Amazing characters, a hate-to-love romance, and war // Why I love The Winner’s Curse series by Marie Rutkoski

Hello everyone! 🙂 Disappeared for a few days from the blog, aha. So I had other plans for posts, but I haven’t done a book review in SUCH a long time! I have such a tremendous pile of them now I guess I’m scared to approach them. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you it is a HUGE pile! Not TBR-huge (nothing’s going to beat that, probably) but huge when I think about my books-read vs books reviewed ration and when I see everyone else’s reviewing queue consisting of, like, max, 7-10 books. ANYWAY. Moving on! The point: I’m doing a review! On a series, in fact. I read the third book in this trilogy pretty recently, but the other two books were read quite a while ago and I thought it might be easier to just do a series review. I won’t be getting too much into the specifics of each book, though, so no spoilers! Let’s get into it!

Check out the books on Goodreads: The Winner’s Curse | The Winner’s Crime | The Winner’s Kiss

What I Loved

• KESTREL KESTREL KESTREL omg. She is one of my absolute favourite book characters–with such good reason. She’s such a strong character, and not in the traditional fighting and battling department (as we see nowadays). No, the thing I loved about her was the fact that she relied on only her brains. She was not thoroughly trained in the art of sword-fighting and etc (in fact she was not good at all) but that did not mean she was not able to protect herself, nor was she a weaker person for it. Her strength was found in her brains, and in her resilience and determination. She did not give up, did not stop fighting, and her sass thoughhhhh. All around love her, honestly.
• Can I get an IRL Arin, please??!!
• Seriously, though. He’s so awesome, albeit the fact that he made terrible decisions sometimes. But don’t they all?? I may absolutely adore Kestrel but Arin is no less of an important character. His love towards his people, and what he does to save them is so sweet and his love towards Kestrel!! That brings me to my next point which is:
• THE ROMANCE. Agh. So so cute. And amazing. And sweet. And heartbreaking. Did I praise it enough yet? Basically, it was one of the best things ever. The hate-to-love trope appears in this one, and it was so well done! You can see, through each of the characters’ thoughts, how they slowly go from hatred to genuinely care and concern for each other, and the uncertainty behind what those feelings entail (primarily in the first book). My heart suffered so so much because of this, with us being left with a will-they-won’t-they situation throughout the series.
• The feelssssssss. Ahhhh there were so many. My heart was just a puddle, basically. It melted. (Rip)
• The excitement! There was so much at stake here and I loved the thrill of reading all that happened. There wasn’t a single book in the series that didn’t have me sitting in anticipation of what happened next. The endings of the first two books always left me on such a cliffhanger, though!!
• Oh but I LOVED THE ENDING SO SO MUCH. It was so so perfect.
• But to finish the characters: Can I just say how much I adored Roshar??? We meet him first in the second book, I believe, but it’s really in the third book where I fell in love with his character. His and Arin’s relationship is just such an amazing bromance and ahhhhhh I love it.
• But also the world is so fabulous! I loved how Marie Rutkoski made us really part of the world, and the politics, the description, the set up of everything made it a really great experience.
• Her writing is also so great and I would totally read anything else she puts out. (Speaking of, when will she do it I NEED MORE)
• But the amount of heartbreak it took to get there oh my lord.
• Basically this series: Betrayal! Intrigue! Strategy! On how to kill people and make the life of the emperor miserable! All the good stuff. What are you waiting for?

What I Disliked (very very briefly because the list is minimal)

• The pacing did feel off for me in certain books. I can’t pinpoint what it was exactly, but although the books were very concise and everything and the pacing were generally very fast and fit well, there was just something… off, sometimes. But honestly not a big deal at all.
• That is literally it.
• There may have been more things but they’re so insignificant I can’t remember them…

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Final thoughts

Basically this trilogy is one of the best of ever and you MUST read it if you haven’t already! Go. Do it. The world is amazing, the writing is so good, you will (most probably) love the characters, and the story is just so interesting. And, also, just in case you were curious for the individual ratings:

• The Winner’s Curse: 4.5 stars
• The Winner’s Crime: 5 stars
• The Winner’s Kiss: 5 stars

AKA I LOVED THIS SERIES. ❤ ❤

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So that’s it for this (kind of short) series review! Have you read this series? Are you a fan of the hate-to-love trope or no? Let me know your thoughts! 🙂

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab | Book Review

Hi everyone! Does anyone happen to have some chocolate on hand? Because we must celebrate!! Why, you ask? THIS BOOK, is why. (!!!!!!!!!—yes, let us put ALL the exclamation points) This book is so amazingly amazing and I’m asking myself why I waited so long to read it??! So many people have been screeching in my ear to read this, and I’m so thankful I finally did!! If I had missed out on this book… I don’t even want to think about that because it would be too terrible.

