Ruined (Ruined #1) by Amy Tintera
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Summary:
A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

My Thoughts:
3.75 stars. There was a lot I really loved about this book, namely Em and her two best friends and their relationship, the setting, though I would've loved to know a bit more about this world. I did really like Cas and Iria, as well. I did feel that Cas was quick to forgive Em for a certain thing that happened, or maybe not forgive, but look past maybe too easily. I felt that would be really hard to do, regardless of his growing feelings for her.

Overall, I really did enjoy this story and will continue with the series, but my biggest complaint, which I hope is addressed in the next book, is the magic system. It was not explained very well, or at all, really. Some people have magic. That's pretty much the extent of what I know from the first book. We got some examples of what certain people with magic could do, but I really need to know more!

 Format: Kindle eARC provided by Edelweiss

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
5 out of 5 stars

Summary:
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

My Thoughts: 
I have the worst book hangover!! That was incredible, exceeded my expectations by 1000%. This book gave me a raging case of the swoons, but that ending?!? Way to obliterate my heart! Needless to say, I went to sleep with thoughts of murdering a certain High Lord.

This book was EVERYTHING.

I don't know what to do with my life now...help! More to come....

Menagerie by Rachel Vincent
5 out of 5 stars

Summary:
When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale.

My Thoughts:
Amazingly written, darkly fascinating and strangely hopeful, thought-provoking, and extremely unputdownable! As a fan of Rachel Vincent, I was eagerly anticipating this book release and I was not disappointed in the least. She once again proves what a fantastic writer and storyteller she truly is. I cannot wait for the next installment of this fascinating new series.

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
5 out of 5 stars

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

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

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

My Thoughts: 
Wow. I don't think any other book I read this year will even come close to how insanely fantastic this book is. It's a shout-it-from-the-rooftops, buy-a-copy-for-everyone-you-know, re-read-it-constantly, sleep-with-it-under-your-pillow, carry-it-everywhere-you-go kind of fantastic. Just read it. That is all.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
5 out of 5 stars

Summary:
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:
Wow. Just wow. I'm not sure why it took me this long to finally pick up this book and give it a try. I kept stalling or deciding to read something else. But finally, FINALLY, I picked it up and I'm so thrilled that I did! This is one of the best books I've read in awhile. This isn't really a review. I just had to gush and spill all the feels I have for this book. Even though I've only just read the first book, I can say definitively that this series is shooting up near the top of my all time favorite series...it's THAT good! And the writing, don't even get me started on the brilliance of the writing! I'm in love with this book :)

Mortal Danger by Anne Aguirre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...

My Thoughts:

I saw a lot of reviewers not liking this book at all and that's fine. The fact that the main love interest was watching the main character for years before even meeting her didn't bother me in the least. It wasn't stalkery, he was doing his job, one which he can't get out of. 

I absolutely loved Edie! Loved her! And yes, she did the shallow thing with her first deal, but can you really blame her? She didn't go overboard with it, she just enhanced what was already there. And while her focus was revenge, I'm really glad that didn't remain her focus. 

I'll admit, thematically, it seemed a bit "everything and the kitchen sink". Maybe needs a bit of fine tuning in the rest of the series. And there seemed to be some stuff that wasn't really resolved, but I don't know if that's for later or what. It seemed as if it just wasn't resolved, period. 

While I wanted it to be perfect like her Razorland series (OMG), it was good enough and then some for me to want to finish the rest of the series. Again, I love her writing style! Ok, I'm done now :)

Format: Kindle Ebook

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The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary:
Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

My Thoughts:
I really wanted to love this, or at least like it more. I love modern re-imaginings of mythological stories we all know. And I did like a lot about this book. I liked the way the myths were retold, I enjoyed most of the characters. But, somehow, I didn't feel all that connected to the characters and, for me, that's a problem. You know how sometimes the characters don't jump off the page? That's what was happening for me. I feel bad saying that because the writing was very good and the story was too, but when I can't connect to the characters, I just can't feel anything for them.

