Monday, June 29, 2015

Downcast by Cait Reynolds

Synopsis

What would you do when faced with an impossible truth? Written with heart and passion, Downcast by Cait Reynolds is ripe with twists you never saw coming and love that defies the odds in this intense new Paranormal Romance retelling one of mythology’s greatest love stories.
It’s the start of Stephanie Starr’s senior year of high school, but sadly, this is no life of the prom queen. Stuck at the bottom of the high school social totem pole, Stephanie is forced by her domineering mother to wear lumpy linen dresses and eat organic tofu for lunch in a world of mini-skirts and pizza. 
What Stephanie doesn’t anticipate is gorgeous and cocky Haley Smith who breaks social convention and pursues her with a determination that is both terrifying and flattering. Afraid that Haley is simply trying to set her up for massive humiliation, Stephanie does her best to push him away. But the more attention he pays to her, the more she runs, and the more everyone else begins to notice.
Instead of a loving family to support her as the mean girls make their play, Stephanie’s mother begins to unravel mentally, her possessiveness of Stephanie spiraling to new and frightening extremes. Stephanie is forced to grow up, find herself, and learn the truth about her past in order to save her mother, her friends, and her town. When the truth is revealed, nothing can prepare her for the outrageous reality of her existence…and nothing can save her from her fate.
Except Haley.


My Thoughts
★★★★★+ Stars
I received this book via NG in return for an honest review.
Oh man, I'm so in love with this book! ... But I guess to quote the book; "Love is such a mortal word."
I read this book in one sitting! Once I started, I just couldn't stop! This book had me laughing out loud, gasping in shock, worried, you name it. I keep asking myself "Why did you wait so long to read this?!" Everything about this book is great! The humor, writing, characters... just everything was perfect. There was never any information overload, there was never any run ons that made me cringe thinking "Okay, get on with it." Nothing like that! (woot!)
Downcast is a great YA retelling of this story! One I would HIGHLY recommend!

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Miss Mabel's School for Girls by Katie Cross

Synopsis

Never underestimate the power of a determined witch.
Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.
Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse. Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrolls in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.
Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful?
Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is the first novel in The Network Series, an exciting new fantasy collection. A gripping tale about the struggle to survive, it will take you to a new place and time, one you’ll never want to leave.


My Thoughts
★★★★½ Witchy Stars
I received this book via NG in return for an honest review.
4 1/2 Stars.
This book was hard to get into at first. Through the first few chapters I kept thinking "Oh great. Another Harry Potter book, just without the wand waving." It felt like this story started in the middle and didn't really give you time to KNOW a character before a lot more were introduced. Honestly, there are some main characters that I don't think were even described (if they were, I don't remember.) and that is kinda upsetting because I'm the type of person who when I'm reading, I see it playing in my head.. so this was kinda tough.
But I'm glad I stuck it out because the farther I got into the book, the more it got hella better. Once you get past all the confusion (IMO) at the start, the story seems to really come to life and the writing goes smoothly. I really did enjoy this book and am eager to see what happens next.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

The Ugly Stepsister by Aya Ling

Synopsis

When Kat accidentally rips apart an old picture book, she's magically transported into the world of Cinderella--as Katriona, one of the ugly stepsisters! Life turns upside down now that she’s a highborn lady and must learn how to survive the social season, including how to get through the door in a huge metal hoop skirt. To get back, she'll have to complete the story, right to the end of happily ever after. But the odds are huge: the other stepsister is drop-dead gorgeous, the fairy godmother is nowhere to be found, and the prince, despite being insanely hot, openly dislikes balls. Can she ever return to the modern world?


My Thoughts
★★★★★ Ugly StepSTARS
I received this book via NG in return for an honest review.
I actually wasn't expecting this book to be this good. I am not a fan of retellings, but there is just something about this that is so different. The Ugly Stepsister keep me drawn in where I didn't want to put the book down because I just NEEDED to know what happened next. It kept me guessing yet it also had me going "Oh this is how it is going to turn out." only for it to be something else entirely. The writing was so smooth, there was no bump or anything, everything goes together amazingly and things just happen like boom boom boom, but it doesn't overload you. Aya Ling wrote the ending to perfection. It was like a rollercoster building building building and its like you are at the peek and you can't breathe then SWOOSH! That ending, I've never seen a ending that left me so freaking happy yet demanding a rewrite more than this book. Lol. I loved this and would fully recommend it.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Treasure, Darkly by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe… until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead.
A great invention for creating perfect soldiers, yes, but Clark wants to live as a miner, not a slave to the army—or the deceased. On the run, Clark turns to his estranged, mining tycoon father for help. The Treasures welcome Clark with open arms, so he jumps at the chance to help them protect their ranch against Senator Horan, a man who hates anyone more powerful than he.
Sixteen-year-old Amethyst Treasure loathes the idea of spending the summer away from her bustling city life to rot on her father’s ranch, but when a handsome young man shows up claiming to be her secret half-brother, her curiosity is piqued. He’s clever, street smart, and has no qualms jumping into the brawl between the Treasures and Horans. Caught in the middle, Horan kidnaps Amethyst, and all she gets is this lousy bullet through her heart.
When Clark brings her back to life, however, the real action starts, and Amethyst joins him in his fight against the Horan clan—whatever the cost. Defeating the Horans may seem easy at first, but going up against men with the same fighting vengeance as Clark, and a Senator with power he’s obtained by brainwashing the masses?
Well, Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark.


