Lindsay's Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

How to Love by Katie Cotugno
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚
Pages: 398
Published by Balzer + Bray on October 1st, 2013
Amazon | B&N

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

I'm hesitant to pick up hardcover books because of the price and also if they're really popular. I never seem to fall into the books that everyone seems to enjoy. However, How to Love surprised me.

How to Love switches every other chapter from Before, to After. Before is when Reena first meets Sawyer, the drama in between, and how she becomes pregnant. After is Reena's life with her child, her heartbreak and the happenings that come when Sawyer returns after disappearing for two years.

I can't say I've read a novel with two perspectives like these, and when I realized what they were, I was wary. But this book did not disappoint. Both perspectives were amazing and I never leaned towards liking one more. Before Reena is a naive teenager, and After Reena is a mature, adult mother. Though the same character, the changes in Reena are perfectly done, and the end of each chapter had me excited for the next one in that perspective.

Though Reena's life felt really real and her character was someone who I sympathized with, I had trouble feeling that Sawyer was believable. There are times when he is so sweet and I love him but his personalities in both perspectives aren't consistent. Also, Allie's character wasn't prominent throughout the book like I thought it would be. When a character's death has an impact on the MC, it shouldn't be a touch and go situation. It should provoke thoughts, emotions and sometimes actions. I didn't think that happened.

While reading, I couldn't put this book down and annoyed those around me who wanted to talk to me. It was a great, wholesome read and is now one of my favorites despite it's flaws. For a standalone book, it ended wonderfully, and the whole book kept me pulled in with each and every word.

Lindsay's Review: My Life Next Door (My Life Next Door #1) by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Series: My Life Next Door #1
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚
Pages: 394
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers on June 14th, 2012
Amazon | B&N

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved. I was a little cautious at first because the premise of the-boy-next-door is always overused and the same, but My Life Next Door is nothing like that.

Samantha's mother is running for a political position and urged Samantha to keep two jobs all summer to keep herself busy while her mother is working late and her sister is on vacation. With so much time alone, Sam builds a relationship with the family next door who make her feel like she belongs, instead of being second to her mother all the time.

As a main character, I sympathize with Samantha and was happy with how real she seemed. I felt like we connected and I honestly felt her emotions throughout the book. The only thing I struggled with was how she reacted to her mother because I am so outspoken that I was practically screaming at the page for Sam to freak out.

And then there's Jase. As a romantic interest, he is so perfect. And it's not too perfect either, when the plot comes into play. I think that's why I loved him so much was because he was actually an amazing guy to Samantha, and didn't do anything wrong like in other stories of the like.

So many things happened in this book that kept me prolonging my real life. I really don't have anything bad to say and to gush would be to reveal too many spoilers. Have you ever read a book that you just felt happily speechless about? This is that book for me.

Originally I thought My Life Next Door was a standalone, and it ended so well that I was okay with that. And now that I realize it's a  series, I'm unsure of how to feel. I don't want the second book to be disappointing after such an amazing opening novel because it will ruin it. It was a fantastic standalone book and now I'm skeptic about how Fitzpatrick will follow.

 

Tori's Review: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Series: Lunar Chronicles #3
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 560
Published by Feiwel & Friends on February 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

NOTE: There are no spoilers for Cinder or Scarlet in this review. You'll just know who ends up with who coupling wise if you read this review, which really isn't that big of a deal. 

Oh, man. I honestly don't even know how to begin this review. To be truthful, I am still so shell-shocked when it comes to the Lunar Chronicles. I loved Cinder and Scarlet, but I don't think I realized how much I loved those books until I read Cress. 

The action in Cress is never-ending, which I loved. There's never really a dull moment. Looking back on this book, it's constant action. I would've read this book in one night if it hadn't been 12 in the morning and I wasn't about to pass out. I couldn't stop reading this book, because that's just how amazing it was. I hate writing extremely negative and extremely positive reviews, because this is how they end up—jumbled and incoherent.

I seriously ship all the couples in this book so hard. Thorne/Cress (Thress?), Wolf/Scarlet (Wolflet/Scarf?), Kai/Cinder (Kinder?), and then there's going to be a Jacin/Winter (Jater/Wincin...?) coupling in Winter. I swear, I don't know how Meyer does it, but she manages to make me ship every single one of her couples. I feel like I'm forgetting a couple, but then again, I don't think I am.

