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TOP TEN TUESDAY: Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype

July 31, 2018 / Jen / 20 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday.13

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Today we’re sharing Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype. And they are….

(Chelsea’s Review)

1. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Amazon * Goodreads

I just…I can’t… I mean…Elian!!!! I live for it! This book was everything a fantasy re-telling should be-original yet mixed with it’s roots without ruining the integrity of the namesake. And..Elian. I mean, come on.

2. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
Amazon * Goodreads

I had NEVER heard of this author before Lukov, but when a friend rec’d this to me, I went immediately to The Wall of Winnipeg, fell in love there, then tried this beauty…and a beauty it was. Like nothing I’d ever read before, this book-and author-stole my heart.

(Chelsea’s Choice)

(Cassie’s Choice)

3. The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black
Amazon * Goodreads

Okay okay okay…this feels cliche. And a week ago I would have said ‘yeah it’s good, but it’s not as amazing as people say,’ and frankly it still is a very hyped book…but I just re-read it and, with all the twists and turns I knew ahead of time, it totally enhanced every little bit of the story and I AM DYING WITH OBSESSION for Cardan and the badass that is Jude. Can I PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HAVE THE WICKED KING.

4. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Amazon * Goodreads

I always get nervous about hyped up thrillers, as they can often be so disappointing if the ‘twist’ isn’t twisty enough. Safe to say I wasn’t disappointed by this book. I loved all the major characters and I never really saw the major twist coming. A brilliant YA mystery/thriller.

(Cassie’s Choice)

5. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Amazon * Goodreads

I heard so many good things about this book that I did what I normally don’t–I bought it without reading it first, which I usually only reserve for books in a series. But I’m so glad I did because this book was amazing. It took the Little Mermaid and covered her in the blood of innocent princes. It had everything I wanted and more and I can’t recommend it enough.

6. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Amazon * Goodreads

So this one is kind of polarizing, as I realize some people hated this book. I get it-the format is funky and it’s kind of all over the place. But I honestly didn’t care. I literally couldn’t put it down and read it over the course of a few hours. Even though one of my least favorite thing happens, I still can’t get over the ending and how the entire book was written.

(Arielle’s Choice)

7. Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Amazon * Goodreads

Not only is this book extraordinary in the sense that the story is told in a series of e-mails, IMs, interviews, and pages of graphics; the plot in itself is so addicting and fast paced. Reading it in this format was something new and exciting and I am so glad the other two books in the series follow suit.

8. The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Amazon * Goodreads

This entire series is in my top favorites of all time. Blue, and her Raven Boys go on a quest to find a mythical historical figure. Every time you think they have things figured out..THINK AGAIN. Honestly this book could be read solely for Gansey.

(Arielle’s Choice)

(Jen’s Review)

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Amazon * Goodreads

This booooook. This book is unique in the sense that it is narrated by Death. Even though you know from the beginning who dies, when you get to that point it still feels like a punch to the stomach. Such a great approach to a story set in a time period that has been writing about time and time again.

10. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins
Amazon * Goodreads

I was sooooo late to the game with this series, and also so nervous to pick it up. Everyone seemed to love this trilogy and I thought for sure I’d be the odd ball out. 7 years later Chelsea bought me this trilogy for Christmas. I devoured it in no time at all and loved each book in the series with my whole heart and soul!

(Jen’s Review)

11. Darkfever (Fever #1) by Karen Marie Moning
Amazon * Goodreads

Here’s another series that I was so many years late to the game. I was unsure yet again if I would truly love it, so Chelsea bought me this book for Christmas. See a theme here?! LOL! This series snagged me right from the start and I was completely consumed by The Fever Series!

12. Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Amazon * Goodreads

Two years after Obsidian released, I still kept seeing it everywhere online. Especially on Facebook. I’d never read a JLA book before, so I picked it up and became obsessed with the characters and story line. In the four years since I have read this book, I’ve read 30+ JLA books. I’m so thankful I gave into the hype since she easily became an auto-buy author for me!

So these are the Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype. Have you read any of these or do you have them on your tbr? If not, then what’s a popular book you read that lived up to the hype?

BOOK REVIEW- Addicted After All (Addicted #3) by Krista and Becca Ritchie

July 25, 2018 / Arielle / 2 Comments

Addicted After All (Addicted #3)
by Krista and Becca Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Two addicts. One epic love story.

Prepare for the worst.

That’s what Lily and Lo try to do when Jonathan Hale schedules an “important” meeting. The problem: after being swept into the public eye and battling their addictions, they’re not sure what the worst is anymore.

In a sea of many changes—including Ryke & Daisy living with them—Lily realizes that the best part of her fluctuating hormones might just be the worst.

Her sex drive is out of control.

