A Little Like Love, by Cheyanne Young

A Little Like Love (Robin and Tyler Series #2), by Cheyanne Young

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: 4/5 stars

Publication: August 1, 2014, by 336Love

Format: eARC





Goodreads Summary: Robin and her niece Miranda have decided to stay in the tiny but friendly town of Salt Gap, Texas while they figure out what to do with their lives. With only a picture to go by, Robin goes on a scavenger hunt through town trying to discover the link between her late grandfather and coincidence that brought her to the same place. 

She’s still afraid of relationships, so when the hot cowboy Tyler starts to get a little too friendly, she’s more than happy to spot all the red flags she can find to help her avoid liking him. Like the waitress Elizabeth and her weirdly close relationship with Tyler. But as Miranda is quick to point out, they’re on a journey guided by fate and that can only mean one thing – if she’s meant to find love in Salt Gap, it will happen with or without her permission.

A Little Like Love is part two of the Robin and Tyler Series. It is a novella at approx. 20,000 words. This is a CLEAN New Adult story.

Review:

  *Review copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review.*

      You need to pick up this and the first novella of this series immediately, especially since this is being released tomorrow. I love reading anything by Cheyanne, and I'd probably read her grocery shopping list. I am now on my way to read everything she's written. 

        After reading part 1 of this three-novella trilogy, I was instantly in love, and looking for more.

        And after reading my review, you'll probably understand why. :)

        Robin and her niece Miranda have finally settled in Salt Gap, Texas, where they previously ended up after Robin had a major breakdown which brought her far away from her home in Houston. She ends up renting a house from Tyler, the cowboy that has always liked her more than a little, and things have gotten even more romantic. He wants to go on a date with her, but she refuses, and then when he starts getting friendly with a waitress, Robin realizes that she actually may have feelings for him.

        I love Tyler oh so freakin' much. My love for him from the first book until now went like this:

        But I've always seen his good side to things. That man is so adorable and so devouring. Reading his catch phrases to Robin just made me feel like a little kid all over again. Adorable and everything I am looking for in a hot fictional hottie. Plus, he's a country boy, which makes everything even better!

        The plot in this book has developed to be something great. The whole novella was fast-paced and racing. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen, and how the amazing couple's relationship would grow and become beautiful. I'm very excited to now see how this awesome series is going to end!

        My only tiny problem with this book was the character of Robin. I like her, sure, but at times she's too selfish and I didn't seem to like her personality and the way she handles her relationships. She's the type to wait for people to beg her to be with them, lurking for attention. I know people like that in reality, and I don't think I'd like book protagonists to be that way, too. But she was very realistic.

        The character of Miranda will always be my favourite. She's kick-ass, utterly hilarious and sarcastic. She's the type that many of us can relate to because of her witty personality and issues.

         But really, I love all of the characters in this series, one way or another. Cheyanne always makes them relatable and sarcastic!

          In conclusion, this racing sequel to A Little Like Fate was awesome. It's funny and has a beautiful romance! No second-book syndrome here! Third book, come to me!

Strange Sweet Song, by Adi Rule

Strange Sweet Song, by Adi Rule

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Paranormal

Rating: 1/5 stars

Publication: March 11, 2014, by St. Martin's Griffin

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed, thankfully)




Goodreads Summary: A young soprano enrolls in a remote music academy where nothing, not even her mysterious young vocal coach, is as it seems

Outside Dunhammond Conservatory, there lies a dark forest. And in the forest, they say, lives a great beast called the Felix. But Sing da Navelli never put much faith in the rumors and myths surrounding the school; music flows in her blood, and she is there to sing for real. This prestigious academy will finally give her the chance to prove her worth—not as the daughter of world-renowned musicians—but as an artist and leading lady in her own right.

Yet despite her best efforts, there seems to be something missing from her voice. Her doubts about her own talent are underscored by the fact that she is cast as the understudy in the school's production of her favorite opera, Angelique. Angelique was written at Dunhammond, and the legend says that the composer was inspired by forest surrounding the school, a place steeped in history, magic, and danger. But was it all a figment of his imagination, or are the fantastic figures in the opera more than imaginary? 

