Review: Crave by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz

Crave

(Crave # 1)

By: Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz

Pub. Date: September 21, 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Pages: 278

Source: Own

Shay could never do the things her friends could--never try out for sports, never go to parties, never fall in love. Because of the mysterious and incurable blood disorder she was born with, she can barely make it through three days of school a week.

But now, her doctor-turned-stepfather has a brand-new treatment that he thinks will change everything. And it does. As soon as the new blood starts pumping into Shay's veins, she has visions of a different life...Gabriel's life. She sees an orphanage, loss, fangs, blood, and lust that she can't explain.

Is Gabriel real? And if he is, could he really be what she thinks he is?

First off, you have this amazing cover. Then you read the synopsis. I bought the book right away, I was so intrigued! This book did not disappoint. My only regret is that I didn't read it sooner.

Shay has a rare blood disorder. She is so weak that she can't do the things that other people can do. She needs blood transfusions all of the time, and she usually faints in school. Her doctor turned stepfather starts her on a new blood transfusion treatment and she starts to see the inner thoughts and memories of a man named Gabriel. She is also stronger then she has ever been before.

On the last transfusion she sees that Gabriel is chained up in her stepfather's office. She instantly goes to save him, and that's when all hell breaks loose. Gabriel is a vampire and is not beneath using the girl that saved him to escape from the doctor.

I liked Shay. I thought she was strong and respectable, but also a little stupid. No matter how many times Gabriel tried to kill her, she kept going back to save him. Gabriel was a very interesting character. He is a 400 year old vampire that has seen so much pain and suffering. I really liked him!

I really liked Shay and Gabriel together. When he wasn't trying to kill her and she wasn't being stupid, they were really cute together. When Gabriel finally realized where his loyalties were, it was a breath of fresh air!

Crave was such an original read. I never knew where the story was going to take me. The writing flowed nicely and it kept my attention the entire time! 

The ending was crazy!! I can not wait to read the second book in the series, Sacrifice. I just know that it is going to be good! 

Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight

(Firelight # 1)

By: Sophie Jordan

Pub. Date: September 7, 2010

Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 323 

Source: Own

A hidden truth.

Mortal enemies.

Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

I've had a copy of Firelight for a while now, but haven't really had the desire to read it. Then I went to a Sophie Jordan signing at Murder by the Book. She was so nice and cool, and I knew I was going to be reading Firelight ASAP. I was not disappointed and as soon as I finished it, I started Vanish, the second book in the series.

What instantly stood out for me was that the book was about dragons, or more specifically, Draki (meaning descendents of dragons). How awesome is that? It was very refreshing. The mythical world Jordan created was so exciting and original.

I really enjoyed the characters. The main character is Jacinda (love that name!) who is a fire-breather and the first of her kind in centuries. Due to this, she is very important to her tribe, and while she loves being a draki and can't think of being anything else, she just wants to be a normal draki girl. When she does something that is against the rules, she and her family are forced to move to the human world to escape punishment. While at school she sees Will, the draki hunter who saved her life a week before.

I loved Will. He hated being a draki hunter. It was interesting to learn more about Will's character. He has such an interesting back story. Jacinda and him both come from families that expect them to be and act a certain way, but all they want is to live their lives the way they want too.

My main issue with Firelight was not being able to imagine what the draki looked liked. I wanted more descriptions!

Overall, Firelight was a very interesting and fascinating read. I am looking forward to see where Jordan takes us next! 

In My Mailbox (35) - ALA Edition

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. 

Last weekend I went to my first ever book convention. It was a little overwhelming, but overall I had a great time. I got a lot of awesome books, some I was hoping to get, and others I just discovered. I plan on reading and reviewing every single one of them. It's too much to list them all, but here is a picture of most of them. 

Sorry the picture is a little dark, I didn't have the energy to move my books to find a better place to take the photo.

I also got some other books this week as well:

~Review~

Fallen in Love - Lauren Kate (via netgalley)

Shooting Stars - Allison Rushby (via netgalley)

~Bought~

Chopsticks - Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral

Lost Voices - Sarah Porter 

What did you get in your mailbox? Leave me your link in the comments section, I'd love to check it out!

