Waiting on Wednesday (5): Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Spirit

Brigid Kemmerer

Series: Elemental #3

Publication date: May 28th 2013 by K Teen

Goodreads - Amazon

With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

As much as I love the Merrick brothers, I can't wait to read about Hunter!

I'm really excited about reading about the perspective of someone from the outside of the Merrick family, and the new powers that Hunter brings with him.

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Can't wait to read Spirit?

Amazon

Breathless (Elementals #2.5) is a novella that gives us a little bit of insight into the world of Nick Merrick and the secret he's been hiding.

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Connect with the author

Brigid's Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Brigid Kemmerer finds the time to write somewhere between caring for her family and working at her day job, but sometimes she ends up mothering her coworkers and managing her family. Storm: The Elemental Series is her first novel.

Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects (abuse, suicide, grief etc or something personal hard for you)

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay: There's not much I can say without giving the story away, but it deals with the aftermath of abuse. We see how the character deals after going through a horrible situation, and how it affects everyone around said character. It's downright brilliant and one of my favorite books ever.

Dare You To by Katie McGary: This story is such a wonderful sequel to her first book Pushing the Limits. It gives us an in to Beth and Ryan's story, dealing with alcohol and drug abuse, physical abuse, homophobia, and childhood traumas. It's so amazingly written that I actually like this one more than I did the first.

Going Under by S. Walden: It took me a while to get around to reading this story, but I'm so glad I did. S. Walden writes about sexual abuse, depression, and suicide in a way that's more real than what we find in books these days. It also brings awareness to things that are happening today, and I thank her for it.

Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters: Mental illness is a touchy subject for me, and the way Walters portraits it in this story is possibly one of my most favorite things about it. It shows the ups and downs of what is like to know someone with manic depression and that, even though you might really want to, sometimes love doesn't have the power to fix everything.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover: Colleen owns my soul. And she managed to rip it all in pieces as I read about all of the traumatic experiences Sky suffered through as a child. From sexual abuse to kidnapping to feeling so utterly and completely broken at finding out the truth, this book is one of the best I've ever got my hands on.

Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder: This book will gut you right from the start. And then it will just keep kicking you while you're already down. Reading about self-harm as a way to coping with grief always gets to me, because it's so easy to see where the person is coming from. Best thing about the entire story, though, is that Colton never tries to fix Nell. He only tries to help her heal.

The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen: I'll never get over how great this story is. The story tackles physical and sexual abuse, showing us the aftermath of it all, how the characters are dealing with what they've been through. My favorite thing about it is how the author chose to deal with the aftermath of it all, sexual abuse, the way it forces the female lead characters to come out of her shell and push her boundaries, make new memories, and learn how to trust people again. 

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker: Here we see grief when it's bottled up, pushed away, and ignored. Kacey's way of not-coping is possibly one of the saddest things I've ever read, specially when she sees herself being forced to deal with it. And with Trent we learn about what guilt can do to a person, how it can make them obsessive and drag them down and make them and others hurt.

Easy by Tammara Webber: This story is about standing up for yourself. It shows how common it is for a woman not to report being assaulted, but then it gives us the lead female character deciding to take self-defense classes to make sure that, if it does happen again, she'll be able to protect herself. The reason why Lucas is the one to teach the class is also deeply rooted to a traumatizing situation he went through as a child, and it's great reading about how he takes all of that anger and turns it into something good.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson: I cried like a baby reading this. This is a cancer book, but from the perspective of a daughter watching her father wither away. It's grief in its most pure form, reading about Taylor trying to come to terms with the fact that this is the last summer she's going to have with her father, and it's heartbreaking.

Review: This Girl by Colleen Hoover

This Girl
Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed #3
Publication date: April 30th 2013 by Atria Books
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads - Amazon

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

I was really nervous about reading this, to be honest, because from the blurb it just sounded like I was going to get the same story as Slammed, only told differently. I didn't want the repetition of it, reading about the same situations all over again when I already knew how things were going to go. And that's where Colleen's brilliancy came to play and proved me so butterflying wrong.

This Girl gives us Will and Lake reminiscing about their relationship right from where Point of Retreat left off, and it's written in a way that makes it all so much more than a simple retelling of the books. We get new information and little snippets of things we didn't know were going on during the story, all the while reading about Lake's reactions to all of it and about Will's perspective of situations and their relationship.

And just like the two previous books, this one will make you feel all the things.

Right from the beginning, it just gives you this sense of nostalgia as you read about Will and Lake's journey, with the added bonus of knowing things will be okay, and then with the best epilogue and slam poetry piece you've ever dreamed of.