Sing must work with the mysterious Apprentice Nathan Daysmoor as her vocal coach, who is both her harshest critic and staunchest advocate. But Nathan has secrets of his own, secrets that are entwined with the myths and legends surrounding Dunhammond, and the great creature they say lives there.

Lyrical, gothic, and magical, Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule will captivate and enchant readers.

Review:

 DNF @ 75 pages.

First, I'd like to give a shoutout to Lola who also hated this book. We're two black sheep for this book!

   This book was horrible. Disgusting, even. I honestly don't want to diss it too much, but I feel like I just have to. I hated this book and it was so unenjoyable that I want to throw the book out of the tallest building in the world.

      

    I got to 75 pages, and then I realized that this book wasn't going to get anywhere because it's just not for me. It was about this girl Sing.

       **SING?

        Yeah, Sing. She loves this opera called "Angelique," and she's also a talented opera singer. Bam. She's shipped off to some music boarding school and falls in love with some dude named Nathan. That's just about it from what I know of.

         After my horrible incident with this book, I really don't care about what else happened or what was about to happened. I lost so much patience with this book, and I just let it go.

         I didn't like anything about it. The plot was a mess with nothing happening and random stuff developing and confusion. It was slow-paced, and I wouldn't even classify it as a plot. The only way to see something happening is by "imagining." -_-

         Sing was just some random protagonist who was a singer (WOW!) and that's all I knew about her. She was too sunk in her own little world and the author wasn't descriptive about her personality and appearance. By 75 pages, we should know what colour hair she has.

          Maybe you'll enjoy this book. But it wasn't that way for me. It really depends on what kind of things you're looking for in a good YA paranormal. But I'd stay away from it. Thank goodness I didn't get my own copy. 

Don't Miss a Diss #6: BEA and BookCon

 Don't Miss A Diss is a weekly discussion post led by A Thousand Lives Lived which features discussions with the book blogger public about the troubles and wishes of bloggers.

✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿

     So this week I'm going to be asking you guys some questions about an experience held in NYC where bloggers and bookworms meet together to celebrate their love of reading and books. This is also known as none other than Book Expo America and BookCon.

      I was the most jealous person you ever met when I saw the photos and the raving tweets and blog posts from bloggers that have went to these two events, so I'm beginning to plan a trip to NYC (which I've never been to) for these two amazing events!

       I know how these stuff work. I have already researched so much about these two events and read people's opinions, but I'd like to hear more so I'll be prepared for the awesomeness.

        -What's the difference between BEA and BookCon? Are any of them specifically for bloggers or reviewers? Which is best? (If you have experience, that'd be great!)
  

       -What authors have you guys met there? Are the lines long?

       -How many ARCs did you score? Are they difficult to get, or are the laying around everywhere?

        -What other awesome perks did these events hold?

        -Is it a good way to promote you and your blog?

        -I heard that you have to register for BEA. Why is that? Do you have to be a blogger, only? BEA allows you to buy tickets when they come available?

          Sorry for all of the curiosity, haha. I know it's still a long time away, but I'm seriously ready to learn more about these two awesome events and I just can't wait for #BEA15. (I always dreamed of coming home with suitcases full of swag, ARCs, and freebies, and photos with my favourite authors. *squeals*)

           Tell me about your BEA or BookCon experiences below, or what you know of them!        

Blog Tour Post: Fractured, by Erin Hayes

Fractured, by Erin Hayes

Genre: Adult, Horror

Rating: 3/5 stars

Publication: July 8, 2014

Format: eARC





Goodreads Summary: Blinded by a mysterious seizure when she was three years old, Bash Martin has managed to carve out a normal life for herself as an adult. Yet she still yearns for a deeper connection with her twin sister Lily, who has always been jealous of the attention their parents bestowed upon Bash due to her disability. 

A dream vacation seems like the perfect chance to heal their relationship, but Bash soon realizes there is something terribly wrong with Lily and that her sister is hiding a dark secret. And when a supernatural fire engulfs their hotel and corpses come back to life, the sisters are plunged into a nightmarish world that threatens not only their lives, but their very souls.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21865341-fractured?ac=1

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Erin-Hayes/dp/1499709641/ref=la_B009W8D29W_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405692849&sr=1-5

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fractured-erin-hayes/1119915986?ean=2940149703470

Review:

*Review copy provided by Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.*

   I love horror books. The sight and reading of something so unreal but real at the same time just pleasures me and makes me excited every time. When seeing a tour opening for an adult horror read, I was in instantly.

