The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest

Author: Holly Black

Length: 336 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Release Date: January 13, 2015

Source: ARC (Thank you so much to the NOVL newsletter!)

Read: November 2014

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

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***I received an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of this book from the NOVL Newsletter in exchange for an honest review***

My first thought upon finishing this book was "Why in the world did I wait so long to read a book written by Holly Black?!"
I don't really know why the only other thing I have read before this one was the short story that was published in My True Love Gave to Me. 

But after reading The Darkest Part of the Forest, I now know that I need to read more Holly Black! 

This book is awesome! I really enjoyed reading it!

Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in a fascinating world full of humans and fairies. In the town that they live in the humans and fairies not only know about each other, but have been coexisting for years. For the most part, the fairies play pretty harmless tricks that attract curious tourists. But Hazel starts noticing that things are changing and the fairies may be more dangerous than anyone knows. And at the center of it all is the horned boy that has been asleep in a glass coffin in the forest for years. Hazel has to figure what is happening and how to protect everyone as she discovers things that she didn't know before. 

The writing style really pulled me in. The words and details made it really easy for me to be sucked into Hazel's world! 
I was so captivated by the writing, world, and characters, it was hard for me to put the book down. I really tried to take my time so I could savor the book, but I couldn't stop reading. Even when I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the story and the characters.

I absolutely love that this book has some mysterious elements to the story. The cryptic messages for example. Overall, there were some surprising twists that kept me guessing and the story very entertaining for me! Several things that I didn't see coming. There were a couple small things that I guessed, but these things made me happy.

I find Hazel to be a strong character. I love that she is determined to do whatever to keep doing what she wants to do.

Ben is another fun character. One of my favorite things from this book is the sibling relationship between these two characters. I feel like it is realistic. They are each keeping things from one another to try and protect them. I like the development and love that I see in their bond as brother and sister.

Jack is another character that I really like. I found his part of the story to be really interesting. And I really love how he is a good friend. He really cares about Ben and Hazel.

The horned boy is a bit mysterious. Even though we learn his name and information about him throughout the story, I still feel like I wanted to know a bit more. And a little bit more interaction with the characters. But I still liked this character as well.

My Recommendation:

Read it! I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't want to put it down and I didn't want it to end. I think that the writing is beautiful and entertaining. I was enamored with the world and the characters. 
I am so glad that I was able to read this book! 
And I am really looking forward to checking out some of Holly Black's other books.

Would I Buy/Pre-order this book? Yes! This is definitely a book that I want to have a finished copy of.

My Rating:

There Will Be Lies by Nick Lane

Title: There Will Be Lies
Author: Nick Lane
Length: 464 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Magical Realism
Release Date: January 6, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you, Bloomsbury!)
Read: December 2014-January 2015

In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car. Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.Award-winning author Nick Lake proves his skills as a master storyteller in this heart-pounding new novel. This emotionally charged thrill ride leads to a shocking ending that will have readers flipping back to the beginning.

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

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

After getting hit by a car, Shelby Cooper's life changes drastically. After leaving the hospital, Shelby's mother takes her on a sudden trip. Shelby finds out that they are on the run, though she doesn't understand what or who they are running from.
Throughout the story readers are left wondering (along with Shelby) which parts of her reality are the truth and which are lies. She doesn't know who she can trust.

This book for me was okay. It was definitely different than I thought it would be.
I did not love the story, but I also did not hate it. There were parts that I liked but there were also things that frustrated me.

The thriller elements of the story really caught my attention and made me want to continue reading. The Dreaming is a very interesting concept and I really like the idea. But these parts of the story didn't grab my attention very well. As I read these parts, I kept wanting to be back to all the other things that were happening in the story.

There weren't really that many surprises that I didn't see coming, and I mostly continued to read the story to see if my guesses were correct and to see how everything would play out in the end. Though I do like that there were times while reading where I think I was just as confused by what was happening as Shelby.

