EmAnne

The Shadow Prince was a very disappointing read. I felt Daphne was a bit bland and the plot had some flaws along with many unnecessary parts. On a better note, I did like the aspect of greek myths and the cute little (haha) hellcat.

However, I do have higher expectations for the next book though and will definitely pick it up! Also, I have faith in the author to make this a pretty good series.

Full review to come closer to the release date.

Pawn was a thrilling read, and no where near your typical, old-hat dystopian. Aimee Carter managed to create a world that wasn’t a copy cat, and I could tell she put a lot of work into making the future society seem unique and complete. Be on the lookout for this novel.

It seems to me that a lot of dystopians have love triangles (Hunger Games, The Selection, Shatter Me etc.) so I was elated when I realized that Pawn did not have a bothersome triangle of love and angst. I am not even against love triangles, but they can become overwhelming. Agreed? Pawn’s awesome romance was a nice relief. Benjy was a sweet love interest, and I hope to see more of him and Kitty together in the next book. They seem to click in an awesome way... and I am glad Benjy is not the average, cliched “bad boy” I have grown wearisome of.

That said, the romance is not the front-and-center of Pawn. Nope. The plot mostly revolves around Kitty’s masquerade as the adored Lila. After Kitty basically fails an important test of ranking, she is offered a chance for a much higher ranking. Kitty soon awakes as Lila, the prime minister’s niece, who is a dead, and a formerly rebellious leader of the group against the rankings, and, ultimately, the society.

However, as Kitty masquerades as Lila, she finds more and more lies and political battles. She is told many things, but neither her nor the reader know what to believe. I loved this part of Pawn. There is so much uncertainty and excitement on the part of the reader as you wait for juicy things to be revealed! The world that Kitty endures seems very terrible at the beginning, and just worsens as you learn more. Especially as the minister’s family and other powerful figures are immersed into chaos and fight among themselves. It is hard to tell what a character really wants, and sometimes, your first impression of a character is very wrong indeed. I only have one little complaint... there is this reveal I saw coming, and I thought Kitty should have considered the possibility sooner. Does it ever bother you when you figure something out before the main character does?

Overall, Pawn is an intriguing story, and I have high expectations for the sequel! If the book sounds up your alley, most definitely pick the thrilling ride up and immerse yourself into a twisted dystopian world!

4/5 Stars

*I received this book from HarlequinTEEN in exchange for an honest review*

I loved, loved, loved Crash into You! As soon as I started reading I was hooked. I found myself wanting to spend the whole day reading, and I jumped at every chance to sneak off, ignore my responsibilities, and immerse myself into Isaiah’s and Rachel’s story.

For those who have read the first in the series, Pushing the Limits, you may have been rooting for Beth and Isaiah to get together. Well, it was never meant to be as *spoilers for those new to the series* Beth found her own dream guy in Dare You To. So, Beth and Isaiah shippers, will you be happy with this new girl Isaiah has found? I think you will!

The characters are always superb in McGarry’s novels. Rachel Young was an awesome main character, although her family had a lot of problems. The older sister died and Rachel constantly feels pressurized to be exactly like her to please the mom. Rachel’s panic attacks doesn’t help anything either. Speaking of Rachel’s family, I suggest you pay close attention to the brothers, especially West! Not only is he a fun and full of attitude, West also has a whole book about him coming out in 2014!

The romance is amazing. I loved the connection between Isaiah and Rachel even more than Noah and Echo! When you see the conversations the two have, you can tell they were meant for each other! Even though both characters lead completely different lives, they have this love for cars that initially drew them into one another, and then you see how they have a lot of fun together just hanging out.

For anyone interested in car racing, this might be a pretty good book for you. I must confess I never had much interest (at all) in car racing. And, while I still have zero interest, McGarry made the scenes fun to read and carefully researched. Also, there is a lot of suspense over Rachel and Isaiah getting Eric, king of the streets, his money after one race turns into a disaster. The book revolves around this plot, and I really loved it; the plot kept me on my toes. We also get a good look at Abby, who is Rachel’s self-appointed BFF. Let me just say, you will enjoy every scene she is in!