    For the first 50%, this book was astonishing. I had it at a 4.5 star rating. Later on, as you can see, everything turned out to be a three-star rated read. And that's all because of the plot.

    This is about two twin sisters, Bash and Lily. When Bash was three years old, she got blinded and had a seizure due to an unexplainable reason. Now at twenty, she still has moments when she wishes for her sight back. Bash soon finds out that Lily is hiding a dark secret that is weird and absurd. They and their friends go for a mini-vacation skiing, and they soon find out that their hotel is haunted, and it all has to do with one particular person.

     I began this book loving the idea. The incident that occurred when the girls were three was just so awesome (but not for the characters's sake, obviously) and unique. A horror read usually doesn't feature that stuff. This book is scary, but not too much or anything at all for me that I can't handle. There's no gore or gutty stuff. Everything's just peculiar and crazy. That's the real "horror," and I loved it. That was the real masterpiece of the novel. Plus, this is a standalone!

      Like I mentioned, the plot was very delicious and devouring for the first half of the book. It was very fast-paced, and right to my liking. The author's splendid writing captivated me, and it stayed that way until past the 50% mark. After that, we were introduced to the truth and everything got a little dumb. The characters's thoughts went out of control, and weirder things were introduced to the characters's pasts. I got completely lost.

      The characters were pretty good. I loved Bash, and her craziness and independence. She suffered so much, and she still stayed positive. Lily was mainly on the opposite side and I grew to dislike her and her craziness. When she was a child, she started off as shy and strange, but grew to be someone different and stupid. Of course, I think that the author tried to make Lily become like that, since she was hiding a secret.

      Seth made my heart clench. His caring for Bash was so sweet and he actually grew to become a main character. The romance between them was there, and sweet and it was a slight sort of thing. The romance didn't overtake the whole point of the book, which I want to give a round of applause for. 

      Overall, this book was good for the halfway mark. There were more positives than negatives, but I'd say that it was okay for the most part. Nothing special, but a good read.

       About the Author:

   Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist, Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books, like the fantasy mystery Death is but a Dream and the sci-fi middle grade book Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average.

You can reach her at tiptoegirl87@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

Author links:

http://www.erinhayesbooks.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5335865.Erin_Hayes

https://www.facebook.com/erinhayesbooks

https://twitter.com/erinhayes5399

          Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


           Have you ever read an adult horror? What are some of your favourites?

The Impossible Knife of Memory, by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Impossible Knife of Memory, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction,  Contemporary, Romance

Rating: 5/5 stars (A GAZILLION STARS)

Publication: January 7, 2014, by Viking Juvenile

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed, sadly)



Goodreads Summary: For the past five years, Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

Review:

"A quick lesson.

There are two kinds of people in this world:

1. zombies

2. freaks

Only two. Anyone who tells you different is lying. That

person is a lying zombie. Do not listen to zombies. Run for

your freaking life."

     Need a little flavour in your life? Then pick this beauty up. It's not your average contemporary read, it's something darker with a gorgeous backstory. It deals with a variety of subjects, including PTSD. You will end up crying and not understanding what the freak is going on with you and your feelings.

     

     Words can't even explain my love for this book. It was so powerful and gorgeous and addicting, and one hell of a roller coaster ride. You'll end up crying and not knowing what to do with yourself. Laurie Halse Anderson is my favourite author, no doubt about it. The way she portrays her protagonist's voice is beautiful.

     

"My earbuds were in, but I wasn't playing music. I needed to hear the world

but didn't want the world to know I was listening."

      This is about Hayley Kincain. She's a teenager who lives with her single depressed father, Andy, who is going through a tough time in his life. He has PTSD, and is beginning to show signs that he is too immature for his age. He's Hayley's father, and he's supposed to be taking care of Hayley, instead of her taking care of him, right? They used to be traveling around the US in a truck, but now they're back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend a real high school. Hayley meets Finn, a guy who obviously likes her but is hiding some secrets of his own. Will Andy end up changing for the good? 

