Sea of Stars by Amy A. Bartol

"This, Brothers, is our declaration of war." 

The war on Ethar has begun, and the only thing that Kricket Hollowell can do is fight to stay alive as every side guns for her powers. The second book in the Kricket series picks up right where the first left off, plunging the reader back into Ethar with a vengeance. This action packed sequel takes place in the first battle of the war, and sets the stage for a supernova of a series.

"'You killed Kenny,' I groan with my lips chattering, 'you bastard...'" 

Kricket has lost none of the rambunctious personality that enthralled readers in the first book. Her clever quips are paired perfectly with an emerging sensitivity as she allows people to grow closer to her. She's lost the ability to act without consequence, and has surrendered her heart of stone for one of paper, though not nearly as fragile. It's easy to see the conflict in her personality as she struggles with having people be dependent on her for the first time in her life, and the fear of losing them. But despite the slightly heavier plot in the second book, the depth of her personality is really shown as she fights for what and who she loves. Don't worry, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments timed perfectly to break the tension as well. In another review I read there was concern expressed that Kricket is too much like Evie from the Premonition series. After giving it some thought I've come to the conclusion that they do share similarities, but mostly it's the goodness in them that is alike, not necessarily their actions or their words. Therefore the similarities in the characters are not an issue because they are two story about good people, which is what people want to read about.

"I promise that it'll be you and me from this moment forward–whatever happens." 

The romance also expands much more in this book. While the first book in the series could easily pass for YA, this book definitely crosses into New Adult territory. I don't know that I would call it adult because of the youth (or appearance of youth) of the characters, but I wouldn't recommend this book for younger teens, because things do get pretty steamy. Despite this book being packed with nonstop action, that doesn't mean there's a lack of romance. In fact, being a reader who gets bored without romance, I was never able to put this down. Ingrained in every moment of the fighting there is something that anchors the character's actions and motivations, providing a perfect line to keep the reader hooked.

"There'll be no martyrs here, Kricket. I'll tear your heart off your sleeve and bury it deep in my chest. Your savage heart will beat for me. Run if you think you can–I'll hunt you down." 

There is no shortage of Kyon in this book either. While the first focused on Trey and Kricket coming together, this book begins to expand the politics of the world and some of the other characters. We are introduced to some of the other priestesses, and from just their few short scenes, it's clear there's a lot going on behind the scenes in the Alameeda clan. I was delighted with Kyon's character in this book, and I can tell that this was setting up for a lot more to come in the third.

"Stealing oxygen while being tethered to the sky, that's what it feels like to be loved by Trey." 

There are too many amazing quotes from this book to include in one short review. I'm pretty sure my kindle version is almost completely highlighted. I'm excited to read this again, because with the speed at which I devoured it, there's certain to be even more beneath the surface waiting to be found on the second pass. 

"You made me love you! You're not allowed to give up, do you understand? No surrender to death. Whatever happens, you have to survive it." 

As a fan of the Premonition series, I can honestly say I'm glad Miss Bartol wrote those first. They allowed her to hone her skills and practice literary techniques so that she could produce this incredible–and in my opinion, better–series. This is going to be a whirlwind of a series, and the only regret I have is that it's going to be a long wait for the rest of the story. 

Read it, you won't regret it. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/996433574

Another Man's Bride by Ariel MacArran

Isabella is on the run from English court, moving from England to Scotland to marry a young noble whom she has never met before. Carrying her dowery in the procession she is an enormous target for outlaws and vagabonds alike. Isabella has accepted her future as a lady of the court and a marriage to a man she has never met, until she is captured by Lord MacKimzie. Held prisoner in his castle, Isabella must find a way home, before she's tempted to stay forever.

"A gate to Hell was known to exist in Scotland. She would not put it past MacKimzie to be leading them all there."

A beautifully researched historical romance, Another Man's Bride takes what can sometimes seem to be a boring and monotonous time period, and turns it into an exciting journey of love, loss, and murder. For one who does not normally take to historical romances, this one really brought me over. The linguistics of the writing are superb, capturing the essence of a 15th century highlander, without it being incomprehensible. Even the smallest details, like what the people ate a drank were carefully kept within the standards of the time. While none of my European studies classes have reached so far back, the history seemed nicely incorporated, and I'm sure it was all very accurate. Bringing Joan of Arc into the story–and using her real spelling–as a great touch.

Isabella is a great heroine, though there are a few face-palm moments. She's a strong heroine who has the pressure of duty to her family resting on her shoulders, all the while she's slowly falling in love with someone she knows she can never have. Her actions are always quite warranted, and so many sad things happen to her that I found myself wanting to reach out and give her a hug. She does the best she can in a tough situation, especially for only being nineteen.

MacKimzie was also a great main character. He portrayed the highlander very well, with his quick temper but also extreme love and loyalty to his people. Any scene he was in he brought to life, and made that much more colorful and exciting.

There's a great quote I was going to insert in here, but then I realized it would be a huge spoiler, and I just can't do that. This book doesn't need spoilers, it needs to be read.

The only thing that I didn't quite love about the book is how little time Isabella and MacKimzie got to spend together. Don't get me wrong, when they were together it was like magic, but compared to other books by Ariel, they weren't together very much.