It was such a sweet and amazing read that it left me a little bit heart broken at the end, because it meant leaving these incredible characters behind. Colleen Hoover owns every little tiny piece of my soul, and this book just shows me how much she deserves it.

Review: Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

This book is part of my 2013 TBR Pile Challenge.

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Unlovable
Sherry Gammon
Series: Port Fare #1
Publication date: January 19th 2011 by Wordpainting Unlimited Inc.
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He's been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren't going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He's harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he's trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love.

Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far.

Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother's health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie's life into a tale-spin.

While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly.

Seth and Maggie's romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery.

I've been meaning to read this for forever, and the opportunity presented itself when I signed up for the 2013 TBR Pile Challenge. What caught my attention when I first saw this book was the premise of an undercover agent falling in love with a high school girl, mostly because I just love all the heartbreak that situations like this bring.

Seth goes undercover as a high school student to try and bring down a ring of heroine drug dealers who started targeting and sealing drugs to teenagers. And Maggie is the poster child for heroin chick: too skinny, hair falling flat and dead from her head, sunk eyes with dark circles under it, and always wearing baggy and long-sleeved sweatshirts.

As they grow closer and the investigation progresses, Maggie's name comes up as one of the people who could be the FBI's missing link to catch the drug dealers. Seth is assigned to keep close watch and "become her friend", but his feelings for her and the certainty he has that she's not guilty soon get in the way, and what is an already complicated situation ends up becoming even messier. Especially considering the secrets both of them are keeping from each other.

The events are told in various POVs, so we get everyone's side of the story, and I think that's one of the reasons why I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. As nice as it was to read about different perspectives from different characters, some of the dialogue just seemed a little bit off to me.

Maggie and Seth's relationship was also a bit hard to relate to, considering how they go from Seth flirting and Maggie shutting him down to both of them being desperately in love with each other.

Overall it was an interesting book, enough to make me want to read the sequel, but there was nothing there that really caught my attention.

Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Wait for You
J. Lynn
Series: Wait for You #1
Publication date: February 26th 2013
Rating : ★★★★☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

I'm a big fan of stories that give you little clues about what happened to the characters and made them who they are now, and also that have the whole going from friends-to-lovers and developing relationship aspect of things. This is exactly what Wait For You does.

We meet Avery as she rushes to get to her first class on her first day at uni, desperately trying not to be late. But instead of running straight through the door and into her seat so she can watch her Astronomy class, she ends up running straight into someone. A very male, very hot, very swoon-worthy someone named Cam.

After a meeting like that, it's not wonder Avery catches Cam's eye, not that she's willing to act on the way he makes her feel. Not after what she went through five years ago and not when doing that means giving up the control she has on her life.

It was lovely to read about Avery and Cam's relationship growing into friendship and then into something more. And how, with that, they learn to stop running away from their problems, how to accept past mistakes and its consequences, and to move on.

Waiting On Wednesday (3): Thursday Nights by Lisa N. Paul

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Thursday Nights
Lisa N. Paul
Publication date: May 13th 2013 by Super Dandy Publishing

Goodreads - Amazon

Pain can leave even the strongest of people weak and hollow. But when fate brings two weak souls together, will the love they find mend the fragments that are barely holding them together, or will the weight of their past finally cause them to crumble?


Max DeLucca has spent seven years trying to forget the betrayal of his past. He lives his life from day to day never looking forward and never looking back. The walls around his heart keep anyone from getting too close and prevent him from feeling too much…until he meets her.


Her entire life, Janie Silver searched for the kind of love that wouldn’t leave her broken and more importantly, wouldn't leave her behind. She longs for a love that can heal the wounds of her past and give her the future she knows she deserves. She thought she was looking for something that just didn’t exist…until she meets him.


Danny’s on Main is where their story begins. A neighborhood bar where strangers become friends, friends become family and some … become lovers
… it all started on Thursday Nights

I feel like this is going to hurt a little bit, maybe?

And that I'm going to be happy about it?

And judging by the sneak peeks on Lisa N. Paul's author page, is always going to be hothothot.

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Teaser #1 & Teaser #2

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Connect with the author

Lisa's Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter 

Lisa N. Paul is a mother, daughter, sister, friend, reader, writer, blogger, and self-proclaimed comedian—just not always in that order. Ever since she was a little girl, she has devoured books. Falling in love with the Sweet Valley High series at a young age drew Lisa to series books and inspired her to write her own. Thursday Nights is the first book in her Charistown series.

When not writing, Lisa can be found eating french fries and Godiva raspberry truffles, or hanging out with her husband and two sons.

Review: Fallen Too Far & Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

Fallen Too Far
Abbi Glines
Series: Too Far #1
Publication date: December 14th 2012
Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads - Amazon

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter. 

