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Review: Harmony House by Nic Sheff

Feb27

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Harmony House by Nic SheffHarmony House by Nic Sheff
Published by HarperTeen on March 22, 2016
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
two-stars

Jen Noonan’s father thinks a move to Harmony House is the key to salvation, but to everyone who has lived there before, it is a portal to pure horror.

After Jen’s alcoholic mother’s death, her father cracked. He dragged Jen to this dilapidated old manor on the shore of New Jersey to “start their new lives”—but Harmony House is more than just a creepy old estate. It’s got a chilling past—and the more Jen discovers its secrets, the more the house awakens. Strange visions follow Jen wherever she goes, and her father’s already-fragile sanity disintegrates before her eyes. As the forces in the house join together to terrorize Jen, she must find a way to escape the past she didn’t know was haunting her—and the mysterious and terrible power she didn’t realize she had.

A classic horror story finds a terrifying home in Harmony House, drawing on favorite tropes and edgy, modern characters to create a chilling tale of blame, guilt, and ghostly revenge.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. Because I need to rant and I can’t rant without spoilers. You’ve been warned.
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Okay.. Harmony House was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Based on the cover, title and synopsis, I was gearing up for something creepy and spooky that would make me want to sleep with the lights on. And… I didn’t get that. At all. This book was basically one giant metaphor for addiction. Which, with Nic Sheff’s past, I guess that isn’t so surprising; however, it was disappointing. It wasn’t scary and despite the fast pace and moments of intrigue, it was an overall boring read with a disappointing ending that left me feeling unsatisfied.

The characters in this book were all.. off and.. I don’t know..? I felt really detached from them and their stories. At first, I thought it was just the typical Horror Character Disconnection – where you refuse to let yourself like the characters because you don’t know who will survive and who won’t, so you refuse to get attached. But after finishing the book, I think it’s more that I just didn’t like them. Jen was odd and aloof when it came to the things happening to her. Like, “Oh, hey, I’m sick and hallucinating and having visions, cool!” Also, apparently she was pregnant and never questioned it, even though an ex-boyfriend is NEVER mentioned. Ever. Colin seemed like an intriguing character but he literally just showed up and disappeared and then… Nothing? Like, legit, nothing. We never found out who or what he was (except for that one flashback, but we received no confirmation after that) and then he just never showed up again.

I liked Christy but her character didn’t do much. I’m pretty sure the only reason she was in the book was so it would be less weird when Rose spoke to Jen. Also, because Christy’s accident allowed for Jen to leave the house and for Rose to get her alone to talk. That was it. Alex was an asshole and we never found out if he was JUST an asshole or if he was drunk or possessed or whatever. And that attempted rape scene? Why do male writers always do that crap? Please, can someone tell me why? And finally, of course, I hated Jen’s father and his asshole-ish behavior.

Now, speaking of Jen’s dad, that brings me to one of my biggest issues with this book (besides the fact that we were misled into believing this was a horror story and it wasn’t): Religion. Religion in books annoys the crap out of me for two reasons – First, I’m not a very religious person, so I don’t enjoy books that are overly religious. Second, most of the time, books with religion go the Carrie’s mom route and religion is just used as a scapegoat to make someone seem crazy, overzealous and righteous. Also, abusive. And Harmony House did just that (the latter, that is). Now, I might not be religious, but I don’t care if other people are – to each their own! And it isn’t fair to those who embrace their religion, who believe in God, to be portrayed as crazies all the time. And speaking of Carrie, this book definitely had a little bit of a Carrie vibe, what with the religious stuff/crazy religious parent and the way Jen’s anger manifests into telekinesis (which was completely random and never explained, either, by the way).

Now, I will say that this was a fast book and it had me intrigued and guessing until the end. I read half the book in two hours and then finished it off throughout the course of the day. It definitely had “Just One More Chapter” syndrome and I didn’t want to put it down. At least for that first half. With the second half, things began to feel… Well, I started to get that sinking feeling that this “horror story” wasn’t actually a horror story. And it wasn’t.

The ending was dreadful. Sometimes, horror novels with open endings are epic and keep you guessing, even after you’ve finished reading and you just can’t stop thinking about what you read. But Harmony House had me feeling like I missed something, like I wasted my time. SO many things were left unanswered and so many things lacked explanation.

I’m so tired of this trend of alleged horror novels that are not really horror or supernatural, just delusions or potential mental health issues or people playing tricks on other people or just a confusing ending where they don’t tell you if it’s real or supernatural. It’s so frustrating! I just want a straight-up supernatural horror read with an actual haunting and ghosts and WHY CAN’T I HAVE THAT?!? IS IT ASKING TOO MUCH FOR A LEGIT HORROR NOVEL?

*Takes a breath.”

Okay, rant over. So yeah, I don’t recommend this book if you’re looking for a creeptastic horror read. Because this is not a creeptastic horror read and you’ll be sorely disappointed. I know I am.

two-stars

Review: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Feb6

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Reign of Shadows by Sophie JordanReign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Series: Reign of Shadows #1
Published by HarperTeen on February 9, 2016
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was super intrigued. But as I began reading, I just felt.. meh. It was good enough that I finished it, but I definitely considered putting it down a few times. The writing was pretty good, but the pacing was way off. And I’m really torn with regards to the characters. Honestly, I was completely 50/50 regarding every aspect of this book. I finished it Wednesday night and I’m still not even sure how I feel about it.