As tragic and beautiful as Juliet and her Romeo, Another Man's Bride will take you by the hand and submerse you into the vivid world of Isabella and Colyne MacKimzie, holding you prisoner on the edge of your seat, until the very end. Thankfully however, unlike our infamous friend Mr. Shakespeare, Ariel doesn't find pleasure in crushing her reader's hearts beneath the sole of her boot. So do not fear all you fellow hopeless romantics, the resolution will not leave you injured and bleeding.

I highly recommend this book, even for people you normally do not appreciate historical fiction. Trust me, it's worth it.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Another Man's Bride on Goodreads

Stardancer by Ariel MacArran

Another in the Tellaran series, Stardancer is set in a futuristic universe between two warring empires. The Az'kye are fierce and proud warriors who will stop at nothing to defend the honor of their people and their families. The Realm is a futuristic society similar to that of present day, who find the Az'kye's practice of binding rituals and slavery to be barbaric and uncivilized. Both deeply misunderstand each other. When Kinara's brother is killed in a battle between the Realm and the Az'kye, she sets out on an illegal mission to avenge her brother's death. Greatly underestimating the advancements of the Az'kye, her ship is taken, and the only chance she has of returning her crew home is to befriend, and come to love the commanding officer who would take her as his wife.

Ariel MacArran is a stupendous writer. Not just be indie publishing standards, but by any. This book, read for free with my Kindle Unlimited membership, held the quality I would expect from a company published book I bought in the store, if not surpasses it. There were so few editing errors that when I found one or two I couldn't be sure that they were really there. The pride she takes in the scripting and editing of her book is worthy of Az'kye honor, and the entire indie industry would be better off to take her example.

Kinara is a fierce commander, but she's also a woman. For the first time ever in reading the SciFi genre has the character reacted properly to being imprisoned. She does feel an attraction for Aidar, but as soon as she realizes what's going on, she snaps out of it and gets mad. She doesn't crumble to his will and despite his treatment of her, stand strong with her morals and beliefs.

The conflict of Aidar and Kinara's opposing cultures was a work of art. It was frustrating to no end the way Aidar wouldn't explain the working of his world to her, but that's to be expected. Having been raised there, even the simplest things he assumed she should be able to do were contradictory to everything she knew from her own home world. This is the first time, after reading many alien abduction leading to marriage and love stories, that the culture conflict was believable and well done.

Their romance is tragic, because the whole time you just wish they would sit down and talk things out, but at the same time neither of them are like that at all. But I'll tell you, their relationship is very well done. Things never get so dark and depressing that you just can't take it anymore and have to put the book down. Whenever something sad happens it is soon counteracted by another aspect that cheers you up. I won't say it isn't heart-rending at times, but just push through it.

Kinara's assimilation into the Az'lye society is also extremely well written. All aspects of the world are thought out and the rules that Ariel establishes are not broken, as she stays consistent in her work.

Being a romantic, I do wish there had been more time in which Aidar and Kinara were happy together. It seemed like every time they almost got past their differences and had a moment of happiness, Kinara or Aidar would do or say something that would tear each other apart again. It was really hard to read, because you felt so badly for the star-crossed lovers, and just wanted them to be happy.

While the cover isn't exactly appealing and didn't draw me in the way the cover for the Seer did, I urge no one to judge this book by its cover. The writing is intricate, descriptive, and utterly beautiful. I will be reading every book if Ariel's I can get my hands on.

I recommend this to any and all readers. This series is something worth investing time in.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Stardancer on Goodreads

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

The world gone in a flash, Evie and Jack band together in search of something neither know is alive. Constantly fighting with each other and the terrifying new world around them, Evie must accept that she is not who she thinks she is, and just when she and Jack may have a chance together, that secret might tear them apart.

I'm going to do something I've never done before in this review. Because of the intensity with which the book started, I had to begin the review only a few chapters in. I will end with my parting thoughts, of course, but I don't want to lose my opinion of the beginning.

The prologue is absolutely chilling. As with many of the books I review I'm listening to this on audiobook, and the reader is stunning. He speaks with a barely suppressed mania, which paired with the disturbing words, is enough to make you look over your shoulder. My skin literally rose in response to the scene, a chill shaking my spine. I've never had such a robust response to the beginning of the book, and it left me shaken. Arthur, the opening POV, is insane in a way that is hard to capture in the sentences of a book. His thoughts appear almost normal, save for the things he lusts after. I couldn't have imagined the mind of a serial killer better, and I know his thoughts will be trailing me next time I walk down the street in the dark.

Evie's world before the flash is bright and vivid. Kresley Cole does a fantastic job of immediately building the characters, their personalities, and their place in the world. The way she writes brings everything to life, without being overly descriptive. I love a book that is more like watching a movie in my mind, and this is exactly what I have found here.

The interactions between the characters have been witty and engaging. There are no long monologues that leave you bored and mind drifting, but make you cling to every word like it's the twist that I can feel building. After the introduction of new characters like Selena and Matthew, the dialogue can get a tad laborious, especially with her long and confusing conversations with Matthew. But all in all it does not take away from the book.

