Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

(source)

Title: Waistcoats & Weaponry
(Finishing School #3)
Author: Gail Carriger
Length: 304 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thanks Little Brown!)
Read: November 2014

Class is back in session...Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.  Gather your poison, steel tipped quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail Carriger. (From GoodReads)

GoodReads || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million 

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.*** 

My Rating:

Wow! For me, the books in the Finishing School series just keep getting better and better! This book pulled me in quickly and I devoured it. I started it late one night and easily finished it the next day.

There is a lot of action packed into this book. There were some moments where I was extremely anxious to see how the scene was going to play out. There were a lot of things revealed in this story and some of my questions have been answered. The author has done an amazing job creating a story that leaves me with new questions due to the interesting turn of events in this installment. 

Waistcoats & Weaponry takes back up a little bit after the ending events in book two. Sophronia and her friends are all back at their schools. The girls are back in classes learning fun new skills like fighting with a fan and the art of seduction. And the boys are back at Bunson's. Sidheag receives some troubling news which makes her want to get back to Scotland quickly. Which makes Sophronia, Dimity, Soap, and Lord Mersey accompany Sidheag on an adventure to get her home.

I was a little sad that some of the characters that have had bigger parts in the other two books were not in this story very much. Pillover has a fun small part in the story. Though I did find those scenes to be entertaining. And Vieve is just mentioned a few times. But even though these characters had minor parts, the story was still captivating and unique. 

We learn more and more about our favorite characters in this book. 

Sophronia continues to be a good friend. She always helps her friends and also not stand in the way of their decisions and desires at the same time. To me it does seem that Sophronia makes up her mind about where her allegiance lies. 

We also learn and see a bit of a different side of Soap in this book. We see more of Soap as well. At least that is how it felt to me. And I am dying to know more about Soap in the next book!

Felix also has an interesting role in this story. Though I feel like things are still a bit mysterious with him. I am not sure what to think really. I am anxious to see what happens next with this character.

I found the parts with Dimity in this book to be a bit humorous. Sidheag has a lot of challenges that she is facing in this story.

This story made me love the characters more and also made me have a lot of different feelings. I felt happy, frustrated, angry, sad, and a little heartbroken at various points of the plot. And more than anything I hooked on this unique book series and can't wait to find out what happens next!

My Recommendation:

If you have read the first two books, DEFINITELY pick up this one. I found it to be a great addition to this unique storyline. I think that this book is fun, entertaining and serious all at the same time. We find out a lot of different things in this story, but are left wanting to know what else will happen to our group of characters!

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

(source)

Title: Curtsies & Conspiracies 
(Finishing School #2)
Author: Gail Carriger
Length: 310 pages
Publisher: Little Brown
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Steampunk
Release Date: November 2013
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: October/November 2014

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests? Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy (won't Mumsy be surprised?). Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners. Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card. In this bestselling sequel to New York Times bestselling Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season. (From NetGalley)

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*** 

***This book is part is part of a series, and so this review may include spoilers from previous books***

My Rating:

A fun and entertaining continuation to Etiquette & Espionage! I really enjoyed reading this book. In fact I liked it more than the first book in the series.

I think that Curtsies & Conspiracies picks up not long after the end of the first book. Sophronia is now in her second year of Finishing School. She is back on the airship school with her group of friends, Dimity, Sidheag, Agatha, Vieve and Soap. The girls are tested for the skills that they have been learning. And friendships are tested as well. Sophronia continues to do quite well at the school and quickly learns new skills and techniques.

This book (at least for me) had a bit more action and espionage. Which made the book really fun and entertaining to read. I was quickly drawn into the plot of the story. And found the addition of some of the boys from Bunson's to be very interesting. It was fun for the girls to practice their skills on the boys. As well as, learning more about the characters like Pillover and Felix.

I loved that there is a bit of mystery to the story and there were some surprising plot twists that kept me longing to know what would happen next. I like that the story doesn't really have much of a cliffhanger at the end, but I am still left wanting to read more so I can find out what else is in store for these characters.

I already liked the characters going into the second book, but I feel like I became a bit more attached to them while reading this sequel.

Sophronia is still a very likable character. She is quite smart and very entertaining. And I like that I am not sure where her loyalties lie. And I think she doesn't know for sure either. I love that she gathers information and likes to make her own decisions. Sophronia has some tough decisions to make during the events of this book and it is interesting to find out what happens. I really love the friendships that she has with the other characters. Their interactions are some of my favorite parts of the story.

