OH MY GOODNESS!

HELLO STRANGERS!!!

It has literally been a year...maybe less...maybe more? I don't know I've lost track of time. BUT it has been way too long since I've posted anything and I blame school for it all!

Luckily I've started my winter break and I'm hoping to start posting again!

So I've been wanting to do something a little different with this blog. It's still going to be a book review blog but I also wanted to blog about my life, what's going on around me just as much as I want to blog about books! Sounds good? Yes? Okay then!

Please hang in there with me, I'm trying to sort out my life since I will be graduating soon and heading to bigger things so I want to be able to still post and do all the things I love. I promise I will be posting new material up probably later tonight for starters and as the days pass I will add more things!!

Thank you lovelies! <3

City Of Heavenly Fire

City Of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, 6)
by Cassandra Clare
Rating: 5 Bows!

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

I have followed this series from the very beginning and to have the final installment in my hands....it's indescribable. The wait was long, but it was so worth it!

The Mortal Instruments is by far my favorite series of all times. Each book was even better than the last so I was expecting great things from COHF, and I was not disappointed.
COHF starts off with instant action and it does not let down until the very end. We meet some new characters, yes I know, you would think we wouldn't since it's the last book but I feel it was Cassandra Clare's way of leading us to her new "Spin Off series" (I guess that's what you would call it?) and I grew to love these new characters just as I love the whole gang. 

I will say this, a lot of deaths occur. You can kind of foresee this since Clary is wearing white on the cover and white is the color of mourning for the Shadow Hunters. Their is loss, heartache, love, and even redemption and its mixed into a whirlwind of action. 

I was most excited to see Jace and Clary interact. I mean common we've been expecting something to happen between them for so long, it's just a matter of how it will happen. Jace is as imperfectly perfect as always and Clary is beyond the most amazing heroine I have ever read. The chemistry between them is phenomenal and the way that they balance each other makes my heart sing. My only problem with this book was that I wish there were more Jace and Clary time, I feel like they were pushed aside because of all the action. Don't get me wrong, there are scenes between them that will make you want to cry, laugh and even love them more. 

The book wraps up nicely in the end, with everyone getting closure to their problems (Magnus and Alec, Isabelle and Simon, Mia, Raphael...). The book was hands down amazing, and my favorite book from the whole series. I highly recommend you pick COHF up and if you haven't read the series... PLEASE DO SO! Cassandra Clare, you are amazing. Much love <3

All Is Silence

All is Silence
by Robert L. Slater
Rating: 4 Bows!

In a future that could be ours, Lizzie, a suicidal teen-age girl, barely navigates her own life. Then everything falls apart. In an apocalyptic land nearly deserted by disease, she lacks reasons to live until a shocking turn of events reveals a phone number. Her call pulls her dangerously cross-country to meet a stranger she thought was dead.

In a world where there is plenty of food, plenty of gas, plenty of space… fear, anger and a lust for power still control the patterns of human life.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*

Post-Apocalyptic novels make me tread with caution; I never know what to expect. Reading the blurb however, I was intrigued, and let me say that I was not disappointed at all! 

I went through a roller coaster of emotions with the main character: angst, anger, compassion, you name it! Lizzie is a troubled girl, we can expect that since it's in the blurb, but it is so much more than that. She is complex person, but given everything she went through, it wasn't hard to feel for her. At one point I felt like I could relate with her. 

What I loved most about All is Silence, is that it got down to the most basic concept, survival which I feel like now a days most post-apocayptic novels loose this concept over the course of the book. All is Silence made me question myself, it made me put myself in the characters shoes and see things from their perspective. It basically made me reevaluate my concepts of right and wrong.

There's a semblance of hope throughout the novel and you can't really help but hope that things will work out in the end. The first part of the book was awesome and the second part was just as good but I didn't like the cliffhanger. But I mean who does?! At least we know that there is a set up for a second book and I am looking forward to it!

Shatter Me

Shatter Me (Shatter Me, 1)
by Tahereh Mafi
Rating: 5 Bows!