I'm not going to lie, this book is weird, and entirely heartbreaking. The characters are intense, realistic, and you fall in love with them so subtly that you don't even know it's happening until you are wrecked. They stick to their personalities, which can be so frustrating sometimes, and yet they are compelling an intriguing. For originality, characters, an exciting plot, fantastic writing, and breaking my heart, I award the first five stars of the summer.

Oh, and my opinion for hottest accent on a male has officially changed from British to Cajun French without a doubt. I'm moving to Louisiana holy hotness.

Five Stars

Rosalie Williams

Poison Princess on Goodreads

Indebted by Amy Bartol

The third book in The Premonition series, Evie is struggling to find her place in the violent world of angels and demons. Pursued on all sides for different reasons, Evie must discover who she can trust–before it's too late.

The writing in this book is eons beyond the previous two books. The first two, while the plot, dialogue and characters were strong, the writing made me feel like I was reading a self-published Amazon book that I should have gotten for free or $0.99. But this was a 180 degree turn around as far as the quality of writing, and even the editing seems to have been stepped up for this novel, as there were far fewer errors. This leads me to believe that the second book was a bit rushed, and she spent more time on this one.

I loved the plot in this. I came to actually really likes Brennus, and I feel bad for him because he really does love Evie, but she can never love him. He is fiercely protective of her–a trait that I totally love–but also treats her as an equal. He fills her in on plans and while he wants to keep her safe, he allows her to participate. He's also startlingly compassionate, and the funeral scene was particularly moving for me. I love how Amy wrote their accents into their words, and I very much look forward to seeing what roll Brennus and the Gancanagh will be playing in the next book.

Reed really isn't in this book too much, but I liked all the scenes he was in. I do feel like his character may be slipping a little, because I don't feel the same chemistry between him and Evie that I did in the first book. To be honest, I was leaning a little more towards Evie and Brennus by the end of this.

Here's the thing though. People are always coming after Evie, and I love the plot, because it's exciting and fresh. But nothing really bad ever seems to happen to her. It's always red-shirts that are dying, and I feel like that makes it unrealistic. She's always crying about how awful her life is, and yet compared to most people (especially other people in the group) nothing terrible has happened, and yet they all treat her like she's survived worse things than them. Shall we recap? She hasn't been physically tortured (Russell, Brownie, Reed, Zephyr and probably Buns, though it doesn't mention it). She hasn't been raped (every girl in the Gancanagh castle). She hasn't had the love of her life turn on her (Reed, Brennus and Russell). So I just don't understand why Amy is making it out that her life is so bad. Sure she's always running, but she seems to have escaped the worst of it.

I'm very interested to see where the plot leads. I'm not completely sure if the fourth book is the last, but I think it is. The story ended with a lot of potential, and I hope that the ending lives up to the excitement of the rest of the series. I can honestly say I can't predict the ending, which is very new to me. I just hope that it's a good one, and doesn't ruin the series for me.

Four Stars

Rosalie Williams

Indebted on Goodreads

Intuition by Amy Bartol

Taking place right where Inescapable left off, Evie is living with Reed and still trying to survive. After being attacked by non-Fallen angels, Evie realizes the risk that protecting her Reed faces, and decides to take matters into her own hands–even if it means leaving the man she loves.

The second book in this series is strong on plot, just as the first one was. There was one lull in the story that was a little boring, but for the most part it kept me invested. The narration switches to Russell at one point, which is interesting to see another perspective on everything that's going on. I do like reading from Evie's POV more, but it was a nice change.

While the writing did improve some, I noticed a lot more little issues with this one, like missing quotation marks at the end of a spoken sentence, or a word in the wrong tense. It didn't bother me too much though, and the writing was a little better so it makes me even more optimistic for the next book.

There's an introduction of a new "villain" in this book, and I really like his character. Brennus is intriguing because he loves Evie and will do anything to get her back, but unlike Reed's love for Evie, he wants her because she makes his life better, not so that Evie's life can be better. This dichotomy really shows the difference between Reed and Brennus' love.

The time Evie spends with Brennus is interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat. The slow shifting of her thoughts and feeling toward the Gancanagh is really intriguing, and while I didn't want her to become one of them, it was just a really good part in the story after things got a little boring with her and Russell up in Canada!

I liked that Reed, even though Evie left him, doesn't hold that against her and try to push her away. He's upset that she did it, but realizes why she did, and accepts the blame for his part in her leaving. All in all I think it made them a better couple, and once they were together again it was like breathing a fresh breath of air after drowning.

I very much look forward to the next book.

Three Stars

Rosalie Williams

Intuition on Goodreads

Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

 

Born at Midnight is the first in a series of five books. Narrated in third person by the main character Kylie Galen, the story takes place in a Texas summer camp called Shadow Falls. We first meet Kylie as her father leaves her with her icy mother, and are told that she has a mysterious stalker who no one else can see. After being arrested at an underage party, her mother ships her off to a summer camp with all sorts of strange people, who do very strange things. Derek, a boy who resembles her ex-boyfriend (but even more attractive) takes an instant liking to her. We also meet Lucas, a boy from Kylie's past who she isn't sure remembers her or not, but still has a pull on her.