There were some parts and bits of information that I think was repetitive. Which frustrated me a little bit.

I did find the characters to be pretty interesting.
And I really liked Shelby.
In fact, I think that was my favorite part of the story.
I really like the way that Shelby is written and her voice. I like that she questioned things that were happening and wanted to figure things out. And I was able to feel empathy for her and the craziness of the things happening.

I also like the way the author wrote the dialogue/conversations. I think it was very fitting to the story.

My Recommendation:

Overall, I found this story to be okay. There were parts and elements that I liked, but I also wasn't kept interested in everything that was going on.

Would I Buy/Pre-Order This Book? No. Sadly I didn't enjoy the book enough to want to buy it. I would check it out from the library if you are interested in reading it.

My Rating:

Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

(source)

Title: Suspicion

Author: Alexandra Monir

Length: 368 pages

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Classification: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mystery

Release Date: December 9, 2014

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you so much Random House/Delacorte Press!)

Read: November 2014

Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor. "There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor. Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess. All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself--and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into? Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride. (From GoodReads)

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

My Rating: 

I love the cover and the summary sounded awesome, so I decided that this was a book I wanted to read.
I have never read REBECCA, so I can't really comment on how much they are or are not alike.
The only expectation I had going into this book was hoping that I will enjoy the story.

Imogen lost both her parents as well as her uncle and aunt in a fire when she was ten years old. For the past seven years she has lived in New York with her guardians. And she hasn't been back to Rockford Manor since the tragic event that changed her life forever. Until she finds out that her grandfather and cousin have both passed away, leaving her as the sole survivor of Rockford Manor. Imogen then decides to move back to the place that she doesn't really want to be. Accepting to become the duchess of Rockford Manor. She then discovers dark secrets and tries to uncover the mystery surrounding Rockford Manor.

It was very easy for me to get swept up in the story. And I like the way the story was presented, seeing a glimpse of the present, then going back years and months to find out what had happened up to that point.

I think that the story is a mystery with paranormal elements and a bit of romance.

I was really fascinated with the mystery in this story. I kept second-guessing my thoughts regarding what was happening and who was involved. And I didn't really see the ending coming. It really surprised me and I think it was definitely a twist. The ending isn't exactly realistic, but I don't really mind because unrealistic things in books don't bother me (a large majority of the time).

To me there wasn't as much romance as I thought there would be. And the bit of romance that was in the story didn't have much of a build up. I didn't feel like it was insta-love or anything, but I was hoping for more development in their relationship and romance.
I didn't really connect with Imogen's relationship, and I think it was mostly due to wanting there to be a bit more. Even though I wanted a little bit more, this didn't keep me from enjoying what I was reading.  And I do like that the romance isn't the majority of the story.

I like Imogen. I felt so bad for everything that she had been through. I found the paranormal elements to be very intriguing and was anxious to learn more about them and how it related to Imogen.

I was interested in the other characters and how they all fit into the story.

I feel like the ending had resolutions and some answers, but I was left wondering what else would happen and wanting to know more about certain things.

My Recommendation:
This book interested me and I enjoyed reading it. But I didn't fall in love with it. If you enjoy reading books that have mystery and some paranormal elements, then you might enjoy reading this book. There isn't as much romance as I thought there would be as I read. And the ending was a bit crazy, but overall, I found the book interesting.
I'd check it out at the library.

One Wish Away by Kelley Lynn

(source)

Title: One Wish Away

Author: Kelley Lynn

Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Science Fiction

Release Date: November 24, 2014

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Bloomsbury Spark!)

Read: November 2014

Be careful what you wish for…Lyra has always been ahead of the curve. Top of her class in school, a budding astronomer, and with a best friend like Darren she barely has time to miss the mother who abandoned her family years ago. She's too busy planning to follow in her father's footsteps, and to become the youngest astronomer at Space Exploration and Discovery.When a star goes missing Lyra is determined to get to the bottom of it only to discover her braniac dad is the mastermind of a top-secret government experiment. They promise to build a perfect world, one galaxy at a time, but with every tweak of the present, a bit more of the future starts to crumble.Lyra has to go undercover to reveal the truth and let humanity decide if the consequences are worth more than wishing on a star. (From GoodReads)

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

My Rating:

This book has a very interesting and unique story idea.

