Thursday, August 23, 2012

Withdrwals

I am so sorry for not posting in a while. I've been moving into a new house and the job at the preschool started up. Needless to say, things have been nuts lately. I'll post as soon as I get settled and I have Internet! So far, I'll be reviewing The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart and Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep. Hopefully I'll be able to post soon!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Onyx Review

Let me just begin by saying that I have been freaking out waiting for Onyx by Jennifer Armentrout to come out. Immediately after finishing Obsidian, I marked down the release date for Onyx in my calendar so I could sit around and fangirl for months. This book picks up where the last one left off. Katy has found herself bound to Daemon after their epic battle with the Arum. Daemon has decided that their bond just reiterates the fact that they should be together. Katy is in total denial of her feelings for Daemon and thinks that he just wants to be with her because of their bond. She is convinced that she can ignore their red hot attraction to one another.
Soon, Katy and Daemon realize that the Department of Defense (DOD) is in town and they may be up to something devastating. To top off all of this craziness, Katy is sure that she saw someone that is supposed to be dead. Everything that Daemon and Katy thought about the DOD and their information about the Lux is now put into question.

Good
- One of the ways that I judge my feelings towards characters is to determine if they would be someone I would hang out with. That being said, Katy is awesome! She makes mistakes, has her own interests, and doesn't want to be a damsel in distress. So basically, she's a real person. I hate when authors create that cookie cutter image for their main character. You want the main character of a book to be realistic! That means they may do things that annoy you from time to time but overall mean well. Oh, and she's a total book nerd and a blogger. How could you not love Katy?
- Daemon.. 
Good gracious. He is by far one of the most swoon worthy characters out there. He's as equally sexy as he is frustrating. Hell, I have no idea how Katy can control herself around him. If he told me he wanted to date me, I'd be like this in no time:
- The love story!! Okay, I have to agree with Katy on this one. I almost always hate insta-love stories. I only say "almost always" because Quinn Loftis changed my opinion on it with Prince of Wolves. Daemon and Katy don't have a perfect relationship. They disagree and get frustrated with each other.. which makes them more of a real couple to me. When they finally admit their feelings to each other it meant that much more to me because the author makes you want them together so badly! Ahhh when they both finally admit their feelings you can't help but feel like this because you know it's meant to be! 
- This story is so amazing to me. I love how much depth there is in this series! I mean, a lot of times authors use their second book as a filler for their third book. This was definitely not the case for this book. This sequel actually *gasp* added more to the story! I feel like this is so rare and I am so excited that it was done right! 
- The ending. 
Enough said. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!! 


Bad
- There wasn't really much about this book that I disliked other than my frustrations for Katy and Daemon at some points in the book. I know it was totally unavoidable because that's just what their characters I like. It doesn't mean I have to like it though! 


This book gets 5 stars obviously. This series has quickly become one of my favorites. It's one of the books that make you laugh but has a gripping story to add to it. I had the dumbest grin on my face when I was reading about Katy and Daemon and I was freaking out when they were in danger. That's exactly how it should be with a great book! 






Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Transition Review

I received a free copy of Transition from the author in exchange for an honest review. For the past two months, Shelby has been having strange dreams about a mystery man. She knows it's ridiculous, but she feels attracted to him even though she has never met him. On a fateful weekend, Shelby meets Develon who happens to be the mystery man from her dreams. She has no idea how this can be until he explains to her that he is a Chimera and she is his sodalis. The Chimeras are an old race of beings who have the ability to transform into animals, extreme strength, speed, and communicate with one another telepathically. The Chimera's soul feel incomplete until they find their sodalis, which is their mate. With all of this new information, Shelby must figure out how she fits into this strange world.

Good
- I liked the general idea of the Chimeras

I'm not gonna lie, that's the only thing I liked about this book. It was tough to get through.

Bad
- I felt like a lot of the book was rambling and it bored me to tears. I found myself skimming a lot of the book (which I never do.)
- Love/lust at first sight. I almost always hate this except Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis has shown me that it can be done well. However, this book is an example of how unbelievable it is. I didn't feel the connection between Shelby and Develon at all.
- This is a random pet peeve but I swear that the word "giggled" was used 100 times. It was driving me nuts! How much giggling can Shelby and her friend do in a span of two days!?
- The time span that was used in this book shows how drawn out this book was. I remember looking down at Hazel Grace and seeing that I was 40% done and it was still the second day? Nothing really even happened!
- I hated how everything was tied up in a nice little neat package at the end of the book. Those endings bother the hell out of me. I finished reading the book and my first thought was "That was it?!"