Overall, this book was such fun! Crash Into You is my favorite McGarry book to date... and I really loved Pushing the Limits, so that’s saying something!

4.5/5 Stars

*I received a copy of this book from HarlequinTEEN in exchange for an honest review*

Wow! I was blown away by Blood Red Road. (Also known simply as Dust Lands in my head. Look at the giant font for the series' title in comparison to the actual title!) Not only did I find the novel to indeed be better than The Hunger Games, I also would rank the book as one of the better dystopians and even at the top of the list!

At first, I wasn't sure if I would like the dialect. There are no quotations marks and a lot of pretty bad grammar. There are misspelled words aplenty and you will find a lot of choppy sentences. However, all this makes this book one of the most realistic dystopians out there. Have you ever wondered why a character with supposedly no education can speak with perfect grammar and acquire such a large vocabulary? I certainly have, particularly in dystopians, and I am so glad Dust Lands fixes that problem.

I know a lot of people are still apprehensive of the writing of the novel. Will it be too hard to get into the novel with the bad grammar and lack of punctuation and spelling? For me, the dialect did not prevent me from getting sucked into Saba's world. In fact, the uncommon but smartly planned writing made me love the book so much more, and after a while I barely noticed the "errors". I was just in Saba's head and thinking the way she thought.

Also, I love the fact that Dust Lands is a dystopian without an overload of technonlgy. In all honesty, I was kind of getting bored with all the computer-y electronic-y aspects in some novels. Blood Red Road is simply a survival story in a world with a harsh terrain and plenty of fighting and cruel conditions. I also loved the lack of control the setting has. Everyone is out to keep only their heads on their necks and most are back stabbers that don't care about the fate of others.

The characters are superb. While I found Saba to occasionly be thick headed and mean, she was a unique character and her story of survival is also one about self discovery. The character I felt for most was Saba's sister Emmi. Saba treats her badly as she blames Emmi for the mother's death, and she goes through a lot of pain and trauma for a seven year old. Also, I found the brother, Lugh, to be a very interesting character. Although we don't see much of him, he has a big presence throughout the book and I hope we see more of him in the second book.

Jack, the love interest, was not a "wow" character for me, although I did like him. I was intrigued by him and I was on edge to hear his story. Unfortunately, we don't seem to learn enough about Jack and I was disappointed. Hopefully more will be revealed in the next book. Next, we have the Free Hawks. They were so awesome! Who can't love a "gang of girl warriors and revolutionaries"?

Finally, we have the adventure and plot. Well, it was amazingly paced and I really hated every time I had to set the book down. There is so much action from fights to storms to daring escapes. Along with the action there is also great, to-the-point descriptions that have you imagining the setting. Overall, I really enjoyed the journey Blood Red Road sucked me into. The characters, plot, setting, and dialect were amazing and realictic. Don't let this book scare you. Give Dust Lands a try.

4/5 Stars

No words...
Yet

Read this while I was sick... The Reluctant Bachelorette was cute, but I guess not my kind of read!

I can't wait to read the next book! I might have to go buy it tomorrow... That ending was something!

Overview

2/5 Stars for the first half. I know, so sad!
4.5/5 stars for the second. Yay!

Total: 3.25 Stars

Review to come!!!

I am loving this series! Review to come!!!

I loved this book so much, I... just... gah! American Girl on Saturn exceeded my expectations by, like, a universe. I literally would not be separated from my e-reader while reading. And under the rare circumstance I had to set this gem of a book down I was not a happy camper, to say the least!

