Tori's Review: Everbound (Everneath #2) by Brodi Ashton

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Book Two in the Everneath Series

Published on January 22, 2013 by Balzer + Bray

Young Adult | Fantasy |  Paranormal

358 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

Immediately after reading Everneath, I had to go out and buy Everbound. I'm not even kidding. I finished Everneath on Friday night, and then I went to Barnes & Noble to buy Everbound Saturday morning. The series is that addicting.

There's just something about Ashton's writing and world that draws me in. In Everneath, I wasn't Team Jack or Team Cole, but, let me tell you, I'm definitely Team Cole now. I'm one for a "tortured" soul, and I'd most certainly call Cole a tortured soul. Everbound really explored the depth to his character more. And the ending really proved to me that Cole, although in love with Nikki, makes his decisions based on his motivations—to win the girl of his dreams.

While I love Cole, Jack on the other hand is lower on my radar. Jack is very dependant on Nikki, which I don't like in a character. I like a character that's strong, independent, and can kick butt. Jack is none of the above. Stuck in the Everneath, Jack is pretty much nonexistent in this novel other than the flashbacks that Nikki has of him. At first, I thought the flashbacks weren't going to work for me, but after the first two or so, they didn't annoy me as much.

Jack is basically the jock who is in love with the unknowing, pining main character and is jealous of every other guy to talks to said girl.

Ashton is extremely good at world-building. She meshes our world with the Everneath's so nicely, creating a wonderful urban fantasy novel. The fantasy aspect of Everbound flows so nicely, and I don't question anything, because Ashton says right out how things are. While Nikki is in the Everneath with Cole, it was so easy for me to picture myself in the Everneath along with Nikki. My one problem with Nikki and Cole going to the Everneath would be the fact that everybody made the Everneath out to be some terrifying and hard-to-navigate place (the labyrinth as well), but it only took them a couple days to reach the center [of the Everneath], which supposedly nobody had done before.

At the end, I'll admit that I guessed the identity of a certain somebody before it was revealed. Albeit, I didn't figure it out until about 10 pages before the big revelation, but nonetheless I figured it out. For some reason, the predictability of Ashton's writing isn't bad. I kind of like it. It's more of the, "YES! I guessed it right!" rather than the, "Oh my god, why do I keep guessing? That makes it a crappy novel."

While I guessed the identity of a certain somebody, I did not guess the very ending. I would've never guessed the very ending. It was just so shocking and amazing. I loved the ending yet at the same time I hated it.

In the end, I really enjoyed Everbound. I can't say I'm excited to read Evertrue though. I've just heard that so many people are disappointed by it. Right now, the Everneath trilogy is one of my favorite trilogies. I really don't want to be disappointed by the third book. Though I have to say that I really want to read Evertrue just to see who Nikki chooses, although I'm pretty sure I already know.

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.

Tori's Review: Mind Games (Mind Games #1) by Kiersten White

Mind Games by Kiersten White
Series: Mind Games #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
Rating: ♚♚
Pages: 237
Published by HarperTeen on February 19, 2013
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Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

The thing about Mind Games is that I was terribly detached to all the characters right from the start. If I made any connection with any of the characters, it would have to be James. He actually had a compelling "backstory," and he actually had normal, human feelings, unlike Fia and Annie. For one, Fia really doesn't have a personality. Or if she does, it just describes her as one word—crazy. She's legitimately crazy. And her sister Annie isn't much better. Annie might not be crazy, but I'm certainly not crazy about her.

Right off the bat this book caught my attention, but within 20 pages, it lost it. I thought Adam was going to be an interesting character to read about, but he wasn't present for the majority of the novel. The idea of Fia being trained from a young age to assassinate people and then choose not to assassinate a geeky teenage boy over a dog is ludicrous. (Fia sees Adam petting a dog on the side of the street, and she decides to not kill him. Like what?)

Enough about the characters. The world-building/writing is a whole other matter. For one, as a reader you're thrown into the plot unexpectedly. At first, that worked toward the book's advantage, instantly showing the reader action. But as the book went along, the lack of world-building really irritated me. I never really knew what was going on. I picked up on certain aspects of the novel, but it took the entire 237 pages to figure out the majority of the plot. And it took me a good 30-50 pages to figure out that Annie was blind.

Also, the writing was enough to get me to groan. Fia did things three times. Three. Freaking. Times. She tap, tap, tapped and pop, pop, popped. Yeah, well, she drove, drove, drove me insane. OH, YES. And Annie had NO REGARD for her sister whatsoever. Annie was always talking/thinking about how she loved her sister, but she didn't really show it. In my mind, Annie was holding Fia back unknowingly.

