Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes
(Snow Like Ashes #1)
by Sara Raasch
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Publication Date: October 14th 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 422
ISBN: 9780062286925
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss \ Own

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A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own. (Goodreads)

When I was trying to decide on the last book I wanted to read for 2014, I knew I wanted to read something really great. So with high hopes I picked up Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. I’d heard so many great things about the book, so I was hoping it would be just what I was looking for. And I boy was it!! Snow Like Ashes has earned as spot as one of my favorite reads of 2014!

The main character in the story, Meira, was very well written.  I’ve seen some people compare her to a young Xena: Warrior Princess, and that’s pretty much how I imagined her as well. She was strong and determined; willing to do what she needed to do for her people. She wants nothing more than to see her Kingdom once again restored to power, and freedom for her fellow Winterians’. Through all the things that she went through in the story, she stayed strong and proved herself to be a really great character, and a fierce warrior.  The secondary characters were well written as well. I especially loved Sir, Mather & Theron.

There is a bit of romance in the book, but it’s not overpowering in a way that it takes away from the storyline. It felt like there was meant to be a love triangle as well, but it really didn’t feel that way to me the more I read the book. It felt like one half of the triangle were two people who were really comfortable with each other because they’d never really known anyone else. And the other half of the triangle is a new relationship that I am really going to enjoy watching grow in the future. Hopefully.

Another thing that had me completely hooked when reading this book was the action. There was never really a dull moment in this book, and all the suspense and surprising plot twists kept me turning the pages well into the night. And let me tell you, there are some super surprising twists in this story, including a few that had me pumping my fist into the air in joy! Also, the world-building was super creative; I could easily imagine in my mind all of the kingdoms as they were described in the book. My favorite kingdom would have definitely been Winter! How wonderful this place sounds.

Overall; If you’ve read a hundred reviews already that said Snow Like Ashes was awesome, then mine is just another to add to the list. This book definitely closed out my year with a bang, and I’m so glad to have read this as my last read of 2014. If you haven’t read the book yet, or added it to your to-read list, I implore you to do so. You definitely won’t be disappointed!

My Instagram journey with Snow Like Ashes...

Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
by Rachel Cohn   (Website | Twitter | Facebook)
& David Levithan (Website | Twitter | Facebook)

Publication Date: October 11th 2011
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pages: 260
ISBN: 978-0375859557
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Own

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“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.

What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Co-written by Rachel Cohn (GINGERBREAD) and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers scouring bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own. (Goodreads)

I can finally mark Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares off my ‘to-read’ list, and onto my ‘I finally read this book’ list! I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected to. It was sweet and some parts had me rolling with laughter.

I loved the main characters in the novel. While Dash and Lily are different in some ways, they are so much alike in others, and this made them a really great couple. I found them both to be extremely relatable in so many ways, and I really felt a connection to them both.

I also really enjoyed the setting and Christmas theme for the book. I’m glad I waited until Christmas time to read the book, because it really made it that much more special. There really aren’t too many Christmas themed young adult books in the world yet, but I’m glad to finally have one to add to my collection.

This is the first book I’ve read by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, but I’m definitely excited to read more by them in the future, both working together, and apart. If their other books are similar, I know I will really enjoy them.

Overall; this book was a really fun Christmas book, but it was also just an all-around sweet, fun read. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend that you do so!

Review: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

This Shattered World
(Starbound #2)
by Amie Kaufman    (Website | Twitter | Facebook)
& Meagan Spooner  (Website | Twitter | Facebook)

Publication Date: December 23rd 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 390
ISBN: 9781423171034
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Source: Netgalley

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The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war. (Goodreads)

I was super excited to read This Shattered World, especially after having read and loved These Broken Stars last year. I couldn’t wait to see what adventure Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner were going to take us on next, and now having read the book, I definitely was not disappointed.

