Review: Star Bright by Anne Richmond Wakefield

Star Bright by Anne Richmond Wakefield
Release Date: July 26, 2018
Purchase: Amazon

Seventeen-year-old Bright runs to stay alive. Her dad left before she was born, her mom died of cancer, and she’s spent years trying to numb her pain. She’s on the road to recovery when she decides to run an ultra-relay race in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It doesn’t hurt that Levi, gorgeous and nineteen, is on her team.


One terrible decision during the race changes everything. Soon, Bright must call upon strength she’s not sure she has and decide she is worth fighting for. To survive the wilds of the Blue Ridge, she’ll have to rely on the one person she's spent her entire life battling: herself.

My Thoughts:
This story was so much more than I was expecting.  I knew going in that it was a thriller and that always speaks to me, but what I didn't know was how emotional Bright's story would be.

Star Bright is labeled as a thriller, but it is so much more than that.  The main character Bright hasn't had an easy life and from the beginning the story pulls you into her life and its ups but mostly downs.  I felt connected to her from the get go and I just wanted to know all the why's and how's of Bright's life.  I think the way the author used her counseling sessions really helped the reader see into Bright more so than most characters.  We get to see her answer tough questions and we get to see a lot of backstory that explains why she is the way she is.  I really enjoyed these parts of the story because I felt like I could understand Bright in so many ways. 

My favorite part though was the thriller element.  Wakefield manages to completely capture the creepy vibe with her descriptions.  One of my favorites was "She sounded like a horror-movie doll come to life."  I mean CHILLS!  This is just one example, believe me there are many, many more crazy descriptions that will stay with me for a very long time.  I won't say more because you definitely need to read this and I refuse to give spoilers.  I'll just say I did not see that twist coming and it was amazing!

This story is something that I have been looking for, but didn't even know it.  Wakefield's voice is fresh and something I think is desperately needed on those YA shelves.  Brilliant debut!

5 snowflakes

Review: Arena by Holly Jennings

Arena by Holly Jennings
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Purchase: Amazon

Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV. She's died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...

The RAGE tournaments the Virtual Gaming League's elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a fight to the digital death. Every kill is broadcast to millions. Every player leads a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses.

And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.

Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world until one of her teammates overdoses. Now she s stuck trying to work with a hostile new teammate who s far more distracting than he should be.

Between internal tensions and external pressures, Kali is on the brink of breaking. To change her life, she ll need to change the game. And the only way to revolutionize an industry as shadowy as the VGL is to fight from the inside

 
My Thoughts:
What I liked:
1. I am in total awe of the world that Jennings has created.  Not only is it completely realistic, it is something that could very well happen in our near future.  Virtual Reality gaming is huge right now and I can definitely see our world taking this kind of turn with gaming.

2. I loved how the author left no holes in her plot.  She even went as far as explaining how sports athletes failed to work in VRG and I really loved how she changed the face of a gamers.  When you think of gamers you probably think overweight, but with Jennings world gamers have to become their character or they won't survive the arena.  So cool!!  It makes you think that this might truly be a way to overcome those gaming obesity issues.

3. The characters were amazing!  I loved Kali and it was intriguing to see her heritage come into the story.  I thought that whole storyline was done quite beautifully and I found myself wanting to learn more about Chinese culture.

4. I have to give the author major props for the romance.  It was a very slow build and it really fit within the story.  I enjoyed getting to know the characters before the were an item and it was nice to see a friendship blossom before anything else.

5. I also thought the way drugs were portrayed in the story was done well.  Drugs are and will always be an issue for athletes and I thought the author did a great job showing the darker side of her story. 

6.  I was very surprised this turned out to be more of a contemporary novel. Yes there is gaming and all this fun futuristic stuff, but at it's core I felt like this was a contemporary novel.  And you know what I really enjoyed it. I think this is how I need my contemporary stories.

What I didn't like:
1. There isn't much that I didn't like about this story.  The only thing that really stands out is the ending.  I liked all but one part and since it is a spoiler I won't say much.  I will just say that I understand why the author chose to have her characters go where they went, I just wish there had been a different path.  So not so much as a dislike just a "Aw man".  I will say there is a sequel that I am definitely picking up next so hopefully that issue will be resolved.

As you can see I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to dive into the sequel.  Holly Jennings tells a masterful story that totally captivated me and made me want to plug in for more!

4.5 snowflakes

Review: The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera

The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera 
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: February 21st, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

Pretty in Pink comes to the South Bronx in this bold and romantic coming-of-age novel about dysfunctional families, good and bad choices, and finding the courage to question everything you ever thought you wanted—from debut author Lilliam Rivera.


THINGS/PEOPLE MARGOT HATES:

Mami, for destroying my social life
Papi, for allowing Junior to become a Neanderthal
Junior, for becoming a Neanderthal
This supermarket
Everyone else

After “borrowing” her father's credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot
Sanchez suddenly finds herself grounded. And by grounded, she means working as an indentured servant in her family’s struggling grocery store to pay off her debts.

With each order of deli meat she slices, Margot can feel her carefully cultivated prep school reputation slipping through her fingers, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of this punishment. Lie, cheat, and maybe even steal…

Margot’s invitation to the ultimate beach party is within reach and she has no intention of letting her family’s drama or Moises—the admittedly good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood—keep her from her goal.

My Thoughts:
If you know me or read my reviews you know I am not a contemp fan for the most part, but when The Education of Margot Sanchez came my way I thought it sounded good and I thought why not.  Well there were things I liked, but unfortunately this story just fell flat with me.

Side note:I'm going to write this review a tad different.  For awhile I am going to go with lists!  I'm changing things up since I feel the blogger blues approaching again and I am hoping this helps...

Things I liked:
-I enjoyed reading about diverse characters.  I haven't read many books that have diversity so I knew when this one came up I should definitely pick it up.  I will fully admit that I am not knowledgeable about other cultures or races except for the bare basics so I can't really say if these characters were portrayed right or not.  All I can say is that I enjoyed reading a story from a different point of view than the norm.

-I liked that this story wasn't just about Margot finding herself.  Yes, that's a big part, but the bigger part is her family and I liked the darker tones of the story.

-I didn't figure out the twist until way later in the story and I loved that. Call me stupid, but things didn't click and it was a nice change of pace.  I wasn't even looking in that direction so I have to give the author props for concealing that little story line.