I really don't know what to say about this book, because there really isn't much to say. After 50%, the plot got really slow and somewhat meaningless. I felt like it was a gigantic prologue, especially with the constant flashbacks. I would've been semi-okay with the flashbacks if they actually moved the plot along, but the thing is, the flashbacks did nothing for the novel, which once again lowered my rating for the book.

Despite my two star rating, I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't like it either. I don't really have any strong feelings toward it (okay, maybe strong feelings toward snapping Fia's fingers off if she tap, tap, taps them one more time, but that's beside the point); I'm pretty neutral about the whole book. I won an ARC for Perfect Lies, so I'll be reading the next book, but it's not high on my TBR. I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you're looking for a quick read and don't mind not feeling anything for the characters/plot/world-building.

Tori's Review: Unremembered (Unremembered #1) by Jessica Brody

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Series: Unremembered #1
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚
Pages: 320
Published by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (BYR) on March 5, 2013
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When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author Jessica Brody comes a compelling and suspenseful new sci-fi series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten.

I haven't read a lot of memory books, so I think that's one of the main reasons I enjoyed this book so much. The one thing that bugged me throughout the entire novel though was the fact that it reminded me of Origin by Jessica Khoury. At one point, the man that "created" Seraphina tells her that she's perfect, and one thing I remember about Origin was that they always called the main girl Pia perfect. This wasn't a big issue for me, but it did annoy me at times.

The characters weren't explored that much, in my opinion. As a reader you barely get a glimpse at what Seraphina (or Violet) is really like, and Zen is barely around enough to see what he is really like either. In other words, when Zen is around Seraphina, he's very cryptic, because he wants Seraphina to figure her past out for herself. I really hope we get to see more of Seraphina and Zen in Unforgotten. Also, I'm glad that it wasn't exactly insta-love. That really grinds my gears.

My favorite character had to be Cody, Seraphina's foster brother. He was hilarious, and when he explained the world to Seraphina because she didn't remember the majority of it, I cracked up. I think for every book there needs to be a comic relief, and Cody was that comic relief.  

The plot was pretty good. I knew that there were going to be science fiction-y elements from the beginning after I found out she had purple eyes and was gorgeous. I think the science aspect was alright. I can't really judge that part since I don't know much about genetics. I don't want to spoil anything, but the science got a bit confusing when Seraphina's genetics were being explained to her. I had to read a sentence once or twice to actually understand what was being said.

I thought the pacing was great. Unremembered wasn't too fast, and it wasn't too slow—it was just right. There was the right amount of action and the right amount of seriousness to keep my interest throughout the novel. I can safely say that there isn't a dull moment whether or not the plot doesn't really and truly take off until around 70 pages in. Don't be intimidated though! It's a fun 70 pages.

Overall, I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. I like that Jessica Brody has branched out from contemporary and decided to write a science fiction-esque book. (I read and reviewed her contemporary 52 Reasons to Hate My Father.) Albeit a bit confusing at time, I liked this book a lot. I can't wait to read the ARC of the second book Unforgotten that I have! I need to find out what's in store for Zen and Seraphina. I think Jessica Brody's writing is really easy to read, which I love, and I think she knows how to keep a reader's attention, which is another thing that I love. I would recommend this book to people that want to break into the science fiction genre!

"Forgetting who you are is so much more complicated than simply forgetting your name. It's also forgetting your dreams. Your aspirations. What makes you happy. What you pray you'll never have to live without. it's meeting yourself for the first time, and not being sure of your first impression."

Tori's Review: The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #4
Genre: Vampire, Young Adult, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★
Pages: 420
Published by Razorbill on November 19, 2013
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Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure — and re-education — looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

NOTE: This is the fourth book in a series. If you haven't read the other books preceding this book, I would suggest not reading this review as there will be spoilers for Bloodlines, The Golden Lily, and The Indigo Spell. 

I honestly never thought that I'd be giving three stars to a Bloodlines novel, but alas it has happened. First off, I found this book to be pretty mellow overall as in nothing shocking happened (isn't this for every Bloodlines novel though?). There were moments where I was semi-excited about it and I laughed at times, but other than that, The Fiery Heart mostly centered around Sydney and Adrian's relationship, which by the way, I never thought I'd be complaining about. I have to admit that their romance got a bit sickening at times. It's a bit unbelievable that Sydney goes from adamantly resisting Adrian to being all over him. The slow burn for their relationship did occur, but...it just wasn't enough for me. In short, their relationship only managed to irk me in the end. I still ship them, but they've lost their flame.

Sydney and Adrian aside, the characters in these books still seem to amaze me. I don't relate to all of them, but there's just something about Mead's characters and the world of Moroi, Strigoi, and dhampirs that draws me in and won't let me go. It's all very intriguing to me. Mead, for several books, has created and maintained this world of vampires and vampire society with all the levels and kinks in vampire society (Alchemists, Moroi, Strigoi, dhampirs, etc.) that has interested many. I'm just too invested in this world to let it go.