I really liked that I learned a bit more about Dimity and Pillover and their family in this book. I really like both of these characters to it was awesome to feel like I knew them a little better. I still find Dimity to be Sophronia's opposite. But I think that is why I love their friendship so much. They really fit together well and help each other out.

I also enjoyed the parts with Sidheag and Agatha. They are fun characters that made excellent additions to the group of friends. I really like how well Sidheag and Sophronia get along. They have similar interests.

Felix is a new character. I love how he is a bit of a mystery to me. I am really curious to see what happens next for this character. I love the interactions with Sophronia.

My Recommendation:

If you have read the first book of this series and enjoyed reading it, I highly recommend reading this sequel. I found it to be just as unique as the first story, with a little more action and spying. I was very entertained and can't wait to find out what happens in the next installment!

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

(source)

Title: Etiquette & Espionage
(Finishing School #1)
Author: Gail Carriger
Length: 307 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books For Young Readers
Classification: Young Adult, Steampunk, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: October 2014

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school. (From GoodReads)

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble ||Books-a-Million

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
My Rating:

(Between 3.5 & 4. I've rounded up to 4 because I did enjoy the story and was left wondering what will happen in the next book.)

This story wasn't really what I was expecting, but I am glad that I read it. It is a fun story with a fascinating world and entertaining characters.

Sophronia is not your typical girl. She doesn't care much for fashion. She cares more about climbing around and snooping. She likes to see how things work. Which is not proper etiquette. Her mother agrees that finishing school seems to be the right fit for Sophronia to learn more about proper etiquette and manners.

I think that this is a promising start to an interesting trilogy. This is a very imaginative world full of inventions and fun characters. There are vampires, werewolves, mechanicals, and flywaymen.

At first some of the vocabulary was surprising. I haven't really read many books that have the same words. But I really enjoyed the way that the characters spoke and the language used. I feel like it really fit in well with the story. The names were also different than I am used to. Some of them I am not sure I pronounce them the correct way, but I love how the names add to the story.

This book has some action, but not as much as I thought there would be. There were some times while I was reading, where I felt like the story dragged a little slowly for me. I was interested to find out what would happen next.

I like that the story focuses more on friendship than romance. Yes, there are male characters in the story. And yes, there are boys that the girls will mention are handsome. But there wasn't really any romance in the story.

I really like the characters.

Sophronia is a fun and entertaining main character. There were several times where I was anxious to find out what she would do next. She really likes to explore and find things. I really like that she is smart. She figures things out for herself.
I especially love the friendships that she develops through the story.
Dimity is a great character. She reminds me of myself because I also hate the sight of blood. I like that in some ways she is the opposite of Sophronia. I also love how well they get along. Dimity is a wonderful friend and she really is there for Sophronia.
Soap is another fun character. His friendship with Sophronia is also very enjoyable. I like that he also is there for Sophronia and helps her.
Vieve is one of my favorite characters. So smart and clever! I also love the inventions. And this friendship with Sophronia is also loyal and heartwarming.
There are several other supporting characters that I really enjoyed reading about and like their interactions with the main characters.
I also like the little feud between Sophronia and Monique. I had no problem picturing Monique in my head. And I was very interested in the interactions between these two characters.

My Recommendation:
I think this is a fascinating world. I enjoyed reading the story and I am looking forward to reading book two and finding out more about these fun characters and what is going to come next!

Game by Barry Lyga

(source)

Title: Game (Jasper Dent #2)

Author: Barry Lyga

Length: 520 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Classification: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Release Date: April 16, 2013

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)

Read: September 2014

GoodReads

Barnes & Noble

Books-a-Million

Billy grinned. “Oh, New York,” he whispered. “We’re gonna have so much fun.” I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history’s most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent. In an effort to prove murder didn’t run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz’s door asking for help, he can’t say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer’s murderous game. (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.*** 

My Rating:

The Story:

Wow! Barry Lyga has done it again. What an intense follow-up to I HUNT KILLERS.
This story pretty much picks up where book one left off. Billy is free. Jazz is trying to deal with the fact that Billy is free and his involvement in the situation. When a NYPD detective shows up and convinces Jazz to come with him to New York to try and catch a serial killer that is going by the name Hat-Dog Killer.

