The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Scholastic

Pages: 450pgs

The Story

The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after . . .

The Review

While I didn't have a lot of high praise for Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, however, I must say that - well, this time at least - I actually came to really love this second instalment of the series.

Even though there are certain parts of the book that can become a little confusing at times for the reader (which also happened to me when I read the very first book because the story was a little confusing for me) and while this book is much more focused on another certain character, that being Ronan, rather than the focus being on our other main leading characters - including Blue and Gansey, but on a whole, it was much more enjoyable to read compared to the first book which I'm really happy (not to mention very surprised) about since I have loved every single other book Stiefvater has ever written.

And another thing to mention and without giving away spoilers, while Ronan's character was interesting and all, but I also came to enjoy Blue and Gansey's characters. Blue was a pretty good character from the first book, but with Gansey I was a little unsure about him. But in saying that, both Gansey and Blue have surprised me in this sequel and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more about them, especially with Blue and finding out more about her 'true love' and quite possibly more about her fate with this certain special someone. Another worthy mention is Adam as well, whom was also interesting in this book though I'm kind of rooting for Gansey and Blue despite her whole 'true love' dilemma which, for those who have read the book, readers should know what I'm talking about.

Overall, THE DREAM THIEVES was a delightful book and I can't wait to find out what more the author has install for her characters in the next book.

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Outpost by Ann Aguirre

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Pages: 317pgs

The Story

Deuce’s whole world has changed.

Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn't fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

The Review

Don't get me wrong here. I really, really loved the first book in the series, but there was just something missing in this sequel. Something strong and something captivating. Or rather, I have no clue what changed in this sequel for me. But it's just unlike the first book that was packed with so much action, adventure, and so much character progression and development, I just felt as if the sequel just lost all of what made the first book, Enclave, so special and unique in its own genre, which is a real shame really because I was starting to really love this series.

OUTPOST was still interesting I suppose and left me with many questions with what is going to happen in the third and final book, but the characters and the storyline itself - at least for me - just fell completely flat. If anything, I probably blame it all on the teenage angst that constantly surrounded the characters which seemed rather unnecessary (especially between Deuce and her moody hunting partner/love interest Fade) and on the suppose 'love triangle' the main character has between two boys, even though it's quite obvious she has feelings more for one particular boy than the other. But yeah, I'm still uncertain to what I feel for this particular book, only that the storyline dragged on too many accounts and the characters in the end just didn't appeal to me this time round.

Overall, while OUTPOST was a major letdown, but I'm still hoping for the best in the third and final book and I'll be crossing my fingers that something changes my mind about this series, especially when I thought the first book had such a promising start.

The Rating

2/5 stars

The Trap by Andrew Fukuda

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 320pgs

The Story

The thrilling finale to Fukuda's vampire trilogy.

After barely escaping the Mission alive, Gene and Sissy face an impossible task: staying alive long enough to stop an entire world bent on their destruction. Bound on a train heading into the unknown with the surviving Mission girls, Gene, Sissy, David, and Epap must stick together and use everything they have to protect each other and their only hope: the cure that will turn the blood-thirsty creatures around them into humans again. Now that they know how to reverse the virus, Gene and Sissy have one final chance to save those they love and create a better life for themselves. But as they struggle to get there, Gene's mission sets him on a crash course with Ashley June, his first love . . . and his deadliest enemy.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a review copy of this book!

Bravo, Andrew Fukuda. Bravo. I applaud you for this book. Now while the first book in The Hunt series didn't appeal to me all so much, but once I read its sequel (pretty quickly too mind you), everything in this series changed for me and I just couldn't wait to read this final book because it's just . . . simply . . . awesome and I needed to know what was going to happen to our favourite characters. And boy the author sure didn't disappoint his readers and certainly not me.

THE TRAP, the third and final instalment in the trilogy, is everything you want in a final book and most importantly I found the author never held back from well . . . anything really. It almost felt like he wanted to make this book the most shocking and plot-twisted one out of all three books and he should definitely take some credit for that because this book went all out there for readers and Fukuda rarely written a boring moment in this book . . . it was just so fast-paced which made me even more invested with the storyline.

In terms of the characters, I have to say Gene and Sissy are my favourites out of everyone. While we do eventually get to see Ashley June again - Gene's first love interest from book one - but let's just say I never cared for that girl (hated her actually) but thankfully Sissy - another love interest who was introduced in book two - was what made this book and Gene himself stand out so much more. Sissy, despite her funny name, is my absolute favourite character in this entire book and I think if it wasn't for her character, Gene would have given up his quest long ago and he almost did in this book. She just continually challenges and pushes him forward again and again, and ultimately makes him live for something despite their dire circumstances made of nightmares (at least that's the vibe I always got from her character) which is what I've always loved about Sissy. She never gives up. She believes there's something else out there . . . which makes herself and Gene move on and push forward. Gene, of course, is a great character and I've slowly come around to liking him a lot, but yeah, Sissy was great in this book and made Gene an even more likeable character when they worked together. Just loved those two right until the end.