The only character I found lacking was Neil, but I think that's only because he's been in one book opposed to 2-3 books like the other characters. Jill seems like a life counselor for Adrian, but I think that's good for him. Angeline is alright, I guess. She's not a favorite, but I'm not opposed to her. I actually like Trey a lot. I don't know why; he's endearing to me. The only thing that really turned me off regarding the characters is the fact that there are so many. I think that because there are so many, it's difficult to give every character the screen time that they deserve in the book. If there were more than 400 pages, I think Mead could've created a lot better character arc for all the characters rather than just Sydney (she had a small one. Her biggest character arc was in The Indigo Spell) and Adrian.

The biggest thing for The Fiery Heart was its predictability. For the other three books, I said that their level of predictability didn't bother me, but it's starting to get on my nerves now. I like to be on my toes when it comes to a book, and I like to be kept guessing, and I just don't think The Fiery Heart had any of that. Halfway through, I already knew the ending, so when it actually happened, I was thinking, "Oh. That just happened. Poor Adrian. Go get 'er." I have to say though that if Mead had done anything else with the ending, I don't think it would've been as great. I think that the ending was the best thing for the series, which is something I appreciate. I just didn't like its predictability. It made the plot boring.

Regardless, Mead has this writing style that is hard to imitate. She's witty and sarcastic, and it shows in her characters and writing style. We're back to the characters, but I think their humor is what really gets me. She made The Fiery Heart have split POV's between Adrian and Sydney. At first, I thought this wasn't too great, but as the book went along, I found that Adrian's POV really suited him. Sydney's was just like the other three books, but Adrian's POV really stood out to me. I think his POV made me see how much he really has evolved as a character in the books series.

The one thing that keeps me coming back for more in this book series has to be the fact that I've already read the six books in the Vampire Academy series, and I've already read the first four books in the Bloodlines series, so I feel like I need to finish it. My favorite still has to be The Indigo Spell, plot-wise and character-wise. The Fiery Heart was still entertaining and I liked it; it just wasn't a favorite. Although this isn't a completely positive review, I did enjoy reading this book. I will definitely be reading Silver Shadows when it comes out this summer.

"Did Belikov bend the rules of time and space to get here so fast? He can do that, right?"

Tori's Review: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #3
Genre: Vampires, Young Adult, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★★★
Pages: 401
Published by Razorbill on February 12, 2013
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Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets--and human lives."

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

NOTE: Guys, this is the third book in a series.

This book is by far the best in the series so far in my opinion. The plot just really takes off in this book. It's funny, because it was the same case for Vampire Academy. The first two books are meh, and then the third book just wows everybody.

I think the fact that Sydney really starts to defy the Alchemists and learns that they're not on her side is what really gave this book the extra push it needed to be the best in the series so far. Also, Adrian. Adrian also made this book a hundred million times better than Bloodlines and/or The Golden Lily. There's just something about him--it's that he's hot. Yes, that's it--that really makes him an amazing character to have in this book series. Adrian really brings life to the plot especially since Sydney really doesn't do much.
Don't get me wrong, I like Sydney. It's just that Sydney is Sydney. There's no other way to put it. Sometimes Sydney really gets on my nerves, and then other times I love her death. One thing I do love about Sydney, though? The fact that Sydrian leaves the dock That's right, guys. Sydrian is in this book, and I loved it so much.

Although the plot is still a bit predictable, I still loved this book regardless. It wasn't as predictable as its predecessors. 

The ending though. Let's just take a moment and



Yeah. That ending, man. That ending. I think you all should read this book just for the ending. If you don't even like Sydney, just...read the series for the ending. (I have to admit that if you don't like Adrian though you might not like the ending, but who doesn't like Adrian?) I think that this book is honestly the sexiest (other than Unravel Me. I mean. Come on. Chapter 62) young adult book I've read in the past year. I mean, the kissing is just--oh my gosh.

I'm wowed by this quality young adult literature. Richelle Mead just has such a distinctive voice. And she's so sarcastic in all her writing, and I love that. Sydney might not be a Rose, but she sure is hilarious at times.

Once again...can I say...ADRIAN?



Let's just say that I was very, very sad when the book was over and I had to wait for The Fiery Heart to arrive in the mail.



Adrian. I just--



Yeah. I'm done raving now. I hope this was a substantial review concerning my feelings on this book. I really don't have any other words. There's nothing more glowing that I can say about this book without typing Syndrian over and over on my keyboard. (Oops, too late.)

