Tori's Review: Avalon (Avalon #1) by Mindee Arnett

Avalon by Mindee Arnett

Book One in the Avalon Series

Published on January 21, 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Young Adult | Science Fiction | Dystopian

432 Pages

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A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

Jeth Seagrave lives in a world where a police force called the ITA monitors the planets and people can travel at the speed of light in their spaceships using metadrives. In this futuristic world, Jeth works for a powerful man named Hammer Dafoe, who's basically the equivalent to a drug overlord in today, stealing spaceships and metadrives from the ITA.

On one of Jeth's missions, he runs into an ITA agent who's willing to work with Jeth to betray Hammer in exchange for information on Jeth's parents who were murdered by the ITA for treason. This supposed alliance starts Avalon off with a bang, which is something I appreciate.

There are few aspects of Avalon that are memorable--the beginning, Cora, and the ending. The way I see it, Avalon is extremely forgettable. There are strong parts in the novel--again, the beginning, Cora, the ending (in some ways)--but I feel as though the weak parts outweigh the strong. 

Right off the bat, Jeth is thrown into action and being forced to make difficult decisions. The setback in starting a novel right off the bat is that none of the characters' decisions make sense to the reader, because they haven't connected with any of the characters yet. This was Avalon's biggest flaw to me: I didn't relate to any of the characters whatsoever. I could've cared less whether or not Jeth and his crew died, which is sad. 

A really strong part of this book, as I mentioned above, is Cora, a little girl who escaped the ITA's clutches with the help of Sierra, a daring AWOL ITA officer, and the assistance of another AWOL ITA officer. Without spoiling the novel, I'll say that Cora's background made Avalon what it is right now. 

The world-building is lacking immensely. As a reader, I never learned how this futuristic world came to be. These characters are in this universe with spaceships that can travel at the speed of light and practically jump themselves anywhere in space, and yet I'm never told how this was achievable. 

In conclusion, I think hardcore science fiction lovers should stay away from this novel, but newbies or casual readers could pick this up and enjoy the adventure. Although the world was interesting and the plot was definitely adventurous, I don't think this book has what it takes to stick in my mind, considering I've already forgotten half the characters' names. 

(Shame on me. I read a lot.)

Tori's Review: The Iron Knight (The Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Book Four in The Iron Fey Series
Published on October 26, 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Fantasy | Young Adult | Romance
399 Pages
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My name - my True Name - is Ashallayn’ darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase - a half human, half fey slip of a girl - smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end - a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.

To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

NOTE: This is the fourth book in a series. There will be spoilers for the first three books.

I wish The Iron Queen was the last book in the series. Although The Iron Knight wasn't bad and I did happen to enjoy parts of it, that's all that I enjoyed--parts of it. I didn't enjoy the entire book, which I wanted to so badly.

The Iron Knight is in Ash's point of view, and it starts off right where The Iron Queen left off. Ash is searching for a soul so he can go into the Iron Realm to be with Meghan. If you've read my review for The Iron Queen, then you'd know that I'm on Ash's side now. Before you freak out, yes, I was on Ash's side for this book. I don't know how to explain it other than this book was boring. 

The majority of this book is a gigantic filler. It would've made a better novella, in my opinion, not mentioning the weird point of view switch at the end of the series. The only reason I didn't completely write this book off as one that was alright is Puck and Ash's friendship. I ship them. They are awesome together. 

Oh, yes. And Grim and the Wolf. Those two jokers. 

In all honesty, I feel like this book was irrelevant. I get that Ash and Meghan needed a happy ending, but I was totally okay with the ending of The Iron Queen. Ash and Meghan knew that they couldn't see each other because of the lack of Ash's soul. There was closure, and as a reader, I knew very well that those two just couldn't catch a break. I was okay with that. 

I don't have much to say about this book, and for that I'm sorry, but The Iron Knight just didn't do it for me. It wasn't terrible, because I did enjoy the dialog and how it turned out in the end, but pace-wise and relevance-wise, I don't think The Iron Knight was a needed addition. 

If you're not completely dead set on this series and immersing yourself into Faery, I'd suggest skipping this. 

(NOTE: I haven't read the spin-off series, therefore I'm not sure if reading The Iron Knight is imperative if you would like to read The Call of the Forgotten. I'm assuming you do.)