Lyra is very smart and loves space and stars. Both her father and her aunt work at Space Exploration and Discovery and she wants to be like them and work there too. One day she discovers that a star has gone missing and she is determined to find out what caused it to happen. And this leads her to discover a lot more than just a missing star.

I really liked the story concept. I found all the information about stars and the constellations to be fascinating.
And the story was easy for me to read.

But other than finding the story idea interesting and liking the information about stars, I didn't really connect much with anything else.

I don't need stories (Especially Science Fiction and Fantasy) to be realistic. But I had a hard time with how easily things happened for Lyra. And how easily she was able to tell things to her best friend, Darren. I was frustrated a lot with her character.

I didn't really connect with the characters at all. I really wanted to connect with Lyra, she is smart and determined. But overall, she just frustrated me. And I wasn't really into the romance part of the story either.
The family dynamics did catch my attention and I was interested to see what would happen with their family situation after the events that happened. But it wasn't enough to make me really enjoy the story.

And the ending.

It felt really abrupt to me. There wasn't really any closure. And a mystery character was sort-of revealed. And I was expecting more to happen, then when I turned the page, I discovered that was the end. I am not really mad that I didn't get closure, but it did feel sudden.

This book just wasn't for me.

One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington

(source)

Title: One Past Midnight

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury-Walker Books

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Source: ARC (Thank you so much Bloomsbury!)

Name of overseas edition of Between The Lives. Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole. Until now, that is...
 For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.
 With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking? (From GoodReads)

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***I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

Amazing! What a unique story! I haven't read anything quite like this one before. The idea of this book is just so fascinating! And I really like the author's writing style. 

Sabine has two lives. And it has been this way since she can remember. Every stroke of Midnight sends her to her other life. And it looks as though she is the only one in this situation. At least, she hasn't found another person quite like her. She tries to accept and understand what is happening to her. She tries to balance between these two completely different lives. Not knowing which one she really belongs in. Until something happens that changes everything. Now she has to figure out what to do with this knowledge.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It really pulled me in and made me want to find out what would happen next. 
At first I was a little worried about becoming lost and frustrated with the switching of lives. Since this happens every chapter or every couple of chapters. But it wasn't difficult or frustrating for me at all. I actually really found it interesting and it was easy for me to shift lives with Sabine. Following the storyline and the characters in each life was also easy. And I think that the storylines transitioned smoothly and at a great pace!

I think for the most part I was equally interested in both of Sabine's lives. They are so different and each one was fascinating for different reasons. 
I really like that even though this is a Science Fiction/Fantasy book, it had a Contemporary feel to it as well. I was very interested in the relationships that Sabine has with her family and friends from each of her lives. I especially love the relationship developments between the siblings, in one life Sabine has a little sister and in the other she has brothers. 
And for me, her actions and results of those actions felt pretty realistic. 
I was really able to connect with Sabine's character. I felt so bad for her because she was struggling so much with what it meant to live two different lives. She really goes through a lot. I couldn't really imagine having to go through my awkward teenage years and high school twice (and at the same time!) And I love her character development through the story. 

There were several events and plot twists that I didn't see coming. And there were a couple things that I guessed while reading, but it did not take away from my love of the story at all! In fact one of them I was pretty happy I was correct. 
This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me. And I even cried a little bit at one point. 

My Recommendation:
Read this book! I highly recommend it! I really love the story. It was entertaining and deep. The story really made me think about life. Not only did I enjoy the plot, but I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships with Sabine! 

I would definitely buy this book!