Our two main characters in the story are Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac, two people that never should have met, as one is a military captain and the other is a Rebellion leader. They have nothing in common, except both living on the terraformed planet, Avon. But once their paths cross, their futures are changed forever.

Jubilee and Flynn were both really great characters, and each for different and similar reasons.  Both were strong and determined and held fast to their beliefs, even when they worried if they were doing the right thing or not. And when they worked together, they make a really great team. One thing that I really loved about the romance between the two was that while it was super intense at times, there was no insta-love between the two. Most of the time the characters were super unsure of each other, but given the situation that they were forced into, a strong bond was formed between the two that wasn’t built on lust, but on learning  to trust. It was a refreshing change to those books where the characters instantly fall in love.

The world-building for the book was really creative, and still really different than that in the previous book. I can’t imagine even living on this planet where this story takes place, and not just because of the almost uninhabitable environment of the planet, but the constant worry about the Fury taking over someone and making them go completely insane. Also there is the storyline for the book, while different, still managed to flow alongside the storyline in the previous book. We even get to see some characters from the previous book, which I absolutely loved that they were included in the novel.

Overall; If you loved These Broken Stars, you’re definitely going to enjoy This Shattered World. This was a really great sequel, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the third book in this Starbound series once it is released. If you haven’t yet checked out this series, I highly recommend that you do so!

Review: On the Edge by Allison van Diepen

On the Edge
by Allison van Diepen
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Publication Date: November 25th, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780062303448
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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From Allison van Diepen, author of Snitch and Street Pharm, comes a sexy, dangerous novel about a teen who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in the seedy world of Miami’s gangs.

Maddie Diaz never should have taken that shortcut through the park. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have seen two members of the Reyes gang attacking a homeless man. Now, as the only witness, she knows there’s a target on her back.

But when the Reyes jump her on the street, Maddie is protected by a second gang and their secretive leader, Lobo, who is determined to take down the Reyes himself. Lobo is mysterious and passionate, and Maddie begins to fall for him. But when they live this close to the edge, can their love survive?

On the Edge is a compelling story about fighting for what’s right and figuring out where you belong. The novel showcases a gritty, realistic voice and earth–shattering romance that will intrigue readers of Simone Elkeles and Paul Griffin and captivate fans of Allison van Diepen's other novels. (Goodreads)

On the Edge is the first book that I’ve read by Allison van Diepen, although I have a few of her other books on my to-read list, just waiting on me to read them. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this author, but I found the story to be a very intriguing read.

On the Edge is the story of Maddie Diaz, who witnesses the murder of a homeless man late one evening by two gang members. Maddie knows that her life is in danger after she talks to the police, especially when the gang members attack her in a public place. But when a rival gang steps in to rescue her, and Maddie starts to fall for the mysterious leader, she realizes that things aren’t always what they seem.

Maddie was an interesting main character. Though she was conflicted at times, and at times I questioned some of the choices that she made, she was still a very headstrong character. For the most part, she wanted to do the right thing, even when that meant her life could be in extreme danger.  I kind of love the things that she did for the homeless man, and how her thinking changed after meeting Lobo.

The romance in the story felt a bit rushed for my liking. Yes, I can see where being in the intense situation that Maddie was in and being rescued by a mystery man would make the feelings she had even stronger, but it moved a bit fast for my taste.

I’ve not read many books that involved gangs in the storyline, so that was definitely a refreshing change of pace for me.  The story was definitely interesting, and it kept me hooked as I turned the pages. It was also interesting to discover that some of the characters in this book were previous books by this author. I like that this book could be read as a standalone, but I’m also interested in checking out the previous books as well.

Overall; On the Edge was a quick, interesting read. I’m really looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future!

Review: No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

No Place To Fall
by Jaye Robin Brown
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Publication Date: December 9th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9780062270993
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities. (Goodreads)

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started reading No Place to Fall. To be honest, this is a book that I grabbed just based on the cover, and I started it without even checking out the summary. Having read the book, I found it to be a very interesting read, despite a few issues I had with the book.

