Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

All About It:
tick
tick
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it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Show moreWhat I Thought:

Oh. My. God. I-I can’t breathe…Warner, Warner, Warner, WARNER!!! and Juliette!! Oh. My. GOD! I need more! More! More! MORE!!! This book, this sequel is SO genuinely alive every twist, turn, breath, tear, and pain is your own. It is a terrifying life you live while within the four hundred and sixty some odd pages of this book! When I say “I can’t breathe” I mean it LITERALLY not figuratively. I cannot breathe. This book stole my breath and ran millions of miles across decades of times away. I don’t know how I will survive until the final book in Juliette’s story is in my hands and being devoured by my eyes! It sounds insane, I know this, I know it sounds like a ranting and raving fan but SERIOUSLY it is true! Read Unravel Me (but read Shatter Me first…of course) and you will understand just how I feel! I am SO beyond not kidding. This book…these characters…these living, breathing, REAL people are indescribable. I would pay a thousand dollars, right now, on the spot, for the next installment (of course this would require me to actually have a thousand dollar…eh minor details right?). Oh or if not that what about all the monopoly money in the world, that’s got to be worth something? Or, or MY SOUL!! Come on Ms. Mafi think of the possibilities of everything you could do with possession of your very own (pet) soul!! They are endless! Come on what do you say? A soul for the last of Juliette’s and Warner’s story? (Can you tell who my heart belongs too?) PLEASE? I beg of you! ANYONE who is deciding whether or not to pick up this book, DON’T hesitate! It is worth your money and your time! And maybe put in a good word for who the crazy girl who told you so and maybe I’ll get lucky with the ending sooner rather than later! Okay, crazy and rambling, over enthused fanatic is signing off now. Just remember my proposition Ms. Mafi!

 Five (ten if it went up that high) out of Five Fairies

 

PS: Word of warning if Mr. Warner is not the one to end up with Juliette in the end: I may just have to hire a team of world renowned computer hackers to break into your laptop, HarperCollins’s computer systems, and any servers I have to make it happen, to rewrite the ending, before final print! Okay…maybe I’m just kidding…I would probably just accept the ending any way it goes…maybe/probably….or I just MIGHT have an ability like Juliette’s that could ruin the world where Warner doesn’t get the girl…..Muahahaha! Okay, really, seriously (probably/maybe) just kidding. ;)

 

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

All About It:
It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

What I Thought:
I am not going to lie, I wasn't a fan of this book at first. It started off slow and with characters that grated on my last nerve. However, once the plains came into view (you'll understand soon enough!) everything picked up and changed for the better. Lilac and Tarver changed over the course of their journey. The point of any good book is to tell a story, one that is good, entertaining, fantastical but also one that shows the progression of characters, growing up. "These Broken Stars" did both, and it brought in elements of not only dystopian but of suspense and supernatural as well. All in all, I like this book. I did not love it but I liked it. If you can stick with it through the first part the story beyond is worth it. Tarver and Lilac have so much crap happen, things you wouldn't expect and it blows your mind, keeping you enthralled in the words. I look forward, eagerly, to the sequel. 

3 faires out of Five 

Mortality (The Hitchhiker Strain #1) by Kellie Sheridan

All About It:

After surviving a deadly plague outbreak, sixteen-year-old Savannah thought she had lived through the very worst of human history. There was no way to know that the miracle vaccine would put everyone at risk for a fate worse than un-death.

Now, two very different kinds of infected walk the Earth, intent on nothing but feeding and destroying what little remains of civilization. When the inoculated are bitten, infection means watching on in silent horror as self-control disappears and the idea of feasting on loved ones becomes increasingly hard to ignore.

Starving and forced to live inside of the abandoned high school, all Savannah wants is the chance to fight back. When a strange boy arrives with a plan to set everything right, she gets her chance. Meeting Cole changes everything. Mere survival will never be enough.