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

If you follow my blog, you should know that I'm not a big fan of dystopian novels. I'll read them if they sound really interesting but other than that I tend to stay away from them. 

I waited a long time to read this book because I wasn't sure if I would like it...well I was right. I don't like it, I LOVE IT!

Tahereh Mafi created a spectacular novel full of action, despair, anguish, hope, and yes love. All the characters are not who they seem and that just adds a level of mystery to this novel!

Juliette is a great heroine. She is strong and all around good, despite everything she's been through. In the face of destruction and the world falling apart, she held it together pretty well. She's not perfect, which is why I love her so much. She get's shy, she feels angry, and even when she swoons for a boy who is evil, she knows he's not good. 

Adam was interesting. He's complicated yet he knows what he wants. The way he cared for Juliette and the reasons for it were heart warming. However, I found it really strange how he would do anything, and I do mean ANYTHING, for Juliette. I feel like their relationship, friendship wise, should have developed more.

Warner...I love and hate him. I hate how he gets a kick out of watching Juliette torture people. But at the same time, I love how he cares for her after. Kind of twisted I know but, hey I can't help it. I can see that Warner truly does care for Juliette. It may be because he thinks that they have a lot in common but that is just what started the development of his feelings for her. I'm hoping that as the story goes on, Warner will see that his way of showing Juliette he cares is wrong and he'll change. By the way, did I mention how gorgeous Warner is? Well he's stunning!

I'm definitely a team Warner girl, and just like Warner, I'm patient. I will wait patiently until Juliette sees Warner the way I do. 

Tahereh Mafi has made a unique and wonderful story. If you aren't hooked on this series yet, I suggest you go out and get it ASAP!

Darkfever

Darfever (Fever, 1)
by Karen Moning
Rating: 4 Bows!

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands…

I haven't read much Fae books and those that I have were nothing compared to this one. 

We start off with MacKayla, Mac for short, heading off to Dublin to figure out who killed her sister. In her search, Mac runs into all sorts of weird things, a man that turns into a monster, an old woman who threatens her, I mean how bizarre is that? 
Things don't get any better when she meets Jericho Barrons. This is where the books takes off. Mr. Barrons isn't just your average book store seller, he knows all about the secret world of the Fae and helps bring Mac into this world and teaches her everything about it. The story is full of action, mystery, and suspense and doesn't let up even on the last page.

Mac was an awesome heroine. She is willing to do anything to discover what happened to her sister, even entering the dangerous world of the Fae. I loved that she didn't let Barrons push her around and that she had a backbone. My only complaint is that when it came to her wardrobe, she was a child. I don't know if the author believes that the way Mac dresses is "grown up" but I, personally, did not like the way she dressed; Too much pink. 

Jericho Barrons was a mystery the entire book. We don't know what he is, if he is one of the good guys, or what his intentions really are. I liked that we didn't really get to trust him until halfway through the book, it gave us time to decide, by his actions, if he was really trying to help Mac. 
Is Jericho Barrons sexy? Controlling? Alpha Male? ABSOLUTELY! I loved his dominating attitude, it made me swoon every time he spoke! Ugh, love him!

Karen Moning built an excellent world of mythical Fae full of mystery and darkness. The world-builidng was awesome, the characters are perfect, and I seriously would recommend this book to anyone that's looking for a little paranormal mystery.

Consumed

Consumed (Devoured, 2)
by Emily Snow
Rating: 3.5 Bows!

Now that Lucas is back in her life, Sienna is sure the drama between them is over. But then he comes to her with a new offer: his band, Your Toxic Sequel, is going on tour and he wants her with him—working in wardrobe and as his girl.

Life on the road is a complete 180 from everything Sienna has ever known. Not only does she have to deal with Lucas’s band members, but she’s also forced to be around Cilla, the lead singer of Wicked Lambs. Still, despite horny band mates and a gorgeous rock goddess determined to sink her talons into Lucas, Sienna stays by his side.