Alright, for further rambling fangirling nonsense detail, read on!

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Publication Date: February 24th 2015
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre(s): Fantasy, Adult
Series Status: Shades of Magic #1
Page Count: 398
Source & Format: Owned, ebook + Hardcover
Critical Rating: 4.5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her ‘proper adventure’.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped.

Erm, I might have to warn you here; I probably will not make any sense whatsoever—but then again, what else is new, right?? I don’t even know how to form proper words right now, ahem. So I’m going to be a list-but-not-really-type review–and hope it makes sense. Here we go!

Reasons why you should read ADSOM

• So much blood. And stabbing! And many near-deaths, might I add. (Notice how this is the first thing I mention, aha I’m totally not crazy or psychotic, psh.) Though, I must say. It. Was. AWESOME. I mean, tension! Conflict! Danger! So much was going on, and then in the midst of it, of course you had to have some blood and, of course, stabbing (omg so much stabbing). I don’t think the descriptions were too graphic, though, so if you’re easily squeamish about these things, you should probably be fine.. then again, I read all of this so quickly I probably didn’t bat and eye so I guess I’m not the best consultant for that. But still. You should be fine. Point is: there was no holding back on the pain in this book! If that’s something you don’t mind, well, this is perfect.
• The world is made of ALTERNATE LONDONS. That is Analee-approved right there. If you didn’t know already, I’m kind of mildly obsessed with London?? Or England in general, but LONDON. ❤ And so a book where we have alternate Londons is.. simply perfect? (Though tbh it could’ve been ANY country that isn’t in North America and I would’ve been fine–erm, I’m kind of obsessed with the idea of different countries so.)
• Which brings me to how the world-building was so perfectly perfect. Or maybe that’s just me blinded by how amazing this book was, but really, apart from the few parts where I was kind of lost as to how it all worked (which was mostly my fault for being slow at grasping things, I think), the world in this book was so intricate and so finely done. Eep, my praise is endless. It was just so easy to fall into this world V.E. Schwab created, and I loved it.
• KELL. My love. Not to mention HIS COAT, omg it’s so fabulous. XD I want one! Ah, yes, right, we were talking about Kell. Right. Kell is just as fabulous, of course! Such a great mix of the tragic, gloomy hero-yet-not, as well as very flawed, but so lovable. Oh, and his comebacks were just on point? Three cheers for sass, guys! It was so easy for me to love his character, eep.
• Lila will most probably become one of your favourite characters? Maybe. I mean, I can’t say this was the case for me exactly (I did like her, don’t get me wrong, but it took me some time to warm up to her? More on that below.) but she had so many of the characteristics I (and most other people) love, so yay! (Erm, I doubt I’ve ever came across a thief with aspirations of being a pirate, sooo.)
• Rhy: Charming. dashing and sassy, all in one! I loved Rhy, really. I only wish he appeared more in the story! I loved his and Kell’s brotherly relationship and his character. ❤
• Holland was just such a well-written character! He did such terrible things and I hated him, but at the same time I found myself sympathizing with him? Ah, the conflict. Morally ambiguous characters are the best aha.
• SO MUCH SASS. From Kell and Lila, but also from other characters too—and it was amazing. 😀 I had so much fun reading the banter and all the snarky comebacks tossed back and forth!
• The magical coat (with lots of sides and pockets) is soo perfect. It was literally making me jealous. I want ittttttt (yes, I know I already said that before). And yes, that’s a valid reason as to why you should read this book. Because of a magical coat, yep. Why are you questioning this?
• The writing was SO PERFECT. Concise and specific yet detailed—and not info-dumpy whatsoever (or if it was, it sure didn’t feel like it).  The descriptions, the world, everything seemed to come alive due to the fantastic writing, so I LOVE IT. Definitely making me want to pick up more of Victoria Schwab’s novels! ❤

