Category: Review (Page 228 of 295)

BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

May 6, 2015 / Jen / 2 Comments

Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1)
by Danielle L. Jensen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

Review:

***I did NOT like the final book in this series. It was missing everything that I had previously fallen in love with. And that’s not even the worst part. Worst of all was that ending. That ending left me completely unsatisfied and utterly depressed. You can see my review of Warrior Witch here – Warrior Witch: 1/5 Stars***

This book was beautifully intoxicating. From the feeling of being in past generations from their dialect, to characters that enchanted my heart, to the intricate storyline that kept me glued to the pages, it was impossible not to become lost in their twisted world. I was completely blown away by how much I loved this book and how Cecile and Tristan’s happiness, sorrow and horror became mine. Everything that filled these pages was perfection and what I always hope for when picking up a book!

Does a troll know sadness, anger, or happiness? Can a troll love another troll? Or are they as cold inside as the rocks they were buried beneath? – Cecile

Cecile is destined for fame with her opera voice, and her mother has been grooming her for her destiny. But before her departure to start her new life, she is kidnapped and taken to Trollus. A city that is trapped underneath a mountain where the trolls have lived for over 500 years because of a witch’s curse. They are hoping that by creating a union between Cecile and one of their own, a prince, that the prophecy will be fulfilled and that freedom will become theirs for the taking. But Cecile has her own plans, and those include escaping. But while plotting her escape, her feelings for the troll Prince, Tristan, start to bloom. For what shall she do?

And I was done with crying – tears accomplished nothing but exhausting me further and I needed my wits about me if I were going to escape this place. Perhaps not today, tomorrow, or even the next day, but I would stand beneath the sun again. I swore it to myself. – Cecile

Cecile is now on my favorite heroines list. She was daring, brave, smart and a fighter who truly cared about the hardships of others, even if they were trolls. Her feelings and reactions to situations felt so real and honest that I had such an easy time slipping into her shoes which helped me become further lost in the story. But my favorite thing about her? That she doesn’t lay down and die when her situation is dire. She plots, plans and bids her time. Time that is sometimes filled with Tristan, sigh.

If I wasn’t careful, she would be my undoing. – Tristan

You MUST meet the troll Prince, Tristan. I was all kinds of questionable about falling for a troll BUT he is sexy, infuriating, haughty and sarcastic. His actions sometimes made you swoon and other times made you want to punch him in the face. But the swoon worthy moments I promise are worth his jerky moments! Not only do we get those swoon worthy moments, but we also get a few chapters here and there that are from his perspective. Plus add in the fact that we get to know what his emotions are from Cecile, once they have bonded, and clearly we can see that there is a lot going on underneath his indifferent facade. When you combine some of the acts he did without hesitation and the emotions he radiated, it solidified what an amazing troll he was and kept me hoping that he had feelings for Cecile. He always tried to wear his mask of indifference when it came to her, but the more it slipped, the more I fell for Tristan.

“They aren’t ugly.” I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “More like beautiful things that have had the misfortune of being broken.” Tristan turned his face back to me. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt it in my heart. – Cecile

I had a feeling that I was going to love this book, but so many things still took me by surprise. The peril was through the roof intense. It was the type of situations where you can’t read fast enough yet you also want to slow down because you are terrified about how much more horrific everything is going to turn out. I panicked, I cried, and I even yelled at my book. Those multiple scenes turned me inside out. And then on the flipside, the banter and fighting between Cecile and Tristan had me laughing so hard I had tears pouring down my face. I desperately wanted them to defy the odds and be together. And I won’t ever forget the setting of Trollus, it felt so real and vivid. So without a shadow of doubt, Stolen Songbird is going on my favorites list!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Stolen Songbird #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea Anna	Hidden Huntress #2 Reviews: Jen	Hidden Huntress #3 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW: A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

May 5, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorced dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great. Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together. Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.