Amber Vaugh is supposed to be a good girl, at least that’s what we are told in the beginning of the book. While I can see her being good in some parts, she definitely was not in others. I found myself questioning a lot of the decisions that she made throughout the book, and I kept hoping that she would have done things differently, especially when it came to the guys in her life. It’s not that she was an unlikeable character at all; I just wish that she had made different choices when it came to guys and even with how she treated herself in general.

Also, Amber’s family life was a mess. Seriously, it was one great big, hot mess.  They had so many issues throughout the story, and what’s worse is that they didn’t really get any better as the story went along. At the end of the book, I still felt that this family needed help, and I especially wish that the mom would have done more towards the cheating dad. That’s just not something that should ever be tolerated, in my opinion.

Will was probably one of my most favorite characters in the book. While he and Amber didn’t actually get off to the best start in the beginning of the book, he had his redeeming moments as the book went along, and I found myself liking him more and more. Another character that I really liked was Sean. I love how sweet and super shy he was, and I found him to be such a relatable character. I really enjoyed the parts of the book where he was involved.

I actually really liked the music parts of the storyline. I’ve always been a big fan of music in general, and I enjoy stories that have music in the storyline. So I did really enjoy those parts of the book, and I wish that there had been even more in the storyline.

Overall; while I had some issues with this book, I still found it to be an interesting read, and I’m definitely interested in checking out more books by this author in the future.

Review: Captive by Aimee Carter

Captive
(The Blackcoat Rebellion #2)
by Aimée Carter
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Publication Date: November 24th 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780373211289
Genre: Young Adult | Dystopia | Sci-Fi
Source: Netgalley

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For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price? (Goodreads)

Captive is the second book in The Blackcoat Rebellion series by the super talented Aimée Carter. I was really excited to get back into this story, as I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Pawn.

I really loved Kitty in the first book, but found her to be a bit frustrating in Captive. Yes, I love that she is such a strong character, but there were more than I few times that I wanted to tell her to pipe down before she got herself in some serious trouble, or worse. I like my characters strong, but I also like it when they know when to stop and think as well, and it felt like Kitty was constantly putting herself in danger throughout the book.

Knox is a character that has intrigued me since I first met him in Pawn. I can’t quite seem to figure him out, and he’s always managing to throw me twists right when I least expect it. I’m really looking forward to meeting him again in the third book.

As in the first book, the romance really didn’t overpower the story for me in Captive. The relationship between Kitty and Benjy felt comfortable and awkward at the same time. Meaning that they’ve known each other for so long that their relationship feels comfortable, but when they try to be more, it’s just really awkward. Ah, first love.

The storyline for the book followed the same plot for the first book, but the settings for each book were so completely different. I had grown used to the world that Kitty had been first thrust into when I read Pawn, that the world she was thrown into in Captive was so insanely different. Elsewhere is the most terrible place to ever have to be, and the descriptions of the place and all the things that Kitty/Lila went through where just horrible. It was hard to read at times. However, I did enjoy the twists that were thrown throughout the story, one massive twist that I kind of saw coming since the first book. I can’t wait to see how the story plays out in the end.

Overall; While I didn’t love Captive as much as Pawn, I still really enjoyed the story. I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in the series, Queen, which will be out in 2015!

Review: Wild by Sophie Jordan

Wild
(The Ivy Chronicles #3)
by Sophie Jordan
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Publication Date: November 18th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780062279910
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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A good girl goes fabulously bad in the final book in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s sexy New Adult romance series, in which three Ivy League suite-mates seek higher knowledge of just how far they can go.

Months after her boyfriend dumped her, Georgia can still hear the insults he hurled at her. Boring. Predictable. Tame. Tired of feeling bad, she’s ready to change her image, and go a little wild. What better way to prove her ex wrong than a hot night of sexual adventure at the secret campus kink club?