My Thoughts
★★★★ Stars
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Treasure Darkly is the first steampunk book I've ever read. While I'm glad it was my first book, I'm also a bit confused wondering if all books are like this VIA time line, this book seemed to take place YEARS ago yet had that "today" vibe.
I'm giving this book four out of five stars because while it was a VERY good book, the characters and story line was awesome... The whole incest vibe was just to much for me. It made me sick to my stomach. Also, I love fast books, I really do, but for this book to be a series, I think some things were a bit TO fast. I personally feel like the end of this book could have been the end of the second book .. kinda build more up to it so it wasn't "BAM!" in your face.
Sadly, for me, this book didn't leave me in a "I'm ready for book two!" mood, it made me feel like "I think I know what is gonna happen." mood. But hey, for all I know, I could be wrong. I won't know till if I ever read the second book.
And I have to add, I think I'm in love with the book cover. Lol

Friday, June 19, 2015

Good Intentions by Pembroke Sinclair

Synopsis

Katie has been through Hell—literally—and discovered that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. In fact, she kind of enjoyed it. She got to be with Josh, found out about her past, and discovered who she wanted to be as a person. Katie didn’t care that her actions went against social norms. She was happy.
But things are changing—again. Wes has come back into her life, and that can only mean trouble. His presence threatens to unravel her new-found happiness. She can’t allow that. She won’t let him back in. Yet, Katie can’t push him away. 
Thrown back into a state of confusion and uncertainty, Katie is once again forced to pick sides, and in the process, she may lose herself. 


My Thoughts
★★★★★+++ HEART STOPPING BREATH TAKING STARS!!
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Okay folks, now that I have remembered how to BREATHE *insert SNL Richard Pryor "I forgot how to breathe" gif here* I can start my review... No.. Wait... I think I'm still traumatized...*waits for a lifetime* Okay, NOW I'm ready. Y'all have NO idea how HARD I was pressing the NEXT PAGE button, demanding my kindle give me another page... but sadly, that is a fight I lost. HOLY FREAKING CRAP THOUGH!!! Oh my gah! Y'all, my nerves are so jittery and my stomach is all in knots and I'm still like "oh my gah! oh my gah! oh my gah! Did that just happen?! That just happened! oh my gah! oh my gah! oh my gah!"
How do I review! I think I forgot how to review again! ... and breathe... I forgot how to breathe!
This book was FLIPPING AMAZING! If amazing were a person, it'd be flipping. Haha. Wow. So book... Holy Crap. *takes a deep breath* This book was the BEST of the series so far. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more and more. (Trust me, I have to be up early and it's already 3am as I write this) I didn't want it to end! OH MY GLOB! So freaking EPIC! I honestly have chills. That's how amazing and epic this book was. Mrs. Pem worked her hella magic on this one, y'all! There is no possible way this book could be any better. And emotions. Oh my... the emotions, I laughed so hard I choked on my gum, to crying my eyes out, to holding my breath probably till my face was purple and my mind was screaming "BREATHE! WE NEED AIR! WE NEED TO BREATHE!" There is SO MUCH more I want to put SO bad, but I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at this, if I could rate this higher than a 5, I WOULD! If I could rate it to infinity and beyond, I WOULD!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Can't Stay Away (Sweet Valley High Senior Year #1) by Francine Pascal

Synopsis

Elizabeth Wakefield jumps into senior year, ready to devote herself to the newspaper, homework, and her writing. Trouble is, she can't stop thinking about Conner McDermott, a guy from El Carro High who is total bad news--and who hardly even notices her. She misses study dates, can't speak in class and takes hours to get ready for school--completely unlike herself. Could any guy change her so much?