I really enjoyed reading I HUNT KILLERS so I was really excited to start GAME.
I found this book to be a bit darker and gruesome.
This book instantly grabbed my attention and made me want to know what was going to happen. And there were twists and turns that surprised me.
And the majority of the time, when I would guess something, it seemed like I was completely off base. So I really liked that the author was able to keep me on my toes and guessing.

I loved that the story wasn't just told from Jazz's point of view. In this book, we get to read from Connie and Howie's points of views also. Which was great. I really enjoyed these sections of the book as well. We also get to read some from Billy Dent and The Killer's points of view. Which was also fascinating. And I feel that these points of view are so well written, I didn't get confused by which one I was reading from.

I think there are more cliffhangers left at the end of this book than the first one. I was left wanting more. I am very anxious to read the next book.

The Characters:

I really like and find most of the characters in this story to be fascinating. They are all well-developed and written. I am really interested in finding out what else happens to them all in the next installment.

Jazz: Still struggling with his past and how that will shape his future. He is very smart and has a special way of seeing things differently from other people. I find him to be a very complex and fascinating character. I love that he cares about others, especially his friend and girlfriend. And I like that he seems very determined to figure out and stop The Killer.

Connie: I loved getting to read from Connie's point of view. She cares about Jazz so much and she wants to do what she can to help him and keep him safe. She is a very determined and strong character. I have thought and liked that about her since the first book.

Howie: Another character that I am excited to have a few chapters told from his point of view. Howie is the one that makes the most jokes. I love that he tries to have humor when things around him can not be the best. I definitely care about this character. And I love that his condition doesn't keep him from trying to live his life.

Billy Dent: Still a dark and creepy guy. We get to be inside of his head a few times during the chapters from his point of view.

The Killer: I also found this character to be dark and creepy. These chapters where we see glimpses inside the killer's head can be intense.

My Recommendation:

I think this was an excellent sequel to I HUNT KILLERS. I found this story to be complex and a bit mind blowing. I can't wait to read the next one. I highly recommend reading this installment if you enjoyed reading the first book.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

(source)

Title: I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Length: 359 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Classification: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Source: e-galley (Via NetGalley)

Read: August 2014

GoodReads
Amazon
Books-a-Million
Barnes & Noble

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad? Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say. But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view. And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod. In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows? (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

The Story:

Wow!!! This book seriously took me by surprised and completely wowed me.
The story is unlike any other book I have read.
The author did an amazing job with the story and the characters.
The main character is the son of a well-known, feared, horrible serial killer.

What I liked best about this book was that I was constantly guessing, wondering, and questioning who the killer was.

I think that the plot is very well-developed and complex. The story had a lot of mystery surrounding it. I didn't really know what was going to happen next. (Other than the fact that someone else was most likely going to be murdered, but I hadn't the smallest guess as to who that person was going to be.)

There is a tiny bit of a cliffhanger-ish situation at the end. I was left with so many questions and the desire to find out more. I have to know what happens next.
Yet at the same time, I was satisfied in a sense with the ending. I felt like it was a good ending to the first book and it created a story and world that I really want to get lost in again and find out more of what happens now.

The Characters:

The characters are all well-developed. It was easy for me to picture them and they definitely felt realistic.

Jazz- A very interesting character. He has so many demons bottled up inside of him. He struggles with remembering his childhood and the things his father has done. As well as an inner battle with himself and how the thinks he will become.

Howie and Connie- The best friend and the girlfriend. I love these characters. I love their relationship with Jazz. How they are always there for him and keep him grounded. I love the banter. There were so many moments between Jazz and Howie that made me smile.

The Impressionist- I found it interesting that there were a few chapters that we read from this perspective, yet it didn't give me any clues or insight to the identity of this character. There is still so much I don't know about this person and I am anxious to unveil more about the character and find some answers.

Billy Dent- What a character. We get glimpses of him through Jazz's perspective. A chilling character. One that will/could give you nightmares.

I also really enjoyed Jazz's grandma. She is very interesting and well written. And I really like Jazz's interactions with G. William Tanner (The Sheriff).

Recommendation:

If you like reading a thrilling story that involves murder and can keep you guessing, then I recommend giving this book a read. It was interesting, mysterious and at times intense.
I think that fans of shows like Criminal Minds will enjoy this story.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

(source)

 Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
(Anna and the French Kiss #2)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Length: 338 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books/Speak
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: July 2013 (reprint)
Source: Paperback
Read: August 2014

GoodReads

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. (From GoodReads)

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***

My Rating:

Stephanie Perkins is amazing.
I really enjoyed reading Anna and the French Kiss so I wasn't sure if I would love Lola and the Boy Next Door as much as the first.
I don't know why I thought that. This book was awesome!