Overall, THE TRAP had a brilliant conclusion and I really couldn't have asked for more from this final book, so make sure you pick up this book when you have a chance to! It's definitely worth a read and it's full of so many great things!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Horizon by Alyson Noel

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Macmillan

Pages: 336pgs

The Story

Fate has bound them together—and torn them apart.  Now Daire and Dace face one final fight that will seal their destiny forever.

Daire Santos is the last of the Soul Seekers, and the only thing standing between the Richters and the destruction of everyone she loves. With her grandmother gone and Cade back in Enchantment, Daire must finally step into her destiny and lead the fight against the Richters. But what if that means sacrificing the person she loves most?

Bound to the Richters by blood, Dace struggles against the darkness growing inside him that threatens to claim Daire too. Though Daire refuses to give up on him, the choice may not be hers. An epic battle is on the horizon and the end of the world looms near. With such insurmountable odds stacked against them, is their love really enough to conquer all?


The Review

A big thanks to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this book!

After reading the Immortals series, even though that particular series didn't work out so well for me after six books or so, but I was so glad that Noel's other Soul Seekers series did work out in the end. It was very entertaining to say the least (more so the mythology side of it) and even the final book offered a nice - but an also unexpected - ending, which was much better than the Immortals series ending ever was. So I was rather glad for that.

While Daire, the main character, had her ups and downs in this book, but soon as the last half of the book came to a head, she soon grew back into her own once more and made all of the right decisions. Dace, her love interest, on the other hand, was still an alright kind of character and I always liked him as Daire's love interest, but he was probably the only disappointing factor of the book and that's probably because I expected so much more from him in this particular book. But regardless of that, everything in the end worked out the best for everyone . . . mostly.

Overall, HORIZON was a very entertaining book and while the ending (even for a final book) did end with a small plot-twist, but it was still a great read.

The Rating

4/5 stars

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 464pgs

The Story

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning . . .

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

The Review

I know Sherry Thomas is a well known author to most readers, but this is the very first book that I've read of hers and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. While her newest YA book, THE BURNING SKY, the first in the trilogy, did contain some slower parts in some particular scenes and the first few chapters were a little rocky for me at first until everything else came into place, but for the majority of it I was pretty entertained by everything in this book, especially the last half of the book where scenes became so much more action-packed and exciting.

THE BURNING SKY definitely had a great concept going for it, but aside from the mythology side of things, what I was even more entertained and delighted by was with our two main leads, Iolanthe Seabourne and Prince Titus, who made this book shine so much more. For one, Prince Titus was such a serious guy and a very guarded young man (sometimes a little stubborn too) which I liked about him because his story slowly unfolds throughout the book and I like that sort of development in a character, but out of everyone, I thought Iolanthe's character had totally won me over right from the very beginning and she is what made me want to read more and more of this book. 

Iolanthe is the kind of heroine I wish most heroines were always like: smart, resourceful, witty, has good values and most importantly makes good decisions for others than just thinking about herself all the time. I also like that she wasn't shy in any sense and was confident in her own skin, which is always a bonus for me with heroines. Even her banter with Prince Titus was absolutely hilarious. And speaking of Titus, I loved the way he and Iolanthe interacted in the book. It wasn't insta-love or anything close to that, but rather a friendship that slowly become romantic. It's a subtle romance which is great to see and I seem to have more respect for those as sometimes romances in YA books can be overdone and suffocate the book, you know? So I definitely loved that subtlety of the romance and I'm looking forward to reading more from this new couple in the future books.

Overall, THE BURNING SKY was a pleasant surprise for me and I would definitely recommend to readers who love a good old adventure with plenty of fantasy elements to keep you entertained until the very end of the book!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 416pgs

The Story

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

The Review

Okay, so I was a little torn between giving this book a 4, 4.5 or a 5 star rating, but oh what the heck . . . I'm giving it a 5 stars because of that freakin' awesome ending Richelle Mead delivered to us and all of those Sydrian feels that I felt, which I'm sure many of you are also feeling right about now when you're thinking back and reflecting on this book. OH MY GOSH THERE ARE SO MANY FEELS I TELL YOU IN THIS BOOK! And boy was it so much better than the last book, The Indigo Spell, which I was a little disappointed with.