     From the start, I was in love with this book. The plot was fast-paced, and because of the issues incorporated, everything ended up being 100% awesome. Anderson just had a masterpiece idea, and did it.

     

     From page 1, I loved Hayley. She and Melinda are Laurie's best characters yet, and Hayley's voice really stood out to me. At first, she didn't know what to do with herself and her life.

      As her relationship with Finn grew, her personality grew, too. Her badassness went to a whole other level and she really learned more about herself and what she deserves. Her love and caring for Andy was beautiful, and right. 

       Although Andy overreacted at times and wasn't who he was supposed to be, I loved him. He didn't take the role of responsibility very well, but by the end, after the incident, he became a whole other person. He became stronger, and that was all because of his outstanding daughter who took a voice.

        I saved Finn for last because well, I loved him.

       HE WAS MY TEENAGE HEARTTHROB! Just look at this quote which he spoke to Hayley: (spoken in a texting conversation between him and Hayley after their date)

"nxt to you

i didnt notice any stars

night"

        

      Oh gosh. *fans myself* It's so hot in here! Or is it just me?

       

      The romance was just astonishing and it had a point. Some books just have romance for no reason, but the relationship between Hayley and Finn made sense and it made me squeal. I felt steam all the time and a gorgeous connection between them. 

       I never saw that ending coming. It surprised me, but it was amazing and made the book 10x better. 

      This book had everything that you're looking for in a perfect YA novel: romance, drama, mystery, feels, squeals, and issues. This gives you a variety of flavours, not only one in life.

        Beautiful quotes:

       "She dumped you," I said.

       "Not yet." He put a box of food and soda at the edge of a plaid blanket.

       "Maybe she had to pee," I said. "What's her name again?"

       "Her name is Hayley." He straightened up and handed me the cup of marigolds. "Hello, Miss Blue." (p. 93)

"Then I'd see Finn in the hall, or I'd catch a glance of his profile out of the corner of my eye while we were driving to school, and he would turn to me and smile.

And I didn't want to be a hermit anymore." (p. 151)

"Until then we're going to keep making memories like this, moments when

we're the only two people in the whole world. And when we get scared or lonely

or confused, we'll pull out these memories and wrap them around us and they'll make us feel safe." He kissed me again. "And strong." (p. 391)

Out of This Place, by Emma Cameron

Out of This Place, by Emma Cameron

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Poetry, Romance

Rating: 2/5 stars

Publication: May 14, 2013, by Candlewick Press

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)



Goodreads Summary: In verse, three teen voices sound. Beach bum Luke works shifts at the local supermarket, and avoids trouble at school. His mate Bongo gets wasted, blocks out memories of the little brother social services took away and avoids the stepdad who hits him. Casey, the girl they both love, dreams of escaping to a free new life.


Review:

      I love poetry. I really do. And poetry incorporated with YA novels are just magnificent, and utterly unique than the normal way we see literature. One of the reasons why I picked this book up was because, well, the poetry. 

      This book disappointed me. I expected something better and wiser and so touching that it could just break my delicate heart that often cracks in half when characters just make me cry. This book wasn't even close to that level. Contemporary, yes, but no intriguing.

       This is a verse novel. Three main characters/protagonists are telling the story, and each POV of theirs is split into three sections of the book, and each person gets to tell their story of how they get out of high school and survive with their problems in 1/3 of the book. Of course, there are mentions of the protagonists in the opposite characters' points-of-view. Luke is your average teenager who just wants to leave his hometown and go out into the real world, while his friend Bongo gets wasted all of the time and gets beaten by his stepdad. Casey just can't wait to start a new life. This is their journey of going into adulthood, and into the real world where there are even more challenges.

      The largest dilemma that this book gave me was the fact that there was no plot. What was the main point of this book? I didn't see it at all, and that frustrated me very much. No-plot novels just seem useless to me, and I'm usually left questioned for the rest of the book. 

       I almost DNF-ed this book. But I really liked the characters, so I decided to read it until the end since it wasn't a long-length read. But if it was 350 pages+, I'd be out of here ASAP.

       Since there was no use in the plot, a lot of the book went downhill, obviously. I really liked the issues incorporated with the book--abuse, hate, depression, all of it addicts me. The whole book was pretty slow-paced, with no much happening.

       So, yes, I did love the characters, especially my hottie new-boy Luke. 