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ShWhat I Thought:

I have almost no words to describe how much I loved this book. I said, almost! Not telling everyone how amazing this book is would be a crime, though, so I’ll try and do Ms. Sheridan’s work justice! From start to finish (in one sitting, up all night long) I was absorbed in the story and the characters and could not put it down! Savanna, or Savvy as her friends affectionately call her, was an amazing protagonist. You felt what she felt and saw what she saw. While I cannot go into much detail without spoiling a spectacular part of the story, the other point of view we hear from is pretty good too, although I did find myself quaking in anticipation to get back to Savvy’s story line. The romance in this book is frustrating but wonderful and you finish with the first book thinking there could be a love square in the future (although not really…Cole wins because he’s just yummy!) But Zach and ??character (won’t be spoiling this surprise, sorry, well not really READ THE DANG BOOK!!!) might have a shot too! I found the two different waves of zombie infection more than interesting. Most zombie stories do not branch out this much and it makes the new “Zombie Fad” excitingly more enticing and interesting. The journey taken by both main characters is never dull and full of so many twists, turns and heart aching decisions that it is impossible to not become absorbed in the words. I could go on and on BUT I won’t because as much as I could say there is just no way to tell more and not ruin anything. Plus as much as I wish and as hard as I try you cannot fully understand the FANTASTICNESS of Mortality until you read it for yourself. So go out and pick yourself up a copy! Don’t waste any time. Go, go NOW! Okay, I guess you can wait until morning when the stores open…although Amazon.com IS always open. Haha. Seriously, don’t overlook this one. You’ll regret it! The only part I am sorry to report is that the next installment will not be out until later this year. It’s worth the wait though! Thanks for sharing your zombie-fied world with us Ms. Sheridan!

 

Five out of Five Fairies

Daynight by Megan Thomason

All About It:

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Life(TM). Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI edicts? Immediate Exile or death.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.

Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight series

Description from Amazon.com


What I Thought:

I was a little bit weary of this book at first due to its three alternating viewpoints; I was however more than pleasantly surprised. This book was fantastic! I could hardly put it down, and being a junior in college that is not an ideal situation to be in. But, you know what, I DID it and I DON’T regret it. The story line in Daynight is different than any other novel out there, refreshingly so. The characters are original and you fall for all of them. The love triangle of Kira, Blake and Ethan is frustrating but delightful. Everything is included in this story, which I know doesn’t make much sense but saying any more than that would give away HUGE twists and turns that take place. Daynight by Megan Thomason is better in its 324 pages than all the Twilight Saga books put together. The ending will leave you down on your knees begging for more. I cannot WAIT to return to the world of Thera (while the characters may SERIOUSLY disagree with me) created by Ms. Thomason.  

 

Five out of Five Fairies

Rise by Anna Carey

All About It:

Rebel armies are getting closer, and the fate of The New America rests with Eve. Trapped in the City of Sand and married to a man of her father's choosing, Eve can't forget her love for Caleb-- her passion for the rebel cause. Then tragedy strikes, and Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight in this final battle for freedom.
(obtained from the ARC of Rise)

What I Thought:

For how much I loved the other two in the series, the finale of the Eve trilogy was a major disappointment.

 Don't get me wrong, the writing was still fantastic and the story so enthralling that once I started in on the ARC (advanced readers copy) I could not put it down and finished in one sitting. However, the ending, the final conclusion and farewell to the trilogy left so much to be desired. It concluded, yes, but it did not leave you feeling like it did. I actually want to cry at how awful the final page was. It was the conclusion and yet it wasn't. To make this trilogy truly amazing, before publication a new ending must be written. Otherwise, it leaves the dedicated reader cold. Add more description. Without it put in, this series in nothing. I cannot say much without spoiling, but PLEASE Ms. Carey for the fans RE-WRITE the ending, make it warmer. Let us SEE it; it is one place in writing the writer should not be bound by the "show don't tell" rule. I want to leave this world of Eve behind with a warm and fuzzy feeling. As it stands right now the ending came to fast. With the fast paced ending there is not enough transition to the end, you leave it feeling dead inside. So before official publication TELL us what the last few paragraphs lead up to, show it in WORDS not vague descriptions. It will make the reader happier, feel more satisfied, and NOT like they wasted their precious time reading something that will never end. If nothing changes, I am sorry I recommended this series to so many people.

So, like a broken record I say, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Ms. Carey, WRITE A DIFFERENT ENDING!! Eve deserves it, you deserve it, the READERS deserve it...Please.

1 faire out of Five

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

All About It:

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

What I Thought:

It is not very often that I can say a sophomore book is better than the first in a series, but often or not, I can say it now. Dearly, Beloved was in simple words…”Just…WOW!” I found the first in Ms. Lia Habel’s series, Dearly, Departed, a bit hard to get through. I just kept picking it up, reading a little, becoming bored and placing it back where I had gotten it from. This was not the case with Beloved. I could barely manage to put it down to shower, eat and sleep and DON’T even get me started on the work thing! I would often set aside something I was supposed to be doing to continue on with the story!

