Datasets:

dhmeltzer

/

goodreads_train

like 0

I will read anything this woman writes.

Want to win an ARC of The Glass Casket? Hop on over to the official cover reveal for a chance to win!

I am intrigued! ------- It's pre-game time before the Elemental Read Along tomorrow! I had the opportunity to hear Brigid read a little of this yesterday at a signing. Bad boy? Gimme.

You know what? Julie Kagawa is an evil genius. If that wasn't evident with the ending in The Iron Queen or even with The Immortal Rules, she definitely drove the point home with The Iron Traitor's ending. I'm a little stunned this time around because I'm left wondering how she'll manage to end this thing in the next book. You'll have to excuse me if this review seems a little scattered, but the last few pages blew my little socks off into next Tuesday. It's interesting that I'd have such a strong reaction to this installment because for the majority of the novel, I didn't feel it was as strong as Kagawa's previous works. The tone is more subdued, the witty banter is not as frequent and the overall novel just feels, for a lack of a better word, low. In hindsight, I guess that all makes sense because THAT ENDING. But it's also more than that, I realize. I knew this novel carried heavy implications for the characters. The title itself clearly gave that away as did the foreboding mannerisms of the original trio: Ash, Puck and Meghan. However, even going in knowing this, I'm still impressed that Kagawa went there. Brutally. I realize that this review is not being very helpful, so allow me to backtrack and give you a little something about the book. But it's probably not a good idea to read the rest of this review if you haven't read The Lost Prince. What I loved: As usual, Kagawa writes fun, relatable characters. I always know when I pick up one of her books that I'm going to laugh and fall in love with her cast. It's unavoidable and lovely. Ethan just wants a normal life with his girlfriend, Kenzie, the girl who is dying. He'd like nothing more for the fey to leave him and, more importantly, Kenzie alone. But Kenzie wants to live the rest of her life free from restrictions and craves the adventures the Nevernever provides. After trying his hardest to keep her away from Their world, they set out to look for Keirran, who has not returned to the iron realm after their last adventure. As always, there is a prophecy involved that neither Ethan or Keirran is aware of, one that has the potential to bring an end to everything. Ominously awesome, right? I loved Keirran especially. He's mysterious, broken, tortured and b-b-bad to the bone. Well, not really that last one, but I just wanted an excuse to say that. That is, unfortunately, the impression that he gives everyone, including Ethan, who internally struggles with his feelings of both resentment and family duty. The dynamic between Keirran and Ethan allowed for two deeper messages in the storyline, more so than I remember in Kagawa's other novels. 1. How far do you go to help out a family member? There's no doubt that Ethan has the most to lose and little to gain from helping Keirran. Ethan blames Keirran's existence for the reason why he lost his sister Meghan to the Nevernever. Interestingly, while he remains deeply bitter about the ordeal, he always comes through for Keirran when he needs the help, even against better judgement. 2. How do you let the one you love go? What I didn't expect to find in this spin-off was the underlying message of letting loved ones go. Ethan and Keirran aren't so different. They are both outsiders and in love with girls who are terminally ill. It's a terrible situation to see one character in, let alone two. (In case you missed it, please refer to my second sentence: Julie Kagawa is an evil genius.) The difference between the two guys is their readiness to let their love interests go. I'm not entirely convinced that Ethan is ready, but there are certain lines he has made clear he won't cross, even if that means prolonging Kenzie's life. The same can't be said for Keirran, who would destroy the world if that meant he could spend just an hour more with Annwyl. There's no doubt in my mind that the next book will make me cry a river, but I'm left wondering: At whose loss? How can any of this possibly end well? At least with The Iron Fey series, you had an idea of how things could conclude, though, of course, Kagawa didn't go that route. But with The Call of the Forgotten, I'm mystified and worried because THAT ENDING. There's only one thing left I can do: Hold out until the next book and hope my heart can take whatever Kagawa decides to dish. *ARC was received from YABC and the HarlequinTeen. Thank you! No monies or gifts were exchanged for this review. I am genuinely a Kagawa fangirl! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I didn't enjoy Spirit as much as I did Spark, which is interesting since Gabriel is my least favorite brother, but I was very surprised to see how far Kemmerer took her characters. Hunter has probably had the roughest past out of them all and he dealt with a lot of pain and drama. I felt bad for the guy. Also, I really think the writing in Spirit is the strongest so far in the series, especially since it didn't work too well for me in Storm. Overall, I'll be continuing on with this series because I can't wait to read Nick's book! ====== Are you ready to kick off the final portion of the Elemental series Read Along? I know you're dying to know what happens next. So are Jen and I! Also, Spirit is up on NetGalley now. So go request it! Big thank you to K-Teen and Wendy from The Midnight Garden for hosting the Spirit Blog Tour and providing these awesome books. Don't forget to check out The Starry-Eyed Revue and Cuddlebuggery where you can win these books, SIGNED!

3.5 Maybe? I really enjoyed the ending so I'm rounding up. I spent a good portion of this book floating somewhere between wanting to punch Gabriel Merrick in the face and wanting to hug him and bake him cookies. Our pyromaniac always has the ability to bring up the most strong feelings due to his personality being so unpredictable. In Storm, I down-right hated him because, let's be honest, he's a dick. But somehow in Spark I started feeling differently. Don't get me wrong, I still don't love Gabriel, but I don't hate him anymore either. Spark reminds me another book I've recently that features an anti-hero as its love interest: The Collector . The biggest difference is that Gabriel already has a past for really not being very well-liked in Storm. So he has to overcome a reader's preconceived notions and I honestly didn't think I could like this guy, even a little, after his behavior in Storm. Having the story told from his point of view definitely helped the situation. I think if it had been told by another character, it's possible I would have still be on the fence with this guy. Or driven into a murderous rage. Other than Gabriel, we are introduced to another character I wasn't too sure of at first: Layne. In the end, I came out liking her much better than I did Becca from Storm. I know that this book could easily read as The Player meeting The Virgin and changing his ways, because that does happen. That viewpoint is completely valid. But for me, I saw this as something a little more. This isn't you Edward/Bella situation. Layne is a strong character, albeit flawed, but she does something that other people, specifically girls, usually don't do when it comes to dealing with him. She challenges him when he's most vulnerable. And while she does admit early on that she is physically attracted to him, she doesn't put up with his bullshit... ...or immediately buy into his charm. In Spark, Gabriel is at a point in his life where he realizes that he and his twin brother, Nick, might not always be together. This becomes even more apparent when a fight leaves them on non-speaking terms for majority of the book. Without his twin by his side, he doesn't know who he is or what he wants to do with his life beyond high school. He's pushed his brothers away to the point where they don't even know how to handle him. To top it all off, he's struggling in school without Nick's help. He's alone. Gabriel is a character who is used to having everything handed to him. Girls, good grades, sports. He's never really had to "work" for any of those things the way others have. But with Layne, it's an experience for him. He needs her help to pass math and ends up spending a lot of time with her. And she doesn't exactly make it easy for him. What made it interesting for me is how much they had in common personality-wise. They both are guarding secrets from their past, not used to letting anyone get close and both are very lonely. So for me, while Layne was the more unexperienced one when it came to relationships, I never felt any emphasis really place on that as being a reason for Gabriel's attraction. And if Storm reminds me of Four Brothers , than Spark is She's All That, except there's no bet (another favorite movie of mine, by the way). Layne is the unpopular girl who gets bullied by the other kids and Queen Bee, Taylor (hey, same name as the lead bully from She's All That). There's even a scene where Layne is tricked into attending a party and the bullies humiliate her there. There's no wine being poured down her dress, but she is sexually assaulted (groped by a dude while others get it on camera). I didn't really care for the part for the same reasons why Becca's almost rape scene bothered me. I don't like it used as a plot device. Replace Layne with a male character and it would have been an entirely different prank, but because she is a female, the prank *has* to do with her sexuality in some way. \(-_-)/ ***Time Out*** Why are all the lead female characters sexually assaulted? First Becca and now Layne. And if they aren't, then some type of emphasis is placed on their appearance. Becca's best friend Quinn is regularly teased by Gabriel for being "chubby." And even Taylor, the bully, is insulted as "looking like a prostitute" by Layne. I'm starting to notice a trend here... ***Time In*** But one really positive thing I can say about Spark is that the writing felt noticeably stronger than Storm. I had no problem adjusting the Kemmerer's writing style and I enjoyed it much more this time around. The dialogue also was an improvement to me. That's not to say it was terrible in Storm, but it was funnier in Spark. Gabriel is a bonafide smartass and his personality clearly came in loud and clear. But I just love how there is someone time enough for his little remarks. "You know," he said by way of greeting, "the night I caught you with Layne, I called you a future felon. I didn't realize you'd make good on that prediction so quickly." "That night you dragged Layne out of my driveway, I called you an asshole. Guess we were both right." And: "Were you bluffing about getting out?" Gabriel grabbed the door handle. When he was standing in the grit and rubble of the shoulder, feeling the rain trail down his collar, he hesitated before closing the door. "You know I don't even have a phone." "Would now be a bad time for a joke about smoke signals?" "Fuck you." Truly, it was never a dull moment from Gabriel Merrick's point of view. All in all, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Spark considering my reservations of its leading man. But that last 25%! GAH! It'll be very interesting to see where this story goes next. Very interesting indeed. A Finished copy was provided by K-Teen as apart of the Spirit Blog Tour, hosted by The Midnight Garden. No monies or favors were exchanged for a positive review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog. -------- Are you ready for round two of the Elemental Read Along?! Join Jen and I as we read Spark. Then head over to Jen's review to discuss on May 12th!

Actual rating: 3.5 I cannot get enough of Dante! He is one of the best anti-heroes I have read about in a long time and has some of the best lines. I can't even begin to count how many times I laughed while reading The Liberator. What I loved most was the character development of Dante. He's a lot more serious this time around, and if you've read The Collector, you'll know that's pretty big for him. He starts to question his and Charlie's relationship more because they fell so hard and fast for one another. I thought that was well played considering there were some reviewers who feel their relationship bordered on insta-love. So for Dante to question this and work on his feelings, it was a good move. The ending really surprised me and Warrior is a must read for me this year!

Should I break out in song and dance to "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep?" One lonely star. I'm just as surprised as you are, considering I just KNEW going into Eleanor & Park that I would love it, love it, love it. What reason would I have to believe otherwise? Almost all of my friends loved this book and have sworn fealty to the Goddess of Feels and Might, Rainbow Rowell. And I get it because she is a pretty awesome person and I think she is totally lovely. So trust me when I say I REALLY wanted to love this book. In fact, I am blindsided that I didn't, saddened that I can't join the Eleanor & Park Kool Kidz Fan Club and disappointed at such a disjointed reading experience. Random Reasons Why I Didn't Like This Book: 1. The Romance My main issue stems from the romance between Eleanor and Park. I just... didn't get it. Though, that's not for lack of trying because I had many arguments with Adult Me and Teen Me in my brain. Teen Me remembers the infatuation of meeting someone exciting and experiencing all those special moments for the first time. However, with Eleanor and Park, it was entirely unrealistic and unbelievable. Park went from "God! Just sit the fuck down, Eleanor!" to "God, she has incredibly soft hands." Eleanor went from "That stupid Asian kid" to "He's so pretty. I love his hair! I want to eat his face!" The next thing I know, Park is telling Eleanor that he's in love with her, how he can't imagine being without her, that she's IT for him. Then Eleanor is telling him she doesn't breathe when she's away from him. Adult Me was not on board because the romance moved entirely too swiftly for my feelings to catch up with the events that were taking place. No, I take that back. "Swiftly" would indicated that there was some sort of actual pacing involved, but that was absent. One day they disliked each other and the next they were holding hands and proclaiming their love. I remember listening to that part while I was out on a morning run, and I had to stop and rewind because I legitimately thought I missed an entire chapter. But then I realized that I hadn't and I argued with myself. Adult Me: *twitch* Teen Me: Yeah, but remember when you thought you were in love with that guy and how you were going to marry him? Adult Me: Yes... Teen Me: So obviously they're not going to be together forever and ever and gallop into the sunset, but you can't discount those feelings. Adult Me: *gumbles* I KNOW THAT. But I also never wanted to eat a guy's face... Teen Me: Please don't tell me I grow up without a heart. Adult Me: ... 2. The Historical Background Eleanor & Park takes place in Omaha, 1986, where there's racial tension. Park is half white and half Korean. He spends most of his time trying not to be noticed by other kids at school and struggling with his own insecurities over his mixed heritage. Yet, oddly, throughout the entire novel, Park doesn't encounter any racism. Apart from a few brief monologuing sessions about his classmates thinking he was Chinese, Eleanor's off-hand "stupid Asian kid" remarks and Park's own dislike for, in his opinion, looking too feminine, there wasn't anything that felt accurate. Park's character had so much more potential that was not utilized. I was hoping for something more from his development regarding how he viewed himself and his mother. Perhaps a certain level of acceptance or resolve would have been appropriate. There were also two black girls who befriend Eleanor, but even they don't seem to face any racism in this predominately white neighborhood. It was like Rowell deliberately tip-toed around them and instead threw in a reference to the community being offended by a black boy getting a white girl pregnant. Strangely, the only one who seemed to get picked on was Eleanor. I do think it's awesome that this novel had diversity, something that is sorely missing in YA, but I wasn't buying what Rowell was selling. At the same time, Rowell never let you forget that this book was set in the 80s since Eleanor & Park is overloaded with pop culture references on almost every other page. (I admit to chuckling to the 867-5309 reference.) Still, we also never forgot Park was Asian with Eleanor constantly referencing it in her narration to the point that I started feeling uncomfortable. 3. The Narration I wasn't a huge fan of the back and forth narrative and found that it annoyed me more than anything. This is where I wonder if my rating is more an indication of how I felt about the audio vs. the actual story. I disliked both of the narrator's voices. The parts of Eleanor's dialogue that was "snarky" wasn't portrayed with the right kind of emotion. Park's narration was slightly better, but the narrator, Sunil Malhotra, bored me to tears with his monotone reading and unbelievable voice for Eleanor. 4. The Story I'll be honest and admit that it's possible that I didn't "get" this book. It may have just gone way over my head. Why? Rowell tried to cram a lot of story and situations into one little book and it didn't work for me. Before going into Eleanor & Park I was told that the ending was heartbreaking, but I didn't feel that at all. Rowell relies on Eleanor's grim family life to spark sympathies from readers and I can see how this works and why it's marketed to John Green fans. However, the ending relies on your connection to their romance to feel the heartbreak. The problem with that was, by the end, I wanted to know what became of Eleanor's mom and siblings, but the focus was instead on her feelings for Park and letting him go. Eleanor spent a good amount of the story in this terrible environment, feeling these feelings and when I genuinely wanted to know her feelings about everything, all I get is a freaking post card and the book ends. Since the romance was doing absolutely nothing for me, I needed for the plot to come in and rescue this book. It did not. I'm not saying this was a terrible book. Not by a long shot. It's clear that this story has touched a lot of people and I wouldn't go as far to not recommend it, but I also think this is a bit overhyped. I went in with really high expectations, thinking I was going to be blown into next week by the awesome. Instead, I'm walking away with feelings brewing a special pot of "meh." Even still, I'm holding out hope for Fangirl... More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I thought things ended nicely in the first one. I wonder what this one could be about?

I have a mighty need.

Thank goodness this didn't fall victim to Second Book Syndrome. While I do think I enjoyed The Archived a tiny bit better than The Unbound, this was still up there as a tightly-plotted and well-written book. The best thing about both books is that the mystery is really solid. My mind was constantly trying to figure out who the bad guy was or how things would turn out in the end, but it surprised me. Also, more Wesley FTW! The thing that bugged me was Mac's inability to trust Wesley. I understand why she held back, but I felt very frustrated when he obviously wanted to help. At the same time, he was holding back from her and it looked like a convenient and deliberate attempt to give the romance tension. Man, I hate when that happens. The worst part is that I'll never know how it turns out since Disney didn't pick up the third book. BOOOO, DISNEY! I really hope Victoria considers self-publishing it, because I'd totally buy it.

I'll come back to this one a little later. I'm having a hard time getting into it. It's not bad, just slowly paced. (I'm also a little disappointed this doesn't pick up where Just One Day left off. I was hoping for an after.)