My Thoughts
★★★★★ Dramatic Stars
Years later after reading this and I STILL love this book.
Will, Lila, Melissa. Ugh! Gotta love snotty people, cheaters, liars, and people so full of themselves. They really deserve each other. Just saying.

now that that is out of the way, I really love this book. The writing was great and kept me interested. I loved the little diary entries as well because it's always great to see from other's points of views. There really isn't much to say about this book, because I really like everything about it. I love the character developments and personalities. As if high school isn't drama enough alone, try tossing in another school and forcing them to "work together" when each school thinks they are better than the other. That is just asking for trouble. Ready to read book two now!

Friday, June 12, 2015

As Red as Blood (Lumikki Andersson #1) by Salla Simukka

Synopsis

In the midst of the freezing Arctic winter, seventeen-year-old Lumikki Andersson walks into her school’s dark room and finds a stash of wet, crimson-colored money. Thousands of Euros left to dry—splattered with someone’s blood.
Lumikki lives alone in a studio apartment far from her parents and the past she left behind. She transferred into a prestigious art school, and she’s singularly focused on studying and graduating. Lumikki ignores the cliques, the gossip, and the parties held by the school’s most popular and beautiful boys and girls.
But finding the blood-stained money changes everything. Suddenly, Lumikki is swept into a whirlpool of events as she finds herself helping to trace the origins of the money. Events turn even more deadly when evidence points to dirty cops and a notorious drug kingpin best known for the brutality with which he runs his business.
As Lumikki loses control of her carefully constructed world, she discovers that she’s been blind to the forces swirling around her—and she’s running out of time to set them right. When she sees the stark red of blood on snow, it may be too late to save her friends or herself.


My Thoughts
DNF at chapter 11
I received this book in return for an honest review.
I am so sorry, but I am probably gonna have to put this under “Did not finish” at only chapter 11, therefore, I can not rate it. I simply can not get into this book. I read that it had a fairy-tale take like snow white, or something like that.  Either way, how it was promised had me hooked and I saw all 3 were available, so I quickly grabbed them first chance I got. I am sad to say, I probably won’t read book two or three. And right now, even being as far as I am, I have no idea where this book takes place, I have no idea who any of the characters are, not even the main one. I feel ZERO connections to ANY of the characters, I don’t get half of what is being said because it just doesn’t hold my interest.  Maybe some day I will finish this book, but as of right now, I don’t see that happening any time soon.

The Beautiful Bloggers Award

First, I want to send a HUGE thank you over to 21stcenturyonceuponatime for nominating me! I can't tell you how much this made my day! Seriously, to have such a epic person and AMAZING blogger to nominate me makes my heart want to burst from happiness. THANK YOU!



Also, let me state the rules:
•Link to the blogger who took the time to nominate you.
•List seven random things about yourself.
•Nominate seven wonderful, book-loving bloggers.   
•Notify the amazing people that you nominated for the award.

My Random Facts:
•I am almost always working on my blog trying to make it better.
•I adore all my followers and I can't help but to smile every time I hear from them.
•I have a fear of happy clowns. They terrify me!
•If I could eat beef jerky for the rest of my life, I would
•I hate the feeling I get when I am not reading or have to go long periods without being able to read.
•My love for Fear Street books was set for life when I was a kid, and my love for zombies was set when I sat down to watch Resident Evil the first time ever (It was the first zombie movie I watched)
•Some days I take a trip down memory lane and pull out my old Junie B. Jones books and reread them.

My Nominees:
•Morrighan @ ufbooks
•Cat & Megan @ booksoffascination

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Courage and Other Demons by Jill Daugherty

Synopsis

“It occurred to me as I stared into the darkness that it was probably a good thing it had taken so long for me to see Simon for who he truly was. If I hadn’t fallen in love with that sweet and kind boy, I wouldn’t have gotten on a plane with him to fly halfway across the world; I wouldn’t have trusted him enough to do what he was asking me to do. And as angry as I was, as much as I hated what my life had become, I knew I had to do what Simon and the others were asking me to do. It all came down to one inescapable belief. I would have to kill or be killed. There were certainly other pieces of the puzzle that were more complex and harder to understand, but that one piece was very clear and unrelenting and it drove me forward, even in those moments when giving up seemed like the most sensible choice I could make.”
The end of the world will start in the suburbs of Denver with a faery transfer student from Ireland. If you think that’s totally ridiculous, then you understand how Maggie O’Neill feels. In all of her sixteen years, faeries were something you read about in children’s books. They didn’t actually show up on your doorstep. They didn’t kiss you and make your knees go weak and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Until Simon Brady, that is. Simon changed everything. He makes her heart race and her skin burn with excitement, but he has also changed her core beliefs about the world and made her see it as a dark and dangerous place filled with monsters that belong only in the lines of faery tales. There is no doubt in Maggie’s mind that she loves Simon, but can she see past who he is and find a place for him in her heart?