I felt seriously disconnected from the characters. I didn’t like nor dislike them. Honestly, I felt pretty indifferent towards them. I didn’t really care what happened to them, only in the sense that I wanted to see how the story ended as a whole. I loved how Luna’s lack of sight wasn’t the focus – the author didn’t make a big deal about it, yet it was still integral to Luna’s story and character development. She was incredibly brave, strong and resilient. She also had mad fighting skills! She was also a compassionate character, running to the aid of complete strangers. Despite all that, I still really didn’t connect with her or care about her.

As far as Fowler goes, I… Wow. I really have nothing to say about him. Nothing good or bad. I’m completely indifferent to him. Nothing about him stands out. He was a very isolated, selfish character for most of the book. And then, out of nowhere, he had “feelings” and it was like.. What? Since when? Also, I did NOT have ANY ship feels for Luna and Fowler at all. I barely even blinked when they kissed – not even when they full-on made out. I just didn’t believe it or feel it. The only thing I will say is, the revelation with Fowler was interesting, but not surprising.

I did really like Sivo and Perla, but we didn’t get to see nearly enough of them. I wanted more of them and their backstories. Hopefully we’ll see more of them in book two!

Like I said earlier, the pacing was really weird. Sometimes I flew through several chapters in one sitting, sometimes I had to push myself to read just one chapter. There were also a LOT of “dangerous situations” and “obstacles” throughout the book. Like, it would have been odd if they hadn’t run into ANY trouble at all, but I almost felt like they ran into TOO much trouble.

And then.. That ending.. Umm… I really don’t know how I feel. Like, I really don’t. It was very, very, VERY strange and random. But.. it was also intriguing. I know that’s… a complete contradiction.. But… GAH! I really don’t know..!!! I think I was intrigued enough to read book two… But not dying for it, I guess. I DID have major Rapunzel/Tangled feels. So that’s a plus!

So… I don’t think I can confidently say I recommend this book, only because I still don’t know how I feel about it. If you like Sophie Jordan, you’ll probably enjoy Reign of Shadows. If you’ve never read a Sophie Jordan book before, I suggest starting with one of her other books first.

three-stars

Review: Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas

Dec4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Ash & Bramble by Sarah PrineasAsh & Bramble by Sarah Prineas
Published by HarperTeen on September 15, 2015
Pages: 464
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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three-stars

A prince.

A ball.

A glass slipper left behind at the stroke of midnight.

The tale is told and retold, twisted and tweaked, snipped and stretched, as it leads to happily ever after.

But it is not the true Story.

A dark fortress.

A past forgotten.

A life of servitude.

No one has ever broken free of the Godmother’s terrible stone prison until a girl named Pin attempts a breathless, daring escape. But she discovers that what seems to be freedom is a prison of another kind, one that entangles her in a story that leads to a prince, a kiss, and a clock striking midnight. To unravel herself from this new life, Pin must choose between a prince and another—the one who helped her before and who would give his life for her. Torn, the only thing for her to do is trade in the glass slipper for a sword and find her own destiny.

I picked up Ash & Bramble four times before I finally read it. The first three times, I couldn’t even get through the first chapter. The fourth time, I almost DNF’d in the exact same spot. But for some reason – mostly curiosity – I pushed through and finally finished it. Some sections of the book were intriguing, but there were also big chunks that were meh. Though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped to, I’m still glad I finally got to read it!

Part one of this book was strange and confusing. We’re thrown into this world, we meet these characters and then… Nothing. Nothing is explained. Nothing makes sense. I felt very disconnected from the story and the characters throughout this whole section of the book. The transition from Shoe’s third person POV to Pin’s first person POV was really messy and confusing, as well. In several spots, the transition happened abruptly within the same chapter, with no notation indicating who was speaking. Even if the author didn’t want to do a new chapter for each POV switch, she should have at least noted which character was speaking or done some kind of page break. I was reading an eARC, though, so maybe this is corrected in the final book. Still, it made for a VERY confusing read.

Part two was interesting at first, but something was still missing – something that kept me from connecting to the story and characters. The pacing seemed really off – it took a long time for Pin to realize what had happened, yet it didn’t take Shoe that long at all to find her – it was ridiculous how easily it all happened. Other than that, I don’t even really have anything to say about this section. It basically followed the outline of a typical fairy tale… Oh, but I will say Shoe’s chapters were really boring and hard to get through. I really just wanted to be in Pin’s mind for this section because it was really interesting and could have been even better if it had been more fleshed out (and, again, with less Shoe chapters).

As far as pacing goes, part three was the absolute slowest, most agonizing section of the book. Yet it was the most intriguing, the one forcing me to ask the most questions – How will this end? What will happen? But curiosity was (still) the only thing that kept me reading. I literally couldn’t put the book down for more than a few minutes before I had to pick it up again, dying to know how it would end.

The concept of this world, of Story and the Godmother doing its bidding, was definitely intriguing and original – I’ll give it that! But the execution was seriously lacking. As I mentioned, I had a terrible time connecting with the story and the characters. There really wasn’t a lot of character growth, either. There was a bit in part three, near the end, but not much. I also didn’t ship Pin and Shoe at all. I’m not opposed to instalove when it’s done well. But the instalove between Pin and Shoe was ridiculous. Plus, the love triangle was barely a love triangle. It was incredibly obvious who Pin would end up with. And again, I had no ship feels for Pin and Shoe, nor did I ship Pin and the Prince. Zero ship feels. Sad panda!