When I read the synopsis for this book I was really excited to read it. I think the general idea of the story was great but it just wasn't done well. I'm giving this book 1 star. I really wanted to like it, though.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Just One Drop Review

As many of you know, I freaking love The Grey Wolves Series. I mean, I found myself ranting and raving about this series at a bar last night. If that doesn't scream uber nerd, I don't know what does. Anyways, when my friend told me that the third installment of this series focuses on Jen and Decebel's frustrating yet smokin hot relationship, I basically did this:
because Jen is my favorite character and Decebel is tall, dark, and moody as hell. Just One Drop begins pretty much where the last book left off. The girls are living with the pack in Romania and are causing as little trouble as possible (yeah right). The Alphas of different packs had decided to being back an old tradition called The Gathering where unmated males and females come together in hopes of finding their mate. This would be all fine and dandy if it weren't for the fact that Decebel's wolf has claimed Jen as his mate but they have yet to show the actual signs. This is a dangerous situation for everyone because if any male so much as looks at Jen, Decebel unleashes a wrath like none other. All of this frustration (sexual or otherwise) mixed with some funny cheers, strip poker, and an attempt on an Alpha's life make for an entertaining story. 

Good
- This series makes me fangirl. Seriously. I love that it does not really focus on one character and it jumps around. I like that we are able to get to know the different members of the pack. 
- I liked that this story didn't stay focused on Jacque and Fane. Don't get me wrong. I adoooore Fane and Jacque's love story but I didn't want it to go downhill with a bunch of unnecessary drama. 
- Decebel is so swoon worthy. Who doesn't like a sexy piece of man (erm.. wolf?) meat who can kick anyone's ass at the drop of a dime? And come on.. his love for his sister? A-freaking-dorable. 
- I loved the other members of the pack! Well, not all of them but that's another story. 

Bad
- I can't think of anything that I would put on my Bad list except THE GODFORSAKEN ENDING!!!! 
Right after I finished this book, I picked up my phone and texted my friend and proceeded to flip the eff out. How can a book just end like that?!?! What kind of awful mind torture is this, Quinn Loftis?!

Needless to say, I give this book 5 fantabulous stars because this series has my heart. I love the characters, I love the stories, and I love the humor. Now, please excuse me as I go freak out a little more about the ending. I have to mentally prepare myself before I can even start the next one.. 

Beyond the Eyes Review

I received a free copy of Beyond the Eyes from the author in exchange for an honest review. Paige has come to the realization that she is facing a huge problem. She is hearing ominous voices that no one else can hear. She loves her friends but knows that she can't tell them what is going on without sounding crazy. She keeps this information to herself until she meets Nathan Caswell. She feels an instant connection to him and soon finds out that he tracks dark spirits, who have recently decided to target Paige. Paige has to dig into the painful memories of her father's death in order to appease these dark spirits.. or figure out how to beat them.

Good
- I liked Paige's friends. Although she couldn't tell them about hearing voices, they obviously have had a long history together. They seem determined to keep their friendship strong.
- I liked the whole paranormal world that this story focuses on. It isn't something that is super overdone.
- Paige's father's story was interesting. I liked how it tied in to the present story.

Bad
- I think my biggest pet peeve in this story was Paige herself. She cried (and puked/felt nauseous) a lot. I wanted to reach in to the story and tell her to get a grip!
- I didn't like how Paige and Nathan's relationship played out. I mean, she went on one date and then "broke up" with him? It all seemed way too rushed. I didn't feel any butterflies or giddiness when I thought about their love story.

Overall I give this book 2 stars because it really was just okay for me. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I think I would have liked it more if I didn't dislike Paige so much. Her character really irritated me. She was waaay emotional and the love story wasn't believable to me. Sometimes it just boils down to whether or not you like the main character and I just couldn't connect with her.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Biting Cold Review

     I've been waiting for Biting Cold by Chloe Neill to come out for months! I have become sooo obsessed with the Chicagoland Vampire series it isn't even funny. So naturally, when the 6th installment came out on Tuesday, I had to auto-delivered to Hazel Grace so I could start reading as soon as possible. This book picks up where the last book, Drink Deep, left off. Merit has been reunited with her previously deceased house master, Ethan. They are out to stop her best friend from getting to a book that holds dark magic. Along the way, they encounter Seth Tate, the former mayor of Chicago, who is bound and determined to get the book for his own purposes. Merit must to everything in her power to keep evil powers form unleashing on her beloved city (and quite possibly the world).