The Story:

It is a wonderful second book!
Fun. Cute. Entertaining.
I think I liked this story more than the first book.
Perkins does an incredible job creating a new story with new characters while including visits from the two main characters in the first book. (For some reason I figured they wouldn't make an appearance in this book.)
I really enjoyed this story. I don't know why, but I am a sucker for books that have either a boy-next-door/girl-next-door romance or the romantic interests have a childhood past together.
I also love all the music mentioned in this story. The Ramones, The Clash, etc. I felt like my heart was going to burst with happiness.
I've never been to San Francisco, but the book makes me wish that I could visit there someday.
The story kept me wanting more. It was hard for me to put the book down. And I was anxious for the scenes that include Cricket (because I love him.)
Well written and very entertaining.

The Characters:

I love these characters!

Lola is very unique and special. I love that she dresses up in costume a lot. (Sounds really neat.) She is pretty much my opposite currently (I am not big into fashion: clothes, accessories, etc.) But I remember when I was in college I had my own unique way of dressing (no where near as unique as Lola though!) I also like that she has challenges that she has to face and overcome. She is dealing with some family issues as well as the issue of a past love coming back into her life. I was really able to care and relate to the character.

Cricket. I am in love. He is so sweet and caring. A bit shy and very adorable. He is awesome. He has his own things that he is dealing with. I love that he is an inventor, it is really cool. He is just simply wonderful.

All the other characters are also well-written and interesting.
Lindsey is a great friend to Lola and I enjoy their friendship.
Lola's dads, Andy and Nathan, are great. I love that they are protective (probably because I am a very protective parent and I could see myself being like them, maybe not as drastic, but like them). I love that they love Lola very much and that they are present in the story.
Cricket's twin sister Calliope was also well-developed. She has her own life and challenges. And there are times that I don't like what she does very much, but I feel like I had an understanding of her and liked her too.

And of course I love that Anna and Etienne made appearances in this story. I loved seeing a little more of their relationship as well as their friendship with Lola.

My Recommendation:

If you like romances that involve a boy/girl next door type, then I highly recommend this book. Also if you like an interesting and a bit eccentric main character. Or if you are looking for a new AMAZING book boyfriend to swoon over, you should give this book a read!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

(source)

Title: Anna and the French Kiss 
(Anna and the French Kiss #1)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Length: 372 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books/Speak
Classification: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: August 4, 2011
(reprint)
Source: Paperback

GoodReads

Can Anna find love in the City of Light?
Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year. But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's waiting for? (From GoodReads)

 My Rating:

I had been wanting to read this book for a while, but I kept putting it off. Then I found that a group of bloggers decided to have a readalong in anticipation for the third book in the series to be released. So I gladly signed up and joined the readalong #IslaIsComing.

I can't believe I kept waiting to read this book! I loved it.

The Story:

Such an adorable story! I absolutely love it.
I read this book in pretty much 2 days. I would have finished it in one sitting but I started the book too late in the night and had to go to sleep before getting to the end.
I could not wait to find out what happened next.
The author did an amazing job of capturing my attention and leaving me desiring more. (I seriously struggled with putting the book down and going to sleep. I almost didn't do it.)
I devoured the words and was left with a book hangover!

I adore that the author has created such a well described version of Paris.
(I traveled to Paris when I was in High School.)
It felt like I was there again. I had no trouble picturing the scenes in my head. It is wonderful.

The story overall is fun, exciting, and very entertaining. I was very fascinated by everything that was happening in the lives of the different characters.

The Characters:

Oh. My. Goodness. I love them.
They are all so well written and developed.
I love the friends that Anna made while at school in Paris.
They are the type of friends that you also want to be your friends.
Fun. There for each other. Caring. Amazing.
I loved reading from Anna's point of view. I really enjoyed her voice throughout the book.
St. Clair is certainly made me swoon. But I was a bit frustrated with him and his girlfriend situation. Other than that, I really liked his character.