Loren knows that she’s insatiable, but he’s not giving up on her. She’s too much a part of him. And as he carries more and more responsibility, some of the people that he loves doubt his resolve.

In the conclusion to their love story, Lily & Lo stand side-by-side to fight, one last time, for their happily ever after.

I fell in love with Lo like a little girl opening her heart to magic. It always seemed surreal until the moment it became true.

What a ride this series has been. It has been so fun re-reading these books again after having read about their children in the About Us series. While you could read those separately, and even the Calloway Sisters series separately, it makes more of an impact if you had started at the very beginning with Lily and Lo.

And there is a hope, a chance, that he could be more than what I am. That he could be better than me.

Initially I had decided to go back and read this series despite the negative things that I had seen about book one because of how much I fell in love with this family in the Calloway Sisters books. So much so that I felt like I owed it to Lily and Lo. In the other series, which really focuses on Rose and Daisy, I felt like I just didn’t know enough about this couple that had struggled with two very serious addictions for nearly their whole lives. I found myself being put off my Lo’s abrasiveness because I did not understand where it was coming from. I also found myself being annoyed with Lily’s skittish nature and her inability to talk about anything sex related without either turning bright red or hiding. I still came to love them though and connected with them through their talk of all things geek so I wanted a chance to remedy that.

A feeling swirls inside of me—one where you know someone all your life, but in a singular moment they look strangely different. Like you’re unearthing a fragment of them that has never surfaced or been touched before.

By the time that this book came around, the progress that both Lily and Lo have made has been tremendous. Yes, that first book is heartbreaking and hard to read –it’s about two terrible addictions. HOWEVER, if you can weather through it (and I hope you do) it gets better. It’s not all completely smooth sailing, as both of them continue to struggle with their addictions but they TRY. They gain their strong support system and try and they gain hope which is good.

“Fly away with me, Lily Calloway?”
She whispers, “Only if we make-believe that we never, ever have to grow up.”

My favorite part of this book in particular was reading about the pregnancies of Rose and Lily. I almost felt cheated in Fuel the Fire because the last time I had seen the two girls, they had just found out they were pregnant and then then it skipped straight to them having the babies. I wanted to DEFINITELY see a fierce, pregnant Rose but I also wanted to see how Lo and Lily handled it seeing as they weren’t sure if they ever wanted kids. It was delightful. ALSO—that friggen scene where Rose has her baby….INTENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONNOR ♥ Loved it.

“For what it’s worth,” I tell Connor, “it’s kind of extraordinary that you can transcend sexual orientations. You’re like an amoeba.”
“Amoebas are asexual,” he says. “I’m more like a god.”

Another important thing that you get to see in these books are the relationships that form between Lo and Connor and especially, Lo and Ryke. Right away in Kiss the Sky you see that Lo and Connor have this really close relationship and hilarious banter but you never really get the gist of how it all happened. I loved being able to see Connor meeting the two and then how Ryke ends up inserting himself into their lives. It really is a special thing and you can really see how much Lo ends up depending on his brother for help staying sober.

“Or you could write one,” I shoot back, rising to my feet. “Perks of having the Hots for a Sixteen-Year-Old Supermodel and Having to Wait until She Turns Eighteen, Only to be Cock-blocked by Your Bastard Half-Brother.”
I flash a bitter smile.
“That title needs some work,” Connor says, clipping on his Rolex watch. “And that’s if we all agree Ryke can write a full-length novel.”

What I am TRYING to say is that if you have read the Calloway Sisters and fell in love with the characters like I have, you realllllly need to read this series too. It may be hard at first but believe it, it is so worth it being able to get into ALL of their lives, learning about every facet of each of them. I haven’t been able to read anything else since starting this series and am SOOOOO excited to read Some Kind of Perfect (which is basically a 664 page prologue of the three couples growing up and having babies).

“Your name is on her ass,” I state blankly.
“I’m so fucking in love with her,” is all he says. And I believe every word.

BOOK REVIEW: Furyborn (Empirium #1) by Claire Legrand

July 24, 2018 / Cassie / 5 Comments

Furyborn by Claire Legrand
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it.

When assassins ambush her best friend, the crown prince, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing her ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. The only people who should possess this extraordinary power are a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven trials to test her magic. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.

A thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a mere fairy tale to bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora. When the Undying Empire conquered her kingdom, she embraced violence to keep her family alive. Now, she believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes without a trace, along with countless other women in their city. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain on a dangerous mission and discovers that the evil at the heart of the empire is more terrible than she ever imagined.

As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world--and of each other.

We all have darkness inside us, Rielle,” he said, his voice rough. “That is what it means to be human.”

Whew. This book was a beast to tackle. It comes in at a whopping 512 pages of non-stop action, following two kick-ass women: Rielle Dardenne and Eliana Ferracore. The book jumps back and forth between Rielle and Eliana and a span of 1,000 years.