Things I didn't like:
-This is pitched as Pretty in Pink, but I didn't get that comparison at all.  Yes, there's a divide between rich and poor, but that's as far as the likeness to the movie goes. 

-Margot!  I kept waiting for her to redeem herself at the end and she kind of does, but I wanted more from that ending than what was given. 

-The story was incredibly slow until the ending where everything blew up.  I would have liked to have seen more from the fall out and future of the characters.

-The sex scene wasn't done right at all in my opinion.  I didn't want more from the actual scene, but it would have been nice to see Margot feel some type of emotion towards what happened.  It was all over rather quickly and after the chapter ended nothing is brought up about the aftermath.  It just felt incomplete.

So those are my likes and dislikes.  I keep sitting her trying to think of more, but nothing is coming to mind and I think it's because this book didn't leave a lasting impression on me.  I wish it had because I think it had potential, but that's the way it is.  I am still giving this book 3 stars because the author did manage to surprise me, the writing was pretty good, and well I did kind of like it.

3 snowflakes

Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis

Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: February 28th, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

Ethan Makkai thought that seeing ghosts was the worst of his problems. Between his ethereal gift and life with a single mother hell-bent on watching his every move, he feels imprisoned. When Ethan sees a chance to escape, to leave the house by himself for the first time in his life, he seizes it, unaware that this first taste of freedom will cost him everything.

Ethan is thrown into a strange and eerie world, like nothing he's ever seen. He's assaulted by dive-bombing birds and rescued by a stranger who claims to be his bodyguard. His apartment is trashed, and his mother is kidnapped to a place Ethan never knew existed—a hidden continent called Tara.

Travelling to Tara in search of his mother, Ethan discovers that everything he knows about his life is a lie. His mother is royalty. His father is not dead. His destiny is likely to get him killed.

Confronted by a vicious sorcerer determined to destroy the Makkai family, Ethan must garner strength from his gift and embrace his destiny if he’s going to save his mother and all the people of Tara, including the beautiful girl he’s fallen for.

My Thoughts:
Game of Shadows was so much fun!!  I loved the adventure and I thoroughly enjoyed the rich Celtic mythology!

Ethan has grown up sheltered.  His mom will not let him out of her site and as you can imagine this is quite embarrassing for a fourteen year old boy.  All he wants is freedom so when an opportunity pops up to walk to school alone he takes it.  He never imagined his life would turn upside down from that one walk, but it does and Ethan's life is changed from that moment on.

I really enjoyed this story.  I thought Erika Lewis did a great job at pacing the story and the build up was incredible.  Right from the start the story starts out with adventure and I got totally lost in all of it.  My favorite part about the story though was the mythology.  I have missed reading books that contain mythology and a touch of paranormal so this was right up my alley.  Lewis did a great job weaving in her magic with the Celtic magic and it all really worked.  I did get a tad lost when the backstory was being discussed and I honestly think it is just me.  I tend to gloss over details unfortunately and well you can't do that with fantasy novels.  After I went back and reread the parts that confused me I did get a better grasp and Lewis does work her way through everything by the end so I did eventually get it all. It is a complicated story, but one definitely worth figuring out.

The characters were also really fascinating.  My favorite of course was Lily, but Ethan was great too.  They were a great pair and complimented each other very nicely.  I also really liked that the author had adults thrown into the mix.  She let Ethan take the lead, but it was nice to see he had adult back up when he needed it.  His story line with his mom and Runyun was great and I honestly can't wait to see where that line goes.

I even liked the romance.  SHOCKER!  It was very well done and made me laugh quite a few times, because the author managed to capture love at fourteen brilliantly.  It isn't perfect and it shouldn't be at that age.  Lewis through in so many hilarious moments that fit the character and his age and I appreciated the effort. 

I honestly had no issues to complain about with this story.  I did figure out one twist early on, but I don't think it was that big of a deal.  And actually that twist didn't go as far as I thought it would so there was still a bit of surprise with it.  All in all this was a fun story that totally captured my attention.  I read it in two sittings because I just couldn't put it down. I am definitely eager for the sequel!  Game of Shadows ends on a cliff hanger so beware, but it's a good cliffhanger that brings Ethan's story full circle. I loved that the author went in this direction and I can't wait to see the fall out!

5 snowflakes

Review: Bad Blood by Demitria Lunetta

Bad Blood by Demitria Lunetta
Publisher:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 14th, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

A girl discovers a family secret and a past full of magic that could both save her and put her in mortal danger in this suspenseful novel that’s perfect for fans of Katie Alender and Natasha Preston.

All sixteen-year-old Heather MacNair wants is to feel normal, to shed the intense paranoia she’s worn all year like a scratchy sweater. After her compulsion to self-harm came to light, Heather was kept under her doctor’s watchful eye. Her family thinks she’s better—and there’s nothing she wants more than for that to be true. She still can’t believe she’s allowed to spend her summer vacation as she always does: at her aunt’s home in Scotland, where she has lots of happy memories. Far away from all her problems save one: she can’t stop carving the Celtic knot that haunts her dreams into her skin.

Good friends and boys with Scottish accents can cure almost anything…except nightmares. Heather can’t stop dreaming about two sisters from centuries ago, twins Prudence and Primrose, who somehow seem tied to her own life. Their presence lurks just beneath the surface of her consciousness, sending ripples through what should be a peaceful summer. The twins might hold the key to putting Heather’s soul at rest…or they could slice her future deeper than any knife.

My thoughts:
As much as I want to love this this I just can't.  I've been sitting here for about 10 minutes trying to figure out my thoughts and they all just lead me to I didn't like it.

The story was so intriguing and there were parts I truly loved.  Heather, our main character, has been cutting herself and having just returned from a stay at a Wellness Clinic she travels across the sea to visit her Aunt Abbie in Scotland.  Her parents aren't thrilled, but she swears she's better and convinces them to let her go.  She goes every summer so she already has a group of friends waiting for her.  Sounds more like a contemporary novel right...well what we don't know from the beginning is that there is a reason for Heather cutting herself and what she cuts into her skin has a far deeper meaning than Heather thought.