Torsay Reviews: Rise (Eve #3) by Anna Carey

Torsay Reviews is a feature that Lindsay and Tori have where they both read a book together and then review it. These posts will feature both Tori and Lindsay's review of a specific book and maybe even a discussion between the two on what they thought.

Rise by Anna Carey
Series: Eve #3
Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 310
Published by HarperCollins on April 2, 2013
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How far will you go when you have nothing left to lose?

When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father's top adviser—Eve's whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb's memory, and the revolution he started.

Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King's court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she's called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father?

In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey's epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion.

Tori's Review

Rating: ♚♚

NOTE: There are spoilers for books one and two, Eve and Once respectively, in this review. Read at your own risk.

If you've read my review of Eve, then you'd know that I loved that book. Like, a lot. There was the right amount of action and romance and mystery that just made the book all that amazing. Then if you've read my review of Once, then you'd know that I wasn't too fond of that one, although I didn't hate it either. Once suffered from Second Book Syndrome, and it just didn't have as much going on as the first book, which made it somewhat boring.

Now if you've read my review of Rise, then--

Oh, wait. That's what you're doing. Right. Knew that.

Onto the review. To be blunt, Rise was boring. Nothing happens until page 280. At least, nothing interesting, anyway. The first 280 pages was a whole bunch of Eve missing Caleb, Eve pretending (yes, I say pretending) to be brave, and Eve putting people in danger. And in the middle, maybe even a little bit of Eve being the naive little girl that she was in book one. Basically, throughout this entire book, the entire book, Eve annoyed the crap out of me. 

Around page 100, Eve helps girls from the Schools that have come to the City escape. Nine of them. At first, it seems like a good idea to her. But then they get on the road and this one girl--Bette--doesn't like her. (Shocker.) Eve begins to realize that this is a bad idea. (No crap?) So Eve's taking these girls to Califia, and at first I think this is a great idea to move the plot along, but no. Again with the nothing happening. They travel for about 100 pages of nothing. Turns out, Bette's stupid, almost gets them killed, and she still manages to despise Eve in her free time.

I think the biggest fault with this book was my lack of emotion toward the characters. Well, any emotion other than hate. I think that a book's characters should be memorable enough that even if it takes me three years to pick up the next book, I should still remember how much I cared about the characters. I didn't care about any of the characters in Rise. Also, I don't think Carey gives us enough time to cultivate feelings for the girls from the Schools that Eve brings to Califia. The book seemed rushed to me. 

Nothing happened (I've said this several times, I realize), but things were still rushed. When I say nothing happened, I mean nothing important happened. The events that did occur seemed irrelevant to me. In Eve and even in Once, the major plot points were clear and big and meaningful, but in Rise they just didn't seem as, you know, clear and big and meaningful.

In conclusion, I just wasn't feeling it with Rise. I'm not going to say that Rise ruined the series for me, because I don't regret reading the trilogy, per say. It's just that it wasn't the best ending that could've happened for the trilogy. I think the ending should've been bigger and better and just more monumental than it actually was.

Lindsay's Review

Rating: ♚♚

When an author concludes a series, I feel like there should be a big buildup throughout the last book. There should be major issues, major self discovery where applicable, and end with a note that ties up loose ends but leaves the reader wanting more. To be honest, as much as I enjoyed the Rise series, it just didn't do that for me.

Because this is a conclusion book, I won't talk much about the characters, major plot spoilers and issues as much. I like to look more at how it ended a series I spent my time reading. Once ended with a whimper rather than a bang. There was a lot going on, I'll give Carey that. However I felt no build up, no pressure, no stress with what was happening. And then how it ended - I won't spoil this part for you, but I must say that I do not understand how that person at the end of the novel existed. It just makes me angry almost to think about how throughout the book there were no explanations or mentions of this possibility, and then it happens.

Character-wise, Once was lacking. There was a bunch of new girls added into the mix from the schools who were either forgettable or irrelevant, old characters killed off without a second thought, and even though Eve was changing, something was missing with her relationships. She almost seemed like a numb character, like she was detached from everything and not in an artistic writing way. I also noticed that there were a lot of characters throughout the novel with such little parts that made the book feel like a rough draft. Mauve from Califia, her daughter, Bette, Beatrice and Sarah. They all just seemed irrelevant to me and didn't seem to have a purpose to the plot whatsoever.

And don't get me started on Caleb being dead the entire novel.

He would have made the book more readable, and I think it was a dumb move for Anna Carey to cut him out because romance is what sells with readers these days.