Lindsay's Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle #1) by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Book One in the Gemma Doyle Series

Published on December 9th, 2003 by Simon and Schuster

Young Adult | Fantasy | Historical Fiction

403 Pages

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A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique.

Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm a sucker for cute, cheesy romance books without a whole lot of substance. I thought it would be hard to read this book because romance was not the main plot, but I was pleasantly surprised.

A long time ago I remember reading one of the books in the series that my older sister let me borrow. I'm not quite sure which one it was, but even though I don't remember much, I'm left with fond memories of the beautiful place where the girls go. Something about it kept drawing me to this book so I finally picked it up.

Gemma is a wonderful main character. In the times where she's meant to be a proper lady who never speaks her mind, she struggles with keeping her opinions to herself and acting the way she's supposed to. On top of that she's very cunning, making the exchanges with the other girls very interesting and exciting to read because of how the pages turn with her choices.

Her friends, who you dislike at the start of the novel, become very real when you get to know them as Gemma's friends later on. They have valid reasons for the things they do, and even though sometimes they say things that are blatantly uncalled for, you get where they're coming from because of the lives they lived.

Even though the characters were very realistic and relatable, I felt like parts of the world were missing. I couldn't imagine the clothes they wore in that time, what the places in London were like. Maybe it's just me, but I had trouble putting images around the characters because of so.

One problem I had, and I'll try to be vague to keep from spoiling, was what happened at the end. I felt like the chapter touching on it should have been longer and more in-depth for such a big twist, but instead it kind of rushed by. When something big happens you want to know the details, to read what's happening to other characters, but it was over in a few measly pages and then shortly after the book ended. It might be the writer in me overreacting, but I really wanted more.

A Great and Terrible Beauty sucked me right in, making it nearly impossible for me to put down. Even though there was a romance only as a minor sub plot, I hardly noticed it. The book kept me flipping pages to find out what happens after each twist and I honestly can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

Tori's Review: The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa

 The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Book Three in The Iron Fey Series

Published on January 25, 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Fantasy | Young Adult | Romance

358 Pages

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My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

NOTE: This is the third book in the series. There will be spoilers for the other two books.

After we left Meghan Chase in The Iron Daughter, we knew that Meghan had chased (get the pun?) Ash into the mortal world, both of them exiled from Faery. After Meghan and Puck being the majority of The Iron Daughter, there's no doubt that The Iron Queen is purely Meghan and Ash. Strangely, I had no problem with this.

If you've read my reviews for The Iron King and The Iron Daughter then you'd know that I wasn't a big fan of the Meghan and Ash coupling. Let's just say that Ash in The Iron Queen definitely converted me. Especially this quote here that Ash said. I died in cuteness. I had to read it over and over again.

"'My name is Ashallyn'darkmyr Tallyn, third son of the Unseelie Court.' Though his voice was soft, it never wavered, and I felt breathless at hearing his full name. His True Name. 'Let it be known--from this day forth, I vow to protect Meghan Chase, daughter of the Summer King, with my sword, my honor, and my life. Her desires are mine. Her wishes are mine. Should even the world stand against her, my blade will be at her side. And should it fail to protect her, let my own existence be forfeit. This I swear, on my honor, my True Name, and my life. from this day on...' His voice went even softer, but I still heard it as thought he whispered it into my ear. 'I am yours.'"

I swooned. Did you?

Other than the swoon-worthy quote I just gave you from Ash, this book completed me. The one thing that this book had that made me want to laugh/hurl was the angst. It was all over the place. Meghan is one angsty (this is not a word, but let's pretend it is) teen, though I have to admit that if I had to save the Faery world at age sixteen while a dark prince is being ice cold (another play on words. Sue me), I'd be a bit angsty as well.

In all honesty, the characters are well-developed in the third book, mostly Ash and Meghan. Those two have come so far since the beginning of the series. I'm like a proud mother. Meghan learned to grow a backbone, and Ash learned what it takes to feel emotion and open up to another person.

The ending was perfect. Sad, but perfect. I won't say anymore in fear of a spoiler, but just know that the ending was everything I hoped for in this series.

