Never Never Review

Never Never (Never Never #1)

By Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Published January 7th, 2015 by Hoover Link

140 pages

5 stars - AWESOME!

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen. 

Complete strangers since this morning. He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget. 











Review:

I had not heard of this book before it was published but I started seeing authors and other readers tweeting about it. My attention was caught and I decided to check out what all the excitement was about. I am soo glad that I did! Never Never was amazing and has me wanting (needing) more! I love Colleen Hoover and I have read a few of her books but I haven't read anything of Tarryn Fisher's. They were both able to write so well though and I couldn't even tell there were two different authors. 

This book is not that long and ends in such a big cliff hanger but it is totally worth it! The second part is supposed to be released in May so there is not that long to wait. I just can't even begin to explain how good this book was. It isn't what one would expect and there seems to be some supernatural thing going on but I'm not even sure about that. 

The book starts off with Charlie coming to her senses in the middle of a hallway not knowing who she is or where she is at. She doesn't remember anything of her past or present. Silas and Charlie know each other (or so they are told) but they don't even remember each other. So they decide to figure out what is happening to them which is not an easy thing to do. Throughout the 140 pages Charlie and Silas learn things about themselves and each other. 

I'm not going to say anymore because I think it'll be more exciting to learn everything else on your own. All I can say is that you won't regret trying this out! 

Vanessa

Crown of Midnight Review

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

By Sarah J. Maas

Published August 27th, 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

418 pages

5 stars - AN AWESOME SEQUEL!! 

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Review:

Wow. I cannot begin to explain the FEELS that I had while reading this book! Just know that there were many of them and reading this book is like being on an emotional roller coaster. I don't even know how to begin to explain what went on in this sequel. 

Crown of Midnight is definitely more action packed than Throne of Glass. There are also more violent and bloody scenes as well as romantic scenes. Celaena is also definitely more bad-ass in this book and shows the other characters and readers just what being an Adarlan's assassin means. She goes through quite a bit throughout the story and she keeps on growing. I noticed that Celaena, as well as the rest of the characters, act completely human. They make mistakes throughout this book and I found myself trying to tell them to fix them. :) These characters are stubborn though and they did what they felt was right. I loved learning more about Chaol and Dorian. We didn't get to learn a ton about them in the first book but we definitely get to see different sides of them here. Nehemia continues to be a great friend and such a brave women. Besides personal growth there is also the growth of relationships. Readers will see more of a relationship between Celaena and Chaol so I'll let you make of that what you want. 

There are secrets that are uncovered and then there are more secrets made. There are new dangers in the castle as well as outside of it and no one is quite sure where someone's allegiances are. The end is very action packed and surprising and tear jerking,(at least for me it was). I just didn't see the end coming in a way. I didn't see all this other information coming until it was right in front of my eyes. All I know is that I cannot wait to read the next book and to learn more about this awesome world! If you haven't read it yet, then you are definitely missing out! 

Vanessa

Wishlist Wednesday #12

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. 
This is hosted by Pen to Paper ! 



I haven't done a Wishlist Wednesday in awhile but there is one book that I am DYING to get my hands on! I am currently reading The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas and I absolutely adore them. Then I saw that A Court of Thorns and Roses is coming out later this year!! The cover is AMAZING and the synopsis sounds so interesting! I wish I could read it right now...:(. What is on your wishlist this Wednesday?



A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
By Sarah J. Maas
Expected Publication is May 5th, 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's


 A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down! 

(Synopsis from Goodreads.com)

Vanessa

Throne of Glass Review

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)

By Sarah J. Maas

Published May 7th, 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

404 pages

5 stars - BRILLIANT!! 

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Review:

I have heard so many good things about this series and it has taken me way too long to start reading the books. Right when the New Year started I remedied that. Throne of Glass is the first book that I have read this year and I am definitely glad that it is. Sarah J. Maas knows how to write an incredible world  that is similar and yet different from our own. Throne of Glass grabbed my attention and didn't let go! I am just now starting the second book and cannot wait to learn more about these amazing characters. 

Celaena is an AWESOME female lead! She is incredibly strong and brave in more way than one. She is an assassin and I have to admit that I love reading about female assassins. :) Celaena is more than just an assassin though. She has a big heart and can be kind and caring when she wants to be. She is also supportive and true to her beliefs and I admire that in a character. I enjoyed reading about her and Chaol and Dorian. Chaol is the Captain of the Guard and Dorian is the Crown Prince but they are both close friends. Dorian is not who everyone expects him to be. He isn't spoiled or rude but caring and a good friend. He's also pretty swoon worthy ;). AND...HE LIKES TO READ!! That is a pretty big plus in my book, lol. Chaol is such an awesome character as well. He doesn't really trust Celaena because she is a pretty skilled and dangerous assassin. But Chaol is loyal and caring as well. He looks out for Dorian and he even likes to read a bit too! Watching all three characters interact makes for a great time. I love the witty banter between each of them! 

Besides the characters there is also the interesting story line and the mystery that the characters face. There is an evil in the castle and Celaena has to work to survive. Besides the unknown evil there is also the competition that Celaena must fight in to win her freedom. The fight scenes were some of my favorite parts because Maas wrote them in a way that I could see what was going on. They were interesting and suspenseful and I loved cheering on Celeana. There is action, suspense, mystery, romance and few sad moments all within the pages of this amazing book. The characters slowly grow and try to figure out who they are and who they want to become. I cannot wait to learn more about them and any new characters that are introduced. If you haven't checked it out, then do it soon!!

Vanessa 

The Retribution of Mara Dyer Review

The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3)

By Michelle Hodkin 

Published November 4th, 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

470 pages

5 stars - AMAZING CONCLUSION!!!

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.

There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived.