Thank you SO MUCH, Bloomsbury for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Book Blast + Giveaway: Creed by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie

This Book Blast is hosted by Me, My Shelf, and I. Make sure to check out the schedule HERE!

CREED

By: Trisha Leaver & Lindsay Currie

Release date: November 8, 2014

Publisher: Flux

Genre: Young Adult psychological horror

ISBN: 0738740802

Three went in. Three came out. None even a shadow of who they once were. When their car breaks down, Dee, her boyfriend Luke, and his brother Mike walk through a winter storm to take refuge in a nearby town called Purity Springs. When they arrive, the emergency sirens are blaring and the small farming town seems abandoned. With no other shelter, they spend the night in an empty house. But they soon discover that not everything in Purity Springs is as it seems. When the town's inhabitants suddenly appear the next morning, Dee, Luke, and Mike find themselves at the mercy of the charismatic leader, Elijah Hawkins, who plans to make Dee his new wife. Elijah's son, Joseph, offers to help them escape . . . but the price of his help may be more than Dee and her friends can bear.

GoodReads * INdieBound * Barnes & Noble * Amazon

Praise For CREED:

“Debut authors Leaver and Currie make an auspicious foray into YA horror...creating a believably desperate and terrifying situation for their characters, and Dee's history of physical and sexual abuse adds another layer of terror to this suspenseful and sporadically gory thriller.” 

~Publishers Weekly

Welcome to a town that makes "Children of the Corn" look like child's play. There's no shortage of scary shenanigans happening in "Creed" ... We'd rather take a year-long gig teaching botany to the "Children of the Corn" than take a gas-and-bathroom break on a sunny day in Purity Springs.  

~Kat Rosenfield author of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone/ MTV News

"This is: a straight-ahead, cover-your-ears tale of terror that grows more nihilistic and grueling by the page.... Leaver and Currie do the best thing horror authors can do, presenting protagonists who make smart choices, over and over, but to no avail. Now that's scary" 

~ Daniel Kraus/ Booklist

Trisha Leaver 

Trisha Leaver graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Social Work. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband, three kids and one rather irreverent black lab. She is a member of the SCBWI, the Horror Writers Association, and the YA Scream Queens.

TWITTER * FACEBOOK * WEBSITE * INSTAGRAM: @trishaleaver

Lindsay Currie

Lindsay Currie graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, IL with an English Literature degree. She is a member of the SCBWI, the Horror Writers Association and a contributor to the YA Scream Queens.

TWITTER * FACEBOOK * WEBSITE *

INSTAGRAM: @lindsayncurrie

One Winner: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

Open Internationally, Must be 13+ To Enter.

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The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

(source)

Title: The Walled City
Author: Ryan Graudin
Length: 432 pages
Publisher: Little Brown
Classification: Young Adult, Thriller
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: October 2014

730. That's how many days I've been trapped.18. That's how many days I have left to find a way out. DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible.... JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister.... MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She's about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window..... In this innovative and adrenaline-fueled novel, they all come together in a desperate attempt to escape a lawless labyrinth before the clock runs out. (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:

This book is unlike any that I have read before. I think the story is interesting and unique. And it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. (But in a good way!)

The Walled City is a terrible, horrible place. There are drug lords, street gangs, brothels (with sex slaves) and a lot of poverty. Kids are living on the streets trying to survive. And young girls are getting sold into prostitution.

It is a very dark and gritty and violent (at times) story.

I think that the author did an amazing job with world building. I really felt like I could picture the Walled City. And I felt like I could picture the characters and the people that were living there.

I had no idea when reading this story that it is based off a real place. Kowloon Walled City which was in Hong Kong. While reading the story I kept thinking about how scary it would be for this to happen and how much I thought like it could happen. Then I got to the author's note at the end and read about Kowloon Walled City. The Walled City is not historical fiction, but after finding out a little bit more about Kowloon Walled City, I think that the author did a good job writing a piece of fiction of what could happen in a Walled City.