But, I can see why so many people seem to be loving this series. The world building is very well done, the characters are, for the most part, fleshed out and develop throughout the book. I really enjoyed the politics and workings of the Underworld. And I've always loved the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, and Persephone and Hades.

All in all, it was a fun read, but for me, it fell a little flat. I think it's me and not the book. But, I think anyone who loves Greek Mythology and fated love stories should by all means give this a try.

Format: Kindle eARC provided by Netgalley

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Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

My Thoughts:

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Eversea by Natasha Boyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
Keri Ann is a small town, independent girl, who has had quite a bit of tragedy in her life. She and her brother are just scraping by, trying to keep their historical family home in the family. She spends her free time trying to bring her home back to it's former glory, while also working as a waitress in the local diner. Everything seems to be going fine until an A-list movie star walks into the diner...and into her life, changing her forever.

My Thoughts:
First off, this book was a total guilty pleasure read for me, 100%. I read the sample on Amazon and liked the main character enough in the small amount provided. Also, I think it was $.99, so I figured what the hell! I wasn't disappointed.

I'll start out with some of the not so good stuff: it's very predictable (which I kinda figured it would be going into it), it has a lot of the typical romance tropes, and there wasn't really anything new or different about the overall story. Having said that, none of those things bothered me at all. Remember? Total guilty pleasure :)

Now, the good stuff...where do I begin?? How about Jack Eversea? I guess you could say Jack is your typical romance novel love interest, and you wouldn't be wrong. But somehow, Jack just worked for me. When it comes to book boyfriends, I'm typically not drawn to complete physical perfection, although there's nothing wrong with that! I like flaws, physical & character wise. But call it wish-fulfillment or whatever, Jack just did it for me. And can I just say, the first actor who came to mind when I pictured Jack when I started reading this was Henry Cavill...pre-Man of Steel, before he bulked up so much. Yum. My. Oh my.

Ok, I also really enjoyed Keri Ann. She was a little snarky, not as much as I usually like my female protagonists to be. But she also had a lot of heart. She was kind & she truly cared for the people she loved in her life, as was shown in her actions throughout the book. I appreciated that. There's nothing wrong with attitude & snark, but if there isn't any heart or goodness to back it up, it rubs me the wrong way. Her indecisiveness in regards to her relationship with Jack got on my nerves sometimes. She flip-flopped so much at times, I felt the whiplash from here! But, all-in-all, most of her decisions were sound.

Now, the steamy stuff! And boy there was some hot, steamy stuff here! The sex scenes were well-written and just how I like them. It's all about how it's worded for me, if the author is vulgar, it just doesn't do anything for me. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it just makes me want to skip it. But, here, the scenes were exactly how I like them :) And there were a lot of smexy scenes. I did roll my eyes quite a few times, namely because of how many times Keri Ann, who isn't the type of girl to fawn all over a guy because he's gorgeous, did exactly that. The amount of times she was speechless or tongue-tied because of his godly physique was a LOT. But then I thought, if Henry Cavill showed up at my door, I'd probably do the same thing, even though I'm not one of those girls either!

Ok, the secondary characters. I liked her best friend Jazz. Her brother Joey was ok. They served their purpose. Jazz was the most fleshed out of all of them. Look, this isn't a deep story, it's sweet & fun & sometimes sad, but it's not going to change your life or anything.

I also loved the setting...something about the South always gives me warm, happy feelings. This was set in South Carolina, a state I lurve to pieces! The whole feel of the book just made me want to curl up on a hammock in the shade, drinking lemonade, while reading.

All in all, it was a fun, romantic read, predictable, but still worth reading. And it highlights some of the ridiculousness of our celebrity-obsessed culture. I'd recommend this to anyone who needs a quick, guilty pleasure read for the summer :)

Book Format: Kindle Edition

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My Thoughts:
 There was so much hype about this book, I finally got around to reading it. Initially, Celaena came off as a spoiled brat. I was waiting for the apparent kick-ass, strong, & brave heroine I've heard so much about. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait too long to see a different side of her! 