Actual rating: 4.5 stars Sometimes when I hear of professional critics or other authors looking down on the YA genre, I can't help but to shake my head and pity them. "The Young Adult genre is for kids!" they cry. "There's no depth!" they exclaim. And then I read a book like Fault Line and it's clear that those people have no idea what they're talking about. What other genre is able to connect so deeply with people of all ages? What other genre can push the limits as much as YA does and have us re-evaluate the way we see the world through the eyes our childhood we may have long moved past? Fault Line is not an easy book to read. It's raw, gritty and dark, but it's important. It doesn't tell a new story or one we're unfamiliar with. It highlights a situation in a way that really forces the reader to address the effects of how our society has dealt with rape and how it continues to shape how we view the victim. For me, Fault Line really resonated and made me cry. This will be a book that lingers. Ben meets Ani and is immediately smitten with her. Her blunt and straightforward personality is not something he's used to and causes him to keep on his toes. Much of the book's first half focuses on their romance and relationship. Their first date, awkward feelings, first kiss. It's sweet the way they fall for each other. You can tell they both care for each other deeply and it eventually develops into love. They're just normal teens, doing what normal teens do. Unfortunately, all of this unravels after Ani attends a party Ben decides not to go to and the consequences of that night changes everyone. At the party, Ani is gang raped by a group of guys and left passed out with no recollection of the event of the night. In the aftermath, she is left broken, a former shell of the girl she used to be, unable to move past the traumatic experience. Ben and Kate, the friend who was with her at the party, are guilt-ridden as they are plagued with the what-ifs and could-have-beens. Ben blames himself for not attending the party with Ani. Kate blames herself for not keeping a better eye on her best friend. And Ani. Ani blames herself and everyone, and in the process, losses her self-worth and identity. This book was so incredibly written. Sure Fault Line could have been written from Ani's perspective, but it would have lost Ben's obsession with fixing Ani, his horror of seeing is girlfriend self-destruct and the domino effect it had on his own life and family relationships. His narration is not always comfortable as he says things or does things that he doesn't mean. However, it was so realistic because he's just a kid, trying desperately to protect and help heal Ani. Ani and Ben's character development is not going to work for everyone. There's no doubt that her and Ben's life spirals out of control. Ani, who was once the talented artist and jewelry creator, barely smiles and suffers from Rape Trauma Syndrome. Ben, who has the promising future as swimmer and a potential scholarship, can no longer muster up the motivation to get in a pool and becomes obsessed. These characters do develop, just in the most heartbreaking way possible. It's going to confuse some readers and anger others. But it's also going to raise important questions on victim-blaming, a central theme of the novel. Who is to blame for Ani's attack? Is it Ben for not going to the party? Kate for not protecting her friend when she thought something was wrong? Or is Ani the one to blame for consuming alcohol? For making out with guys, table dancing, announcing to the crowd she would hook-up with the guys? Did all those things make her rapable? These questions don't surprise me and they do show up in one form of another from Ben, Ani herself and the student body. But they are only a distraction from the real issue, because victim-blaming serves only one purpose: it takes the blame away from the one person who deserves it the most, the rapist. "I heard one of them say something to his friend like 'We're gonna love this ride' when he was going upstairs with her." This is, unfortunately, how our society works. All one has to do is look at the most recent rape cases in the media. Just think about what happened with the Steubenville, Ohio rape case. The victim-blaming was astounding. "Oh, she was drunk. She doesn't even remember, how does she know she was raped. She was asking for it. She agreed to it." Ani's situation isn't so different. I think about this book and then I think about all the other women out there whose story I don't know or hadn't heard because she was too afraid or chose not to speak up or the attack was covered up. As a community and society, we generally suck when it comes to crimes against women and seeking justice for victims. "Although the police are investigating the party, chances are, they won't pursue it." Instead, we reason it away: Maybe she was confused. She was drunk. She probably wanted it. "Could've been roofies, though. I've seen chicks act like that when they're buzzing on Special K. There was a bunch of E going around at the party too." "Ani, it's still considered rape if you weren't fully conscious. You didn't really make those decisions. You have to be sober to consent." And make excuses: Maybe she had a history of doing what she did? Maybe she was just "one of those girls." "I'm not really a jump-in-the-sack-after-the-first-month kind of girl." Blame other parties: Maybe it's just how she was raised. Probably a broken family or the parents weren't involved in her life. "When you asked me to have sex with you, I thought I should get her opinion on the whole thing. I knew I wanted to, but we'd only been going out for like a month and sometimes my judgement gets a little skewed by your sexy baldness." "I figured my mom might help me see through all the hormone drama so I could look at things rationally." Sympathize with the rapist: But the guys who were with her were equally drunk! They didn't know what they were doing because they were wasted, too. "Yeah, a couple of guys came down talking about the show. They were the ones who called her the hot little Manhole." (Interesting how they were sober enough to remember it, tell their friends and brag.) But again, why do those things even matter? How are saying any of these things better than Todd Akin's "Legitimate Rape" comment? It isn't. But this is how things are. This is how society deals with rape cases in the media. We feel like we just don't know enough to call it rape. And while we sit around in our comfortable, familiar skins debating an incident we were miles and worlds away from, victims and their families suffer. This is the reality. But Fault Line is not a grandiose mystery novel where the main character sets out to discover the truth of that night. Its focus is on how Ben and Ani cope in the aftermath of her attack. It's about a victim struggling to reclaim her herself. It's about feeling powerless with helping the person you love, watching how one situation ruins a person to the point where they aren't the same anymore and might never be again. What do you do? Run away? Tell someone the secret that's not yours to tell? Stand by that person when it seems they don't even want you around anymore? There are no easy answers. I should warn readers that this book does not have a happy ending. In fact, some will find it very unsatisfying because of its openness. However, I found it very realistic. The road to Ani's recovery would most likely be hard and long and the novel ends with her at her worst. I'd like to think she eventually gets better, but that doesn't always happen in situations like this. If I have one negative thing to say, it's on the prologue. It didn't think it was necessary and detracted from the final scene in the novel. (view spoiler)[I know some have complained that the lighter was added for shock value, but I didn't feel that. Foreign objects used in gang rape is, unfortunately, not uncommon. (hide spoiler)] To conclude: This is going to be The Book That Divides. Personal views and experiences are bound to play a factor in how each reader receives Fault Line. Some people are going to love Ani, while others will hate her. Some may question the incident, while others will strongly connect with it. Some are going to question Ben's actions, while others applaud. Either way, Desir has us talking and with a topic that is so very misunderstood, that's never a bad thing. Highly recommended for older teens and joint reading for younger teens with their parents. ARC was received via Edelweiss from the publisher. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars, but what the hell? I'm rounding this baby up. This is the first novel that I've read from this author and I have to say that I am very impressed. I don't usually seek out crime, mystery or thriller/suspense novels, but I'm really glad I had an opportunity to read this one. There aren't many books where I can say I have almost nothing to complain about. And even though I've finished the book weeks ago, I still have nothing but high praises for it. Simply put, How to Lead a Life of Crime had fantastic writing, realistic characters and old fashion, damn good plotting. When I first read the blurb for this book, I'll admit to having pretty low expectations. I thought it would take on more of a humor angle, though I'm not exactly sure why I initially thought it would. The blurb took on a lot of serious topics that I thought, "Surely, this must be from a comic standpoint?" And I'd be wrong. But what I didn't expect was for Miller to take on a few major social issues and make them relevant to the teenage audience. And guys, she did this so well! First off, the main character is a guy and get this. HE SOUNDS LIKE A GUY. Not once did I feel like he was hiding ovaries from me. This made me rejoice because his authenticity, flaws, struggles, passions all felt so much more realistic to me. Flick is a character with very real problems. He's a homeless pickpocketer who was raised by an abusive, rich father. On the outside, it looked as though he had everything, but his entire life fell apart when both his mother and brother died. Flick blames his father and swears to one day make him pay. What happens afterwards is a plot so tightly woven, it made my head spin. But back to the social issues: The backdrop of the story is about Mandel Academy. To average, everyday folk, the school is praised as one of the best schools a youngster can attend. All graduates attend the best colleges and get the highest paying jobs. It's a highly coveted school and secures futures for kids that may have otherwise not been allotted such a luxury. Or so that's the image painted. What Mandel Academy really hides is its shady ways of criminal activity. The school essentially molds these kids into a bunch of crazies that can be controlled and set into positions of power all over the world. The scary thing is... I could totally see this as a realistic possibility. Miller carefully planted the perfect "what if..." seed by way of her excellent world building. It's easy to expect a certain level of world building for fantasy novels, but it's equally important for contemporary since it's set in a setting that is relevant to you. I really think it was done perfectly here. I mean, think about it. Politicians regularly are considered to be bought out by corporations or seemingly operating with someone else's interests in mind. Would it be so much of a stretch to think there could be a bigger organization at work here to keep the little people down? Influencing who gets voted into office? Approving and denying certain products and services? Am I starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist? Wait. Don't answer that last one. The point is: It was all believable. Maybe not as I'm trying to explain it, but as I read further and further, I started to think, "Wow. This could totally happen." What I also loved were the side characters and how big of a role they played in the entirety of the novel. Miller had a running theme of "No one is worthless" and that certainly applied to how she herself chose to use all her characters. Like Flick, I had written off Joi as just the girl he left behind. I knew from the blurb she would make a reappearance. But I did not expect her to make a come back and kick so much ass in the process. The girl was viciously badass. I thought I loved Flick and how well he had the Academy figured out, but then Joi came along and stole the spotlight. It really gave Flick some well-needed vulnerability because for a while he started to feel as unstoppable as June and Day from Legend. (In fact, I'd highly recommend How to Lead a Life of Crime to Marie Lu fans.) And then there is the villain. Like, whoa. I can't really go into so much detail because of spoilers, but it was very three-dimensional. Even in the end, the villain always seemed to be one step ahead of everyone. I can't say I didn't see it coming because it's slowly revealed to the reader as the novel goes on, but you never realize the extent of the crazy until the final chapters. Flick faces so many "demons" in this book that there were times I was unsure if he could do it. I was genuinely worried for his life and felt so invested that he'd be okay. Dare I say I was on the edge of my seat? The anticipation was built just right thanks to the perfect pacing and action packed quality. If there is one and only complaint I have, it's that whenever the f-bomb is dropped it's cut out of the book and instead appears like "f---". I don't know if that is just the ARC I was reading or if the finished copy was the same way, but it did bother me a bit. But that is a relatively small negative in comparison to everything else this book does right. The writing was excellent, the dialogue was smart and witty, the plot was air tight and the characters carefully planned. It's the novels that you aren't expecting that completely surprise you. How to Lead a Life of Crime is one of them. If it's not on your to-read list now, it should be. Side note: Weirdly enough, the finished copy was compromised. Though it is unknown, someone altered passages and added typos. It's alluded that the book has enemies, which adds another level of creepiness given the book's premise. You can find out more about that here. *Unsolicited ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Whoever wrote that blurb deserves a gold star. This sounds awesome!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars I think I can count on exactly one hand, minus one or two fingers, how many Middle Grade novels I actually enjoy. Now I have one more to add to that number. I admit to being very skeptical of MG for myself because they just don't usually work for me. I can appreciate them from a literary standpoint and may even recommend a few titles to younger readers, but do they entertain this picky reader? Nu-uh. But I decided to give it a chance because I liked the premise. Guys, I am shocked because I really loved this book! There is only one other MG novel that had me this excited and that was A Monster Calls for obvious reasons. (I mean, c'mon. That books just freakin' rips your heart out.) But The Bully Book was hilarious and utterly charming. The reason why I think I connected so well with this book is because it covers a topic that everyone must have dealt with at some point in their lives as kids. Once upon a time I was bullied in school by a group of girls. I remember thinking it was some type of conspiracy since I had barely said three words to them. I was a pretty laid back kid and didn't enjoy conflict. Whatever the reason, I guess I was easy pickings for them. And no matter how many times I tried to defend myself and appeal to my teachers, I was the one always in trouble. It was then that I realized one very important fact of life: kids are evil. But then I grew up to be a beautiful runway model, rolling in the green stuff and they did not. Well, not really, but it sounded awesome at age 10. In a place where hormones are at first bloom, where no one wants to be left out and everyone wants to be accepted, it's not hard to see the potential for problems. That's where we find the main character Eric. He essentially discovers that he has been labeled "The Grunt" of his grade and proceeds to become the victim of bullying even by a boy who was once considered his best friend. But what I loved about Eric, besides his witty comments, was his determination to not sit back and accept this role his peers decided for him. The Bully Book chronicles Eric's quest to discovery with both journal entires from himself and pages of the actual Bully Book. I really enjoyed this stylistic choice because it added a nice layer of mystery and suspense. Eric is racing to find the original creator of this book that was systematically created to ruin one kid's entire school life. It was so compelling, I found myself caught up in the allure of discovering the author as well. By the end, though the book is short, I realized just how many issues it tackled: Mob mentality, peer pressure, emotional distress of a child that is bullied, the conflicted feelings of bystanders unsure of how to help and, ultimately, the ramifications of the damage it does to a person's self-confidence well past when the bullying ends. These are huge issues and I feel the author did such a great job of presenting them in not only a thought-provoking manner, but in such a way that didn't bore me to tears. I was *this close* to not reading it, but I've learned something from this experience. Your next favorite read can surprise you and come in the most unlikely of packages. This is a great read for kids that seamlessly entertains and enlightens. One that I'll be gifting to a certain special kid. Unsolicited ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. Thanks, HarperCollins! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

That cover is simply beautiful and the synopsis... GIMME! I need this NOW.

Actual rating: 4.5 That's it. Kasie West is now one of my new favorite authors. After being completely swept off my feet by Pivot Point, West has once again warmed my heart with so many cute moments. She continuously manages to create down to earth, relatable characters and all-around fun books. The Distance Between Us follows Caymen Meyers, a girl who has certain opinions about rich people thanks to her mother's clear disdain. Her mom has raised her to think very negatively about the Haves verses the Have Nots due to her own troubled past with a rich ex-boyfriend. So naturally, when rich boy Xander Spence walks into their doll shop and "beckons" her, she's pretty much already had her mind made up. But in a strange turn of events they begin spending more time together on these "career days." What happens next can only be described as one of the most ADORBS books you can ever read! While the novel is more romance centered, West never spares her characters room to grow and develop. The time Caymen spends with Xander shows her that her mother's bias is just that, bias based on her own experiences. In fact, Xander himself is the one to acknowledge that both he and Caymen aren't that different regardless of income level. Thus, these "career days" are born which helps reveal what they each want to do with their lives despite parental expectations placed on them. And through this, an unlikely friendship blossoms and later turns to first love. I absolutely loved this story to bits. There was't a moment I was bored or not entertained thanks to the AWESOME sarcasm from Caymen. It's not the kind everyone will enjoy, but it was just right for me, leaving me laughing out loud at almost every page. And when I wasn't laughing, I was sighing at the perfect dialogue between Xander an Caymen. "Caymen?" "Yes?" "You look terrified. Does this scare you?" "More than anything." "Why?" "Because I didn't bring my mints." "And now the real answer . . ." "Because I'm afraid that once you catch me, the game's over." *Happy sigh* Kasie West writes the type of romance I love to read. It's not cheesy or over the top. It's not unbelievable or unrealistic. It doesn't make you roll your eyes or make your head collide with a wall from frustration. It's the kind that makes you all giddy inside. The kind that gets your feels all "a meltin'" and the type that makes you twirl around in your living room like your a Disney Princess. And that's the best kind of feeling ever! Final verdict: I'd highly recommend this totally adorable book. If you're in a reading slump and you need a book to bring a smile to your face, this is your book. If you are looking to be entertained, look no further. If you are just looking for a cute read that will wrap your heart up in a blanket made of feels, read this book and twirl, my friends. Weeeeeee! ARC was received from Amy of Book Loving Mom. Thanks again, Amy! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I'm really starting to think I need to spend more time in the Contemporary genre. While I'm there I might as well finally read If I Stay and Where She Went. Yes, I can't believe I haven't read them yet either. No, I'm not sure what my malfunction is. But what I am sure of is how happy I am to have finally read a Gayle Forman novel. Just One Day came complete with a charming cast of characters, Parisian backdrop and such a relatable coming of age story. Right from the start I knew I would love this book. Allyson reminds me so much of my younger self. She's unsure of herself, follows the rules to the T, is more focused on the approval of other around her verses what she wants, etc. I'm sure we could all relate to feeling that way at one point in our lives and that's what made this book real for me. While Allyson is traveling Europe with her teen tour group, she stumbles across Willem, who seems to be the opposite of herself. So for just one day, Allyson decides take a few chances, takes up the alter ego "Lulu" and becomes the spontaneous traveler. I totally get that. Sometimes you just want to take a page from Nike and JUST DO IT. Even still today, I get those urges of just letting go and let live. But then, the next thing I know things have gotten so widely out of control. And soon after, I'm once again craving my comfort box. But enough about me... What I loved about Just One Day is how Allyson both loses herself that day in Paris and later finds herself over the course of a year afterwards. When all is said and done and she has to resume her life after being left by Willem, she's broken, a mere shadow of who she thought she was. I think it was there that I truly started to connect with Allyson on a deeper level. Here we have a former honor student struggling to get by in her college courses, struggling to keep former relationships intact and struggling at making new ones. What I found most interesting is that it's not her relationship with Willem that metaphorically heals her, but the secondary characters she meets at college. How often do we read in YA novels the male heart-throb being the catalyst for change in the heroine? Too often, in my opinion. Allyson's change is gradual and is due to various people and experiences, most of which have nothing to do with Willem. Ya know, pretty much how life is supposed to work. I went into this story expecting some sort of fluffy romantic contemporary novel, but I guess I should have known it wouldn't be that simple. I suppose that's what I get for being fashionably late to the Gayle Forman party. *dons her party hat* What I got was a novel that really examines that feeling of uncertainty of who we choose to be, how others perceive us, and how those two situations are sometimes mutually exclusive. The feeling of enlightenment I had with Just One Day was very similar to how I felt while reading Wanderlove, which also features a girl searching for answers, but ends up finding so much more. Then, of course, you have the fantastic setting of Paris. I've always wanted to go to Paris and one day I intend to. But while I was reading, it was so easy to visualize the french cafes, the old buildings, the culture. This is the second travel type novel I've read and it's a wonderful change in scenery. High school angst vs. Europe. I think we know who wins that round. If there is one thing I have to nitpick, it'd be the ending. Not that it was bad, but I think it has more to do with personal tastes. It's also where I found myself conflicted. Right after finishing Just One Day, I felt I needed more, that I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. I wanted her to find Willem and to figure out what happened. But on further reflection I realized something. This wasn't about Willem. It was about Allyson finding herself. So clever, Forman. But I still want to know what happens after that door opens. So, I think it goes without saying that I'll be needing Just One Year. Heh. I love novels that take me away from the usual and make me think. Just One Day was just what I needed. Refreshing, humorous and deep. ARC was received from the publisher for and honest review. Thank you, PenguinTeen! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Why, hello there, lovely. :D