In the shadowy den of the kink club, she unexpectedly runs into Logan Mulvaney, her friend’s little brother. A player extraordinaire too hot for his own good, he may be younger, but the guy is light years ahead when it comes to sexual experience. Now he’s telling her to go home—“good girls” don’t belong here!

Georgia is tired of having others define her. She’s going to teach Logan a lesson he won’t forget—one white hot, mind-wrecking kiss . . . that leads to another . . . and another . . . and. . . . Realizing she’s way in over her head, Georgia runs.

Only Logan won’t let her go. Everywhere she goes he’s there, making her want every inch of him. Making her forget who she is. Who he is. And just how wrong they are for each other. (Goodreads)

I absolutely could not wait to get my hands on Sophie Jordan’s Wild, the third and final installment in The Ivy Chronicles series. I adored Foreplay, and Tease was great also, so I just knew that I was going to love this story. And I did, SO much. I am a romantic at heart. I can’t help myself, I adore a good love story, and that is definitely what you get when you pick up this series.

Wild is told from Georgia’s point of view, who we have met in the previous books. I didn’t really know what to expect from Georgia. While we’ve known her from the previous books, we still don’t know much about her. Her life is pretty much controlled by over overprotective mother, who wants nothing more than for Georgia to move back to their small town, and marry her ex-boyfriend, who just ended their four year relationship. Georgia wrestles with these issues throughout most of the novel, but through these struggles comes growth, and she starts to discover a different side of herself, a side that wants to be happy with her life and make her own choices. And she discovers all this with the help of Logan.

The highlight of the story for me would have to be Logan. I knew I was going to love him, because if he’s any relation to Reese at all, who wouldn’t love him? But… Oh my, Logan is oh-so-swoonworthy, and that’s totally not what I expected from him when I started reading the book. We’d met him previous in the series, and with the impression that I got of him in the previous books, I kind of expected him to be a certain way. Boy did he prove me wrong. Throughout the novel he struggles with his own issues, and proves himself to be a pretty awesome guy over and over again. I’m slightly in love with Logan at the moment, and I can imagine he will be one of those characters that will stay in my mind for a long time to come.

The storyline for the book follows much of the same as the previous books, and I really enjoyed the familiarity of the story. The characters, the setting; it made me remember things that I had read in the previous books, which in turn made me super happy. Like the previous books in this series, I read this book quickly, in just a few hours time. The storyline had me hooked, and I hated the moments when I had to put the book down, even briefly. I should also mention that the tension in this book was thick enough to cut with a knife. This made for a super intense read!

Overall; While Foreplay had been my favorite book in this series so far, Jordan totally blew me away with Wild. This book is definitely my favorite of this series. And I enjoyed this series so much; I hate to see it come to an end! I am now a loyal fan of Sophie Jordan’s, and I can’t wait to check out more of her books in the upcoming future. If you’ve not yet check out The Ivy Chronicles series, I highly recommend that you do so!



Books in this Series:



 Foreplay        |                Tease             |            Wild    

Review: A Thousand Pieces Of You by Claudia Gray

A Thousand Pieces of You
(Firebird #1)
by Claudia Gray
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Publication Date: November 4th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9780062278968
Genre: Young Adult | Science Fiction | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss

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Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure. (Goodreads)

As soon as A Thousand Pieces of You crossed my radar, I knew I just HAD to read the book. Not only is the cover super gorgeous, but the story sounded really intriguing as well. Having finally read the book, I’m thrilled to say that this is one of my favorite reads of 2014, and since I’ve read around 100 books this year, that’s saying a lot!

Marguerite was a really interesting main character. She wanted nothing more than to avenge the death of her beloved father, and I think that she would do anything to stop the man that she believes killed him. That determination that burned so brightly inside Marguerite is one of the things that I absolutely love in a main character.

The secondary characters in the book are very well written as well, and each of them for different reasons. There are some that you are really going to love, and a few that you are really going to hate, but they are all really well written.