Follow Friday # 20

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read! It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

This weeks question is: 

Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

I would have to say memoirs and biographies. I've read a few in my life that I did enjoy (James Dean and author Stephen Elliot being my favorites), but other then that, I just don't want to waste my time reading about someone else's life. I just don't care enough.

What about you? Leave me your link in the comments section so I can check it out!

  

Review: Gone by Lisa McMann

Gone

(Dream Catcher #3)
By: Lisa McMann
Pub. Date: February 9, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 214
Source: Bought

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she’d made her peace with it. But she can’t handle dragging Cabel down with her.

She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He’s amazing. And she’s a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves: She has to disappear. And it’s going to kill them both.

Then a stranger enters her life — and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she’d ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out. . . .

 I am a huge fan of the Dream Catching series. I could not get enough of Cabel and Janie. It's the reason it took me so long to read the last book in the series, I never wanted it to end. But good things have to come to a end.

Gone picks up a few weeks after Fade ends. Janie learned what being a dream catcher means and she has a huge decision to make. Stay with Cabel and be blind and paralyzed by the time she is thirty, or live in complete isolation. Her choice becomes harder when she finds out her father, who she never met is in a coma. She learns her dad is also a dream catcher and chose to live in isolation, causing a brain aneurysm at forty. Janie really is between a rock and a hard place, and there is no easy choice for her.

Cabel, who has been my favorite since we first met him in Wake was just as amazing in Gone. He was so kind and patient, even when Janie was being nasty with him. I was so rooting for Janie and Cabel's relationship to pull through but it kept looking like they were not going to make it, which was causing me a lot of stress.

While Janie's father was in coma she was able to learn a lot about him and I was glad for that. She never had anybody until Cabel came along, and it was nice to know that her father did not abandon her, he just didn't know about her.  Both being dream catchers, they were able to communicate within their dreams.

Overall, Gone wasn't my favorite of the three, but I think it was a good conclusion to an amazing series. 

Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate

(New Soul # 1)

By: Jodi Meadows

Pub. Date: January 31, 2012

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 384

Source: Netgalley

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

I don't even know what to say about Incarnate. This book was fantastic! The story was so original and intriguing and the characters were wonderful. I only have good things to say about this story!

The main character is Ana. She is a newsoul. This means that her soul is brand spankin' new. Unlike everyone else, whose souls have been reincarnated over and over again through the centuries. Where did she come from? Why is she a newsoul, or nosoul as many people like to call her? What does this mean for other souls?

Ana broke my heart. She's been alone her entire life. Her mother hates her. Imagine being the only one who hasn't been friends and family with the other people for the past thousand years. Then Sam comes along, and in the 18 years of her lonely life, is the other person to ever be kind to her and show her that she is just as good as everyone else.

I loved Sam. I thought he was very interesting and I loved the way that he treated Ana. He was very caring and sweet with her.

I thought that Incarnate had a very interesting concept and I was looking forward to finding out the answers to Ana's questions. I really had no idea what it could have been so I was happily surprised at the end.

This is one book that I will be adding to my collection the moment it comes out. I want that book and that gorgeous cover on my bookshelf!  

Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian

(Lux # 1)

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pub. Date: December 6, 2011

Publisher: Entangled

Pages: 268

Source: Bought

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Everybody kept talking about how amazing this book was, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. While I didn't love it as much as other people did, I did enjoy it and I plan on reading the second book, Onyx when it comes out.

My favorite part of this book was Katy. How awesome was she? Not only was she a book blogger, which instantly made her relatable, but she could hold her own against Daemon, who was a total ass.

Actually, I think Daemon was the reason for me not loving this book. He was such an ass to Katy, that the few moments he was being sweet, I didn't believe it. I felt their relationship, or whatever you want to call it was fake, and I didn't see the attraction. I did like how protective Daemon was of his sister, as well as the other members of his alien "family". I thought that was very sweet. He was a great brother, and you could tell they loved each other. In some aspects, I do understand why he acted the way he did, but I think some of it was uncalled for.