Throughout the competition to become the king's champion, we learn just why she's infamously the best assassin in the land, although most people don't even know what this assassin looks like, or that she's just a girl. She's ruthless when it comes to her opponents, even though she has to hold back some. We get a few tidbits about her early life and why she is who she is today, but not everything is revealed...this is the first book in a series, after all. I'm very curious to find out more about Celaena. She has her flaws, some of them are a bit irritating, but overall, I liked her. At the time when I finished reading this, I couldn't purchase the next books...boo! But, I will soon.

Her two love interests, yes, there's a triangle, are very swoonworthy.  I was a little surprised by who she chose first. Although, it being a triangle, she can always change her mind down the line...I'm not giving anything away :) But, there were some really good swoony moments...*sigh* 
I really liked the way she thought, she still had her girly, romantic thoughts, but always kept her focus on her freedom and bettering the lives of her people.

The world building was very good. I love a good high/epic fantasy, but not so high & epic that I need to take notes to remember all the little details & people in the world. There are so many places in the land that can be explored and I hope to get to see more of them in the books to come. 

Oh! One thing that bugged me, but this is just me & my brain...I hate it when I'm not sure how to pronounce a name!! And that happens a lot in fantasy books. It frustrates me! And I know it's all on me, it's not anything bad about the book. But every time I read a name I'm not sure how to pronounce, I want to scream. Is it su-LAY-na or su-LEE-na??? And Chaol, don't even get me started with that one!! I just decided I'd call him Cole and be done with trying to figure it out :)

All in all, I love this book so hard! I cannot wait to read the rest and the prequel books to find out more about Sam...squee! Oh and I liked the original cover better than this new one...not that the new one isn't gorgeous.

Format: Kindle Edition

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Mortal Enchantment by Stacey O'Neale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
In Kalin Matthew's world, elementals control the forces of nature. They are divided into four courts: air, woodland, fire, and water. At sixteen she will leave the life she's built with her mortal mother. Kalin will move to Avalon to rule with her father—the elemental king of the air court. Along the way, she's attacked by a fire court assassin and saved by Rowan, a swoon-worthy elemental with a questionable past.And now, her father is missing. And she'll need help from Rowan to find out what happened to him.

My Thoughts:
Well that was a fun read :) I'm really glad I read the prequel novella first because it gave me more insight into Rowan. I understood his attitude in this book because of the novella. First, the positives. I really enjoyed the two main characters, Kalin & Rowan. Their interactions were fun and flirty and the dialogue was great, which is very important to me. If dialogue doesn't feel real or doesn't feel how people really talk to each other, then it doesn't work for me. I liked, not loved, their relationship. I found myself wanting more from it. I'm trying not to be too specific because I usually, unintentionally but inevitably, give something away ;)

I loved the premise of the book. I'm always up for anything Fae, and the elemental aspect was right up my alley. The world building was good (more on that later) and I could really picture most everything the author was describing. The politics and strife between the courts was well done.

I really liked the authors writing style, she knows how to make characters relatable & you could tell a lot of heart & soul was poured into this story and these characters. She made me want to know what happens next, so of course I can't wait for the next installment :)

Ok, now on to the less positive. I felt that the story, as a whole, was a bit rushed. Like I said above, the world building was good, but I would've liked even more detail. When they're on the beach, I want to feel the sand between my toes and the sun beating down on me. When the wind is blowing up a storm, I need to feel it. I felt like there needed to be more character development, as well. I would've loved to get to know Kalin even more. Most of the time, her reactions to this world that was totally new to her were spot on, but occasionally, it didn't ring true for me.

Kalin & Rowan's relationship also felt rushed. Getting from point A to point B in a relationship needs to be a curved and crooked path, not a straight line, and I felt it was a bit straight here. But it was still yummtastic ;)

Having said all that, I very much enjoyed this book, it was a fast, fun read and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good YA fantasy!

Format: Paperback ARC provided by the author for a fair & honest review

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Sanctum by Sarah Fine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.