American Girl on Saturn's strongest aspect is the characters. There are quite a few, yet I felt like I get to know each of their unique personalities. This is quite a feat! I recently finished a novel with a lot of characters, and they got all mixed up in my head thanks to their lack of personality and originality. Thankfully, this book was the opposite!! First, we have the three sisters. Chloe Branson is our main character and I enjoyed her point of view. Her personality was very relatable!

Next we have Aralie, the middle sister. She was awesome! Not only did she have a lot of spunk, she also made me laugh several time! I smiled through her arguments with Jules and the boys. And how can we forget the adorable Emery? She is the ultimate fan girl of Spaceships Around Saturn, (and, shh don't tell anyone, but she might also like Harry Styles. Just don't tell Benji!) Emery is the ultimate annoying but cute-as-a-button little sister.

And, now, we have the member of the band! I loved Jules, Milo, Benji, Tate and Noah! I actualy loved how the whole band was portrayed. They, like a lot of famous teens, are constantly on Twitter and a few (*cough*Jules*cough*) have some oversized egos. Don't worry these egos are taken care of by the sisters, particularly Aralie. Also, each boy had their quirks. Noah doesn't talk, at all, until he has finished his glass of strawberry milk each morning! Also, they all have different personality traits. Milo is sweet, Noah is pretty humorous, and Jules is the "bad boy" etc.

Sometimes contemporary books get a bit boring to me after 50 or so pages. This was not the case for American Girl on Saturn. As I said before, the book was so addicting I didn't want to put my book down. Also, I have already re-read the book once, and I rarely books twice on my e-reader, it's a weird pet peeve. So, the fact that I re-read this book, on my e-reader, and in the span of three weeks is high praise!

Overall, this an awesome book! I would recommend this to lots of people, especially fans of bands! (I know I am going to tell my cousin about this book, as she is a big fan of One Direction. Maybe I should buy her a copy for Christmas?) Anyone in need of a cute and engaging read should look into American Girl on Saturn. And the ending is so sweet and satisfying... *sigh* I have just skimmed it while readying myself for this review and I still love it.

4.5/5 Stars

Sanctum was such a compelling and gritty read! Review to come :)

The Program exceeded my expectations, especially after reading a lot of "meh" reviews! However, I can really see how this is only for certain people, and they should probably to be in a certain mood, so check out the other reviews to see if The Program is for you!

The idea, a teen suicide epidemic, is a bit depressing, yet it really makes you think: What is happening here? Do the depresses teens really need their memories wiped? Is it for the best? What is The Program up to? Why is it happening? Is the Program the reason for the suicides? Also, as you continue, you get even more questions about the book!

Sloane was a cool character, while she is not one I will rave about, I believe she was the perfect character for this story. You see her trying to stay strong, despite that almost everyone close to her, starting with her brother, is in The Program or dead. Also, I felt like screaming for her and James when they were just grieving and afraid of being flagged for The Program. It's not fair!

James was also a great character, I especially liked the early memories with him Sloane and her brother that Sloane reveals later on. In the beginning, I wasn't sure how I felt about him, but the sweet early memories made me like him better. Also, it was interesting (and relieving) to see him at the end of The Program.

The Program itself is right creepy. The parent's may think it is a miracle but the kid's know it is not. There is so much to learn about, and I can't wait to have my questions answers in the second book, The Treatment. The workers take memories, sometimes by force, and I believe everyone should have their memories... as long as they don't commit suicide... hmm. Also, there seems to be some flat out bad people working at The Program, with perhaps some good. Right now, however, I believe the bad is dominating.

I also like how the book was divided into parts, kind of like: Pre-Program, Program, Post-Program. This made it fell like you were reading three different stories all connected, and I loved seeing how different things were. My favorite part was probably just the one in The Program, as you all know how curious and mad and suspicious I am at it! Also, I loved hearing Sloane's early memories, which made me love the characters more and grieve for what they lost.