I hesitate to say that there is a love triangle in this book. I think that is what it may have meant to be, but it definitely wasn’t for me. I chose my side pretty early on in the book, as I completely fell in love with one of the most swoon-worthy characters ever, and I can’t wait for the next books in the series so that I may meet him again.

I really enjoyed the storyline for the book. The time travel aspect in the book felt really different than that of other books that I’ve read with the same subject. This was more dimension travel instead of actual time travel. It was definitely interesting how each dimension that Marguerite visited was so different, yet some things were still the same. I was definitely hooked while reading this book.

Overall; I enjoyed this book SO much more than I expected to. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next two books in this series when they are released, as I have to know what’s going to happen with this story!

Review: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Retribution of Mara Dyer
(Mara Dyer #3)
by Michelle Hodkin
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Publication Date: November 4th 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 470
ISBN: 9781442484238
Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal
Source: Own

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Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.
Retribution has arrived. (Goodreads)

As a huge fan of the Mara Dyer series, I absolutely could not wait to get my hands on The Retribution of Mara Dyer. I needed answers and in a bad way - like most people who are hooked on this series - and I just couldn’t wait to see how the series was going to end. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever to finally have this book in my hands, and once I had it, I couldn’t wait to get started on it. This is going to be a super hard review to write without giving anything away, but I’m going to try!

Mara Dyer has been such an intriguing character to me since I first met her in the very first book. In some ways, she is so extremely relatable. Through all of the things that she’s been through over the series, you have to wonder for her sanity. But she’s not the same girl we first met in the beginning of the series; she’s grown and changed in so many different ways over the course of these three books. She’s been such an amazing character to follow in this series, and I’m going to miss her so much now that it’s over.

There are also some really great secondary characters that I’ve come to love throughout the series. I’m totally not going to mention any names here and spoil it for you, so I totally suggest that you read the book (and series) to meet these characters yourself.

The storyline follows the same storyline as the previous books, except for in this book we finally start to get answers. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started the book, but I was super curious to see how the story (and series) was going to end. There were a few loose ends that I felt were left untied at the end of the story, but after reading a post by Michelle Hodkin, I see that that is exactly how she wanted the book to end, to leave us guessing. I can see the brilliance in that, I really can, but this is also so insanely frustrating me to me, because I’m always going to wonder. (This, again, is Hodkin’s whole point!) Haha!

Overall; The Retribution of Mara Dyer was a really great ending to this amazing series. I’ve enjoyed these books since the beginning, and I really, really hate to see the series end. If you haven’t read these books before, I highly recommend that you do so!

Review: Find Me I'm Yours by Hillary Carlip

Find Me I'm Yours
by Hillary Carlip
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Publication Date: November 3rd 2014
Publisher: Rosetta Books
Pages: 356
ASIN: B00MYDII8W
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary | Interactive
Source: For Review

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“If you believe in destiny like I do, and you think there’s even a remote possibility we’re meant to be together, then find me I’m yours.” —Mr. WTF

In one sentence — one serendipitous moment — everything Mags Marclay, an offbeat, wry, 24-year-old struggling artist living in L.A., has ever known is forever changed as she is led on a treasure hunt to find her soul mate.

Find Me I’m Yours is a highly entertaining, unconventional virtual page-turner. Become immersed in Mags’s world through original artwork, hand-written lists, graphics, and Instagram photos within the book. You can go even deeper into the Find Me I’m Yours universe by clicking on embedded links leading to interactive content that’s expertly woven through the novel, including:

• Original rom-com style VIDEOS that star the handsome stranger Mags dubs “Mr. WTF,” who gives clues to the hunt.
• Thirty-three unique, custom-designed WEBSITES that further the narrative, blur the lines between fiction and reality, and offer endless ways for you to enjoy additional original content, including reality and comedy series featuring A-list talent.
• OPPORTUNITIES for you to share your own content (artwork, stories, songs, apologies, wishes, etc.), interact, connect, and personally engage with the story.