A quick disclaimer, I'm doing the first two books as a single review because I read the second before I wrote about the first, and unfortunately it did change my feelings, and I can't give the first quite the glowing review it deserves.

Therefore, the first book was very good. It held my interest and I instantly liked Kylie. Unlike many heroines these days, I found her reactions to the male protagonists to be better than most. She isn't overly clumsy (for some reason YA writers think this is an endearing trait to teenage girls, let me tell you, it's not) and she's beautiful, but doesn't flaunt it (that bothered me especially in the Vampire Diaries books). But the best thing was she was nice, without being a pansy. She cares about her friends and makes good decisions by them, but doesn't act like a wimp, or pretend to be nice to everyone no matter what.

So what, might you ask, changed my mind about liking Kylie so much? Well, I'll tell you, the second book did. The storyline is good and interesting, and so in that aspect I really enjoyed the second book. I listened to it on tape and managed to finish it in two days (that's about ten hours of listening). But like so many unfortunate heroines of YA these days, Kylie couldn't make up her mind about the boy she likes until it was too late, and he couldn't be with her anymore. It's unfortunate because in the beginning I liked that she didn't lose her head over the two boys, but in the second book she falls into the trap of every other YA love triangle out there.

SPOILER ALERT!

I can't write about the part where my feelings are the strongest without getting into details, so if you don't want to know, skip this paragraph! So here we go. Lucas is gone for most of the second book, which honestly didn't bother me that much, because I liked Kylie's relationship with Derek. But, like I said before, she couldn't stop thinking about Lucas, and eventually that came between her and Derek. When she finally chooses him, he is leaving the camp and says he can't be with her until she has her feelings for Lucas sorted out! Don't get me wrong, I like both Derek and Lucas, but Derek was there for her the entire time, and so I really wanted them to finally be together! To no avail I'm afraid.

END OF SPOILERS!

The end was very good. The finale of the second tied into the finale of the first, and I can see a sort of string stretching between them, and the overall storyline of the series is beginning to be flushed out. If you're wondering, no, Kylie does not find out what she is in the second book, but we do get some more clues. I've been grappling with whether or not to google what she is, because to be honest, the suspense is killing me and the third book is currently checked out from my library. But here's what's held my hand thus far: the mystery is really keeping me interested in the story. If I find out I'm afraid I'll just get frustrated because I know, and Kylie doesn't, and that's such a big part of the story I know I'd get angry.

So there you go. I liked everything in the first book. but Kylie really lost brownie points with me in the second. Hopefully she can redeem herself in the next book, because I'm not sure I can handle more of these cliche, overprinted YA love triangle mishaps.

Born at Midnight: Four Stars
Awake at Dawn: Three Stars

Rosalie Williams

Born at Midnight on Goodreads
Awake at Dawn on Goodreads

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series. Told from the point of view of almost every character in the story, the complicated storyline begins to solidify. Cress fits seamlessly into the fold of the story, just as Wolf and Scarlet did. Any reservations about another character being added should be cast aside, because the almost 500 page book doesn't leave anything out. Cinder even gets a little romance *wink wink*.

Anyone who's read my reviews about the first two books will know how much I adore this series. Even with those high expectations, Cress absolutely did not disappoint. In fact, this is probably the best book in the series so far. There is a lot of action, and each character goes through a different part of the journey, so it never seems tedious. The twists are nonstop, but it isn't ridiculous. Loose ends that are all but forgotten from previous books jump into place, and resolve themselves perfectly. The planning that must have gone into this series is incredible, because not only does it have a creative and original storyline, but it ties in the traditional fairytale stories as well.

The romance is subtle, but that's something to be appreciated in itself. Since most of the original fairytales consist of the protagonists falling hopelessly in love with each other at first sight, it's important to reserve the reality factor in retellings. Thus while the romance may seem slow, it's a subtle undercurrent throughout the entire book, and is just enough to keep you satisfied. While the characters all mirror their ancient origins, Meyer has managed to thoughtfully bring a new dimension to their actions and words that brings them to life more realistically than the original stories.

Since this is the third book in the series I'm trying to be very careful about not revealing andy spoilers, because a lot changes in this book from the second. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who has the time to dedicate to really sitting down and reading this series. The only thing that I find a little disappointing is that because of the complexity of the storyline, I imagine it will take more than a year for the next book to come out. A quick search has revealed a late 2015 release date on November 10th. The title is Winter, without an illustration yet. It will be interesting to find out if there will be another princess added to the story, or if the main cast will remain the same. Based on the title, I believe we will be seeing more of Queen Levana's stepdaughter, the frail princess who we were briefly introduced to in Cress.

Four Stars

Rosalie Williams

Cress on Goodreads

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

The final book in the Across the Universe trilogy, Shades of Earth takes place on the distant planet once thought to be far from reach.

The series began with Amy awakening to be trapped on a space ship where corruption and secrets abound. Initially, she is told that they are fifty years from planet landing, and will be an old woman before she ever sees her parents again. Through numerous challenges and discoveries, her relationship with the future leader, Elder, strengthens and weakens. Though they clash on many ideals and even fight over the death penalty, in they end they come to love each other.