The only characters that I had extreme feelings for in Cress were Thorne and Wolf. I loved Thorne so much in this book. In Scarlet, I was pretty neutral about him, but once I read this book...wow, I loved him so much. Wolf—not so sure about. The more that I think about it, the more that I come to the realization that for the majority of Cress, Wolf brooded and sulked. In Scarlet, he took action and he was amazing, but in Cress, he was easily manipulated and just...there. I think he was a much better character in Scarlet. Regardless, this is the only complaint I have when it comes to this book.

Other than Wolf, there was a character arc for nearly every single character (except Scarlet, but if you've read this book, you would know why. She didn't get much book time), which I loved. Kai grew quite a bit in this book, and I think this was when I really started to love him. So did Cinder. Just everybody grew, and that made me love this book even more. I have so many feelings while reading it.

There were so many POV's too! But I surprisingly was content with this. Usually third person writing with a lot of POV's is a recipe for disaster and no attachment to the world/characters, but Meyer has no problem with this whatsoever. I really love Meyer's to-the-point writing, and she made everything work out in the end. I thought I would get confused with all the different plots going on, but I didn't. It was fairly easy to keep track of, which I loved. (Wow, I loved a lot of things when it comes to this book.)

Overall, this is one of my top favorite of 2014 so far. I've read 16 books in 2014 as of February 9 when I wrote the review, but out of those 16, this is my favorite. I think this will probably remain at the top. I want to reread it right now, and I probably would if it weren't for the fact that there are a million other books that I need to read. I could seriously go on and on in this review, but I think I'll stop it here.

I HIGHLY recommend this series. HIGHLY.

Oh yes, and on a final note, Levana is probably one of the best villains I've ever read about.

Lindsay's Review: Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun

Ink by Amanda Sun
Series: Paper Gods #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 326
Published by Harlequin Teen on June 25th, 2013
Amazon | B&N

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Dono yō ni shite iru? Don't know what that says? Don't worry! I'm just asking how are you in Japanese. I actually learned a lot of simple phrases while reading the book and if you know me in real life you're probably sick of me shouting out random things in Japanese.

Now, as much as I hate to admit it, I think that the reason I truly loved this book is because it took place in Japan. I love everything about the culture and the fashion, and Ink made me truly feel like I was really there in Japan. I felt like I was biking down the streets, staring at the sakura trees or in the school, feeling like a black sheep in a field of white.

Amanda Sun combines English and Japanese perfectly, making the words flow while also translating for the reader to understand. There's even a glossary at the back, but I found I didn't even look at it until I finished the book because Ink was so easy to understand. Also, the drawings throughout the book, both actual pictures and doodles, fit well and didn't take away from the story. As the pages kept turning I was genuinely trying to slow down because I didn't want it to end so soon, but I had to fight with myself because I absolutely needed to know what was going to happen next.

Katie is a main character I can relate to. When she's upset, I can really sympathize with her and feel what she's going through. I felt her struggle personally and loved her as a main character no matter what actions she took. 

"You're right," he said. "I'm sorry. Let me draw something to make it up to you."

"Draw yourself getting smacked in the face."

And Tomo as a love interest, despite my caution about how an author would integrate two languages together for romance, was perfect. Everything he did was justified, and unlike typical bad boys, he actually felt real.

I really don't have one bad thing to say about the book, the plot, or the writing. It was all fantastic in my opinion. The only thing I don't like? That I have to wait until the end of June to get a copy of the next book in the series! I want it in my hands right now!

Mini Reviews: Steelheart (Reckoners #1) by Branson Sanderson + World After (Penryn & the End of Days #2) by Susan Ee

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Series: Reckoners #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 386
Published by Delacorte Press on September 24, 2013
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

There are no heroes.

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.

Nobody fights the Epics... nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

This was just a random read for me. I was using the app Overdrive, and I had downloaded this book as a test for using the app. I didn't actually plan on reading it anytime soon (I had three weeks to get it read, and hey, 300 pages is easy). But then one day I was at school, and I didn't want to read the book that I brought with me (Eat, Brains, Love), and so I pulled my phone out. And it took a lot of restraint to not open the Nook app and read Shiver or The Darkest Minds, because those were some titles that I'd been wanting to read for a while. But no, instead of opening those, I opened Overdrive, and I had a moment of weakness where I opened up this book and read it.

Hell, that was one of my best weakest moments ever. This book was great, and I definitely didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Yes, there are cliffhangers. Yes, there are twists. And yes, there are bamf'ing girls and guys in this book. There was only one thing that I could've guessed by the end of the book, and that was a certain somebody's actual identity. Other than that one thing, I couldn't have guessed any of the other stuff at all.