My Thoughts:
Holy crap on wheat toast! This book is frakkin awesome...so happy I picked it up!

This story is about a lot of things, friendship, loyalty, abandonment, depression, substance abuse, suicide...and all of it is handled very well. Having gone through something like this very recently, not going to hell or dealing with anything supernatural, but having a very good friend dealing with addiction & depression, this book really struck a chord. When someone you love is hurting, there's nothing you won't do to try to help them...and sometimes, people just don't want to be helped.  That's a really hard thing to accept, that someone doesn't want help or doesn't feel they deserve help. I cried a lot while reading this book.

This book...this book cracked my heart open, poured the contents all over the floor & stomped on them...then drop-kicked me in the gut just for good measure...then filled my heart & stitched it up & gave me a bear hug. Five stars is nowhere near enough for this book.

Format: Kindle Edition

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Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
 It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

My Thoughts:
I'm completely in love with this book :) I think there's a bit of wanderlove in all of us. This story is kind of a coming-of-age story. What I took away from it is this: you need to be comfortable in your own skin, you need to be ok with being by yourself & doing things by yourself, and you need to love yourself and the person you are. Without that, you'll never fully love anyone else or be loved completely.

I read this thanks to Netgalley and I'm so, so happy I did. I literally wanted to crawl inside this book and live there, forever. This isn't really a review, more an emotional outburst :)

Now, I'm off to pre-order an actual hard copy of this book for my 18 year old daughter...I'm hoping she will love it as much as I did.

Format: Kindle eARC provided by Netgalley

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Never to Sleep by Rachel Vincent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
Don't Close Your Eyes.

Sophie Cavanaugh is not going to let her freak of a cousin's strange psychiatric condition ruin high school for them both. Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream--and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.

Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?

My Thoughts:
While I don't particularly like Sophie (I'm not supposed to) it was nice to get a little insight into her character. Yeah, she's still a bitchy princess, but she's also strong, clever and witty, which was kind of cool to see. I look forward to seeing how this whole life-changing event will affect her and her attitude in the books to come. Maybe her tenuous relationship with Kaylee can evolve into something more than bickering, back-stabbing and insults. Also interested to see what Luca will bring to the series.

I'd love to see an Emma novella soon, hint, hint :)

Overall, I'm totally in love with this series and don't know why it took me so long to finally pick it up. Thanks to Melanie for providing the final recommendation for me to do that :)

Format: Kindle Edition

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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

My Thoughts:
I'm loving this book so far, but utterly perplexed as to what's going on...and that's a good thing :)

Update: Well, now that I've finished I know a bit more about what was happening. Loved the story and all of the characters. Ended with a bit of a cliffhanger so I'm assuming there will be a sequel?? Hoping anyway because I'm still confused about a few things :)

A suspenseful, psychological mystery with a supernatural twist, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves witty dialogue from realistically drawn characters you will fall in love with.

Update 2: Ok, I just saw that there will be a second book. Guess I should have looked first :)

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Reckoning by Lili St. Crow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
Nobody expected Dru Anderson to survive this long. Not Graves. Not Christophe. Not even Dru. She's battled killer zombies, jealous djamphirs, and bloodthirsty suckers straight out of her worst nightmares. But now that Dru has bloomed into a full-fledged svetocha - rare, beautiful, and toxic to all vampires - the worst is yet to come.

Because getting out alive is going to cost more than she's ever imagined. And in the end, is survival really worth the sacrifice?

DRU ANDERSON'S NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK.
BUT SHE SHOULD BE.


My Thoughts:
I just don't like it when a series I love ends, not at all. And although I'm not ecstatic about the way this series ended, I get it. And it will not detract any stars from my rating. I do wish, however, that there were more books in the series to delve into this new element in the story.

It was mentioned in the other books but really became a part of the story in this last book. Also, this new revelation about Dru's heritage needs to be explored further. AND, of course, I NEED to find out what happens with Dru & Graves!

