Reviews, Special Review, YA Paranormal

Novella Review: Proposal by Meg Cabot

Proposal (The Mediator, #6.5)

GoodReads Summary:

The last place Suze Simon expects to find herself during Valentine’s Day is a cemetery. But that’s what happens when you’re a mediator – cursed with the “gift” of communicating with the dead.

That’s how Suze has ended up at the graves of a pair of NCDPs – Non-Compliant Deceased Persons – whose drama didn’t end with death. It’s Suze’s job to make sure they move on—for good.

But the NCDPs aren’t the only ones with problems. The reason Suze is spending her Valentine’s Day with the undead instead of her boyfriend, Jesse, is because he’s having so much trouble adjusting to life after death . . . not surprising, considering the fact that he used to be an NCDP himself, and now his girlfriend busts his former kind for a living, while he tries to cure his kind of what used to ail him.

Can Suze use her mediating skills to propose a mutual resolution, and bring all these young lovers together – including Jesse and herself – especially on the night Saint Valentine declared sacred to romance?

Or will she end up alone—and possibly undead—herself?

Review:

First of all, I am so so so so so excited not only for this novella, but the book that comes after this novella. I didn’t think we would EVER get another Mediator series book. The series seemed so finished, but I always hoped and dreamed that we would get something. And we did.

Meg Cabot’s Proposal is a spectacular way to dip you toes back into the The Mediator Series. It is full of the usual NCDPs and Suze’s own throw a punch first, ask her questions later mentality. Of course their is a ghost who needs her help and the only way to help him is to punch her way through. And by her side is the ever swoon worthy Jesse de Silva.

Before jumping back into Suze Simon and her mediator ways in Remembrance, check Proposal out first. You don’t want to miss what happens!!

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books I’ve Recently Added To My TBR

TopTenTuesday

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.

If you were to look at my To Be Read list on GoodReads, you would see an utter mess. It’s just a jumble of random books that I will probably never read.

  1. Since I am in the midst of reading everything Alexandra Bracken and am almost finished Never Fade, next to read is In The After Light. In The Afterlight (The Darkest Minds, #3)
  2. Next would be my ARC for The Siren by Kiera Cass that I won. The Siren
  3. Following those would be
    1. The Dark Days Club The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen, #1)
    2. And The Love That Split the WorldThe Love That Split the World
  4. Since Meg Cabot has decided to add a novella and a new novel to The Mediator Series, those are also on my list.
    1. ProposalProposal (The Mediator, #6.5)
    2. And RemembranceRemembrance (The Mediator, #7)
  5. I need to finish Elle Kennedy series Off-Campus, books 2 and 3.
    1. The MistakeThe Mistake (Off-Campus, #2)
    2. And The ScoreThe Score (Off-Campus, #3)

That’s all I am able to give you  because knowing me, I’ll change my mind. Just note that eventually these books will be read… at some point.

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Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

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Goodreads Summary:

A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.

Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can’t stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can’t deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she’ll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process.

Review:

FREAKING ADORABLE. That is all I can come up with when I think of Hello, I Love You.

Many of you don’t know about my Kpop phase in college. I was OBSESSED with Korean pop my first year of college. I’m still a fan, but not in the obsessive way I was, so when I saw a YA book about a Kpop idol I went all grabby hands for it. I called dibs on Kayla’s copy.

HILY is a very fluffy and fun read, but it does have some serious moments. My heart broke several times watching Grace struggle with the family issues she was running from, but enter Mr. Kpop and the heaviness of the situation melted away. While I was not always a fan of Jason, I grew to like him. He was your typical aloof male Korean character. I felt like I was reading a Korean drama instead of watching one. It was GREAT. I devoured this book in two days. I am glad to report that I picked a great book as my first read of 2016.

I do want to point out that there are several out there that will most likely not LOVE this book like I do. If you are a fan of Korean dramas and the Kpop culture in general, I’m pretty positive you will at least like this book. If you are not into Korean entertainment, then it is 50/50.

If you are looking for a light, quick read, pick up Hello, I Love You. Give it a try at least. 🙂

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Reviews, ya romance

Book Review: 99 days by Katie Cotugno

99-Days

Goodreads Summary:

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Review:

OH MY GOSH. WHY. MY FEELS. *dead* I never thought a book on cheating would be so insightful and real. I am blown away. The entire time I was reading it I experienced many emotions. At times it made me feel uncomfortable, but I could not look away. It was addictive. I finished it in one sitting.