This story is told from three different points of view. Dai is haunted by his past. He is stuck in the Walled City running drugs for the drug lord. He is searching for what he needs to be able to escape the Walled City alive. Jin is living on the streets dressed as a boy to try and stay safe. She is doing alright, but she is on her own mission. She is searching for her sister that was taken away from her years ago. And the third point of view is Mei Yee. She is stuck in a brothel, wishing for a chance to escape and see the outside world again.
These are three very different people all stuck in the Walled City for one reason or another. And all three of the characters are each hiding their own secrets.

This book had a lot of action and there were several parts of the story that really grabbed me and made me worry about the characters. There were some interesting plot twists too that I did not see coming. Yes, there were a few things that I figured would happen, but they were small and didn't take away from me being captivated by the story.

I really like the characters. I think that they are well written.
Though I think I connected with Jin more than the other two. She is such a strong character. She has been through so much, yet she is determined to find her sister. She won't stop until she does. And her loyalty and strength gave me hope.
Dai is also a strong character, but he has a lot haunting him from his past. And I think I found his character to be the most mysterious.
I think Mei Yee is also strong in her own way. She wants to protect and help the other girls in the brothel. And she longs to get out.
And I really found it interesting how all three of their stories intertwine.

My Recommendation:
I found this to be a very interesting, action-packed story. It grabbed and held my attention from the beginning. I think that it is a dark and realistic story. And I really liked reading it. If you are looking for an gritty, fascinating story with diverse characters and good world building, then I highly recommend giving this book a read!

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)

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***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)

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***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!

Unmarked by Kami Garcia

(source)

Title: Unmarked
(The Legion Book 2)

Author: Kami Garcia

Length: 384 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Classification: Young Adult, Paranormal

Release Date: September 30, 2014

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

Read: October 2014

The heart-pounding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Unbreakable, by New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures co-author Kami Garcia. He is here... and he could be anyone. Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free. Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked? (From GoodReads)

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

**This book is a sequel, so there will be spoilers for what happened in book one!**

My Rating:

I liked this book more than book one, UNBREAKABLE.  I think that it is a great continuation of a story that I already liked! 
The story really grabbed my attention and  really flew by quickly. 

The story picks up where book one left off. Andras has been released and the group needs to find a way to stop him. 

I love the action in the story. It really made me engage more with the book and kept the story entertaining and exciting. There were a few plot twists that I saw coming, but overall I think there were more that I was not expecting, which kept the story very engaging. 

I do think that the characters were further developed in this book, which I really liked. 
And there are a few more character additions. 

Kennedy's best friend, Elle, (we had some scenes with her in book one UNBREAKABLE) is a more prominent character in this book. I really enjoy their friendship. And I love their friendly banter. I also like her interactions with the members of The Legion. I feel like she adds some lightness to the story and a little bit of humor. 

I absolutely love the further relationship development between Kennedy and Jared and am glad that it seems like the love triangle is done. 

Kennedy, to me, seems more determined in this story. Her character grows from being full of self-doubt to needing answers and being able to fix what has happened. She won't stop until she completes that task. Yes, there are times where she is concerned about why she hasn't received her mark yet, but that is understandable and she doesn't only concentrate on it. I love that we find out more about Kennedy's past and she discovers things that she never knew about.

I really enjoyed finding out more about the other members of The Legion: Jared, Lukas, Priest, and Alara.  We find out more about their pasts and lives. 

I don't want to go in depth about the other new character additions because I don't want to give anything away. But I will say that I think they are interesting characters and really add some mystery to the story. 

This story ends with a bit of a cliffhanger (at least in my opinion). And now I can't wait to find out what happens next!

My Recommendation:
If you read the first book and enjoyed it, then I really think that you will enjoy this continuation. There are some mysterious reveals, plot twists, and action that make the story very entertaining. Characters become more developed and easier to care about and become attached to.