“Ready?” Nathan asked, pulling car keys from his pocket.
“You kids have fun,” Dad said from the sofa, turning a page in the novel he was reading. “Get to know each other. You’re family now.”
Yeah, I thought. Family who’ve banged each other.

Many people found themselves comparing this story to DUFF and some of Keplinger’s other works. Now, while I did say, “This was so good! But I loved DUFF more,” I never once felt the need to compare while I was reading. I believe each book has it’s own characters, problems, and merits. Even if there are moments where we get glimpses of the DUFF world we all love (or hate, if you’re one of those.), it doesn’t, by any means, have to be anything the same or surrounded by old characters all the time-That’s just an added bonus when we get to see Wesley and my lovely bitch., Bianca. I loved seeing them, if only for brief moments!

“Buckle up,” he [Nathan] said to me, hitting the button for the radio.
He waited until my seat belt had clicked before he even pulled out of the driveway. As if traveling those three extra feet without restraints might actually kill me or something. I didn’t expect someone who had one-night stands with strangers or threw crazy parties to have such a stick up his ass.

This story was exactly what I needed-Light, sarcastic, funny, and heartwarming. Hell, I even found myself tearing up a few times, to which I replied while blinking rapidly, “What the hell?” It’s not enough to merely create an interesting plot. You have to add warmth and love and laughter to these characters and make us unable to dislike them. With this author, I find that I am always in love with her characters. Whether they’re offhandedly witty and snarky like Bianca, controlled, composed and in charge like Lissa, or just a plain old bitch like Whit (Daaaawww, Whit) I always find that they have me laughing or giggling out loud-which I RARELY do.

“Hey,” he said, folding his arms over his chest, only barely obscuring the image of a hand making the Vulcan salute on his T-shirt. “I thought you were giving this whole being-nice thing a try.”
“I am,” I told him. “But come on. You want to major in computer science, you’re practically swooning over some ancient movie about a time-traveling car, and you have a freaking Darth Vader bobblehead in your room. I thought jocks beat up geeks, not aspired to be them.”
“What can I say? I’m a complicated guy.”

And then her boys. Talk. About. Butterflies. That’s another thing-I don’t know if it’s the author’s younger age or if she just has an unwitty knack to create all the boys in the world I’d love to gather and keep for myself, but I don’t think she has created a boy that hasn’t broken my heart or made my tummy erupt into butterflies, yet. They are always kind, caring, and over-the-moon sweet, no matter their status *Cough* Wesley, the manwhore *Cough Cough* and they always stay in my heart long after I have turned (swiped) the last page. It’s not that they are different than what we see all the time, per se, but it’s the heart that goes into writing their characters-It leaps off the page and gives you multiple opportunities to grab onto it and feel that visceral connection that is so within your reach. If that’s not incentive enough, I don’t know what is.

My head began to spin. My whole body felt alive, like it was on fire. I gasped for breath between each kiss, my fingers digging into his soft cotton T-shirt. Something like euphoria swept over me, and I couldn’t think about anything anymore. It was just Nathan and me and way too many layers of clothing between us. I wanted to touch every inch of him. I wanted to melt into him. I wanted him. So much.

I mentioned the author’s age, earlier, and I wanted to say a little more on that. I still can’t believe a girl so young creates such simply amazing books. They have no typos. They are witty. They are snarky. They have VERY swoon-worthy lines from those aforementioned boys (Cash, Wesley, and now, Nathan). And I just have the hardest time wrapping my brain around that-not that young people can’t write, no, that’s not what I mean-it’s that she’s so young, yet has more accuracy and clarity in her writing (whether or not you admire the funny cliches and content) than some of the more seasoned authors that sell 10x more books than this girl does. I don’t get that. These books are light, care-free, and they have lots of heart and passion in every page. And the drama actually makes you feel because it’s not long and drawn out. These books are short, sweet, and to the point. I’m sorry, but what more can you ask for?