Then the letters start to come—harassing messages from Lucas’s ex-wife, Sam.

At first, Sienna brushes them off, keeping Lucas in the dark because Sam is bad for his music. But after Sam’s contact turns personal and violent, Sienna has no other choice but to confront Lucas. If she’s ever going to understand the twisted pull Sam has on him, she has to know his secret. But when he finally reveals it, will they be able to survive the consequences? Or will it tear them apart, consuming them?

It's finally out!!! After months and months of waiting we finally get to see what happens to Sienna and Lucas. I gotta say, after all the waiting and the building angst, I was expecting this book to be phenomenal. I'm a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book, but after all the anticipation and waiting, it was not what I was hoping for. 


Consumed starts right where Devoured left off. Sienna and Lucas are reunited and after some coercing, she agrees to go on tour with YTS and be their "wardrobe consultant". Everything is fine and dandy, we have the occasional Cilia jealous fits but that nothing major. Then Sienna starts to get letters and gifts from Lucas's crazy ex-wife Samantha. 

Now, from everything we know about Samantha, I was expecting some major drama...and I think that fell a little flat for me. I wanted drama, angst, a little bit of frustration and sadness but nope, that didn't happen. 

The main mystery of this Devoured series is that Samantha knows something about Lucas. So most of the story is about trying to get to know what that is. We don't find out until 3/4 of the book AFTER something major happens to Sienna (which reminded me of Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley btw) and that was a big relief for me. Not because of what the secret was but because it was something unexpected and at this point in the book I needed something shocking! 

My biggest let down was the ending with Samantha. I mean COME ON! After everything that happened because of her, you're gonna give us that closure about her?  It baffled me. 

Aside from all that, Sienna was great, glad she grew a backbone and was able to stand and fight for herself and Lucas Wolfe was just as sexy, dreamy, and naughty as ever. I swooned every time he spoke, sigh...

Over all I'm happy that Sienna and Lucas got their HEA and sam and cilia are out of the picture. It was a good conclusion for the series but I just wish I would have been a little longer and had something grand in it. Even then, thank you Emily Snow for giving us Lucas Wolfe! <3

Torn from You

Torn from You (Tear Asunder, 1)
by Nashoda Rose
Rating: 4 Bows!

Love is like an avalanche. It hits hard, fast and without mercy.

At least it did for me when Sculpt, the lead singer of the rock band Tear Asunder knocked me off my feet. Literally, because he’s also a fighter, illegally of course, and he taught me how to fight. He also taught me how to love and I fell hard for him. I mean the guy could do sweet, when he wasn't doing bossy, and I like sweet.

Then it all shattered.

Kidnapped.
Starved.
Beaten.
I was alone and fighting to survive.
When I heard Sculpt's voice, I thought he was there to save me.

I was wrong.

Dear Lord. I was so not expecting this. The novella was sweet and romantic and then this story did a 180 and went in a whole new direction. It's dark, scary, and hard to read, well most of it is. 

The first half was difficult to read but at the same time I couldn't but down the book. I hated Sculpt, I wanted to crush his head and kick him while he was down...that's how angry I was. But even worse? I started to hate Emily as well. 
Honey, you're being tortured, humiliated, and beaten, why in the world are you feeling "lust-full" to the man that brought you to this situation? I wanted to slap her so she could see what was going on around her. 
There's a difference in complying so you'll survive and being dumb and wanting someone who has harmed you. Ugh! 

"You will fear me, Emily. And if you don't…I will make you."

But like all great authors, Rose turned us around again and soon I was starting to forgive Sculpt. I know it's like whiplash!

In the second half, you find out why things happened the way they did but even with the explanations (I won't give those away) I wasn't totally convinced they were justifiable. But that's just me.

Emily finally grows a backbone, Hurray!, and learns to trust those around her. It was great to see her mature and not be as whiny as she was in the novella. We have the old Sculpt back and he's just as swoon worthy and sexy as ever.

"What we had, we can't get back, Sculpt."

"We can, 'cause it never fuckin' left."