      No other words or photos needed.

      I didn't like Bongo too much because he didn't believe in the real world, but he was acceptable at times, especially during his love moments for Casey and his love for his little brother. Casey was just awesome, though. 

      In conclusion, this book was mostly bad, but it did have some good in it. I don't recommend it, but you should give it a try if you want. Maybe your opinion will be different than mine. :)

Top Ten Tuesday #4: Top Ten Ladies

   Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

   Since I last week spoke about my favourite men, the leading ladies deserve a turn too, right? This is is no particular order, either.

   

    1. Tessa Gray, The Infernal Devices

       

      She's actually my most favourite female lead. She really deserves the #1, although I did note that this was in no particular order.

     

      2. Celaena Sardothien, Throne of Glass

   

       Yep. She's one kick-ass girl. No doubt about it. Plus, she's a great fighter.

  

        3. Beatrice Prior, Divergent

         It's you, hun! You've made it onto my list! I love you! For her badass-ness and determination, Tris is an absolute favourite of mine.

         4. Lena, Delirium

            This girl started off as a very weak and sensitive character, but her confidence and amazingness grew during the whole trilogy and she became so relatable and awesome.

      

         5. Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

               Who doesn't love Katniss? She's perfection all in one look.

           6. Rose Hathaway, Vampire Academy

            Gorgeous, badass, awesome fighter, sarcastic, sounds like me! ;)

         7. Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault in Our Stars

               My first contemporary-lead choice. ;) This girl was an inspiration for all of us. She's just amazing, and so real.

        

        8. Alaska Young, Looking for Alaska

           No words needed. Just read this book and you'll see why.

        9. Victoria Darling, A Mad Wicked Folly

           This is a girl who stood up for woman's rights and didn't give a shi* about anyone. Sounds like someone I'd want to be best friends with. :)

      

         10. Liesel Meminger, The Book Thief

           Yes, she's astonishingly young, but she made a difference in my life. And I dedicate this entire post to this amazing young woman, who I love.

           -A lot of these heroines have been placed in movies, and all of the actresses have done amazing jobs acting these characters's thoughts and actions. I'm inspired by all of them!-

            Who are some of your favourite female leads? See any likewise here? 

Review: Wings, by Elizabeth Richards

Wings (Black City #3), by Elizabeth Richards

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopia, Vampires, Mystery

Rating: 3/5 stars

Publication: June 12, 2014, by G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)




Goodreads Summary: Following the cliffhanger ending of Phoenix, Natalie finds herself separated from Ash and unexpectedly reunited with her parents, including the father she thought was dead. But she can only think of Ash. She hasn't heard a word of him since she and Elijah were brought to the underground headquarters of the Sentry Rebellion. But she vows to find him.

Ash, meanwhile is back in Black City; it's the perfect place to hide from the Sentry government. But not for long. He won't give up on Natalie or bringing an end to the terrible reign of Purian Rose.

A pulse-racing end to an exciting series.

Review:

  Although this trilogy was pretty great, I felt like each book got worse and worse. There were many positive and good reviews of this book all over the place, but I felt somewhat left behind and not enjoying it. 

   From the whole experience of reading this book, I feel like it should've stayed as just one novel. Okay, yes, Elizabeth Richards did leave us with a pretty large cliffhanger at the end of it, but, just a few more chapters later would've just finished it all. Ugh, trilogies...

     Natalie is now separated from Ash and is with both of her parents who mysteriously disappeared before. Her mom escaped from prison and her dad was supposedly dead, right? Blocking out all of the drama that's been going on, Ash is the only thing on her mind. They've been separated for a while now, and no word has been found. She needs to find him, and he's back in Black City, where he's been hiding from the government. Everyone wants to see an end to Purian Rose, the villain that began everything from the beginning.

      A pulse-racing end? Not really. I mean, this book did have its moments where it could be classified as action-packed and heart-racing, but that wasn't even a bare 5% of the book. A lot of this book was mumbo-jumbo and info-dumping about the history of this, and the history of that.

       I understand that the author would've liked to answer all of the readers's questions in this final anticipated novel, but she should of answered some of the stuff in the sequel, because all of the answers were all squished together in this large book. But because of that, a lot of this book could've been taken out, with only a few questions asked from the reader.