Cheating is a very messy subject. Many people see it as black and white, but in reality there is more to it. Take for instance the story being told in 99 Days. It makes you think. It gives you all the information you need in order for you to make an educated decision. Are you on the side of the cheater or the one cheated on? At first you think, she deserves what she got! But then as the story continues you see how complicated and messy it is, and you start to question if she did cheat on him? Was that really cheating? Once you get to know each party involved in the mess, you start to see it wasn’t what it all seemed like in the beginning. Katie leaves you confused, and questioning the side you took at the beginning of the story.

At the end of the journey 99 Days takes you on, your decision on whose side you are on doesn’t even matter anymore. Who did or didn’t cheat, who was at fault, none of that matters. What matters is the lesson being taught. There are many sides to every story. Is cheating wrong? Yes. Should you judge the person? No. Life is messy and the only thing we can do is our best to do what is right and pray for some grace for the moments we fall short.

99 Days will leave you catatonic. You’ll have no idea what hit you and left you in a pile of feels on the floor.

 

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Reviews, YA Historical, ya romance

Book Review: Passenger (Passenger #1) by Alexander Bracken

Alexandra-Bracken-Passenger

Goodreads Summary:

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Review:

V: Oh My Gosh. I was warned my feels would die and I joked about it but I did not know how badly it would hurt. THAT ENDING. DEAD. But… I guess we should start of with something lighter. Let’s talk about Etta. I think she was a good main character and I was actually not annoyed by her at all. What do you think Liz?

L: I loved Etta as a character. When authors talk about writing strong female characters, Etta is exactly what I imagine. She is courageous and fierce. But she is also feminine  and unsure of herself. Strongly written female characters don’t have to be badasses who don’t ask for help. They just have to be fully developed and well-rounded. Do you agree Veronica? And also what about Nicholas? *Swoon*

V: I 100% agree with you! I loved that Etta asked Nicholas to be her partner, not her servant, her helper, etc. It truly shows a lot about her character and what we can come to expect from her. And Nicholas. I did not expect to like him as much as I did. He is such a good male character and so far, I haven’t really found fault in him. I hope this doesn’t change. But darn him if he’s not swoon worthy and that is all I can see right now. *wiggles eyebrows* What do you think of the “villain” or “Villains” I should say? And Etta’s mom. She’s… cold. And doesn’t seem to have a motherly instinct in her.

L: Nicholas is probably one of my favorite male characters that I’ve read in a long time. (Kind of wish he was real 😉) I would also say that there is more than one villain, which I think is important to the story, to keep it moving. BUT who is actually a villain v. who is just a terrible person? Alice is precious and needs to be protected. And Etta’s mother… Ugh she’s abhorrent and probably ONLY has Etta to fulfil Rose’s wants/needs. I would define her as narcissistic.

V: I like that. Not everyone is a villain, but there are a lot of terrible people in Passenger. I can’t wait for the second book to come out. I really need to know more about Etta’s father and how the heck did  Etta’s mom evade everyone?! Any last thoughts Liz?

L: I had seen this book several times, read the summary but wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. I am so glad I did. Passenger is beautifully written. Full of details. Flowery language. Alexandra Bracken has stolen my heart. And I can’t wait until Wayfarer is published.

“Possibility, dear one. Possibility.”

Rating: 5 out of 5

Disclaimer: Thank you Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for giving Liz and I the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book for free does not influence my opinion.

Book Spotlight, Bookish Thoughts

My Year in Books on GoodReads

Looking back, 2015 has been a great year for books. I read a bunch of new authors I’d never heard of before. There were some great sequels to books I had previously read. And I was able to meet a few of my favorite authors in person. I can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store (a trip to YALLFest?)!

Img totallargel 2x61 books read/21,165 Pages read Img totallarger 2x

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Shortest Book…Longest Book

80 Pages…824 Pages

Average Length: 371 pages

Average Rating for 2015. 4.6 Stars

   

   

      

                 

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Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For The First Half of 2016

TopTenTuesday

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.

Oh man guys! My book calendar is sooooo full of 2016 releases. But these are the ones I am MOST excited about!!