The itty-bitty-little things you might want to be aware of

• It takes a while to really get the story in motion. I don’t blame it, and truthfully it didn’t bother me that much because I hardly noticed, but depending on the type of reader you are, you might get impatient with the pace of the story! I assure you, it’s totally worth it to keep going with the novel, because it progresses really quickly once you get into the story.
• Lila, although a good character, wasn’t someone I loved right away. I wasn’t the biggest fan of her at first? I mean, she’s totally a character I tend to enjoy (sass? check. stubborn? check. rebel?–well, thief, actually–check.) but it actually took me some time to actually like her? At best I tolerated her during the first few parts. The thing is, I can’t even pinpoint what made me feel this way? Argh. But like I mentioned above, I warmed up to her well enough by the end of the book. So that’s good!
• Rhy doesn’t get as much spotlight as I wished. 😦 I loved his character and he did appear many times, but it didn’t feel like that much? Or at least not as much as I would’ve liked. I dunno. Maybe that’s just me. I just wouldn’t have minded seeing more of him, haha.

Overall…

This book is completely worth your time and commitment, I tell you. The hype around this one most definitely did not disappoint (for me, at least) and I’m 98% sure that most people would agree with me when I say this book is amazing. Great writing, great world, lots of stabbing, amazing characters and lots of sass–what more could you ask for, am I right? So better go gobble this up soon if you haven’t already! 😉

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Umm, I think that’s it?? Basically, I loved this book. It was just so good. (Again, we must get chocolate to celebrate this amazing novel!) It had so many amazing components to it that I loved, and I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a fantasy novel with great world-building and amazing writing (and everything else, really)!

I’m kind of sad I didn’t read this sooner, but I’m kind of glad because now I have the chance to go straight away to A Gathering of Shadows! I would’ve started it already, but I wanted to write up my review of the first book before I read it, so now that I’ve done that, I will most definitely be continuing with AGOS. So excited!

Alright, now tell me what YOU think! Have you read this book? What did you love? What did you dislike? Am I the only one who liked the stabbing? XD And I sure hope I’m not the only one who took time warming up to Lila, aha. Oh, and would anyone like to give me a magical multi-sided coat? Seriously, someone needs to make this happen. I’d totally buy one. If you haven’t read this book yet, let me know what you think! Do you plan on reading it? What are you looking forward to the most? Is there other London-obsessed people out there? (If so, you should definitely read this book. Just sayin’.) Leave your thoughts below, I’d love to chat! ❤

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia | Book Review

(Stand-Alone)

Published: May 19th 2015

Synopsis:

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn’t she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, Young-Adult

Page Count: 448

Format: Hardcover

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Hello! Today I have for you a review on Made You Up by Francesca Zappia. I absolutely fell in love with this book and the author, it was simply fantastic. The plot was full of unpredictable twists and throughout it all had such a cute romance! Not to mention the mental illness that the story revolved around. This is one of the few times I read a book with an unreliable narrator, and Francesca Zappia absolutely nailed it. I loved Alex, and Miles!! They were both so wonderful. No, actually, all the characters were great, and the writing style was wonderful. ❤ The praise is endless!

Quick Summary

Alex is schizophrenic. She hears things. Hallucinates. Every day she struggles to know what is real and what is made up. She’s determined to prove to her family and doctors that she’ll be able pass high school and get into college, and most of the time, it seems like she’s succeeding. But when you enter Miles into the picture, and a whole bunch of confusion between what’s real and what’s not, things get difficult. Alex was never normal. But is she ready to be?

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli | Book Review

(Stand-Alone)

Published: April 7th 2015

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance (LGBTQ), Young-Adult

Page Count: 303

Formats I Own: Hardcover, ebook

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Hello! Today I have a review on Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, a fantastic book that you all must absolutely read! There has been so much hype around this book, and I’m so happy to say it’s worth it. This book was heartwarming, sweet and will simply keep you up until you finish it!

Quick Summary

From a distance, Simon Spier is a pretty normal teenager, except for a little detail; he’s a closet gay. And except for his secret email correspondant, Blue, no one knows it. Until another person (a guy named Martin) finds out, and screenshots Simon’s emails to Blue to use as blackmail. Now Simon has to help Martin get closer to the girl he likes, Abby, or Martin will expose the emails on the internet. Not only that, Simon faces several other obstacles, which in turn makes Simon’s world completely upside down.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas | Book Review

(A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)

Published: May 5th 2015

Synopsis:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

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

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

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

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children

Genre: Young-adult (verging on new-adult) fiction, fantasy, romance

Page Count: 416

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 1619634449

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This book was used for the Popsugar challenge: A book by an author you love but have never read.