I thought the ending of the book was perfect, however I cannot wait to get my greedy hands on the second book, as you have seen first hand all my questions, suspicions, and inner battles. All I know is that I do not like The Program, and want to know what they are up to! Wow, I take books too seriously. Also, I want to see more of James. And, of Sloane's friend, Lacey. She seems pretty awesome.

The writing is impressive too. While the words are not a masterpiece, they sucked me in and I especially loved how the author shows Sloane losing her memories. It feels... just... interesting for the reader. You see the same Sloane, yet different because of the slow deterioration of memories. Also, I thought the writing was powerful. And the dialogue felt very real.

Overall, if you think The Program is for you, I recommend you try the book right now! The book brings up a lot of questions, vivid characters, a great romance, and a killer plot. I think this book earned a full 4.5 stars! That is a pretty high rating from me... so you know how much I enjoyed The Program.

4.5/5 Stars

This novel was powerful and well-written, however, the book didn't stand out from all the other contemporaries. I will try some more Sarah Ockler, as this book did have some good parts and I have heard so much praise.

The tragic part was the father's case of Alzheimer's. This frequently left me in tears. We see how the illness effects the family. I felt like the reactions from family and friends Papi's condition were very realistic, and the father's episodes were heartbreaking and real. Please note that, in my opinion, the disease was the most impressive part of The Book of Broken Hearts, along with the diversity of the characters!

The romance aspect was sweet, but not very developed in my opinion. Also, I had very conflicting feelings about Jude. I enjoyed the character growth, however, the ending just didn't do it for me. It seemed a little too... macho I guess. Kind of overdone. Don't get me wrong, it is a beautifully written ending, just not realistic for me. Also, there was a lot of other things I wanted to know that weren't mentioned or concluded well.

I really don't know what my problem was besides those little complaints, the book just plain didn't leave an impression on me. At all, really. Do you know that read that you know a lot of people will like, and that something is wrong with you because your mind keeps straying? Yeah, that was The Book of Broken Hearts to me.

Overall, this book had factors I liked... and factors I didn't. The Papi's Alzheimer's tore at my heart, and I loved the character diversity yet the romance and ending were very "meh". I would recommend this novel to big-time contemporary fans.

3.5/5 stars... I am not sure if I should round up or down... *sigh*

I was going to review The Bagman in August, but I just found out I accidentally marked it in for December on my calendar! My reviewing schedule runs by my calendar. *sigh* Thankfully, I caught my error yesterday while I was scrolling through the months and today I am writing a review for the book. I cannot believe I didn't realize my big mistake sooner.

The Bagman blew my mind. I would definitely recommend this to fans of middle grade or young adult lovers looking for a refreshing read. The book in unputdownable and I was sucked into the story immediately.

I loved the author's tone in the Bagman. The writing is dark, humorous, and compulsively readable. Even the chapter title are superb. For example, one of the first chapter names is "In Which Abigail Arrives, a Tree is Climbed, and the Incident with the Pig is not Explained." After merely reading the chapter title I knew I would love the book.

Also, I really enjoyed the dialogue. The bicker between children is entertaining and the words coming out of The Bagman's mouth sometimes caused me to shudder or become suspicious. Speaking of the Bagman, I must say he is a very intriguing character. I mean, the book is named after him. The chapter narrated by him were awesome.

Suspense and mystery fill the pages of The Bagman. Even The Bagman himself has some mysteries to unravel. "Something was going on. And he was going to find out what." (tentatively page 60). The Bagman knows there is something different about Abigail. Why is she different?

Also we have the mystery of Abigail's fate. What does The Bagman want? Will he succeed? The little game of his seems to be pretty dangerous, and near impossible to win.

The setting, the rotten school/orphanage, and the time period, the second world war, made the novel even more unique. I always was a sucker for books set in orphanages or schools. The classes Abigail had were pretty awful but they made for an enjoyable read, although I had a lot of sympathy for Abigail. There was also plenty of "magic"! The Bagman had his tricks and supernatural powers that added to the danger, darkness, and adventure of the book.