So, you know, I really loved this one. And while I only gave it a 4.5, it doesn’t change the fact that my heart is light as air and I have the hugest smile on my face. I can’t put my finger on why I didn’t feel the same ‘hard-core connection’ as I did with the last two I read (maybe my mood?), but there was a strong connection, nonetheless. But that’s where the .5 star went. Merely a case of not just slapping on the same rating for the hell of it…eh, I dunno. I’m weird.

Since I could remember, I’d always been a night person. My burst of energy came right around the time the sun set. I lived in the darkness. Loved the darkness. My world came alive when the stars came out.
But for the first time in my life, I wanted the night to end.

Nathan and Whitley will likely bury themselves deep under your skin and stick with you long after the last page. There’s a twist with Nathan (You’re asking, wait, aside from him being her future step-brother?) that made me smile and squee so loud, it was unreal. I don’t know why I loved it that much, but I did. It was adorable, swoon-worthy, and without a doubt something I wholeheartedly did not expect. Whether you’ll feel the same or not is merely opinion and speculation-I just severely enjoyed it. Whitley and Nathan were beyond adorable-I hope you’ll give them a chance on a rainy, depressing day.

BOOK REVIEW: UnDivided (Unwind #4) by Neal Shusterman

May 4, 2015 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

UnDivided (Unwind #4)
by Neal Shusterman
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Teens control the fate of America in the fourth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology by Neal Shusterman.

Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a plan: to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes. And below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens begin to march on Washington to demand justice and a better future.

But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad—which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.

“I love you, Risa,” he says. “Every last part of me.”

Much like all the kids that were unwound in this series, I feel as if I’ve sold a piece of my soul. Not often do I feel both dragged down and uplifted from the same series, and not often does a book break my nerve to continue on with a genre after finishing. This book and series, while fulfilling all my darkest desires for a climactic series of events, wasn’t without it’s deep-rooted flaws, in my opinion. I absolutely adored our three main characters, but, for once, they weren’t enough for me to give this final book 5 stars.

To fall asleep, and to wake up with your arm around the only girl you’ve ever truly loved…
…
To feel invincible, if only for a fleeting moment…

As anyone that follows my reviews religiously knows, I adored a certain boy who was doomed from chapter one, book one. He really wedged himself deep in my heart-it’s alarming how much I love him. And I guess that’s where my personal struggles lie-While his story was absolutely breathtaking, stunning, steal-your-breath awesome, I can’t say I cared much past his or Risa’s stories. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.

There’s never been a moment in Connor’s life that he could call perfect, but this moment, with his arm numb from being around Risa all night, and his sense of smell overwhelmed by the fragrance of her hair-this moment is the closest to perfection he’s ever known.

I’ve been known to skim to get to my fav moments, appearances, etc, shut up, but never so much as to ruin a story or cut it up into pieces. But when the story went to a POV not revolving around Connor and Risa, I found I lost interest completely. I loved Lev, as well, but frikkin’ being stuck on that boring ass Rez bored me to tears. Like

I don’t care-Judge away, Judgies. And Starkey. I hate this kid, so why would I want to read about his stupid resistance-what a moron.

There’s no telling what her life will be like a day from now, much less a year from now. That’s the best argument for living in the moment, but how can you live in the moment when all you want is for the moment to end?

Ugh. So, anyway. I don’t like over analyzing and hearing about religious fronts for a whole story or being in someone’s head I could care less about-and there was a lot of that in the last two books. I still adore this series, just know that there are lots of parts I wish I could have skipped.

Betrayal, redemption, loyalty, and a willingness to give up everything to save someone you love more than yourself. This is what touched me the most-My soul was ripped into shreds and I bawled uncontrollably more than once. So many feels that I can’t even begin to explain, my emotions are all over the place. Even as I tried to fall asleep I found myself tossing and turning as I mulled over the conclusion to this deeply disturbing series.

As he dives down toward tranq sleep, he takes comfort in the absolute knowledge that Connor Lassiter will soon be going down too-but unlike Argent, Connor will never be getting up.