Okay so my description isn't really spooky, but the author does a great job at filling in the spooky and I liked it.  The story flips back and forth from Heather's POV to two sisters Primrose and Prudence who lived in the 1600's.  Their story is filled with witchcraft and it isn't a pretty one because during that time witches were executed and the two sisters didn't exactly get along so there was tension even in their house.  I liked this part and I wanted so much more, but the author didn't really get down to the whole witch storyline until to late in the story.  There was so much build up and at 90% in the story I knew the author was going to rush and she did.  It really killed the whole story for me. I wish she would have given herself an extra 100 pages because I think the story could have been fantastic with those extra pages.  She could have spent so much more time with Heather's grandma and the whole coven plot line.  As it stands though once the meat of the story finally happens it's all over in the blink of an eye.

And the ending was very problematic for me.  I won't spoil anything, but in a certain scene I could feel the author going "hmm only have 10 pages left, better wrap this up quickly". It was such a disappointment and not believable in the slightest. I know it's witches and that's not believable ( well for some it is so please don't take offense) much either, but the ending was just ridiculous and too nice.  I expected more wickedness from all parties involved.

I also hated the romance.  I've been trying to lighten up my thinking on romances lately because I know I can be pretty harsh and they usually aren't my cup of tea, but this one was just horrible.  Heather has been in love with Allistair, Robby's brother forever and never even looked at Robby. Well the first summer that Allistair is gone she all of a sudden sees what I great guy Robby is and wants to date him.  Oh and Robby has grown up and gotten cuter, that helped her decision too. What a bunch of bull!  Robby we know has been in love with Heather forever, but knew she pined for his brother so kept his feelings to himself.  Well like I said the brother is at college with his girlfriend so Robby decides to finally speak up.  Now them getting together wouldn't have bothered me if they had a conversation about her liking his brother and what her feelings were at this moment and if she had always thought he was somewhat cute.  It really bugs me that they just left so much unsaid and that made their whole relationship feel false and strained.  I didn't like it and I didn't buy it.  I would have preferred there to be no romance or maybe she could have gravitated towards Fiona, her single friend.  That would have been so much better.

I also didn't like Aunt Abbie.  Heather had issues and nobody knew these issues tied into witchcraft so Heather should have been watched more. I get giving a teenager space, but she just got back from a hospital and you are going to let her run around unsupervised??  Oh and lie to her parents!  Talk about being a complete waste of a character.  And her whole story line bothered me.  I again would have preferred a different set of actions.  Maybe Heather could have went to Scotland for school?  That would have at least given her reasons for not being supervised.  All Aunt Abbie did was give Heather room to cut herself and get her friend almost killed.

So these were my main problems with the book.  I had a few other ones, but these were my main gripes and as you can see they were pretty big areas of the book that I had problems with.  The story could have been so good and with the market lacking in witches these this really could have been a hit. As it stands though this is a very forgettable book filled with way too many plot problems for me.

2 snowflakes

Review: The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: September 16th, 2016
Purchase: Amazon

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.

While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.

But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.

So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.

Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

My Thoughts:
Okay WARNING!  This review will be filled with SPOILERS!  Like BIG SPOILERS!  Like revealing who LIVES or DIES SPOILERS!!  I can't talk about this book without mentioning the ending SO YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!  SPOILERS!!!!!

Yep I am going to start off with that ending.  With any other book I would've been screaming NOOOOOO, but I think the ending that McGinnis picked had to happen.  There wasn't any other way and I applaud her for making this decision.  I am not a fan of unhappy ever afters especially when I adore the main character, but like I said there was no way for Alex to have the happy ending after her actions.  She was a phenomenal character and probably one of my favorites of all time, but she had to die.  Even though she did bad things for good reasons it still didn't absolve her of her actions and I think Jack knew that.  He loved her, but even in his gut he knew what she did wasn't right.  I think that might even be why he was drawn to Branley even in the end. 

Okay that being aside I really enjoyed this story.  McGinnis has this unique way of writing stories that start out super dark and then even out in the middle, but you can still feel that darkness lurking.  It isn't sinister it's just darkness that kinda closes in by the end and well it's pretty awesome.  The Female of the Species follows this pattern and I could not get enough.  It almost felt like there was someone constantly reading over my shoulder, but when I looked it was just a sunny sky overhead until that sun was blocked.  Mindy McGinnis is definitely in my top 5 favorite authors and I will read ANYTHING she writes!

I also loved the multiple POV's.  I enjoyed being in each characters heads and I thought it was interesting to see how they each saw each other.  I do wish Branley would've had her own POV. She was the character to hate, but she was so broken and I think it would've helped me connect with her a bit more if I could have seen inside her head. 

Alex where do I even start.  She was such a great character and one that I was so intrigued by.  I thought the author did a great job at weaving in her backstory and her dad.  This gave me the understanding for why she is the way she is and even that little scene with her mom was so eye opening.  Alex was broken in so many ways, but I am curious to know if she hadn't died what her fate would have been. Would she have stopped killing?  Would she have lived happy ever after with Jack?  My initial answer is no because well Jack wasn't the greatest boyfriend and I think her instincts would have gotten the better of her.  It would be nice to think that she would've had a HEA, but I just don't think that was in the cards for her dying or not.

The whole romance situation was weird for me.  This is why I have to go with 4.5 stars instead of 5.  I liked Jack and Alex together, I liked that they were both competing to be valedictorian, and I really liked that they understood each other.  What I didn't like was his male mentality.  He kept saying he wanted to be better and a good guy and he was to a point, but he could never stop himself from looking at the nude pictures Branley would send him.  That was just not okay.  Plus in that last scene he almost gave in to Branley because Alex would never have found out.  I mean really??  I wanted him to be completely faithful to Alex because that is what she deserved and even though he never acted on his impulses he wasn't 100% in with Alex.

One last thing I liked Peekay.  She was a unique character and I enjoyed reading her parts especially with her family.  She might have been the preachers kid, but that preacher was the greatest dad ever.  He took the time to talk to her and even though I think her parents should have kept a tighter hold on her I liked the fact that the lines of communication were open. Peekay just needed to use them more.  It was warming to see parents taking an involvement in a YA book.  They weren't perfect because Peekay drank a LOT in this book, but I have to give them credit for at least being aware of their daughter.