But before I get into this review, I have to say I was a little worried when I first heard the author was writing Adrian's point-of-view for this new instalment as well as Sydney's. Now I don't know why I was so worried (because most of well . . . just about anything Mead writes is always awesome and has that tick-approval sort of thing going for it) but if I'm guessing here, I was probably more worried about the fact that being inside Adrian's head would not be as awesome as I wanted it to be or rather it was because I was worried that I would like him less because of his POV which can sometimes happen to me like what happened with Veronica Roth's Allegiant book with Four/Tobias's POV . . . but I was wrong on both accounts. While Adrian is a bit light-hearted on his new romance with Sydney and perhaps a little cheesy at times and vice versa, but it was very nice to read more about him inside his own head and learning about what he's going through with his spirit abilities . . . which was heart-aching at times. So yeah, I was very surprised with his POV.

In terms of the book itself, I thought it was - on a whole - a really good book despite there being less action in the previous books than I initially wanted as it's book four now. But in saying that, THE FIERY HEART was still a very enjoyable storyline with a very different feel to it and I liked how it focused more about the emotional sides of the characters and also the psychological side as well, especially when it comes to Adrian and his 'darkness' that is always overshadowing him. Another thing as well, I liked that Sydney and Adrian showed their readers a completely new side to them (more so in Sydney's case) and a much more romantic one as well, which I'm sure all of us readers can appreciate as we wanted these two characters together for SO LONG now, so again, it's great to see these two crazy kids finally (well sort of) be together and no longer avoid each other feelings. Even if it's a 'secret' relationship at first.

So without spoiling things for you, all I can say is that the ending was a real killer. While I already saw it coming from book one and from the many things that were hinted throughout the series, but still . . . it was hard to actually read that ending . . . and my gosh I cannot wait to see what else Richelle Mead has up her sleeve, though I'm sure there are many other heart-breaking twists coming our way. Just read some of my gif comments HERE on Goodreads to know how I'm feeling and STILL feeling right now. Yeah, that ending was a killer.

Overall, THE FIERY HEART is a book that should not be missed by any Richelle Mead fan and let's just say BRING ON BOOK FOUR BECAUSE I'M READY TO READ IT NOW!

The Rating

5/5 stars

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 544pgs

The Story

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

The Review

Love it or hate it . . . I just have to say that I really enjoyed this book. Even when it comes to that ending that everyone can't seem to stop talking about and even when it wasn't my favourite read out of all three books. Still, it was enjoyable for me.

While I won't get into the major plot details of this book (don't want to spoil you see - that is, if you haven't been spoiled already) but what I am going to talk about is a little bit about the book and well . . . mostly about the ending ordeal thing because I must talk about that! But before I get into that, I have to admit that while I wasn't a hardcore fan of this series - at least not in a big, big way like everyone else was as I was more a Hunger Games dystopian kind of girl than a Divergent girl - but like with those many other readers that were onboard with this series from the get-go, I still very much enjoyed this series and come to appreciate - and even love - all of the characters we were introduced to from book's one, two, and three, and how much they have grown within those three books . . . so I totally understand why so many readers were so passionate and invested with this series. I totally understand in that viewpoint.

So in saying that, it's no surprise to me that this book had really took us on a really wild roller-coaster ride. It's no surprise at all really - in fact I expected it to be quite over-the-top - because when you consider and look back on everything the character's have been through and all of the sacrifices that needed to be made by those characters in question . . . it should not be all that surprising to us when the author, Veronica Roth, decided to take her book's final ending to a very extreme level for this final book, even when she will probably know that most of her readers will not necessarily agree with it and will only want that happy ending thing. It's not our fault for wanting that. We're readers after all. We invest so much time in many, many book series so it's our given right to hope for the best for our favourite characters. Readers after all always want our characters to deserve those kinds of HEAs when the characters have went through hell and back to get to the final point of the book. So yeah . . . I understand that. Completely. But what I really don't understand is all the backlash Veronica Roth has been receiving over the past month. Of course I understand where the readers are coming from and all of that, but this whole death-threat thing (trust me some things that have been said were quite ridiculous) is just something I just don't understand at all. We maybe readers but we're not authors. It's Roth's story after all and she can do anything with it. Even when it's a killer.

Honestly with this particular 'ending' of Roth's, you have to admit that it took guts to write an ending like THAT. Lot's of guts actually. And boy I do love author's who take risks like that. It just makes me admire and respect their writing style even more than I did previously. So while ALLEGIANT's ending was heart-breaking, shocking, unsettling and well something that may not have been totally expected by most readers, but it was written in that way and I totally respect it. For sure, it was definitely sad but I did suspect this ending was coming our way (from the sequel you could definitely tell something major was building up to the boiling point for the final book) and for sure I didn't really want my predications to come true because it's just . . . awful, but in the end if the author thought that this was the ONLY way to end her beloved series . . . then again I respect her in many ways for that decision. Inspires me actually in my own writing.