My Thoughts
★★★★★+ Epic as hell Stars!
I received this book in return for an honest review.
HOLY FREAKING CRAP!!!
This book was AMAZING! I was NOT expecting this book to be THIS awesome, I know that is jacked up to say, but it's true. This book blew me away! Everything about it; the characters, the action, the story line-perfect perfect perfect! And the humor was just straight up amazing and had me cracking up like crazy. I could not find ONE thing about this book that I didn't like.
It actually reminded my a lot of the book Wings by Aprilynne Pike (Which I also loved) If you are a Wings fan, you will DEFINITELY love Courage and Other Demons.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The Sign of Fear by R.L. Stine

Synopsis

Fieran had been a young warrior driven by revenge. He created the Fear amulet and cursed the Fear family for all eternity. Christina is a young servant girl struggling for survival. She finds the Fear amulet centuries later. Now, she may be destroyed by its evil.









My Thoughts
★★★★★+ FEARsome Stars
R.L. Stine never fails to amaze me.
If any of you have Facebook, you have probably seem the photo of the little goldfish going "ERHMAGERD! BURBLES", well that is pretty much how I was when I saw this book in the mailbox. "ERHMAGERD! FEAR STREET!" Haha
I've always be curious as to how the amulet came to be and how the story got started in the first place, now I finally know! I love everything about this book, the story line is epic and sad all at once because it's like "dang, you can't trust anyone!" while on the other hand, those who like the revenge, are cheering from the sidelines.... I was a cheerer. Haha. I love the details to EVERYTHING. How R.L. Stine manages to explain everything and not loose me a single time, really does amaze me because normally, that's when a author looses me. When it comes to the fear street books, I really wish I could rate higher than 5 stars because I believe they deserve more.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Saving London by Taylor Dawn

Synopsis

The List. That Signified Finality.The Journey. That Would Span The Globe.The Sacrifice. That Would Decide The Outcome. The Choice. That Could Unleash Evil On Earth. The End Is Only The Beginning...
“You have terminal cancer.”London Patterson, a seemingly healthy young woman, had her entire life ahead of her. That was until four little words brought everything to a screeching halt. As the shock and grief begin to fade, London decides to map out her last year and embark on an epic journey to complete a bucket list. She wants to do the things she’s been afraid to do in her life, step out of her self-contained box, and see the world. What she didn’t expect was for a mysterious stranger named Adam to breeze into her life like a breath of fresh air. Adam offers to help London complete her list on one condition…that she sees it through to the end. Agreeing on those terms, the two set out on an adventure of a lifetime. But London soon realizes that Adam isn’t quite…human. Along their journey odd occurrences happen that cause London to question who or what Adam is and why he’s helping her. Follow London as she checks off her bucket list in this inspiring new Urban Fantasy novel from Taylor Dawn. 


My Thoughts
★★★  Stars.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
This review is really hard for me to write because I honestly have a lot of anger for this story. I'm not really a big fan of angels/demons/fallen angels... whatever, but, I decided to give it a shot, because you never know, right? Well, to add to that, this chick has cancer and there is no point for chemo or anything because she only has a year.... Sounds like what I literally just went through with my mama (RIP). Why was I mad at this? Because all this time passes and this chick NEVER gets sicker. She is just happy-go-lucky. And it made me so mad to the point of near tears and having to put it down for a while and come back to it because I just remember what my mama went through and I couldn't help thinking "This isn't right. It's not fair" so on and so forth. I didn't give up though, I kept reading and of course it explains why she never got "sicker" which make me bump my rating up from a two to three.
Now, why do I give it three? I really think this book could have been written in just a few chapters as a short story. It just feels like even though the author was rushing, I feel like she was thinking "I have point A & point B but I need something to happen between" and just fit in what she could and when she thought it was enough, she hurried on to point B.
I didn't feel connected with any of the characters to be honest.
I ended up forcing myself through the book and got no pleasure from it. The only time it got really good and I wasn't skimming for pages was at the very end in the last chapter or so.