Really, this whole book made me a sad panda. I love fairy tale retellings, especially dark, twisted fairy tale retellings, but this one was just off the mark. The book was way too long, yet the ending felt rushed and unfulfilling. I heard there’s a companion novel, but it’s set fifty years into the future. It’s very unlikely that I’ll read it, though never say never, I guess! But I’m doubtful. The one thing I can say is that, confusing parts aside, Sarah Prineas was a great writer who will get even better over time. So even though I might not read the Ash & Bramble companion, I’d definitely be interested in seeing what else she writes over the next few years!

Would I recommend this book? I’m honestly not sure. I’d never say, “No, don’t read this!!” because everyone should read whatever they want and no one should ever tell someone else not to read a certain book. I never want to think my reviews stopped someone from reading something they might have loved, but this one really fell completely flat and, after speaking with some friends, a lot of people had the same issues with this book as I did. If you’ve been dying to read this, I say go for it! Judge for yourself. If you love it, let me know in the comments and tell me what you loved about it! I’m always open to hearing bookish opinions that vary from mine! Maybe you picked up on something that I didn’t!

three-stars

Review: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

Nov11

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia GrayTen Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray
Series: Firebird #2
Published by HarperTeen on November 3, 2015
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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four-half-stars

Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above You features Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamoring for the next book.

Claudia Gray has done it again! Ten Thousand Skies Above You was an amazing, amazing book! After the cliffhanger in A Thousand Pieces of You (which was one of my absolute favorite books of 2014!!), I was desperate to get my hands on this book! And it definitely did NOT disappoint!

The one thing I hate to admit is that, as much as I loved A Thousand Pieces of You, I completely blanked on a LOT of things that happened. I remembered bits and pieces, especially from the Russiaverse, but that was about it. So I had to skim through A Thousand Pieces of You before I started Ten Thousand Skies Above You. This didn’t take long and it was completely worth it! I felt way more prepared, going into Ten Thousand Skies Above You, than I would have if I HADN’T skimmed A Thousand Pieces of You first. Plus, Gray did a great job recapping things along the way, as well.

Once again, I loved Marguerite. As usual, she was incredibly take-charge and refused to sit on the sidelines or let someone else do the dirty work for her, despite the uncertainty of what she was doing – and despite knowing what she now knows about her role in things. The way her story ended, though? Holy crap, did NOT expect that!

I’m still Team Paul, obviously! I adore Paul and I ship him and Marguerite so hard! But it was harder to like Paul in this book because, sadly, some of his other selves were.. well… a little bit rough around the edges. And a LOT less trusting. (P.S: I’ll still always love Lieutenant Markov from the Russiavnrse the best! Just saying…). Theo really had some amazing moments in this book! Sadly, after everything that happened with “Theo” in the first book, I’m still having a hard time trusting him. And after what happened at the end of this book…??? Whoa! That’s all I’m saying!

Through the dimensions visited in this book, we definitely saw a different side to each of the characters – darker, more evil sides – as opposed to those versions we met in the first book. We also discovered that some of the other versions of our beloved characters were a lot more ruthless when it came to achieving their goals. One character was stone-cold and heartless in one dimension, though I won’t say who for risk of spoilers.

There were some EPIC and INTENSE revelations in this book! I can’t talk about ANY of them without spoilers, obviously, but HOLY CRAP!!! We finally learned more about the events of book one and how/why they came to take place. We learned more about the Triadverse, more about Triad as a company and more about the founders, including Wyatt Conley and his motives. Basically, we learned why everything is happening. We also learned more about Marguerite’s role in all of this. And if you thought the cliffhanger for A Thousand Pieces of You was insane, you haven’t seen anything yet!!! I just can’t even! I have NO idea how I’m going to wait a year for the third book!!!

My only real complaint with this book is that it started off a bit slow – not necessarily in a boring way, just slow. The real action didn’t technically start until page 80! However, from there, it was intense and epic. Once that intensity started, it never eased up! I definitely loved the dimensions from A Thousand Pieces of You more, especially the Russiaverse (for obvious reasons!), but I still enjoyed the dimensions in this book, too!

Overall, Ten Thousand Skies Above You was epic, amazing and wonderful! No Second Book Syndrome to be found here! I’m so anxious to get my hands on the third book, I can’t even put it into words! Until then, I’ll keep myself busy by re-reading Spellcaster and then reading Steadfast and Sorceress for the first time! So, obviously, I HIGHLY recommend this book (and this series as a whole), not to mention everything Claudia has ever – and will ever – write. Period.

four-half-stars

Review: Paperweight by Meg Haston

Jul7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Paperweight by Meg HastonPaperweight by Meg Haston
Published by HarperTeen on July 7, 2015
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.

Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.

Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.

In this emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut, Meg Haston delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, while posing the question: Why are some consumed by their illness while others embark on a path toward recovery?

Warning: This review could be a Trigger for eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide, etc. Please read with caution.

This is a really difficult book for me to review. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the story and the characters and, very early on, I considered DNFing. Despite the disconnect, something about it was compelling enough that I kept reading. While I never fully connected to the story or characters, I did feel for the characters and I did find the story intriguing. At its core, Paperweight was a heartbreaking story about a hurting, grieving girl who didn’t know how to deal with the guilt she felt. For better or worse, this book pulled me in and refused to let go until the very last page.