For some readers there was no epilogue at the end of the book unless they got the book after it's first publication. I was excited at the chance to read it, given the ending. And when I closed the book I really didn't understand why the epilogue was needed. It was irrelevant and overall frustrating. Some parts were cute but it didn't really make the point of even including it. Sure, the new world is crumbling after everything Eve has done and they're going back to Califia, but really, why is this needed? It just ruined what I had previously read and honestly, kind of made me hate Eve who I defended the entire book.

If you're in the middle of the series, I suggest finishing it, just because I can't stand leaving a series halfway through. Eve was fantastic and could have been a great standalone book, but the series seemed to tumble downward instead of creating a buildup. I'm disappointed with the ending of the trilogy, but will keep the first book as a favorite regardless.

Lindsay's Review: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ★★★★
Pages: 371
Published by Balzer + Bray on December 31st, 2013
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

I picked this book up on a whim, noticing the cover and how it looked like a cute, easy read, and that's exactly what I got. Boy meets girl, insta-love and all that cute, mushy stuff. If you're looking for something deep, realistic and  something for older adults, I suggest you stop right here.

Two differing perspectives make me wary, especially with romance involved. Usually I end up liking one character more than the other and dreading grueling through the other perspective. However, in The Promise of Amazing, both perspectives piked my interest and I enjoyed reading through them both, regardless of what situation the characters were in at the time.

Speaking of characters, despite my rating of four stars, the characters didn't seem real. They were easily forgettable, main characters and non alike, put themselves in situations no one in real life would and also lived lives that honestly, seemed like they were created instead of lived in.

And the title, just for clarification, lies. The book wasn't amazing. It didn't make me gush or cry or scream. It was a solid, easy read.

By now you're probably wondering, "Hey Lindsay, why the four stars?" Well, like I said at the start, the book was a cute read and that was exactly what I was looking for. Despite the holes in the writing, I found myself turning the pages, smiling and relaxing as I read. I didn't get annoyed with anything like the plot or the characters, I didn't end the book stating I would never read it again (I probably will). I knew what I was getting into, and I enjoyed what I read.

Lindsay's Review: Asylum (Asylum #1) by Madeleine Roux

Asylum by Madeleine Roux
Series: Asylum #1
Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Mystery
Rating: ★★★★
Pages: 310
Published by HarperTeen on August 20th, 2013
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

Did you read the title of this post? Did you notice it rhymed? Did you smile a little on the inside? Yes? No? Great.

The first time I saw this book I was looking at the Halloween Reads table in a bookstore with my boyfriend. I wanted it so bad but couldn't decide whether to flesh out the high cost for a hardcover or not. And if you know me, I'm terrible when it comes to decisions. On top of that, my boyfriend is the exact opposite so when asked his opinion he said just get it, and when I told him of the cost he said, just don't get it, and then when I couldn't come to a conclusion that would satisfy my little anxious, awful decision making heart, I left without the book.

And for months, I couldn't remember the title or author. But while back in the bookstore in January, months later, I finally found it - I knew I couldn't pass it up the second time around. So I bought it and here we are today.

Before anyone considers reading this, I want to get something out there. There are real pictures throughout the book taken in real asylums over the years, and though some mind not agree with me, I found some of them to be a bit disturbing. They weren't gory, but the ones showing real people freaked me out, especially the one with the little girl with the scar and the other with the nurses and doctor outside the one asylum. It gave me such chills that I actually went to my mom and said, "you need to smudge this, right now, because I am freaking the **** out."

If you don't know what smudging is, it's when you take a smudge stick or put some in a bowl, light it on fire and move the smoke around your house or over an object to clear the bad energy from it. It's a practice common in natives and my mom does it around the house a lot.

So to sum this up because I'm dilly-daddling, she smudged it, I didn't touch the book for a day and when I came back I actually wasn't freaked out anymore and any negative energy I associated with the pictures was gone. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if you don't like creepy pictures, you might want to flip through the book in a bookstore before reading it. I, being the weird me, actually loved the creepy pictures after I stopped being a scaredy-cat.

Plot-wise, I think Roux did a great job creating suspense, cliffhangers and adding mystery around the characters that built up throughout the novel. Certain situations kept me pointing fingers in different directions and kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. I enjoyed reading about the characters, though they are easily forgettable, and I think the renovated asylum could have been creepier than it was described.

But just a little note about something that annoyed me about the characters - somebody dies, somebody else almost dies, somebody almost kills them, AND THEY STAY AT THE SCHOOL. ANY RATIONAL PERSON WOULD LEAVE, WHY WOULD YOU STAY?

Now onto the part I didn't like about the book - and there aren't going to be any spoilers because that's too mean, but I warn you, if you read ahead, you might be expecting something if you read the book. What I didn't like was the ending. In fact, I think I'm being pretty generous in giving the book four stars because the ending ruined almost the entire book for me. Not only did it make so little sense that you had to piece it together yourself, it was stupid. And I don't mean like it was a stupid idea, I mean it like there was no elaboration whatsoever, no reason for what happened to happen unless maybe piece it together yourself. And then it ends. Sure, every good book should leave a few threads untied, but this was just RIDICULOUS. I literally closed the book and said, "I don't know what just happened."