Dystopian novels disappoint me the most out of any other sub-genre. Arclight has to be one of my most anticipated books of 2013 and I was not disappointed. Despite the fairly predictable plot twist, Arclight does offer strong writing and imaginative creatures: The Fade. Which basically means this review will be a lovefest of all things Fade. The strongest point in Arclight is without a doubt Josin's writing style and her beautiful descriptions. Every scene was so visual in my head and this was so important because by only reading the blurb, it's hard to understand what the book is really about. The world is so different and it's covered in darkness. Josin slowly reveals to the reader how things came about while still maintaining some sort of ambiguity. I really think that is where a lot of dystopian novels fail to grab me. Some don't seem to let the reader know anything about their world. It's just usually a "My world is terrible, people die. Deal with it." kind of thing. But not in Arclight. The reader finds out more as Marina does and that part was not predictable. You may have heard that there is a love triangle and that is true, but it's not a bad one. There are two guys who are vying for Marina's affection, Tobin who I wasn't really sold on and the other is... "Honey Bunches". That is what I will call him because he was filled to the brim with sweetness! Both guys do have their faults. Tobin carries a chip about on his shoulder and blames Marina for something that happened in the past. And on the other hand, "Honey Bunches" is the jealous type, but I honestly can't blame him for his anger (you'll have to read the book to see what I mean). And then you have the Fade themselves which was nothing short of brilliant. I absolutely love them and it's what really sold me on this novel. They are so different and fascinating. I especially love the way they communicated and their ability to say so little, but their words packed so much punch. It was the way they viewed the world and each other and the way their names transcended human language that made me truly believe Josin did an AMAZING job developing them. And OMGosh, I just want to tell everyone about my favorite part, but spoilers! I will say it was right before the ending when secrets are being revealed and Marina has this moment of clarity. She looks at "Honey Bunches" and ahhhhh!!! My feels and that scene made sweet, sweet lovin'. Now that isn't to say that Arclight was perfect. It's one of those books that dives into the whole "I'm the new girl in this strange world and I don't know who I am". I really love those books for the mystery and for finding out the story behind the main character's memory loss. The problem is when you already see it coming and that anticipation that should have been building for a good period of the novel is all for nothing. However, even though this was Arclight's biggest problem, it didn't really bother me that much and gave me similar feelings to how I felt about the plot twist in Cinder . By the time the Big Reveal came around, I was already so invested in the story and the characters. But strangely, there was a good that came out of the predictability. I was very surprised about all the characters' reactions to the twist, especially Marina's. She chooses one guy over another and I did not approve. All throughout the novel, and particularly the second half, I was shipping Marina and Honey Bunches hard. Like, there was no doubt in my mind that Marina would end up with the guy I was rooting for. And yet, she didn't and I was so unhappy. I felt all my feels melting faster than the Wicked Witch of the West. Thankfully, I did discover the other day that there is a sequel, Meridian, and I honestly couldn't be happier because knowing this completely changes my original thoughts on the ending. All is not lost and dammit, THIS SHIP SHALL SAIL ON. *pumps fist* Plus, I need to read more about the Fade. Overall, I *really* enjoyed this book and I can't wait to find out more about the characters. I received an e-ARC from the publisher for review, but was later gifted a physical ARC from Christina @ A Reader of Fictions. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

GAH! Look at that cover!! GIMME GIMME GIMME!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars Usually I don't like reading novellas. I find that I have a harder time connecting with the characters with such few pages. So I was surprised that by the time I read the last page of Shadows I found myself missing Dawson and Bethany. Perhaps it's because I devoured Shadows right after completing Obsidian. I'm not sure. Or maybe it's because despite Dawson and Bethany's absence thus far in the series, I can still feel that they play a much bigger role than perviously realized. Whatever the case, I found this novella to be entirely bittersweet. If there is one thing that I take away from reading Shadows it's the reasons behind Daemon's interactions with Katy in Obsidian. Don't get me wrong. That doesn't make his actions okay in any shape or form. But it does give the reader better insight. Basically, it's nice to know Daemon wasn't just being a complete jackass just for the hell of it (though, I do think he enjoyed tormenting Katy at times and she him). What's interesting was seeing the almost the exact same events that happened with Daemon also happening with Dawson; something Daemon tried very hard to prevent. Going into the novella, I already knew the general story behind what happened to Dawson and Bethany since it's referenced a bit in Obsidian, but to actually see it play out was a different story. Dawson is the kinder twin of the Black family, so it was relatively easy to grow attached to him and root for his determination at staying with Bethany despite the obstacles in their relationship. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same feelings for Bethany as I did Katy. She wasn't a bad character and I didn't dislike her, but I don't feel I got a good feel for her. I think it's because most of the events were focused around Dawson than Bethany. And not to mention I was still riding my "Katy high" when I dived right into Shadows. I did like Dawson and Bethany together. And I usually don't like "love at first sight" stories, but there wasn't any insta-love to be found, just instant attraction that later turned into something more, which is perfectly realistic. If fans are looking for a more action packed story, this one probably isn't it since it does focus mostly on Dawson and Bethany's first meeting to their getting-to-know-you's and dates. It's a much slower paced book than its processor and less witty. I thought that was appropriate considering the novella carried a certain level of foreboding from the first page that demanded seriousness. All throughout the novel you are watching them go through the motions, attempting the impossible, all the while heading for the inevitable. I wanted to reach out and tell Dawson to not go to that movie theatre that night, but alas, the book was already written. *sigh* All in all, this was a very good novella and I will definitely be continuing with the rest of the series.

Needs a re-read.

Needs a re-read.

Needs a re-read.

Needs a re-read.

This cover is badass. I love it even more than Stormdancer's. And you can win an ARC at Cuddlebuggery! -------- Are you kidding me? Of course I'm reading this. The lotus must bloom.

This series makes me so happy. <3

Very fun read! Just what I needed right now. :)

OH THIS SERIES WHY DID IT HAVE TO END? The Grisha series is one of my favorite series and I'm so sad to see it end. Shadow and Bone still remains my favorite of the trilogy, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I know this ending had some a little miffed (I'm trying not to spoil anything for those who still haven't read it), but I didn't mind it too much. I had quite a few SHIPS in this series and I can't say I'm disappointed with who Alina ended up with because I always knew deep down that it would always be that way. As for the writing... it's everything you'd want and more from Leigh Bardugo. The wit, humor and banter is there with an awesome cast of characters like STRUMHOND LOTS OF HIM YES. I'll definitely be checking out the spin-off series. (Also, the narrator oddly enough sounds like Bardugo. Am I the only one to notice that?)

I always go into a second book in a series with fears that it will have the dreaded "Second Book Syndrome". I worry that the characters will regress, the plot will stall and surmount to overall ridiculousness, and in the end, become boring and lathered in disappointment. So even though The Grisha series is a new favorite for me, I still had these concerns. You cannot even imagine my glee when I discovered Siege and Storm did NOT suffer from any of these things. On the contrary, it was even better than its predecessor. If you loved Shadow and Bone, be prepared to be blown away! There are so many things I want mention and squeal about in this review, but OH THE SPOILERS. And anyway, Kat did such a great job with reviewing in code already. So I've decided to just write letters. Dear Darkling, You're so evil, but I can't seem to conjure up any feelings of dislike for you. In fact, I missed you in Siege and Storm. For most of the novel, you were gone from me, only appearing in Alina's dreams. How fair is that? Don't you know how much I need your evil goodness to be present at all times? Seeing you torture the poor peasants of the Grisha world, warms my heart. And, oh, Darkling, what new skills you have. Wait, does that sound dirty? Because it totally isn't. Then again, you did tell us all to, "Make me your villain." It's only fair if I, too, am allowed at least one inappropriate pun. But seriously, you've leveled up faster than a Super Saiyan in Siege and Storm. Kat says you learned to line dance, but I think it's more along the line of baking cookies. You showed those cookies who was boss! But your ending concerns me. I guess the cookie batter turned out to be much more difficult that you expected. Maybe you should take a page from Paula Deen and add more evil butter. I'm not sure this has anything to do with book 3, Ruin and Rising, but I just like cookies, okay? And you. I like you too. So be sure to be extra evil next time and give those cookies a run for their money. Love, Steph -------------------- Dearest Mal, Please do us all a favor and stop being so insecure over your relationship with Alina. The girl's got a lot on her plate. She has the responsibility of saving all of Ravka, which is kinda a tad more important than you. I need for you to be more understanding and supportive. I liked you in Shadow and Bone, but I'm starting to think I'm outgrowing my mildly inappropriate swooning of you. Just yesterday, I found myself wondering if Leigh might actually kill you off in Ruin and Rising. If that happens, it's possible I might only mourn you for half a page. No, no, no! I take it back! Don't you dare die on me, Mal-Mal! True love is tough love, Steph P.S. I still love you, Mal. <3 -------------------- Sturmhond, I think I speak for everyone when I say, please become a real person. xoxo, Steph ======== And finally: Dear Leigh, Amazing. You are evil. Evil, evil, evil. So evil, your stories leave me speechless. Your humor sends me into fits of giggles and tickles my tender pieces. Your plots make me wish I can pack my bags and vacate to your mind if only for a day. Please don't ever stop being this awesome evil. And because Troy gifs have become our thing: Also, that ending is causing me to hit the Kvas pretty hard tonight. Look what you've done to me. Mal, Darkling, Sturmhond... I must collect them all. Hiccup, Steph An ARC was received for a review from the publisher. No monies or favors were exchanged for a positive review. Thanks, Macmillan! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I had a very difficult time rating this book. One one hand, I did relatively enjoy it. But on the other hand, it had a few issues that stuck out like an angry throne for the entire duration of the novel. So what does that exactly equate to? A big ol' pot of "meh" for the most part, but not to the extent that I wouldn't recommend the book. When I first heard about MILA 2.0, I was ridiculously excited to get my hands on it. The blurb sounded right up my alley and I expected a lot of action, fight scenes, technology, government conspiracies, etc. And this did happen, which is why I believe it will make a great TV show. BUT, and here's the kicker, it was the awkward romance - that's not really much of a romance - that bothered me the most, along with Mila's internal monologuing that mirrored Tris from Insurgent. *headdesk* Spoiler: That's not a good thing. I do want to point out that writing style and plot were serviceable and enjoyable. Mila is introduced as a 16-year-old girl who has no clue she is an android. Instead she believes she is just moving to a new town with her mother after the loss of her father. After an accident that reveals Mila's truth, she and her mother find themselves on the run from bad guys. Unfortunately, they were later captured and Mila must come to terms with her android self in order for her and her mom to have any chance of survival. Doesn't that sound awesome? The chase scenes and fight sequences are where Driza truly shines in MILA 2.0. She took her time and gave a fair amount of anticipation and thrill for the reader. However, a novel can't rely on that alone. So even though I enjoyed this book overall, I have some big complaints. The Characters: I felt like the characterization could have really used some work. The only character that I slightly cared about was Mila and that's pushing it due to her borderline Mary-Sueness. This is not because they were bad characters, it's just that I didn't feel a connection to them. There isn't a lot of time spent with any one character besides the evil General Holland (and obviously, he wasn't exactly huggable) and another scientist named Lucas (BTW, what are gold-tipped eyelashes??). They all seemed very conveniently placed in the story to help Mila in some way, but in actuality, we know nothing about any of them. Mila's mom was a scientist. Hunter is a new boy at school. Lucas is a scientist that goes to MIT. General Holland is evil. Kaylee is a mean girl. They were nothing more than pawns on a chessboard. I mean, where is the depth? Why should I care about any of them just because Mila thinks about them? Furthermore, the relationships were very flimsy to me. There was no development between Mila and her mom. Or Mila and Hunter. Or Mila and Kaylee. They were just sort of thrown together and the reader is supposed to accept things for the way they are. The Love Interest: Okay, so this is weird for me because I think this is the first time where I actually would have liked there to have been more romance. Not because I wanted romance in the story, but because of the way Hunter's character was introduced and later left completely left out. The beginning is set up so that you believe there is going to be a heavy romantic storyline included between the new guy at school, Hunter, and Mila. Her best friend, Kaylee, also likes this Hunter guy and they end up fighting over him. Now this makes me angry for two reasons: 1. The introduction of the love interest turns a female character into a complete bitch and female stereotype. 2. Mila turns into a complete pushover and never really attempts to repair the relationship until it's too late. All that happens in maybe a week or so. The whole thing felt like such a setup. So by the time Mila goes on the run, she has had a total of three encounters with Hunter (who we know nothing about), including an almost kiss. Yet, she thinks about this guy constantly throughout the entire novel. She thinks about his eyes, his hair, his "lopsided grin." I mean, the loyalty of their "relationship" made no logical sense to me. But I tried to give the novel the benefit of the doubt. I *think* Driza was trying to symbolize Hunter as a metaphor for a certain freedom Mila desired, to be a human with human feelings that didn't just mimic real emotions. The problem is that is his role seemed really random. As I'm reading, I kept thinking that maybe he had a bigger role. Because why would Mila keep bringing him up over and over? I thought it was a bit of poorly used foreshadowing at first. But that wasn't the case here and it just ended up annoying me every time Mila mentioned him. Mila would be in the midst of an action scene and she'd randomly think of Hunter. I felt like I was being pushed to care about a character with no basis. Based on the ending there does seem to be more romance in the second book, but again I don't feel one way or another about Hunter and I'm not sure why he likes Mila or would risk anything for her. The Ending: Predictable. It was about as subtle as a grenade in a bowl of oatmeal. But it does feel like Mila has had a bit of character growth, so I think I may enjoy book two more. And then there is the blurb: ...and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel. There was no cliffhanger. None. I'm not sure why it's advertised as having one. That's not a bad thing, but I was expecting it and the book kinda just ended very anticlimactic. Maybe it's left out of the ARC? All in all, even though I complained through most of this review about things that probably wouldn't bother the average reader, I do think MILA 2.0 will be a popular novel. The storyline is good and I do still plan on continuing the series because it feels like it has potential. I was tempted to rate this book 2.5 stars based on just my feelings of "meh" and disappointment, but that feels too low for it since it's not a bad book. So instead, I'll say it's an okay read for when you need a bit of action on a rainy day, but not an absolute must read. ARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Absolutely terrible. DNF at 57%. This is one of those times where I legitimately think I've read a different book that my friends. In theory, Control should have worked for me. I really loved the idea of a conspiracy and the secret being in Zel's genes. I really thought these were great ideas and I was completely looking forward to reading about it. Then I started reading and my happy cat died. Slut-shaming Zel, our main protagonist, is constantly slut-shamming another girl named Vera, who is very shapely and has no issues with flaunting it. From the first time they met, Kang used a the common "slutty, mean girl" trope as Vera's characteristic. I didn't see this as anything else as a plot device to make Zel seem more spechul and spark sympathy from the reader. I already felt bad that Zel lost her dad and sister in the car crash (this isn't a spoiler since it happens in the very first chapter), but when she constantly went around and said things like this, I was less and less inclined to root for her:I'm not shocked by the fact that she's wearing the latest fashion from Hookers-R-Us.Lovely. Insta-love with a terrible love interest Zel almost immediately falls in love with the resident bad boy. I wouldn't have had too much of a problem with that if he also wasn't a dick to her. Like a HUGE dick. He's rude to her and she continues to pine over him and make excuses for his behavior. Then later, he just happened to really care about her too, because of reasons. I don't know if things improved from there, but I was too disgusted to care.

Actual rating is around 1.5 stars On the back of my ARC it reads: "It's Graceling meets Eon in this action-packed fantasy adventure by debut author Ellen Oh." In all honesty, I think that statement does a huge disservice to all three novels. And because of that one little sentence, I went into Prophecy expecting something epic with rich descriptions, epic fight scenes and a main character worth rooting for. Unfortunately, I found none of that. I tried to love Prophecy. Truly, I did, but it just never worked out and I'm really sad it didn't because I love Ellen to bits. Prophecy and I had a very rocky time together that could mirror a relationship from a Taylor Swift song. The saddest part of it all is that I know I could have enjoyed this novel a lot more if it weren't for three very important factors. The Characters: Cookie cut-out, cardboard characters. That's the best way to describe every last character in Prophecy. Sure, the bare bones was there. We have Kira, the main character, who is a strong, warrior girl. Her sworn duty is to protect her younger cousin and Crowned Prince, Taejo, from any and all harm. She is also hated by everyone in the land, despite the fact that her job is also to protect those very people from demon attacks. In fact, the people call her The Demon Slayer, which is kind of funny considering we are told the people are kept in ignorance of the existence of demons. So why do the people call her that? No clue. It really never made much sense, and really, that's the least of Prophecy's problems. All of this is TOLD to the reader in the first two chapters. What does Kira like to do? Fight demons. Does she have any long-term aspirations? Protect the Prince forever and ever. Is that nobel? Sure. But how is it really any different from Bella's obsession with Edward? I'm not sure it is. The other characters are no better. We are given a brief introduction to Kira's mom and we are TOLD how kind she is. We are TOLD her dad is a great general. And Taejo. Taejo is the most infuriating character out of the bunch and only serves as a damsel in distress to give Kira something to do since her life long goal only includes taking a bullet for him. In the beginning, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but as the novel wore on, I began to wonder if he possessed any sort of training at all or courage or bravery or balls. Apparently, none of those things. And don't get me wrong. I love a strong female character that saves herself and friends, but not at the expense of the others looking useless or helpless. The rest of the characters did show promise, but they were never fleshed out and served more as sidekicks than anything else. For example, the love interest, Jaewon, I did like. He seemed to have a good story behind him. Troubled past filled with pain and a chance for redemption. Unfortunately, it was never really tapped into. Though, perhaps Oh is saving that for the subsequent novels along with the romance that was never fully formed, but instead thrown in at a blase sort of way. Because of that, I felt the little line where he says he'd "always do whatever she asked" was a little much. Why would he? What sort of connection did he develop with Kira with their brief interactions in between fight scenes? However, I will say that I did appreciate the romance not being in the forefront. Show. Don't Tell: Immediately, from the first chapter I had a sneaky suspicion that this would be an issue. Readers are told entirely too much about the characters instead of getting to know them for themselves. With every character we are introduced to, the reader is told what kind of person he or she is. There is no surprise with thinking one character is good, but later turning to the dark side. It made Prophecy incredibly predictable and with flat characters, the element of surprise could have saved this novel. I'm supposed to like Taejo because he is young and the prince and is good. But I don't. I'm supposed to like their uncle, King of the neighboring Kingdom of Guru. Then Kira decides she doesn't trust him because slight ruthless nature, but it doesn't matter because I never liked him anyway. I'm supposed to like Kira because she is the main character who has poor self-esteem and must find her way in a kingdom that doesn't appreciate her. But I don't. See the problem here? I'm not shown enough about the characters to actually develop any feelings toward them one way or another. Also, because there was mostly telling the fight scenes were shorter and less descriptive than what I would have liked, making them just as eventful as if they were all frolicking through a meadow. This caused the pacing to feel very off at times. One paragraph they are fighting, then the next it's suddenly over and they're walking to an inn. Basic Writing: And even with the other negatives, I could have enjoyed it more if the writing style meshed better with me. This is the biggest problem with it being compared to Eon and Graceling. It's like a little kid trying to put daddy's pants on. He looks awfully cute in it, but just isn't ready to wear those digs. This is where I really think Prophecy would have been better marketed to the Middle Grade audience instead. There is just way too much hand-holding and explaining terms that are better left inferred to my liking. Prophecy does a lot of what Stormdancer did, where it used foreign terms (in this case Korean) that readers my not be familiar with. If there was more showing, the reader could have easily used context clues to guess the meaning. It just felt like there was a lot of "talking down" to the reader and it completely turned me off to the story. This lead to a very basic plot with predictable twists, causing the heroine to appear very slow on the uptake. And that in turn caused me moments of great frustration similar to when Eona couldn't figure out how to call her dragon for majority of a 531 page novel. *headdesk* (Oh, hey, look! There's the comparison.) Sad to say, veteran high fantasy and critical readers will not be impressed by this. Still, while Prophecy did hold significant faults for me, I do appreciate the amount of research Oh obviously invested into the novel. She had a clear outline of her world building and it showed. And there were a few lines that made me chuckle. I just wish there had been a little more time to develop everything. Truthfully, Prophecy isn't a bad novel and if my daughter was around age 10, it'd be a book I would buy her. For anyone else, I highly recommend anyone considering it to seek out a sample chapter first. But as for me? It's not really my thing. Maybe the series will get better in the next book. Maybe all my concerns are cleared up. But Prophecy and I are like a pair of incompatible, bickering lovers. Fine on our own, just not so great together. And we're probably "never ever, ever getting back together." An ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

X-Men meets The Godfather? This ought to be interesting!