This beautifully described almost-conclusion was intriguing and crafted in a way that keeps the reader's attention. The characters are relatable and realistic, seemingly coming off the page like a real life person. As we come to the end of Meghan's journey in Faery, I'm glad to say that I experienced what she experienced. This is a must read if you've read The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. Even if you're iffy about it right now, know that I'm in love with Ash and Meghan after hating their coupling with my soul.

I will end this review with a Puck quote.

"...Puck said, tracing a finger through the dust, drawing a smiley face with the tongue sticking out."

Tori's Review: Tease by Amanda Maciel

Tease by Amanda Maciel

Standalone

Expected Publication on April 29, 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction

336 Pages

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Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

In this powerful debut novel inspired by real-life events, Amanda Maciel weaves a narrative of high school life as complex and heartbreaking as it is familiar: a story of everyday jealousies and resentments, misunderstandings and desires. Tease is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt readers long after the last page.

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through Shelf Awareness in exchange for an honest review. 

I really can't stand Sara, her problems, and her friends. The pace wasn't prime either, and I feel like the plot never really "took off" in a sense. The writing was irritating at times, because the author wrote like Sara spoke, therefore there were instances of "like" everywhere. And I could never decide whether or not Emma did the things Brielle and Sara accused her of or not. That's the drawback of the book being in first person--it's biased.

First off, There's a difference between having the characters say those phrases and putting it in the actual narrative. It made Sara seem like a very unintelligent character in my opinion. (*See additional information.)

(pg. 145) Oh, that's what she means. My nice, thoughtful, hot boyfriend. Anyone would want to have him. So I shouldn't be surprised that Emma's trying to, like, climb into his back pocket.

Other than my irritation for her, Sara surprised me. Regardless she was still annoying and dumb and her oblivious attitude toward the severity of her actions made me want to rip my hair out. I'm glad she met Carmichael though or she probably never would've learned that bullying was not okay and that what she did and said to Emma was not okay. Also, it was almost as if she didn't expect court to be so hardcore, and maybe she didn't. Maybe she thought that bullying a student to death wouldn't have any repercussions.

(pg. 306) God, I'm an idiot. This whole thing is rigged. We're not even on trial anymore, but everyone is still playing the game. Playing the system. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. I don't even know.

Emma Putnam. The girl that killed herself or the girl that Sara and her friends killed?

(pg. 307) ". . . For a long time, I thought we were enemies. I thought she'd done things to hurt me--and I did things to hut her back. . . . I know that she was in a lot of pain. More pain than I'll ever really understand, though I definitely understand better now. . . . I don't think that pain is anyone's fault, exactly. . . . But I made that pain worse. For no good reason. . . . and I'll be sorry for the rest of my life. . . ."

I should mention that I don't in any way like any of the characters in this book except Carmichael, and only because he was barely in the book. I felt like they were all very whiny. They never failed to find something in their life that they could complain about.

Other than the life lesson threaded through this book, it was slow. I'm sorry. I liked it and all, but it was freaking slow. And Sara's irritating narrative for the first 75% really wasn't something that I was happy about. Also, the entire book is supposedly about Sara going to court and what her sentence is going to be. As the reader, I never found out what her sentence was. Did she get probation? Did she get jail time? Did she get sued? And the author never mentioned whether it was a civil case or not. (I think it was since Emma's parents were more involved than not.) The plot holes angered me.

In conclusion, it was really the slowness and those loose ends that kept this book from a higher rating or a better review. I'm glad Sara (sort of) felt something about Emma's death at the end, or this would've been a one star review. It was really only the side characters that never really developed, Dylan especially. He was a cheater scumbag in the beginning, and he was a cheater scumbag at the end. I'm really not sure who would enjoy this, because for some reason I feel like I shouldn't have enjoyed this book. Yet I did.

I think this book is just brutally honest in the truth of what teenage girls can be like. What life can be like. It's tough crap, life and drama.

*I am not in any way saying that people who use those phrases as place-holders in speech are unintelligent. (It do it myself.) I'm just saying that putting that in a novel's narration isn't something that agreed with me. I mean no offense to anyone at all.