I didn’t necessarily dislike Stevie, but I really didn’t like her and I’m still not sure why, exactly. I had a lot of trouble relating to her, which made it hard to connect with her. I definitely felt for her and her situation. Though I’ve never had an eating disorder, I’ve always struggled with my weight and my relationship with food. So on some level, I understand what she was going through. But Stevie’s story was more than just her eating disorder. It was her troubled relationship with her parents, her grief over her brother, her toxic relationship with Eden. Stevie had a lot of things/people she had to come to terms with throughout the story. Every time Stevie had a major revelation/turning point in her journey, it was deeply felt and her character growth was obvious. She changed a lot from beginning to end.

I really liked Ashley. I liked how she tried to be nice to Stevie, even when Stevie pushed her away. She was always so optimistic on the outside, even though she was hurting on the inside. My heart broke for her, especially near the end. I also really liked “Shrink” Anna. I actually liked her more than Stevie. I think because I could relate to her a bit more than Stevie. I didn’t go to school for psychology, but I took a lot of psychology classes during my first two years in college and I really felt an affinity to psychology and the idea of listening to others and helping them work through things. So Anna’s character really spoke to me. I’d love a companion novel that focuses on Ashley and her journey and I’d love to see more of Anna, too.

We never really met Eden directly – we just heard about her from Stevie, or saw her in flashbacks/memories. But she was a very toxic friend for Stevie. We’ve all had that kind of friend in our life at some point, so it was easy to understand why Stevie felt she needed Eden, even when she knew Eden was bad for her and her recovery.

It’s hard to talk about Josh because we didn’t officially meet him – like with Eden, he’s just a talking point in Stevie’s sessions with Anna, or someone we see in flashbacks and memories. But he’s very crucial to the story, since his death was the trigger that caused Stevie to spriral down this path of self-destruction. There were times I liked Josh and the way he tried to look after Stevie and there were times I hated him for the way he treated her. But overall, it was a typical brother/sister relationship. I can’t imagine being in Stevie’s shoes and losing a brother, though my heart ached just seeing what the guilt and grief did to her.

Rain was an interesting character. For the most part, her only purpose was to be an eye-opener for Stevie, to see what she was like when she first arrived in the treatment center and to see the progress she’s made. I would have liked to see Stevie interact more with Rain, but it was still an interesting plot element.

The writing was a bit stilted and awkward in the beginning and though the pacing was never slow, it wasn’t a fast read, either. However, the last 30% of the book (roughly) had a LOT going for it. Stevie made the most progress in this section and there were a lot of character twists and revelations. I definitely think the last 30% is what kept me reading, more than anything.

Overall, I’m glad I read this book. Though I never fully connected with the story or characters, it was an intriguing book with very important lessons regarding mental/physical health and the toll that grief can take on our minds and bodies.

three-half-stars

Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

May4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon ThomasA Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
Series: A Wicked Thing #1
Published by HarperTeen on February 24, 2015
Pages: 337
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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three-stars

Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of Sleeping Beauty and what happens after happily ever after.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead. Her "true love" is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Rhiannon Thomas weaves together vivid scenes of action, romance, and gorgeous gowns to reveal a richly imagined world … and Sleeping Beauty as she’s never been seen before.

On the surface, A Wicked Thing is everything I love in a book: It’s based on a fairy tale, part retelling and part continuation; it’s what happens after Sleeping Beauty is kissed awake by the Prince. I should have loved it! Sadly, this glorious-sounding book deceived me and I didn’t love it, as I had hoped to. The plot was intriguing, but I couldn’t connect with the characters and the pacing was slow – borderline boring, even. Though I was tempted to DNF, I pushed through to the end. Though the plot and pacing picked up at one point, I still never connected to the characters and never ended up fully embracing the characters or the story.

Aurora was awesome in the beginning. Or maybe I judged her to be awesome too quickly. In the beginning, she felt like a real person with real conerns and real fears. She’s in a strange place, surrounded by strangers and all her loved ones have are long dead. I loved that she didn’t fall in “love at first sight” with the prince. She balked at the idea that this stranger was kissing her, that she was destined to marry him. And really, who wakes up after 100 years, finds out their family is dead and they’re going to marry a stranger and says, “Yay! Okay!” So that was awesome, since it challenged every fairy tale that ended just like that (or similarly). After awhile, I realized I just wasn’t connecting with Aurora, no matter how I felt about her at the beginning of the book. And as the book continued on, that feeling of disconnect grew. I didn’t necessarily dislike her, but she definitely annoyed me. Internally, she would curse everyone who annoyed/upset her, the way things were run and her helplessness. But… she really never did anything to change what was. Not until a devastating tragedy near the very end.

Rodric just… was. I mean, he had some moments where he was kind to Aurora. He obviously loved Isabelle, his little sister. And he seemed like he would turn out to be a fine king someday. But in the present… He kind of just went through the motions. Honestly, I was reading the eBook and it took until 95% (the second to last chapter, I believe) before he did something that made me really like him a lot. So… Took him long enough…?

I really, really liked Isabelle. She was so innocent, with such a bright future. I loved her interactions with Aurora. But then that ending… That was probably the only huge, shocking plot twist in the whole book and the only moment when I wanted to scream and throw my iPad across the room.