I enjoyed this finale much more than I did Days of Blood and Starlight. There's just something about seeing Karou and Akiva steal away precious moments in the midst of impending death. However, I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. Taylor chose to introduce new characters and it felt a bit jarring for a final book. Out of nowhere, characters who I'd just met suddenly became extremely important to the plot when all I really wanted was more Karou and Akiva. The sexual tension and want between those two was through the roof and I JUST NEEDED THEM TO KISS ALREADY. What I find interesting is how with Daughter of Smoke and Bone I quickly labeled this series as PNR, but now that doesn't feel accurate. Sure, there is a love story at its root, but has become so much more than that. It feels more Fantasy and less PNR by the end, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't left craving more of that romantic spark I felt in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. A part of me wants to read a straight PNR from Taylor just so my feels can burst into flames. Overall, I loved this book and this series still remains a favorite. (There better be a spin-off planned, because I smell a spin-off.) ====== This cover... This cover... oh my gosh!

I have a confession to make. I actually bought this book without reading any reviews. That is highly unusual for me because I rarely buy any books (I'm a library girl through and through) and when I do, it's under two circumstances: 1) I've read it before, loved it and would read it again or 2) It comes with the highest recommendations from my most trusted reviewing friends. Chopsticks is a bit of an enigma for me because out of all the books to choose from at Books-A-Million, I chose it simply because of its first impression. I was just about to leave out the door, unable to decide on which book to invest in or which one to waste my money on, when this huge "photo novel" with the weird title caught my eye, sitting on the end of a top shelf. One glance through the book and I knew it was for me: The entire story is told in photos of everyday things. It amazed me in five seconds, so I bought it. When you first look at the cover, what do you think it's going to be about? Well, for me I thought it was going to be your usual girl meets boy, yada, yada, yada. But Chopsticks is so much more than that. You see, depending on how you interpret the novel, it could actually tell two different stories. It could tell the simple contemporary story of sixteen-year-old Gloria "Glory" Fleming, a piano prodigy, who falls in love with Francisco Mendoza, a boy who becomes her escape from her stressful life. Sounds fluffy, right? Well, it can also tell the deep and dark story of a lonely, broken, child star pushed so hard to perform to perfection that she slowly loses her mind, causing you to question everything you see in the book or thought you saw. Do I have your attention yet? Chopsticks is simply brilliant. The amount of time and skill it took to arrange the photos to tell this mind-bending story is commendable. The phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words" definitely fits the bill here because there are hardly any narrative text in the book, yet I felt a very strong connection to the characters. This book really doesn't need the extra words. Instead, the reader must follow the pictures of Francisco's drawings, Glory's concert programs, family photos, letters and images of household belongings. Chopsticks is very intimate in that way because it feels like you've been peeping into someone else's life for eighteen months in only 272 pages. It's the kind of book that you could zip through in thirty minutes, but by the ending it'll make you go back and re-read it more slowly. It's that easy to miss something. I went out on a limb and purchased Chopsticks and I'm so happy I did. It took me on what I thought would be a simple fun read to an involved story that I couldn't stop thinking about after I finished. I know I could read again and still have a healthy appreciation for the complexity of the story. So, if you are a visual person like myself and you're looking for something totally different from your usual fair, Chopsticks may be the book you've been looking for.

This is up on NetGalley!

This is on NetGalley folks. :)

OMG. THIS BOOK. I held off reviewing Charm & Strange for one reason: I have no idea how to review a book like this. It's a psychological thriller that leaves you completely confused until the very last pages. There were literally times where I thought, "Okay, this is dumb" or "WTF am I reading?" But wow. I was left in pieces by the end and I think I might have finished the entire book in one day, which is a feat for me with kids running around all day. I couldn't tear myself away from it. I'd recommend this one for more mature YA readers, as it does cover a sensitive subject. ---------- There are so many feelings inside me right now, but I can't quite bring myself to mold them into anything else but giant SOBS.

This is up on NetGalley!

This is up on NetGalley.

I feel really bad that I only read a quarter of Winterspell before giving up. I was really excited for it, but had a hard time with the beginning. I kept putting it down over and over to the point where I just had to stop. Things that bothered me: - The main character, Clara, is sexually harassed by an older guy frequently in addition to others that are alluded to. That was hard for me to read, though, I'm not saying it's a deal breaker for a book to show this. I don't know if this was relevant to the plot or if it was a plot device since I didn't read far enough to find out. So don't let this point alone turn you away. - Clara seems to develop a strange relationship with a statue. This caused some major eyebrow raising from me. I guess he was a real guy deep inside the statue, but it was just really weird. Things I liked: - I love Legrand's imagination. She's always impressed me with how she can create something that looks nothing like what's on my current bookshelf. I haven't read The Nutcracker, but I know the general gist behind the plot. Winterspell is a retelling, but it definitely stands on its own. - The descriptions and setting was very great and the best part of Legrand's writing. Eh, I guess this just wasn't a Stephanie book.

Check out the interview with Leigh Bardugo where she saves Kat Kennedy and I from Ninjas. True story. Also, there's a giveaway of a finished copy of Shadow and Bone! If I could wrap up my emotions about how I felt after reading Shadow and Bone and send them to you through my computer screen, I totally would. Instead, I'm afraid you'll have to settle for my words: THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! I wish I could unread it just so I can go back and re-read it again for the first time. Yes, I loved it that much. Now I've come to the part where I am supposed to describe to you the awesomeness that is Shadow and Bone and I'm finding that rather difficult to do. Why is that? Is it because while reading a book you love your get so swept away with the story that you can't be bothered to take notes? Or perhaps it's the fact that you don't want to give away too much of the story? You want other potential readers to go into the book blind, expecting little and gaining everything the story has to offer? I suspect it is a little of both for me and with that, I offer my sincerest apologies if you do not find this review helpful. It is my hope, however, that my inability to do this book justice in my review speaks volumes in and of itself. Shadow and Bone follows the story of Alina Starkov, a remarkable young girl, who holds a power not even she realizes she has. All her life she's never fit in. Not in the orphanage where she grew up alongside her best friend, Mal, nor in the First Army where she serves as a mapmaker. In her world people of elite status with unique abilities, called Grisha, serve as nothing more than fanciful servants to the kingdom of Ravka. One day, while protecting Mal, it is revealed that she too is Grisha with a very rare and sought after power: the ability to summon sunlight. She soon finds herself in a very different world filled with adventure, betrayal, and a sinister plot that could destroy all of Ravka. Within the first 10% of Shadow and Bone I knew that I would give it at least 4 stars. The book begins quickly immersing the reader into the kingdom of Ravka head on. Terms are thrown at the reader at a reasonable pace for a fantasy novel and for once I didn't immediately feel overwhelmed or the need to "play ketchup" with the characters. I can tell Bardugo employed the rule of "show, don't tell" and I believe she did it well. I found myself hanging on the edge of my seat waiting for more of the world to be revealed to me. There was never a dull moment reading Shadow and Bone; no downtime for me to catch my breath. And I loved every minute of it! I thought the plot was very well done and I got so caught up in the story that the plot twists just blew me away. I was so engrossed that by the time the climax hit I felt an intake of breath and couldn't tear myself away from the book for the duration of the read! Oh. My. God. NOooooooo! And the characters.... ahhhhh, the characters! I loved them all to pieces! Alina is naive, candid, and feeble in the beginning, but she grows so much throughout the novel. (Yes, Yes! I know! Character development! It really does still exist in YA novels!) Does she make mistakes? Absolutely! But she realizes them and she strives to be better. I can see there is a lot of conflict in her character to come in the next two novels in the series and I am VERY eager to see how that is handled. I also loved the Darkling. I can't really say much about him because I am NOT giving away any spoilers in this review--not even in a spoiler tag because I know how some of you are!-- but he was awesome! Just the right amount of intrigue and mystery. And Mal. *sigh* Oh, Mal. Let's just say he is another love interest we can add to our swoon worthy list right next to Tucker Avery. ;) "I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself just walking around to find you, not for any reason , just out of habit, because I'd seen something that I wanted to tell you about or because I wanted to hear your voice. And then I'd realize that you weren't there anymore, and every time, every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don't tell me why we don't belong together," he said fiercely. I think it goes without saying I loved the writing. The descriptions were vivid, easy to visualize and thankfully, not overdone (I'm really hoping there will be a map in the finished copy. Please tell me there's a map waiting for me!). The book is told through Alina's PoV, so we get a first hand account of the happenings. And boy are there some happenings! I'll tell you one thing, Bardugo can write a kissing scene... well. And the romance? Man, I just loved the romance. It was so sweet and by the end it just tore at my heart! The moment our lips met, I knew with pure and piercing certainty that I would have waited for him forever. *sigh* This book. I just love it! I'm really not sure what else to say about Shadow and Bone besides the obvious: it was awesome and you should read it. If you are a fantasy lover, rejoice! If fantasy isn't your thing, still rejoice! Because this is a book that is sure to take you and your heart on a wild adventure this summer. EDIT: I've been informed that there will be a map included drawn by Keith Thompson! Click here to check it out! ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. As always, this review expresses my honest opinion of the book. No gifts or monetary funds were exchanged for a review. For more reviews like this one be sure to check out Cuddlebuggery Book Blog!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars Well, well, well. Here I am yet again eating my words. A year ago, when I read Legend, I complained about the world building. Mind you, I did think it was a fast-paced, exciting read, but it felt incomplete as a dystopian novel because I couldn't fully visualize how the society fit into the world as a whole. By the end, I was left with so many questions about how everything functioned. I felt like Marie Lu was purposefully keeping secrets from me just to string me along to book two. Well, I supposed it did work and to my immense delight, it was well worth the wait. And I loved it. Instantly, I noticed a change from Legend to Prodigy. The biggest being the change in my opinion over the two main characters June and Day. Originally, June and I didn't mesh well, but in Prodigy that situation was flipped. It was Day that was the new thorn in my side for the majority of the book. From the beginning, June warns Day of the Patriots and their leader, Razor, but Day, blinded by his hatred of the Republic for destroying his family, fails to heed her warning. A part of this is due to doubt of June's loyalty being placed in his head from other Patriots and his best friend, Tess, who is not ashamed to show her dislike for June. And just when I thought I had it up to *here* with him, he wised up and took action. The "old" Day that warmed my heart in Legend was back. June, on the other hand, I liked very much. I thought her character growth was a vast improvement from Legend because she's clearly learned from past actions. In Prodigy, she is more aware of the corruption in the Republic and is therefore able to pinpoint wary situations. Yet, the thing she struggles with the most in this sequel are her feelings for Day and how their relationship could possibly work out given their backgrounds. Can they remain together even with the knowledge that June's actions in Legend resulted in the murdering of his family? Are they simply too different for it to work being from opposite economic classes? And then there's Anden, the new Elector Primo, whose interest in June was shown in Legend and apparently still holding firm. Wouldn't it just be easier to be with someone like him? That's the predicament June finds herself in. And while it may sound rather angsty the way I've described it, I never felt it was overdone to the point of instant "headdesk-ation." Another improvement was the world building. And with that, I'm now wondering if I'm often too hard on first books in dystopians. I'm noticing a trend with world building becoming more pronounced in the second books in series when I usually prefer some sort of set-up to the story. (Perhaps this is just my high-fantasy mind kicking into gear.) But everything came together nicely here. We found out how the country was split into two separate ones. We find out how the outside world views the Republic. We find out what's going on in the Colonies (though, I would have loved to hear more about them). Sure, I would have loved to know a little of this during Legend, but I have to say, I've enjoyed the ride thus far. Finally, there's the ending, which I will warn other readers, does end in a rather disturbing cliffhanger. *sniff* In my Legend review, I complained about the illusion of Day and June's invincibility. N-n-not so in Prodigy. *hiccup* Okay, okay. I admit it. I was a teensy bit emotional. But only for, like, five seconds (plus an hour or two...maybe...). And now I'm secretly cursing myself for ever complaining in the first place. Why? WHY?! WHY?! OH, GOD. WHY, DO AUTHORS KEEP DESTROYING MY FEELINGS?! First, I was in a bit of shock. Marie Lu wouldn't do that to me. I mean, she had built up the anticipation perfectly throughout the entire novel. I thought ALL THE THINGS were going to be okie-dokie. *We interrupt your regularly scheduled review for a moment of angst* /end *moment of angst* (Er... Sorry, that was weird.) So then when I finished the book and was LEFT ON THE BLOODY CLIFF, I was like, "Marie... no.... you, evil genius... no..." So basically, Marie Lu has me hook, line and sinker. I'm completely enthralled in this series and I can't wait to see what happens next. Big thank you to Anna from Literary Exploration for lending me her ARC! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery.com.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars This is a difficult review to write. Most of the things I want to talk about (good and bad) involve giving away huge spoilers. Once has a pretty big plot twist early in the story - one that I'm almost ashamed to admit I didn't see coming - making it close to impossible for me to adequately express my thoughts. But I'm going to try really hard to give a nice little run down of the book without ruining it for you. Once picks up a few months after the events in Eve and our protagonist finds herself miserable in Califi, missing both Caleb and Arden. In this installment Eve, despite her best efforts, ends up in the King's clutches in the Sand City. There she is reunited with Caleb and members of the trail, who is now a wanted man for murder of New American soldiers. However, this doesn't seem to deter Eve and Caleb from stealing moments away together. But little does she know that the King has other plans for her. Big plans. As always, I'd like to start with the good. I was really looking forward to reading Once due to the crafty little cliffhanger at the end of Eve. I hate that nagging feeling of needing to know how things end because it bothers me over and over until I know. Thankfully, I got to find out my burning question of why the King wanted Eve so badly within the first 20% of the novel. Yay for me, but boo for you since you'll be reading a review where I attempt to skate around all the plot twists and revelations this book seemed to be chock-full of. One thing that I really liked about Once was the setting. The City of Sand is in essence a restored Las Vegas and I could definitely visualize the different locations. Carey succeeds at painting the mental image of the city and bringing it to life. I expected no less considering I did enjoy Carey's writing in Eve. I also felt myself warming up to Eve this time around too. That is partly due to her making a better attempt at helping the friends she left behind and showing more concern for others. Unfortunately, I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as I did Eve, but I think that is mainly because I connected with the minor characters, who for the most part, are absent in Once. (I missed the dugout boys!) Instead we are introduced to a few newbies including the King, Beatrice (Eve's maid), and members of the trail. But most of the novel focuses on Eve and her constant struggle to break free from the hold the King has on her. And while I did start to warm up with her, after a while I found her actions to be a little too reckless (as they were in Eve) and I started feeling genuinely frustrated with both her and Caleb. It almost seemed like their decisions were intentionally poor just to move the plot in the direction Carey wanted it. For example, when Eve sneaks out the palace to meet Caleb, she's very concerned that he may get caught, but Caleb shrugs all concerns off. I understand that some teenagers feel invincible, but this felt like he didn't have any common sense. That surprised me because he seemed like a smarter character in Eve. He was much more cautious, but here I found him throwing all caution he used to have to the wind. By the end, he was practically flaunting a sign around his neck that read, "HERE I AM!" Despite my bigger disappointments with this installment, I didn't hate it and did find myself enjoying the interesting relationship between Eve and the King. And c'mon, that ending! I felt like Carey and HarperCollins punk'd me when I went to turn the page and all I saw was: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Cruel, I tell you! I'd recommend this book to fans of the first book, Eve. But if you disliked Eve, chances are Once will have little to offer you. ARC was provided by HarperCollins via Edelweiss. Thank you! *cough* Signed giveaway for Eve on the blog! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Guys, this is up on NetGalley!