This revolutionary CLICK LIT® novel was conceived from the get-go as an ever-expanding, multi-platform entertainment experience. Created, written, and designed by Hillary Carlip, and co-created, directed, and produced by Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated TV comedy writer/producer/director Maxine Lapiduss, Find Me I’m Yours is a game changer in the way that stories are told and experienced.  (Goodreads)

Find Me I’m Yours is the story of Mags Marclay, a struggling artist living in LA, who wants nothing more than to find her soul mate and fall in love. When Mags discovers a video tape from a man who is also looking for his soul mate, she embarks on a treasure hunt that he sets up in hopes of finding him.

Through the novel we follow Mags on her journey to find the man who may very well be her forever. The novel includes interactive websites, videos and Instagram photos to aid Mags and the readers along the journey with clues to find this mystery man.

But not only is the story about Mags finding her soul mate via the treasure hunt, but it’s also a story about Mags finding herself. She discovers so many things about herself on this journey, and it was interesting to see the changes that she went through. You had to feel for Mags for all the things that she was going through, but that didn’t stop me from cheering her on.

The storyline for the book was really creative. I really enjoyed the interactive parts of the novel; the pictures, videos and website links really made the story stand out even more. I especially liked seeing the pictures for all the things Mags saw along the way.  Everything wraps up pretty nicely at the end of the book, although I was left wondering about a few things that happened in the book. The book was also a really quick read; I read it in just a few hours time.

Overall; Fans of romance and chick-lit novels will definitely enjoy this interactive story. Not only was the story interesting in itself, but the interactive parts definitely made it even more fun to read.

Happy Reading!

Find Me I'm Yours
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Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Lily, Lily Blue
(The Raven Cycle #3)
by Maggie Stiefvater
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Publication Date: October 21st 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 391
ISBN: 9780545424967
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Netgalley | Own

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There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel. (Goodreads)

I absolutely could not wait to get my hands on Blue Lily, Lily Blue. I’ve been anxiously waiting to read this since I finished reading The Dream Thieves last fall. Of course, now that I have read the book, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!

Blue Lily, Lily Blue picks up right where The Dream Thieves leaves off, with the Raven Boys and Blue still searching for the elusive Glendower. While they still have a way to go, they are closer than ever to finally finding him. Despite everyone having issues of their own to have to deal with, they must work together and help one another to reach their final goal.

One of the things that I love most in this book, and in the whole series, is the relationship between these boys. They have one of those super strong bonds that prove to be durable even when you wonder if it is at its breaking point. And they’ve pulled Blue in on this bond as well, and now she is like one of their own, and I love so much that they have included her in their little group. These characters, these boys and Blue, are so great and I love reading their stories.

While we’ve already met most of the characters from the previous novel, we are also introduced to a few new interesting characters as well, including the Greenmantle’s, a couple that took disturbing to a whole new level, and Jesse Dittley, who quickly became another of my most favorite characters in the series. There are even more interesting characters in the novel as well, but I will let you ‘meet’ them for yourself when you read the book.

The storyline for the book follows the same plot as the two previous novels in the series, although this book seemed to go at a bit slower pace than the two previous books. The book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger which left me wondering what the heck had just happened. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, which comes out in 2015, to see what’s going to happen next!

Can I also mention how much I enjoy Stiefvater’s writing style? Even when writing the littlest things, the writing seems almost lyrical. It’s beautiful, and I love the feel of it when you are reading her novels.

My only complaint with the book is between Blue and Gansey. For those of you that have read the previous books, you know why these two can’t be together, and it’s driving me CRAZY. This is the most frustrating relationship that I’ve read so far. I need these two to be together. It’s such a tease!

Overall; Blue Lily, Lily Blue was a great addition to this ‘The Raven Cycle’ series. I’m really excited to get my hands on the next book in the series in 2015 to see where this storyline is going to go, and how the story will end. If you’ve not picked up this series yet, I implore you to do so!

