If I Stay by Gayle Forman

 If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Summary: In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

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Review: 

Plot: I had never read a book with a plot that takes place in one day (the book also has flashbacks) and one with such a simple premise. While reading the book I kept asking myself what I'd do if I was in Mia's shoes and I had no idea what I'd do, it is a near impossible choice. I love seeing her life through the flashbacks and seeing this family in them made this story one of the hardest books I have ever read.

Characters: Mia was a great character, but it was a little challenging to really get to know her just because we only saw who she was through flashbacks, but they helped us see who she was. Adam was one of my favorite characters in the book and really loved seeing how he and Mia first met. The rest of the family were really great and not your typical family which made them really unique and the story that much sadder.

Overall: This was a very simple and short story (my edition is only 196 pages), but it was a emotional roller coaster of book. It amazed me that in such a short amount of time Gayle made me fall in love with every single character and that made the book that much more heartbreaking, but it also had a touch of hope. Gayle has become one of my favorite authors and it all began with this book, if you love contemporary books with characters you'd swear are real and a story that makes you think you should not hesitate to pick up this book. 5/5 Stars

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Summary: The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

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Review:

Plot: I liked the sound of the plot on paper but it was poorly executed by Jamie McGuire. I felt I was on a ride at a amusement park and it kept going around and around in circles before reaching a terrible ending. The relationship fits the name perfectly but there was really nothing beautiful about it, one would get drunk and angry anytime they had a fight and the other would always complain about how bad he was for her but kept going back. I didn't really think Abby's past storyline paid off too well. I was expecting something different but what we got made me ask 'That's it? Why is she so pissed at Travis then?'. I honestly did not see how her past made Travis bad for her, he was bad for her in different ways. The way the book ends was laughable at best and I could have thought of several different ways to make the ending a little more enjoyable for the reader that stuck with this book until the very end.

Characters: Abby and Travis are two of the most frustrating characters I have seen in a book. Abby did nothing but use people early on in the novel and Travis, who clearly felt something for Abby, never had the courage to stand up and tell her how he felt. I hated how anytime something happened Travis got drunk and punched things and then said he was sorry the next day. Abby always said he was bad for her but she kept going back. The two friends in the book really added nothing extra, they were just there to stop fights and cause extra drama.

Overall: Doesn't really add anything new to the YA genre and Jamie's writing is OK at best. I don't regret reading the book but it is one of the worst books I've read this year (and the ending is the worst ending I have read in years)! I would say to only read this book if you want a story about a violent relationship that ends just the way you thought it would, but thought it would be handled differently. 2/5 Stars

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Summary: Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?

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Review:

Plot: The plot for Anna and the French Kiss sounds like any other contemporary book and it is, but what saves it from being just any other ya romance is the writing. Stephanie is a very talented writer and she has made the perfect spring/summer book. At first I didn't really like the plot but around page 50 I was sold! I loved the romance between Anna and St. Clair and the location was a great addition to the plot and it added a lot to the story.

Characters: I loved all the main characters. Anna and St. Clair were my favorites, but their friends in Paris were great as well. Paris feels almost like a secondary character as well and not so much as a location and I loved how well Stephanie Perkins pulled this off.

Overall: Loved the film references in the book and the writing were lovely. The pacing of the book is some of the best pacing I've seen in a book. The only thing that seemed to bother me was how quickly the storyline wrapped up at the end of the book, but I still enjoyed the ending very much. If you love YA contemporary  then you will more than likely fall in love with Anna and the French Kiss. Am looking forward to the other two companion novels! 4.5/5 Stars

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King (The Iron Fey Series, Book 1) by Julie Kagawa

Summary: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

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Review:

 Plot: I am not normally a big fan of faery books but I thought the plot was well thought out. The story did drag a little for me towards the middle of the book and I thought some scenes could have been shorten just  little to make the book flow a little better. 

Characters: I enjoyed all of the major characters in this book and I think they were the best think about the book. I loved the interaction between Meghan and the Prince. My favorite character was actually the cait sith, Grimilkin. I loved what he brought to the story and the dialogue he added was great.