From the very start, we are off and running, as we see Rielle handing off her daughter to a young boy before dying by the hands of someone named Corien (more about him later).

After that opening, we jump back to follow Rielle performing in trials to prove she is the Sun Queen, who was foretold in a prophecy.

Two queens will rise. One of blood. One of light.

Through these trials, Rielle is aided and supported by her two friends: Audric and Ludivine. I adored both of these characters. Ludivine was a fantastic supportive friend and very much cared for Rielle. And Audric, oh Audric, was Rielle’s forbidden love. He was entirely swoon-worthy and I enjoyed watching as Rielle and Audric grew closer. During Rielle’s story, we also meet Corien, who at first appears as only a voice in her head and who meet later on in-person. What a fascinating character Corien was — we know what he ultimately does to Rielle based on the prologue, but it was engrossing learning how Rielle and Corien came to know each other.

And then there’s Eliana. I’ve seen a number of other reviewers say they enjoyed Rielle’s story more, but honestly, I was more attached to Eliana’s story. She was entirely unapologetic about who she was and what she was doing to keep her family safe (until she couldn’t); I was also completely enamored with her back and forth with Simon.

“Have you always been this unspeakably irritating?”
“Has your face always looked so temptingly carvable?”

While I definitely enjoyed Eliana’s relationship with her little brother, Remy, and her newfound friendship with Navi, I was very much invested in the complicated relationship between Eliana and Simon. A LOT happens between when they first meet and the end of this book, but I’m very intrigued by what will follow.

But Simon only smiled. “Oh, Eliana,” he murmured, his voice no longer playful, “I want so much more than simply a peek.”

A few other things of note:
-There are some important TW: abuse (child and adult), death/gore/violence, sexual content, slavery, torture, and my VERY least favorite, animal death (I will say, however, the main character does feel quite terribly afterword…but still, UGH)
-I think this book explored what loss means and how that can shape your actions very well. Both Eliana and Rielle experience death early on and it has a large impact on their future decisions and life out look. I really appreciated the subtle nuances for each character as she dealt with her grief and guilt.
-I’m still deciding how I feel about the ending. Obviously there are more books to come, but it just didn’t end how I expected. Especially for Eliana.

All things considered, I really enjoyed this book. I’ll be honest, after the prologue, I found myself struggling to get started from the beginning, especially the drastically different timelines. But once I got near the 40% mark, it started to pick up and as I approached the end, I was very much into it. I look forward to the next installment!

“You are so like her,” he muttered darkly. “I am like myself,” she hissed, “and no one else.”

REVIEW: Over Raging Tides (Lady Pirates #1) by Jennifer Ellision

July 23, 2018 / Jen / 4 Comments

Over Raging Tides (Lady Pirates #1)
by Jennifer Ellision
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A mythical map. A pirate's quest for revenge.

The pirate crew of the Lady Luck lives by many rules, but chief among them is this: they do not allow men on board.

That’s a rule that first mate and quartermaster Grace Porter is willing to break when a shipwrecked young nobleman offers her information of an omniscient treasure map, stolen from his warship by an enemy vessel. Until now, the map was only the stuff of legend… but with its help, Grace may finally be able to hunt down the Mordgris, the sea monsters who stole her mother away from her.

Unfortunately, some members of her crew have other plans...

To find the magic map and face the Mordgris, Grace will have to confront her past, put the Luck between warring nations, and uncover treachery aboard the ship. And ultimately, her revenge and the destruction of the Mordgris will come at a hefty price: the betrayal of her crew.

Grace promised them they wouldn’t regret this.

She just isn’t sure that she won’t.

Review:

Over Raging Tides was completely consuming and so easy to devour! The writing had an effortless feel to it, which I loved, and each of the characters stood out easily in my mind. So if you like books filled with adventure, mystery, strong women and a man who is so much more than first glance would seem, you definitely have to give this book a try!

“Captain?” My voice is low, waiting for the order.
She grins. “Take it.”
Planks are thrown from our ship to theirs, and like animals loosed from a cage, we storm our way across.

The Lady Luck was an all women’s pirate ship. Grace was first mate and the captain of the ship was Captain Ilene. They had what felt like a mother-daughter relationship and I loved learning about their past. Two other woman captured my attention completely and they were Sam, who seemed like Grace’s only true friend and Cecilia who wanted Grace’s position. While sailing, they ran acros a battle between two ships. And once it was over, The Lady Luck veered towards the loser to hunt for treasure. While searching for treasure Grace saved two brothers, a boy her age and his little brother, and brought them on the ship. Even though no men were allowed on The Lady Luck. And from there an addicting path was torn and I couldn’t help but be glued to the pages to see what was going to happen next.