I like to think I am beyond being disturbed when it comes to dystopian, but it turns out I couldn’t be more wrong. I may have immensely enjoyed this series to the point of obsession, but I still was so beyond heartbroken and disturbed that it should be considered art. Just because you love something doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you-and this was exactly the case. And, oh yeah, in case you were wondering….

My cry count:
73%- Crocodile tears
75%-Bawling/sobbing/ripping hair out
78%-Subtle, accepting tears

Yeah. So. There ya go. I guess I could say try this series out, but I think my past reviews tout how much I’ve loved it-it’s up to you at this point.

Book one: Absolute favorite/Unforgettable/Everything I want in dystopian
Book Two: Second favorite
Book Three: Has it’s reasons, but definitely my least favorite
Book Four: Third Favorite, because reasons

BOOK REVIEW: Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

April 30, 2015 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Rogue (Talon #2)
by Julie Kagawa
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

It was our job to find and kill as many of the monsters as we could, in the hopes that one day, we could push their numbers over the brink and firmly into extinction where they belonged.
That was what I’d once believed. Until I met her.

Bawling sick upset emotional dying a slow and painful death…. Yeah. So….Is it weird if I’m not okay? This one….wasn’t one of those books that I would say out-shined it’s predecessor in any way, shape, or form. Normally, with Kagawa, I don’t enjoy her first book much, but know I’m in for a treat for the rest of the series, whereas it’s the opposite here-except, I did enjoy it. I did swoon over my dear Garret and his adorable soldier-ness. I did love the action and the perilous situations but…my heart. My heart was torn into pieces time and again, and like my great friend, Anna, I have to agree that some of this heartbreak is unnecessary. However…I disagree with her on one front: I don’t know that there is one certain boy that she WILL end up with indefinitely. I think that, while both guys are great, that this turned into an unnecessary love triangle and it’s clear who she SHOULD end up with, but it’s gotten all twisty and turny and I don’t know that it’s quite that clear, anymore.

I didn’t regret my choice. I’d meant every word I said in the courtroom. And if it came down to it again, and I stood on that beach with the dragon I was sent to kill, knowing that if I let her go I would die instead…I would still choose to save her.

And OMG guys, I love cliffhangers. I am so frikkin’ obsessed with an amazing, well planned out, explosive, heart-breaking, TEAR ME TO SHREDS cliffhanger…but I wasn’t ready for this one. This one gutted me, mutilated me, ripped my fucking heart out and stomped on it. Kagawa chewed up my heart and spit it back into my face. I love Kagawa, but she has finally created a cliffhanger that killed me mentally-it wasn’t a thrilling end-It was a soul-crushing emotional tornado. And I can barely see straight through my tears.

And that’s what is so funny to me-This wasn’t even a bad ending!!!! Literally no one else will probably have this demented and dramatic visceral reaction to such a simple little folly that so frequently occurs during these fantasy/YA/dystopian/sci-fi/LIFE books. I mean…I knew from my friend’s reaction that things went into a light love-triangle land, but, it was so clear to me that it was the way it was supposed to be and…well, look at that-it’s not. It’s fucked up and heart-breaking and even though nothing horrible even happened, my soul is destroyed, just a little. And I am truly shocked by my reaction. Check-mate, Mother Fucker.

I knew that wishing was wasted energy, and regret changed nothing, but for perhaps the first time in my life, I wished we’d had more time. If I’d known what would happen, I would have spent every moment I could with her. I would have done a lot of things differently, but it was too late now.

So, I am and forever will be, in love with Garret-the soldier that was sent to kill Ember in book one. Mortal enemies. Raised to hate each other from birth. A secret operation that brought these two together by fate-Garret never knew if she was actually the dragon, but even without knowing for sure, he fell in love with her. So Talon turned into a forbidden love story that had my heart soaring and made me choke on butterflies. Now, book one, while scary as we watched everything unfold, was still so light-hearted and fun and care-free…it was young love at the beach, fighting how they’ve been trained to be since birth, never knowing where it could possibly lead…and finally ending in the ultimate sacrifice. My heart still stutters thinking about it. But this installment was no longer care-free. Decisions have to be made, they can trust no one, no place is safe, and they are constantly fleeing….and each of them has a death warrant on their head. And, GD if I wasn’t BEGGING Garret and Ember to just LOVE EACH OTHER ALREADY!!!!!!! All the frustration AGH! You KNOW YOU LOVE EACH OTHER!! Now kiss each other already, damn it!