My Recommendation:

If you like chick lit and romance and want a quick, fun, entertaining read then I highly recommend giving this book a read.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

(source)

Title: Grave Mercy 

(His Fair Assassin #1)

Author: Robin LaFevers

Length: 576 pages

Publisher: HMH Books For Young Readers

Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Source: e-book (purchased)

Read: July 2014

GoodReads

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (From GoodReads)

My Rating:

The Story:

This is another book that I wasn't really sure about before I started reading it. I didn't read the description. In fact, I bought it because it had good reviews by bloggers that I follow on GoodReads and Twitter, and it was on sale for the Kindle, so I thought I would give it a chance. And yet I still wasn't really sure what I was reading when I started the first few chapters.

Nun Assassins.

I wasn't expecting that. And I wasn't really expecting to like the book. I didn't consider putting the book down, but I also didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

For me the story started out on the slow side. It held my attention enough for me to continue reading the story, but I was thinking I wouldn't like it as much as everyone else did. I started thinking it just wasn't "for me".

Then BAM!

I hit a section in the book where the story grabbed me and pulled me in. I COULD NOT put it down! I kept thinking to myself, "Just read one more chapter, then you can pick it back up tomorrow." Yet I didn't listen to my brain, I stayed up super late due to needing to know what happened next, and I still had to force myself to put the book down.

This book was awesome, amazing, wonderful, great, (all other synonyms for good)! I absolutely loved the story and the characters. I love this book so much, I can't believe I kept putting off reading it.

The Characters:

Ismae is very interesting character. I was very fascinated by what was happening with her and her task that she was given. I also liked the whole assassin aspect. I was interested in how she would handle certain situations. She is strong and smart.
Duval. I. Love. Him. Seriously. I love his character. I love the relationship between him and Ismae. I also love the relationship between him and his friends. I love how loyal and intelligent he is. He is an amazing leader. Definitely a character that you would want on your side during a conflict.

My Recommendation:

Read this book. It has easily been added to my favorite reads shelf. It has action and romance. And overall, a very fascinating story with well-developed characters.

I also think that those that enjoy watching Reign may like this one.

Mini Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott

(source)

Title: The Collector (Dante Walker #1)

Author: Victoria Scott

Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Source: e-book (purchased)

Read: May 2014

GoodReads

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of Hell’s best — a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag. Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment: Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days. Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of Hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions long ago buried. (From GoodReads)

My Rating:

I bought this book and book number two because they were both on sale and I saw some other bloggers talking about the series on Twitter. So I thought I would give it a try. Then I saw that Jessica at Just a Booklover and Stephanie from Ohana Reads were having a Read-a-thon. So I decided to participate and read the books. 

My Thoughts:

• I didn't know what to think when I first started this book. Like I wrote earlier, I knew that there were some bloggers that have enjoyed reading this series, so when they went on sale I bought them. I didn't read the synopsis at all, and it was fun going into the book only knowing that the main character was a hot guy. :D
• Dante's character starts off as this guy that is pretty unlikable. I wasn't sure that I would end up liking him. He seems to only really care about himself and is just an all around jerk. But since he started off this way, I really enjoyed his character development throughout the story. And I was really interested in what he was up to. I especially enjoyed reading from Dante's point of view.
• Favorite thing: Dante's humor. I found a lot of this story to be funny. 
• I liked Charlie. Overall she was a likable character. Very sweet and caring. The complete opposite of Dante. 
•  I also really liked Charlie's friends. They were interesting and likable. 
• There were a lot of things that surprised me while reading this book and there was something that I did see coming, but it didn't ruin the book for me.
• The entire book kept me hooked and interested in what was going to happen next. And I left me wanting more, so I was very happy to start the next book. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. And I am very glad that I participated in the Read-a-thon!

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

(source)

Title: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Length: 416 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: e-book (purchased)

Read: March 2014

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.” With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her. (From GoodReads)

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***


My Rating:

(It is between a 4 and a 4.5 so I rounded up.)

1.  I enjoyed reading the book.
2.  I read it quickly: I started and finished this book in 1 night.
3.  There were some surprises that I didn't see coming.
4. The ending felt rushed.

I am not disappointed that I read, but this is not an absolute favorite series. 
Would I read the entire series again someday? Probably. 
But I was not left with an "OMG! I love this series so, so, so, much!" feeling. But I do really like it, and enjoyed reading the trilogy. (And I will probably look into reading the novellas sometime in the future.)

The Story:

Overall, I think the story went along nicely. It pretty much picks up where Unravel Me left off. I felt that this book was face-paced and it kept me really interested in what was going to happy next. 

And oh boy, steamy. Just. Wow. I think that chapter was one of the steamiest scenes I have read in YA. 