Tori's Review: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3) by Julie Kagawa

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

Book Three in the Blood of Eden Series

Published on April 15, 2014 by Harlequin Teen

Vampires | Young Adult | Paranormal

416 Pages

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VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

MONSTER

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

NOTE: This is the third book in a series. There will be spoilers for books one and two in this review as well as minor spoilers for book three. Very minor, though. Only involving Zeke. (Sorry, guys. Can't write the review without mentioning him.)

I'm going to start this review off by saying, "I freaking called it when I said that Zeke wasn't dead." It's just that there's no way that the author is going to kill of the main love interest in the middle of the series without a really good reason. I just knew that Zeke was alive. I knew it. Okay, I'm done gloating.

This was a highly anticipated 2014 release for me, so forgive me when I say that I was disappointed. I read The Forever Song in two days, but there were many slow parts. Forgive me, but in my opinion The Forever Song lacked the qualities that made me love The Immortal Rules and The Eternity Cure so much. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of action in The Forever Song, which I loved, but it just wasn't enough for me. My biggest problem with this book would have to be the pace. The plot was nonexistent for the first 20% of the novel or so.

My second biggest problem with The Forever Song would have the be the angst level. Allie and Zeke need to realize that they both love each other and they they're going to be happy together. They need to stop complaining. They had some cute moments in this novel, but the majority of the time Zeke was sulking and Allie was making idiotic decisions based on Zeke's benefit.

Jackal and Kanin will remain my favorite characters in this trilogy. I love that Jackal calls Zeke 'Puppy.' It's so incredibly cute.

"'Puppy, I am getting so tired of listening to you whine about this,' he [Jackal] snarled at Zeke. 'This isn't rocket science. If you don't want to be a monster, don't be a bloody monster! Be an uptight stick in the mud like Kanin. Be a self-righteous bleeding heart like Allison. Or you can stop agonizing about it and be a f***ing monster, it's actually a lot of fun. But for the love of p***, make some sort of decision. If you don't want to eat babies and nail bloodbags to walls, that's your choice.'"

I felt the end of The Forever Song was fitting. The title matches the book's purpose, which is great. Although the end made me sad, it wasn't exactly a tear-jerker, per se. (Then again, I don't cry very often...) I think Kagawa handles endings well, which I appreciate. I love good series endings.

In conclusion, this book had flaws, but the characters make up for the majority of those flaws. I'll miss Jackal since I won't be reading about him anymore, but that's okay. Kanin will always have a place in my heart. I have to admit that I think less of Zeke after The Forever Song, but that's just me. I don't enjoy angsty teens in apocalyptic novels.

The Forever Song is definitely worth it though if you need to finish the series. I find it a great finale. Not particularly the strongest in the trilogy, but it was well worth the read. I'm honored to have made the acquaintance of Jackal, Kanin, Allie, and Zeke. (Sarren? Not so much.)

Tori's Review: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Book One in The Winner's Trilogy

Published by Farrar Straus Giroux on March 4, 2014

Fantasy | Young Adult | Romance

355 Pages

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Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Two words come to my mind when I think of The Winner's Curse: world building.

 

I think Rutkoski crafted this novel in a way so that readers could feel as though they knew the world that they were in while reading the book. If there's one thing I'm sure about when it comes to The Winner's Curse, it's the setting of the novel. The wars leading up to the entirety of the plot are described in battle strategies, which makes it seem ever more real. Each side of the war had strengths and weaknesses that were clearly discussed in the novel, which I think makes it even stronger. 

 

While the world building and writing was absolutely amazing, the characters weren't as amazing. Yes, they were realistic, but I just didn't like what they stood for or represented. I get that readers were supposed to fall in love with Arin, but I just didn't. His personality wasn't to my liking. He was resentful and full of hate, not to mention his betrayal toward Kestrel. (Not a spoiler. You discover this within the first 50 pages.) He simply wasn't a character I enjoyed. 

 

While Kestrel wasn't as bad, she was explained as a superb battle strategist, but as a reader I never really got to see that side of her. She was always fawning over Arin or gossiping with Ronan or Jess rather than planning, which is what's she's known for. Also, in one scene she was dueling with this guy, and she ends up talking to him in the middle of the fight. 

 

In the middle of the freaking fight, and nobody questions it. If it were a few exchanged words, I'd be okay with it, but this was a full blown conversation. It just didn't sit right with me.