Like Departed, Dearly, Beloved was told in alternating viewpoint. All in all you hear from Nora, Bram, Pamela, Michael, Vespertine and a new comer, Laura. Each character gave their views and parts in the current apocalypse. I usually find alternating views hard to stomach and annoying. I like to hear from one person and one person only. But in Dearly, Beloved the alternations worked. Nora and Bram, while the main characters of the story, were interesting but by far not my favorite to partake in reading. Honestly, as horrible as it may sound once you read this marvelous book, my favorite was Michael! He was so dark, twisted, and sad that I found myself disliking him yes, but more so feeling utterly sorry for the poor lad and hoping something would come of his evilness. Pamela, Nora’s best friend was a tad on the annoying side to listen too. She complains and worries far too much. I did however find that as annoying as she was I connected with her the most. She was the most real to me. As for Vespertine I truly hated her in the first book but from her SMALL part in Beloved I see my hatred stance changing. I think I might actually be coming around to liking her! And finally, the new comer, Laura, she is a member of a new zombie gang called “The Changed.” All in this group are zombies but while at first on the side of peaceful coexistence with the living the group slowly comes undone and things fall apart, leaving a nasty side effect for the rest of the world. Laura was likable but a bit infuriating at the same time. She sits around and doesn’t take charge, leaves the horrors to continue around her and keep her mouth shut. I cannot wait to see what becomes of her in the next installment.

Dearly, Beloved was fantastic. While I DO believe mindless, crazy, and flesh hungry are all zombies should be, I am coming around to the whole good zombie thing! I am actually falling for Bram (just as Nora!) The ending of this sophomore novel was tear jerking and beautiful. I find myself anxiously awaiting the next by Ms. Lia Habel!

4 and 1/2 faires out of Five

Wither and Fever:The Chemical Garden Triliogy by Lauren DeStefano

All About It:

Wither:
At age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years to live. Thanks to a botched effort to create a perfect race, all females live to be twenty, and males live to age twenty-five. While geneticists seek a miracle antidote, orphans roam the streets and polygamy abounds. After Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she is desperate to escape from her husband’s strange world, which includes a sinister father-in-law in search of the antidote and a slew of sister wives who are not to be trusted. On the cusp of her seventeenth birthday, Rhine attempts to flee—but what she finds is a society spiraling into anarchy.

Fever:  
Rhine and Gabriel may have escaped the beautiful prison of Wither’s mansion, but they are far from escaping danger. First they’re chased for stealing a getaway boat, and then the fleeing pair ends up in the eerie den of Madame, an old woman who collects girls and sells them to the highest bidders. Worst of all, Vaughn, Rhine’s sinister father-in-law, seems to be on her trail every step of the way. Rhine remains determined to get to her brother in Manhattan—but the road they are on is long and perilous.

Now that Rhine has finally regained her freedom, what lengths will she need to go to in order to keep it?

What I Thought:

For just about a year, Wither sat on my bookshelf just waiting for its turn to be read. It took me a year to get to it, and GOODNESS I cannot believe I let that happen! I immediately fell in love with the main character Rhine. Ms. DeStefano blew me away and drew me in all at the same time. I couldn’t get past the world she created, past the dangers and fears that came with it. The short life of twenty years for girls and twenty-five for boys makes any person who reads it think long and hard about their life. Have they lived it well enough? I am twenty at this moment and cannot imagine being on the cusp of death. I am however getting away from the book review now aren’t I? Rhine was kidnapped, sold, wed, and kept prisoner all under the pretense of love and marriage. Linden was the man she was wed too, along with two other girls, creating a sister-wife living arrangement. I loved the characters of the sister-wives. Jenna and Cecily were great entertainment. The fact the tough subjects were not strayed away from makes this series even more enticing. There is sex, polygamy, teenage child birth (as no one lives much longer) and SO much tension and evil. This series has it all! I know much of what I am saying seems cryptic and meaningless but I cannot say much more without ruining not only Wither but the sequel Fever which was equally as fantastic and capturing. I can say one thing; don’t waste a year like me, READ Wither and Fever NOW! I promise they will be worth your time! The future world, the love, the lies, the deceit, the Gabriel…..What more can I say? Read now! The only regret you will have is that it will be another whole year before the explosive finale comes out! Word of warning though….the ending of Fever will leave a bad taste in your mouth and your heart skipping beats….it puts you on the edge of a cliff, hanging by the tips of your fingers, not falling over, not dying as you hit the ground….hanging…just hanging….closure is a thing unheard of in this sequels end. I make a plea though…Like I said before I am dead or dying in this future world! Can’t a dying girl get a conclusion! Show More

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Five out of Five Faires!