The secondary characters were pretty great. Dee was a lot of fun and Katy's mom was hilarious. I loved her. Daemon and Dee's other alien friends were also interesting and I am looking forward to learning more about them in the upcoming books.

Another issue I had with the book was the way Katy became involved with the aliens. Daemon wanted her to stay away not only for the aliens protection, but for hers. But it was Daemon and Dee's fault she kept getting close. If they would have just left her alone, she wouldn't of been in danger. I feel that Dee was so desperate for a friend, she didn't care who it was or what complications it caused.

I guess that is just me being over critical, because overall I did enjoy Obsidian. I thought it was very original and fun.  I also love the cover, that Daemon might be an asshole, but he is hot!  

Review: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Shattered Souls

By: Mary Lindsey

Pub. Date: December 8, 2011

Publisher: Philomel Books

Pages: 326

Source: Bought

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Shattered Souls is one of those books that you should read on a rainy day, curled up on your couch. It was fantastic and had everything that I could want. There was history, mystery and very cool characters.

I met Mary Lindsey at a book signing in Houston, Texas, where the book takes place. That in itself was cool and even though I just moved to Texas a few months before,  I knew some of the places mentioned in the book. Lindsey was hilarious, and it just made me want to read her book so much more.

The main character is Lenzi who can hear ghosts which automatically makes her think she is going crazy like her father, but it turns out she isn't crazy, she is a Speaker. She hears ghosts and is supposed to help them move on before they turn into those crazy ghosts that hurt people. I thought this concept was very cool. Who doesn't love a good ghost story?

I liked Lenzi. She's just trying to be a normal girl, except she is anything but normal. Actually, she is a thousand year old soul, but this time around, she doesn't remember any of her past lives. After her father committed suicide a year earlier, her mom moves them to Houston to start over. The only person that pays any attention to her is college boy, Zak, who quickly becomes her boyfriend. I know that I was supposed to hate Zak, but I think I am part of the minority who really liked him. Sure, he had some issues that definitely needed working on. But I still liked him.

Lenzi thinks she is getting closer and closer to the disease who took her father when Alden comes along. Like, Lenzi, he has been reincarnated over and over again throughout the centuries, except he is her protector, and he is in love with her and has been forever.

I loved Lenzi and Alden together. I would love to read more about their lives. I think that would make for an interesting story. Maybe there could even be a short story focused on a particular past life??

I thought Shattered Souls was fantastic. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a second book, but if that doesn't happen, I am still happy I got to read this one and will read anything else Mary Lindsey puts out there for us!  

Double Review: The Power of Six & I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy by Pittacus Lore

The Power of Six

(Lorien Legacies # 2)

By: Pittacus Lore

Pub. Date: August 23, 2011

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 406

Source: Borrowed

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

I absolutely loved I Am Number Four. I loved Henri and Sam and especially John Smith. When I saw that The Power of Six was going to be in the POV of Marina, whose number 7, I was disappointed. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Power of Six is written in the POV of Marina AND John Smith!! Woohoo!

It took me a little time to warm up to Marina. Her story was so boring at first because there was no action. Her and her Cepan, Adelina have been hiding out in a convent in South America. Adelina wants no part in teaching Marina how to battle or about Lorien. I felt so bad for her!

Once we get to John's chapter, I was completely intrigued. John, Sam, and Six are trying to stay under the radar, and nothing ever goes their way. There was so much action and intense scenes. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.

By the time the stories merge-HOLY CRAP!! I thought the story was intense before the ending chapters, but now! I really had no idea how this story was going to play out and the cliffhanger was crazy! I can not wait until the third book, which I hear is called The Rise of Nine!  

The characters were great. Marina had to learn how to use her legacies all by herself, and she was so strong-willed. She wanted to protect everyone. John was his sweet and funny self, and trying to deal with Henri's death was heartbreaking. We were introduced to Six in I Am Number Four, and in this one we see a much more vulnerable side to her. I really liked her. She is so kick-ass! I loved the training scenes between her and John. They were so much fun.