Shades of Earth was by far the best book in the series. Beth Revis did a fantastic job of describing the new planet, and the world both in space, and on the planet is colorful and intriguing. It is fantastic the way all the loose ends and mysteries from the first two books wove together to finish off the series. There is enough of a world here to write an entire new series based on the planet, and I sincerely hope she decides to do an extension series.

The first two books really established Amy and Elder as characters, but it isn't until the third book, when they are faced with the most dangerous decisions, does their character really come to fruition. As a couple they gain a lot more substance, and they no longer seem so immature.

This is definitely the best book in the series, and I enjoyed it immensely. The claustrophobia of the space ship is finally alleviated, and made the finale much more meaningful.

Four Stars

Rosalie Williams

Shades of Earth on Goodreads

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

The second book in the Across the Universe trilogy, I was very apprehensive about this installment, but it did not disappoint.

Anything about space is truly enthralling, but also it is terrifying. The thought of being trapped in a ship, hundreds of years from its destination and knowing you will never step outside again is a huge fear for most of us.

The first book ended with no hope that they would ever reach the planet, which worried me. How much can happen on an enclosed ship hurtling through space? My claustrophobia kicked in, and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to read the next to books. Luckily for me, a lot happens in this story.

There is definitely character development, which I really liked. Elder grows up some, and his and Amy's relationship matures some. However, they still seemed immature to me separately. Their conversations felt like high school freshman talking to each other about something way over their heads, not two young adults debating something very important. This aspect made the book very difficult to get through.

Fortunately, there is a lot of plot. Amy spends most of her time searching for clues, and Elder spends his fighting a revolution. But despite the immaturity of their actions and words, I liked the turn this book made. It was definitely a bridge book, as the second book in trilogies often are, but it was an exciting one for sure.

I look forward to the third book, because I think if the author does it properly, it will be the most exciting of the series yet, and I can't wait for that.

Three Stars,

Rosalie

A Million Suns on Goodreads

Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Evertrue is the final installment in the Everneath trilogy by Brodi Ashton. This much anticipated finale had a lot to live up to, especially after the surprising ending to the second novel. So the question is, did it live up the the high standards? That's debatable. 

Let's start with the characters. This is the first book where Jack and Nikki are together the entire book. In the first two they were separated by something for nearly the entire book, so we finally get to see them as a couple. I'd say that overall they are good together. They know each other, and you can almost believe the intense commitment they always profess to each other. Heres my issue. I don't feel like the emotions were real. Nikki's attachment to Cole seemed more profuse than her loyalty to Jack for some reason. 

Cole. Quick spoiler, he loses his memory about of a third of the way through the book, and all he can remember is how much he loves Nikki. I think this was a bad choice for Brodi Ashton to make. Having Cole lose his memory turned him into a different person, and it was like a new main character was introduced in the final book! Readers have grown attached to Cole, despite his scheming, and taking him out of the picture was a bad idea. I can see how Ms. Ashton thought it was necessary for Nikki to forgive Cole, but in the end, it was Cole that Nikki still loved, not the version that had lost his memory. It was distracting to the plot of the story, and I didn't enjoy it. The first book is the story when the characters are scrambling around, trying to figure everything out, not the third. This book felt pretty frantic, and didn't provide the closure that should have been there after all the build up.

If you don't want to read a spoiler about how the book ends, stop reading now.

The final scene was far too short. You want my to believe that this hundreds of year old queen is defeated by Nikki in a matter of minutes when all Nikki could conjure up was a straw? Nope, I don't think so. The climax was extremely short compared to how long they spent dithering about the Everneath and the world, trying to figure things out. Like I said, there wasn't the relationship development that I needed to feel like the story came to a good end.

So Cole dies. I'm not sure why, but I always root for the underdog, for the guy you're pretty sure the girl won't choose. But so what? I didn't connect with Jack the way I connected with Cole, and I honestly think that Cole was better for Nikki than Jack was. But I still can't decide if this was a good ending or not. My heart tells me no, but my brain tells my yes. The lack of closure with Cole is what really throws me off I think. He (or at least the version of him with his memory) isn't in most of the story, and when he finally comes back, he saves them all and helps them destroy the Everneath! Cole is a really good person, and I wasn't happy with him dying like that in end. 

Not the ending I was hoping for, to be honest. I don't know if I wanted Nikki to choose Cole, or what should have happened, I just know this wasn't it.

After all the months of waiting, I hate to say I'm disappointed.

Three Stars

Evertrue on Goodreads

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue is the final book in the Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi. It is one of the best written Young Adult series I've ever read, right alongside the Shatter Me series. The plot is so well devised, that everything flows into something else. The actions and events are so natural, the world seems almost more vivid than reality.

This finale was perfect. I can honestly say I've never read a more outstanding summation to a series. The author didn't try to startle the readers with shocking ending, but finished the series the way it should have been finished. With hindsight being 20 20, I couldn't have assembled a more perfect sequence of events.