Finally, the last thing that got on my nerves about The Winner's Curse was the fact that by the end of the novel, I felt like it should've been two separate books. 

Book one: Pre-Revolution

Book two: Post-Revolution

With all the hype that surrounded this book, I expected a lot more. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy this book, because I did. I'm just saying that while the world building is lovely, the characters are irritating and just don't make sense. I thought this book was going to be fantasy, but it wasn't. So if you're looking for fantasy, this is not the place. It's more contemporary than anything, to be fair. Still, I'm excited to see what's in store for Kestrel and Arin since the end left us readers at a bit of a loss. 

Tori's Review: Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano

Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano

Standalone

Published March 25, 2014 by Kathy Dawson Books

Young Adult | Mystery | Contemporary

388 Pages

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Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance. . . on her.

Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

I must warn you first that I am really into bad boys in young adult literature. I don't know why, but they thrill me. I suppose I liked Nearly Gone as much as I did because Nearly reminded me of myself in many ways. Firstly, I'm very competitive and serious when it comes to my grades. I constantly compete with the smartest kids in my class to set the learning curve (I fail most of the time, but I still try). Secondly, I love puzzles. They confuse the heck out of me, but I love them. Thirdly, Nearly likes bad boys. Yeah, I like bad boys as well.

The best thing about this novel is that I never guessed who the actual culprit was. I usually have a pretty good guess by the end of the novel, but by the end of Nearly Gone, I was completely lost because the person I thought was the culprit was completely and utterly innocent. I love mystery/thriller novels, therefore I was extremely glad that Nearly Gone actually made the reading experience enjoyable for me. I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading in the car.

The characters, in my opinion, were intriguing. Each one had a back story (except the thugs. I really had no idea where they were coming from, but then again, they're thugs) that held weight and wasn't just there. And the killer's motive made sense at the end. Sure, it was a bit warped, but it made sense, which is all I really care about.

For a debut novel, I think Nearly Gone surprised me in a good way. I found this at Costco today, so I bought it, and I honestly didn't expect to read it in one day. I've been in a reading slump lately, so to just pick up and book and polish it off like desert felt amazing. There were a few subjects not touched on like how Nearly could feel someone's emotions when she touched them (I wish this was elaborated on a bit more), but in the end I don't feel like I'm missing out on too much.

I really enjoyed the idea of narcs (Narcotics officer) being in this novel. After watching the movie Snitch, I've been interested in undercover criminals busting drug deals, so this book was perfect for me. I'm surprised to find myself waiting to reread this novel in the future since I don't usually reread. I honestly really enjoyed it.

To touch on Reece's stalker-like behavior a bit, it wasn't all that bad. In his defense, he was told to watch over Nearly. It was only when it wasn't a job for him anymore that it became a little creepy. He breaks into her locker to trifle through her stuff, forces her to kiss him in the hallway, and a few other things like that. Unsurprisingly, I still managed to liked Reece by the end of the novel. A lot. (Like I said, I have a thing for bad boys. So sue me. I'm a young teenager.)

In conclusion, Nearly Gone was an entertaining read, and it managed to keep my interest throughout the entire day, which books these days can't seem to do all that often. I bounce between books a lot, but Nearly Gone kept me from doing that. I can't wait to reread this book in the future. But I do warn you that if you're a person who isn't into bad boys and the justification of bad behavior due to hotness level, then this book isn't likely for you. But who knows? You still might enjoy it as much as I did!

Lindsay's Mini Review: Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls #3) by C.C. Hunter

Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter

Book 3 in the Shadow Falls Series

Published on January 1, 2012 by St. Martin's Press

Paranormal | Vampires | Young Adult

380 Pages

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Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

Do you ever go to the bookstore, excited to get new books and realize there's nothing there that you really want at that time? That's what happened when I bought Taken at Dusk. Now, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the series and hang onto the cliffhangers like my life depends on it, but I'm not completely invested in the series like I was in others.

The plot felt pretty lax compared to the other books. Sure, there were cliffhangers, but the book went up to a climax that fell flat. It wasn't all that exciting, and I was disappointed, but the underlining plots made up for it somewhat in how interested I was in them.