I could go on and on and on about Kagawa’s writing and how absolutely fucking fantastic it is, but we all know that. We all know Kagawa is a fucking master manipulator who doesn’t hesitate to rip the rug out from beneath you, but we all still keep reading her wonderfully evil stories. I just never imagined I’d be so drastically bitch-slapped by one of them-and I’ve read them all. So, instead of gushing about Kagawa, because, you know, she ripped my soul to pieces last night, I’ll just show you all how fucking loyal I am-to the point of being more annoying than even I can handle.

Anna: Hmm. I don’t like where this is going.
Me: Whatcha mean?
Anna: Well, they are making it all about Cobalt. He probably will end up alone or dying so why is she doing this? Making us love him?
Me: Hmm…I dunno. She has a reason for everything. I really do like Cobalt/Riley, but I will rip his head off if he takes Ember from Garret.
Anna: I am so mad.
Me: GARRET *heart eyes emoji* AGHHH
Anna: Why is she making this a love triangle? It wasn’t in the first book! Why?
Me: I don’t know…GARRET *heart eyes emoji*
Anna: I am just so upset.
Me: GARRET. OMG. THAT SCENE WHERE OMG YAS HE DID IT AGHHHH YES. Garret *heart eyes emoji*
Anna: Well, I’ve finished. I can’t say anything because I don’t want to spoil you.
Me: Is it a cliffy?
Anna: Hmm…kind of. Yes.
Me: AGHH!!! Garret. It’s guna be epic. EEEEEPSSSS.
Anna: I can’t wait to see what you think…
Me (as she has fallen asleep but I text endlessly on-as per her request for updates): Garret
Squee
Omg
Garret
Squee!! He just….
OMG. My heart. I’m bawling. I’m dying omg. *And I’ll cut it off there*

At which point, I’m sure Anna was to this point:

So, as you can see, I wasn’t much fun to read this with…because…Garret. My Garret fangirling was out of control.

I glared back at him. “I wouldn’t let you go, anyway. So you can stop being so damned fatalistic. No one is giving anyone up. We’re getting out of here together, or not at all.”
He blinked, a raw, almost vulnerable look passing through his eyes, and we stared at each other a moment. Outside, it was eerily silent. The sunlight slanting through the broken window caught on shards of glass and glittered red, like drops of blood.

No, this wasn’t what I wanted or expected it to be, but it’s still Julie Kagawa who rarely does wrong in my eyes and she is still a master manipulator of my heart and soul. Soooo, you know, here we are. A ‘not what you wanted’ Julie Kagawa story is better than a great book by an author I barely care about, so, I’ll still take this as a win. As for those who didn’t love the first book-You will probably like this one better. Everyone seems to. As for people like me, who worship the first book, you probably won’t. It’s just an inkling. I still loved this story, but it definitely tried my patience more than once-it’s just like, WHO THE HELL CARES? Ugh. That’s wrong, though. This was a well-rounded story with lots of action, forbidden-and-not-so-forbidden love, and a great back story…for Cobalt. I want people to read this, but ultimately, I am ready for book three NOW. I need more Garret in my life and, oh, hey, oh yeah- FUCK YOU, EMBER!

******************************

AWESOMENESS, HERE I COME!!!!! GARREEEEEEET! ♥

I NEED YOU, GARRET!!!!

AAAGHHH! After the ending of that last installment I. Am. Going. Insane!!!!

I NEED IT NOW

APRIL 28, 2015. Okay…I guess I can do that…I’m just not happy about it.

Now, I wait.

