The Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi

I LOVED THIS SERIES SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

TO SEE MY REVIEW ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL CLICK HERE.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! Oh my goodness! It is absolutely gorgeous, seriously the most beautiful book that I have ever read. (However I think the Forbbiden Wish by Jessica Khoury is a tie with this one). In this book the story of the Arabian Nights is told in a new, beautiful, stunning, and romantic way.  I absolutely loved the love story in this book, it was perfect. It didn't feel like anything was rushed it was a perfect. You have a girl sworn to get revenge, and a boy that finds that love is worth risking everything. Oh I can't even begin to describe how amazing this book is.  Definitely recommend this one!  Follow my YouTube/BookTube Channel: Pages To Turn Follow me on Goodreads: Pages To Turn  Follow my Facebook Page: Shelbies Book Reviews

Firstlife by Gena Showalter

To see this review on my YouTube channel click HERE.

So I was kind of conflicted about this book... I struggled to get through the beginning the premise was interesting and the cover art is absolutely gorgeous! So basically even reading this book was a pretty easy decision. So when it comes to stars I give this book a 3.5 out of 5. I had to force myself to get to the middle of this novel when it finally picked up enough for me to not be able to put it down. The last hundred pages I finished in about twenty minutes because I was that absorbed. Anyways I think there was just way to much information packed in this book, there were a lot of terms used that weren't explained until further on in this book so I had to do a lot of flipping back and forth. I really liked this book, I did. I just didn't appreciate all the confusion in the first part of it. I really liked Gena Showalter's writing style. And Ten Lockwood as a character I liked her, but at the same time I kind of didn't. She didn't experience as much character development as I would have liked.... She... she's interesting. She's strong, but at the same time I couldn't help but think so is every single heroine ever written... So I was expecting something different about Ten, and seriously the only thing different I got was her obsession with numbers!!!! Come on here authors! Give me a character that's different!!! (I seriously think you could put Ten in the Hunger Games and minus the obsession with numbers she would pretty much be the same as Katniss Everdeen) The love triangle here is also... interesting. Very interesting. There is a bit of instalove here, however at the same time there wasn't? I like love triangles that aren't drawn out for very long and this one wasn't at all. Also the end left a couple of surprises, one that I am still mourning. (silent internal sobbing....) I definitely recommend this book, the begging doesn't leave much to be desired but once you reach the middle this book is incredibly worth the read! Just be prepared though, there isn't much of a wow this book stayed with me factor. It keeps you occupied for a couple hours though! Follow me on YouTube: Pages To Turn Follow me on Goodreads: click here

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

First things First: Cover Art!

The cover art of this book is what made me want to read it. I love the purple and blue smoke, and as soon as I saw the lamp I was 99% sure that this was an Aladdin retelling. I like the font that they decided to go with for the cover as well, gives it an Arabian nights feel. 10/10 for me! 

*******

Summary:

"When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury."

My Review:

Okay, based on the summary this book sounds amazing, right? I was a bit nervous at first because I have major trust issues when it comes to a book summary that sound awesome because most of the time the book just falls short. However this book... was STUNNING! Absolutely gorgeous! Khory's writing style... it flows so incredibly well, I felt like I was reading a piece of art. The characters are developed extremely well. Especially Zahra, this jinni has been through a lot and has seen a lot but we get to watch as she discovers more about herself and how she fits into everything. She is probably the best character I have seen in a long, long time. Plus the love story in this book... for once there is not a love triangle!! I was so happy! And the relationship between the two characters just flows so incredibly naturally. Reading this book is like watching a movie, everything is so well explained and I was imagining all these vivid colors and people. I highly, highly recommend this amazing book. It was absolutely incredible. I usually struggle with stand alone books because I am left with questions, but this book wrapped everything up so nicely and I would love a movie of this book I really would.  

Rating: 10 out of 10! This book was incredible, absolutely stunning. I think you could even use the word flawless here as well. Definitely, definitely recommend reading it! 

Content Rating: 3. (16-18) Some content in this novel is definitely a bit to mature for younger readers. 

Confessions: The Paris Mysteries by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

First Things First: Cover art!

I like the simplicity of this cover art. Just leaves a bit of mystery for the reader, and I also like how we can see the Eiffel Tower in Tandy's sunglasses in this image. The black background with the purple letters makes everything pop. Like this cover art!

*******

Summary: 

"After investigating multiple homicides and her family's decades-old skeletons in the closet, Tandy Angel is finally reunited with her lost love in Paris. But as he grows increasingly distant, Tandy is confronted with disturbing questions about him, as well as what really happened to her long-dead sister. With no way to tell anymore who in her life she can trust, how will Tandy ever get to the bottom of the countless secrets her parents kept from her?"