Good
- Merit is by far one of my most favorite characters ever! She's strong, smart, and stubborn as hell. Also, she is never too proud to ask for help when she needs it. This is something that I love because there are a lot of books that I read where I'm sitting here thinking "why don't they just ask someone for help!?"
- Merit is hilarious. I mean.. come on.
"I had no idea what Tate was capable of, or even what he really was. Well, other than an asshat."
Using the word "asshat" alone makes me want to be friends with her.
- "'Ethan!' I screamed out, equal parts horrified that he'd just punched someone in the face... and proud he'd done it. Ethan punched him." 
Umm, helloooo! How could this not get on my Good list?! I was so proud!
- Thank you, Merit, for not being a spineless, whiney, twat when you are having relationship problems. She sucks it up and does her job regardless of what is going on in her social life. Not to mention, she puts Ethan in his place more than one time. Thank you for standing up for yourself!!

Bad
- I really want Merit and Mallory to be friends again. I hope that there is more of a focus on their friendship in the next book.
- I missed the Shifters. I thought that they would have a bigger role in this book.
- I felt like there was sooo much going on with Mallory, Tate, the House, and the city. It was almost overwhelming.
- Ethan frustrates the hell out of me!! Ugh.

       I'm giving this book 4 stars. I love that the book can have a love story that is separate from the main storyline. It's almost like it has two story lines. The sups problems and the love story. I'm okay with that. Chloe Neill definitely did not disappoint with this book!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Yay friends!

My friend Ben and I were talking about doing a joint review for a book. Any ideas on what book you'd like to see reviewed? Fair warning, the review will be snarky, sarcastic, and effing hilarious. :) Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Blood Rites Review

So, to go along with my theme from my first review of The Grey Wolves series, this was my response to Blood Rites by Quinn Loftis: 

Not all of it was good squealing either but I'll get to that later. Blood Rites picks up right where The Prince of Wolves left off. Jacque is preparing for the ceremony with Fane that will bond them for the rest of their lives. Before they can make it official, there is an accident that leaves Fane no choice but to put off the ceremony. Fane and Jacque are torn apart and they must find a way to reunite.

Good
- For the millionth time.. Jen and Sally are hilarious!! Drunken Jen singing Katy Perry? Uh-mazing. 
- I'm so happy that there is a growing love story between someone other than Fane and Jacque. I mean, I love them but it's nice to see another story, too!
- I liked seeing the multiple point of views throughout the book. I think it provided so much to the story to be able to know what the others were thinking.
- I actually ended like liking Jacque's dad. I thought he was a total asshat until he proved that he actually cared about her.

Bad
- I wanted to know a little more from Lucas' point of view once he went a little cuckoo for coco puffs.
- I didn't like the hospital scene very much. It didn't seem real to me at all.
- I think this book almost gave me panic attack.. hence the bad squealing I mentioned earlier. I was stressing out while I was reading it! I actually had to physically get up and pace while I was reading because I was so worried about the characters. How sad is that? 


I give this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book and I love how the characters are developing. I think it's great that Loftis doesn't focus on just one storyline and tries to incorporate new stories with the characters that are already established. I can't wait to see what happens with Jen!! I can't wait to start reading Just one Drop. Before I finish, I'm going to leave you with my favorite quote from the book:

"Fine, be the first werewolf raped by a drunken teenage girl. Whatever dude, it's your rep." 

Everyone needs more friends like this. :)

Sunday, August 5, 2012

A Beautiful Dark

One of the Lovers of Paranormal's Books of the Month (BOTM) was A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies. Usually I'm pretty excited to write reviews for books but for some reason I put this off all day. On the night of her surprise party, Skye meets two mysterious boys named Asher and Devin. She shrugs off the strange encounter until she gets to school and finds out that they have transfered to her school. Asher and Devin are complete opposites. The only thing the two have in common is their goal to get Skye's attention. Strange things keep happening to Skye and she has no idea what is happening to her. Asher and Devin drop a major bomb on her and she finds that she is caught in the middle of the two boys. Skye has to choose between order and chaos and she has no idea which boy to believe.