Brandon Sanderson definitely knows how to write a great superhero-esque novel that knocked my socks off (figuratively). I saw on Goodreads that he has another fantasy series. I'm definitely going to be getting that book so I can buy it and enjoy it.

World After by Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & The End of Days #2
Genre: Angels, Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 314
Published by Skyscape on November 19, 2013
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose? 

This book, although a bit slow at first, ended amazingly. I just felt like there wasn't enough. Raffe wasn't present for the majority of the book, but the appearances that he did make made his final appearance even more impacting. This book wasn't as strong as Angelfall, but it was amazing nonetheless. There were twists and turns that I never expected, which I loved. (I hate guessing the plot by the end of the book. I'm big on the whole "reveal" thing at the end of books.)

The characters were constructed carefully and flawlessly. Penryn is very relateable with the way that she's afraid of her sister as well as her yearning for Raffe and the truth. Raffe's sword is a big deal in World After, and its name Pooky Bear is just wonderful. I loved this sequel so much, and I think it's well worth the read.

Lindsay goes into more depth about her reasoning for loving this book in her review, which you can check out here. And you can also check out her review for book one, Angelfall, here. 

Review: Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love #1) by Jessica Park

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park
Series: Flat-Out Love #1
Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 389
Published by Jessica Park on April 11, 2011
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.

But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations—it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.  

This book literally single-handedly seems like the most clichéd book I've read, but it's not. I swear to you, it's not. This is not one of those books that I read on a whim and only liked because there's a hot guy (well, there is, but that's beside the point). At first I only bought this book because it was a Kindle Daily Deal, but then I decided to actually read it, and honestly, it's one of the best contemporary books that I've read since John Green. The characters are so real throughout the entire novel, and I love them so much. Their anger and their sadness--I can relate to it.

Especially the protagonist, Julie. She's so real. At first, I thought she was shallow for judging Finn and Matt so quickly, but then I came to realize that I would've done the same thing too. The same for Celeste. Julie judged that little girl so quickly, but I probably wouldn't have made it as far as Julie.

Then there's Matt and Finn. The brothers. The two amigos. Okay, not really, but both of them were so real, and I loved it so much. The plot in this book was great. It wasn't too slow and it wasn't too fast. Everything about this book just awed me to pieces (is that possible?). I can't decide who my favorite character was because they're all my favorites.

I never would've guessed the ending of this book, and I really don't know how to review it without giving away the ending. The third person writing, I admit, is a bit detached and awkward at first, but I quickly got used to it. The conversations between the characters--their interactions--are so goddamn real. I keep saying that over and over, but it's so true. Everything about this book screams real life, and I love it.

This is easily my new favorite book, and I can tell that it's just one of those books that I'll read over and over like Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars.

I honestly have no idea what to say about this book anymore without being any more repetitive than I already am. I just...this book...I'm speechless... Heartwarming isn't even the right word to describe this book. I can't find anything better, and I don't know what word to make up. I just...so good. Go read it. Now. I swear. Oh my god.

Review: Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo

I just...this book...I can't even... Life, I say. Life. Alina's life sucks cow's ass, and Mal's life is just tough, and that Darkling's life is sad, you know? There is just so much depth to all these characters, and I feel bad for all of them at the same time, which isn't good, and I don't know why, but I wish I could just hug them all and tell them that life will be okay. Poor Alina and her Sun Summoner power. Poor Mal and his constant battle with princes and Darklings. Poor Darkling and his pow...more Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo Series: The Grisha #2 Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance Rating: ★★★★★ Pages: 432 Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 4, 2013 Amazon | Barnes & Noble Darkness never dies. Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long. The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm. I just...this book...I can't even... Life, I say. Life. Alina's life sucks cow's ass, and Mal's life is just tough, and that Darkling's life is sad, you know? There is just so much depth to all these characters, and I feel bad for all of them at the same time, which isn't good, and I don't know why, but I wish I could just hug them all and tell them that life will be okay. Poor Alina and her Sun Summoner power. Poor Mal and his constant battle with princes and Darklings. Poor Darkling and his power-hungry nature. Poor, poor, poor characters of Leigh Bardugo. Why must she create such sad characters? They have such tortured souls. I honestly don't even know what to say about this book other than the ending managed to piss me off and satisfy me and excite me all at the same time, and I honestly have no problems with this book other than the fact that it was so good, and that it sucks that the third book isn't out yet. COME ON LEIGH BARDUGO WRITE FASTER PLEASE I AM HAVING ANEURYSMS. But other than that, this beginning really ticked me off. I mean, it was just so slow. Don't get me wrong, I'm still giving this five stars, but it took a bit of will power to get through the beginning. Nothing happens. The first half, in my opinion, is Alina complaining about her boy problems, which really doesn't appeal to me. I like a little bit of romance, but when you just throw in a whirlwind of romance, I honestly don't know what to do with myself. But still. If you've read the first book, then you need to read this. If my rating doesn't say anything about this book, then I don't know what does.