Character wise, the characters were realistic and with so many, it wasn't hard to follow. I felt like the scenarios were real, and I was interested in each of the characters as a whole.

I will be completing the series soon, hopefully, and I look forward to reading the next book when I have time to pick it up.

Tori's Review: Charm & Strange by Stephanie Keuhn

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Keuhn

Standalone

Published on January 11, 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin

Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction

216 Pages

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When you’ve been kept caged in the dark, it’s impossible to see the forest for the trees. It’s impossible to see anything, really. Not without bars . . .

Andrew Winston Winters is at war with himself.

He’s part Win, the lonely teenager exiled to a remote Vermont boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts all his classmates out, no matter the cost.

He’s part Drew, the angry young boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who spent a fateful, long-ago summer with his brother and teenage cousins, only to endure a secret so monstrous it led three children to do the unthinkable.

Over the course of one night, while stuck at a party deep in the New England woods, Andrew battles both the pain of his past and the isolation of his present.

Before the sun rises, he’ll either surrender his sanity to the wild darkness inside his mind or make peace with the most elemental of truths—that choosing to live can mean so much more than not dying.

To be frank, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did. I've read so many rave reviews on Charm & Strange, therefore I expected something specular and riveting. What I got was extremely confusing and mediocre. Right off the bat, you're confused. You're thrown into this story that's being told by this unreliable narrator who's a bit on the crazy side, meaning he really doesn't know what the heck to think, because he may or may not be suicidal.

Honestly, as a reader, you never get any of Win/Drew's backstory from the actual story until the end or until you draw your own conclusion (that, if judging by the werewolf "callings," is probably wrong). Before reading the book, I had read the summary once, so I was a bit blind going into the book. At first, I thought Win and Drew were two completely different people. I mean, they lived such different lives! Long story short, by reading the summary you've pretty much read the book.

That leads me to my next point. You really get noting from the book. It probably would've been a more entertaining book if Win/Drew had turned into a werewolf. By the end of the book, I really wasn't sure what the heck I had just read. Honestly, I still don't know what the heck I had just read. This is horrible of me, but I think if this book hadn't been so highly "acclaimed" by bigger book blogger, I probably would've enjoyed the idea of the book more.

I understand that this was a coming-of-age story about a boy who was struggling with an abusive, trying past, but it was hard to see that when I was waiting for something jaw-droppingly amazing. The entire time, I had been waiting for something awe-inspiring to occur when really the ending was just...meh. And I never completely understood the point in Drew's point of view, aka Win's past. You never get anything from that. All the text and conversations were cryptic and mysterious, so much so that I didn't want to try and decipher the true meaning.

The one redeeming aspect of this book was Lex. I liked him. He had spunk. On one hand, he was a bully and wasn't very nice to Win, but then again Win wasn't the stablest of friends. To me, Lex took care of Win in a way that other people couldn't. I admired that about him.

In the end, Charm & Strange just managed to disappoint me, nothing more, nothing less. I didn't hate it or dislike it, I just didn't think it deserved all those five-stars that had been thrown in its face. Then again, maybe those bloggers felt something emotionally toward the book that I didn't. I guess you could say I didn't connect with any characters other than Lex or sympathize with Win/Drew. I would recommend this book to people who like slower books that are character analyses, and for people who aren't heavily influenced by hype like I am.

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

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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.

Tori's Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ♚♚♚½
Pages: 408
Published by HarperCollins on March 4, 2014
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Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

I expected a lot from this book. I didn't get exactly what I was hoping for, but I wasn't disappointed either. The pace was decent, and the plot was sort of thrilling. The characters were typical, but I connected with them a bit as in they made decisions that seemed realistic and matched their personalities. In a way, the characters made the plot predictable, but not too terribly so. The world-building, in all, was pretty good, and I wasn't left hanging.

This book had been raved about a lot, therefore I was expecting something spectacular. Sadly, Panic is pretty average. The pace wasn't fast paced, but it wasn't slow either. A bit slow at first, but after the first 50-60 pages, it picks up more. I read it in a single night, because I had to know what was going to happen to Heather and Dodge next. It was a page turner for sure!