All in all this was fantastic!  I loved the darkness of the story and I felt so much throughout.  This story surprised me in so many ways and I have to be honest I thought Jack was going to be the one to die in the end.  With so much emphasis placed on females I thought Branley was going to kill him, but I was wrong and I am sorta glad.  I think it would have been cool for her to kill him and then her and Alex have a somewhat understanding. Strange maybe, but kinda cool in my opinion.  As the ending stands though I thought it was pretty perfect and I am okay with how it all happened.  I am curious to know if Jacks future turned out the way he feared though...

4.5 snowflakes

Review: The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: January 24th, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

How do you live your life if your past is based on a lie? A new novel in both verse and prose from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ellen Hopkins.

For as long as she can remember, it’s been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel’s mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire.

Maya’s a teenager who’s run from an abusive mother right into the arms of an older man she thinks she can trust. But now she’s isolated with a baby on the way, and life’s getting more complicated than Maya ever could have imagined.

Ariel and Maya’s lives collide unexpectedly when Ariel’s mother shows up out of the blue with wild accusations: Ariel wasn’t abandoned. Her father kidnapped her fourteen years ago.

What is Ariel supposed to believe? Is it possible Dad’s woven her entire history into a tapestry of lies? How can she choose between the mother she’s been taught to mistrust and the father who has taken care of her all these years?

In bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s deft hands, Ariel’s emotionally charged journey to find out the truth of who she really is balances beautifully with Maya’s story of loss and redemption. This is a memorable portrait of two young women trying to make sense of their lives and coming face to face with themselves—for both the last and the very first time. 

My thoughts:
No one can really like or love Ellen Hopkins books. They are always so real and raw that it leaves at least me with an uneasy feeling and I sometimes even feel gross.  That being said though, they have to be read because Ms. Hopkins shines light on tough subjects that need to be talked about and she's brilliant in her delivery each and every single time.  

I've read several books by Ellen Hopkins so I knew beforehand this book would be tough to read and it was, but it didn't quite pack the punch that her previous books did.  This was a good and bad thing in my opinion.  I appreciated the dialed back story line, but I did miss the ugliness.  This book isn't pretty by any means, but it just wasn't as dark as it could have been.  I feel strange saying I wanted it darker, but I kinda did and maybe that's because I know how dark Hopkins can go. 

This story was dark though, we have a girl who is trying to find out if she is gay while living with her abusive father who can't know her struggles.  See dark subject matter and there were a lot of dark scenes and I can't lie I did fall into the overall story line.  I wanted to find out who Ariel would chose for a partner and I wanted her to kick her father to the curb.  It wasn't an easy story to read, but Hopkins did an amazing job at delivering Ariel's voice.  I couldn't put this one down.

I think my favorite thing about this book was Ariel.  She had a hard life, but she didn't let that get the better of her.  She worked hard and she knew she wanted more out of her life than what she was handed.  It's tough to think that way and rise above, but she did and it made my connection to her stronger.

I don't want to give spoilers, but I figured out the twist pretty early on and I think that was the authors intent.  It wasn't hard to figure out and I'm glad I did so that I could read between the lines going forward. 

I believe this is a great story for readers especially with diversity being a huge topic in our world.  Hopkins did a great job at incorporating diversity throughout and I think teens that read this will appreciate what Hopkins does in this story. 

All in all I found this story moving and one I won't forget.  I never forget a Hopkins story though and while I did want this to go darker, I still very much became attached to these characters so much so that I wanted more of an epilogue.  I found myself thinking about Ariel, Monica, Maya, and even Gabe long after the final pages were over and I just want more.  I hope one day we get to see these characters again because I want to see their endings.

4 snowflakes

Blog Tour: How to Break a Boy by Laurie Devore

Today on WinterHaven Books I am kicking off the blog tour for How to Break a Boy by Laurie Devore!!  For my stop I am sharing my review with you!

How to Break a Boy by Laurie Devore

Publisher: Imprint

Release Date: Jan 31st, 2017

Purchase: Amazon

Keep your enemies close, but your friends closer.

Olivia Clayton has mastered the art of tearing others down to stay on top. She and her best friend, Adrienne, rule their small southern town like all good mean girls do--through intimidation and manipulation.

After Olivia suffers a family tragedy and catches Adrienne sleeping with her boyfriend, Olivia is over it. She decides to make a change--but it's impossible to resist taking Adrienne down one last time. Up to her old tricks, Olivia convinces golden boy Whit DuRant to be her SAT tutor and her fake boyfriend. But when it starts to feel real, Whit gets caught up in Olivia and Adrienne's war.

Olivia may ruin everything she touches, but this time she won't go down without a fight--not if it means losing Whit.

And definitely not if it means losing what's left of herself.

“If the Heathers had had smartphones.” ―Kirkus Reviews

My thoughts:
How to Break a Boy was my type of contemporary novel!  It wasn't soft and dreamy, it was tough, dark and a little scary which worked for me.

In a nutshell the story is about Olivia and how she lives her life in the shadow of her partner in crime friend Adrienne.  These two together were a high school students worst nightmare.  They were ruthless, mean, and always out to get somebody even if you just make eye contact wrong you are on their list. When Olivia's brother dies, she changes and begins to think maybe this mean girl lifestlye isn't what she wants anymore.  Leaving isn't always easy though and so begins her journey to find herself without popularity, her brother, and her toxic friend.

It was painful to read quite a few places in this story.  So many times Olivia could have done the right thing, but she stays under Adriennes thumb and causes chaos for so many people.  I won't lie I wanted to slap her so many times throughout this book, but her saving grace was that she little by little saw her errors and wanted to correct them.  It took awhile, but she slowly grew a backbone and for that I am grateful.

My favorite character in this though was Claire.  She was a kind of secondary character and I thought she was amazing.  She got caught up in the mess of Olivia's fight with Adrienne and I felt sorry for her, but I liked her positive attitude which helped guide Olivia.  It wasn't always easy for her, but she didn't let things tear her down.

My other favorite character was Whit which won't surprise you if you read this book.  He was definitely a shining character throughout and my heart broke for him when things turned bad.  He was an innocent bystander, but he definitely caught the brunt of the fight and I can't lie it ticked me off.  He didn't deserve what happened to him and I was shocked at the extent Adrienne went.  He handled it better than most though and I have to give him credit for standing his ground.