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

WARNING! WARNING! THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. THERE IS VIOLENCE, BLOOD, AND A MAKE YOU WANT TO DIE HANGER AT THE END! READ FOR PLEASURE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

All About It:

It could happen tomorrow . . . An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human. Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

What I Thought:

I received this book as an internet galley and let me just say…Oh my Wow. Ilsa J. Bick blew this story out of the water, taking my head and heart right along with it. It didn’t take long for me to realize what a terrible time I was going to have letting my Kindle leave my hands. It was almost impossible to stop reading, shower and go to work. Alex is a strong female protagonist that I felt for and loved from the start. Within the first chapter you feel her as if you yourself are her. You feel the pain she does, you feel the heat and passion she does. You even feel the annoyance and fear deep enough down to rattle your bones. Other character's such as Ellie and Tom make your heart ache. I rarely find a book that leaves me both breathless and terrified to the point of not being able to achieve sleep. Ashes takes the gold for this. If I could fall asleep at all the nightmares would come. I even found myself thinking about the possibility of it all throughout each waking day. Bick’s Ashes has it all. Including zombie like creatures and so many other things that could just make you scream. Not much more can be said without spoiling. With this book, trust me, you want to be surprised. You will want the thrill around each and every corner. Finishing up, all I can say is Ms. Ilsa J. Bick if I don’t get another dose of Alex soon along with some answers I may just set off an EMP myself out of frustration!

Five out of Five Faries.

(Note: if I could give it more I WOULD!)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

All About It:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

What I Thought:

Dystopian worlds are the new Vampires. They are everywhere lately. You have Matched by Ally Condie; Delirium by Lauren Oliver; Across the Universe by Beth Revis and the list can go on and on. All of them are different in some way, shape or form. Just like each vampire race in all the series to follow Twilight have their own special characteristics.
Today I finished Divergent by Veronica Roth. Let me just say it left me STUNNED! It was absolutely different than I would have expected and SO much better. Instead of all the world being talked about as the same, we have one city, a city known to us today as Chicago, but a very different place in Roth’s future world. We never get told what goes on outside of the city that the main character, Tris, lives in. The farthest her community has ever traveled is to the orchard outside the fenced in city. There are five factions that the community is broken up into inside these fences. There are the Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless. Each values a different characteristic. The Abnegation value selflessness, the Erudite knowledge, Amity peace and the dauntless value courage and fearlessness, while the Candor value truth. At the age of 16 each member of the community gets to choose which faction they want to belong to. They then go through the initiations. Tris, was born into Abnegation but never really felt she was cut out for it. When the choosing ceremony came, she shocked her parents, two Abnegation leaders, and decided on the Dauntless. The entirety of the story follows Tris through the grueling initiation process in which there will only be 10 who survive and do not get cut. If cut the initiates become factionless. This is the worst fate imaginable to the characters of this world. There are three stage that must be completed, each worse than the one before. Throughout the training Tris makes friends, enemies, and finds love in the unexpected initiate trainer, Four. Divergent has it all, love, betrayal, pain, and confusion. I could NOT put this book down. It even earned me unkindly swears from my roommate at two in the morning when I couldn’t tear myself away and had the lights turned on to see. Veronica ended Tris’s story in a way I NEVER saw coming. It literally blew my mind. Saying anything about it would ruin the surprise though. So you will just have to see for yourself when the book is released on May 3rd, 2011. I cannot wait for more of Tris’s story. Ms. Roth PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE write more and SOON!







Four and a Half Fairies

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

All About It:

My name is Meghan Chase.I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.This time, there will be no turning back.

What I Thought:

Ms. Kagawa gets better and better with each book she writes. The Iron King, the first in the series, was not on my favorites list. Then came The Iron Daughter. I could not put it down. The only times it left my sight were dinner time, shower time, and the ever dwindling amount of sleep I allowed myself. When it finally came to The Iron Queen, it was a struggle to do even the simplest of tasks such as those I had allowed myself previously. The adventure and the characters, the overall story line would NOT allow me to leave the world Kagawa had created!
The most recent installment in Julie Kagawa’s fey series is, simply put, wow! The Iron Queen is the third book that follows Meghan on her journey with fairies. After her and her love Ash were exiled from the NeverNever by the Royalty of the two courts, seelie and unseelie, they find themselves hoping for something resembling normal. Meghan wants to go back home, join her family and pick up where she left off in school. Even without her best friend Puck who stayed behind after Meghan chose Ash. Meghan soon learns though that no matter what it is she may want, she can never go back to her old life. Being home puts her family in danger. Being anywhere puts her in danger. She is wanted by the False King of the Iron realm. Just her luck. She kills the real king, inherits his power and look, now everyone wants a piece of her. Ash is there out of his love for her. The False King wants her power. Queen Mab and King Oberon want her to destroy the False Iron King because they are quickly losing the war to keep the NeverNever alive. The Iron Kingdom is beginning to swallow it whole. This book follows Meghan and her allies on the battle behind enemy lines to rid the realm of the False King. There are twists and turns that while some are expected, the others leave you gasping for air. When the story ends, you want to cry. It is sort of a happy ending but not everything is the way it is supposed to be. Anything more I could say most certainly would ruin the ending. So as much as it pains me, my lips are sealed. You’ll just have to devour the book yourself to find out what has me in tears.

Five Fairies

PS: I cannot WAIT for the next continuation of this series!

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

All About It:

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side. As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

.......................................................................................................................................................................

What I Thought:

I have been eagerly awaiting this book since it was listed on Amazon without a cover. So when I opened a package one day to find an ARC of Unearthly sitting there in all it's glory, you can imagine my shock and excitement. It is always terrible to read a book and be let down. Let me just assure you. This book is NOT one that will do that. I found the characters absolutely fantastic. The mystery wasn't one of the average types in these books. You quickly find out Clara know exactly what she is. The mystery comes not from her search to figure out WHAT she is but to figure out what her purpose is. The "Purpose" is what she was put on this earth to do. Throughout the book her dreams reveal more and more about what is soon to fall upon her. She follows the clues to new home in a new town. Clara's purpose is about a boy. A strong, handsome boy, that until she starts her first day in school, she has never seen before. Christian is the boy. But the problem is he's already taken. Regardless, Clara soon falls for him. Christian isn't the only one Clara falls for though. There is also Tucker, the annoying, infuriating brother of her best friend. Tucker has this way about him that I found myself quickly falling in love with. The battle between the two boys will soon become the next Edward vs. Jacob. I cannot express how phenomenal this story was. With all the Angel books coming out as of recently, Unearthly by Cynthia Hand was quite a breath of fresh air. I wish I could reveal more but if I do I fear I may ruin all of the surprises waiting for you at every turn of the book. The last thing I will say though is...the events of the last few chapters...Well that's the only BAD thing about receiving an ARC...you have to be tortured with the wait longer. Unearthly's sequel is eagerly awaited by this blogger!

Four Fairies

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

All About It:

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.

What I Thought:

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of the Nightshade ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). I have to say having an ARC in your hands makes you feel special. But that is beside the point. Nightshade was amazing. With the plethora of Werewolf stories out there, it's hard to find one that is different than the other. They all seem to have the same plot, same problems, the only difference being the names and places. Nightshade was an exception though. It was a story that was original. Calla the main character was the best part of the book. She made you feel what she was feeling and drew you into her mind. In her world she is the alpha wolf of her pack. This means she is supposed to be strong, follow orders, and not disappoint anyone. She lives to protect the Keepers. Her life is not her own. Since birth she was promised to Ren, sexy and powerful Ren, the alpha of the Bane pack. She can't help what she is told to do. She must follow the path set out for her or face deadly consequences. That is why when she saves a stranger, gorgeous and smart and not at all bad on the eyes named Shay, revealing what she really is, everything turns upside down. She can't help falling for the strange boy she saved, he knows her secret, he's not afraid, and her masters just told her to keep him safe. Drawn to him and knowing she shouldn't be Calla tries to fight it. Calla is falling for Shay but on the other hand, she cannot help but feel the fire of passion when Ren touches her. So, say hello to an amazingly sexy love triangle. On top of that you get secrets and lies and mysteries that make Calla realize not only has her whole world been turned upside down by a forbidden romance but the world she thought she knew was all a lie. I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book. I almost gave the author a heart attack when I joked and said I hated it. The only thing I hated is that it was over WAY to fast! It leaves your heart retching at the cliff hanger you close the book on. I think I may die of "not knowing" by the time book two, WolfsBane comes out in July of 2011.

Four and a Half Fairies

(The only reason Nightshade is missing the last half of Fairy is that in the beginning everything moves a little fast. You start out a tad confused but everything quickly falls into place a few chapters in.)

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

All About It:

Scarlet March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?