Good
- I like how they described the Order and the Rebellion. It kind of touched on angels and fallen angels but tried to change it up a bit.
- The cliffhanger ending. I usually hate cliffhangers but it fit very well with this book. It didn't give me a panic attack but I do want to know what happens in the next book.

Bad
- Meh. Overdone story line.
- I really need to learn more about these characters. Hopefully they will develop in the next book.
- The climax was... anticlimactic?
- Skye.. why are you so boring?? Whyyyy??

Alright. I give this book 3 stars. This fell in the middle for me. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. I finished it and my reaction was "meh??" I thought about giving it 2 stars but I stuck with 3 because I do want to know what happens next. Overall, I wouldn't put this on the top of your To-Read list but don't hesitate to give it a shot.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Time Mends Review

After the heartbreaking ending of Destiny Binds, we find Scout mourning the loss of Alex and recovering from her injuries. When she thinks things can’t get worse, she realizes that she is more apart of the Shifter world than she previously thought. Scout, Charlie, Jase, and Tally find themselves in more trouble than they could have imagined.

  Good
 - I cannot say it enough. Scout is a badass. She’s hilarious, sarcastic, and genuinely cares about people. This pretty much sums up why I think I would be friends with Scout: I’ve never been a runner by nature. My general philosophy was, why run if you’re not being chased?” Ahh. A girl after my own heart.
 - This book made me both laugh out loud and cry (on separate occasions of course). The characters were funny and Blackwell made me care so deeply for the characters that my heart broke when theirs broke.
 - The book gives you a really good understanding of the Shifter world and their politics.

  Bad
.. Okay I’m not kidding. I’ve been trying to come up with something that I disliked about this book and I can’t think of anything. I know nothing is perfect but I really can’t come up with anything!

 I love love love love this series! I finished the first one yesterday and found myself worrying about the characters all day. I had to finish another book to review before I let myself pick this one up but I definitely could not wait to find out what happened. I rate this book 5 stars but I'd rate it higher if I could.

**Spoiler Alert**


 And now for my rant I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT ALEX IS DEAD. No. No. No. I really hope that Blackwell isn’t cruel enough to keep him as a constant character in this book if she does not intend on bringing him back somehow. Seriously. My heart was breaking even though I was happy he was still in the story. I liked that Blackwell addressed that it is completely possible to love two people. Although Scout will never stop loving Charlie, she is aware that she will always belong with Alex. Yes, I hate love triangles but Scout seems to deal with it in a different way. Also, Jase better not be backstabbing asshat or I will flip out. One of the reasons why I loved Jase so much is because he cares so much about Scout and is extremely protective (although it can be extreme at times). If this image of Jase is shattered I will be so upset! Anyways, September 11, 2012 better come soon because I need to know what happens!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Prince of Wolves Review


       Ahhh. Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis. There are so many things that I can say about this book but I think this pretty much sums it up: 


        Jacquelyn had no idea that spying on her neighbors' new exchange student was going to change her life forever. The moment their eyes meet, she feels this unexplainable pull to him. However, Fane knew right away how she was going to change his life.  He was a werewolf and they were destined to be mates for life. Before Fane can even get to know Jacque and let her grasp the concept of werewolves, Fane is challenged by the Alpha of the local pack. The local Alpha, Lucas, is convinced that he has claimed Jacque for his own mate. Fane has no choice but to meet his challenge in order to spend the rest of his life with his new found love. 

Good
- Good gracious, can I list THE ENTIRE BOOK under my good list?? I know I can't but hey, it was worth a shot. 
- The writing was hilarious! I loved the characters so much and I felt so close to them! Not gonna lie, I think I'd be the Jen in the group. 
- I loved that Jacque has such amazing friends. I feel like a lot of protagonists don't have close friends or end up pushing them away. I think it was refreshing to see a strong and supportive friendship. 
- Somehow I didn't feel like killing Fane for being so possessive. I usually cannot stand controlling and possessive men in books (*cough* Edward Cullen *cough* Christian Grey *cough*). However, Fane's sense of possessiveness was so endearing. He knew he couldn't help it and explains this to Jacque. 
- Jacque and Fane can actually have a godforsaken conversation with one another! They can have a conversation without fighting or just giving in to their hormones. Thank goodness. If I have to read about a girl who cannot get her hormones in check around a guy again I might scream. 