More of a 3.5 star rating. Okay, so here is a little truth for you: There is no other children's tale that scared me most as a child than Alice in Wonderland.* I will never forget the first time I heard the story. It was by way of my grandmother and these cassette tapes she bought me called Porch Swing Stories. It was very generous of her, but let me tell you, those tapes were the devil. Pretty much all of the stories were purposefully cranked up in the creepy department and I'm convinced that the person who created such torture devices never interacted with a child. Later, I saw the Disney movie version of the tale and was further traumatized by the damn Cheshire Cat, who was just a little too happy for my taste, and his Wonderland posse. I mean, what was their problem anyway? Well, I guess that explains it... Obviously, since losing my heart and soul (as Kat frequently reminds me), being afraid of Alice in Wonderland is no longer an issue for me. But besides that less than disturbing fact, I had to read Splintered because A) The cover is to die for B) The cover is to die for C) The cover is to die for. This level of novel vetting always works for me. That is, except when it doesn't, but that's besides the point. Splintered brings such a unique spin on Alice in Wonderland with rich world building, re-imagined characters and a clever plot. Alyssa Gardener, our protagonist, has a family history of insane women all starting with Alice Liddell. In fact, even her very own mother, who she distantly refers to as Allison, is committed to an asylum. With her strange ability to hear the whispers of flowers and bugs, Alyssa fears she is soon to follow. However, her true fear is ultimately losing her mother to the madness unless she can somehow break the Liddell curse. So she gathers family trinkets (a key, mirror, gloves, hair pin, etc.), repeats history and travels down the rabbit hole only to find it's not exactly the same Wonderland described in the famous story. If you are one who, unlike myself, knows the original Alice in Wonderland pretty well, then I think you'll be very pleased with what Splintered has to offer. Right from the beginning when we are introduced to Alyssa Gardener, I could see the subtle references. But, of course, simply mentioning pieces of the original isn't enough to make it feel authentic. There's the vivid descriptions, character mannerisms and, of course, Wonderland-like puzzles and riddles. And that is where I think Howard truly excelled with this novel. She effortlessly wove in the old with the new. So instead of it feeling like a simple retelling, it's more along the lines of an extension of the original because it's clear that Howard left no stone unturned when it came to crafting the her Wonderland. If that isn't enough to entice you, there's also this gothic feel the novel carries, especially in the beginning when the mystery of Alyssa's past is at it's strongest. Alyssa the skater girl, who likes to wear colored dreds and collects moths for artistic collages. Little things like that added a certain level of charm, but also helped Splintered to stand out as taking a slightly different route as a retelling. Now, while I've been singing praises left and right about Splintered, there are a few things that bothered me. However, I should note that it did not detract from my personal enjoyment from the novel much. The Characters: My biggest problem would have to be Jeb, Alyssa's best friend. I can understand what Howard was going for with his characterization. Present the reader with a character who has to have some type of control over the main character to help show her resulting personal growth by the end of the novel. At least, that's what I got from it. Unfortunately, this did not work out for me. Why? Because 90% of the time I found Jeb to be a controlling douche. In the beginning, Alyssa wants to go to London to study art, so her dad and Jeb sit down for dinner to decide if she can go. Did I mention that he is only a year older than her and the love interest of the story? Yeah... I wasn't exactly thrilled with him having so much say in the matter. Yet, I tried to like Jeb. Tried and failed. Every time he went missing from the storyline, I felt myself really enjoying the book, but when he returned? Nosedive. By the end of the book, the only way to describe how I felt for him is to simply say I tolerated him. Basically, I went from stabby feelings to an eye roll whenever his character had dialogue. Even still was his girlfriend, who has a history of bullying Alyssa. Jeb seems to never defend his best friend, but instead expects Alyssa to try harder with getting along. >_> What's worse is that Alyssa never really calls him on that. Why should Alyssa have to place nice with a bully? More importantly, why would her best friend ask that of her and never say anything to his girlfriend? The good thing is that once Alyssa got to Wonderland the annoyances decreased significantly. Alyssa's characterization picks up and we are introduced to Morpheus. And this might surprise some that know my tastes, but I kinda liked the guy. I think his twisted personality fit in perfectly with Wonderland. But I do think the reason why he didn't bother me is because I never truly saw him as a contender for Alyssa's heart. I saw that he had feelings for her and that they shared a connection, but I never thought it would go further than that. Overall, if you are looking for a richly imagined retelling of Alice in Wonderland, Splintered is definitely the way to go. I had a few mild reservations, but I think most people will probably enjoy seeing just how deep the rabbit hole truly goes. I did and I can't wait to see what future works Howard has planned. *Hopefully I didn't lose too many cool points with you for that strange, compulsive confession. ARC was received from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you! More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Edit: Changed my mind. Let's see what all the fuss is about.

I just love this cover! And you can enter to win a signed ARC on the blog!

I have to admit, Preloved truly surprised me. After finally getting a hold of Fury, I wasn't entirely sure how Preloved and I would get along because Paranormal Romances with ghosts usually make me want to roll my eyes. However, in Preloved's case it worked really well for me. In fact, there is something really special about Shirley Marr's sophomore novel because while the blurb sounds strictly PNR, it gives off a very strong contemporary feel at the same time. I actually found myself enjoying Preloved more than Fury at times. You have your relatable characters, familiar setting, and a pinch of abnormal. What more could you ask for? The 80's was an interesting time in history. It taught us all to "kick off our Sunday shoes," that anyone can become a "dirty dancer," how we shouldn't fear the "Thriller," how it felt to feel "Like a Virgin, touched for the very first time," and that you aren't truly a boss until you can pull this number off in leg warmers: I'm still working on it. Confession: I internally groaned when I saw this book had a heavy focus on the 80's. I mean, it's the 80's! Mullets, leg-warmers, bad perms, leotards! Need I say more? Thankfully, it didn't happen like that. Logan is a ghost from the 80's who happens to show up after Amy, a very lonely girl, acquires an old locket. Except the locket wasn't meant for her, but instead her beautiful, hipster, best-friend Rebecca, who Logan just happens to love. She initially sets out to help him connect with Rebecca, who bares a shocking resemblance to Logan's old girlfriend, but it turns out to be much more than she bargained for. If I were to describe Preloved in two words it would be sugary sweet. I love self-discovery novels. They have a way of reminding me of times when I was naive, innocent, and unsure of myself. Amy is the kind of protagonist that is entirely relatable because she's a broken, teen girl searching for her identity in the world. I could easily connect and sympathize with her and not once did I grow impatient with her character. She's the kind of main character that continues to grow on you as the novel progress until you realize it's time to let her go, but your aren't quite ready yet. The supporting cast fell a little short for me mainly because I just didn't care for Rebecca and Nancy wasn't around long enough for me to properly form an opinion. However, I did like both Logan and Amy's mom, both important plot points on Amy's every shifting graph. The romance wasn't something I was expecting to enjoy since it does contain a love triangle. But this one was unique since it was, but it wasn't. While most of the novel Logan expresses interest only in Rebecca, she never felt like a real contender in the race for his heart. I didn't feel the same "Oh, who are they gonna pick?" urge that I normally feel for say, a novel like Unearthy. But the relationship between Logan and Amy is one I couldn't help but cheer for. The way he affectionately called her Ms. Matey and blushed in his ghostly form really was the icing on the cake. So if you are on the market for a lighter Paranormal Romance that is fun, relaxing, and sugary sweet Preloved may be just what you're looking for. And don't worry, I promise there is none of this going on: Aren't you glad those days are over? Many thanks to Flannery from The Readventurer for hosting a wonderful book tour for Preloved! More reviews and fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

What I learned from this story: Peer pressure is a bitch.

I was rather disappointed with this sequel because I didn't find it as exciting an action packed as Angelfall. This may have something to do with Raffe and Penryn not being very exciting apart from each other, because for the first half of the book, I struggled to stay interested. On the positive side, the second half does pick up after Penryn and Raffe reunites and the horror aspect that we saw at the end of Angelfall really starts to shine through. I'm curious to see where this series is going, because a large part of World After was about Penryn -- once again -- going off into danger to save her sister, who seems to now have a larger role in this whole Angel Apocalypse thing. I really hope books 3-6 don't follow similar plots. There are only so many times Penryn can save Paige before it loses its appeal. ---------- So I read on Susan's blog that there will be 5 books total!! OMG! I CAN'T WAIT! But I don't know how I'll be able to wait so long. *sigh*

It really says something about a Dystopian novel where when you finish it, you still have no idea how their society even got that way in the first place. And that kinda confuses me because I thought building a world of discord was the point of the genre. Throwing two characters in a screwed up world without any further explanation besides, "Hey, there was a war!" doesn't work for me. Because it makes it incredibly hard to the reader to picture it in their mind. I'm no expert, but my favorite dystopians are the ones that tie it in some way to our possible future. When I can sit back and say, "Wow. I can actually see this happening to us. This unnerves me," that is a winner. Article 5 was not a winner. *mild spoilers ahead. Don't worry, I don't think it ruins anything since it was obvious from the beginning anyway. The Plot: I'm not sure I could ever consider Article 5 a dystopian novel. I think it is more accurate to call it a Dystopian Romance novel since most of the plot and major twists largely depends on Ember and Chase's relationship. It's like, yeah, STUFF is happening, but none of that matters because Ember is going to make an idiotic decision based on a spat with Chase. And the biggest plot reveal is very obvious to the reader from the very beginning. But the whole point, from what I gather, is the not the actual reveal, but the way Ember reacts to it and therefore how Chase reacts to Ember's reaction. Does that sounds like a subtle mind fuck? Yeah, well, that's pretty much the gist of Article 5. Have something messed up happen to the characters, watch Ember do something stupid, and watch Chase be forced to save her. And I felt like Simmons was trying to prove to me how bad her society was throughout the whole novel that way. It's like trying to make up for the lack of world building by saying, "Look! My heroine was almost raped! See how evil their world is?!" And I'm like, no, that shortcut just doesn't work for me. What about you GaGa? The Characters: I had a feeling Article 5 and I were in for a tough relationship with the introduction of the main character, Ember. She is one of the most infuriating heroines I've had the misfortune of reading, throwing any and everyone under the bus in order to get what she wants. And to top it all off, she possess little to no common sense. Just think of Bella in a dystopian world and you have Ember. -_- Yeah, I'm not even sorry I burned that image in your mind. When Ember is taken away to the reform school, she blackmails someone who tried looking out for her in an earlier scenario, knowing that it would put that person's ass on the line. I can see what Simmons was trying to accomplish with showing how their society had put people in impossible situations that cause them it to be a "It's nothing personal. I don't have a choice," kinda thing. But, of course, since I didn't have a good grasp on the society in the first place, I couldn't readily associate it that way. In fact, neither could Ember. It was like she didn't even know this was a dystopian novel. She blames the love interest, Chase, for all her misfortune and I'm sitting here, scratching my head wondering, "WTF, dude! You have a corrupt government. Why are you blaming the one person trying to help you??" I'm really struggling to understand her line of thinking. Did she think the Moral Statutes were fair or normal? Did she think the government controlling all forms of travel and media was A-OK? Did not the disappearance of her classmates indicate an oppressive government? And even after she discovered her classmates had been killed by the government, why did she think her mother, a direct violator of the Moral Statutes, would be let go? Her decision-making scared me and I hope when the zombie apocalypse hits, someone like her is nowhere near me, because I swear I'm tripping her. And then you have the love interest, Chase, who puts himself at great personal risk over and over again just to keep Ember (the little ingrate) safe. I felt sorry for this kid because Ember blames him for her mother being taken away just because he was there when she was arrested. As if he personally told the army, "Hey I know of an Article 5 violator who we can go arrest. Let's go get 'em!" The fact that it was painfully obvious that he was just following orders made me dislike Ember even more. The Romance: I think a person's overall enjoyment of Article 5 hinges on the romance. Personally, it did nothing for me. Most of the romance takes place over a series of flashbacks over the course of the novel, so I never felt connected to it, especially after the way Ember treats Chase. Ember struggles against her feelings for Chase, saying she can never forgive him for taking her mom or monologuing several times over about how much he has changed since being drafted into the FBR (I can't remember what that stands for nor do I care anymore, but it's their militia). Her inability to accept him can be summed up at worst, to exist solely to further the plot and at best, frustrating. I just wanted to scream at her! "HE SAVED YOUR LIFE!! HE MUST CARE ABOUT YOU!!! SHAKE HER! SOMEONE SHAKE HER!!" GaGa, get in here! The Ending: Article 5's saving grace was the last 15%. It's the only reason that while I want to give it only 1 star, I'll bump it to two. Ember does grow, but does that erase the frustration and anger I went through for her to get there? Absolutely not. Why? Because I almost didn't finish the novel. I had to push myself to see what happened at the end long after I had lost interest in Ember and Chase's well-beings. The ending finally has Ember thinking, "Hey, I live in a really wrong society, maybe I should start using my brain?" By that time, even though I'm happy she's finally come to this revelation, I'm like, Article 5 had the perfect premise, especially with the way things are going in the US. But instead, reading it was like watching someone devour the last honey bun at the vending machine - the one you were there for - and they end up throwing half of it away before finishing. Wasted potential.

Okay, I'm really excited for this book, but another sword on the cover? I mean, McKenzie didn't wield a sword in book one. Is she actually going to use one this time around?!

Am I the only one to notice the blurb makes this book sound like Mortal Instruments?

Edit: I was strongly tempted to read this (I did attempt and gave up on the third page), but I reconsidered in part to Lissa's awesome review, which you should all go check out. Big shout out to Amazon for allowing kindle content returns! The poor Amazon Customer Service Rep. couldn't even pronounce the title. Smh. Well, that makes all of us! XD ... .... ..... Why do I always bust out in a fit of giggles whenever I see this cover? LMAO.

Wow. I loved this book. I was so impressed by all the research that was clearly done and the way everything lined up for the ending. My goodness, THAT ENDING. Starglass feels like very old school sci-fi for the younger generation and I couldn't find any plot holes in my reading. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because the beginning is pretty slow and could possibly turn off less patient readers. It worked for me because I fell in love with North's prose. But once the climax hits, the plot went nuts. I would highly recommend this to fans of Beth Revis' Across the Universe series.

I'll be reading this pretty next! Edit: Putting this aside for now until I plow through my ARC list.

Once again I find myself at a loss for words and I do believe I'm suffering from Marchetta Fever. If you've read any book by her, you may know the symptoms yourself: First it's the euphoria that sets in right after you complete the book. Then, you find yourself thinking about the book long after you finish. You have the inability to form a single, coherent thought to review the book. And in the final stages, your palms go sweaty with the need for the next book. There is a reason why Marchetta is considered a master storyteller and if that wasn't evident enough for me in Finnikin of the Rock, then it's now blatantly obvious. Froi of the Exiles takes place a few years after Finnikin of the Rock's conclusion and is told from Froi's point of view. At first, I was leery of that fact because I really disliked Froi in Finnikin due to the rape attempt on Isaboe. How do you redeem a character that was once viewed as a monster? I didn't know if it were possible to pull it off or pull it off well, but I was wrong. Froi has come a long way since Finnikin and I think the other character's views on Froi really played a big part in my ability to connect with him. For example, we learn in the beginning that he's made a bond with Isaboe to never take another woman by force. Yet, he goes further and says he never will take a woman because he doesn't trust himself. With each chapter, I saw Froi battling his inner demons. But what's even more interesting is that, for me, Froi's redemption came through Quintana's characterization. Because, for Froi, Quintana is the product of what his actions could have created and at the same time falling in love with this very broken girl. I could go on and on about that dynamic, but I'll suffice to say that the character growth in Froi of the Exiles is phenomenal. The plotting was nothing short of sheer brilliance. I've said this before, but the only other author that I find comparable to this level of plotting is J.K. Rowling. While I did find the pacing slower than Finnikin, there were so many twists and revelations that kept me on the edge of my seat. We learn more about Froi's past and I'm still blown how it all came together. There is simply no way to predict anything in this novel. And sometimes I feel like with being an avid reader, you get to the point where you start recognizing certain plot trends and twists. So by the time something is being revealed, it doesn't really shock you. But not with Marchetta. Her plot was woven so thick, I had to take it in piece by piece. By the end of the novel, I felt the same as I did with Finnikin. I felt like I had gone on such an intense emotional journey because so many events had taken place and I needed time to process everything. I loved everything about this book and though, right after finishing I hungered for Quintana of Charyn, I knew I simply couldn't read The Lumatere Chronicles back to back. I'll need to take a mini break before I dive into the conclusion that is sure to turn me into a swirling vortex of emotions. And that, in my humble opinion, is the true mark of a fantastic series. ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. (I'm just really late in getting to it.) More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

*sigh* I was really hoping to love this book since it is the first print ARC I received directly from a publisher. Unfortunately, it's just not for me. At page 10 I knew we weren't going to get along and I was right. Damn, sometimes I hate being right. The writing style is way to choppy and hard to keep up with. I felt like I was concentrating entirely too hard while reading. That is a problem. So, I put the book down thinking Above and I just needed our individual space. Whenever I walked past my book shelf I'd feel guilty because Above was steadily calling me saying, "Read me. Read me." I had zero urge to pick it back up. :( So, I know I say it takes a lot for me to not finish a book and I do believe this is the first one of 2012 for me. Considering I only made it to page 25 before I threw in the towel, I won't even give it a star rating. Hopefully, someone else will love it, but for now Above and I must go our separate ways.

Hilarious!

OMG, look at that cover! It is beautiful!