That's why I think there will be a new series, not exactly a spinoff, but something else with these characters. Maybe a continuation from Graves' perspective?? Do I sound desperately hopeful?? I am :)

Anyway, loved the book and really sad it's the end of the series.

Format: Paperback

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A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Summary:
On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

My Thoughts:
So far, this book is just "ok". Nothing to write home about. I'm having a difficult time connecting or relating to any of the characters, they all seem kind of flat. I'm almost halfway through and not sure if I even care what happens to these characters, not a good sign for me. The writing is not bad, it just has an overall generic feel to it.

**Update: Finished the book and my feelings about it have not changed. It didn't get much better, in my opinion. It took half the book to get to the actual gist of it and when it got there, I was left wanting more. Flat, one dimensional characters. The mythology was interesting, but not enough to make me love the story. It just wasn't for me. I'm sure some people will love this, though.

The writing is fine, I just didn't connect with it. The artwork on the cover is beautiful. The book definitely ended in a way that pretty much guarantees this will be a series. I don't think I'll be reading the next book, if there is one, I just can't muster up enough feeling to care about what happens to Skye, sorry.

Format: Kindle eARC provided by Netgalley

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Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.

Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants--what she must do--is to bring Danny back.

But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.

Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her--and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.

But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought--even if it means breaking her heart all over again.

My Thoughts:
The premise of this book definitely has the creepy factor and going into it I knew it had the potential to be disturbing. Boy, was I wrong! I'm so glad I read it. From the first page, I was drawn in to this story. When Danny, the boy she loves with all her heart, dies in a terrible car accident, Wren is devastated and lost and ends up doing something that will change her to the core. See, Wren is different and she's always known that but not to what extent. She comes from a line of women who have "powers" but she's just learning the extent of that and what she can really do.

When she loses Danny, her first love, she performs a ritual that she hopes will bring him back from the dead. It works, much to her surprise, and what follows is such a beautiful story of heartbreak, longing, and love and the lengths that some will go to hold on to what they love most.

I was never creeped out by undead Danny, even though he's basically a walking corpse. It all gets to be too much for her, though, hiding Danny away from the world, especially when undead Danny starts remembering things. Eventually, Wren realizes she needs to right what she has done...this is a character that definitely matures through the course of the story. With help from the new guy at school, Gabriel (who also has some powers of his own) she's able to finally say goodbye to Danny and start to mend her broken heart.

Wren is such a real, fleshed-out character, it was easy to see why these two guys would fall for her. I loved all of the flashbacks to the time before the accident, little glimpses into this young relationship. I never once thought any of it was far-fetched. The ONLY thing that bothered me, and I mean literally only one thing, was not having the issue with her father resolved. Why didn't we find out where the father was and why he'd left? All in all, a beautiful, sad, and lovely book. If you're the emotional type, I'd recommend having a few tissues handy :)

Format: Kindle eARC provided by Netgalley

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Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza's world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see into the past, into the future, and she has no choice but to flee her town. Liza's quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds.

My Thoughts:
Let me just say upfront: I'm a huge fan of faeries...the fey are probably my favorite supernatural-type. But that does not skew my opinion of this novel because I've read a whole slew of doozies when it comes to books about fey. This book, however, is not a doozy :) I'd read mixed reviews of this book and I was a bit hesitant to buy it. But I did and I loved it! It's not the perfect fey book, but it's definitely up there.

The writing is superb, to begin with. The premise is unique and sets up a starkly beautiful tale of survival, betrayal, and love in a post-apocalyptic setting. It's also a coming of age story as Liza, our protagonist, is discovering things about herself and her life while grappling with what it means to truly trust someone. Liza is a survivor and feels alone, but along the way, learns that to truly live, you must let those who love you in.

Fans of Melissa Marr & Holly Black will most likely enjoy this :)

Format: Kindle Edition

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Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Summary:
17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.


My Thoughts:
Um, not what I was hoping it would be. Strangely, I felt no real connection with any of the characters. It was as if I was watching their story play out through a frosted window. Disappointed.

Format: Kindle Edition

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