The King seemed fair but firm in the beginning. But as the book went on, he definitely showed signs of being power hungry and cruel. He definitely reminded me of King Henry from Reign. So, of course, I saw the Queen as Catherine from Reign. She was strong and regal, firm in her beliefs. She never did anything without a good reason, though not necessarily with good intentions. Her main goal was to keep her family safe. So, of course, my heart broke for her during That Part.

Tristan was such an odd character… He was heavily present in the first half of the book, but almost completely disappeared in the second half. I expected him to be the third member of the love triangle and I think he was in the beginning… I don’t know how I feel about him, since we didn’t see enough of him. But honestly, I’d prefer if Finnegan (who I’ll talk about in a second) was the third member of the love triangle.

If I had to pick a favorite character, I’d have to say Prince Finnegan. He reminded me 100% of Narcisse from Reign. He was cocky, ambitious and full of himself. But it was clear that, very deep down, he was actually a great guy. I definitely wouldn’t fully trust him, since power and politics fueled him, but he seemed like a loyal man who wouldn’t go back on a deal, once that deal was signed and sealed.

As I mentioned previously, the pacing was super slow in this book. The first 60% was boring and stagnant. Almost nothing of interest happened. Finally, around 63%, it seemed like things were finally picking up and I was really excited. Unfortunately, the pacing fell flat again around 76% and the ending dragged. I was originally under the impression this was a stand-alone and, if that was the case, the ending was an incredible disappointment; it was unfulfilling and too many things were left unanswered. But now I see this is listed on Goodreads as a series – or at least a duology. With that in mind, I’ll cut the ending a small bit of slack. Except this book REALLY doesn’t need to be a series. I think it should have been wrapped up at the end of book one and that’s that.

Overall, while the plot intrigued me and I managed to push through and finish this book, it took me almost three weeks to do so and I’m still wondering if it was worth it. A few interesting things happened and I guess those parts made it worthwhile. I’m honestly really sad I didn’t enjoy this more, since Fairy Tale Retellings are my Book Drug of Choice. I highly doubt I’ll bother with book two and if I do, it’ll only be out of curiosity and a desire to get answers to all these unsolved questions that were left dangling at the end of the book. Would I recommend this? I’m hesitant to, since my feelings seem to be on par with how the majority of readers/bloggers felt about this book. But you never know, maybe you’ll love it where I didn’t? If you do decide to read it, I truly do hope you love it!

three-stars

Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Feb5

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Red Queen by Victoria AveyardRed Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen Trilogy #1
Published by HarperTeen on February 10, 2015
Pages: 383
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
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five-stars

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard's sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king's palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard--a growing Red rebellion--even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved this book. Everything about it was epic – the world, the characters, the plot, the writing. From the moment I saw the cover and title, I knew I was going to love Red Queen. Not only did it not disappoint, but it also exceeded my expectations!

I liked Mare and her voice pretty much right away. She did what she had to in order to provide for her family, even though they didn’t appreciate her or her help. She kind of reminded me of Feyre from A Court of Thorns and Roses in that sense. Mare loves her family and Kilorn and will do anything to protect them. At the same time, she’s trying to avoid the bleak future that awaits her. As the story goes on, Mare becomes stronger and bolder, learning how to control her ability so she can fight for freedom. I definitely saw some parallels with Pawn by Aimee Carter, both in Mare’s personality and in the plot.

Cal was an interesting character but I’m not really sure how I feel about him. He was incredibly kind to Mare in the beginning, though I wonder about his reasons for doing what he did. Was it just to be kind? Was it out of guilt? Did he like her as early as then? Even after finishing the book, I’m just a little suspicious of his motives. I also didn’t ship him and Mare at all. I just didn’t see any sparks or sense anything more than friendship.

I ADORED Maven, though. He was so kind, sweet, generous, adorable… Everything that makes a perfect book boyfriend. I also pictured him as Bash from Reign, so if you watch that show… Swoon!!!!!!! I loved how he treated Mare, how he listened to her and helped her. How he cared for his country and his people and wanted to do right by everyone. And then came the ending… *Opens mouth. Shuts mouth. Opens mouth again. Sighs. Shakes head. Sniffles. Walks away.*

Queen Elara scared me and her ability was shudder-inducing! Also, every time I pictured her, I saw Queen Catherine from Reign. She was so manipulative and evil and seemed to relish in the pain she brought upon others. King Tiberias wasn’t much better. And yes, I pictured him as King Henry from Reign.. What else did you expect? He actually wasn’t quite as ruthless and cold as Elara, but he was still a ruler and still put his needs above everyone else’s. He just did it in a more practical way. And then the end… Sigh. And let’s not even talk about how badly I wanted to bitch slap Evangeline (or how I pictured her as Princess Claude from Reign.. Cause, you know, we’ve already established the fact that I’ve been watching too much Reign).

Other characters that deserve notable mention are Julian and Lucas. To be honest, as much as I liked them, they kind of blended together into one person for me, so I don’t have too much to say about them. And don’t even get me started on Kilorn… He kind of reminded me of Gale (The Hunger Games) except a lot more annoying… Which is saying a LOT cause I didn’t really care for Book Gale that much at all. It was obvious Kilorn was meant to be part of the love triangle.. or love square.. or whatever… But I didn’t see any sparks with him and Mare. They were like brother and sister to me, honestly. Speaking of brothers, I loved Mare’s brothers. All of them. And one major thing that happened with them? I had a weird feeling and my feeling was right! (That’s so vague, I know.. But… spoilers… Can’t have spoilers!)