        The plot and its info-dumping was my main problem. The book was fine until 50 pages, and then it all went downhill, but I kept on reading until the end because I love this series, and need to see what will happen to these characters I've learned to love over the past few weeks. It got slow-paced, and I began to get bored with what was happening.  There were some action moments, but the writing made me zone out a lot and I ended up reading paragraphs over and over again.

        The characters have gotten even BETTER in this finale. Ash finally knows who he is and what he wants, and so does sensitive Natalie. They both make a gorgeous couple, and a perfect team.

         If you read the first two books in this trilogy, then I recommend reading this one, obviously. But beware of: info-dumping and a sucky plot. But the characters and premise were good, and so was the ending, which stunned me. Overall, this was a fabulous trilogy!

Phoenix, by Elizabeth Richards

Phoenix (Black City #2), by Elizabeth Richards

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal. Fantasy, Vampires, Romance, Mystery

Rating: 4/5 stars

Publication: June 4, 2013, by Putnam Juvenile

Format: ebook



Goodreads Summary: Ash and Natalie are just starting to build a life together when things in the United Sentry States go from bad to worse. Ash and Natalie find themselves at the center of turmoil when dictator Purian Rose threatens Natalie’s life unless Ash votes in favor of Rose’s Law—a law that will send Darklings and other dissenters to a deadly concentration camp known as the Tenth.

When Ash can’t bring himself to trade Natalie’s life for those of millions of Darklings, her fate is sealed. Enter Elijah Theroux, the handsome Bastet boy Natalie once saved from her mother’s labs, where he’d been experimented on and tortured. It was his venom the Sentry used to create the lethal Golden Haze, the heart of the government conspiracy that led to Black City’s uprising and Ash’s rebirth as the Phoenix, the face of the rebellion. Elijah is back and Ash doesn’t like him; it’s clear he’s taken with Natalie, and Ash fears she may have feelings for him as well.

But Elijah also may have the answer to taking down Purian Rose for good—a powerful weapon called the Ora. Ash, Natalie and Elijah just have to escape Black City undetected to find it. But fleeing the city and finding this weapon (if it even exists) are easier said than done, and the quest could tear Ash and Natalie apart, even pushing them into the arms of others.

This enthralling sequel to Black City is just as absorbing, delicious and steamy as the first book, leaving readers hungry for the series conclusion.

Review:

  Elizabeth Richards is officially the sensei and master of action novels. Phoenix was just heart-pounding and nail-biting. It was a roller coaster the whole way through and showed no signs of slowing down.

   This takes place a few months after the previous book's incident. Everything is turning from bad to worse, and Ash and Natalie are in the middle of it. Natalie is threatened and the only thing Ash can do to save her is vote in favour of Rose's Law. But he can't really put Natalie first before twenty thousand Darklings. A new character named Elijah who was known by Natalie in the past is back and Ash fears that they have feelings for each other. Now they all want to take Purian Rose down for good and destroy him and his wishes. There's rebellion, escapes and new characters all jumbled together in this great book.

     I adored this first book, as you all may know. I couldn't wait to begin this beautiful sequel, and I feared for second-book-syndrome, but nothing even close existed. This was a great enjoyable read that has been giving me thrills and chills from the moment I first opened the book.

      The plot was pretty great from beginning to end. There was a lot of action, but I missed some things and I felt deducted from all of the craze, especially after the fiftieth percent mark. It went okay from there, nothing special, until the racing, shocking end.

        The characters were awesome as always.  I loved Ash...

          And especially for his kick-assness and his love for Natalie. I had some problems with Natalie, though. She made me upset for not trusting Ash and not telling him anything. Like girl, you're freakin' DATING.

           I don't even want to speak about Elijah because he's just like a new villain, and I don't like villains. Plus, he's a newbie who thinks that everyone cares about him and is too selfish to care about anyone except him and his heart.

            Overall, this book was great. If you loved the first book, then chances are that you'll love this one as well. They're both hell of a steep roller coaster. READ IT. ASAP.

Review: In Deep, by Terra Elan McVoy

In Deep, by Terra Elan McVoy

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: 2/5 stars

Publication: July 8, 2014, by Simon Pulse

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)





Goodreads Summary: Ultracompetitive Brynn from The Summer of Firsts and Lasts craves swimming victory—and gets in over her head—in this irresistible novel from Terra Elan McVoy.