But for me, the ending felt rushed. I was expecting this big EPIC finale. But instead we had the build up then the fight was over before I realized. And I was left thinking "That's it?" 

What happens next?

What happens to the characters?

I was left wanting more. 

Which left me a little disappointed. 

Not enough to hate the book or anything, but I wanted some more answers. And I wanted more of a big epic battle at the end.

So either I have to choose in my head the answers to these questions....or maybe Mafi decided to leave it a little unresolved in case she decides to visit the world again in the future. (I doubt this, but never say never...right?)

The Characters:

Juliette: I personally liked her character development. I finally felt like she went from this scared little girl to someone that can stand up for herself. She has become fierce and is on her way to being a leader. She has become more likable (at least for me) and more independent. And I love that she seems to be feeling more at ease with her power. 

Warner: I found Warner's character to be likable in this book. I was pretty surprised that I ended up liking his character as much as I do. I almost feel like I went from  absolute hate, to heart-thawing hate, to liking him in the span of the trilogy. I like how his character developed and shifted. I liked being able to see him in a different light. Maybe it was because Juliette knew more about him as the series moved on so her eyes opened up more to see his true self. I just know that I no longer hate Warner. 

Adam: I don't hate Adam. Not in the least bit. But I also didn't really like him in this book. Continuing on from Unravel Me, Adam just has more hate and bitterness wrapped up in him. Yeah, he has been through a lot. And I understand being mad and frustrated, but goodness, I really hated a lot of the things that he does in this book. And I especially did not like his attitude. He almost feels like a completely different person. Maybe this is the character he was always meant to be, but I was hoping that it was just a rough patch and he could get back to his old self eventually.

Kenji: Oh. My. Goodness. I think it is safe for me to say, I really do think that Kenji is my favorite from this series. He is funny and strong. I just want to hug and hang out with him myself. And I just adore his friendship with Juliette. And I LOVE that is just a simple boy/girl friendship without ANY form of romantic entanglements. 

My Recommendation:

If you liked the other two books, then you would probably like this one too. I feel there was character development, action, romance (steamy), and some resolution. But for me I was left with some desire to know more of what would happen next.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

(source)

Title: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)
Author: James Dashner
Length: 329 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Random House)
Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Release Date: October 6, 2009
Source: ebook (purchased)
Read: April 2014 *I read this book during a Read-a-long with some fellow blogger friends. Thank you Cassi (My Thoughts...Literally) for hosting!*

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.
Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying. (From GoodReads)

My Rating:

I really enjoyed reading this book! So much, I can't believe that I put off reading it for so long!

I think this book was full of action, mystery and suspense. One word that keeps coming to mind is INTENSE. I found this book to be very intense.

I can't wait to get the rest of the series and read them. I hope I am able to do so soon!

Title Acrostic: 

(Something new I am adding to some of my reviews, where I will use the title or part of the title of the book to create an acrostic.)

Memorable: I think this story is an unique story and it stands out from others that I have read. Yes, I do think there are some similarities from other stories that I have read, but this book is still different. And it is a book that I will remember.

Amazing: It is an amazing story. It was definitely different from what I was expecting. It grabbed my attention and kept me interested in the story. I think it is well written, full of details and world/character development. It was a fast read, and I was left wanting to continue the story. So for me, the book is amazing.

Zealous: I have found a passion for this story. I am really glad that I read it and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Extreme: This book is intense and extreme. Throughout reading, my leg was shaking. I had to take a few pauses to breathe. This is a book that kept me "on the edge of my seat".


Remarkable: I think this book is definitely worthy of the notice and attention it has received. It is an interestingly intense story that grabs the reader.

Unanswered: There are so many unanswered questions throughout this entire book. And as you find out some answers, more questions form.

Nauseating: There are some nauseating parts in the story. (Not in the sense of making me feel physically sick). Specifically scenes that involve the creepy Grievers!

Nervous: I felt pretty nervous throughout this book. I kept wondering what was going happen.

Emotional: So many emotions throughout reading this book. There were parts where I was frustrated, scared, mad, relieved, and anxious.

Ruthless: There are some things (like the Grievers) and some people in the story that I found to be ruthless.

The Story:
I think the story was well developed. Dashner describes the Maze and the Glade with wonderful detail. I didn't have a problem picturing this area in my head, and I felt that it help bring the story to life. (Sure, I have seen the trailer for the movie, but I think even without it I would have been able to easily picture it.)