Bad
Honestly? I can't think of anything to put on this list. Not. One. Thing. 

      Upon finishing this book my heart was full of fuzzies and I was grinning like an idiot. This is probably the highest compliment I can pay to a book. It made my heart so happy!! As you all can probably tell, I love book characters like they're real people and I freaking love Fane and Jacque's story. Love love love! So (as if you couldn't tell, I give this book 5 stars for making me feel like this when I finished: 


Now, what are you waiting for? GO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW! 

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Bonds of Fenris Review

        I received a free copy of Bonds of Fenris by S. J. Bell from the author in exchange for an honest review. Talia Thornwood was turned into a werewolf a year ago. For the past year, she has been living with her pack in a rundown house and trying to keep her inner animal inside. She had to cut ties with all of her friends and family in order to keep herself from hurting them. She thinks that this lonely way of life is the only way she can survive until she meets Corwin. He's able to shift back to human form during the full moon and socialize with humans. Talia is determined to have Corwin teach her how to he is able to control the wolf inside. It is a difficult and eye-opening lesson but Talia is up to the challenge.

Good
- I think Bell did a good job of describing the tension of having so many werewolves under one small roof. You could feel the frustration that each of the pack mates felt living in the house.
- The inner turmoil that the werewolves felt were very well described in the writing.

Bad
- I felt like there were many parts in the book that were rushed.
- Even though the book was told in Talia's point of view, I still don't feel like I know much about her character. I can't really explain why this is but that's how I felt after I finished reading.
- The other pack mates felt too flat to me. I mean, Bo was the sensitive one, Marlene was the smart one, and Pierce was the angry one. I like my characters to not fit into these little molds.
- I really didn't feel as if much was going on in this book. Even when there was "action" I didn't worry much about the characters or get nervous about what was going to happen next.

        Overall, I give this book 2 stars. I don't want to but I have to be honest. The book was just okay for me. I didn't have any strong feelings on either side of the spectrum; I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I do appreciate the different approach to werewolves, though.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Reckless Magic (Star-Crossed #1) Review

            Sometimes when you finish a book, you feel this giddiness that you can't explain and you can't wipe a smile off your face. This was my exact reaction after finishing Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson. My boyfriend took one look at me and asked, "So, I guess you're reading something good right now?" Yep. Basically. Anyways, this story is told in 16 year old Eden Matthew's point of view. Eden has had a history of being thrown out of schools after mysterious incidents that she was apparently causing. Eden finds herself starting over at another new school and vows to keep herself out of trouble. Before she even has a chance to try to stay out of trouble, Eden meets Kiran Kendrick. Everyone arounds her warns her to stay away from Kiran but he makes it extremely difficult for Eden. Strange things keep happening when the two of them are close and Eden finally accepts the truth. She is a witch. Before she can grasp everything that is changing in her life, she must find a way to save her best friend and a way to be with a boy she is forbidden to be with. 

        Before I start my Good/Bad list, I have to say this was a strange book for me to review. I'm not going to lie, in the beginning I was not digging Eden's character. I thought she was a complete airhead. However, as I kept reading I found myself being sucked in to the book and falling in love with Eden and Kiran's story. This is pretty unusual for me. It is usually very hard for the main character to redeem themselves after making a bad first impression.

Good
- I loved the history behind Eden's parents. It is obviously a story that will grow even more with the next books. 
- I loved Avalon! Yes, he's a bit crazy and protective but I think he means well. 
- The love story! If Kiran was real, I'd make googly eyes at him all the time! *swoon*
- The overall concept of the magical world was interesting. It sets the series up for a lot of great drama. 

Bad
- I hated Eden for a while. She was so clueless to everything around her! She didn't seem to question anything that was told to her. I think that she will grow stronger as a character, though. 
- I really didn't like the way that everyone kept Eden in the dark about everything. I'd be way more pissed if I was her! 
- There were a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. It might have been from when I converted it to .mobi but a few other reviewers had the same problem. 
- I wish Eden would have done less standing around and staring and more fighting during the action scenes. 

          I give this book 4 stars. I cannot wait to read the next book to find out what happens! I think I accepted that this book isn't entirely focused on the action as much as it does the love story. I'm okay with that. I mean, the series is called "Star-Crossed" so you know that there will be a big focus on love. As long as you go in to the book looking for more love story than action I think you will love this book!