My one problem with this story though was that I wanted more of a conclusion with Adrienne. I don't think she should have been able to walk away so easily and I know that her world changed somewhat, but it wasn't enough for me.  I wanted her to suffer more honestly.

I thought this story was going to be more of a revenge story, but it turned out to be more of a saving story and I liked it.  There were frustrating scenes and I wanted to punch a few people, but you know high school is tough and this shows just how tough it can be.  I know this is extreme, but peer pressure is out there and I've seen a lot of bad things so if you think about it this really isn't that extreme.  I'm glad the author chose to show the darker side of school and I can even understand why she chose to let things be at the end.  Nothing is ever tied up perfectly in a bow and this story shows that.  I'm just glad a few characters ended up where I hoped they would.

Dark story with shinning moments that held me captivated till the last page.  Can't ask for more than that!

3.5 snowflakes

About the Author
Laurie Devore was born and raised in small town South Carolina and graduated from Clemson University. She now lives and works in Chicago, where she misses the charms and contradictions of the south every day. In her spare time, she reluctantly runs marathons, watches too much TV, and works a "y’all" into every conversation. How to Break a Boy is her debut novel.

Review: Finders Keepers (Rebels of the Lamp #2) by Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman

Finders Keepers (Rebels of the Lamp #2) by Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: February 7th, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

After Parker and his friends destroyed the evil genie, Xaru, they awoke an even greater threat: Vesiroth. An immortal sorcerer who was frozen for centuries is now free, and he’s determined to finish what he had started—taking over the world. In order to accomplish his goal he must find the Elicuum Helm, an ancient object that will grant the user extraordinary powers. But the helm was broken into three pieces many years ago, and now Parker, along with his genie, Fon-Rham, his cousin Theo, Reese and Vesiroth’s former protégé, will have to travel the globe to find the helm first before it's too late.

My Thoughts:
This second book in the Rebels of the Lamp series was just as exciting, but a bit darker in my opinion.  I liked it, but I am struggling with labeling these as middle grade.

The story opens up with Parker, Reese, and Theo enjoying the benefits of having a genie for a friend.  Everyday they get to go on adventures and live life to its fullest.  Lurking in the shadows those is Vesiroth and he is ready to take back his life and wreck havoc on all of mankind.

Rebels of the Lamp itself was dark and like I said in my previous review had quite a bit of killing within its pages.  Finders Keepers has the same, but it felt like the killing numbers were doubled and there are a few scenes I am struggling with.  I think the authors could have chosen a different way to get rid of certain characters that would have kept this book more in the middle grade lane.  That being said though I do think middle school boys will devour this one just as much as the first and will probably all love the way certain characters met their demise haha.  

My favorite part was how exciting the story line was.  I loved seeing all the magic and never knowing when the next strike from the Path or Vesiroth would be!  It was so fast paced and exciting!!

I still very much liked the characters.  Parker showed he was loyal to his friends and I appreciated his loyalty.  I think he grew up a bit between the last book and this one and it was nice to see.  I also really liked Professor Ellison.  She is tough and cold, but I am very intrigued by her and I can't wait to see where her story goes next.  Theo puzzled me a bit though and I am very curious where his story line go probably the most out of all the characters.  He has some issues going on that need working out and I hope he figures things out soon.

All in all this was another fun addition to the Rebels of the Lamp series and that ending definitely set the stage for a great third book.  I am attached to this series and I can not wait to see what happens next!!  I think the next book will be the best one yet!

4 snowflakes

 

 

Review: Rebels of the Lamp by Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman

Rebels of the Lamp by Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 12th, 2015
Purchase: Amazon

Life is a blast when you have your very own genie. But when Parker Quarry is shipped from sunny Los Angeles to live with relatives in a quiet New Hampshire college town and releases a 2,000 year-old jinn from an ancient canister "borrowed" from the university building where his uncle works, the biggest blasts comes from the millennia old power struggle he reignites.

Now it is up to Parker, his mild-mannered cousin, Theo, and their wiz-kid classmate, Reese, to stop a battalion of battle-ready jinn from re-starting an all-out war one with humanity in the crosshairs

My Thoughts:
Rebels of the Lamp was really fun and I really enjoyed every minute of it!

This story was explosive from the start and the action never stopped!  Parker is in middle school and doesn't quite fit in.  He doesn't have the latest gadget and his shoes aren't from any name brand store. And in the middle school world this spells trouble.  Well that and the fact that he can't stop himself from making snarky remarks.  His mouth and fists finally land him in deep trouble and he is forced to move in with is aunt and uncle across the country.  Thinking things couldn't get any worse, he finds himself in the possession of a strange canister.  This canister unleashes just what he think he needs, but it also throws him head first into a war with very powerful genies.

What I described doesn't even come close to the adventure that is contained within these pages!  Like I said,  it was nonstop action from the first page all the way to the last.  I have to give the authors major credit for shoving so much in and having it not feel to crowded.  I think too much downtime would have slowed the pace of the story and it would have weakened it.  I liked that after every page something else happened and it had me furiously flipping pages to find out what would happen next.

I also have to give credit for Parker.  He is definitely smart mouthed and annoying, but the authors knew when to pull back and he didn't go too over the top and become unlikable.  Yes he wasn't my favorite person, but I am glad the authors let other characters take over.  If it was just told from Parkers point of view I think I would have hated him in the end.

I loved the way the side story was told also.  We get glimpses in the beginning telling us how the genies came to be and I thought it was a great addition.  So much so that I wanted more.  I'm not sure there was more to tell, but I liked the setting and the old world feel to that part of the book.

I also really liked Tarinn.  She made some questionable decisions at the end, but for the most part she was a great character and one I really hope we see more of.  I honestly liked the rest of the cast.  Theo and Reese were fun additions that helped ground Parker and I think they will help him become a stronger character in the sequel.

Overall this was a fun book and one I can see any middle schooler devouring.  I will say there is a lot of violence and a lot of blood/killing that I personally wasn't prepared for.  I think some scenes could've been taken out and the story would have still been the same so it was a bit unnecessary for so much to be included.  I haven't read much middle grade so maybe this is the norm??  If not then just a warning to some.