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother. 

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

This was one of those books I didn't put down until it was finished, and then immediately went for the sequel to see what happened to the characters (one of the reasons why this is a double review), because I just could not help myself.

Abbi Glines never disappoints, and Fallen Too Far is a gripping and intense read that will keep you interested and on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Blair finds herself lost and without anyone to turn to after her mother passes way, packing up all of her belongings and going to live with her estranged father and his new family. What she doesn't expect is to get to the house and not only find her father gone, but her new stepbrother Rush present. And throwing a party.

What follows is a story filled to the brim with unresolved sexual tension of the best kind, Blair learning how to live her new life and find her place among her dad's new family, and Rush trying to balance who is is and what people expect him to be, all the while keeping a secret that is bound to turn their world's upside down as soon as it's out.

This book ends with one of the most surprising cliffhangers I've ever read!

The plot twist is so wonderfully written that instead of being mad about having to wait to see what's going to happen, it just makes you want to hug the author for a job well done.

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Never Too Far
Abbi Glines
Series: Too Far #2
Publication date: December 14th 2012
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

He had held a secret that destroyed her world. 

Everything she had known was no longer true. 

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.

Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again. 

What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? 

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

I picked up Never Too Far right after I finished reading the first book, and even though it was an enjoyable read I couldn't help but think that something was missing.

The story picks up where Fallen Too Far leaves off and it's told in dual POV (Blair and Rush's), with Blair's entire world crashing down on her. She has to learn how to live without the people who hurt her, away from all the lies and the pain and the boy she loves.

There's a bit of  twist that it sort of can be expected from book 1, and it basically ends up affecting the entire direction the story goes and the characters' decision making skills. And not necessarily for the best.

Everything felt a little too impulsive and melodramatic for me - from what the characters end up doing to the other turns that happen because of it -, and right as the book began to come to its close I got the feeling that things were being rushed, that a lot of loose ends weren't tied.

And then I found out there's going to be another book?! So I hope I can get my answers on the final installment of the Too Far series.

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Forever Too Far: First Sneak Peek!

Abbi Glines posted the first look of Forever Too Far, Rush and Blair's final story, on her blog!

You can read it here.

Review: The Game Changer by L.M. Trio

The Game Changer
L.M. Trio
Series: The Game Changer #1
Publication date: February 7th 2013 by L.M. Trio
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

It’s hard to believe that it only takes one split second in time to turn your world completely upside down. Everything that ever made you feel safe and secure; can be gone in an instant...”

Jesse’s world is shattered in that instant…the rest of her life is mapped out by a split second change that she never dreamed could happen. Now she must learn to start living through all of the things that come after.

After suffering a breakdown, Jesse, a shy, awkward, soon to be junior in high school, and her father, decide to make a new start in a new town, hoping to find a tiny piece of the happiness they once knew. She never dreamed that the family living across the street from her new home could change her life in ways she never thought were possible…

Luke thought he had his life figured out. The soon to be senior, thought he had everything; popularity, looks, charm, girls, and an arm that was the envy of every MLB pitcher in the game. The shy, awkward, but way too beautiful girl that moved into the house across the street, was not in his plans. 

The story continues with everlasting friendships, love, challenges, and Game Changers that are unexpected in their young lives.

Who knew that even after a tragedy, life can give you more than you ever had before?

Another book I can't believe got so many positive reviews.

The general idea of it was a pretty good one, but the execution was not. And the story just went on and on and on and on.

I couldn't connect to the characters, making reading this a really difficult task for me. They didn't sound like regular teenagers at all, nor did they act their respective ages, and sometimes they said something in a certain way that just made me cringe.

The writing was off. It was messy and bumpy and it didn't flow. I had to stop and reread a lot of things several times before I understood what the author was trying to say, mostly because the wording and structure of it was confusing.

The timeline was all over the place. One minute you were reading about something that happened in the span of a week, next thing you know it's been over two months or two years since something happened. This made it rather difficult to follow the story and organize what was happening in my head.

Different points of view. They changed inside chapters. One minute you were reading something from Jesse's point of view only to change it to Luke's and than back to Jesse's again. Again, having to change from one mindset to another as you read in matter of a few paragraphs makes it hard to follow what's happening.

The end. Unnecessary drama. It came out of nowhere, it didn't fit the rest of the story, and it was completely out of character for Luke to do what he did. It feels like the author came up with something only so another book could be written.

This was a really disappointing read, and I won't be coming anywhere near the sequel.

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Pivot Point
Kasie West
Series: Pivot Point #1
Publication date: February 12th 2013 byHarperTeen
Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

 Awe·some: adj. this book.