Overall, it was actually a great read despite what I just said, and the pictures were really good to look at while I read. I recommend it to anyone who likes the horror genre, or wants to dip their toes into it!

You might also like:

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Tori's Review: In the After (In the After #1) by Demitria Lunetta

In the After by Demitria Lunetta

Series: In the After #1

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

Pages: 455

Published by HarperTeen on June 25, 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

NOTE: I'm counting this for my 2014 Dystopia Reading Challenge, because I've read this book and have decided that it's dystopian. New Hope isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

I read in a review by Emily May on Goodreads regarding this book and she said that anyone who wasn't too fond of The 5th Wave would enjoy this book and vice versa, (as in, if you loved The 5th Wave then you probably won't like In the After) and after reading In the After, I've decided that I agree with her. In my review of The 5th Wave I said that I loved it yet hated it at the same time. I still stand by that. On one hand, I loved the aliens and just the premise of the book, but on the other hand I didn't really enjoy the characters. Yes, I'm going to compare The 5th Wave and In the After in some aspects during this review. I apologize if you don't like reviewers who do that, but it's my opinion.

In the After is about a girl named Amy. Amy is a survivor in the alien apocalypse. One day, she's lounging on her couch watching TV when all of a sudden her TV turns off. Immediately, she blames her dad for messing with the solar panels (he's a eco-freak). But then the TV turns on and it's the president, explaining that he has the situation under control. And then the president is interrupted, broadcasting the news station who informs the US population that they have been invaded by extraterrestrial lifeforms.

Amy survives the apocalypse on her own for three years with only the help of a three year old (now six after the three years) named Baby who unnervingly has the ability to be super quiet and seemingly has unbelievable hearing. Amy and Baby live a comfortable lifestyle...until they simply don't anymore.

I think the biggest issue I had with this book was the pacing. The book is split into three sections. If I had to rate each section, it would go a little like this:

Section 1: Four Stars
Section 2: Three Stars
Section 3: Five Stars

Most people who reviewed this book would disagree with me and say that the first section was the most interesting, but it's really a matter of preference. Although I liked the survival section, Amy daydreamed a lot, thinking back on her past a but like Cassie from The 5th Wave liked to do. Daydreaming in the past really isn't my cup of tea even though it's not completely non-enjoyable. The second section was fairly interesting if not a bit slow. It's really just about Amy meandering around New Hope, trying to find answers about the aliens that have taken over her planet. Not boring but not nail-biting interesting either.

But the third section. Oh my gosh, the third section was the part that made me fall in love (okay, like. I didn't love this book, but I did like it a lot) with In the After. Amy basically does daydream in the past in this section, but it's done in a way that intrigues me. It's not the boring "this happened and then this happened and then this happened and then this happened" rather than "okay here's a scene from the present, now we're going to jumpcut into the past, oh look now we're in the present" and back and forth, back and forth. I don't like books that experiment with different tenses...usually. But this book just did it so wonderfully.

Another thing I really enjoyed about In the After was the characters. They were fairly realistic. Amy's actions and responses to certain situations didn't seem forced or executed in a bad way. But you know what did seem forced? Amy and Rice's relationship.

In the After isn't the type of book to be drowned in romance, which was one of the worst things about The 5th Wave, but the fact that Rice and Amy's relationship was barely grazed on the top made it seem forced and a bit unrealistic. The two didn't really have any chemistry other than the fact that Amy was the only girl Rice's age at New Hope (which turned out to be false because there were two or three girls in the same class as Amy). It just seemed more like a relationship out of necessity rather than passion. And that kiss. It was...unexpected.

The last thing I wanted to address about this book was the book's ending. It wasn't all that surprising. At first, I thought that what I had guessed couldn't be right because it was too obvious, but it ended up being right. But the ending was done so well that I really don't care that I sniffed out the ending before it even happened, which is a good thing I suppose.

In conclusion, this book is full of suspense, action, and sisterly love. I found this book to intense as well as heartwarming, which is something rare for an apocalyptic/dystopian book these days (or is it just the books I pick?). I absolutely cannot wait for the second book In the End to come out June this year! I'm definitely getting my hands on a copy.

If you haven't already read this book, go and read it now! In the After turned out to be nothing like what I thought it was going to be like, but it was a good surprise. I will probably recommend this book to my friends that like action as well as my friends that like dystopian. It's a combination of both!

On a final note, what a great way to start out my reading year! A four star book--amazing.