4 snowflakes

Review: Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Release Date: Feb 21st, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

Mira and Francesca Cillo—beautiful, overprotected, odd—seemed untouchable. But Ben touched seven parts of Mira: her palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart. After the sisters drown themselves in the quarry lake, a post-mortem letter from Mira sends Ben on a quest to find notes in the seven places where they touched. Note by note, Ben discovers the mystical secret at the heart of Mira and Francesca's world, and that some things are better left untouched.

My Thoughts:
This was very different than I thought it was going to be.  I expected a dark thriller, but it turned out to be more of a sad story with a dark twist and I have to say it kinda worked.

The whole story is about Ben trying to find out why his neighbors, Mira and Francesca, committed suicide together.  He finds a note shortly after their passing and feels like it's his duty to Mira to find out her story.

Like I said I thought this was going to be a thriller, but it was just really sad.  The more we learn about the two sisters, the sadder it gets and a lot of things start coming to light by the end.  These things are not said in so many words and I kind of wish they had been.  I think it would have given the story another layer that it needed.  Keeping it as it was though did give the story a bit of mystery that was intriguing and let the reader draw their own conclusions.  In my opinion both ways would have worked, but I personally would have liked a better overall explanation.

My favorite thing about this story was the setting.  It felt very Jersey Shorish and mob/old gangster.  I thought this was a fun spin and I liked the way the girls family was described.  They were blood and blood always helped blood.  This helped lighten the story a tad, and it needed that because it was so sad.

One thing that I wished would have been wrapped up was Nick.  I am still not quite sure what his role was and it bothers me a tad.  I think the author left a little too much up to the readers imagination and could have tightened her storylines.  I for one like to have things spelled out for me so I feel a bit off not knowing things for certain.  

I did like this though and enjoyed it more than the authors previous works.  I think this style is just something I will have to get used to if I continue on with Savage (her previous book had the same kind of open endedness) and I think I will because this one was intriguing and fun.

3.5 snowflakes

  

Review: The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett

The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: January 10th, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

“I plead the blood.”

Those were the last words seventeen-year-old golden boy quarterback Clay Tate heard rattling from his dad's throat when he discovered him dying on the barn floor of the Neely Cattle Ranch, clutching a crucifix to his chest.

Now, on the first anniversary of the Midland, Oklahoma slaughter, the whole town's looking at Clay like he might be next to go over the edge. Clay wants to forget the past, but the sons and daughters of the Preservation Society—a group of prominent farmers his dad accused of devil worship—won't leave him alone. Including Ali, his longtime crush, who suddenly wants to reignite their romance after a year of silence, and hated rival Tyler Neely, who’s behaving like they’re old friends.

Even as Clay tries to reassure himself, creepy glances turn to sinister stares and strange coincidences build to gruesome rituals—but when he can never prove that any of it happened, Clay worries he might be following his dad down the path to insanity...or that something far more terrifying lies in wait around the corner.

My Thoughts:
This book is EVERYTHING!  I have been reading creepy reads for a long time and The Last Harvest tops my favorites of ALL.TIME!!!  Yes it is that good!!

Right from the beginning Liggett throws her readers into a story filled with dark and scary elements.  From the breeding barn, wheat fields, and Preservation Society you can just feel the sinister smoke following Clay around.  It was AMAZING!!  I don't think any other story has been this way and I loved it!  

The story itself was dark and had a religious tone throughout, but it wasn't too heavy handed and I honestly liked the way it was woven throughout the story. It plays a huge part in the overall plot, but the author didn't let it get too preachy which I appreciated.  It felt right inside the story and I don't think it would have worked otherwise.  There is one part that's a bit aggressive and bothered me, but I am guessing the author chose to throw that particular scene in to show how bad the church was and it's thinking.  Not quite sure why it was necessary, but I am grateful it was only one scene and the author chose to move on.

Clay was a great character.  He was flawed, but he just wanted to help his family after his fathers gruesome death.  That's another thing I liked about this, Liggett didn't throw all the gory at you at one time she let things build.  Like with Clay's dads death, you know it was gruesome, but she only throws bits and pieces (okay that's a bit gross if you have read the story you will understand...ick) at you and you don't really see the full picture until later in the story.  I liked this because I felt like the story was building into something spectacular and I was right.  Okay back to the characters, Clay was awesome.  I think the played his part right and didn't come across as too good or too bad.  He tried to be the man of the house, but when you are seventeen and well things beyond your control start happening one can't expect to be perfect.  I appreciated that he stood his ground throughout and he did the best he could.

I also liked the town feel.  Like I said this author painted a great picture for her thriller and this small town was a great addition.  It sounds cliche, but it worked and she did a great job weaving in the history to show why this town was the way it was.  It all just really worked!

I honestly can't think of one thing I would change and for me that's rare.  The pacing, flow, writing, characters, setting, and plot were all key pieces to this masterpiece and they all pulled their own weight.  Side note I would love to see this on the big screen!!

My favorite part was the ending!!! OMG!  I don't think I have ever been as surprised at an ending before!  I won't spoil anything, but let me just say Kim Liggett has become my now go to author for creepy!!  I loved the way she chose to end The Last Harvest and I won't lie I had nightmares last night about that ending!!  SO.MUCH.FUN!!  If you love creepy thrillers this book is definitely for you!!!!!!!!

5 HUGE snowflakes

Review: You Don't Know My Name (The Black Angel Chronicles #1) by Kristen Orlando

You Don't Know My Name (The Black Angel Chronicles #1) by Kristen Orlando
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release Date: January 10th, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

Fighter, Faker, Student, Spy.
Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she’s ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan.
Now Reagan has to decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she's always wanted? And does she even have a choice at all?
Find out if you are ready to join the Black Angels in the captivating and emotional page-turner, You Don't Know My Name, from debut novelist Kristen Orlando!

My Thoughts:
Imagine if your parents were the couple from the Mr. & Mrs. Smith movie.  You know the one with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie??  That's who Reagan has as parents and she is expected to follow in their secret agency footsteps.  Only Reagan isn't so sure she wants to live that kind of life after falling for the boy next door.