Addie has the ability to see the future. Well, sort of. The only future she can see is herself's, and only when presented with a choice. She has the ability to Search and see both outcomes of it, making her pretty good at avoiding any potential disasters or mistakes in her life.

Things change when her parents tell her they're getting a divorce, and suddenly she's faced with the choice of who she wants to live with - with her mom in the Compound and the only place she ever knew as home, or with her dad on the Outside with the "Norms", people who didn't have any special abilities. So when her best friend Laila tells her to do a Search to find out which path is best for her, Addie can't see why not. But as she comes back from her Search she's faced with a difficult choice - none of the futures she saw were particularly good ones.

Each chapter of the book tells you a story from one reality's perspective. One in which Addie still lives at home and is the quarterback's girlfriend and the other where she's adjusting to life outside of the Compound and meets Trevor, a cute boy with amazing artistic skills and a bad shoulder.

I have to give congrats to the author for this, because it was a pretty neat and interesting way to organize a book, and it kept me hook until the end. The plot itself, with all the time tricking and whatnot, was really well written and I could always tell what was happening and how it related to things on the other reality.

It was a really fun and original read, and I'll just sit here and wait until the sequel comes out!

Waiting On Wednesday (2): Reckless by S.C. Stephens

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Reckless

S.C. Stephens

Series: Thoughtless #3

Publication date: March 5th 2013 by Gallery Books

Goodreads - Amazon

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other survive the constant pressures of superstardom?

The friendships they've formed, the new family they've found, and the history they've forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band's exploding popularity.

A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together.

Fame comes with a price-but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

I can just tell by the blurb that this book is going to break my heart into a million pieces.

But I can't wait for it!

Teaser Tuesdays (2): Collide by Gail McHugh

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Goodreads
Amazon

"No matter what age, race, or economic status we hold, death touches us all at one time or another." Kindle Edition, page 121

Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays

is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

My musing is...

Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

Goodreads
Amazon

Right now I'm reading Painted Faces by L.H. Cosway. 

I actually bought it because Amazon recommended it to me, and thank you for that.  

After finding out the story is about a woman, Freda, falling in love with a drag queen, Nicholas, I was sold. I absolutely love the entire aspect of creating a different persona and performing, and the fact that the main female character embraces all of that and doesn't even bat an eye to seeing the guy she's interested in strutting around in seven inch heels is awesome.

I've read about five chapters so far, and I'm really enjoying the story. I can't wait to see what's in store for Freda and Nicholas!

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder
Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
Publication date: January 3rd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

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.

ALL THE AWARDS!!

All of them.

Seriously, who thought a book about Robot Cinderella would be so good?

This is probably the best fairy tale retelling I have ever read. Ever. And I'm extremely angry at myself for not having read this before now, because this is brilliant.

Cinder is a cyborg who works as a mechanic to support her (evil) stepmother and two stepsisters. It's while she's at her booth in the market place one day that she meets the Prince, Kai, who comes looking for her due to her amazing skills at mechanics and asks her to fix his droid. As if meeting the Prince wasn't enough excitement for a day, one of the bakers there shows signs of having letumosis, a plague that has been terrorizing the world.

It's no surprise that after all of that happens, Cinder's life turns upside down.

One of Cinder's stepsisters, the one she actually loves, catches the plague while helping her scavenge the junkyard. Prince Kai shows some interest in her, but he has no idea she's a cyborg. And Cinder, after her stepmother lives up to everyone's expectations of being evil, finds out that her past is even more mysterious and tragic than she first thought.

I'm still a little bit in awe of how freaking amazing Cinder is. Even thought the story is a new take on Cinderella and you can probably figure out most of the key plot points, it is, hands down, one of the most original and amazingly written books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. In just a few chapters I could already tell it would turn out to be one of my favorite books, and I'm hoping the second installment of the series, Scarlet, will be just as good, if not better, than Cinder.

Review: There is No Light in Darkness by Claire Contreras

There is No Light in Darkness
Claire Contreras
Series: Darkness #1
Publication date: January 10th 2013 by Claire Contreras
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves. 

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness?

Blake has been looking for answers her entire life. About what really happened to her parents the night she witnessed their death, who was the man who took her away from her house, what happened to the little boy she used to play with... But every time any evidence comes to light, it only serves to confuse her more.

One of the foster boys who lived with her, Cole, finds himself is in the same situation as Blake. He doesn't remember much of his life before he was left at Maggie's doorstep, and as he tries to unravel his past they both discover that maybe their lives are way more connected than they originally thought.

So much happens in this book that I don't even know where to begin.