Aside from loving all the characters and picturing them as the cast of Reign, I also loved Red Queen’s plot and Victoria Aveyard’s writing. While I can definitely see similarities with other books (Like Pawn and A Court of Thornes and Roses, as mentioned above), Red Queen was still a unique, intriguing book. Aveyard pulled off some epic plot twists that I didn’t see coming, too. I’m usually pretty good at sensing/guessing plot twists and while I definitely figured out one major one from very early on, I was completely blown away/shocked by the MAJOR major plot twist at the end. My jaw is still hanging open over that huge plot twist. My feels are broken and I’m currently experiencing a big book hangover! I haven’t even started a new book yet; I’m still trying to grasp that ending…

Overall, I adored Red Queen like crazy! It’s definitely in my top five favorites of 2015 – and we’re only in February!! I highly recommend this book for fans of Dystopian and magic! Also, even if you aren’t sure about the book, look at that epic cover! How could you look at that and not want it on your shelf?!? So yeah, I’d definitely say I’m beyond excited for book two! I can’t wait to see what happens next! And I can’t wait to see what else Aveyard does, beyond just the Red Queen trilogy. I have a feeling she’s going to go far in this industry! She’s definitely going on my Auto-Buy List!

five-stars

Review: Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes

Nov24

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea PortesAnatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes
Published by HarperTeen on September 2, 2014
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

This emotional, hilarious, devastating, and ultimately triumphant YA debut, based on actual events, recounts one girl’s rejection of her high school’s hierarchy—and her discovery of her true self in the face of tragedy.

Fall’s buzzed-about, in-house favorite.

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

Anatomy of a Misfit is Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika — from laughter to tears, and everything in between.

Anatomy of a Misfit was an oddball book (in a good way!!!) that sunk its teeth into me and refused to let me go. No, I know I’ve said that a few times about a few books but I really mean it for this one. Like, I read this book in about 6 – maybe 7 – hours. One sitting. I put it down once for dinner, but I had only read 6 pages so that doesn’t count. So yeah, (basically) one sitting. 6-7 hours. Done. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that quickly.. High school, maybe? Or possibly my sophomore year of community college. So, a long time. This book made me laugh, made me cringe and tugged at my heartstrings. It was raw, honest and real and the author never held back, no matter how gruesome or horrifying something was. There were definitely some parts that were painful to read and some parts (like some of the language used by certain characters) that disgusted me, but the overall story was.. Epic.

Anika was such a twisted character. Self-deprecating and self-conscious. She had such a dark, sarcastic sense of humor, too. The narrative was a bit odd and I had to adjust to it, but once I did, I felt like I was having a conversation with Anika… Or reading her diary. Or even living it with her. I loved that Anika wasn’t perfect and she definitely wasn’t a goody goody. It was actually kind of refreshing to have a character with so many flaws. And because of the nature of the story, you can see such a stark contrast from her being a flawed character in the beginning, to being broken near the end, to being a changed person with a new attitude at the very end.

Logan was a character with so much depth, so much more to him than we saw. We barely scratched the surface with Logan and what his life was like. He was completely upfront and honest about his intentions and he didn’t play games. It was clear he truly cared for Anika. But he also had his moments where he scared me, though he had his reasons, thanks to a troubled home life. And then that ending… I wasn’t expecting that AT ALL! I mean, I figured SOMETHING was going to happen but… not that. I was basically sobbing by the end of the book. I was shocked. Broken. Dumbfounded…

And then there’s Jared. Jared was… I don’t even know if I can describe what he was. He wasn’t exactly complex, but it was hard to figure out his motives. One second I trusted him, the next I was calling him a jerk-face for something he said or did. And yes, technically he made this a love triangle. But it was so well done and it perfectly reflected the story and Anika’s conflicted feelings over being herself and being popular.

There were a lot of stereotypical cliches in this book – for obvious reasons; it was a huge part of the book and the lessons learned. Becky was the stereotypical mean girl/bully; Shelli was the stereotypical second-in-command, who valued her friendship with Anika but also didn’t want to end up on the mean girl’s bad side. Anika’s family was full of so many stereotypes, I don’t even know where to begin. Mr. Baum was the creepy, racist boss. And even just the town they lived in was portrayed as being small-minded, with Anika’s “vampire” dad being the voice of reason, the person insisting she “Do well and get out of that place.”

As cliche as the book was, as full of horrible things as it was, it did an amazing job of being sarcastic and making fun of itself, which lessened the harshness of some of the harsher material. It doesn’t make some of the things that were said and done okay, but it balanced out the bad to a certain extent.

Anatomy of a Misfit was the perfect example of standing by while someone is being bullied and doing nothing about it. Also, of valuing popularity over doing the right thing. It happens everyday – kids are bullied relentlessly and no one wants to stand up for them because they don’t want to be thrown to the wolves. They know if they try to speak up or protect the bullied party, they’ll also get bullied. But this has to change. Sometimes not speaking up and not stopping a bully is worse than BEING the bully.

IMG_1489*Found on Facebook. Quote Anonymous.

Words can hurt. Bullying can hurt. You can’t judge someone when you don’t know them, because as the quote above shows, everyone has their share of problems. You can’t know what someone is going through just by looking at them.

