also shows up at the School. But at least Talia has the unexpected company of her best friend Penny; to not only assist her in uncovering the spy, but also to deal with the complications that the guys create.

As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly learns the lengths that the Agency and Mac will go in the name of war. With Crane’s influence spreading, Talia learns that there are few Operatives without ties to the Coalition. Forced to face hard truths and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it is those closest to her who are hiding the biggest secrets. As the task of finding the traitor becomes more problematic, desperation and frustration rule Talia’s world. It becomes clear that Talia can’t do this alone. But who can she trust, when everyone around her is lying?

Review
I loved Talented. This was even better. The end of Talented left me pining for more. This series has an amazing concept with an even more amazing set of characters. I read this in like a day. It was impossible to put down. Now I'm sad its over and am impatiently waiting for the next book.


Talia is such a cool main character. I love how real she is. She handles everything like an other teenage girl would. When she considered taking Donavon back I wanted to shake her. He bothers me so very much. Sure he has his sweet moments but he also has his jerk moments. There's more jerk moments than sweet. I absolutely adore Erik. He cracks me up. His personality is hilarious but hes also very sweet and loving. Talia and Erik were probably my favorite part. They were seriously adorable. I was really surprised who the spy was. That was hidden incredibly well. I had no idea. I was shocked. I am gonna miss that character though. I'm not sure if they will be in the next book or not. I'm also doubting what side some of the characters are on. Who's good and who's bad. I hope we find out more about that in the third book.


The plot was a little slow at times. It wasn't as fast paced but all the twists made up for it. Overall I loved this. It was so so so good. I cant wait for the third one to come out. I highly recommend this series. Its becoming one of my favorites. 5/5 stars


Jasmine :)

Destined by Aprilynne Pike Review and 100th Post

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:HarperCollins
Last book in Laurel series.
Tamani looked at her gravely, and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear.
He hesitated for an instant, then his hands found the sides of her face, pulling her to him. He didn't kiss her, just held her face close to his, their foreheads resting together, their noses almost touching.
She hated how much it felt like good-bye.
Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and Klea plans to use her to help conquer and destroy Avalon. But Klea's reach extends far beyond one wild Winter faerie. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares to face what may be Avalon's final days, in the stunning conclusion to the Wings series.



Review
This series is one of my favorites. I'm obsessed. I can honestly say this was the perfect ending. Words cannot describe the amazingness of this book. It's become my favorite in the series.


This series has a really bad love triangle. I've known which guy I liked from the beginning. But I realized he wasn't right for her. Laurel made the perfect choice for her. She's strong and brave. She always puts others first. She's grown so much since the beginning. I loved that she wasn't gonna let go of her humanity. That was the one thing she wasn't going to lose. I also loved that she didn't let go of her human friends. They were always right there with her. I'm really glad David played such a big part. The authors note and David's letter made me cry my eyes out. David has a special place in my heart. Me and Tamani have a on and off relationship. Half the time I hate him and half the time I love him. I liked him in this more than I have in any of the others. I plan on rereading the whole series in the future and seeing if I feel differently about it.


The action never stopped. It was going going going till the end. I loved it every second. I could not put it down. It was addicting. The storyline was seriously so amazing. Overall I absolutely adored this in case you can't tell. Im so sad it's over. I can't wait to see what Aprilynne Pike comes up with next. I highly recommend this series. 5/5 stars


Jasmine <3

Author Guest Post with Andrea Cefalo

We asked Andrea Cefalo to do a guest post for us while she waits for our reviews. Shes going to be telling us a little bit about how she came up with her story. Here it is.

I get asked how I came up with the idea for The Fairytale Keeper series quite often.  It’s a question I love to answer.The idea came to me six years ago while I was getting myundergraduate degree in education.  I was listening to a lecture about the commonalities of fairy tales.  The professor said that nearly all culture shave a Cinderella story.  France,Germany, Italy,China, India, and Native America all have their own versions.  This made me wonder if one person, living thousands of years ago, could have been the real Cinderella.  Could it be possible that this one girl spawned all the different versions of the story?  Well, that’s probably not likely.  I think it’s more likely that every culture has had a famous beauty that rose from a low station to a high one with the aid of good looks and charm. 
I like the Cinderella story, butI’ve seen it retold more than a few times and didn’t want my entire series to be based on that one tale.  Also, at the time, I was more familiar with the French version which was too light of a story for me.  Had I been more familiar with the Grimm Brother’s version of the tale six years ago, The Fairytale Keeper series may have been an entirely different story. 
I quickly settled on The Snow Whitetale to use as the basis for the story and quickly became fond of Grimm’s fairytales because they are darker than most other collections.  I became so enthralled with the many tales thatI twisted my unlikely hypothesis (that the Cinderella tale originated from one girl) into the presumption that one girl could have been the origin of Grimm’smost famous fairy tales.  In my series,that girl is Adelaide Schumacher, a cobbler’s daughter living in 13thcentury Cologne, Germany.  Unbeknownst to Adelaide, she’ll not only be the origin of Grimm’s most famous fairy tales, she’llalso immortalize herself as the legendary Snow White. 

Sounds cool right. Here is a link to her book on goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13603568-the-fairytale-keeper . Keep an eye out for our reviews :).

Jasmine and Marissa <3.

Teaser Tuesday #2

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:EgmontUSA
Second book in Hourglass series
A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...
The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read, Open to a random page, Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.


Teaser
She grinned wider. "Stay out of trouble, sugar. Come look me up when you're legal." She slid the cherry Coke across the counter and winked. "On the house."