The book is filled with action, but more seriousness than the other books. Perry is the leader of the Horns now, and Aria is the defacto leader of the Dwellers. There is much more responsibility on their shoulders, yet they don't yield to it. Both rise to the occasion and develop not only as characters, but as people, and as a couple.

The only complaint I'd had with Through the Ever Night, the second book in the trilogy, is there wasn't much time that Perry and Aria spent together. It seemed as if they'd just become a couple and stolen our hearts, when they are whacked hundreds of miles apart from each other. However, the redeeming feature of that installment was the never wavering loyalty they had toward each other. The second book allowed Perry and Aria to develop separately, and then more together as a couple in Into the Still Blue.

I won't mislead you, this is a roller coaster of action and emotion. The book covers a lot in a very short amount of time, but it never feels rushed. There is sacrifice, and I doubt you'll make it through the pages without shedding at least a few tears–I know I didn't!

For me, this was a highly awaited finale, and it was definitely worth the wait. If all YA series came to a close as cleanly, and as well as this one did, I would be much happier with the current YA genre.

To put this into perspective, Divergent is all the rage right now in the YA literature, and cinematic world. I would rank this series above that one in a heartbeat. Not only above it, but miles ahead in terms of plot, characters, and the overall writing.

It is an honor to award this book:

Five Stars

Rosalie

Into the Still Blue on Goodreads

Promise by Kristie Cook

As a foreward, I would like to preface this review with a quick mention of my thoughts. Despite the review, I was drawn to this book from the beginning. I was hooked immediately, regardless of all the flaws, and couldn't stop reading. The only reason it's getting such a low review is because of the ending. It was a five star book and probably my next favorite save the ending, which destroyed all my positive emotions for the plot, and the characters, and especially the author.

If you've read Twilight, you know exactly what the plot is, minus the love triangle, and replace the vamps with angels and demons. Despite that, I liked the story a lot more than Twilight. Why? I honestly can't tell you. So let's break it down.
1. The writing wasn't great, definitely a self-publisher.
2. The plot moved very quickly, and lacked substantial development.
3. The romance was superficial, and Alexis and Tristan seemed very awkward together despite their constant confessions of endless love.
4. This was such a big deal I have to say it twice, this literally was Twilight.

They fall in love (though there isn't much development, it just happens), and get married. The girl is special even before she becomes a vampire–oh! Excuse me, an Amadis, my mistake–and they know she will have awesome power. Tristan is afraid to hurt Bella–Alexis! Sorry! I'm not sure what's wrong with me today–and so refuses to have sex with her until they're married. Alexis gets sick but no one considers she might be pregnant even after all the unprotected sex! It's ridiculous, honestly.

This read very much like a bad young adult novel save for the poorly written sex scenes.

Tristan was definitely my favorite character, though that's not saying much. The only other character with good development was Alexis, and she was immature and annoying. She most definitely didn't seem like she was nineteen, and most definitely not ready to be married and having children! None of the other characters became substantial or even played a big role. Her mother and grandmother were carbon copies of each other, and were completely interchangeable throughout the story.

While I won't ruin it for the readers, the ending ruined the entire story for me. Like I said, I was completely planning on buying the second book and giving this a five star rating until the last thirty pages destroyed everything. Trust me on this one, it's bad. I no longer have any intention of reading the next installment in the story.

Two Stars

Rosalie

Promise on Goodreads

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase must follow her best friend, the infamous fairy Puck into another world to save her brother who has been replaced by a nasty, biting child.

The writing in all of Julia Kagawa's books is fantastic. While the storyline didn't appeal much to me, after reading her Immortal Rules book I decided I had to give it a try, and I'm glad I did.

Now, the first thing I have to rant about quickly is the similarity between this book and the Immortal Rules. While I like the story, I feel like they are exactly the same, just one with vampires and one with fairies. In both the girl's life changes early in the beginning, and has to go on a quest or journey. They both meet boys who eventually help them and fall in love, and they both achieve their goals only to be separated from their loves. So, yeah, very similar. If I had to choose, hands done the Immortal Rules was better.

Now, on to Meghan. Something I've noticed about Julie's books is people are very mean to the heroine. While I realize the world she lives in is dangerous, not everyone is mean like that. Every turn Meghan is making a new enemy and people are trying to hurt her. To me there wasn't enough balance, and I did get tired of the animosity always targeted at Meghan, and I ended up not liking her very much either.

The Prince, yum. I really did like the romance in this book. However, like the Immortal Rules series, they are separated at the end! Why can't her romances have happy endings? Unfortunately I read the description of the second book and I don't know if I'll be reading it simply because it sounds dumb. Enough said.

The story itself was exciting with basically nonstop action, and a lot of really fun magical scenes. I wish the relationships had developed more, but all in all I did enjoy it, though I definitely wouldn't call it a page turner.

Three Stars

Rosalie

The Iron King on Goodreads

Beyond Our Stars by Marie Langager

Beyond our stars very much has the feel of a self-published novel. I didn't do enough background research to determine whether or not it is, just know that I rented it from my library.

Beyond Our Stars is about a fleet of ships sent from a ruined Earth to colonize a new planet. Originally they have no idea if there is inhabitation on the new planet, but the day after they land it becomes obvious that there are is an advanced civilization already living there.