Some of my favorite quotes from Anatomy of a Misfit (Please Note: These quotes came from the ARC. They might be slightly different in the final copy of the book and may be on slightly different pages):

“More than anything, I just feel bad. We shoulda done something. We shoulda tried to defend her.” — Page 35 (ARC)

“It sucks because all anybody has to do is just say something once, and then everybody just assumed it’s true.” — Page 41 (ARC)

“Does he think I’m involved in this constant humiliation? …. Am I?” — Page 64 (ARC)

“Can you imagine going to school every day and getting shoved around, your books knocked down on a daily basis?” — pg 66 (ARC)

“…Sometimes these things you say hurt people … a lot more than you think..” — Page 273 (ARC)

As mentioned a little bit earlier, the ending of this book was a punch to the gut. It was horrible and tragic and sad, but it also led to Anika’s biggest realization/life-changing moment. I’m emotionally exhausted from this amazing book. There were so many moments where I could relate to one or more characters. It brought up a lot of nasty memories that I’d rather forget, but it also teaches some important lessons.

This book could be considered a trigger book for some people, but if you can tolerate the material, it’s a must must MUST read.

With that all being said, I want to leave you with this song. The video is a bit.. different. But the song is VERY fitting. It’s relevant to the book – and it’s something we all need to remember/keep in mind. Enjoy.

four-half-stars

Review: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Oct31

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia GrayA Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Series: Firebird #1
Published by HarperTeen on November 4, 2014
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

A Thousand Pieces of You was my most highly anticipated book of 2014. And Claudia Gray is one of my absolute favorite authors (I’m a huge fan of Spellcaster and Fateful, especially!). And I must say, this book did NOT disappoint! First of all, I read it in two days – it’s nearly 400 pages long – so that should tell you something! Second of all, Claudia Gray is brilliant. She creates masterful stories, unforgettable worlds and beloved characters that stick with you long after the story is over.

Marguerite was an amazing character, if not a little bit frustrating at times. She wanted to see the good in everyone, she trusted blindly and she refused to be calm and rational in the beginning. I know it’s hard to be rational after what she went through, but it would have saved her a lot of trouble if she had gotten her facts first. Then again, she may not have had a certain revelation near the end of the book had she been calm and rational in the beginning. So it all balances out. I really loved how take-charge she was from the beginning, though. She refused to sit on the sidelines, despite the uncertainty of what she was doing.

Despite what we’re told, I liked Paul from the beginning. There was something about the way Marguerite described him.. It just didn’t mesh with what we were led to believe he did. Seeing him throughout his various parallel lives further cemented this feeling for me. No matter what he did or didn’t do, I love him and ship him with Marguerite. Nothing can or will change that feeling.

From very early on, Theo is established as the hero, the one trying to avenge the wrong he feels was committed. But I just didn’t trust him at all. It’s weird and hard to explain, but from the moment we were introduced to him, I just had this really odd feeling. Despite that, I liked his chemistry with Marguerite. Theo felt like the “bad boy” to me; he reminded me of Damon from The Vampire Diaries, whereas Paul reminded me of Stefan. Despite everything that happened, I still ship Marguerite with Paul, though I still have a soft spot for Theo. And after that epic revelation near the end of the book, I’m curious to see what happens with him in the second book..

All of the parallel dimensions were facinating – The technology in the London dimension was crazy cool! – but the one I loved the most, the reason I was MOST excited to read this book, was the dimension in which Marguerite was a grand duchess in a Tsarist Russia. Oohhh, the Anastasia-like feels! First of all, I believe I’ve stated this in previous reviews, but I LOVE historical YA, with royalty and castles and all of that. But I’m especially fascinated by the story of Anastasia Romanov. Part of that is thanks to the animated movie (#SorryNotSorry) and part of it is because I love history and mysteries. And though I would have read this book no matter what since it’s a Claudia Gray book, this post that Claudia posted on Tumblr guaranteed that I would be all epic grabby hands when it came to this book! Also, this post = All the feels!!!!! And you’ll know why when you read the book!!! (For the record, the Anastasia aspect of the story wasn’t the main reason why Claudia wrote this book. To learn more about where the idea for A Thousand Pieces of You came about, check out this post on her website).

The ending of this book was epic, insane, crazy, whoa! I got to a certain point in the book and my heart was just in my throat from there until the end. I kept waiting for “the other shoe to drop,” as the saying goes. And it did.. quite a few times. And my poor heart couldn’t take it! And then… The worst thing ever happened.. I turned the page and saw ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!!!! I just stared at that page for a long time, sobbing. Because… HOW COULD I HAVE REACHED THE END ALREADY?!?!? HOW WAS THERE NOT MORE TO READ?!?!? I NEED BOOK TWO IN MY LIFE NOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!! *Sobs*

Overall, if you couldn’t tell from my… *Stares at review, clears throat…* Insane fangirly review, I adored this book to (A Thousand) pieces! As I said, it was my most highly anticipated book of 2014 and it didn’t disappoint at all! I love Claudia Gray, I love her books and this is now up in my Top Three Favorite Claudia Gray Books with Spellcaster and Fateful! I swear, Claudia Gray comes up with the BEST story ideas and I just can’t wait to gobble up Steadfast (Spellcaster, #2) (which I’m behind on reading) and – when they release – Sorceress (Spellcaster, #3) and the second Firebird book! And anything else she writes.. Really, she’s on my Auto-Buy Author List forever. If it wasn’t obvious…. *Clears throat* Anyway, A Thousand Pieces of You releases on November 4, 2014 – just a few more days. Everyone needs to read this book when it releases! It’s amazing and you won’t be disappointed!

five-stars

Review: Remember Me by Romily Bernard

Sep29

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Remember Me by Romily BernardRemember Me by Romily Bernard
Series: Find Me #2
Published by HarperTeen on September 23, 2014
Pages: 355
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

In the sequel to Find Me, Wick Tate, sarcastic teen hacker, is back and once again dealing with criminals and corrupt cops…and a brooding new love interest. Will Wick persevere when some secrets refuse to stay hidden?