Hi! I recently (or not-so-recently, I can’t remember) finished reading this book, for #JuneAndRosesReadAlong (a June read along hosted by Josie’s Book Corner & Bibliophile Gathering). I’ve been wanting to read this book for a long time, so I’m so glad I finally got to read it! It definitely did not disappoint!

Quick Summary

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, A Court of Thorns and Roses follows Feyre, a nineteen-year-old huntress who, one day, as a consequence of killing a wolf in the forest, is taken to Prythian, a dangerous, magical land, by a beast-like creature. Finding out soon enough that her captor was an immortal fae named Tamlin, Feyre finds that the icy feelings towards fae she once had had become into a fiery passion, even love. Now there is a much larger threat looming ahead of them, and if it isn’t contained and stopped, could destroy the faerie lands and the faes, forever. Can Feyre find a way to stop it?

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi | Book Review

(Shatter Me #2)

Published: February 5th 2013

Synopsis:

Juliette has escaped from The Reestablishment. Now she’s free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. Haunted by her past and terrified of her future, Juliette knows that she will have to make some life-changing choices. Choices that may involve choosing between her heart—and Adam’s life.

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding) | Add on Goodreads

Book Information:

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre(s): Young-adult fiction, dystopia, romance

Page Count: 461

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 0062250930

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Oh my god. Tahereh Mafi’s amazing-ness was shown through Shatter Me & Destroy Me, but I had no idea how much farther her awesomeness extended. This book was simply amazing!

I’m going to be skipping the quick summary this time, just to make this a spoiler-free review for everyone. 🙂 You’re welcome.

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi | Book Review

(Shatter Me #1.5)

Published: October 2nd 2012

Synopsis:

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me,Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: Harper

Genre(s): Young-adult fiction, dystopia, romance

Page Count: 109

Format: e-book

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Hello! I finished this quite a while ago, but I still remember my love for this book like it was yesterday! I love Shatter Me, the first book in the Shatter Me series, and this novella was no exception!

This is going to be a more shorter review, as it is only a novella, but read on for my fangirling over this book! Note: This is a spoiler-free review, unless you haven’t read the first book. If you haven’t read the first book, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW. You have been warned. 

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Book Review

(The Dark Elements #2)

Published: October 21st 2014 (originally August 11th 2014)

Synopsis:

Every touch has its price.

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: Harlequin-Teen

Genre(s): YA Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Page Count: 446

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 0373211341

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Used for the Popsugar challenge: A book with a love triangle

This review is way overdue, much like my Pride and Prejudice one (which will be coming soon!). I loved re-reading this book, so I have no idea what made me delay this review so much, but either way, let’s get started! Like the first book, I rate this again 5 stars, and read on to find out why!

Quick Summary

Stone Cold Touch picks up from where White Hot Kiss ended, where our protagonist Layla is still reeling from the events of the last book and is trying to adjust with Roth’s sacrifice (no spoilers, don’t worry!). Just when she has gotten some sense of normalcy back into her life, Roth comes back into her life with startling news for her and the Wardens: a Lilin has somehow been born. A powerful demon that’s the offspring of the demon Lilith, a Lilin can turn humans into wraiths (suck out their soul, basically) and its escape seems to be Layla’s fault. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell | Book Review

(Stand-Alone)

Published: September 10th 2013

Synopsis:

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Eleanor & Park.

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan…

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words… And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?
Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?
And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

“Touching and utterly real.” —  Publisher’s Weekly

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Genre(s): YA Contemporary, Coming-of-age

Page Count: 433

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 1250030951

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Used for the Popsugar challenge: A Funny Book

Hey there! I was planning on posting this book review yesterday but since I was so tired I didn’t get the chance.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I just flew through the pages, and I even teared up a few times, which is pretty rare for me (although that could be attributed to my sore throat… 😉 )! This book just gave me the feels! I loved the plot, the characters, and the writing style. It’s outstanding, and completely deserving of my 5 star rating!