But moving along, while I really liked the ending (well maybe not the epilogue because I kind of wanted to see more emotion from it), I think the only reason why I'm not rating this book five stars is because of Four/Tobias's perspective that we finally get to read in this book. Now I've really come to love our main character's perspective, Tris, because her voice was so interesting and so honest, but for some insane reason and as much as I love Four's character, his perspective kind of ruined my enjoyment of the book. Of course I still enjoyed this book as previously ranted on above, but I felt - at least for most of the time - that Four's perspective was completely unnecessary. And perhaps had made me not like him as much as I did in books one and two. Still, Tris is what made this book extra special and in the end it only showed me just how much she had grown in this series. She's definitely going to be a well-respected heroine by the time you finish this book. So whatever happened to her and to the other characters around her, especially in the end which I don't want to giveaway, but Tris, in the end of it all, had really showed me what it takes to be selfless and brave . . . and I respect the author for how she dealt with Tris's character. It was brave indeed.

Overall, ALLEGIANT may leave you with many emotions indeed and whether you're a fan of the ending or not, I really came to enjoy this book and I'm looking forward to reading whatever else Veronica Roth has up her sleeve next. She's a gutsy author  - that's for sure!

The Rating

4/5 stars

Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

Release Date: January, 2014

Publisher: HarlequinTeen Australia

Pages: 458pgs

The Story

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book!

Even though this series wasn't my favourite series from the author, but I still have come to really enjoy Maria V. Snyder's Healer series. Well, pretty much every book of hers is always enjoyable for me, no matter the story. But in regards to this particular book, all I can say is, at least after finishing this third and last instalment of the series, is that the ending was absolutely bittersweet for me and while this book may not have been my absolute favourite out of all three books but . . . yeah that ending had certainly turned me into a giggling schoolgirl. Hehe. It was just too damn perfect to handle in a serious matter (you'll know what I mean when you come to read it).

Now in terms of the actual storyline of TASTE OF DARKNESS, I thought it was such a really good story for the most part, especially considering the way things had ended in the previous sequel (you know with the whole Kerrick being poisoned thing and his disappearing act that left readers like me in disbelief over the whole idea of it all). But yeah, the storyline was definitely what I was come to expecting from the author and with this series so I'm really glad about that. And another thing to add about this book is that it was much darker compared to the three other books in the series which I was all for because I do like a darker side to things, so with that particular element in mind I thought the author had done a brilliant job with that and I really liked that different 'feel' to the books.

Like what I already expected in this final conclusion, our two main characters, Avry and Kerrick, who were my main focus while reading this book, were pretty awesome this time round and I just completely adore their relationship together. They just have this great form of respect for one another (like with most couples in Snyder's other series) and even when they are separated in the book, there's still this great sense of hope that surrounds them as they fight their individual battles and it's just lovely to witness such a romance and friendship play out til the end. Le sigh. This book definitely gave me many Avry and Kennick feels. I can definitely tell you that!

Overall, without spoiling things, TASTE OF DARKNESS will certainly not disappoint its readers and if you're like me with the whole romance thing between Avry and Kennick, the ending will definitely have your hearts racing in a foolish fangirl sense hehe.

The Rating

4/5 stars

Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Putnam

Pages: 368pgs

The Story

Ash and Natalie are just starting to build a life together when things in the United Sentry States go from bad to worse. Ash and Natalie find themselves at the center of turmoil when dictator Purian Rose threatens Natalie’s life unless Ash votes in favor of Rose’s Law—a law that will send Darklings and other dissenters to a deadly concentration camp known as the Tenth.

When Ash can’t bring himself to trade Natalie’s life for those of millions of Darklings, her fate is sealed. Enter Elijah Theroux, the handsome Bastet boy Natalie once saved from her mother’s labs, where he’d been experimented on and tortured. It was his venom the Sentry used to create the lethal Golden Haze, the heart of the government conspiracy that led to Black City’s uprising and Ash’s rebirth as the Phoenix, the face of the rebellion. Elijah is back and Ash doesn’t like him; it’s clear he’s taken with Natalie, and Ash fears she may have feelings for him as well.

But Elijah also may have the answer to taking down Purian Rose for good—a powerful weapon called the Ora. Ash, Natalie and Elijah just have to escape Black City undetected to find it. But fleeing the city and finding this weapon (if it even exists) are easier said than done, and the quest could tear Ash and Natalie apart, even pushing them into the arms of others.