We learn a lot more about the Lorien planet and people in this one and I loved it. I can't wait to find out even more in the third book.

Overall, I was very pleased with The Power of Six. Sometimes, the second book isn't always good as the first one, but this plays off what we learn in I Am Number Four and just makes it so much better!

I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy

(Lorien Legacies # 0.5)

By: Pittacus Lore

Pub. Date: July 26, 2011

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 65

Source: Bought

Number Six—when John meets her in I Am Number Four she’s strong, powerful, and ready to fight. But who is she? Where has she been living? How has she been training? When did she develop her legacies? And how does she know so much about the Mogadorians?

In I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six’s Legacy, discover the story behind Six. Before Paradise, Ohio, before John Smith, Six was traveling through West Texas with her CÊpan, Katarina. What happened there would change Six forever….

I really thought that The Power of Six was going to be Six's story, but after reading it I see how that would be dumb since Six was with John, but I thought this short story was the perfect filler for fans of Six. In Six's Legacy we learn where Six came from, what her Cepan was like, and how she died.

I thought it was really interesting to see her before she was the kick-ass chick we meet in I Am Number Four. Her story is a sad one because her Cepan died when she was thirteen and she had to learn to use her legacies alone. Since her Cepan was like a mother to her, the same way Henri was a father to John, she has been alone for a very long time.

I thought Six's Legacy was a wonderful introduction to Six's character. I read it before I read The Power of Six. You could read it before or after, but I think it makes more sense to read it before. 

Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince

(The Infernal Devices # 2)

By: Cassandra Clare

Pub. Date: December 6, 2011

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 498

Source: Bought

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Clockwork Prince was my most anticipated book of the year and when it finally was released, I was not disappointed at all! Cassandra Clare is such a fantastic writer and I really had no complaints. How could I? The 19th century London setting was magical, the writing was perfect and the characters have a way of breaking your heart and causing you to fall in love with them at the same time. I adore this series, it is one of my favorites and I am so looking forward to the conclusion, Clockwork Princess.

The main character, Tessa, is someone that I truly admire. She is so strong and determined. She has been through a lot in her life, but she still gives her whole heart to those she cares about. Tessa is exactly the kind of female protagonist that I like to read about!

Oh, and the boys! Jem and Will are both amazing. I am whole heartily Team Will, and have been since Clockwork Angel. I always knew that the mean, hurtful Will wasn't the real him and I was relieved to finally know why he acts the way that he does. And boy, is his back story tragic.  Even if I wasn't Team Will, it would have been hard to not feel for him. I am excited to see how he tells everyone what he has been hiding and how they handle it.

Besides Tessa, Jem and Will, the other characters are also fantastic! Charlotte and Henry's marriage always made me sad but there was a scene between them that was so beautifully written and I am so happy to see the two of them happy and actually in love. We also get to meet Gideon, who I absolutely adored! I am looking forward to more of him.

Without giving too much away, I understand that Tessa is in love with both Will and Jem. She thought she never had a chance with Will, and when she got together with Jem, I wasn't surprised. This is one love triangle that I think is going to end horribly, and I am not looking forward to that.

Overall, I loved Clockwork Prince. There was nothing to not love about it. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I never knew what was going to happen next and there were surprises at every single corner. This is one series that is not to be missed. There is just something about these books that make a wonderful reading experience.

In My Mailbox (34)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren to share with everyone the books they bought, borrowed, or received for review.

~Review~

Goddess Interrupted - Aimee Carter (via netgalley)

Spellcaster - Cara Lynn Shultz (via netgalley)

Kevin's Point of View - Del Shannon (via author)

~Bought~

Cinder - Marissa Meyer (My review)

What did you get in you mailbox's this week? Leave me your link in the comment section so I can check it out! 

Follow Friday # 19

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read! It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

This weeks question is:   

Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

I am obsessed with Parachute. I was introduced to them by iTunes free single of the week about two years ago and have been in love with them ever since!