Dodge was dodgy to me. Really. I like an unreliable narrator though, so I sort of liked Dodge. The one thing that really got to me about him was that he was obsessed with Nat, Heather's (the main character's) best friend. It was cute at first, but after so long I got irritated with him and his infatuation. The same thing goes for Heather and her obsession/infatuation with her ex-boyfriend Matt. There was this line at the beginning of the novel that I felt was extremely true.

There's just something about her.

Something about her. Which meant: Nothing about you.

I felt like that is how a lot of girls feel after a guy uses the line, "It's not you; it's me." Not the same line, but still. Same meaning. Trying to pin the blame on themselves or some imaginary force that doesn't exist. Heather just seems so dead set on being with Matt. It's sort of sickening, and it got annoying. Plus, the players' motives for participating in Panic didn't really fly with me. Their backgrounds/histories were a bit shady, which ultimately made them shady as characters.

The one character I liked through and through was Biship. His motives were a bit predictable and cheesy, but in the end I liked him a lot more than the other characters. I originally thought I'd like Dodge, but I ended up not liking him as much. I liked Bishop more than Dodge.

On the world-building side of the story, it was good. There was a page or two in the beginning that explained the background of the city Carp. Usually, this wouldn't work since it would be considered a form of info-dumping, but since the book is written in third person (she, he, they), I think it worked out a lot better than if it was in first person (I, me, we).

Panic was nothing like I expected. I thought it was going to be more action-y and adventurous, but it ended up being thrilling and suspenseful, maybe even a bit mysterious. I'd recommend it to people who have liked Oliver's previous works since the writing is still really good as well as people that are just interested in the synopsis in general. I don't think you'll be too disappointed with Panic if you're already interested in reading it. I think I'll leave this review with my favorite quote.

"That's the thing about trust. You don't know [if you can trust me]."

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: The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #2
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚
Pages: 359
Published by Harlequin Teen on January 1, 2010
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Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

You know that series that doesn't impress you that much, but you keep reading for the sake of finishing the series and because you have to know what happens or if it gets better? Well, The Iron Fey is that series for me. If you've read my review of The Iron King, then you'd know that I wasn't all that impressed with The Iron Fey's first book. Surprisingly, I liked this one more, hence the extra half star/crown. 

Just like last time, Meghan annoyed me. Someone needs to tell that girl that Ash is not the center of the universe. Primarily, this is the only part of this book series that really annoys me. Obsessing over Ash lost this book 1.5 stars/crowns. The first half was so irritating just because of Meghan's infatuation over Ash. In my opinion (Ash fans, please don't gouge my eyes out), Puck is a much better match for Meghan. They've known each other longer, and I think he compliments her well. He's always there for her when she needs him, despite the fact that she's all for Ash. The thing is that Puck knows patience. He even said himself that he was going to wait for Meghan. Oh, yeah, and there's the fact that he doesn't reject her every 50 pages.

Yes, there's still time for me to switch ships. I did it with the Shatter Me trilogy, and I can do it again.

Honestly, I wish I could look this aspect over since I'm so engrossed in the Nevernever, but I really can't. I absolutely hate clingy main characters. So much. Although, Kagawa creates such an intricate world, and I believe it. I believe that the fae could be running around the place, disguising themselves at humans. Kagawa's world is very addicting as is her writing. No matter how much I dislike Meghan and Ash, I can't stop reading the books. And this is literally what keeps me coming back for more.

I put the next two books on hold. As well as the novella book. As well as the first two books in the spin-off series. I'm so marathoning the books. As I said, they're so addicting.

I have to say that, yes, the first half of the book is Meghan obsessing over Ash, but after page 60 or so, things got a lot better (for me, anyway), because Puck showed up! I was missing Puck since he got injured in the previous book, but now he's back, and I'm loving him. Meghan's love *cough* for Ash remained while he was gone, and when Ash came back (because Ash always comes back, right?) all of Meghan's progress toward obsessing over Ash less vanished. Back to square one.

In the end, this is a good series. I'm pretty much the only person that's majorly ticked off by Meghan and Ash it seems, and I feel like I'm reading a completely different book than everyone else who's in love with Meghan and Ash. Oh, well. I heard the next book, The Iron Queen is a lot better, and I can't wait to continue on with the series to see what happens with Meghan (and Ash)!