BOOK REVIEW: UnWholly (Unwind #2) by Neal Shusterman

April 29, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

UnWholly (Unwind #2)
by Neal Shusterman
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa—and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp—people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simltaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.

Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.

Rife with action and suspense, this riveting companion to the perennially popular Unwind challenges assumptions about where life begins and ends—and what it means to live.

This document I sign of my own free will.
…I sign of my own free will.
…my own free will.

Okay, so, I wasn’t going to write a review for this. I finished last night and I was like…nah. I’ll leave it alone. I know I’m going to read the third and I know that I love Connor and Risa and Lev, people don’t want to hear me grumble on repeatedly. Well, I wasn’t guna! I didn’t have as deep a reaction as the first and I didn’t want to write a mundane second review where my heart wasn’t in it. But then something happened, something that doesn’t happen often. This morning I was driving to work listening to my awesome new AWOLNATION cd and then a glimmer of something started in my head-It started out super subtle. I was just driving along and it began to expand and thrive and it gained this crazy pulse and my tummy started to get all fluttery with butterflies and BAM-

All the feels. I. Could. Not. Stop thinking about Connor. From his harsh journey to his struggles after the events of the first book…it all came crashing down on me and I started to reminisce about this whole book combined with the first and I just knew I couldn’t not say something. These characters mean way too much to me for me not to be an advocate for their story, even if this installment wasn’t nearly as strong as the first, in my eyes.

And here it is-I wasn’t going to give it a 4.5, either. But if something can make me think about it constantly, dream about it (yeah I’m pretty sure I had some weird ass dreams about this weird series), and just care so deeply that it changes my first initial thoughts??? It deserves AT LEAST another half star. Once I make up my mind on a rating, that’s it. That’s my rating. But this one got deep under my skin….and that doesn’t happen often.

Then, alone in the dark of a private jet, you smash your fist furiously against a wall until your knuckles are raw and bloody, but you don’t care, because even though you can feel the pain, you know they’re not your knuckles at all.

I am not going to lie and say that I didn’t miss certain…ahem….couples? in this installment. Things are different and harder and we truly see an inner struggle from both parties-but, the kicker is, that’s also why I gave this another .5 star. I love Connor. And I love Risa. Seeing ~~his~~ their tortured souls really made this book tick for me, and to say they don’t consume my every thought when I can’t be reading about them is a lie (obviously-look at this ridiculous review). So, yeah, that happened. My heart hit my head and told it ‘Fuck off’ because this story wasn’t getting a cold four.

What if when they were alone together, in the heat of that passionate moment they both wanted-what if he lost control? What if that hand held her too tight, tugged her too hard-what if it hit her, and hit her again, and again, and wouldn’t stop? And how could he ever truly be there with her if all he could think about were all the things that arm had done, and all the things it still might do?

One thing I don’t like is when a story tells me something. It barely happens in this series, but I see it every once in a while and that’s enough to annoy me-don’t say ‘but she will wish she had,’ at the end of a chapter to make me ‘anticipate’ what is to come. Don’t insult my intelligence. I will gather, from the upcoming scenes, that someone regrets something through various scenarios and tremulous situations-Don’t think for one second that my name is a lie: if there is, in any shape or form, physical or mental peril, I will figure that out on my own with a gleeful and malicious smile on my face. Just….don’t. Don’t. Stop it!

Either things happen for a reason, or they happen for no reason at all. Either one’s life is a thread in a glorious tapestry or humanity is just a hopelessly tangled knot.

There are a few new characters in this story and I didn’t think I’d like having their POV in this one. I just wanted my babies’ POV: Connor, Risa, and Lev. But, after a few chapters and pouting on my part, when we got to the meat of the story, I saw how intricate it made the story, how much more diverse it could be, if done correctly. What it did? Oh, it invoked some Chelsea rage, of that you can be sure. Seeing things unfold from multiple perspectives was like a serrated knife to the chest and more than once I about squeezed the life out of my Ipad-because while I loved one new additional character…another I could have thrown in a slowly burning building with no chance for escape. FUCK YOU View Spoiler » you MOTHERFUCKER! HOW DARE YOU! HOW COULD YOU?! BASTARD. Phew. I feel much better. Sorry for that, anyone who chooses to read this.