I've seen this premise in quite a few books lately and I won't lie I am intrigued by them all and have liked most of them that I have read.  This one however just missed the mark for me.  From the get go Reagan wasn't tough enough.  She states several times throughout the story that she has all this training, but we really don't get to see her stone cold side. Yes she fights a few fights, but in the end she failed to show that she was capable enough to handle dangerous situations.  That was one part that bugged me immensely.  I didn't mind that she questioned her future, in fact I liked it, but I didn't buy she was this child prodigy and that the agency couldn't wait for her to come of age.  Her decisions weren't great and she disregarded orders multiple times and put others in danger including someone who had to right to be there.  I was frustrated to say the least.

I actually liked the romance in this one.  I am a sucker for the boy next door/best friend line.  What I didn't like was what Reagan did after her and Luke's big moment.  I understood what she was trying to do, but what she did was unforgivable in my opinion and I almost threw the book out the window when that chapter hit. Communication is huge and I just wish she would have trusted her gut to at least tell him a bit about her life.  I know it was all hush hush, but come on.  That whole scene wasn't needed after chapters and chapters of her pinning for him and all the talk about her goosebumps when he was around.  If she could put a stop to things so fast, why even go down that road to begin with.  I would have rather watched her avoid anything personal from the get go then read what she did.

Those were my major gripes.  I still have a few minor ones, but I can live with the others.  Those two not so much.  This story ends not really in a cliff hanger, but you know there is more to come and I will read the next installment.  I am hoping to see Reagan gain some fierceness and I think she did by the end after the devastation that happened.  I am also hoping the agency either kicks her out or lets her take part because this whole on the outskirts thing is a bit annoying. They said she was the best, but yet they won't listen to her.  Frustrating!!  So much of this book was frustrating!!  Compared to other books I have read with this same plotline this one doesn't stand out which is a shame because it had great potential.

2 snowflakes

 

Review: The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine

The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: January 3rd, 2017
Purchase: Amazon

Ansa has always been a fighter.

As a child, she fought the invaders who murdered her parents and snatched her as a raid prize. She fought for her place next to Thyra, the daughter of the Krigere Chieftain. She fought for her status as a warrior in her tribe: blood and victory are her way of life. But the day her Krigere cross the great lake and threaten the witch queen of the Kupari, everything changes.

Cursed by the queen with fire and ice, Ansa is forced to fight against an invisible enemy—the dark magic that has embedded itself deep in her bones. The more she seeks to hide it, the more dangerous it becomes. And with the Krigere numbers decimated and the tribe under threat from the traitorous brother of the dead Chieftain, Ansa is torn between her loyalty to the Krigere, her love for Thyra, and her own survival instincts.

With her world in chaos and each side wanting to claim her for their own, only one thing is certain: unless Ansa can control the terrible magic inside her, everything she’s fought for will be destroyed.

My Thoughts:
The Impostor Queen was one of my top favorites of last year and I was SUPER excited to get my hands on The Cursed Queen.  TIQ left off at such a dangerous place that I just knew TCQ would be explosive.  Well to my surprise, this installment takes us back to before Elli's adventures and to a place where trouble is brewing among the Krigere tribe.

I wasn't really happy when I found out this book was about totally new characters, but by the second chapter I was all in!  The Krigere tribe is actually pretty horrible. They are raiders and they live by taking what's not theirs.  I liked the fierceness of the people, but I was a bit uncomfortable when raids were being described.  It was pretty horrible, but thankfully the author chose to make these just stories and not something we had to witness through the characters eyes first hand.  That being said I found the Krigere tribe quite fascinating.

The story itself like I said takes place at the same time as Elli's story.  If you remember in the beginning of TIQ the Valita goes out to sea to stop raiders. Well you guessed it these are those same raiders.  We get to see the aftermath of the Valita's destruction and yes it is as crazy as you would imagine.  The Krigere are left without their chieftain and must rally around his daughter who does not share the same principles.  From the beginning it is a hard road from Thyra's (the daughter) pleas to start a new way of life to the fight bigger than anyone saw coming.

I will say that I liked this story.  It was stronger than TIQ at times and weaker at others.  One thing I wasn't fond of was the romance.  I thought Fine strayed from her path in TIQ and I feel like in this one she is just trying to hard.  I liked Ansa and I was excited to see her drawn to Thyra, but the back and forth got to be a bit much and I didn't like the inclusion of Jaspar.  It felt almost too similar to TIQ and I was a bit upset that Fine wouldn't just go there with her characters.  She moved in a better direction this time, but it all still felt like she wasn't sure she wanted her characters to love each other.  For me this became a distraction and took away from some of the things Ansa was going through.  I wanted to focus more on the "curse" Ansa was given and see if she could tame this new side of herself.  By her constantly complaining about being discarded as Thyra's wolf I lost the momentum.

Speaking of being Thyra's wolf, I wasn't happy with Thyra for most of the story.  She kept Ansa in the dark about so much and it really ticked me off.  I know the whys, but if she had included her and chosen to stand with her things could have gone so much better.  Miscommunication is a peeve of mine and these two just could not get on the same page!  So frustrating!

Even with all that though I still liked the story for the most part.  I found it went hand in hand with the first one really well and Fine did a great job weaving these two stories together.  I am excited to see what the third installment will bring because I'm not sure it will be as explosive as I want it to be.  This one ended on a happier note that the previous book and it seems like all the peace is all that is wanted from the parties left standing, but I know things will not be that easy for either side so I am anticipating a blow up somewhere along the way.

3 snowflakes

Review: The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: November 8, 2016
Purchase: Amazon

She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn't even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.

Now she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They've killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon.

When her former handler offers her a way out, she realises it's her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.

Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

My Thoughts:
Okay let me first say, I liked this...a lot.  Am I surprised, yes and no.  I truly loved the Twilight series and it will always have a special place in my heart.   Stephenie Meyer will hold a place as well because she brought me like so many others to the world of YA and for that I am forever thankful.  I wasn't sure what to expect with The Chemist though.  I mean she's gone rogue before like with The Host, but this one sounded completely out there and with little to no publicity I wasn't sure what I was in for.  I should have had more faith in Meyer.

So the elephant in the room for me is where was all the publicity???  I try and stay up to date on most bookish things and believe me when I tell you there wasn't hardly any hype surrounding this book. It was just kinda thrown out there one day and I am completely baffled as to why.  Normally we readers know at least a year beforehand that a book is out there being written, but I had NO IDEA about this one.  I have to wonder if I am losing my bookish knowledge or did the publisher truly keep this one on the downlow and if they did keep it quiet why?  Did they not have faith??  I guess I will never know, but I hope in the future Meyer receives the publicity she deserves.