Happy Reading!

Review: Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

Stitching Snow
by R. C. Lewis
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Publication Date: October 14th 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9781423185079
Genre: Young Adult | Retelling | Sci-Fi
Source: Netgalley

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Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back-but that's assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane's arrival was far from accidental, and she's pulled into the heart of a war she's risked everything to avoid.

In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy's future-and her own-in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival. (Goodreads)

I was really looking forward to reading Stitching Snow as I’ve really enjoyed most of the fairy-tale retellings that I’ve read lately, and I couldn’t wait to see how this story went. The book definitely did not disappoint!

Essie, also known as Princess Snow, is the missing daughter of King Matthias, who will stop at nothing to get Essie back. But that’s proving to be a bit impossible because she’s well hidden on the freezing planet Thanda, where she spends her days coding and repairing drones that work in the local mines, making life a whole lot easier, and safer, for the miners on the planet. But all that changes when newcomer Dane crash-lands near her home, and changes her world completely.

Essie was a really interesting character. I was definitely able to relate to her being a bit of a loner, for the most part. She was also super smart when it came to coding and building her drones and working on computers. I love the work that she did on the drones, and these drones in particular were really awesome as well. She was a very strong-willed, determined and very stubborn, which made me like her a whole lot.

Dane was a really interesting character as well. I appreciated his determination to keep Essie safe, despite the fact that he felt he had to kidnap her to get what he wanted out of her in the beginning. (I know, I know… without this happening, it would have impacted the story differently, but still.) I also appreciated that their relationship wasn’t insta-love in any way. The relationship had a very rocky start and grew over time, but in the end was really cute.

The storyline for the book was very interesting and kept me intrigued as I turned the pages. I enjoyed that while this was a retelling of Snow White, it also had a sci-fi theme to it. It definitely kept me turning the pages.

Overall, I found Stitching Snow to be an enjoyable read. I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author in the future!

Review: My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

My True Love Gave To Me
Twelve Holiday Stories
by Stephanie Perkins and More

Publication Date: October 14th 2014
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781250059307
Genre: Young Adult | Holiday Stories
Source: Netgalley

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If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. (Goodreads)

I was super excited to read My True Love Gave To Me not only because it was edited by Stephanie Perkins, but also because the book of full of really awesome writers, and I couldn’t wait to read their holiday themed short stories.

A few of my favorite stories from the book came from Rainbow Rowell, Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Forman and Ally Carter. It’s hard to pick between them all, because they were all great stories. Even though these were just short stories, they all would have been wonderful as whole books. The characters were well written and likeable, and I really wanted to keep reading long after the stories ended. (Luckily I was distracted by the next story!) I really enjoyed reading all of these stories.

I also really loved the holiday feel to the book. It put me in the Christmas spirit, and that usually doesn’t happen this early in the year. Now I am itching to read even more Christmas stories!

My only complaint about the book is that the stories weren’t long enough! Yes, I know that these are just short stories, but with each story I started to get attached to the character and storyline, and I didn’t want it to end. But they did. As I mentioned before, all of these stories were well written, and would have made excellent books.

Overall; If you want to read a book of Christmas stories by some really great authors, definitely check out My True Love Gave To Me. It is well worth the read, and will put you in the Christmas Spirit!

Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Black Ice
by Becca Fitzpatrick
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Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9781442474260
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Source: Edelweiss

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Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…(Goodreads)

I was really looking forward to reading Becca Fitzpatrick's Black Ice because I had read the Hush, Hush series in the past, and it’s one of the first series I read that got me hooked on this genre. So I couldn’t wait to see what story Fitzpatrick was going to come up with next with Black Ice. Unfortunately I didn’t love the book as much as I expected to.