*******

My Review: 

After the first two books I was really excited to see how this one was going to pan out, and I was not disappointed. In this book Tandy's family is no living in Paris, and poor Tandy's life just is not going to get any better or simple anytime soon. Her boyfriend is back, but this guy is seriously one of the biggest jerks on the face of the planet. I mean.. REALLY? After everything she's been through and you do that to her...

The Angel family has issues, I mean serious, serious issues. And if you thought what came to light in the last book was pretty odd then this book wins. I seriously can't wait to read the last one. It came out last month if I remember correctly, it will be the last in the series and I hope it answers the tons of questions that I have! I just really don't have the time to read it right now, maybe after the semester ends I will actually the time. These books are so weird, but at the same time I can't stop reading them. I think, as I have mentioned in past reviews, its the fact that this really could happen today. I can just imagine it being all over every news sight in the area. I think what really draws me to this book is how Patterson and Maxine write Tandy. It is extremely rare to have a character break the fourth wall as often as she does and I think it makes her more real. Like we are experiencing the story right along with Tandy. The end of this book.... OH MY GOODNESS!?!?!?!?! So confused!!! Can not wait to read the last one. The only clue that I will say is one character gets a rather big surprise, and I have no idea if she is hallucinating or if it actually happened... 

Rating: 9 out of 10. The cliffhanger is a bit to much for me! Just can not wait to read the next book!

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). There is some teen romance, and some content that is just a bit to mature for younger readers. 

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

First things first: cover art! 

Ah! I love this cover art, I love the spiral staircase and rose combination. I think it's cool when the main character is in the cover art but not the main focal point so it allows us, the readers, to really look at the beauty that is the focal point. The endless spiral of the staircase combined with the rose petals is just simply stunning. Whoever did this cover art: good job! It has seriously become my favorite! 

*******

Summary:

"Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love."

*******

My Review:

I love anything that takes a fairy tale and turns it into something unique and new. I don't see a lot of Beauty and the Beast books out there so when I found this one I was really, really excited! The cover art is really the thing that made me put this book on hold at the library in the first place. The characters in this book were AMAZING! Oh my goodness, Nyx I think is one of my favorites of all time. The poor girl really just needs a hug.

Basically Nyx has a twin, and her twin was basically the one who was chosen to live while Nyx was chosen to basically be sacrificed to save her people. The poor girl has basically grown up resenting her family while trying to love them at the same time. I as a reader felt extremely bad for her from the very begging. She is trying so hard to define who she is and what the world around her is like in the limited scope of sight that she has been given since the life as she knows it pretty much has an expiration date. She wasn't born to be saved, she was born to save everyone else and most likely die in the process. Any other heroine in books like this pretty much just gives up, becomes a mindless human being and a dull character. *cough* Bella Swan *cough*. 

However Nyx is a fighter, she's resigned herself to the things she can't exactly control but everything else? She's not exactly going down without a fight. The love story in this book is one of my favorites. Beauty and the Beast is usually criticized for the fact that some people see it as Stockholm's syndrome. However this book, Nyx finally has someone who loves her. She doesn't want to like him, she was sent there to kill him. She has to make some really hard decisions and I sympathized with her through ever single page. The relationship between Nyx and Ignifex is extremely complex, but as a couple I love them, a lot! He's extremely willing to give Nyx her space, this Demon Lord is in love with her from the beginning however it takes Nyx a while to come around.  

This pretty much explains her relationship with Ignifex, she doesn't want to care she knows she shouldn't care but yet she wants to be his so badly. This book was gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. The ending was kinda weird, and not at all like I expected. But after re-reading some things it made perfect sense! Ignifex as a character is complex and rich, he's written as the bad guy is supposed to be the bad guy but you can't hate him. You really can't, he is trapped just as much as Nyx is and his love for her draws him to seek how to fix his predicament. I really really really loved this book. Nyx... I haven't laughed and cried and loved a character so much since Puck (main character in Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races.) You will fall in love with this book and the characters just as much as I did. 

Rating: 10 out of 10! Ending was a little weird but the story lines and characters make up for it! 

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). There is some teen romance and a few suggestive comments. As well as some violence.  

Daughter of Deep Silence By Carrie Ryan

First things first: cover art! 

The cover art on this book features the main character Frances in front of a picture of the ocean. The painting on the front cover plays a part in this book and I was presently surprised when I figured that out. Was nice to have the visual in my head when the painting was mentioned. The cover art of this book is really what helped me decided to put it on hold at the library and it is one of my favorites. 