This review is going to be very short, because I'll admit it's been a while since I finished the book.

The editing errors really bothered me. Spelling and grammar errors take away from the validity of the story for me, and are highly distracting. If the writing is already teetering on the edge of below par and par, editing errors really tip the scales for me.

Regardless of the editing issues, I really enjoyed this book. I love anything to do with space and aliens, and I did like the story here. I've always believed that the teenage generations are the ones that can bridge the gaps between species and even races. The young are too easily influenced, and the adults too stuck in their ways.

What I didn't like was the characters. The main character seemed really mean, and very antisocial. Despite her being referenced as "the most popular girl on the ship" she doesn't have very many friends, and her boyfriend is really immature. Her boyfriend was the weakest point for me. She was definitely the dominant in their relationship, and he was too submissive and needy. While I appreciated the ending and a lot of what happened near the end as far as character and events go, there were times when I was ridiculously upset with the main characters. After refusing his marriage proposal he was very mean and like I said before, immature.

There were fun aspects to the story, like the observation decks, as well as the alien—human interaction.

If you don't mind rather annoying characters, I'd highly recommend this.

Three Stars

Rosalie

Beyond Our Stars on Goodreads

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

I would like to begin by saying that this is a reread for me. I listened to it as an audiobook in the summer last year, and really loved it. Just recently I was looking for a new book to listen to, and couldn't find any that seemed appealing! Remembering how much I liked this one, I decided to listen to it again.

So let's get started!

Marina can't remember anything from her past. All she knows is she cost people from the Arclight their lives when they left the safety of the lights to rescue her from the darkness. The Fade have been attacking nonstop since she was brought into the Arclight, and for some reason the leaders think she holds the answers to the plague that wiped out most of humanity and resulted in the ominous Fade.

The beginning of the book really hooked me, and I think that might be one of the reasons I like this book so much. It doesn't take long to get started, and isn't confusing the way a lot of dystopian books are, because Josin didn't give a new name to everything, which was much appreciated. I immediately liked Tobin, as well as the way the teenagers are more mature than normal, which is to be expected in a post-apocalyptic world where everyone has to grow up quickly.

The action does slow a bit toward the middle, and at that point it becomes a little tedious, though the relationship development is great in this novel.

I really liked the idea of the Fade, and I loved Rue, to be honest. I think he was my favorite character. The one thing that really bothered me was the hive mind mentality of the Fade. Maybe it's because I'm human and we cling to our individuality like the world depends on it, but the hive mind mentality didn't appeal to me much. This, of course, means that when the "big decision" at the end came, I was fairly certain which side she would choose, and who she would end up with. The hive mentality is too unappealing to humans, so Josin would have lost a lot of fans over a choice to assimilate.

Overall, the writing for this book really was sublime, and I very much look forward to getting my hands on the sequel.

Four Stars

Rosalie

Arclight on Goodreads

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The immortal rules is a dystopian vampire novel about Allison Sekemoto, and her struggle to survive in the harsh world.

Firstly, I must mention that Allison is Asian, and the girl on the cover is not. This shouldn't bother me as much as it does, but covers matching the story and characters is very important to me. The marketing of a book can make or break whether or not it becomes a best seller, or even if a reader chooses to pick it up off the shelf. I would recommend a reprint of this book with a different cover.

Now to the story. Initially, I had a hard time getting into the story. I'm always on the lookout for a love interest for the main character, and the only possibility was killed in the first few pages. The character Stick really bothered me, but upon reflection I think that was probably his purpose in the story. There was a lot of action pretty quickly, and I liked that. It set up the story well, and established Allie as a character.

I really liked the way Allie became a vampire (it's not a spoiler, it happens in the first hundred pages!) and I liked Kanin. Of course I thought they would end up being together, so imagine my surprise when they are separated early on! But in the end I really appreciated this choice, as it left an opening for a second book. The way this story progressed reminded me a lot of the Graceling series, but better. There was a lot of distance covered throughout the book, and a lot happened without it feeling rushed. The sequence of events moved smoothly and I was thoroughly entranced in the book.

About halfway through Allison meets up with a traveling gang of humans, which I really liked as a plot twist. The rest of the book is eventful and fun, though sad at times.

I don't want to give too much away because this really is a book I'd strongly recommend reading, as it wasn't the same as modern vampire books, and had an aspect of reality that a lot of them lack. I will tell you this, there is a love interest, and it end in a bittersweet kind of way. For once I really liked the ending of the book. There were other ways it could have gone, but I liked the direction it took in the end. I'm excited to read the second, though I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to read it. I really liked Julia Kagawa's writing style, and I will be looking in to other books by her as well, so prepare yourself!

I strongly recommend this book.

Four Stars

Rosalie

The Immortal Rules on Goodreads

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

The second in the For Darkness Shows the Star series, Across a Star-Swept Sea takes place on another surviving island, much different from the one described in the first book.