Tori's Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Eve by Anna Carey

Series: Eve #1
Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 336
Published by HarperTeen on October 4, 2011
Date Read: September 4, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her. 
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Lindsay's Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & The End of Days #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Angels
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 283
Published by Feral Dream on May 21, 2011
Date Read: September 6th, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.
Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.
Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.
Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.
Recommended for ages 16 and up

Lindsay's Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 304
Published by Little, Brown Books on June 7th, 2011
Date Read: August 30th, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. 

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Lindsay's Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 304
Published by Razorbill on October 18th, 2007
Date Finished: August 28th, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.  On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Tori's Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #2
Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 461
Published by HarperCollins on February 5, 2013
Date Read: August 23, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Tori's Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #2
Genre: Vampires, Young Adult, Dystopia
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 434
Published by Harlequin Teen on April 30, 2013
Date Finished: August 13, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.
Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

Tori's Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Series: Summer #1
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Chick Lit
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 276
Publication by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers May 5, 2011
Date Finished: August 11, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

Lindsay's Review: Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

 

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Chick Lit
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 272
Published by Putnam Juvenile on March 5th, 2009
Date Finished: August 9, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it's all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.
But Annika's plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?
Janette Rallison's proven talent for laugh-out-loud humor, teen romance, and deep-hearted storytelling shines in a novel that will have readers laughing and crying at the same time.

Tori's Review: Treachery by Andrea Cremer

Treachery by Andrea Cremer
Series: Nightshade #2.5
Genre: Young Adult, Werewolves, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 34
Published by Philomel on December 13, 2011
Date Finished: August 8, 2013
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Ansel’s world is falling apart. The Nightshade pack led by his parents has been violently destroyed. His sister, Calla, abandoned her little brother, leaving him to answer for her crimes. And the Haldis pack that would have been his future is irreparably broken by Calla's betrayal. Suffering at the hands of the Keepers, Ansel is losing everything he's ever loved. The only chance he has to save himself means an alliance with his tormentors, and repaying Calla in full for her treachery.
In this novella, find out why Ansel makes the decisions he does in Andrea Cremer's New York Times bestselling novel, Wolfsbane.

Tori's Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade #2

Genre: Young Adult, Werewolves, Paranormal 

Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 390

Published by Philomel on July 26, 2011

Date Finished: August 8, 2013
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Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer–one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack–and the man–she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Lindsay's Review: Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Series: Shadow Falls #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Vampires, Werewolves
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 398
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on March 29th, 2011
Date Finished: August 3, 2013
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Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…
One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.
Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

Tori's Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Series: Shatter Me #1.5

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult, Romance

Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 103

Published by Harper on October 2, 2012

Date Finished: July 31, 2013
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Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.
In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .
Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.
Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

Tori's Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Series: None

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary

Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 323

Published by Dutton Adult on April 14, 2011

Date Finished: July 29, 2013
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Beth and Jennifer know their company monitors their office e-mail. But the women still spend all day sending each other messages, gossiping about their coworkers at the newspaper and baring their personal lives like an open book. Jennifer tells Beth everything she can't seem to tell her husband about her anxieties over starting a family. And Beth tells Jennifer everything, period.
When Lincoln applied to be an Internet security officer, he hardly imagined he'd be sifting through other people's inboxes like some sort of electronic Peeping Tom. Lincoln is supposed to turn people in for misusing company e-mail, but he can't quite bring himself to crack down on Beth and Jennifer. He can't help but be entertained-and captivated- by their stories.
But by the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late for him to ever introduce himself. What would he say to her? "Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you." After a series of close encounters and missed connections, Lincoln decides it's time to muster the courage to follow his heart . . . even if he can't see exactly where it's leading him.
Written with whip-smart precision and charm, Attachments is a strikingly clever and deeply romantic debut about falling in love with the person who makes you feel like the best version of yourself. Even if it's someone you've never met.