And the Grievers. Seriously. Dashner is so creative! I don't think I would have been able to think of such a creature. I found them to be creepy and disturbing. I was/am afraid of them.
I wasn't satisfied with how I pictured them in my head, so I looked them up online. And wow, there are so many awesome drawings that people have made!

Here are some links:
http://acturiesa.deviantart.com/art/Maze-Runner-Griever-and-Beetle-Blade-272308207
http://gubblyn.deviantart.com/art/The-Griever-259820862
http://summerfr0st.deviantart.com/art/The-Maze-Runner-Griever-Colored-291456250


Although there were a few things that I was able to figure out, but overall the book kept me guessing and I didn't know what to expect or what would happen. There were several things that caught me by surprise!

I do understand why some people were frustrated with this book, there is a lack of information. You don't know what is going on and it takes a while to find out pieces of information. This bugged me a little at first, but it didn't bug me enough for me to quit reading or take away from my love of the book. I think it added to the suspense and mystery of what was happening. And I think it helped make the book more intense.


The Characters:

I really liked the characters. I really love that the story has a male main character. And everything is told from his point of view. I liked being able to read from his point of view the entire time.
Thomas is full of emotion and determination. I really like his character. I found him to be realistic and believable.  And I really like his relationship with the other boys in the Glade.
Chuck is a little annoying at first but it doesn't last the entire book (at least it didn't for me). I enjoyed seeing his friendship develop with Thomas.
Newt. I think he was one of my favorite characters in the book. I enjoyed watching his character develop through the story. I found his character to be funny at times too.
Minho. I really liked him too. And I like the friendship between him and Thomas. He is full of determination and strength.
Teresa. She is a character that I feel like I still don't know much about. And I want to know more about her. But I think she is strong and supportive.

I think the characters were well developed. They have their strengths and some weaknesses, that just adds to making them feel "real" to me.

If you haven't read The Maze Runner yet, then I recommend that you give it a go. It isn't for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It was a fast enjoyable read, full of surprises and twists that kept me wanting more.

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

(source)

Title: Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2)
Author: Laini Taylor
Length: 513 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Source: Paperback *won a copy from GoodReads First Reads giveaway*
Read: March 2014

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.
This is not that world.
Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.
In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.
While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.
But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream? (From GoodReads)

***This is the second book in a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the first book, so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***

And if you have read Daughter of Smoke & Bone and liked it but haven't read this one yet...what are you waiting for? Go read it! 


My Rating: 5+ 

Laini Taylor is amazing! She did not disappoint me with the sequel to Daughter of Smoke & Bone. There are times where I am worried to read the second (and even third) books in series that start out so strong, because they can sometimes be a little bit of a let down.
But that was not the case for me and Days of Blood & Starlight. I found this book to be outstanding.
The author does an excellent job of continuing to build on this interestingly unique world she has created. I feel that everything was well developed!

And the cover. Oh my goodness, I love the picture on the cover a lot! So pretty.

The Story:

Let me start by saying: I had so many emotions!
Seriously, while reading this book I felt like I was on a roller coaster of feelings.
I was happy, sad, angry, frustrated, a bit heartbroken, so many different emotions.

But I love this book. I love the story and I think it was a wonderful continuation of where book one left off.

There were surprises that I didn't see coming and they shocked me! But there were a couple that I did figure out while reading, but they in no way took away from the story or my love of this book.

Finishing this book left me making "grabby hands" at my computer screen for Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Released April 8th) And I was so glad that I didn't have a long wait before I would be able to get it. (I am currently reading it now.)

The Characters:

I am not even sure how to fully explain or put into words my love for these characters!
Zuzana continues to be one of my favorite characters. She is just so awesome. She is a wonderful friend and a kick-butt character! And Zuzana is just downright funny. I love her humor.
And I love that we see more of Zuzana and Mik in this book. I love the parts that include them in the story and I was so happy to see that they had a bigger role in the story!
We have more Karou and the new challenges she faces after finding out about what Akiva did.
And Akiva trying to deal with the guilt that he feels for hurting Karou.
Other characters from the first book make appearances in this book.
And we meet a few new characters.
Most notably Ziri. He is a chimaera and even knew Madrigal when he was a little boy. (They are the same chimaera). I like him and enjoyed learning more about this character throughout the story.


I love this book. I love this series. And I think it is just awesome. I hope you all liked the book as much as I do!