He climbs into his hospital bed and forces his face into his pillow as the sobs crescendo into wails. A full year’s worth of suppressed heartache pours forth from his soul like Niagra, and he doesn’t care if he drowns in the killing whiteness of it’s churning waters.

Finally-what I wasn’t ever going to skip-I adored seeing Connor’s struggles after the events that made him how he is now. It broke my heart but also made me swell with pride as he took on each new challenge and continually put his life on the line to take care of those who look up to him. I won’t say anymore-just know, I’m like a proud mama hen with her chest all puffed out. And then Lev!!! OMG I haaaaated this kid at the beginning of book one-now I smile so big when he is a part of the story (especially near the end, you’ll see why) and root for him just as much as the others (okay, well, if a grenade exploded…..I’d rather Connor and Risa got away DON’T JUDGE ME-but that’s neither here nor there). So, yeah. Loyalty is a huge thing for me, and now these three have embedded themselves deep into my heart for all the things they do for one another and I want nothing but the best for them all.

Connor avoided being unwound, but he still doesn’t feel entirely whole.

Well would you look at that…I had nothing to say and here I am with one of my long-winded reviews. Shocking. Yeah, not at all. Anyway, I hope anyone that makes it this far on this review will see how much I want everyone to read this series. If nothing else, read the first book and treat it as a standalone. But, I’m going to venture to guess you won’t want to stop if you like the first at all-but that’s just me.

Category: Review (Page 228 of 295)

BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

Synopsis:

Review:

Does a troll know sadness, anger, or happiness? Can a troll love another troll? Or are they as cold inside as the rocks they were buried beneath? – Cecile

And I was done with crying – tears accomplished nothing but exhausting me further and I needed my wits about me if I were going to escape this place. Perhaps not today, tomorrow, or even the next day, but I would stand beneath the sun again. I swore it to myself. – Cecile

If I wasn’t careful, she would be my undoing. – Tristan

“They aren’t ugly.” I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “More like beautiful things that have had the misfortune of being broken.” Tristan turned his face back to me. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt it in my heart. – Cecile

BOOK REVIEW: A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Synopsis:

“Ready?” Nathan asked, pulling car keys from his pocket.
“You kids have fun,” Dad said from the sofa, turning a page in the novel he was reading. “Get to know each other. You’re family now.”
Yeah, I thought. Family who’ve banged each other.

Since I could remember, I’d always been a night person. My burst of energy came right around the time the sun set. I lived in the darkness. Loved the darkness. My world came alive when the stars came out.
But for the first time in my life, I wanted the night to end.

BOOK REVIEW: UnDivided (Unwind #4) by Neal Shusterman

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW: Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:

It was our job to find and kill as many of the monsters as we could, in the hopes that one day, we could push their numbers over the brink and firmly into extinction where they belonged.
That was what I’d once believed. Until I met her.

I didn’t regret my choice. I’d meant every word I said in the courtroom. And if it came down to it again, and I stood on that beach with the dragon I was sent to kill, knowing that if I let her go I would die instead…I would still choose to save her.

I knew that wishing was wasted energy, and regret changed nothing, but for perhaps the first time in my life, I wished we’d had more time. If I’d known what would happen, I would have spent every moment I could with her. I would have done a lot of things differently, but it was too late now.

BOOK REVIEW: UnWholly (Unwind #2) by Neal Shusterman

Synopsis:

This document I sign of my own free will.
…I sign of my own free will.
…my own free will.

Then, alone in the dark of a private jet, you smash your fist furiously against a wall until your knuckles are raw and bloody, but you don’t care, because even though you can feel the pain, you know they’re not your knuckles at all.