Coincidences; mix-ups; harmless mistakes and switches. And so a story is born. I usually do not read children's books, but when my good friend, Wendy, told me about it, I knew I couldn't resist. And I'm so glad I didn't. This book has that unputdownable quality to it. Lauren Oliver, this is the kind of magic that I fell in love with when I read Before I Fall. Liesl is a young girl locked in an attic by her evil stepmother. It has been almost a year since she left the attic, let alone stepped outside the house. One day her father dies and she, sadly, was not allowed to say goodbye to him at the hospital. So, for three days she does not light her oil lamp and or draw. It is then that she meets a lonely ghost named Po, who lives on the Other Side. Meanwhile, there is Will who is also horribly mistreated by his adoptive parent, an Alchemist. He is sent on an errand to deliver the Greatest Magic in the World to Lady Premier, but takes a detour to Liesl's house as he usually does, which leads to a mix-up. As fate would have it, Liesl ends up in possession of this Great Magic. She along with Po, Bundle, and Will travel on a journey where they discover friendship, say goodbyes, and find a new and brighter beginning. This book was very charming and I'm quite impressed with Oliver. I found the characters Liesl, Will, Po and Bundle to be very lovable and I constantly worried for their safety. They'd all been dealt very sad cards in life and I kept thinking, "Those poor children. Give them to me. I would love them." The mistreatment of children is just something that deeply bothers me to the core. But through all their difficulties, I loved how they kept on moving forward. Even when situations seemed very bleak, they did not give up. It reminded me of the 1995 version of The Little Princess . I simply adore that movie and the main character, Sara, possessed the same fighting spirit of Liesl that I looked up to as a small girl. Sometimes awful things happen to you in life and it can be hard to pick yourself up, but you must, but more importantly, you can do it. It's a wonderful message to present to young people. This is definitely a story I see myself reading to my kids when they are older. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I usually don't enjoy short stories. I find it difficult to relate to characters in such a short amount of time. However, there is something about the characters in Fireflies. I'm not sure if it's their robbed innocence, the resolute acceptance of their grim fate, or the beautifully, soul disturbing ending. You know? It's more than likely all three. I found myself wanting more of those characters. I wanted to know what happened to them. If these are the sort of stories Cory Archie invents, then sign me up for more! This short story is very well done. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

A feminine twist on one of my favorite stories ever, Robin Hood?! Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes!

Another favorite shoujo and anime series is Sailor Moon. If you haven't read this yet? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR IT'S LIKE THE BEST THING EVER. I'm slowly making my way through the new manga as they release them and let me just say that the colored pages are AMAZEBALLS. Also, SWEET NOSTALGIA. This was my face after I found out they were re-releasing the manga and rebooting the anime series:

You know that book you're reading right now? How about all those books on your "TBR" list? FORGET ABOUT 'EM! I first stumbled across Laini Taylor when I was encouraged by several of my GoodReader friends to read Lips Touch. So, I read it and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't blown away. However, I think it was a "It's not you, it's me" situation because anthologies and I don't really get along. I went into this book thinking it was just another PNR, Angel style. I couldn't have been more wrong. If Romeo & Juliet and the story of the Trojan War had a literary baby, that in turn grew up, rebelled, and decided to have paranormal creatures in a fantasy sort of world, it would be Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Okay, that makes almost no sense. Here, let me simplify it for you: Laini Taylor ..........................blew .......................................my .................................................mind ............................................................... Karou is just your ordinary 17-year-old girl living as an art student in the beautiful city of Prague. She has blue hair, collects languages as birthday gifts, and runs errands collecting teeth. Okay, so maybe she's not so "ordinary." But one day, while running one of her "errands," she runs into a mysterious stranger named Akiva who attacks her. After that moment, her life forever changes and she finds herself on the cusp of unraveling the secret behind her most burning question:"Who am I?" There are some stories that make you say, "Wow! That person's imagination was going into overdrive." Harry Potter, Star Wars and the Pendragon series immediately come to mind. While reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone I was mesmerized by Taylor's vivid descriptions and she easily fits in the above category as well. As with the first time I read a Laini Taylor novel, I had to get adjusted to her unique writing style. Karou and the mystery surrounding her past are so interesting you just sucked into the story. I literally could not put the book down and it took over my life for a few days causing me to abandon a few of my responsibilities. Internal dialog: "I'll just read one more page then I cook dinner." "Well, I might as well finish this chapter since I'm halfway through it." "Dammit I forgot to feed the kids, but I'm hitting the climax...must.put.book.down." Thanks to crafty little plan of mine, AKA take-out, no one starved. That just shows you how addictive this book was for me! And let's talk about the love interest, Akiva. *sigh* Where do I begin with him?! Oh, ya! Hey Stephenie Meyer, this is how you write a tortured character. Akiva has a very real painful past that he carries with him. When he meets Karou is is drawn to her for some unknown reason and she to him. Wait, what's that you say? Isn't that insta-love? Preposterous! Laini Taylor is so above that. Don't be fooled young padewon like I was. The first half of the book is so full of mystery it will have you begging for answers and Taylor does not disappoint. You've heard of that little rule "show, don't tell?" Well, Laini is the freakin' queen of doing just that. She shows you everything and by the end you're like: and then: I can't say anything more about this book. I refuse to spoil anything. Just go read it now! More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Okay, so don't pull out your torches and pitch forks, but I just thought this one was OK. It had its really cute moments, especially the ending, but this is another case where I feel the romance was drawn out way too much. Anna could have easily been 70-100 pages less to make the point it was trying to make. I enjoyed seeing the romance blossom, don't get me wrong, but there was something about St. Claire that just rubbed me the wrong way. OH YEAH, HE'S A DICK. There would times when my SHIP was set to sail and he'd just fuck it all up. UGH!!! Honestly, looking back, it wasn't a very memorable book for me anyway, so whatever. I *might* continue on with the series, but I hear so many people say that Anna is their favorite out of the three, so that doesn't leave me very hopeful, especially since I hear Isla has insta-love. Maybe I should just stop while I'm ahead.

Oh, my damn. Now it has a pseudo cover with random scattered black raven's angel's feathers. OMFG. I think...I think... I'mgonnabesick

If Snakes on a Plane (view spoiler)[I'm tired of these MOTHERFUCKING snakes on this MOTHERFUCKING plane!! (hide spoiler)] and Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes had a baby it would be this audio book. It was pure genius to have Samuel L. Jackson narrate. I mean, who's inner Samuel L. Jackson doesn't come out when they are sleep deprived, right? When I'm sleepy, I'm the nastiest person you would ever have the misfortune of meeting. But somehow fate would have it that I'd be cursed blessed with the world's worst sleepers. Where are all those people that told me all babies did was sleep and eat? After having two little monsters lovelies of my own, I no longer believe such babies exist. -_- Last night at the ripe hour of 3 am, my 13 month old (who we have affectionately dubbed "Destructo" for his uncanny ability to destroy anything he gets his hands on) felt it was the perfect time to play with mommy and daddy. After one extreme acrobatic nursing session, our night went a little something like this: *Destructo plays in between mama and dada on the bed* Me: I can't function. The Mister: I told you not to put him to bed early. Now he won't go back to sleep. Me: IT WAS BEDTIME! The Mister: Shhh! You'll wake the Diva. Me: No I won't. She's done for the nig--- *In walks the Diva* Me: Damn, damn, damn! The Mister: I told you so. Me: Shut up. Go put her back in bed. *Destructo's toe lands in my eye and he appropriately laughs* The Mister: She's back in bed. Me: Good. Now handle your son. The Mister: He doesn't want me. He wants to go play. **Suddenly, the voice of Samuel L. Jackson fills my mind.** You know where you can go? The fuck to sleep! Me: Amen! The Mister: What? Me: Nothing. *We head downstairs. He plays. I curse my life in the corner silently.* About 2 hours later we finally got Destructo back to sleep. Around here sleep is more precious than gold. So if you ever happen to visit during bedtime, we have a strict OCD like ritual you must adhere to. We turn the portable fans on for white noise. If this makes you cold, tuff ninnies! Don't use the microwave. Cold food wont kill ya. Put your damn phone on vibrate. And for the love of all things cheesy, don't flush the fucking toilet! Goodnight. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars. Show of hands. How many of you were worried about Kagawa returning to the Nevernever with a spin-off of an already successful series? *raises hand* I mean, let's think about this for a minute. The Iron Knight concluded and it seemed everything was "happy happy, joy joy," right? But then there were whisperings in the wind of a spin-off and I found myself saying, "What?! NOOO! NO, Julie! I forbid it! Ya hear?!" At the time the saying "Don't beat a dead horse" was running through my head and I was so nervous about this new endeavor. If I'm being honest here, spin-offs usually suck big time. But just like in the case of The Immortal Rules, Julie Kagawa has put me in my place saying, "I got this, YO." And boy, did she ever! The Lost Prince is everything I could want and more. With fresh new characters, cameo appearances and a new evil threatening the Nevernever, how could anyone resist? Before I begin, I need to get something out of my system. PUCK!! I LOVE YOU! *clears throat* What? Don't judge me! Remember the little boy from The Iron King? Meghan's little brother? Did you ever wonder what happened to him and his family once Meghan had gone off for good with her Ice Prince to rule in the Nevernever as a Queen of Faery? That's just what The Lost Prince does. And let me tell you, Ethan Chase is not what I expected. The years of being tormented by the fey and losing his sister to their world has made him a very bitter and angry person. Honestly, I don't blame the guy. He has to constantly look over his shoulder, attempt to pretend They don't exist so as not to draw attention to himself, push people away so they don't catch the eyes of The Good Neighbors. It's a lot of responsibilities for anyone, let alone a teen boy (and yes, he actually sounds like a teen boy). But this is what he has had to endure all his life hopping from school to school due to "bad behavior." Unfortunately for Ethan, the fey just can't seem to stay away from him and he ends up on a quest to save the Nevernever. The plot was brilliantly done. The characters were brilliant. This book was >insert any positive adjective here<!!!! But what did I expect from one of my favorite authors? Exiled fey and half-breeds from the mortal world are disappearing thanks to a new breed of fey. Something even worse then the iron fey?! *gasp* I suspect I know exactly who the Forgotten are if I remember a certain scene from The Iron Knight correctly. But even as someone who has followed this series very closely, I have to admit, I have no idea what direction it could possibly go. The one thing I was worried about most with this spin-off would be comparing the old characters to the new characters. I LOVED the trio in the original series. Meghan, Ash and Puck were the perfect blend of romantic tension, banter and comic relief. And they all do make cameo appearances (Did I mention how much I love Puck?), but this isn't their story. It's Ethan, Kenzie and Kierran's. I really think fans will really enjoy the new trio and it seems like Kagawa has us in for a world of hurt with them too. I mean, I bawled by eyes out so hard with The Iron Queen. Whenever I go back to read that last scene I fall to pieces. But it feels like that could come a lot sooner with The Call of the Forgotten. MY EMOTIONS! Kagawa, stop being so awesome all. the. time! Wait... #DontStop And you know what? Even if you haven't read The Iron Fey - which you'd better go do if you haven't *gives dagger eyes* - you could still follow along easily to this story. For those who have been waiting for a certain Cait Sith (no relation to the cat pictured above, of course) to guide you back through the Nevernever, this will merely feel like a continuation from the original series. And you noobs? There are a few rules you must familiarize yourself with: Never make a contract with Them. Show no fear when dealing with the Fair Folk. Don't draw attention to yourself. And as Grim would say, "Do try and keep up." Welcome to Faery. ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! Want to win an ARC of The Lost Prince? Head on over to Cuddlebuggery Book Blog for a giveaway and other fantastical things. ---------------- OMG, guys! This is on NetGalley!! http://netgalley.com/PopupHandler.php...