He scuffs his foot against the deck, but doesn’t have the cowardice to look away from me. “You’re…pirates,” he says, shrugging.
“And?” I cross my arms, waiting for him to go on.
“And all we ever hear of pirates are the atrocities your kind commit. Theft, death…”
“We’re still human. We laugh. We cry. We love.”
“I see that now. But it would be easier if I could still think of you as a heartless lot.”

I liked Grace from the start. She was a strong, brave woman and she took care of those she cared for. I loved that she was a hard worker and even if she didn’t always show it, she had a lot of compassion in her heart. I could easily see Grace being a captain of her own ship someday. But when Grace found herself around Leo, the boy close to her age she rescued, we got to see a more playful side of her. There was definitely something between them, but it was a slow burn and I’m hoping it will turn into more. And while I quickly liked Leo, I still have so much to learn about him. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface and I would have loved to get into his head or had more scenes between him and Grace. Especially since he turned into someone more than Grace or I expected.

He’s bold, I think as I step away. Too bold. He goes from spoiled weakling to something just this side of dangerous. And I’d prefer him to stay in the safe zone.

Leo and his brother got to stay aboard the Lady Luck since he could help them find a map that would lead them to treasure. But nothing was simple and so many difficulties happened. Between treasure maps, to a male pirate group and even the Mordgris, there was a lot of mysteries and it was fun to look for all of the clues. And while I have some guesses for how it will all pan out, I love that I’m still left unsure if I’m right. Especially in regards to the Mordgris. They were sea creatures who seemed bent on death and had abilities that were terrifying. They could easily haunt ones nightmares.

“Do you mind the company?” Leo asks.
I grin, tossing him a wink so he knows I’m joking when I say, “I think I can stand the company of a spoiled nobleman. That is, if you’re not terrified to be in such close proximity to a pirate.”
His eyes, warm with an emotion that sets a fire to light in me, rove my body. “I think I’ll manage somehow.”

Over Raging Tides was filled with excitement and intrigue and I devoured this book. When I reached that last page, I couldn’t help laughing and covering my face because it ended on a huge cliffhanger. So I can’t wait to see what happens next, I’m very excited for what the future holds!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Nowhere Else But Here by Rachel Cotton

July 20, 2018 / Cassie / 2 Comments

Nowhere Else But Here by Rachel Cotton
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
“He was reckless. He was exciting. He was Theo.
And he was a breath of fresh air in my otherwise extremely dull life”

What if the missing person is your missing piece?

Rose has always played by the rules – now it’s time to break them.

Life’s easier when you stay away from other people. Rose Valentine knows that. But some people are impossible to ignore. Take Theo Lockhart. He’s handsome, funny and beyond intriguing. He’s a mystery; one that Rose dreams of solving.

Then one night the mystery deepens. Theo turns up on Rose’s doorstep, desperate to hide out at her house. He’s keeping secrets, and Rose has a million questions. Not least – why did he choose to run to her?

If Rose lets him in, she’ll be going against everything she holds true. It’s reckless, risky – and definitely not in the rulebook. But Theo makes Rose long to break the rules After a whirlwind week of brat-pack movies, midnight snacks and non-stop chat, where do Rose and Theo go from here?

Thank you NetGalley, the author Rachel Cotton and the publisher Ink Road for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75/5

“Breathe, Rose,” Theo whispered into my ear, and I realised that it was him I was holding on to; I was clutching him like I was drowning and he was the life jacket keeping me from sinking below the water. “Just breathe.”

Meet Theo and Rose. In the beginning of the book, Theo has gone missing and suddenly shows up at Rose’s house, asking for her help. Rose is quite surprised, as she has been nothing more than his chemistry lab partner. So why would he turn to her for help?

And that’s how the story begins. Staying spoiler free, the rest of the book follows the events and ramifications of Rose’s decision to help Theo.

Theo and I were like two ships that were used to passing each other without any interaction, but now we had crashed into one another and we were trying desperately not to sink.

This book is cute. Like really cute. Rose is wonderful and sweet and learns to come out of her shell, while Theo, who is dreamy and damaged and unpredictable, is a great foil. Their scenes are adorable and funny and charming.

Plot-wise, there’s not a ton going on. Most of the conflict stems from characters refusing to just talk to each other or share important information, which then leads to a lack of trust and hurt feelings. However, I honestly didn’t mind too much. I loved Theo and Rose so much that I still found myself enjoying this story even without much happening outside of their relationship.

If you are looking for a cute, fun and quick read, I would definitely recommend this book. However, if you are looking for something with a lot of depth and conflict, look elsewhere.

And, ultimately, I was letting him break down the walls that had taken me for ever to build up so he could worm his way into my hear, capturing it and claiming it for his own.