Swim.

Push.

Breathe.

Swim.

Nothing else matters to Brynn as she trains her body and mind to win. Not her mediocre grades and lack of real friends at school. Not the gnawing grief over her fallen hero father. Not the strained relationship with her absent mother and clueless stepdad. In the turquoise water, swimming is an escape and her ticket to somewhere—anywhere—else. And nothing will get in her way of claiming victory.

But when the competitive streak follows Brynn out of the pool in a wickedly seductive cat-and-mouse game between herself, her wild best friend, and a hot new college swimmer, Brynn’s single-mindedness gets her in over her head, with much more than a trophy to lose.

Review:

 I actually had the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book earlier, but I thankfully decided not to and chose two other amazing books instead from the publisher. I already had a bad experience with Terra Elan McVoy's books, and I expected this one to be much better. But in fact, it was the same as The Summer of Firsts and Lasts. I disliked this book very much, and I don't recommend it.

  This is about tomboy Brynn, who has recently found her love and passion in the sport of competitive swimming, the sport that makes her feel alive and loved. Nothing else matters. This is just an average chick-lit day in the life story of a teenager who swims, that's all. I can't even describe what this book was about because it was such a downer and there was no plot. It was just about Brynn's daily swimming life where she falls in love with a college swimmer. 

   

     When beginning this book, I had high expectations and high hopes that it would be amazing, because I really thought that it'd be something perfect. It was really good in the beginning. I found myself easily relating to Brynn, especially because we both have a love for swimming. And I usually find it very difficult to relate to protagonists, especially in contemporary-romances.

      Sooner than I realized, the whole plot went downhill. I didn't understand the real point of this book. It was just something bland, and now that I look back at my "experience," I've found that there was really no reason to read this, but I did, full-length. o_O

       Through the end, the book really frustrated me, so I skimmed the rest. But I did see the ending, and that was absolutely useless. Wow.

        I had a love-hate relationship with Brynn. I don't remember her from TSOFAL, but either way, she was who she was. I liked her for her attitude, but the way she thought was seriously stupid. It goes either way. And, adding to that, the relationships that were made were very weak. Charlie and Brynn? Nah.

        This book wasn't very enjoyable. I found myself yawning and struggling to finish it, but I did. Recommended? Never in a million years, but I guess it can either be a hit or miss for y'all.

Inland, by Kat Rosenfield

Inland, by Kat Rosenfield

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary. Paranormal

Rating: 2/5 stars

Publication: June 12, 2014, by Dutton Juvenile

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)



Goodreads Summary: The psychological labyrinth of a young woman’s insidious connection to the sea, from the Edgar Award nominated author of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone.

Callie Morgan has long lived choked by the failure of her own lungs, the result of an elusive pulmonary illness that has plagued her since childhood. A childhood marked early by the drowning death of her mother—a death to which Callie was the sole witness. Her father has moved them inland, away from the memories of the California coast her mother loved so much and toward promises of recovery—and the escape of denial—in arid, landlocked air.

But after years of running away, the promise of a life-changing job for her father brings Callie and him back to the coast, to Florida, where Callie’s symptoms miraculously disappear. For once, life seems delightfully normal. But the ocean’s edge offers more than healing air … it holds a magnetic pull, drawing Callie closer and closer to the chilly, watery embrace that claimed her mother. Returned to the ocean, Callie comes of age and comes into a family destiny that holds generations of secrets and very few happy endings.

Review:

DNF @ 110 pages.

"Her husband could have her body, but not her heart. Never her heart. That was how it would happen, because that was what she'd planned. Because her heart had been claimed by another. It always had been, and would be forever. It was as she had promised, that first night on the shore, still in her bone-white wedding gown."

   I haven't become the black sheep with this book. Many people have disliked this book, and I agree with all of you out there. I almost didn't pick this book up at the library, but then decided to because the psychological premise caught my attention. I usually adore those sorts of books, but this was just a downer, sadly. 