Initially I was disappointed that Diana wasn't sticking with her original characters. The biggest problem I had with For Darkness Shows the Stars was that the romance really didn't come into play until the last few chapters. For the most part the main characters were mean to each other, and I really wanted to see them actually be happy together. To my dismay, the same thing happened in this book. The main characters strongly dislike each other for the majority of the book, though it's not as extreme as the first. Luckily, there is a bit more romance, though it's slow moving and not nearly enough.

First of all, I have to comment on the cover. By far one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. The way the water turns into the dress is stunning, not to mention the sky and island background, with the few stars floating on the water, it's fantastic. It really helped me visualize a few key moments in the book, so bravo for the marketing team on this one.

So let's talk about the Wild Poppy. I really did like the idea of a beautiful revolutionary who play dumb but it really a genius. I think Persis' character was very fun, and I liked the way she carried herself. While sometimes she did seem a little immature, for the most part she made logical decisions. One thing I think could have added to the story was had she demonstrated times of more cunning. Even when she's in the mindset of the Wild Poppy, her thoughts lack a certain clarity that would have convinced me more that she really is a hidden genius.

Justen, I did not appreciate as much as I did Persis. He wasn't as much of a masculine figure as Kai was in the first book, and he seemed rather immature. He made stupid decisions, and was complaining a lot. His only really strong moments were when he was taking care of people as a medic. In those situations he really took control and established himself as an equal to Persis.

This is supposed to be a rewrite of the Scarlet Pimpernel, which I have never read, I hate to admit. While in general I enjoyed the story, it lacked a depth to the characters and storyline that it really could have benefitted from. There was a shallow introduction of the old characters, and I didn't like it as much as I should have.

As you can probably tell I am very torn with this series. I didn't love it, but I didn't not like it either. There is an element of mysticism that I adore, though the cover may be part of that…either way, I'll be interested to see if Diana's writing evolves at all with the next book (if there is one?) and whether or not she learns to develop characters more effectively.

As an afterthought, I must say the story progressed rather slowly. I had a hard time continuing at a few points, and it didn't hold my attention.

Three Stars

Rosalie

Across a Star-Swept Sea on Goodreads

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire is the second book in the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore. I'll admit to having reservations when it comes to the series, because I found myself unsatisfied at the end of the first. You can take a look at the review on my blog to read for yourself my exact thoughts. But nonetheless, the description intrigued me and I eventually relented, listening to the entire book on a long road trip.

Fire is about a young monster girl with the power to bewitch men and women alike with just the power of her beauty. She has mystical fiery hair and mental power enough to read and control minds which are not guarded against her. Admittedly, she is in love with her childhood friend Archer, but also feels an incessant need to keep everyone at a distance. Eventually she becomes entangled in a web of conspiracy with the king, his brother, and Archer himself.

This book is long, and just like the first, a lot happens across those pages. To be honest, the first probably third isn't very interesting. It's a lot of set up for the action that occurs in the second half of the book, and while it's appreciated, you must struggle through it to get to the end.

Fire's final love interest is predictable, and I was abet to anticipate it from the very beginning. Knowing this, however, just made the book seem to drag even slower. It seemed like the characters were always getting so close to being together, and then suddenly they would just turn away.

Cashore has a remarkable gift when it comes to establishing characters, because all of them are vibrant and realistic. Yet she is almost an anti romantic. She sets up these incredible scenes that you can visualize perfectly, unfolding before your eyes, and then she'll bluntly end the chapter by having one of the characters walk away, seemingly at the crux of the moment! This bothered me as well in her first book, that the main characters don't spend as much time together as they should.

Despite these issues, I liked Fire more than I liked Graceling. Fire is more mature than Katsa was, and I appreciate that immensely. I also like the male characters in this book more, because they seem, well, more manly. The plot of this is also more interesting than that of Graceling. I appreciate the contrast between Katsa (who never wants kids) and Fire (who does but knows she can't have them) and that Cashore didn't write two different women who are really the same.

The romance was also better in this book, because the characters were more devoted to each other. A big issue I had with Graceling was how easily Katsa left Po behind, and while she said she loved him, it just didn't seem like it. Fire and Brigan, on the other hand, were very devoted to each other, and didn't lash out with angry words all the time. They also made a lasting commitment to each other in the end, even if it did take the majority of the book for them to even admit they loved each other!

With a lot of anticlimactic moment and frustrating exchanges, Fire was a difficult read. But in the end the world Cashore painted was brilliant, imaginative, and fun, so much so it was hard to tear myself away. While I'm unsure if I'll read the third book in the series, I did enjoy this one more than the first.

Three Stars,

Rosalie

Fire on Goodreads

Absence

Hello!

Long time no posts! I apologize immensely for my long absence from the blog and my previously quick reviews. With finals week in school and an increasing work load plus state for my debate team coming up, I've had my hands full!

Currently, I am working on three books. I'll admit that I've read a few since I last posted, and yes, they were great. My favorites, however, I plowed through so quickly that I could never have reviewed them without giving away things from the sequels, so, my apologies. As I finish the immediate books I'm reading I'll be sure to review them, and I promise to work on getting back to regular postings!

Thanks for baring with me!

What am I reading right now?

Across a Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #2) by Diana Peterfreund

Fire (Graceling Realm, #2) by Kristin Cashore

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1) by Julie Kagawa