*******

Summary:

"I’m the daughter of murdered parents.

I’m the friend of a dead girl.

I’m the lover of my enemy.

And I will have my revenge.

 

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process."

*******

My Review:

This book was amazing!!!! I mean modern day The Count of Monte Crisco amazing. The main character, Frances, is a mystery. We as the reader really have no idea who she is as a person, and it's really not her fault. I mean who on earth tells a girl who was just orphaned by a horrific mass murder, "oh yeah you watched my daughter die but how about you pretend to be her so you can get revenge?" The poor thing really had no chance in life, the years she should have spent finding herself are spent instead trying to become a dead girl. For the most part Frances succeeds and everyone thinks that the body buried in Ohio is hers. This poor girl deserves revenge in my opinion, however she also deserves to just be able to be herself, which is not really going to happen for her ever. This revenge plot though is deep, Frances/Libby doesn't care who gets hurt and really just wants to avenge her family. However like Edmund Dantes something goes wrong, horribly wrong. And suddenly there are two boys in her life, one comes with no strings attached while the other is her sworn enemy. Unfortunately for us, their is no chance of her getting with one of them, but I am not going to tell you which one.

Also! This brilliant writing is only meant to be a stand alone book! This makes total sense as the ending leaves the reader with the right questions, and there is no cliff hanger. However that doesn't mean that I'm slightly upset about it. The writing style in this book, seriously one of the best first person narrative's I've ever scene. Frances as a character is more than surface deep, and the reader spends pretty much the entire book trying to figure out just who she is considering Frances has no idea who she is either. Plus the entire concept of this book, it makes you think because this really good happen in today's society.

Rating: 10 out of 10! Loved loved love this amazing book! Amazing concept, and written extremely well.

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). Language, teen romance, and violence.

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

First things first: Cover art!

Like the first three books the petals of a flower against a black background make up the cover art. I've always wondered with these if they are photographs or if they are super photo shopped images. I love all the cover arts, but I think the red one is my favorite! 

*******

Summary:

"Violet thought she'd made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers...that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself."

*******

My Review: 

I love, love, love this series! Again, like I have said before they could turn this into a TV show and it would really work! But who knows if that will ever happen, but hey a girl can dream right? This one is not as fast paced as the third one, but I think the third book just wins when it comes to this series! I still blame that book for the fact that my fingernails are still painfully short. In this one were  back to the format of the first book where we see the serial killers thoughts and then the rest of the story is told from Violet's point of view. And the killer in this book is really really messed up, this guy is on drugs, probably has delusional tendencies and major anger problems. Basically a bomb waiting to go off. And oh, does it go off big time. It leaves an entire family dead, minus the daughter in a super twisted crime. Also, Violet get's to learn more about grandmother and learns that the organization she is in isn't exactly the best thing ever. The end of this book AH! (You'll know exactly what I mean when you read it.) Derting once again has provided her readers with a great psychological thriller novel. I highly recommend this series! The characters are vibrant and I seriously love all the main ones. And once again, I love Violet and Jay as a couple! They are super cute together and I was a little nervous for their relationship in the third book but they are getting through this. And I love how understanding Jay is, but sometimes I really want to shake Violet because she keeps putting herself in danger! 

Rating: 9 out of 10. How dare Derting give her readers a heart attack! AH!

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). Teen partying, teen romance, murder, some content is too mature for younger readers. 

Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

First things first: cover art! There really isn't much to say about this cover art because there really isn't much to see on it. However I do like how the words look like they are on the front of a magazine or News Paper.

*******
Summary:

"Wealthy young women are being murdered on Manhattan's exclusive Upper West Side, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. The first case she cracked was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now, while she's working to exonerate her brother of his glamorous girlfriend's homicide, she's driven to get involved in the West Side murder spree. 

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer, but the NYPD isn't listening to her...and Tandy can't ignore the disturbing fact that she perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?"

*******

After reading the first book in this series I thought the rest of the books would be solely about Tandy and her family trying to move on so I was so surprised to find out that like the first book this book is full of deep dark family secrets coming to light. In this particular book yet another of her family members is on trial for murder. I didn't think her family situation could get any worse but boy was I wrong. I mean this poor girl! She's been a human guinea pig her whole life without knowing, her parents are dead and now her brother is on trial. Also she might loose all her money so there's that as well. What I love the most about these books so far is that even though her family has been through a lot her and her siblings stay close together and have surprisingly good family values together. As the summary says Tandy is once again sticking her nose until something she shouldn't but it makes sense as she needs the distraction from her family problems. I think this story works because it could really happen in real life, with today's society this could be some celebrity family's dirty laundry. This book is just as good as the first one, and I recommend this series! 