But, like I always tell people, don't go by what I say, Read it yourself. For all we know, you might end up being overly obsessed with this book your so in love with it. Never let someone else influence your actions. That being said, I give this book 3 stars.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Nightmare in Greasepaint by L.L. Soares & G. Daniel Gunn

Synopsis

Some family legacies are best left buried.
Will Pallasso has brought his wife and young son, Billy, back to his childhood home to settle his late mother’s affairs…and remove all traces of his haunted past. But now hideous memories are coming back to Will, and Billy has started suffering from night terrors. Returning to this house was a big mistake. Some memories should not be disturbed, and some nightmares will not stay buried forever.
Especially nightmares that wear greasepaint spattered with blood.



My Thoughts
★★★ Late night jitters Stars.
I received this book VIA NG in return for an honest review.
Ehhh, this book was okay. Nothing to really go cha-cha over. It really left me with more questions than anything else. Of course it's still one of those amazing "tell at a sleepover" stories because it really does set a creepy mood. The story line was very interesting and actually reminds me of the movie Clown (I saw about it on youtube, not sure if it's really a movie or not; if so, for all I know they could be hand in hand.) anywho. If you are looking for a late night quick read to give you the jitters, This is a good book to try.
One final note... I really freaking hate clowns!

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Bedtime Book Tag

I was tagged by Megan at Books of Fascination to do this tag! (Thank you so much!) Now lets get this party started!

1. What book kept you up all night reading?
I'm actually going to have to go with two books here. One being Life After The Undead by Pembroke Sinclair and the second being Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis.
I remember when I first got Life After The Undead actually, I ended up putting it on my TBR list saying "I'll get to this later" and over time, well, curiosity killed the cat, right? I told myself "I'll just read one page." Seriously five chapters later, I knew I wasn't putting it down. I read it until the sun came up and I was 100% done and had the review written. It was hella epic all ALL kinds of levels!

Prince of Wolves... Ohhhhh my gosh! I ignored everyone and everything for this book. I didn't take my eyes off of this book for a second and by the time, I was feening for book two, I got a little bit of sleep and then went straight into reading book two, I remember reading that whole series in just a  few nights, it was so amazing and oh my gosh, every emotion you can possibly feel, I felt it.




2. What book made you scared to go to sleep?
The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie!! I had this book on my TBR list for FOREVER then I hit a "what should I read next?" block, I ended up reading off my TBR list to my sister and she said this book sounded good. I read it. At night. Mistake. Big mistake. It was all cool till all the paranormal stuff started happening and I just so happen to be alone that night. Noooot fun, yet I couldn't put it down, but I'll also tell you this.... I had every light on and kept looking all around and I stayed awake till the sun came up and my sister got home till I crashed. Haha






3. What book almost put you to sleep?
You mean DID put me to sleep? Why, that award goes to After the End by Bonnie Dee. *shakes my head* To this day, I honestly still don't get how a bust ZOMBIE book could be soooo boring!
I mean honestly, there is nothing to say about this book other than it was extremely boring!







4. What book has you tossing and turning in anticipation of its release?
EASY! That would be The Originals: The Rise (The Originals #1) by Julie Plec!! I'm a huge huge HUGE fan of the show, so when I heard they were coming out with a book, I went straight into hella fallacious fangirl mode! 





5. What book has your dream girlfriend/boyfriend?
Oooo I'll have to go with Fane from Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis again. SEXAH! perfection of a man! *grabby hands* I want him! I want him nooowwww hahaha... Actually pretty much all the guys in the serious are mega hotties. Maaaaaan why can't they be real?!







6. What book world would be your worst nightmare to live in?


Soooo many books could go here! And they will because just the thought of having to live it, makes me almost panic. Number ONE would have to be The Mist by Stephen King. While I am not a fan of his, this book was actually REALLY good and really scared the living hell out of me. Every time I see any kind of fog now, I tend to panic.
The Breadwinner (The Breadwinner Trilogy Book 1) by Stevie Kopas and Time of Death: Induction (Time of Death) by Shana Festa as much as I love zombies, lets face it.. I would probably be screwed. LOL!






7. What book cover reminds you of night time?
Crane (The Legends Saga #1) by Stacey Rourke. The cover is so beautiful to me, honestly but there is also something about it that is so haunting and makes me think is something you'd prbably read at night just to set the mood.








8. What book has a nightmarish cliffhanger?
The Mist by Stephen King. I fucking HATED that ending! How is ANYONE suppose to get passed that?! Ugh I don't want to give anything away but... it pissed me off. It really did.









9. What book have you actually dreamed about?
If by actually going to sleep and dreaming, none. But if you mean say around daydreaming about it, there are really to many to list.


10. What book monster would you not want to find under your bed?

Once again, I'll have to go with The Mist by Stephen King. because no. Just freaking no. *gags* That stuff creeps me out SO freakin bad.











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