Tiger’s Promise by Colleen Houck | Book Review

(Tiger’s Saga #0.5)

Published: June 1st 2014

Synopsis:

Before the curse, there was a promise. A prequel to the bestselling Tiger’s Curse series, this much anticipated novella recalls the beginning of Ren and Kishan’s story. Before Kelsey there was a girl, raised by a villain, whose love for a hero changed the course of history.

Trapped under the thumb of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, Yesubai struggles to keep her own magical abilities secret while evading his dark powers. When Lokesh promises Yesubai to the prince of a neighboring kingdom, she becomes the central pawn in his plot to destroy the ruling family and take power for himself. Yesubai is trapped by her father’s threats and desperate to protect the man she comes to love, but she knows that any decision she makes will have dire consequences. As dark forces gather around her, Yesubai must decide if she’s willing to reveal that somewhere deep within her she has the power to change everything.

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My rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: CreateSpace

Genre(s): Young-adult Fantasy Romance

Page Count: 120

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 1499104987

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 Used for the Popsugar challenge: A book set in a different country

My reading for the Popsugar Reading Challenge has begun! So, one of the requirements for the challenge is ‘A book set in a different country’. The book, or more accurately, the novella I’ve chosen for this one is Tiger’s Promise by Colleen Houck. Thanks to the wonderful bloggers who answered my questions surrounding novellas and re-reads! I wasn’t sure whether novellas or re-reads count, but I am now assured they do. 🙂 

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Book Review

(The Dark Elements #1)

Published: February 25th 2014

Synopsis (Goodreads):

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she’s anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

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My rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information:

Publisher: Harlequin-Teen

Genre(s): YA Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Page Count: 392

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 0373211104

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Hey there! I recently finished re-reading White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout (like I mentioned on WWW Wednesday and That’s What He Said Thursday) and can I just say that I loved it even more than before, if that’s even possible? ❤ Let me just tell you this: DO NOT JUDGE BY THE COVER. It looks like it is just a cheesy, steamy romance, but it’s not. Sure, there IS romance, but that’s not the ONLY thing. All in all, the book was amazing! Outstanding! And in this review I’ll be telling you why (Brace yourself, it might be a tad bit long, but hoepfully not). 🙂

I started this book with pretty high expectations, as I had read the Lux series by Armentrout and loved it. Needless to say, my expectations have been met!

In White Hot Kiss we follow Layla, who is an abnormality in her paranormal world since she’s half-Warden and half-demon. Wardens are gargoyles who fight demons. As a result of being half of both creatures, Layla is able to ‘tag’ demons so that other Wardens can get rid of them, as well as able to suck out the soul of anyone (who has one) with a single kiss. This makes dating near impossible (at least where kissing is concerned), and dating a Warden–specifically her crush Zayne, who sees her only as a sister–even more impossible (not to mention the fact that he’s expected to marry a Warden female and have kids), to continue the line of Wardens.

Growing up in a clan of Wardens, Layla’s brought up to hate the demon side of her, and demons in general. But after what was a supposed to be a simple tagging, everything Layla was taught to believe is put up to question when she meets Roth, a hot and dangerous Greater Demon, and is thrown in the middle of a possible demon uprising.

Prodigy by Marie Lu | Book Review

(Legend Trilogy #2)

Published: January 29, 2013

Synopsis (from Amazon):

June and Day arrive in Las Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation to give voice to a people silenced for far too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if, truly, the new Elector can change the Republic for the better? What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengence, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

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My Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Genre(s): Young-adult Utopian/Dystopian

Page Count: 371

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 0399256768

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Marie Lu’s Prodigy starts from where we left Day and June in Legend (on a train headed for Las Vegas to ask for help from the Patriots to help save Day’s brother Eden). And boy, were we in for a ride. June has left her privileged life of status and luxury, and is on the run with Day, and both characters are nursing emotional and physical wounds from previous events. And when they reach the Patriots, they’re pulled into a complicated web of political plots and plans–to assassinate the new Elector, no less. But if they want to have a chance to free Eden from the Republic’s experiments, they have no choice but to trust and follow along.

Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Book Review

Stand-Alone

Published: April 15th 2014

Synopsis:

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

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My Rating:  5/5 (Outstanding)

Book Information:

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Genre(s): YA Mystery, Thriller

Page Count: 384

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 1423175123

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I love Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books. She’s an amazing author, and she has creative plots that are addicting. This book is not exception! I couldn’t put it down, and when I started it, I just continued. And continued. And continued. I loved it! ❤