Wick had thought her troubles were over.

But she should’ve known better.

Not only is she embroiled in a new murder case, which starts with a body with “Remember Me” carved into it and doesn’t stop there, but she also discovers new evidence surrounding her mother’s suicide…which leads her right back to her imprisoned deadbeat dad. And she has to deal with her flirty new hacker friend, Milo, sniffing around—which her boyfriend, Griff, isn’t too happy about.

The pressure might be too much as secrets—including Wick’s own—climb to the surface.

Remember Me is an edge-of-your-seat thrilling read that’ll have readers turning the pages at lightning speed! The paperback of Find Me is on sale simultaneously, and a digital original novella from Romily, featuring Griff, is on sale just a few weeks before!

Remember Me was an epic, intense and suspenseful read. My heart was in my throat for at least half of the book, if not more. I absolutely loved Find Me – it was one of my favorite reads of 2013! And to have the sequel surpass it in awesomeness? That’s impressive! I definitely didn’t notice any Second Book Syndrome in Remember Me!

Wick hasn’t changed much since Find Me, character-wise. I mean, she has new fears and nightmares from what happened at the end of Find Me and she’s been pulled in even deeper by Carson. But otherwise, she’s still skeptical of everything and everyone and completely untrusting. She’s still protective of Lily and wary of Bren and her affections. She’s still confused about how she feels about her dad, still misses her mom – and still keeps Griff at a metaphorical distance. But in Remember Me, Wick becomes very stubborn and slightly paranoid. She worked alone before Griff, but has since come to rely on him a lot. Yet she pushes him away in Remember Me, refusing to confide in him or ask for help. I really wanted to shake some sense into her at times!

As for Griff himself.. Griff frustrated me. I really loved him in Find Me, but he was very stubborn and childish and annoying in Remember Me. He should have been supporting Wick, not pushing her away or condemning her for her lifestyle. She had her reasons for doing the things she did and if he trusted and loved her as much as he claimed, he should have been more supportive or pushed to help more. And what he did in the end? It broke my heart, but you know what? Good riddance!

Now Milo.. Milo I liked! He was kind of odd in the beginning and his awe at meeting Wick was borderline creepy worship. But the more we get to know him – and the more he and Wick get to know each other – the more he grows on you. He’s loyal, smart and has the connections necessary for Wick to do what she needs to do. He’s almost like a male version of Wick. They get each other, they understand what’s at stake in their line of work and they work well together. I still don’t completely trust Milo yet, though..

The whole Carson story line was really starting to bug me. I think it was one of my biggest issues. I despise dirty cops and he was the lowest of the low, scum and a pain in the butt! I think, deep down, he thought what he was doing would help the greater good, but he sure went about it the wrong way. I think if he’d been nicer to Wick, they could have been an epic team. I’m not sure he deserved what happened to him in the end, though he really did deserve to get knocked down a few pegs. I guess we’ll see where his story goes in the third book – I have a feeling Carson is going to end up being the lesser of the two evils…

Bren and Lily really made me angry in this book. Like, I would have thrown it if I had the physical copy of the book. As it was, I was reading on my iPad and I figured throwing that wasn’t a good idea. But wow.. At one point, roughly half-way into the book, Bren said some things and I just… I flipped out. I wanted to punch her so badly, more than I’ve ever wanted to punch anyone in my life – real or fictional!!! I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth! And Lily.. I know she’s young and she just wants a family and a normal life, but WICK IS YOUR SISTER! STOP TREATING HER LIKE CRAP, YOU LITTLE BRAT! I mean, really. The things she said to Wick were so cruel.. And Bren and Lily were two characters I REALLY loved in Find Me. So for them to do the things they did.. Honestly, what Bren said is unforgivable and I don’t know if there’s anything she can do that will redeem her.

I love Romily’s writing style and the unique voices she gives her characters. The plot was truly intriguing and incredibly suspenseful. It was a fast-paced read, too. I basically read it in three sittings. Each time I picked it up, I read a huge chunk of the story – I was so engrossed in it, I just didn’t want to put it down. I loved the revelations at the end and I loved the introduction of the new “bad guy,” plus the set-up for the third book – it was all very ominous and creepy! I also can’t wait for the third book!! I’m really excited to see how everything wraps up and how it all ends.

Romily Bernard is an amazing writer. She’s created an amazing world with incredible characters. The story sucks you in and refuses to let go. I’m excited for Trust Me (the third book in this trilogy), but I’m also excited to see what else Romily does in the future.

Overall, if it isn’t obvious already, I highly recommend this book, this series and this author! If you haven’t read Find Me yet, I suggest you do so ASAP! You’re missing out on an amazing read if you don’t!

four-stars