What are your suggestions? Leave me a link in the comments section so I can check it out!

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath

By: Brodi Ashton

Pub. Date: January 24, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 370

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being 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 months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's 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...

Everneath deserves all of the hype that it is getting. This book is fantastic! From page 1 I was completely in love. I am obsessed with the story and the characters. Everneath was so well written that I was never bored. Even at parts that I would normally be bored at, I wasn't. It was just perfect!

For me, Everneath reads like it should be the second book in a series. In the first chapter, the main character Nikki, has already met the "evil" guy (Cole) and was just being released from her imprisonment in the Everneath. She has been there for 100 years with Cole. Now she is back in the world, and since time moves differently in the Everneath, only six months have passed since she first left. Nikki is trying to put the pieces of her life back together, but it is very hard. She doesn't know how to explain her absence, Cole wants her to go back with him to rule hell and on top of everything else, she only has another six months to live before she gets dragged down to live for eternity in the terrifying tunnels.

There are several flashbacks in which we learn how she met Cole, and what caused her to go with him. We also learn about her love, Jack, who she has not stopped thinking about for a 100 years, even if she couldn't remember his name.

As far as evil characters go, I loved Cole! He is the guy you want to hate, but can't help but love!  He is so dark and seductive, but also surprisingly human like. Nikki was just such a sad character. She screwed up her life so much, and she knows that in six months she will be gone forever. Jack was also great. He loves Nikki so much and will do anything for her. He never gave up looking for her when she left, and her leaving screwed him up a lot. But he was never mad or upset with her when she did finally come home. 

You would think that this book would be confusing, and at first I was, but Brodi Ashton does such a wonderful job explaining it to the reader and filling in all the holes, that I didn't stay confused for long.

I loved the mythology that went into the Everneath. It was all very interesting to see everything come together.

That ending! OMG! What a cliffhanger. I am so excited for the second book and can't believe I have to wait another year for it. It will be interesting to see what ends up happening. This is a book that I would definitely recommend!!

This review was brought to you by Hallow Tours!   

Review: The Bastard by Brenda Novak

The Bastard

By: Brenda Novak

Pub. Date: October 23, 2011

Source: Netgalley

To some men honor is just a word….

Jeannette Boucher, a young French beauty from a family left penniless by the revolution, must marry against her will to save them all from ruin. But almost immediately after the vows are spoken, she learns that her old English husband is impotent—and in his desire for an heir, he plans to compromise her in the worst way.

Determined to escape such a fate, she stows away on one of His Majesty’s frigates. But a woman alone is in constant danger.

To Lieutenant Treynor, honor means everything….

Born a bastard to a wayward marquise, Lieutenant Crawford Treynor was given to a poor farmer to raise and was maltreated until he ran away to join the Royal Navy. Treynor is determined to prove he’s as good as any other man and rise to captain his own frigate. But once he finds Jeannette aboard The Tempest he must decide whether to return her to the man he knows would abuse her—or risk everything, even his life, to keep her safe.

I tried this one out because the synopsis intrigued me, the cover was amazing and netgalley had it on "read it now".  But unfortunately, I was disappointed. I thought the story was interesting and I really liked Jeannette as the heroine but Crawford bothered the hell out of me! I had the impression he was really going to be a gentleman, and in some ways he was, but the majority of the times he was just an ass hole.

After 18 year old Jeannette Boucher marries Lord St Ives, she learns that on their wedding night he is going to have all of his friends have sex with her since he needs an heir and is impotent. Jeannette runs away immediately and finds herself on a Royal Navy ship, posing as a 13 year old boy.

Lieutenant Crawford Treynor was born a bastard to Lady Bedford. Knowing she would be scorned from society, she paid a farmer to raise him. He spent the first 14 years of his life being beaten and finally ran away and joined the Royal Navy.

Now, Jeannette is on Crawford's ship and if she is found out, she will be sent back to her cruel husband to be raped. When Crawford finds out who she is, he agrees to keep her secret safe for the time being and eventually the two fall in love.