On to the book!  Alex was everything Bella was not so have no fear my friends.  Alex is overly prepared, beyond intelligent, and borderline obsessive.  I loved everything about her.  She was a great character that could incapacitate her opponent with one drop of her crafted poison.  So cool!!  She truly earned her name as the chemist!

Meyer always  knows how to write secondary characters and The Chemist had a wonderful cast. I honestly enjoyed reading each and every one of them.  Kevin, Daniel, and Val were amazing and to be honest I wish this was a duology.  I am not ready to let these people go just yet.

And of course there is a romance, but unlike with Meyers other books, this one makes sense!  It does have its flaws, but it made sense and I loved it.  Daniel was so great with Alex and he gave her what she needed which was time and space.  He understood she wasn't used to personal intimacy and he let her navigate their relationship without expectations.  I love him!  Plus he said all the right things was totally described as being a chef/teacher/nerd with soft curls I mean come on!  Meyer knew what she was doing when she created Daniel. 

The dogs!!  I have to admit I am not a fan of animals in books because I am always afraid one will die and I even had to text my blog roommate to get spoilers!  I won't say what she told me or if any die, but I do have to give a special mention to Einstein, Kahn, and Lola.  I am a true dog person at heart and these three were amazing.  Love love love how Meyer thread them through the story.

If you love Meyer I know you will love this.  It is a survival story wrapped up in a thriller and it was so fun.  I have realized I will read anything this woman writes and I hope we don't have to wait as long for that one because 8 years is WAY too long!

Oh I would have given this 5 stars, but the epilogue wasn't what I wanted and yes I am pouting.  It was a bit weird, but it fit I suppose I just wanted more.  That's my one peeve!

4.5 snowflakes

Blog Tour: And I Darken by Kiersten White

 Today on WinterHaven Books I am participating in the blog tour for And I Darken by Kiersten White!

And I Darken by Kiersten White
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: June 28th, 2016
Purchase: Amazon / 

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

My thoughts:
I absolutely love this!  I've seen a few books where there has been a gender swap, but this one did it so right and in such a way that I honestly think I prefer this version.

Kiersten White has definitely found her niche with this story.  I really enjoyed her previous series, Mind Games, but this one really grabbed me and pulled me in.  The story was really fun and something I didn't expect.  This has been compared to Game of Thrones, but I think this is actually pretty different.  I can see a few comparisons like the brutal world that Lada lives in, but for the most part the stories aren't all that similar and And I Darken definitely stands out on its own without the comparison.  I think people will be shocked at how dark this is, but they will love it just as I did.

Lada was a great character and I loved how strong she was.  I have to say what she went through was heartbreaking.  She didn't deserve what happened to her and it was just because she was a girl.  Not cool!  I loved how fierce she was though and how she overcame her hardships.  She used that hate and turned it into strength and man was she dark and awesome!  I love books and characters like this!

I think my favorite thing about this was the setting and history that White has woven into the story. It was truly brilliant and pulled me into the story so much more than just the overall plot.  Don't get me wrong I loved the plot (except the love triangle. That I loathe but I can forgive the author since I love her and I have hope it will be a quick triangle.)  but I loved the setting.  It was rich and vivid and totally showed Whites creativity off!

I have said before that this is the year of the fantasy books and And I Darken is definitely one to add to your list for this year!  It was amazing and I can't wait for the sequel!!

4 snowflakes

About Kiersten White

KIERSTEN WHITE is the New York Times bestselling author of the Paranormalcy trilogy; the dark thrillers Mind Games and Perfect Lies; The Chaos of Stars; and Illusions of Fate. She also coauthored In the Shadows with Jim Di Bartolo. She lives with her family near the ocean in San Diego, which, in spite of its perfection, spurs her to dream of faraway places and even further away times. Visit Kiersten online at kierstenwhite.com and follow @kierstenwhite on Twitter.

Don't for get to visit the official And I Darken website!

CLAIM THE THRONE. Visit AndIDarken.com to order now!

Check out the other amazing blogs on the tour!

Monday, May 30^th through Friday, July 8^th (Mondays through Fridays)

Monday, May 30^th: Icey Books, Review

Tuesday, May 31^st: Bookiemoji, Guest Post (Character Profiles)

Wednesday, June 1^st: Seeing Double in Neverland, Review

Thursday, June 2^nd: Alexa Loves Books, Playlist Post

Friday, June 3^rd: Awesome Book Nut, Review

Monday, June 6^th: Jessabella Reads, Review

Tuesday, June 7^th: The Eater of Books!, Top Five Roundup

Wednesday, June 8^th: Across the Words, Review

Thursday, June 9^th: Pandora’s Books, Sneak Peek for Book Two

Friday, June 10^th: Tales of the Ravenous Reader, Review

Monday, June 13th: A Midsummer Night's Read, Review

Tuesday, June 14^th: The Irish Banana Review, Top 10 Guest Post

Wednesday, June 15^th: Stories & Sweeties, Review

Thursday, June 16^th: Jenuine Cupcakes, Author Mystery Guest Post

Friday, June 17^th: The Soul Sisters, Review

Monday, June 20^th: Winterhaven Books, Review

Tuesday, June 21^st: Two Chicks on Books, Q&A (4-6 questions)

Wednesday: June 22^nd: The Book Swarm, Review

Thursday, June 23^rd: Read. Sleep. Repeat., Top Five Fantasy Books Kiersten Loves to Re-Read

Friday, June 24^th: Please Feed The Bookworm, Review

Monday, June 27^th: Comfort Books, Review

Tuesday, June 28^th: Fitshun, Q&A

Wednesday, June 29^th: Addicted Readers,Review

Thursday, June 30^th: Lindsay Cummings, Movie Casting Post

Friday, July 1^st: Rabid Reads, Review

Monday, July 4^th: Reading Teen, Review

Tuesday, July 5^th: YA Bibliophile, Guest Post (Trip to Romania)

Wednesday, July 6^th: Carina’s Books, Review

Thursday, July 7^th: Mundie Moms, Author Mystery Guest Post

Friday, July 8^th:  My Friends Are Fiction, Surprise Post!