There's plenty of action, love, crying and redemption in Torn from You and even though the first half I loathed, the book was exceptional. I recommend this for everyone who wants to try something a little different, and out of their comfort zone. 

With You

With You (Tear Asunder, 0.5)
by Nashoda Rose
Rating: 4 Bows!

Sculpt is an illegal fighter.

He’s also the lead singer of a local rock band.

And from the moment I met him, he made me forget mine.

In order to convince Sculpt to give me self-defense lessons, I had to follow his one rule—no complaining or he’d walk. I didn’t think it would be a problem. I could handle a few bruises. What I hadn’t anticipated was landing on my back with Sculpt on top of me and my entire body burning up for him.

I tried to ignore it.

I failed of course. And having a hot, tattooed badass on top of me week after week, acting completely immune to what he was doing to my body—it was frustrating as hell, so I broke his rule—I complained.

Then he kissed me.

SWOON...so much sexiness! This is a short novella that comes before the actual story, Torn from You.

The romance was pretty quick, but considering it's a novella I expected that. My only problem with this story was that I felt like the author combined two really popular concepts at the moment and threw them into the story: Rock star and Fighter bad boy. 

Emily, I liked her, I didn't love her, I just liked her. She was a timid, self doubting girl through out the whole story. I get it, but come on, have a little faith in yourself. It get's tiresome after awhile. 
I gotta say though, I loved Sculpt. He was a good balance of mystery, bad boy, and all around sweet. He was delicious! Every time he would speak, I listened.

"I'm a fighter, Mouse. And I know what I want in life, and I'm not scared to take it. I want you. I'm not walking away from you." 

"Emily. You're a fuckn' trophy. My trophy." 

Major swoon...I NEED MY OWN SCULPT!

Overall it was a short introduction to the main story that I recommend you read before because you'll understand Sculpt and Emily's relationship a little better.

2013 Favorites

Hey everyone!

I hope you had a great christmas and New Years!

I thought I would do something different for this post since

I realized that most of my posts are just reviews,

I wanted to share with you a few books 

that I fell in love with in 2013.

Origin (Lux, 4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Who doesn't love a broody,sexy, love sick Damon Black?

This book was fantastic, the love story is just heart warming and I can honestly say that this is by far one of the best series I've ever read!

Sweet Peril (The Sweet Triolgy, 2) by Wendy Higgins

Forbidden love, bad boy drummer, and restrained lust...makes me swoon just thinking about it! This series takes a different route than your typical angel stories and it doesn't disappoint! I can not wait for the final installment. I love Kaiden Rowe!

Fallen Too Far (Too Far, 1) by Abbi Glines

This whole series...wow. It was phenomenal! Yes there were times where I wanted to punch a few characters (Rush*Cough*Cough) but in the end he really was the perfect guy. He is the first non mythical character that I wish existed just so that I can kiss him! :( 

Rush and Blaire's story was beautiful as it was frustrating and worth all my time! If you haven't read this series I whole-heartedly recommend you do ASAP!

Real (Real, 1) by Katy Evans

Remington Tate...I LOVE YOU. I wish you were real because I want you to be mine!! AHHH He is absolute perfection: alpha male, possessive, fighter, protective, and sweet. What more could you ask for? This story made me swoon, laugh, cry, broke my heart and then put it back together. It's perfect. 

Mine (Real, 2) by Katy Evans

The sequel to Real. It surpassed its expectations. Remington and Brooke, they are beautiful together. There story continued with love and heartache but when they are together, everything is right in the world. I loved the underlying aspect of this story (Remy's condition) and how Katy Evans proved to us that it's just another obstacle to be overcome. This series has forever touched my heart. One of my favorite series hands down. 

These are just my top 5 favorite books of 2013. The list

is probably endless but these are the books that I can 

name right off the top of my head

because I loved them so much. I hope you check these books out,

if you haven't already, and let me know what

you think.

What were your favorite books in 2013? Let me know! I'd

love to read them!

Have a happy Friday everyone!

Much love <3