I’m going to start off by saying that I currently have a like/hate relationship with Black Ice. My issues are mostly with the characters in the novel. The main character in the story, Britt, was a bit of a disappointing character for me. She made really bad decisions all throughout the story, including going into a decrepit cabin in the middle of nowhere with two strangers who she seemed to automatically trust just because they were cute. Seriously?? Why would she do this? Yes, I understand that she was in the middle of a snow storm and she just wanted to be warm and fed, but these guys were so weird the moment we first met them, they immediately threw up red flags for me. (Yes, I can see how we wouldn’t have a story if this hadn’t have happened. But, as a mom to a teenager, this really bothered me.)

Also, I really, really, really don’t get the whole ‘hating your best friend’ relationship that Britt had with her best friend, Korbie. I’ve seen it in quite a few books that I’ve read lately, and it is super annoying. I just don’t understand why people would choose to be friends with someone that obviously doesn’t like them.

Another thing that really bothered me was that Britt was still so in love with her ex-boyfriend, when it was obvious that he was a super jerk. She spends most of the novel waiting for the ex, her dad, her brother, or any available male to come along and save her, instead of taking advantage of the situation and saving herself. Eventually she does manage to somewhat take control of the situation, but we don’t see this for quite a while.

Then there was Mason/Jude, who was one of Britt’s captors. The term Stockholm syndrome was thrown around in the story quite a few times, but I really don’t feel that Britt ever had this issue with him. It felt like she just wanted male attention so bad, that she pretty much fell in love with whoever was available.  Also, even though he wasn’t a total bad guy like the other captor was, and most of the things that he had done he did for reasons that he thought were right but really weren’t, he never was held accountable for the bad things that he had done. That just felt kind of wrong to me. I really, really wanted to like Mason/Jude, I really did. But he had so many secrets and had done so many things, that I just never felt like I could really trust him, unfortunately.

While I didn’t really care for the characters in the book, there were some things about the book that I did enjoy. The writing style for the book felt very much to Fitzpatrick’s previous books. The storyline was very suspenseful and mysterious; it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. So I did enjoy that part of the book. I think that with a slightly different storyline, and a stronger set of characters, I really would have enjoyed this book more.

Overall; Black Ice is a book that I didn’t love, but I also didn’t hate. I’m sure a lot of people will love the book despite the issues that I had with it, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work all that well for me.

Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

The Jewel
(The Lone City #1)
by Amy Ewing
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Publication Date: September 2nd 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 358
ISBN: 9780062235794
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Dystopia
Source: Edelweiss

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The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for. (Goodreads)

I was initially drawn to The Jewel by its stunning cover. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a book with a gorgeous cover! The Jewel has a very intriguing story to go along with its pretty cover as well.

In the center of the city is The Jewel, the place where all Royals live. To live in the Jewel means you have money, beauty, and all the things you could ever want, except for the one thing you can never have; offspring. This is where surrogates come in; children that were born in the Marsh that are auctioned off to the highest bidder continue a bloodline. Violet has been trained for years to be a surrogate for Royal, but once the auction is over and her new life begins, she realizes that nothing in her new world is quite what it seems.

Violet was an interesting main character. By other people’s standards, she should be proud to be a surrogate, to help the royals keep their linage going. But that’s not what Violet wants at all. She longs for her own life, one where she can live free to do what she wants, and to not live in servitude to the royals. She’s a very strong character, and at times we see her rebellious side come out. I know we are going to see great things from this character in the future.

There were some secondary characters in the story that I really loved; the most being Lucien. I really hope that we get to know more about him in the next book.

The storyline and world-building for the book is definitely intriguing and creative. It kind of has a familiar plot to a lot of dystopian novels that I’ve already read, but it also seemed to stand out as well in some ways that were really unique. The book ends with a pretty huge cliffhanger; one that has me wondering what exactly this means for the next book in the series. Regardless, I’m dying to find out what’s going to happen with these characters.

Overall; I thought that The Jewel was an interesting start to what should prove to be a very fascinating series. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series!