Actual rating: 3.5 stars I've been hearing lots of awesome things about Lips Touch: Three Times. And while it did not overly blow me away, it did not disappoint me either. There is something magical about the way Laini Taylor weaves her words into these three short stories. No doubt about that. Lips Touch: Three Times can best be described as a 3 course meal. Goblin Fruit can be likened to an appetizer: small and simple. It's not enough to calm your hunger, but enough to pique your interest for the remaining meal. She tells you just enough about the story to wet your palette, leaving you wanting more. So you continue onto your entre, Spicy Little Curses Such As These. You continue to devour the story laid out before you and before you know it, it has come to a subtle end. You are satisfied, but something better awaits you...dessert, Hatchling. You slowly savor every bite, tasting the individual flavors, teasing your taste buds. And it does not disappoint. Reading the above paragraph would make you wonder why I didn't give this book 5 stars, wouldn't it? I think short stories and I have issues. They just might not be my cup of tea. It's not that I found any of the stories bad, because they were very good. It just wasn't enough for me to truly connect to the characters. This book is most definitely a page turner and has the ability to keep you on edge. I was impressed with Taylor's ability to paint 3 vivid worlds/cultures with such few pages. That is a skill many YA authors seem to lack these days. Taylor is absolutely an author to keep an eye on. I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful drawings that prefaced each story. They told just enough of a part of the story to entice your curiosity. (Interestingly, they wre drawn by her husband. Thumbs up for the awesome team effort!) After finishing Goblin Fruit, the shortest of the three, I was surprised by the ending and intrigued. It was also my least favorite of the three simply because it caused images of Bella/Edward or Nora/Patch to dance on the edge of my memory. However, the story did not agitate me as theirs would. At least the ending matched where the story was heading. Spicy Little Curses Such As These was better for me and it neither surprised me nor upset me. It easily kept my interest, however, and the characters seemed slightly more relatable. Once again the writing was beautiful and I feel Taylor captured that time period perfectly. Hatchling was by far the darkest and coincidentally, my favorite. It's also the longest story of the three. I was really caught up in the mythology that Talyor used and was very interested in figuring out the mystery behind Esme's past. Let me just say that Laini Taylor is a master at the "show, don't tell" rule. The back story of Mab, Mihai, and The Queen was told so perfectly. She doesn't tell you everything all at once in a huge info-dump, but rather slowly reveals everything you need to know at just the right time. Honestly, I would have been happy to have an entire, full length story of Hatchling. It was just that interesting to me. All in all, I'm really happy I picked up Lips Touch: Three Times and I really can't wait to get my hands on Daughter of Smoke and Bone. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I am extremely disappointed with this book. It held so much promise with the story of souls being reincarnated, dragons, sylphs, and a utopian society! Doesn't that sound awesome? And that cover! It's simply gorgeous! Well, you know that age old rule, "Don't judge a book by its cover?" I should have listened to it. -_- Ana, our protagonist, lives in a world where once you die you come back reincarnated in another body. Everyone always comes back, except on one night when the Temple flashes black and the soul, Ciana, dies. Five years later a baby girl is born and everyone is expecting it to be Ciana. Instead, Ana is born and is the first Newsoul. Ana's father seemingly abandons his family, while her mother leaves the city, Heart, out of embarrassment. Ana is kept away for eighteen years and mentally and physically abused by her mother, Li. Li blames Ana for replacing Ciana and she along with others call her the Nosoul. So, on Ana's eighteenth birthday she sets out to the city of Heart to find out why she was born. That all sounds really interesting, right? So, imagine my surprise when the majority of the book Ana isn't researching her past or digging into mysteries of the Temple, but instead playing the piano with the love interest, Sam. Most of the book revolves around their relationship. And while I really liked how it was not an insta-love situation, it completely distracted the book from the actual plot. In fact, you barely even know more about any other characters besides Sam and Ana. This book had a lot of potential and up until about 80% of the book, I was okay with giving this book 3 stars in hopes that the ending would save the rest of the book. It did not. Let me break this down for you: The Romance: The entire book is the romance. Do not let the blurb fool you. Ana is rarely doing anything to find out more about her past. When she first leaves her mother's cottage she gets attacked by a Sylph and nearly drowns. However, Sam, a thousand-year-old soul, just happens to be camping nearby and saves her. From then on out their relationship consist of music lessons, almost kisses, and awkwardness. It was clear that they did like each other, but it is not clear what the romantic conflict was. Was it their age difference? What the people of Heart might think about them? It almost seems as if Meadows purposefully kept them apart just to add romantic tension because most of the time nothing is happening. What really irked me was the choppy dialog between Sam and Ana. Ana is always "almost" catching Sam's facial expression or "too slow" to see his true emotions: Something flashed in his eyes, but I was too slow to fully see it. ...as well as a dozen other emotions flickering across his face too quickly to read. His gaze stayed on mine, like there was something I was supposed to read in his expression... ...and when he glanced at me, some indecipherable expression crossed his face. He caressed the keys again, some strange expression crossing his face. Or-- It was hard to tell. I still couldn't interpret his expressions well. His expression was impossible to read in the dark. He closed his eyes and again, I wasn't fast enough to comprehend his expressions. He faced me again, but it was too dark to see the subtleties of his expression. And on and on it went. Ana didn't know what was going on and neither did I. For most of the book I remained in the dark about why Sam even liked Ana. You like each other, I'm not sure why, but I get it already! They became so annoying that I just wanted to grab their little heads like so, and make them get it over with already. However, what really got me was how Ana just turned a blind eye to things Sam did. When they first met he told her his birthday was the same day as hers, but later she finds out his birthday was a few weeks before hers: I glanced at Sam; he'd said we shared a birthday, hadn't he? Why would Meuric say something different? Indeed, Ana. Why would he lie about that? And she never confronts him about that. Then when they get to Heart, Sam becomes Ana's "guardian" and teacher and resides in his house. She notices that he sneaks out every night and never confronts him about it. She often finds him talking about her behind her back and when she does confront him he pretty much says, "I'll tell ya later." Ummm...Whhhaaaattt? But he never actually tells her later. So once again, I'm lost. Not to mention often times I couldn't even tell who was speaking due to choppy dialog. The World Building or lack thereof: We are told that there are one million souls that are reincarnated over and over when they die. It is also mentioned that the Council monitors who can have children to not mess with the gene pool. We aren't really told how this works and it bugged me the entire time I was reading. It seems that the souls are asexual beings that can come back as male or female each lifetime. So, I guess you could be Billy's mom in one lifetime and 10 lifetimes down the road Billy might be your mom? Except by then, Billy would be a Susie. And perhaps in the next lifetime she's your lover? Sam has a best friend that is his sometimes lover. Sam owns women's clothes because he has been a woman in other lifetimes and he lends these clothes to Ana to wear. For whatever reason, this seemed awkward to me. There was also the question of where the other people who didn't reside in Heart live? We are led to believe living outside of Heart is very dangerous because of the dragons, sylph, ect. so how are they surviving? Is Janan their god? What's up with the Temple? There just didn't seem to be any rules to this universe. Can we say, "Back to the drawing board?" The Plot and The Ending: Where was it exactly? I should not be flipping through the pages wondering when the climax will hit. One minute Sam and Ana are finally proclaiming their feelings and the next minute dragons are attacking the city. So much time is focused on their relationship that I actually forgot her original reason for coming to Heart. Hell, it sure seemed like Ana forgot. And when we finally discover why she was born and Ciana wasn't reincarnated, I'm like, "That's it?! That's your big reveal?!" The ending just seemed like it was thrown together it an attempt to make me worry for the character's lives. And I didn't. *shurgs* They all could have been eaten by dragons for all I cared by the end. *sigh* I haven't been this disappointed in a book since Wildefire and the only reason why this book gets two stars instead of one is because it was interesting and the premise kept me turning pages in hopes that it would live up to the blurb. I will read the next book in the series, but for now it resides on my, "you're on probation" shelf. An ARC was received from the publishers for reviewing purposes. This review expresses my honest opinion of the book. More reviews at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Well, that was something I don't read everyday. I don't think I've ever read a book that had the ability to make me laugh out loud on one page and cringe on the next. When I first picked up Sh*t My Dad Says, I had no idea it originated from Halpern's twitter page. Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I can see why the twitter page, which compromised of random quotes from Halpern's dad, would be a hit. It's just the right amount of comic relief you may need while wasting precious hours of your life scrolling through twitter. It's sort of like following Yoda, Darth Vader, Snape or my personal favorite, Lord Voldemort, on twitter. His tweets are mildly offensive, but admit it. You lol'ed, didn't you? So, in that context the quotes found in Sh*t My Dad Says are funny. But what happens when you put it all in one place? The short answer is simple: It's not very funny. Okay, wait. Some of the quotes are funny and in the beginning I did laugh quite a bit, but as I got further and further into the book, the novelty wore off. What was once humorous as an occasional tweet, turned into just a very vulgar book. My biggest issue with Sh*t My Dad Says is that most of the quotes were directed towards Halpern when he was a child. This did not sit right with me at all. Cursing at and shaming children is wrong on so many levels and I failed to see the humor in that. It totally killed the entertainment factor when his dad is directing the F-bomb at his young son left and right. And I was sitting here waiting for an adult to correct this guy, but it didn't seem like it was anyone's issue but mine. It was very shocking because if my dad had said half of the things Halpern's did to me, I would cry a river. I'm not saying his dad didn't love him or care about him, but wow. I just don't understand how someone could show so little respect and talk down to a child like that. So as far as I'm concerned, these quotes would have been better off remaining on twitter and not in a book. Sh*t My Dad Says is the perfect example of the age-old rule: If it ain't broke, don't fix it! More reviews at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Okay, hear me out. This was a weird experience for me because I broke my own personal cardinal rule and read this after I watched the show. So this rating is my own damn fault and I take full responsibility. That being said, the show is considerably better IMO. This is not really a review since this book has plenty of those already. Problems I had: 1. Very little world building. I. have. so. many. questions. And it was really frustrating that by the end of the book, I still don't have satisfying answers. In order to enjoy this, you really have to suspend a certain amount of belief and give the book far more concessions than it deserves. This is probably why I like the show better. It fleshes out so many scenes the book overlooked. We get a much better view of what is happening. 2. Character backstories were virtually non-existent. Who are these people? What did they do before? Why should I care for anyone other than the narrator? I get that it's from the narrator's POV and very difficult to portray this, but it made it hard for me to understand character motivation as a result. 3. I disliked the ending. I've never been a huge fan of open ending books because I'm the kind of person that needs closure. The thing that plagued me was the main character's ending. And I understand that that's sort of the point, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, so I don't. 4. At times it was boring. The narrator was not the most fun person to listen to. Alas, on to the next.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars I did it. Fury crossed my threshold. I finally read Fury. I FINALLY READ FURY! Do you know what that means? No. I don't think you do. Story time! This book is so incredibly hard to come by and I swear IT'S CURSED. Whenever it attempts to cross on over America's border it mysteriously gets lost or stolen. Don't ask me why it's always this book. I don't know. All I know is this: I tried to order it from Fishpond.com and they cancelled my order due to publishing issues. So I did what any book lover would do: I threw a miniature pity party, complete with black party hats and all. Then I heard of a book tour on GoodReads and I was super excited! I rushed over to the book group to sign up only to discover that they had closed the entries only hours before. I had a sad. Well, actually, it was more than a sad. I was starting to get angry. After my little rage-fest, I found out about another tour that was held by Wendy Darling. My excitement was climbing! Until it was lost in the mail. I felt my pressure rising. I mean, this book was legitimately avoiding me. Why? Why did you hate me so much Fury?! I got so angry I felt my biceps growing in size, there was suddenly wind in my hair and my fro was turning a nice shade of golden-yellow. If I didn't read Fury soon, I knew the transformation was inevitable and all in my path would suffer the wrath of my black soul. Half Unicorn. Half Saiyan. True Facts. I did the only responsible thing I could think of to save my neighborhood: I fired up my computer and Googled images of Ryan Gosling. Instantly, I felt my fury subsiding. And then, just like that, my hot husband walks through the door with a package in hand. I couldn't believe it. I quickly tore off the paper and hugged Fury close. I thought, "It was you Ryan! I knew you wouldn't fail me!" and I lapsed into a daydream: Yes, Ryan! Let's read Fury. All. Night. Long. (BTW, you're welcome.) My husband cleared his throat at that awkward moment and walked away muttering something that resembled, "Get a room." Then I looked down at the envelope and realized it was from Kat. Damn. Daydream over. So yeah, the review. Fury is what a few of my friends (real life, not the ones that live in my computer) would call an ILC (Interesting Little Creature). Why? Because I both loved and hated this book. The main character, Eliza is everything I usually dislike in a heroine. She's rich beyond belief, spoiled, bitchy, ect. And for most of the novel I didn't like her. We didn't get along and I really wanted to shake her. Hard. In fact, I pretty much felt the same way about all the characters. Poor little rich girls with their poor little problems. *eyeroll* I couldn't understand understand why these girls were friends in the first place or the dynamic of their relationship. I just couldn't relate to them for most of the book and Eliza's attitude wasn't helping. However, somewhere along the way as Eliza poured out her soul in the police station, I felt a fierce protectiveness for her and her best friends. I love when books do that. Make me feel like I hate everyone and then change my mind by the end. So besides my love/hate relationship with the characters, there was the plot. Marr built the anticipation just right in Fury. The story flips back and forth from past and present as Eliza reluctantly tells her story to Dr. Fadden. I really enjoyed that method of story telling and was incredibly eager to find out what happened during the crime and who was killed. But at times it did leave me frustrated because Eliza would be in a middle of a flashback and the scene would flip back to the present. It's almost like when you're watching your favorite TV show and just when something good is about to happen, it cuts to a commercial. But I coud tell Marr had a plan. She allowed me to see Eliza's other side - the broken side - and I began to appreciate those momentary gaps. Clever. The ending was interesting because I really wasn't expecting it to go down like it did. At one point in the novel I was worried because I could easily guess one of the plot twists. I thought the ending may go in similar fashion, but it didn't. It was then I realized two things: 1) how much I liked Eliza or how much she grew on me and 2) how much I loved when Eliza went into a fury! Sweet, sweet revenge. My feminist side was rejoicing. It was a good ending, but it also made me sad at the same time. *sigh* All in all, while I wasn't blown away, I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to read Fury. I finally can join in with the cool kids now and chat about this coveted GoodReads title. Now can we all please cross our fingers and toes that this makes its way back to Australia in one piece, preferably to Kat? I really don't want to go back to her dungeon of doom and gloom. 'Kay, thanks.

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! And the madness continues!!! Is this the new fad in the YA world? Every series must have a graphic novel. Please, spare us the misery!

Ultraviolet was such a pleasant surprise! I've been thinking about this review for a few days because it's hard to say something about it without giving too much away. It's one of those books that you just have to go in knowing absolutely nothing. So, I will try my best to keep this short and sweet. :) Ultraviolet is about a girl named Alison who ends up in a mental institute after she has a psychotic break, during which she confesses to murdering a fellow classmate. What makes this book so cool is that she has synesthesia, a neurological phenomenon, which allows her to see sounds and taste colors. The way Anderson wove this beautiful story had me mesmerized. I fell in love with the way Alison described the world in her senses. I seriously felt like I was watching the Aurora Borealis while reading Ultraviolet. The plot was solid and left the reader to catch up to the mystery surrounding her classmate's death. I really enjoyed that because it added to the suspense. I will say that the plot twist was a tad predictable. There was quite a bit of foreshadowing going on, so it wasn't hard to see where things were going. BUT that did not stop me from really enjoying this book and the ending did surprise me. Things were tied up nicely in this book at the end, but in this case I'm really hoping there will be a sequel. And I eagerly look forward to any other books from R.J. Anderson! More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars This book didn't annoy me as much as I thought it would.

There are so many great things about this book. How Hannah manages to cram them all into 272 pages is just amazing. After falling in love with Invincible Summer I was excited to read this. It's the first LGBT novel I've ever read so I didn't know what to expect. All I can say is that I loved it. The Setting This book takes place during the Beltway Sniper Shootings, almost exactly a year after 9/11. The story follows Craig and Lio while they deal with the aftermath of the terrorist attacks and the current threat. I remember exactly what I was doing September 11th, 2001. I was in 8th grade in my science class waiting for the bell to ring. I hated that class. Except that day, the bell rang and my teacher told us to stay put. Over the next hour, the PA system received an extensive workout when student after student was called down to he office to go home early. My teacher looked scared, but they weren't allowed to tell us anything or allow us outside of the classroom. Thankfully, my classroom was located right above the main entrance to the school and I was able to see loads of parents running in and out the school. I seized the first opportunity to yell out the window and ask a man what was going on while my teacher wasn't looking. Me: "Hey! What's going on?" Man: "They are attacking the U.S.!" Me: "WHAT?! WHO?!" Man: "I don't know. They hit New York and The Pentagon." My heart literally sank. My first thought was, "OMG. My father." I ran from that classroom to my mom's (she worked at my school) and she immediately told me, "He's fine. He didn't go into work today." I have never been so scared in my life. And then the Sniper Shootings started one year later. My school cancelled all outside activities. Maryland lived in fear of white vans. I asked my dad not to go to work every morning. In hindsight, that was actually an unrealistic fear, he would be fine traveling to D.C. But we were scared. It was a scary time. Even though I didn't live in Montgomery or Prince George's county, we all knew it was just a 35-40 minute trip up the beltway for it to happen in our county, our neighborhood. Hannah, you rock. I felt it. Craig: Craig is black, sensitive, and loves his animals. You can't help but to love this guy. He over analyzes everything, but I didn't find it annoying. He was simply endearing. I wanted to hug Craig every time he cried. I loved his "voice" in this book. He thinks in run-on sentences. And you would think it doesn't makes sense, but there is something about Hannah's prose that makes it perfect. Lio: Lio is a quiet, cancer surviving boy. It's too bad he doesn't talk because, man, this kid is funny. Thankfully, the PoV switches back and forth between Craig and Lio. I'd venture to say, he provided most of the comic relief in this book. A few funny quotes from Lio: "I hang up because I sound like a jackass and that shit needs to end." "He's babbling on about his first date, and his first car he drove to go pick her up. And how in his day they didn't have these fancy electric car window openers, you had to crank them down by hand. God, I want to crank my head off right now." "Maybe she doesn't have any friends? At least that's something we have in common. That can be our conversation starter. Too bad I'm the official conversation finisher." "I'm not even sure if there are any fabulous Jew or homosexuals at our school, but rest assured that if there are, I will find them. By Friday they will be my babies. Mark it." "Plus, I'm a tough little son of a bitch, and don't you forget it." SIDE NOTE: Lio seems to be the only character who realizes that they are in Maryland and not D.C. For whatever reason, I really appreciated this. Perhaps its just my Maryland pride (Go Terps!). What's interesting about both boys is that regardless on how 9/11 screwed them up, they were not initially afraid of the sniper shootings. Craig essentially thinks he is invincible as many teenagers at his age do. He just doesn't believe he will get shot because he is *Craig*. Lio, on the other hand, counts on statistics, believing it is almost impossible that it will be him that gets shot. In fact, he measures tragedy simply by the amount of deaths. At first, I couldn't understand this logic. I mean, I was *scared* and I didn't even live in that county. However, as the novel wears on and their relationship grows their perspectives change. Craig fears for Lio because he realizes anyone at anytime could get shot regardless of who they are or how invincible they feel. Likewise, Lio fears for Craig because he realizes you can not measure a tragedy by numbers. A life is a life and when it happens to you, it is 100% every time. The Romance Beautiful. Craig is left so broken after his last boyfriend, Cody, went nuts and treated him badly. He struggles with allowing himself to heal and allowing himself to give away his heart to Lio. At the same time he is afraid of breaking Lio. Lio fights for Craig. He is much stronger than Craig gives him credit for at first. Hannah wrote this so well. She had my heart breaking in all the right places. The Prose It flowed so well. Little things like words repeating three times reminiscent of the title (ie, "Lio, Lio, Lio" or "maybe, maybe, maybe") added charming character to the novel. Craig thinking in his choppy run-on sentences and Lio's short fragments were perfect. I found that very special and realistic because honestly, who speaks in complete, full sentences in their head? It was perfect and helped me get the full impact. Even though Craig seemed like a jumbled mess of words he somehow never said too much. And though Lio didn't like to talk, somehow his short phases were so profound they hit home every time. I feel so honored to be able to read this a full year before it comes out. But you can bet your bottom dollar I will most definitely be purchasing a copy when it hits shelves April 17, 2012. And so should you. ARC was received through Simon and Schuster's galleygrab program. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Hallowed is out! I can't wait to re-read it! Oh, Cynthia Hand, how could you do this to me? I feel like this book should come with at least a warning. Something along the lines of: WARNING: This book may cause readers massive amounts of fangirling/fanboying. Do not be alarmed if you encounter symptoms of swooning, emotional instability, and immediate depression after reading. Yeah...cause that's exactly what happened to me. Many of you may remember that I expressed in my Unearthly review how I was initially reluctant to read this series. Angel PRN books seem to be the worst of the worst in YA literature. So you can imagine my happiness when I come across this gem of a series. If there were ever a reason needed as to why I voted for Cynthia Hand's Unearthly as Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, it would be Hallowed. If you were thinking that Hand couldn't do it again, you were wrong! First off let get this off my chest because it's seriously bothering me: "This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike." Excuse me while I hurl. Are you kidding me? Stop it. Please. Do not lump this series in with those sorry books. Hallowed, for starters, has a plot. The characters have real depth. The love interests aren't trying to kill Clara. What it should have said was: "For fans of real YA PNR literature." *Breathes* Okay. /end mini rant. I think it goes without say that I loved this book. I stayed up past 4am to finish this it. Once again, I could not have predicted the outcome! There are so many plot twists and mysteries revealed and it's not what you would expect at all. And I have a sinking feeling that Hallowed is sure to upset quite a few fans... If you think I'm going to sit here and feed you spoilers, sorry kids, not gonna happen. However, I can tell you some of the things I LOVED about Hallowed: The character development Fans will be happy to know that we do indeed find out more about Christian, Clara's mom, Angela, Jeffery's purpose and last, but certainly not least, Tucker Avery. *Cues the swooning* Clara's mother definitely sees more development. And at first I found myself really irritated with her for keeping secrets, but by the end of the book, I couldn't bring myself to be angry at her any longer. We were left with so many unanswered questions at the end of Unearthly, mostly thanks to Clara's mom, but rest assured, many are answered. And of course, with more answers we get even more questions. The love triangle I'm sure you saw that coming, as did I, but here's the thing: I liked it. I usually hate love triangles because I find them a bit played out and predictable. But it worked so well in Hallowed. This probably has something to do with the fact that Hand wrote these characters so well. Their relationships are very believable and heartbreakingly realistic. We see a whole other side to Christian and Tucker. It's rather easy to love them both because they both care deeply for Clara and respect her. There are no semi-abusive love interests here. How about that? ;) The prose, the pacing, and the plot I never thought I could come to love the use of present tense prose, but I felt it was so perfect. We are really able to connect with Clara on another level because of that, especially everything that she goes through in this book. And she goes through a lot. The simple sentences and Clara's ramblings really helped me feel everything Clara felt. The pacing was a bit slower in this book than the last, but again, it works so perfectly. Hand gives us the opportunity to let it really sink in. The pacing just goes hand in hand with the plot, which too is very subtle. At first you become eager to get to the end, but you will come to dread it. So beautifully written. The dialog Cynthia Hand, you are so slick and I love you for it. Those Twilight burns you put in there? Oh, yeah, I think you know how brilliantly awesome that was. Before I moved here, I never got the whole love-triangle thing. You know, in movies or romance novels or whatnot, where there's one chick that all the guys are drooling over, even though you can't see anything particularly special about her. But oh, no, they both must have her. And she's like, oh dear, however will I choose? William is so sensitive, he understands me, he swept me off my feet, oh misery, blubber, blubber, but how can I go on living without Rafe and his devil-may-care ways and his dark and only-a-little-abusive love? Upchuck. Yup, that's pure win right there. The ending It was so heartbreaking. Clara just didn't get a break in this book and I felt for her so much. I just wanted to hug her. And at the end I felt like I needed a hug. Hand, you had me crying at 4am! I can't believe you went there in this book!! I mean, seriously, I was having a fit over here: Shock: "I.CAN'T.EVEN." Disbelief: "NOOOOO!! She did not just do that! NOOOO!" Depression: "How will I survive until 2013? I'm doomed. Doomed, I tell ya." Cynthia Hand tore my heart out and made me eat it... ...and I liked it... P.S. I recently found out there might be a TV show based on Unearthly. Ummm, Hollywood? Let's get this one right, m'kay? An ARC was provided by the publisher. But this in no way swayed my views on this book. Like this review? Well, what are you waiting for?! Come visit my blog Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