The Review

After really enjoying Elizabeth Richards's debut novel, Black City, I couldn't wait until I got my hands on a copy of her next sequel in the series and thankfully I wasn't disappointed (at least not in the way most sequels end up disappointing you). Not only was PHOENIX very action-packed, romantic and just as intense as the first book was, but it also contained great deal of memorable scenes with our two main characters not to mention a I-can't-wait-anymore-for-the-third-book-type-ofending, so to say the least, I'm really, really looking forward to the third book now, especially with what the ending delivered to us all.

PHOENIX, while it was still an enjoyable read, but I found it didn't top the first book for me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because it's always the first book you'll always fall in love with in a series. Still, what I've always come to love about Elizabeth Richards's writing is how she builds upon her own world and how we always learn new and interesting things about her world as well. It's just very cool to read about and her world kind of reminds me of Marie Lu's dystopian-like world of Legend, which is a really good thing because Marie Lu also sets up some great world-building herself.

Now what I've come to also appreciate in this particular series is the connection between our two main characters, Natalie and Ash. While the couple definitely had their many ups and downs in this sequel, more so on Ash's part (even though Natalie was a major contributor to most of their 'couple' problems), but in the end - no matter what happened throughout the book and no matter how much the characters can frustrate you so with the decisions they make - I still loved the way Natalie and Ash came together and worked through their problems as best as they could, despite their dire situations.

In terms of faults between the two main characters, I think the only problem I had with this book was Natalie's character (even though Ash could sometimes make me throw the book against the wall because of the way he acted at times and I'm talking about jealously here) and how she wasn't as emotionally strong in this book compared to the first. Mind you, Natalie is going through a lot problematic things in this particular sequel or rather she holds back a very important piece of information that she didn't want anymore to know of (mostly for Ash's sake) which frustrated me so much considering he found out anyway (it was kind of obvious), but in saying that, I still very much enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next book next year.

Overall, PHOENIX may not have entirely won my heart as Black City did, but considering the ending and what could possibly happen to our favourite couple, Ash and Natalie, I'll still be gearing up for the third book now and I can't wait to see what happens in the end of this trilogy (which I hope ends in the best way possible because I just want Ash and Natalie to be together with nothing interfering their relationship so I'm hoping for the best here!).

The Rating

4/5 stars

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

 
Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 464pgs

The Story

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book!

From the very first book in the Pushing the Limits series I have loved the author's writing not to mention all of her characters - main or supporting ones, and while I still don't know how she manages to write these amazing stories, but I know one thing is for sure: Katie McGarry is definitely one of my favourite contemporary writers by far! She just nails each and every book of hers!

CRASH INTO YOU was such a thrill ride for me and while I wouldn't necessarily say that it was my favourite, favourite book in the series (really it's hard to decide because all of the books are written so brilliantly), but boy it was pretty close and SO GOOD too! Now initially it took me some time to warm up to our new leading lady, Rachel, and be immersed with her story this time round (even though she definitely turns into such a lovely, bad-ass girl later in the book), but when her perspective is switched and paired up with Isaiah's perspective . . . then everything else in the book soon becomes perfection within itself and honestly Isaiah was what I loved most out of everyone else. He was the driving force of the entire book I thought!

Oh Isaiah! I have loved him from the get-go of this series and while I wasn't entirely sure what he could be capable of with his own book (especially since his heart was broken in the previous sequel), but now I think out of all of the guys I have met in this series so far, he's definitely in my top lists of favourite boy characters of all time. Just boy . . .  I love him and that's probably because he reminds me so much of Alex from Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry which is bonus for us fangirls if I do say so myself. Isaiah just has so much compassionate and protective hotness in this book (much more than I ever expected from him too), so just you wait until you get to know him some more and see the flaming hot chemistry he shares with Rachel . . . just you wait girls . . . you're going to love him a hundred times more than you do already!

Overall, CRASH INTO YOU contains a lot of frustrating and over-the-edge type of characters (especially with Rachel's family), but with the driving force of Isaiah and Rachel's newfound love . . . everything in this book is totally worth the wait!

The Rating

5/5 stars

The Elites by Natasha Ngan

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Pages: 368pgs

The Story

‘There is a rumour that the Elites don’t bleed.’

Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures – and racial tension. 

Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She’d never dream of leaving – but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel’s president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

The Review

You know what? This book had actually surprised me in many ways. Not that I should be surprised or anything. I mean, the blurb of the book gave me this feeling that it was going to be a really, really different kind of read and it definitely was, at least I found that the world was. It was odd, strange, a little unique and again very strange, but I like all of those things combined into one and because the book was written so well too, I think that's why I enjoyed reading this book more than I thought I would. And I like finding those little surprises along the way.

To put it simply, I found THE ELITES is kind of like Marie Lu's Legend meets Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. At least that's the vibe I got from this book. So whether you're into that sort of thing, I think any sort of reader will enjoy this book because there is so much to like whether it's the story, the world or its unique characters who are good or bad. For me personally, I liked everything about this book and while it's not entirely perfect (though I'm sure many things will be explained in the next sequel), but what I loved the most was the driving force of the main characters and what they bring to this new series, that being Silver, who was such a delightful young heroine to have, and her best 'boy' friend, Butterfly, who was also such a delight to read about. Together, as they go looking for Silver's parents who have disappeared which for reasons will be later explained in the book (don't want to spoil here), I thought Silver and Butterfly worked so well together as partners in crime and I think if it wasn't for their very different personalities that have somehow worked together magically, I don't think I would have liked this book as much as I did, so just go and read this book just for those two characters! They were a real treat and I'm sure they will be for you too.

In saying that, another thing I loved was the whole unique world the author has created and everything in it. From Butterfly's own wings to Neo-Babel's own official government to the racism of many cultures in the book (especially with Silver who is known as a Red which is considered a real threat and where she is always picked on because of her particular race) is just a few things that made this book truly awesome and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author will come up with next because this book is really unique and I loved it.

Overall, THE ELITES was a very enjoyable book and with many unexpected twists, new romance and friendships, and with truly awesome characters who are surrounded by this very unique - and not to mention magical - world of Ngan's, I'm sure many readers will love this book as much as I did and is definitely one you should be out on the look for!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 320pgs

The Story

Kennedy Waters didn't believe in ghosts, until one tried to kill her.

When Kennedy finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn't know that evil forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into her house and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon - a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother's place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon - battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

The Review

A big thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!

Initially I didn't know what to think about this book or what I was getting myself into since the ghost/demon genre seems to be used quite a lot in YA books, but considering who has written the book and since I enjoyed the Beautiful Creatures series, I wanted to see for myself how well Kami Garcia writes by herself without her writing partner. So with everything that I've just read, on whole I thought this was actually a pretty good book. Not entirely perfect but a pretty good book.

UNBREAKABLE tells the story of Kennedy Waters who has her first encounter with a ghost and brings more trouble than she is willing to deal with right now. But ever since her mother died, stranger things have been happening and it all starts with that one ghost, which leads Kennedy to meet with two twin brothers, Jared and Lukas, who are apart of a secret group called the Legion, people who fight against demons who pose a threat to the world. Little does she know that she and her mother have a connection to the Legion and will ultimately change Kennedy's life forever.

While the story is not entirely original and may share certain similarities with other paranormal series such as Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, but I really liked reading how Garcia writes by herself and in the end I thought she wrote this new book of hers quite well, including her world and her characters and so on. In regards to the characters themselves, while I struggled to connect with Kennedy at times, however during the course of events in the book where more bad-ass things tended to happen, I soon grew closer to her character and I quite loved her in the end. She definitely proved herself in this first book, so I'm looking forward to reading more of her in the sequel. 

But the only thing I think this book lacked and what was possibly the only reason why I'm rating this book down was the romance and the character chemistry/connection side of things. While I appreciate a slow-buring romance and light character connections and overall relationships (which can develop over time in a series and are not supposed to be entirely perfect in the very first book), but I was kind of expecting more chemistry - romance or otherwise - between the characters Kennedy, Jared and Lukas, who are our main characters. I don't know why I didn't feel the connection between them . . . but I just found that their connection and relationships will one another was very light and not necessarily working well together . . . so yeah I don't know . . . I just found there was a lack of something between the three of them. But since this is a series and all, I'm sure there is plenty of time to make them connect better with each other and with their other supporting characters.

Overall, UNBREAKABLE is definitely a fast-paced read and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel next year considering the ending had left things with many questions going through my mind right now.

The Rating

4/5 stars

Elegy by Tara Hudson

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 400pgs

The Story

A stalker ghost, misguided Seers, and spellbinding wraiths—Amelia Ashley has faced them all. Now her greatest hope is to spend the rest of her afterlife with her living boyfriend, Joshua. But the demonic forces return to give her an ultimatum: turn herself over to the darkness or watch them murder one living person per week until she does.

Amelia fears she might really be doomed, until the forces of light give her another option. She can join them in their quest to gather souls, with a catch: Once she joins them, she can never see Joshua again.