Overall: The pacing is where the book really suffers the most, for me. I enjoyed the characters and the dialogue was great. My biggest problem with the book is that I didn't feel the need to read the next book right away (and I still haven't bought it yet). Julie Kagawa is a great writer and I am curious to see how the rest of the series turns out. 4/5 Stars

Review Policy and Contact Information

Information for Authors & Publisher’s interested in reviews:

Genres:    

I primarily read Young Adult novels, with a a big preference towards Fantasy, Dystopia and Contemporary. I also enjoy reading Sagas, Trilogies and Series, BUT I have to read the books in order, obvilousily. 

 

  Format:

I can only accept physical copies of ARCs due to me not having a eReader.

 

  Reviews:

 I will give my honest review and the fact that I am getting an ARC will not make me post fake reviews. I post my reviews on this blog, Amazon and Goodreads currently and am looking into posting on Barnes and Noble.

I will always finish the book and post a review BUT if I cannot make it through the book for whatever reason (not something I enjoy, aka lots of sex scenes) I will let you know that I cannot provide a review for the book.

My reviews have changed a little since I started reviewing books. I include three main sections in my reviews (Plot, Characters and Overall) and I talk about how well the book was written and the pacing. I use a 5 Star rating scale.

Contact me here!

 

Guest Posts/Interviews

I have never done a guest post or interview but it is a great way to promote your book! If you are interested in doing this please contact me! If you want to be a guest poster contact me and ask me for any guidelines!

 *NOTE* I do not currently accept self published books so please do not contact me about reviewing them.

Legend by Marie Lu

Legend (Book 1) by Marie Lu

Summary: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

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 Review:

Plot: This was my second dystopian novel that I read (first being Divergent) and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. The plot is one of my favorite plots I have read in years and I loved how quickly it moved along. The twist and turns throughout the book weren't too surprising but I still enjoyed them.

Characters: Day and June are great main characters. I felt awful for June when her brother Metias was killed. By the end of the book Day and June become two of my favorite characters in years.

Overall: The pacing, plot and characters were great and the writing was beautiful. The book went by fast too due to the engaging writing and quick pace. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Prodigy. 4.5/5 Stars

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

 Summary: When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy–loving best friend riding shotgun—but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.

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 Review:

Plot: The plot for Katherines was something not like something I have ever read, I have never seen a book incorporate math (and footnotes!!) the way John Green did. I hate math, was never any good at it, and I thought this would be the second John Green book I'd read that I would hate, but I was wrong. The math parts is a little overwhelming at time, and I did even skip a few of those pages, but it did not make the story less enjoyable. I thought the main plot would be just a road trip for the entire book and at first was disappointed when the road trip ended but this ended up being one of my favorites of the year! I loved finding out about why he only dated girls named Katherine and why each of the relationships didn't last.

Characters: The characters in this book were really funny and they felt real which was my biggest problem with Paper Towns, none of the characters felt like they would exist. Colin is a great main character and I loved how 'nerdy' he was and how he acted around other people. Hassan, my favorite character, was so refreshing for YA, I loved his little quirks (I laughed at every mention of Judge Judy!). Lindsay and her mother were also welcome additions to the book.

Overall: This book exceeded my expectations and I am really looking forward to reading more of John Green! The only downsides for me was too much math at parts, even though it fit the character perfectly, and too many footnotes at times. 4/5 Stars

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave (Book 1) by Rick Yancey

Summary: After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

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Review: 

Plot: I really loved the plot of this book and for me it was something fresh since I don't normally read sci-fi. It had a romance, obviously, and I thought it was handled pretty well throughout the book. My only problem is I don't see how Rick Yancey could make 2 or more books in this trilogy/series, but if he came up with this brilliant book I am positive he can prove me wrong.

Characters: I really enjoyed how he did different points of view throughout the book but the main character is Cassie and I really enjoyed her as a character. At times she came off as a little shallow but she is a flawed human, as are all these characters, and that is what made her feel so real. The other characters were also great! I loved Evan and learning about him through the book and Sammy's chapter was such a great addition to the story. Sure, it didn't give any real new information, but it was so heartbreaking watching that chapter unfold through the eyes of a child.