    Callie Morgan is pretending to forget. Pretending to forget about the drowning death of her mother, a death that Callie actually witnessed. Her father moved them away from the trouble and from the setting of that day, and they've been moving around ever since, but never to the water. They unexpectedly move to Florida, where Callie's symptoms go away. The ocean's pull begins to draw Callie closer to the water that holds many secrets.

      

        This book was very strange and messed up. I didn't enjoy it, adding to the fact that it was strange itself and I saw something more than psychological... I get the fact that there was some paranormal aspects included, but it was all too strange and confusing for me to handle. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for something dark and deeper than expected. The concept wasn't built up straight, and from the 110 pages that I read, I had no idea what was happening. So I just left the book, and I didn't care how it would end up.

          One of the things I did love was the beautiful writing. Not many authors write like this, and Kat Rosenfield is definitely a unique writer. The way she writes is very flowingly and gorgeous. It sounds very historically inclined and dark, suiting the subject.

           The book bored me. I just didn't care what was happening or who it was happening to. If you get those sort of signs when reading, that really means that you should gear yourself away from the book. 

             Of course, Callie was a very weak character, especially coming from her condition. She wasn't strong and intelligent, and wasn't too likeable. 

              I vowed that I would at least read 100 pages before giving up, and that's when I did. I recommend this if you're a person who doesn't give up on bad books easily, because who knows, maybe it would improve for me if I kept on going.

Review: Heartbeat, by Elizabeth Scott

Heartbeat, by Elizabeth Scott

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Publication: January 28, 2014, by Harlequin Teen

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)




Goodreads Summary: Life. Death. And...Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

Review:

   I've always loved Elizabeth Scott's books. She always creates a heart-pounding contemporary that deals with such subjects that many authors cannot even think to portray. She writes her books so beautifully and with such passion that you cannot deny that she's one of the best YA tragedy authors to this day.

   I cannot say that this is Elizabeth's best book, because it sure wasn't. In fact, this was one of the worst ones she written, comparing to the ratings that I've given for her others. That doesn't mean that this was horrible, it's just that it didn't gravitate to the level that I expected it to.

   I've been anticipating to read Heartbeat for a long time. Every book Elizabeth Scott writes comes with a whole new premise, and seeing this very unique one come to life in 304 pages was very beautiful to see and go through.

    Emma is going through a lot in her life. Her mom died because of becoming pregnant. She's tried drugs and many methods, and when she finally made it, she died reaching for a piece of toast. She had a stroke that killed her instantly, but not the baby boy growing inside her. So, her husband, (Emma's stepfather) Dan, decided to keep the baby alive by hooking Lisa, Emma's mother, to many machines that will keep his soon-to-be son living for a few more months before coming out into the real world. Emma is devastated as hell. We all would be, right? Your stepfather is keeping your dead mother hooked up because of a baby? He acts like a life of a baby is more precious than the one of his wife. And so, Emma cannot stand even looking at him and having to go on daily visits to the hospital to have a chat with her dead mom. Caleb Harrison, a known-druggie and car-stealer from her school, then witnessed Emma having these chats with her mom and unexpectedly... he can relate to her in many ways. They soon find a real connection and begin to have feelings for each other. 

    I enjoyed this book a lot. It didn't have the clearest plot out there (there were many misunderstandings) but it was good. By the end, I felt like it was all too-rushed and something large was missing and scrambled out of the plot, and that's why I was left thinking that nothing was happening in the 304 pages of this book. That was one of the biggest disturbances that this book created by the end for me.

      I loved and hated the concept. Sometimes I wondered what was the point of the book, and at other times, I loved it. I guess the main idea was Emma and her romance during the time of grief and loss. But since I didn't go mad for the romance here, I didn't see any large importance during this book.

       Emma took things too far. She was a selfish character. From the start, I knew that I was going to have a cat-fight relationship with her.

         I totally get where she was going at through the middle, but then she took things way too far. Her mom died, so why not save another life? It's sad to hear what happened, but it just angered me. And then in the end, she suddenly was all:

          When she was so moody and depressed before. I was all, "WHAAT?" until it was over.

          I liked Caleb fine, but the relationship between him and Emma was very weak and needed work on. It had the potential to become amazing, but they obviously aren't and weren't a power couple.

           Looking for a sad tragedy? Fast-paced book? Mystery? Then this book is a definite "yes" for you.