Faced with impossible choices, Amelia decides to take her afterlife into her own hands—and fight back.

The Review

ELEGY is the final book in the Hereafter trilogy and it concerns itself with Amelia, the ghost we all know and love who now has to face the consequences of many evil beings who want her to join them in Hell. However, if she does not, her current and very human boyfriend, Joshua, the one person she counts on more than anyone else and whom she would do anything for, will be the one next in danger.

Now like with anyone who has already read this series, I've always loved this one and how well it was written. It's just one of those rare book series where you get so invested in the storyline and with its characters and with everything else, and you don't even have to try  to like it . . . it's just awesome anyway and truly heart-felt to the core. But I have to admit, much like with what happened in Kendare Blake's Anna Dressed in Blood series, which this book reminds me so much of only with less gore and so on,  I knew from the very beginning that with the coupling between the ghost, Amelia, and the human boy, Joshua, that their relationship would be tested in several ways, not to mention it wouldn't be all sunshine and rainbows between them both in this particular book and I was right even though it displeases me so. 

Ultimately, this book was definitely not all sunshine and rainbows and I can guarantee you that. But in saying that, while I already knew how this book would end and why it took me a few moments or two to embrace my prediction that actually happened, in the end of it all, I thought it was all well-done for the final book and that all sacrifices that were made had this bittersweet kick to it . . . so even though I didn't totally love it . . . but it was the kind of ending that needed to happen one way or another, so yeah . . . it was an all-round good book. The same goes for the characters and in particular with Amelia and Joshua's characters. They might have made a few decisions that I didn't necessarily agree with even though they were the right things to do at the time, but in the end the choices needed to be made, so it was a real pleasure to meet with these colourful and sometimes dark characters. I'm definitely going to be missing them heaps!

Overall, ELEGY was a pleasant read and while it may have had its ups and downs, particularly with the conclusion it left for us readers, but ultimately and while you start to think about why the ending ended the way it did, you will soon embrace it in no time and understand that things happen for a reason even though it comes with a severe consequence.

The Rating

3/5 stars

The Night Itself by Zoë Marriott

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Walker Books

Pages: 368pgs

The Story

When fifteen year old Mio Yamato furtively sneaks the katana - an ancestral Japanese sword - out of its hiding place in her parent's attic to help liven up her Christmas party costume, she has no idea of the darkness she is about to unleash on modern day London, or the family secrets that she is going to uncover.

The paralysing paranoia that descends on her before she gets to her friend's party is her first clue. The vivid and terrifying visions that nearly get her killed are a pretty good warning too.

The giant nine-tailed cat demon that comes after the sword and tries to rip her throat out? Overkill.

Seconds away from becoming kitty-food, Mio is saved by Shinobu, a mysterious warrior boy. But it's already too late. Mio has ruptured the veil between the mortal realm and the Underworld, and now the gods and monsters of ancient Japan stalk the streets of London, searching for her and the sword. 

With the help of her best friend Jack, a fox spirit named Hikaru - and the devoted protection of the betwitchingly familiar Shinobu - Mio attempts to discover the true nature of the sword and its connection to the Yamato family. Because if she doesn't learn how to control the katana's incredible powers, she's in danger of being overwhelmed by them. And if she can't keep the sword safe from the terrible creatures who want it for their own, she'll lose not only her own life... but the love of a lifetime.

The Review

I believe this is my very first book that I've read of Zoë Marriott's work, but even so, I definitely know now why so many other readers have praised her books up over the past year or so. So with her newest book out this year, THE NIGHT ITSELF, and after reading it pretty quickly too, the book itself has certainly got my interest up in her other works that she has out right now and in saying that I'm looking forward to reading more from her in the future and from this particular new series of hers as well.

THE NIGHT ITSELF - while interesting and fairly unique within its own genre - may not have been the most epic of all books that I have ever read, but in my opinion, I still firmly believe that this book is one of the most well-constructed books I have come across lately and the author has definitely set up this book as a wonderful beginning to a new trilogy, which, of course, I can't wait to read more of, especially with learning more about our main characters.Whether it's to do with the well-balacned pacing or with the characters themselves who are both quirky and strong within their own right, but the author should seriously take on all the credit for her Japanese mythology side of things that are presented in this book and how she cleverly combined them with a UK contemporary setting (which was great!). You know, sometimes what I often find in YA books is that mythology and contemporary settings can clash or rather simply not work at all nor seem believable enough for readers (even for fantasy books), but with this particular title it just worked wonders for the author and her readers.