What I Thought:

I was excited about this book long before it came out. I had heard multiple authors call it "Fantastic" and "Supernatural only with Girls." It did not disappoint! It was phenomenal. I found myself drawn into the story from the first lines. I loved the alternating perspectives between the two sisters, Rosie and Scarlett. Scarlett was the tough one. She thought about the fight and the fight alone. Fiercely protective of her sister and only one goal in mind, payback. Revenge for the death of her beloved grandmother and the eye that she lost protecting her sister the same day drives her to continue on "The Hunt" for Fenris. Rosie though, younger and less enthralled by a life all about hunting was my favorite. She feels in debt to Scarlett for saving her life as a child and taking the blunt of the physical damage. So she fights on. That is until Silas shows up again. A long time friend and hunting partner of Scarlett who has a dangerous secret lurking within him, one he doesn't even know. Rosie looks at him and immediately feels a change. She no longer thinks of him as "just" Silas. He's more than that. A budding, intense and hidden romance makes you smile as you read. You fall in love right along with Rosie. But Scarlett can't find out and that makes it all the more special, it's a secret. The three move to the city to start the most important hunt they've ever done. Finding the potential (someone who is capable of being turned) protecting him, and using him to kill fenris is their goal. Only they cannot find him. The surprises at every turn of this book make you gasp and keep it glued in your hands. You'll want to read it again not for the fact that a sexy vampire and werewolf are fighting over you but because it's such a strong story of sisterly bonds and love and passion to make the world safe. I don't know if there will be a sequel or not but I sure hope Jackson Pearce pops out another story sometime VERY soon!

Five Fairies

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

All About It:

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

What I Thought:

I have to say, I am a procrastinator. A Queen Procrastinator. I pre-ordered this book and got it on the day it came out. It took me a month to finally open the cover and begin reading the magic that lie among its pages. I don't know why it took me so long, once I started it, it was hard to stop. The world created in the walls of Hex Hall is amazing. I have to say, it was definitely not what I was expecting, it was much, much better. Sophie Mercer is now a name I cannot seem to get out of my head. Ever since reading this I sometimes find myself wondering, what would Sophie do? It is such a weird feeling, very few characters are brought to life enough for the reader to connect to them after the covers have been closed and the book placed on the shelf, finished. That is what makes this book so amazing, it sticks with you. Now on to my favorite subject, romance, oh my it is wonderful. It’s not hot and heavy but most of the time underlying and so frustrating you want to shake Sophie and here main crush, Archer Cross (who by the way is wonderfully Delicious!) Then finally when the electricity between the two becomes unbearable, it all falls apart. I cannot spoil anything but I must admit that before you pick up this book you should know that there is a terrible cliff hanger.
It leaves you wondering what will become of the two teenage lovers. Will they survive? Or will a new love interest come into play with the football player, look-a-like grounds keeper? Who knows who knows? All I know is that Ms. Rachel Hawkins PLEASE, PLEASE hurry up with next installment! You’re killing us with suspense!

Four and a Half Fairies

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

All About It:

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents' rules--especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father's office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be the key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.
To improve her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen's sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill's accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything--even Tristen's love--just for the thrill of being...bad.

What I Thought:

Play offs of old stories normally do not interest me. My oh my though was this one a switch up for me! It was absolutely and incredibly phenomenal. The characters Jill and Tristen are so lovable that you connect immediately. You feel like Jill, meek and mild and shy. Then you have Tristen who is dark and mysterious and dangerous, hiding a secret so big and so deadly that you cannot help but read on. The romance makes you shudder in anger because you get teased, and teased, and then teased some more until FINALLY it explodes and is amazing. The continuous mix up of feelings makes your heart ache for the lovers. Past the romance though, is murder and mystery and betrayal that is so enticing you will not be able to put the book down, even if you life depended on it. There was so much more than I expected within this story. If you don't believe me, go pick up a copy and then let me know what you think. In short, this novel is more than worth your time! Now go and get a move on before the beast within you takes hold and the chance is gone forever!

Four of Five Fairies

What they Are.

The darkness of night can meet you in different ways. It can leave you lonely and scared. It can leave you sad, angry, bored and desperate. These are problems that never need be faced though. Picking up a book, a world in its own between two little covers, solves it all. Within the pages romance can spark. Love can form and be followed. Laws can be broken, anger can be released, anything is possible. Now, these words may be cliqued, but they are more than true. Books are magical. They take you to impossible places, allow you to have lovers and magical powers, and so on and so on. They can be your release, your power, your escape.