As I said earlier, the story sounds so intriguing and in a lot of ways it was, but I think I had a completely different vision of who Crawford was, that when he turned out differently, I couldn't stand it. When he finds out Jeannette is actually a women, and not a young boy, he takes off all of her clothes and ties her arms to a piece of furniture so she can't escape. Really??

I have to say that I did enjoy the ending. I liked how nicely everything came together. I also enjoyed Crawford healing from his past and finally getting in touch with it and his feelings.  

Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

Tempest

(Tempest # 1)

By: Julie Cross

Pub. Date: January 17, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Pages: 352

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

I wanted to love this book so much. It sounds amazingly awesome. Time Travel and male POV! I'm sold. Unfortunately, I didn't like is as much as I wanted too. That isn't to say it is not a great book. I know others are falling in love with Tempest. It just wasn't my cup of tea, but I still would read the next book in the series.

Jackson Meyer is 19. He goes to college, volunteers at a camp and has a girlfriend. He is very much like other guys his age, except he can time travel. What made his time traveling unique was he can't change the future. What ever he does in the past changes nothing in the time space continuum. I thought this aspect was very interesting.

I really loved Jackson! He was so much fun and I loved reading his POV. When his girlfriend is shot in 2009, he gets scared and time travels back to 2007, and he can't go back home. He is able to time travel to other parts of his life, but he can't go back to 2009. Now he has to find out not only how to get home, but he has to stop the murder of his girlfriend as well.

We learn so many different things throughout the story. We learn who Jackson really is and we learn things about his family. Tempest had amazing buildup to this information, which I really enjoyed.

What I didn't like was the ending. It is one of those endings that you want to scream at the author and say "NOOOO, why??????" and then the author laughs and says "what, you don't like cliffhangers"! The book was also a little slow for me. I feel the first half just completely dragged on. The second half was much better!

Tempest reminded me a little of "The Butterfly Effect" movie because of the idea that you have to go to the beginning to change the future.

As I said, I think Tempest is still a great book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I even downloaded, Tomorrow is Today, a free prequel to Tempest that I am looking forward to reading!

This review was brought to you by Hallow Tours!

You can also listen to Tempest! You can get the audio book from Macmillan Audio. Listen to a sample here!

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed

(Unearthly # 2)

By: Cynthia Hand

Pub. Date: January 17, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 416

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. 

I loved Unearthly. I thought it was so good. What I loved most about it was that the main character already knew she was part angel. I didn't think this series could get any better, but it did! Hallowed was filled with so many unexpected moments and I loved every single minute of it!

At the end of Unearthly, Clara finds out that Christian is also part angel and since she didn't save Christian in the forest fire, she didn't fulfill her purpose. She decided to save Tucker, but now she is afraid that Tucker is going to die, since he didn't die in the fire. While dealing with that fact, Clara is learning a lot more about who she really is, and meeting many other half angels who live right in her town!

Man did I feel for Clara. She was dealing with a lot. She hasn't been getting along with her younger brother Jeffrey, she is trying to keep her feelings for Christian away since she loves her boyfriend, she is trying to figure out if there is more to her purpose, AND if that wasn't enough, there are other things happening in her life that are very hard to deal with.

There are so many different emotions going around in Hallowed. Every single character is so well written that we really get a sense of the struggles that each one of them are facing.

There were so many questions left unanswered in Unearthly, and while Hallowed answers many of them, it leaves a whole new set of questions that now need answering. One thing I couldn't stand in Unearthly was how little Maggie (Clara and Jeffrey's mom) would tell them about being part angel. I was glad that she finally told them a lot of what they and I have been wondering.

As for the love triangle, I know some people are strictly Team Tucker or Team Christian, but I really can't decide. I love them both, and they are both so important to Clara. She needs both of them in her life.

Cynthia Hand is such a talented author. This is easily becoming one of my favorite series and I can't wait to have a finish copy on my bookshelf!  

This review was brought to you by Hallow Tours!