(I just need to clarify that I am not an Ash hater. I like him; I do. I just don't like how clingy Meghan becomes when she's around him.)

Tori's Review: Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath #1
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: ♚♚♚♚½
Pages: 370
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 24, 2012
Amazon | B&N

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned-to her old life, her family, her boyfriend-before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance-and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

The first thing that really stood out in this book to me was the world-building. Ashton was able to create a world that felt real even when it wasn't. The mythological aspect in this was super fascinating, and I loved how Nikki was submerged into the world of the Everneath. Her interactions with the characters in the story were realistic and didn't seem forced at all.

The only person in this book that I didn't like was Jules. She just didn't seem as genuine and as real as Cole and Jack were. She felt more as a person who was there just to move the pace along. This wasn't a big deal, but I think it's important to mention. She ended up being more a nuisance more than anything.

Personally, I'm more toward Jack in this book. Cole doesn't seem like the type of person that one can depend on. He doesn't seem committed to anything other than himself. He's such a stereotypical bad boy, too. Although I'm more toward Jack, I'm still not in love with Jack nor do I love him. I think the only reason I couldn't give this book a full five stars is because I'm not completely convinced that I need to be in love with these characters. They seem real and all, but I just haven't formed an emotional connection to them (yet).

I have to admit that I do personally really enjoy that Jack never gives up on Nikki. It's sweet, and I loved that about him. I suppose Cole doesn't really give up on her either, but in a different sense.

I think Aston created the perfect atmosphere for this book with her writing. She really set the tone as mysterious and borderline fantasy, which I love. For some reason, I particularly enjoy urban fantasy, so this book was perfect for me.

This book is mostly romance and relationships, so I was extremely happy when the romance didn't outside and block the plot. That just didn't happen, and I loved that about this book. I honestly tried to find something that I hated about this book and couldn't stand.

I came up blank. I recommend this book to nearly anyone. I think so many people will enjoy reading it.

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: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1) by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚
Pages: 346
Published by Balzer + Bray on Janurary 28, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

I'm going to start off this review saying that Rosamund Hodge can create the perfect atmosphere for a fantasy novel with her beautiful writing. Let me also say that I wasn't a fan of her character's relationships with each other. I liked the characters by themselves but not with each other.

Nyx was a fun protagonist, but she was also sort of irritating when she kissed Shade in the beginning, and for an assassin, she sure lusted over Ignifex a lot. But take those boys out of the equation, and I enjoyed her personality a lot. She was strong, and she knew her priorities. In the beginning (note that I say "beginning"), she doesn't let Ignifex's appearances (he's gorgeous) get in the way of her mission, which I loved.

Also Ignifex interested me. His entire story interested me. Some aspects of the novel felt unexplained to me (the darkness eating him. Correct me if Hodge did elaborate, and I'm just forgetting it), but maybe that's just me. His perspective regarding the people he made bargains with was fascinating as well. It allowed me to understand his character on a deeper level. And the fact that the never got angry with Nyx for her antics (you know, trying to murder him and all) was intriguing and made me like him as a love interest even more.

On the other hand, Shade seemed uninteresting to me. He was also irrelevant to me. I wish he had played a larger role in the novel so I could've gotten to know him more as a person. In honesty, I didn't really like his personality. From what I read, for someone who had been around Ignifex for so long, he sure didn't know much about his master. And all he ever talked about was how Nyx was their last chance. Talk about repetitive.

Nyx's relationships with both boys didn't really settle with me correctly. I didn't think she had a bond with either of them, Shade even less than Ignifex. Sure, Nyx and Ignifex has some cute/adorable lines in the course of the novel, and I liked them, but I didn't like them as a couple. They just didn't mesh well for me.

The world-building was amazing. Seriously. Despite a few holes in Ignifex and Shade (I think they were warranted with his situation), I thought that the history of Arcadia was explained very well, and I loved that aspect of the novel. Also, Hodge's writing just made everything so much better. Her word choice was marvelous.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book, but honestly not to the extent that I wanted to. Before reading this book, all I read were rave reviews, so I was expecting something jaw-droppingly amazing. It was good, but not a favorite. It was a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, so if you're looking for one of those, go right ahead!