The general plot is actually really interesting and original, and I immediately got sucked into the story. The entire mystery over what happened to Blake and Cole and how you start figuring it all out little by little as you read it was great, even though sometimes it felt like too much was happening at once.

Also, Blake and Cole's relationship was just a little bit silly to me. How he acted possessive and controlling towards her, and how Blake just accepted it as something normal and pushed it aside was not something I enjoyed while reading this. I couldn't bring myself to like him all that much and hope for them to be together.

And it all ended with a cliffie! Now I'll have to read the sequel to find out what happens to Blake, and if the reason why her parents died will be revealed.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Jennifer E. Smith
Publication date: January 2nd 2012 by Poppy/Litte Brown
Rating: 5 stars

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Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

I... I don't even know?

Because this book is perfect?

And I loved it?

And I read it all in about three hours because I couldn't possibly set it down?

Hadley and Oliver meet at the airport after Hadley misses her flight for her dad's wedding. Oliver is British, handsome, and happens to be on the same flight as her to London. He's also pretty good at distracting her from her claustrophobia, making her laugh, and stealing whiskey from distracted flight attendants.

The entire story goes by during a period of 24 hours where Hadley spends the entire plane ride talking to Oliver, gets to where she's supposed to be, meets her new stepmother for the first time, and tries to mend her relationship with her father. The way the plot flows is absolutely amazing, involving you with what Hadley is going through and keeping you wondering if she'll ever see Oliver again.

It's a sweet story about family coming together and the statistical probability of love at first sight, which turns out to be great for everyone!

Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter
Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter #1
Publication date: January 29th 2013 by Balzer + Bray
Rating: 4 stars

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In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

I took a chance reading this book, considering I'm not a big fan of historical fiction or Gothic novels, but I'm kind of glad I did.

The Madman's Daughter started out slowly and a little bit hard to get into, but took a disturbingly turn for the best and it kept going until I was left wide eyed and gaping. It was full of mystery, intrigue, and secrets, but I guess that's what you get when you have a mad doctor stuck in an island and free to do whatever he wishes and experiment!

Juliet was a great character - smart, strong, and a little twisted and crazy when needed - expect for the times when she went along with what her father told her to do. He was the man who abandoned her and her mother in London to go to an island work on his experiments, using the islanders as his subjects. Her not lashing out and confronting him for not caring about what had happened to her after he ran away did not sit well with me.

As for Dr. Moreau, the author was able to portrait his madness brilliantly. Every time I read about the type of things he was doing to the people there, the way he talked about his work like it was some kind of gift to humanity, I got a little bit sick to my stomach - but in a good way! She as able to create some pretty grotesque scenarios that only made reading the story even more enjoyable.

The love triangle is also something worth mentioning, but that's because you can't really tell who Juliet is going to choose: Edward or Montgomery. I wasn't entirely on board with how things played out, because I thought the situation on the island was more important than who would win Juliet's heart, but it was still fun to read about her reacting to both boys. Especially with how things ended.

Overall, it was book that grasped my imagination and left me wanting to know what would happen next.

Waiting on Wednesday (1): Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Clockwork Princess

Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices #3

Publication date: March 19th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderly Books

Goodreads - Amazon

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

EEEK!

I seriously cannot wait for this to come out.

I'm dying to learn what happens to Tessa, Will, and Jem.

Dying.

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection
Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #1
Publication date: April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen
Rating: 3 stars


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For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I don't really like comparing things, but with this books is just kind of impossible.

We have a The Bachelor/The Hunger Games crossover in our hands.

The world is divided by castes: from royalties, Ones, to those who have nothing, Eights. America is a Five, struggling to get by, but still pretty happy with here she is in live. She has her music, her boyfriend Aspen, a Six, who she's desperately in love with, and she has no desire to sign up for the Selection or be the queen.

That is until Aspen tells her to.

Because being part of the Selection comes with financial compensation, and America can't deny that her family needs the money. That Aspen's family needs the money. And that if they ever plan on getting married, they'll need some savings themselves. So she agrees, not knowing that decision would change her life forever.

The contest part of the book was nice, but then again, I'm a sucker for those kind of things. The entire story just sort of made me feel like I had read it all before, but I still found myself intrigued by some aspects of it. Like what is Marlee's secret is, what's the reason behinds the attacks to the royals, if America will figure out that Aspen treated her horribly...

Maybe that'll prompt me to read the sequel, but I'm not sure.

Teaser Tuesdays (1): The Selection by Kiera Cass

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Goodreads - Amazon

"Enjoy your last night as an average girl. Tomorrow, no matter what, your life will be different forever. And it's old advice, but it's good: Be yourself." page, 55