Overall: I loved the pacing of this book so much, it flowed really well and didn't seem so long while reading it, the book really flew by! I was a little worried about reading this book at first because I didn't like his other series but after getting past the prologue I knew I was in for a treat and I was not disappointed! His writing was lovely and I will be trying The Monstrumologist again. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series! 5/5 Stars

Upcoming Reviews - May 26th-June 1st

I will be posting reviews for the following books next week:

An Abundance of Katherines - John Green

Legend - Marie Lu

The Iron King - Julie Kagawa 

Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire

Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

If I Stay - Gayle Forman

Wake by Lisa McMann

Wake (The Wake Trilogy: Book 1) by Lisa McMann

Summary:  Not all dreams are sweet.

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody- notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

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Review: Wake was a good book but several things held it back from being one of my favorite reads of the year. I really enjoyed the plot and thought the characters were okay. The writing was too simple for me, I felt like it was written for middle grade readers but the plot was developed for young adult readers. I rolled my eyes several times while reading the book and thought the dialogue wasn't realistic.

Overall, I wanted to give the book 4 stars but because it was too simple, the characters weren't that well developed and the dialogue was laughable at times. I am looking forward to the rest of the trilogy to see what will happen. 3.5/5 Stars

PS. The other two books in the trilogy are out now!

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

 Summary: When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.

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Review: This was my first John Green book and I picked it because I liked how the plot sounded and people raved about all of his books, but boy was I disappointed! I didn't really enjoy any of the characters and the plot kept going in circles for me and it ended with a conclusion that fell quite flat for me. I enjoyed the road trip part of the book but since it didn't last too long and it wasn't a major part of the book I couldn't rated the book any higher than a 2.5. 

The biggest flaw in the book was Margo Speigelman, this girl does not seem to care about anyone but herself. I didn't care about why she was screwed up or how she got that way. I really didn't understand why anyone would want to be friends with her or do any of the things she did with Q and to top it all off was the ending of the book and Q's reaction.

Overall, I regretted reading Paper Towns because it was really the worst book I have read in years but I won't give up on John Green just yet. 2.5/5 Stars

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles: Book 1) by Marissa Meyer

Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 

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Review: Cinder was a surprising read for me, I had heard a lot about the book but didn't pick it up because I am not a big fan of classic fairy tales being retold. I finally decided to give it a try when it came out in paperback and read it right away and what a read it was! The book is a really quick read and flows really well. The characters are well developed and I fell in love with Cinder, Peony and Iko!  Iko has to be my favorite supporting character in a book since Dobby, I loved every scene she was in.

The evil stepmother was just that, evil. She was just one of the villains in the book and was really well written. The other villain is Queen Levana. She is the perfect villain and has the potential to become a classic villain.

However, I did have a few minor problems with the book. This will have a minor spoiler below! 

When Rikan died early in the book I didn't feel any emotion for the Prince and I felt those two should have been included in a Prologue and we should have seen the King while he was healthy so we could have gotten to know him as a person and felt something for him and the Prince when Rikan died.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the reading the rest of the series! 4.5/5 Stars

PS. The sequel, Scarlet, is out now!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent (Divergent Trilogy: Book 1) by Veronica Roth

Summary:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the YA scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

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Review: This book was fantastic and unlike many who first read dystopian because of The Hunger Games, this was my first book in that genre and what a genre it is! I feel this has to be one of, if not the most, creative genre because the author can do so much within the world they create. From the first page until the last chapter I couldn't put the book down, it flowed really well for me and I enjoyed Veronica's writing style very much. The only thing that held it back from being a 5 Star book was that I didn't find any character that unique, besides Four of course. I liked all of the "good" characters though and felt the villains were really well written. I will be reviewing Insurgent soon and am eagerly awaiting Allegiant. 4.5/5 Stars

PS. The movie is currently being filmed and will be out on March 21st, 2014!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

                     City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 1) by Cassandra Clare

Summary: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . ..

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.
               

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Review: I enjoyed City of Bones quite a bit and loved how fast the story moved. My favorite parts of the book were Isabella, Alec and Magnus. It did have some major downfalls for me though, like the ending!!! The ending is one of the worst I have read in years. I also didn't love Clary or Jace that much in the first book, but I will continue on with it and see if they grow on me. Overall I really enjoyed the read and will be reading the rest of the series but it might take me some time since the ending left a bad taste in my mouth. 4/5 Stars

Have you read City of Bones? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments.

PS. The movie is out on August 23rd.