Review:

Wow. What a stunning conclusion to such an amazing trilogy! I cannot believe that it is already over and that I have to say good-bye to some of my favorite characters. I finished this book at the end of 2014 but am just now getting to the review. I guess it is because I'm not really sure if I can adequately describe this book! So I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil anything. And when reading any of the Mara Dyer books it is really best to not know too much beforehand. 

The last book starts off where the second one ended and almost right from the start there is action. There is also a ton of mystery and suspicion. So much goes on throughout this book and it is shorter that the one before it! Mara and her friends grow quite a bit and just about become who they really are. They realize that they aren't all that good or all that bad, they are just who they are. Mara especially realizes this and goes through many traumatic experiences but she keeps on going no matter what. Not too many new characters are introduced but we do get to see some familiar ones. My only problem is that there is not too much of Noah throughout the book and Noah is one of my favorites. :) 

I guess I would say that this last book is a little more violent that the first two. But if violence doesn't bother you, then I don't think you'll have an issue with it. I didn't but I thought I'd let ya know. Readers learn more information and, of course, the rest of our questions are answered. We learn more about the past and more about the present. There were a few secrets that I didn't figure out till near the end and I applaud Hodkin for that. There is of course action, suspense, mystery, TEARS, and ROMANCE!! Those last two were very important to me. :) All in all, I enjoyed this book immensely! I couldn't put it down and finished it one day (sadly). I have really enjoyed this trilogy and am sad to see it end. I do hope that Hodkin will write some more stories because the Mara Dyer trilogy was brilliant. Check it out now!!!

Vanessa

Favorites of 2014 - Part 3 (Contemporary)

Hello Everyone! Happy New Years Eve! In this post I will be sharing my favorite YA Contemporaries of 2014. I don't usually read too many contemporaries throughout the year but I found a ton of awesome ones this year. If you haven't read any of them yet, then I suggest you get on it! 

*Books are not in any particular order!

Crash Into You (Pushing The Limits #3)
By Katie McGarry
Published November 26th, 2013 by Harlequin Teen

*This book is part of the Pushing The Limits series but the books can be read in any particular order.*

Synopsis: 

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a romance forged in the fast lane

The girl with straight A's and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy family…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But after the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

The last thing Isaiah needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks. But when their shared love of street racing puts their lives in jeopardy, Isaiah and Rachel will have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other. 




Take Me On (Pushing The Limits #4)
By Katie McGarry 
Published May 27th, 2014 by Harlequin TEEN

Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.


Breaking The Rules (Pushing The Limits #1.5)
By Katie McGarry
Published December 8th, 2014 by Harlequin Teen


A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry

For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so... different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who’s never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything — except the one thing Echo’s just not ready for.

But when the source of Echo’s constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants — even as foster kid Noah’s search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves.

Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn... seriously epic.


5 stars to all three of Katie McGarry's books! The Pushing The Limits books are incredible and I fall in love with each new character that Katie writes about. I was pretty lucky to be able to read 3 books by Katie this year! I suggest you pick them up if you haven't already!


Maybe Someday (Maybe #1)
By Colleen Hoover

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance.

At twenty-two years old, Sydney has a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter's cheating on her--and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore, either. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one...

Original music created for Maybe Someday by musician Griffin Peterson can be accessed through the website listed in the ebook and paperback.

I haven't read too many of Colleen Hoover's books yet but this one was AMAZING! There were so many feels and I know that I cried a few times. The characters were great as well and I fell in love with Ridge! Check this one out soon!


To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)
By Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all. 


This book was published this year and from the minute I saw it I wanted it! I fell in love with the characters right from the start. Lara Jean was someone I could relate to and the story was amazing! I cannot wait for the next one!

Favorites of 2014 - Part 2 (Sci-Fi)

Hello Everybody! It's almost the New Year and I realized that I still have 3 more parts of my Favorites of 2014 post to share with you. This 2nd part has to do with my favorites in the Science Fiction/Dystopian genres. I'm sure that some of the books don't fit perfectly into these categories but I had to put them somewhere :). So here are a few of my favorites in no particular order. Are any of them yours?


The Infinite Sea (The Fifth Wave #2)
By Rick Yancey 
Published September 16th, 2014 by Putnam Juvenile

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate. 





I fell in love with the first book in this series when I first started it. I can definitely say that I loved this one as well! The characters are awesome and there is always suspense, action, or romance somewhere. A great sci-fi for anyone and a series that really makes you think! Check it out now!

My Review of The Infinite Sea



Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) and Ignite Me (#3)
By Tahereh Mafi 
Published by HarperCollins

Unravel Me Synopsis:

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

These two books were AMAZING! I cannot believe that I was lucky enough to be able to read both of them back to back. Ignite Me is a fantastic and thrilling conclusion to an uniquely written trilogy. I would describe this trilogy as a Sci-Fi/Dystopia. If you haven't picked up the first book, then you are seriously missing out! Check it out now!

My Review of Shatter Me (#1)
My Review of Unravel Me (#2)
My Review of Ignite Me (#3)






The Lunar Chronicles 
Cinder (#1), Scarlet (#2), Cress (#3), Winter (Coming Soon)
By Marissa Meyer 

Cinder Synopsis:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

It took me so long to start the first book in this series but once I started I was hooked! What amazes me is that I read all three of them this year. It feels like it was so long ago! I cannot wait for the next book to be released because this is such an awesome series. Marissa Meyer does a wonderful job at creating a Sci-fi/Fantasy retelling of favorite fairy tales! If you haven't checked them out yet, then get on it!

My Review of Cinder
My Review of Scarlet
My Review of Cress








So those AMAZINGLY AWESOME books are my Sci-Fi favorites of 2014! Check back for parts 3 and 4!

Vanessa