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The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (Maybe, lol)

Eve by Anna Carey

Review: Find Me (Find Me #1) by Romily Bernard

Find Me by Romily Bernard
Series: Find Me #1
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: ★★★
Pages: 307
Published by HarperTeen on September 24, 2013
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“Find Me.”

These are the words written on Tessa Waye’s diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa’s just been found . . . dead.

Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target.

Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick’s deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?

Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare.

But she’s going to find this killer no matter what.

Because it just got personal.

Wick is a computer hacker--a very good one at that. So when she gets a diary on her front doorstep that have the words "find me" written inside of it on a sticky note, that's exactly what she plans on doing. The journey belonged to a girl named Tessa Waye that Wick used to be friends with. Keyword used to be friends with.

Along Wick's journey to finding Tessa's killer (because of course this YA and a suicide can't actually just be a suicide. There's always a deeper meaning. Just FYI: I'm not hating. I'm just saying) she makes a few friends. Okay, just one friend. Griff. Let's start this review off with Griff.

One thing in particular really annoying me about Griff: he didn't really care about Wick. In Find Me he was supposed to care about Wick, but it really didn't seem like he did. First off, their first kiss was forced. Sure, Wick sort of wanted to kiss him (it was floating around her mind but she didn't straight out say kiss me now, Griff) but it was still forced. Not in a sense that she was raped, but in a sense that she was blackmailed. I didn't like that Griff had to blackmail her to get her to kiss him. Then there was the fact that he pined. This is an old technique in YA books, in my opinion. There's always that one guy that's been pining after a girl for the longest time... Now, this would've worked for me if Griff wasn't so confident once he actually got to know Wick.

Seriously. It took a week or two for Griff's confidence to suddenly spike after three years of "admiring from afar." That just didn't work for me. I just found Wick and Griff's romance to fall flat, and it really didn't do anything for me. There were a few aww moments, but I don't ship them. And I ship everyone.

There were a few instances where things (statements, mostly) were repeated or information didn't math up. For example, Wick says that Todd never called her 'Wick' when in fact he called her 'Wick' a few paragrpahs earlier. At first this tripped me up, but eventually it just annoyed me. It was on the same page. Come on.

Now let's talk about suspects for Tessa's murder. I have to admit I was confused and genuinely in the gray area as to who the killer was...for about the first third of the book. There's just this part that makes everything so obvious. There's several parts actually. But at first I suspected Carson, the detective. But once I noticed the thinly veiled foreshadowing, I realized that Carson was the obvious choice, and that's why I thought it was him. Hell, I even suspected Griff at one point or another. I kind of wanted it to be Griff. It would've been so perfect. I don't know. Carson just gave me the chills. (The blurb for the sequel to this book. Oh my god. There are so many things that can go wrong with it, but it sounds so good. I can't wait. Seriously. Okay, I've gotten sidetracked.)

Dad was in charge of everything. Norcut says that was probably why my mom jumoed. She thought she'd never get control of her life again, and suicide was the only choice she had left that didn't involved him.

I think it's nice that Norcut has an explanation for everything. Ever since that little comment, I've been pouring coffee into her office orchids. We'll see if she can explain why they all die.

I thoroughly enjoyed Wick's character. She was hilarious, I thought. She had the right amount of humor and sarcasm to keep me entertained for the whole book. She's probably my favorite character other than Carson, who--although is creepy--is really interesting to read about.

"Because you have an answer for everyting." Carson pulls a little clsoer, and I have to stab my feet into the hardwood floor to stand my ground. "You see, nice girls don't. They dont' kno whwo to work law enforcement or social services because they've never been in them. Trash like you always has an answer.

Overall, this book was entertaining and exciting. It's not extremely thrilling or anything, but it's a fairly easy read. The hacking wasn't too in-depth and Wick wasn't a "hacking genius" but I liked the plot, and I thought the pace was alright. I'm not overly excited about this book, but I don't not like it either (oops, double negatives). I probably won't be reading it again, but I'm definitely picking up the second book that comes out next year, Remember Me.

Definitely worth the read!

People hate silence. They will, almost always, fill it up.

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Free Falling by Kirsty Moseley

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Review: The Lair (The Farm #2) by Emily McKay

The Lair by Emily McKay
Series: The Farm #2
Genre: Vampires, Young Adult, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★
Pages: 432
Published by Berkley Trade on November 5, 2013
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In the battle against the vampiric Ticks, humanity was slowly but certainly headed for extinction. For months, twin sisters Lily and Mel had been "quarantined” with thousands of other young people being harvested for their blood—food for the Ticks. Finally escaping with a few friends, the twins are separated—and must continue the fight on their own . . .