The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen, #1)  The Love That Split the World  Salt to the Sea

Remembrance (The Mediator, #7)  The Return (Titan, #1)  Rebel of the Sands

Wink Poppy Midnight  The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, #4)  A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)

 

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Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.

I know Veronica and I did a Talking Bookworm Holiday Gift Guide. BUT! There are books I would love for Santa to leave me…

Liz’s Picks

The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1)

 

 

The Wrath & The Dawn. You know my appreciation of a good series… I’m sure Santa does too.

 

 

 

Alexander Hamilton

 

While it’s not YA, I am obsessed with the Hamilton Musical so OBVIOUSLY I need the biography the musical is based on. Santa baby, won’t you leave Hamilton under the tree for me?

 

 

 

 

A Madness So Discreet

 

 

A Madness So Discreet. Who can’t resist a good YA Historical thriller? Hopefully Santa. Hehe.

 

 

 

99 Days

 

 

99 Days. I’ve always been a sucker for love stories… Maybe Santa is too?

 

 

 

Legend (Legend, #1)

 

 

Legend. While I’ve read her other series… I’ve neglected this series. Santa don’t let me neglect it no more.

 

 

 

Nightfall

 

 

Nightfall. Seems an odd season to be asking Santa to bring me horror/thriller books… maybe I should be asking Krampus for this one?

 

 

 

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

 

 

Throne of Glass. Ugh princes, thieves, warriors, killers, oh my! Hopefully Santa appreciates the magic this book would be bring me… And brings all the follow up books in this series too.

 

 

 

An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)

 

 

An Ember in the Ashes. This has been everywhere and so I feel like the universe is telling me I need to read it. *sings* Oh Santa!

Other

Love and Decay: Revolution, Episode Two Release Day Launch

Today is the release day of Rachel Higginson’s Love and Decay: Revolution, Episode 2. This is a serial novella, and completely standalone in the Love & Decay universe. I am so excited to share this with you!! Be sure to enter Rachel’s giveaway as well and grab your copy today!

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about love and decay: revolution, episode 2:

Revolution Episode 2It’s not easy being a badass Zombie killer. But somebody’s got to do it.

 Page Parker is unsatisfied with her post-apocalyptic life in the relative safety of the research station. She knows there’s something bigger out there for her. There’s something… more.

 When “more” just happens to show up on her doorstep one night, she finally has the opportunity to find the purpose she’s been looking for. And the revenge.

But first she must convince her overprotective family that leaving their home and fighting an evil bigger than Zombies is the right thing to do. Except they don’t want to listen.

 Until the fight follows them home. Until it destroys every semblance of peace and illusion of security they’ve worked so hard for.

 They’re not safe anymore. 

And until they kill Matthias Allen, Zombies are the least of their problems.

Love and Decay: Revolution is a  Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with. Every episode is approximately 20,000 words long and released every two weeks. Look for Love and Decay: Revolution, Episode Three coming January 8th, 2016.

Buy now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Read Episode 1: Amazon | BN

Revolution promo 3 (2)

Rachel Higginson Bio:

rachel_profile_pic (1) 

She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days writing stories and raising four amazing kids.

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enter Rachel’s giveaway!

Reviews, YA Paranormal, ya romance

Book Review: Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oblivion (Lux, #1.5)

GoodReads Summary:

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it.

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are.

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can’t stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game.

Falling for Katy—a human—won’t just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen…

Review:

So this book is a retelling of the first three books in The Lux Series: Obsidian, Onyx, and Opal from Daemon’s point of view, but only if you purchased eBook. The published paperback is only a retelling of Obsidian because it would’ve cost the publisher and the reader a lot more as the eBook is over 1,000 pages.

As I loved The Lux Series, it’s no surprise that I loved this retelling from Daemon’s point of view. When a book is told from one POV, I always wonder what the other characters are doing.  Clearly we can’t have every single character in every single scene. This retelling is helpful because in Origin and Opposition we do get to read from both Daemon and Katy’s POV.

It was nice to see a more well-rounded, fully formed Daemon. His attitude hasn’t changed- still the same narcissistic personality. But we do see the sweeter side of him. It is immensely helpful to finally understand where his brain is when he is making his decisions about Kat and his family.

Great add to The Lux Series.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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