Overall, The Bagman is an amazing read that I would highly recommend! And, oh yeah, be careful what you wish for or The Bagman with his deadly game will twist your words...

And I will leave on that happy note! See you later, guys!

I really enjoyed Atone! The novel is an amazing fairytale and I will most definitely check out more books from Jessica Grey. Here is an author to look out for! Her fairytale books are absolute gems.

This book is the perfect length. I read Atone in two quick sittings and was satisfied with all the great development, and how there were no drawn out scenes. I'll be picking this book up agin for a second reading when I am in the mood for an action-y, humorous, romantic, fast paced book. However, this is in no way a thick book, so make sure you remember it is a quick read!

One of my favorite thing about Atone was the magic aspect. I loved, loved, loved all the fae, magic creatures, spells, mirrors, portals and the rest of the imaginative traits. Also, the author is clear and precise with these details so I was never left confused or just not believing the logistics of the magical world, as I often to do with ill thought out fantasies. Who doesn't love a well done, fun fantasy?

My absolute favorite parts about Atone, however, were the characters. I loved the trio of Becca, Alex, and Lilia. They have memorable, fun banter and their friendship is highly believable, sweet, and humorous. Becca, a part of the trio and our main character, was a very likable heroine. Never did I think of her as whiny, cliche, or unoriginal. She also has some pretty good lines. I guarantee you will smile at the dialogue. Also, when mentioning great characters I have to mention Nicholas. He was such a great character with definite development. I loved seeing him grow kind and thoughtful!

Overall, Atone is a more than worth your time. Fairy tale lovers should pick up this novel. Also, prepare for a few laughs, a great plot, awesome magic, a fun trio, and a killer romance! And that ending was pretty much perfect. I am always hard on endings, yet Atone's was sweet but not boring, cliff-hanger-y or with a lot of loose threads.

A sequel??? Am I the only one mentally hopping up and down?

Darker Days by Jus Accardo was such an amazing book! After reading the synopsis, I knew the story would be right up my alley, yet the tale and, in particular, the characters, were more intriguing and laugh-inducing than I had previously hoped. The Darker Agency and family will certainly give the reader a grand adventure. Also, isn't the title clever?

Jessie Darker was, in my opinion, a great, and awesomely sarcastic, narrator. I know some would find her many snarky/silly comments annoying, but once in a while I need an entertaining character like her in a story. She is kind of quirky, although that could be blamed on her mom. For instance, Jessie's punishment for misbehaving is a "soggy zombie". So yeah, she is far from the average kid, yet she in never mopes or "wishes to be normal" like most heroines in paranormal books. That fact alone earned Darker Days serious bonus points in my book.

I also loved the family dynamics in Darker Days. Guess what? They all get along like a normal family despite the many paranormal interferences! The parents love their daughter, and vice versa. And both parents are alive! My favorite character in the book, was, funnily enough, Jessie's mom. I really want to know her story as the bits we get are extremely interesting.

The story was also creative. The way the Seven Sins worked, and the addition of other paranormal creatures, created a plot that was not cliche or predictable. Also, the length of the book was perfect. There were great action sequences and just enough time for a budding romance. Speaking of the romance... I LOVED it! The love interest was just right for Jessie, although I may have to admit I am a little jealous that she took him for herself. What do you mean she doesn't know I exist? She still should have let me have him! Anyway, the love interest, Lukas, is from like, a hundred years ago,which makes him adorable! I mean, he is formal and says funny things for the 21st century. Also, a lot of things are new to him, which is kind of cute to watch... (read? imagine?)

Overall, Darker Days. is an amazingly entertaining read. I would highly recommend this novel for book lovers looking for a light, cutesy paranormal story. I can honestly say there was nothing in this book I disliked. If Darker Days had any faults, they were overlooked in favor of the overall awesomeness! Also, I am anxiously looking forward to the next book.