Overall, while I will admit the book did have a couple of problems here and there (including times where there were slower parts in the book or where I thought some scenes weren't getting straight to the point as I would've liked or something along those lines), but on a whole I really enjoyed this book and the characters were pretty awesome as well, not to mention that the overall plot was very strong and energetic for the most part. So in the end those were the main things that kept me reading until the very end and if you love Japanese myths combined with modern day settings and awesome characters, then this is definitely your kind of book for sure!

The Rating

4/5 stars

The Fall of Five by Pittacus Lore

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 352pgs

The Story

The Garde are finally reunited, but do they have what it takes to win the war against the Mogadorians?

John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

The Garde may have lost battles, but they will not lose this war.

Lorien will rise again.

The Review

I'm not going to lie. This book was so close to being five-star perfect (so very close in fact), but considering the ending (which was still awesome mind you) and the fact that the author decides to do something pretty horrible - and almost unexpected - to one of my two favourite characters in the series, let's just say the story was almost perfect and we'll just leave it at that before my rant mode comes along to mess this review up.

But moving on, while I thought THE FALL OF FIVE may have had less action scenes than I initially thought it would contain more of, especially when you compare the action scenes to the previous three books which was full of these epic battles, but regardless of that, I still found that this book was just as enjoyable as those other three predecessors. I mean, it wasn't necessarily a weaker book per se, but it was certainly a much more character-oriented type of book, and for me personally I thought it was a nice change because I didn't have to always rely on the action scenes to get me excited for what's to come in the story, so again it was a nice change indeed.

In regards to what made me enjoy this book a little more than I expected, I honestly think it was because of Sam's perspective, which happened to be my favourite perspective in the entire book - well except for Marina's because I absolutely love that girl more than any other character out there and that's because she's awesome in her own way. But yeah, adding Sam's perspective was a very clever move, particularly a much more detailed perspective and away from the other Number people, because I've always found that Sam was more of a background character than anything else and I thought he had so much more to offer since he is apart of what is going on in this world of Lore's, so I'm glad in this particular book he finally gets a chance to show people what he's made of because I've always had a soft spot for our dear Sam. He's such a sweetie.

Now of course, last but not least, I have to mention John, Number Four, and his love interest, Sarah, and let me just point out that they were definitely not my favourite characters in this book. More so with Sarah. In fact, I don't even understand why Sarah is even in this book in the first place . . . honestly why is she here? I just don't understand her purpose in all of this and to me she's just distracting John rather than helping people . . . yeah I've never liked that girl. And speaking of John, I thought he was the weaker character in this entire book despite him being the main character and all, which surprised me a lot, but considering he's not my favourite character . . . then it's no biggie so whatever hehe. I have Sam, Marina, and Number Eight to keep me more than entertained!

Overall, THE FALL OF FIVE was an excellent addition to the series and I'm seriously looking forward to the next book despite the killer and so-not-fair ending which was unforgivable through my eyes (because the author did a very bad, bad thing with a favourite character of mine that meanie and I mean HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME OF ALL READERS!).

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain

Release Date: 11th March, 2014

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Pages: 512pgs

The Story

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book!

For a while I've come to appreciate Bree Despain's work, especially with her very first series, The Dark Divine, which was always full of great action, romance and suspense, so of course I was looking forward to her new series here as it sounded and looked amazing as well. So you can only imagine how excited I was when the publisher accepted my request to read and review the book, because in the end of reading . . . I actually thought it was a pretty great book!

Since this is a 2014 title, I won't go into too much detail over THE SHADOW PRINCE, except I will say that many readers have a right to be excited about this particular book. Just think Starcrossed meets a tinge of The Goddess Test because both titles had certainly reminded me of this particular new book from Despain and I can't complain over that. So if you loved those two titles that I had mentioned, then be prepared for something along those lines with this book.

Like the author's previous titles, Bree Despain has always entertained me with her writing but the majority of my enjoyment - at least I think - came mostly from her mythology side of things. In this particular book it's the exact same way for me . . . the mythology the author writes is just so fascinating and I was pretty much hooked from the get-go. While I will admit that I did prefer the first half of the book than the second half of it, but in the end it's still a very great read that alternates between our two leading characters, Daphne and Haden, and contains a little bit of everything to entertain any sort of reader. Though girls . . . you definitely love this one more than the boys will because Haden is a pretty cool guy. Creepy sometimes and stubborn perhaps . . . but he's pretty cool and hot too.

Overall, THE SHADOW PRINCE is the perfect read for any reader looking for some cool mythology and while the book may not be totally original in some reader's eyes, but you'll definitely get past that once you meet the characters and learn more about the world the author has managed to put together. I would highly recommend it so check out next year!

The Rating

4/5 stars