After making it to a resistance base camp in Utah, Lily learned to survive at all costs. But when a Tick attack decimates the fighters, Lily and her pregnant friend, McKenna, decide to make the hard trek north to Canada—and safety.

Meanwhile, Mel is being taught how to survive by the very vampire that turned her. Living without her sister is hard, but dealing with the fact that her autism was cured by the vampire bite is an even bigger challenge.

But when a monstrous betrayal places Lily in mortal danger, Mel must set out to find her, save her, and begin to unravel the empire of destruction that the Ticks have built. 

Note: I shouldn't have to tell you this, but don't read this review if you haven't read The Farm yet, because this is book two in the series The Farm. Seriously. Just go and read book one. Despite my three stars, it's well worth it. Just...library this book, okay? I'm saving you the pain. Anyway, this review may or may not have spoilers. I don't keep track. 

 

Recently, I've been writing down what I think about a book while reading it in a note thingy on my iPhone. Honestly, it's the best decision that I've ever made, because writing these reviews are so much easier. I'm a big sucker for good endings, so when I read a book that bores me in the beginning but goes out with a bang with the ending, I usually want to rate it higher than it should actually be rated. With my notes about how I felt throughout the book, it's much easier to rate a book and write a review that's levelheaded and not flooded with my emotions. So onto the review.

 

The Lair is the second book in the series The Farm, and I felt that it heavily suffered from Second Book Syndrome. The first book was great with action and suspense, but then once the second book rolls around, the beginning had literally the boringest (not a word, but today it will be a word just for this review) plot ever and it travels at the rate a snail does. A very, very fat snail. And then after you--the reader--gets past this snail-like part of the book, it goes out with a bang, and well, quite frankly, you're obligated to read the third and final book because you simply needs to know what happens to these characters that you've invested so much time in. So, yes. Now onto the specifics.

 

Throughout the entire book, the tenses and POVs (point of views) pissed me off so much. Mel and Carter were in first person, but Carter was in past tense and Mel was in present tense. Lily was in past tense and in third person. I just...couldn't. As a writer, I could never imagine doing this. If I ever want to do split POVs, I either collab with another writer with a different writing style or I write in third person. I don't understand how McKay can write three different POVs in two different tenses. That's what pissed me off. Two different tenses. Like, no. Pick one. Use it.

 

Also, the lack of Sebastian and Melanie romance really angered me a ticked me off. In The Farm I felt like they had some sort of connection. And I'm not going to deny that I'm big on 'forbidden romances,' so I was all for Sebanie to happen, but then...it didn't. I looked forward to Mel's chapters so much because she was such an intriguing character. As a former autistic girl, her new vampire self had some things to say about the world, and I loved that about her. I pretty much ended up wishing that Lily and Carter would just be killed off so the book would become Mel's stage.

 

Then there was Carter. Like I said before, I wish he was gone. I know that's harsh, but he's putting so many people in danger by taking care of Lily. I get that he loves her, and that's sweet, but I just don't particularly enjoy how he always neglected his duties when Lily was in trouble. I'm big for romance, but I feel that Carter and Lily's relationship is a bit reckless in a sense that them being together is more dangerous for them than not being together. Carter, despite how many times he says he doesn't want to be a leader, is a leader. And leaders lead. Honestly, Carter isn't that great of a leader. He just sort of slacks off when Lily comes into the picture, and I don't like that about him.

 

I have one thing to say to authors everywhere: WHY DO YOU TAKE MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS AND JUST AIUWEHFNIKJWEAHAWE. Interpret that in your own way. If you've read The Lair, you probably know what I'm talking about.

 

The last thing that really pissed me off was the way that the word 'friggin' was dropped everywhere. At first, I thought it was just Carter's monologue/dialogue that used that word, but then I heard the guy Carter was having a conversation with say it, and I was like yeah no. Every-freaking-body said friggin'. Now, I would understand if it was frickin' or freaking. Even fucking. Like if you're going to say friggin', you might as well just go all out and say fucking. I'm pretty sure that's acceptable in YA, right? John Green has done it, I know! The bottom line is that I've never heard anybody ever say friggin', and I hear a lot of words being said in a public school. Friggin' is not one of those words.

 

The ending though. That's really what did it for me, to be honest. I would've given this book one star, maybe two, if it hadn't been for the ending. It was good, in my opinion. It held the right amount of suspense, romance, action, and just everything. If only the entire book had been like that...

 

(I really liked Ely and Sebastian. Just saying. Roberto actually wasn't that bad.)
 

She pulled her bow out of the backseat. She didn't tell him she wasn't even sure she could notch an arrow with her arm like this. Why give him the satisfaction?

"Great. I'm bunking with Katniss Everdeen. I'll let you know if we need that."

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: 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.