NOTE: Please do not hit the spoilers if you haven't read the book. It will completely ruin the ending for you! Summer. It's the season of innocence, fun, laughter, all the things it means to live. For Chase McGill, summer is his constant in his ever changing life. When everything is falling apart, he feels he can always count on summer to be there. Taking place over four summers at his family's beach house, Chase finds that even his summers can not go untouched by change. It is during those summers that he looses friendships, his innocence, and his ideals of a family. I don't usually read a lot of contemporary novels. Most just don't seem to fascinate me like fantasy or paranormal does. Though, maybe this may have something to do with the fact that I have the attention span of a gnat. Any who, this book really spoke to me. I could entirely relate to Chase and what he was going through, mostly due to the fact that I myself have experienced it (view spoiler)[ The tension between his parents, ultimately leading up to their divorce and the death of his young brother (hide spoiler)]. I cried because the emotion was that raw for me. The setting was entirely convincing. I could picture the beach, the boardwalk, shops, the sand, and the beach house. Hannah Moskowitz made me feel the summer. The characters were also well written. By the time the novel was halfway done, I could easily tell who said what without being told. They were pretty realistic for the most part. However, there are two things that bothered me. (1) Chase and Noah quoting Albert Cumas. One or two quotes here and there I could believe. But these teenagers were, at times, quoting paragraphs. Word for word. I just can't wrap my mind around the fact they would actually do that on summer vacation. I don't even remember attempting to use that part of my brain during summer break. But I just let that slide and went with it. But then Gideon, their deaf, younger brother asks Chase to read him some Cumas as a bedtime story. At age 8. At that point, I'm like, "C'mon!" (2) At times Chase didn't feel like a male POV. Most notably when it came to the relationship with his older brother Noah. He seemed a bit clingy at times. However, it was refreshing to read a male POV. Those two issues are relatively small and the book is still a really good read. I'll leave you with my favorite quote from the book that really spoke to me: "When you're grieving, the times you're happy are so much more tragic than the times that you aren't. Because being happy feels fake and it feels temporary and it feels meaningless. And hating being happy is a shitty way to live." More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Power. Glory. Honor. Reliability. Trust. Strength. Are these traits simply attributed to our gender? Does our gender determine who we are as people or who we can become as a person? For centuries women have struggled to pry themselves from underneath man's suppressive boot to claim their equality. For centuries being a woman was thought to mean you were weak, unable to defend yourself, better off in the kitchens. This is the world 16 year-old Eon(a) lives in. She lives in an Asian culture were women can never hope to strive for the same position as a man: Dragoneye. Yet, that is exactly what she does. On the outside she is a 12 year-old boy named Eon, masquerading in a world she barely understands. not only is she working against her sexuality, but she also has a lame leg, a symbol of bad luck. When I first started the novel, it started off slow for me. However, the world building was excellent. I can not help but to sit back and admire the amount of research Alison Goodman had done to describe Eona's world. From the descriptions of the clothing, buildings, and mannerisms, I could completely visualize everything. After I got to know Eona more, I started having a better appreciation for the book. I really loved Eona and her determination to become a Dragoneye despite her limitations her culture had bestowed upon her. She believes that her femininity hinders her. As a result, she does her best to suppress it at every given opportunity by taking drugs to stop her menstrual cycle. She finds that she has been thrust into a world of politics with people depending heavily on her power. A power she has no idea how to manifest. And that my GoodReader friends brings us to the bad parts. Oh, c'mon. You knew it was coming. Eona, Eona, Eona...Why are you so slow? Why must you frustrate me so? I had long figured out the secret behind how to call your dragon. Yet you were up the creek without a paddle or just a lost little kitten. Find your brain while you're at it, m'kay? However, all was not lost with Eona's slow uptake. Once people started finding out her secret, the book moved along way faster. And by the end of the novel, I felt myself very excited for the sequel. Eona had tremendous growth in this book. She went from suppressing her womanhood to embracing it. This book had the feminist in me crying out and squealing like a wittle fan girl. It was awesome. And for some strange reason Annie Oakley and Frank Butler sang to me the entire time I read this book. Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything Better than you. No, you can't. Yes, I can. No, you can't. Yes, I can. No, you can't. Yes, I can, Yes, I can! I can't wait to see what Eona CAN do in the next book! More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

UPDATE: It's here! http://ebooks.eharlequin.com/D99A5C57... Puck is my favorite character in The Iron Fey series. So you could just imagine my delight when I first heard about this novella. Honestly, I could barely contain my happiness. In this novella Prince "Ice-boy" Ash and Robin "Puck" Goodfellow embark on a new adventure. But first, they have to find a certain cat, Grimalkin. Unfortunately, the exiled Muse Queen comes to call in a favor from Prince Ash. She asks for them to sneak into the Summer Court and steal back her "Violin," which was apparently stolen from her by none other than the Summer Queen herself. In the midst of all this, Puck finds himself with the dilemma of betrayal. This little mini-quest comes complete with action and comic relief and will be sure to have you wanting more! I can't wait for their complete adventure in the next installment The Iron Knight! More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

You know how when you are reading a book and you can sort of tell when the author lets her characters off the hook or saves them from a potentially devastating situation? Well, Carrie Ryan spares no sort of mercy for her characters. In fact, she leaves your soul begging for a way out for them. I found myself bargaining with Ryan to please cut them some slack! But Alas, such is not the way in any of the Forest of Hands and Teeth novels. While the POV changed from each of the three books, one constant always remained: Or the "Unconsecrated," "Mudo," or "Plague Rats" depending which book you're on. The Dark and Hollow Places (or the series in general) is epic. I can honestly say I really, really liked it, perhaps even loved it. However, it is not an adventure I would want to read again. It is just too damn depressing. And I'll probably have Zombie filled dreams the next night I sleep. The world Ryan creates is so grim, so full of darkness and despair. Honestly, its awesome. It feels like you are watching a horror movie. The book picks up with Gabry's twin sister, Annah. What a broken character! At first, I thought Annah was sure to annoy the hell out of me with her constant complaints of her scars. But she quickly grew on me. Annah is a very strong, solid, female protagonist. Is she flawed? Sure. She is so used to depending on herself for everything, that she is afraid to let anyone get close to her. Throughout the novel, she learns that if she or her loved ones are going to make it, she has to learn to trust again. Annah can not take a break in this novel. Ryan puts her through some pretty hellish situations that left me doing something like this: Or this: I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. Nowhere was safe, not from the Zombies or the recruiters. Many times they all just wanted to give up. But really, who could blame them? Ryan brought up a very good question in this book: What is the difference from surviving and simply existing? What do you do when you only have a short time to live? Well, you LIVE. You continuing fighting, feeling, believing. So, if you haven't read this book or series...what are you waiting for?! The Return?! More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I love the title! I can't wait to see the cover!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars I've been really eager to read A Million Suns for a while now. I'm a Sci-Fi geek and I'm not afraid to admit that. (Hear that, Kennedy?! I'm owning that!) So I think, in a way, I am prone to getting swept away with this series. And just as with Across the Universe, I was immediately sucked into the story, walking around my house with my face glued to the book, sitting on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the mysteries surrounding Godspeed. Because if there is one thing Revis does right, it's anticipation. I struggled with deciding what to rate this book. On one hand I really liked it much better than Across the Universe, but on the other hand the ending let me down a bit. I suppose I should back track a bit and actually talk about the things I loved first. Be warned: the second half of the review will have spoilers. The best part of the book was the plot and pacing. Elder is trying to maintain peace, but the people are making that very difficult. After being enslaved to Phydus for years, some are depressed, rebellious and paranoid. A few citizens prey on those emotions and cause doubt of Elder's ability to lead the people. The result? Chaos and not the beautiful kind. This puts Amy in a very precarious situation because the people blame her for their downward spiral. But Amy and Elder have another issue to handle after Amy discovers Orion has left clues to the Godspeed's biggest secret. I really liked how it felt like the reader's job to help Amy and Elder solve the mystery because this book is very fast paced. The sense of urgency is definitely there throughout the entire novel, never letting the reader catch his/her breath! I also really liked the character growth from Elder. In Across the Universe he was very unsure of himself and for a moment he is that way in the beginning of A Million Suns, but you get to see him grow a back bone along with a matching pair of gonads. This made me really happy because let's be honest, it was about freakin' time! We also get a chance to see Amy work her way through the personal issue on how she feels about Elder. She struggles with this at first because she isn't sure she is in love with him since they are the only two teenagers. She questions whether it is really love when you don't have any other choices. I would have liked to see more development from Amy besides whether she wanted to be with Elder or not. And that leads us into the bad.*spoilers ahead* What really ticked me off with this book was the ending. Everything was going perfectly well until the villain and the ship's secret were revealed. Orion has left Amy a series of video recordings of this huge secret he is sitting on and he tells her only she can make this choice and how it is such a huge decision...yada, yada, yada. That's great. Really. I can totally get down with that. What I can't get down with is the actual secret. (view spoiler)[We find out that Godspeed has actually been at the new planet since the "plague" popped up generations ago. But they haven't landed because planet scans reveal that whatever lives on the planet isn't friendly and they will probably have to go to war once they land. So the Elder system and Phydus were created to keep the people in check and prevent anyone from finding out the truth. So for all those years, Godspeed has just been orbiting around the new planet. All the while the food supply is quickly dwindling and the ship is falling apart. But what I don't understand is why they didn't communicate with Earth and GO HOME? Whose brilliant idea was it to stay on the ship that is falling apart FOREVER? (hide spoiler)] *smacks forehead* Then we had a few plot inconsistencies. At one point in the novel people are rioting over the lack of food. They even go so far as to burn down the Food Distro building, but suddenly at the end we are fed this BS: (view spoiler)["The scientists agree that the internal functions of the ship could last for at least a generation, maybe indefinitely if the biosphere is maintained and energy conserved." Then a few pages later Elder tells Amy they have enough food for a few more generations. WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? (hide spoiler)] You can't tell us one thing and then completely say, "Oops, my bad, guys. My bad." at the end of the book. You do not get to change your book canon just to take an easy way out when it comes to ending your story. Oh, and remember that little flop at the end of Across the Universe? You know the one where Sir Isaac Newton's laws of motion are completely ignored? Yeah, that one. That little issue is cleared up in the very first chapter, but I noticed something that was a little off. (view spoiler)[Elder is told that the shippers lied to Eldest about the engine, that he didn't know the engine had stopped working. He thought they were still moving. But later when Amy is busy discovering Orion's clues we are told Eldest knew they were right next to the new planet and like the Eldest before him, he was keeping this from the people because he didn't think it was a good idea to land. Now, wait one damn minute. If Eldest knew they were right next to the planet and didn't want to land, then how is it he didn't know about the engine not moving the ship? (hide spoiler)] And finally Amy, who suddenly became TSTL in the final chapters. (view spoiler)[So we all know Amy was almost raped in Across the Universe and that guy continues to stalk her until she and another character extracted vengeance on him. This made me very happy because Amy actually did something for once besides running around the ship. But then when the guy is found dead she hesitates before launching his body into space. I wouldn't have been able to push that button fast enough. But, okay. Fine, Amy. Then when the villain reveals himself and has a gun pointed at Amy saying he'd kill her, she later tells Elder she couldn't kill him even though there was a chance he could have killed them. Okay, maybe I can understand that. But here is where the sense falls apart. The villain had started to reanimate Orion and you know what Amy says she wants? To let Orion drown in his cryo liquid! Now I admit, Orion wasn't the best guy in Across the Universe, but his crimes do not stack up against the rapist or the villain in A Million Suns and yet Amy has the most anger and hostility towards him. The guy who revealed to her that they had arrived at the planet. This does not compute! She even goes as far to have a tantrum about it like a 4-year-old. (hide spoiler)] I'm sorry, but that makes no sense. /end rant Yet, despite all of my complaints, I did really enjoy this book. It had an unputdownable quality to it that can't be ignored. Fans of Across the Universe will more than likely enjoy A Million Suns. I'd even go as far to say even more so than Across the Universe. I just really wish the ending concluded on the same level of awesomeness that it began. I'll definitely check out the last book because I NEED to know how it ends! More reviews and other cool things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

Another decent angel book! Hell must be freezing over! Lol.

Actual rating 2.5 stars. Let me start by saying that I didn't hate this book, but I also didn't love it either. It was cute, spunky, and funny. However, there was just something about it that annoyed me. So I've recently found out what a Mary Sue is. All this time I've been calling it "A la Bella-esque." Evie is most defiantly a Mary Sue. And I've come to the realization that I had a love/hate relationship with Evie the entire book. I thought she was really funny and down right silly at times. BUT at the same time she annoyed me with being so cheerful with her love of all things pink. I kept flipping back an forth. Sometimes I felt her endearing. Yet other times I wanted to bitch slap her. But I digress. I did find a few things I liked about the book. I found Evie's relationship with Lend to be very realistic. It wasn't over done. They weren't ripping their clothes off after only dating for a week. They weren't confessing their undying love for one another. Actually, I would say the romance kinda took a backseat in this book. It was there, but it didn't feel like it controlled the plot. Also, I did find the book really funny. Awesome dialog. Bonus points for no cliffhanger. Anyway, I can't really think of anything else to add to this review right now. It just didn't leave a lasting impression like I had hoped. I will continue with the series. More so, out of curiosity for where the story will go. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I really hope the author gets better and decides to finish this series. Otherwise we will be left hanging forever!

I LOVE this series. It's really cute! This was one of the first manga series I've read. I own a few of them. As always, I won't add all of the books to my self. Way too many.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars After reading Spells I have to admit I was not excited to read Illusions. I thought Wings was unique and offered a different spin of your typical Fey story, but Spells fell short for me. However, I'm happy to say, I did enjoy Illusions much better. We begin with Laura at the beginning of senior year of high school. She is attempting to lead a normal life despite the troll attacks from the last book. Right from the start this book kicked off with Tamani enrolling as a foreign exchange student at her school. Obviously, this complicates her and David's relationship. In addition to this, Klea has asked Laura to look after a mysterious Fey named Yuri. The plot in Illusions was very interesting this go round. However, I have three major pet peeves about this book. 1. The Love Triangle To a certain extent, I can tolerate love triangles, especially when they noticeably help move the plot along. But in Illusions the love triangle turned into an all out pissing contest between Tamani and David. I could feel the testosterone rolling off the pages. And David! I was so tired of him whining about Laura. But I have never liked David very much because his character feels underdeveloped to me. This is book 3 and I still don't feel like we actually know much about him. Tamani is a much more interesting love interest and their connection/relationship makes sense. 2. The Mystery surrounding Yuri Our characters are supposed to be trying to figure out which season Yuri aligns with, but for most of the book they are too busy fawning over Laura, while Laura thinks about college and acts as a referee to the two hormonal, teenage boys. I felt like most of the chapters were pretty useless to the book. And by the end of the book, Yuri's season is pretty much the only thing we've found out. The premise was so interesting and I kept turning pages hoping to find out more about Yuri, but all I got was David and Tamani glaring at each other. Or, Laura yelling at David and Tamani. Or, David and Tamani duking it out in the school's hallway. It got old really fast. I felt like Pike had a lot of potential with this book and she wasted it to prolong a series that has no business having a "book 4." 3. The Ending Don't worry I won't spoil it for you. But I will tell you that after all that anticipation on finding out what Yuri is, you find out and the book just ENDS. I actually turned the page and thought, "No way was that the ending!" I felt ripped off. I suffered through all the relationship drama and this was how I was rewarded?! Talk about a letdown. Will I read book 4? Yea, I probably will in hopes that Pike pulls it together. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I finally figured out the issue with the conclusion of Richelle Mead's series: the last book is not necessary. This is the problem I have with Mead. She starts off relatively good with her plot; the third and/or forth book being the strongest. Her stride begins to really diminish at the fifth book and she crashes and burns with the final book. This is the direct result of there being too many books in the series. The ending to this series could have easily been included in Succubus Shadows and in the process saving us all a headache. We last left Georgina hearing Seth whisper her first name Letha. This book picks up with her still questioning how it's possible for him to know that name. I don't understand why she couldn't guess (view spoiler)[reincarnation (hide spoiler)]. It was so obvious at this point! The plot was so thin in this book you could see right through it. Georgina asks her friends and Jerome how Seth could know her original name and soon after finds herself being shipped off to Vegas. Yet, again she just couldn't connect the dots of the sudden transfer. It was very frustrating. The first half of the book was pretty much fluff filled with angst over her impending move, Seth's family issues and...wait for it...bowling. This is why I say Mead could have wrapped this up in book 5. By the time we get to the big reveal, the anticipation is lost because the reader has already come to a conclusion Georgina was too slow to get. The second half is full of predictable plot closures ending with a neatly tied "happily ever after" bow. I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it either. I barely had the will to write this review. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

This is due back at the library. I'll come back to it soon.

Richelle is hands down one of my favorite authors, but I don't love this series as much as Vampire Academy. I think that mostly has something to do with Sydney since I'm not really a big fan of hers. She's not as interesting as Rose and tends to grate on my nerves. BUT this was better than Bloodlines in a lot of ways and it feels like Richelle is starting to hit her stride since I hear The Indigo Spell is even better. Also, Adrian makes any Vampire Academy book better. I wasn't sure how I felt about an Adrian and Sydney ship, but it's starting to grow on me.

I don't even know how to begin reviewing this book. I fear that anything I describe about the book has the potential to ruin it for anyone reading this reviews. And to do that would be a huge disservice to this book. Because believe me when I say it was truly remarkable. There are three things I believe I am safe to say. (1) The main character's name is Anax. (2) The book is basically her interview with a panel for acceptance into The Academy. (3) It is a dystopian type book. (4) It's not a long book, but the story grabs you. I had no expectations going into the story. I had no idea what it was about. And it is my belief that that is the best way to get the full experience of the story. This book will make you think. Oh, ya, it makes you *think*. It's one of those books you might have to read a second time, even with how short it is. I had no clue where the author was going with this book until the very end. It just sneaks up on you. If it seems like my review is a bit scatterbrained, I apologize. That is just that state in which this novel has left me. Just trust me and go read it. More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

I couldn't even finish this book.

Finally got approved for this after being denied...twice. -_-