Either things happen for a reason, or they happen for no reason at all. Either one’s life is a thread in a glorious tapestry or humanity is just a hopelessly tangled knot.

He climbs into his hospital bed and forces his face into his pillow as the sobs crescendo into wails. A full year’s worth of suppressed heartache pours forth from his soul like Niagra, and he doesn’t care if he drowns in the killing whiteness of it’s churning waters.

Connor avoided being unwound, but he still doesn’t feel entirely whole.

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BOOK REVIEW – Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

Synopsis:

Review:

Does a troll know sadness, anger, or happiness? Can a troll love another troll? Or are they as cold inside as the rocks they were buried beneath? – Cecile

And I was done with crying – tears accomplished nothing but exhausting me further and I needed my wits about me if I were going to escape this place. Perhaps not today, tomorrow, or even the next day, but I would stand beneath the sun again. I swore it to myself. – Cecile

If I wasn’t careful, she would be my undoing. – Tristan

“They aren’t ugly.” I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “More like beautiful things that have had the misfortune of being broken.” Tristan turned his face back to me. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt it in my heart. – Cecile

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BOOK REVIEW: A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Synopsis:

“Ready?” Nathan asked, pulling car keys from his pocket. “You kids have fun,” Dad said from the sofa, turning a page in the novel he was reading. “Get to know each other. You’re family now.” Yeah, I thought. Family who’ve banged each other.

Since I could remember, I’d always been a night person. My burst of energy came right around the time the sun set. I lived in the darkness. Loved the darkness. My world came alive when the stars came out. But for the first time in my life, I wanted the night to end.

Share this:

BOOK REVIEW: UnDivided (Unwind #4) by Neal Shusterman

Synopsis:

Share this:

BOOK REVIEW: Rogue (Talon #2) by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:

It was our job to find and kill as many of the monsters as we could, in the hopes that one day, we could push their numbers over the brink and firmly into extinction where they belonged. That was what I’d once believed. Until I met her.

I didn’t regret my choice. I’d meant every word I said in the courtroom. And if it came down to it again, and I stood on that beach with the dragon I was sent to kill, knowing that if I let her go I would die instead…I would still choose to save her.

I knew that wishing was wasted energy, and regret changed nothing, but for perhaps the first time in my life, I wished we’d had more time. If I’d known what would happen, I would have spent every moment I could with her. I would have done a lot of things differently, but it was too late now.

Share this:

BOOK REVIEW: UnWholly (Unwind #2) by Neal Shusterman

Synopsis:

This document I sign of my own free will. …I sign of my own free will. …my own free will.

Then, alone in the dark of a private jet, you smash your fist furiously against a wall until your knuckles are raw and bloody, but you don’t care, because even though you can feel the pain, you know they’re not your knuckles at all.

Either things happen for a reason, or they happen for no reason at all. Either one’s life is a thread in a glorious tapestry or humanity is just a hopelessly tangled knot.

He climbs into his hospital bed and forces his face into his pillow as the sobs crescendo into wails. A full year’s worth of suppressed heartache pours forth from his soul like Niagra, and he doesn’t care if he drowns in the killing whiteness of it’s churning waters.

Connor avoided being unwound, but he still doesn’t feel entirely whole.

Share this:

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Fun Lists About Books

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Jen’s Currently Reading

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“Ready?” Nathan asked, pulling car keys from his pocket.
“You kids have fun,” Dad said from the sofa, turning a page in the novel he was reading. “Get to know each other. You’re family now.”
Yeah, I thought. Family who’ve banged each other.

Since I could remember, I’d always been a night person. My burst of energy came right around the time the sun set. I lived in the darkness. Loved the darkness. My world came alive when the stars came out.
But for the first time in my life, I wanted the night to end.

It was our job to find and kill as many of the monsters as we could, in the hopes that one day, we could push their numbers over the brink and firmly into extinction where they belonged.
That was what I’d once believed. Until I met her.

This document I sign of my own free will.
…I sign of my own free will.
…my own free will.