Rating: 8 out of 10. Slightly less weird than the first book but still good!

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). Some violence, teen romance, and a few instances of swearing. 

Destined by Aprilynne Pike

First things first: cover art! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THIS? I mean its absolutely gorgeous! The water droplets were my favorite thing about the third book in this series (to see my reviews of the other books in this series click here, here, and here) and so I absolutely love this one! It looks dark and mysterious but there is also a twinge of light in the center of the flower, meant to represent hope perhaps? However I do think that this flower is meant to represent Yuki's Blossom. 

*******

Summary:

" 'Tamani looked at her gravely, and reached up to touch her hair behind her ear. He hesitated for an instant, then his hands found the sides of her face, pulling her to him. He didn't kiss her, just held her face to his, their foreheads resting together, their noses almost touching.'

She hated how much it felt like good-bye.

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful--and deadly--of all, and Klea plans to use her to help conquer or destroy Avalon. But Klea's reach extends far beyond one wild Winter faerie. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares to face what may be Avalon's final days."

  *******

AHHH! This book! So stressful! Avalon obviously has some problems in this book and a show down with pretty much everything that could destroy the land of the fairies shows up. This book is really what makes a lot of the older fairies "wake up" so to speak and realize that their world isn't as perfect as they thought it was. For example a certain character faked her death and grew a fairy outside of Avalon, something that was thought to be impossible. Well, obviously not. This book is sad, characters will die. Which is something I liked about this book, I am not a big fan of "everybody gets a happy ending!" books. Pike wasn't afraid to show her readers that this is a war and in war there are casualties. The death at the end of the book made me cry, which was weird to me because said character wasn't even one of my favorites. Again, movie producers pay attention to this series! Fairies don't really fly in these books so the CGI budget wouldn't even be that high either so please? Please make this into a movie! Oh, also if you didn't catch the summary the love triangle is over. But hey the book told you that, not me (winks). All loose ends are pretty much tied up for us, the readers, and the characters that need it get their happy endings. Read this series! Trust me, you will love it! 

Rating: 10 out of 10! So good! 

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). Teen romance, lots of gore (they are fighting trolls after all), and a lot of violence, and a couple of swear words. 

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

First things first: cover art! I really like the cover art for this series, the flowers against the black background give a simple but dramatic effect. Out of all the four books in this series so far this cover art would have to by my favorite. This purple flower kind of reminds me of a butterfly which has nothing to do with the book but again I love the simplicity of it.

*******

Summary:

In the end, all that's left is an echo.

Violet Ambrose always thought of her ability to sense the dead as more of a burden than a gift. Now that she's working with a special investigative team, she hopes she can use it to help people. But her instant connection with her mysterious partner, Rafe, is both confusing and unsettling, and creates tension with her boyfriend, Jay. When she discovers the body of a college student murdered by "the collector," Violet refuses to give up on the case. What Violet doesn't realize is that the serial killer is looking to add to his collection, and she may have caught his eye. Will the life Violet has to save be her own?

*******

This one puts all the other books when it comes to edge of your seat suspense. I had a good thing going until this book, I had successfully not chewed my nails for over a month. Well I'm back to square one with breaking that habit now. I was kind of disappointed to find that Derting had decided to shove Violet in a team with other supernatural kids her age because I didn't want this to turn into an Avengers type thing. However after reading further into this novel I realized that she needs this team to help with her mentality as she know has a kinda support group with other people who understand being different. Also with this book I thought that Derting was going to throw in a love triangle, Jay and Violet are perfect absolutely perfect! While the second guy does cause some tension in the relationship for the time being he is definitively not on Violet's potential love interest radar.  This book could very well be a Criminal Minds episode, except I think they would have to tone down the drama a bit. In the past two books we would just get bits and snippets of the killers mentalities however in this one we get the whole MO (modus operandi, which is basically a serial killers pattern most have one), and we also get a victim's thoughts and feelings. I seriously thought that Derting was going to kill off her main character. If you love mystery, suspense and thriller novel than this one is definitely for you. However, be warned this one is a lot more intense than the first two. 

Rating: 10 out of 10! I love when books make my heart race, and this one deffinitly did!

Content Rating: 3(16-18). This one is definitely a 3, there is some violence, teen romance a bit of cursing and keep in mind these books deal with serial killers. As a future CSI Major (I start my degree on the 31st of this month!) this stuff doesn't really bother me but it might bother others so just keep in mind! 

Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike

First things first: cover art! Given the title the cover art to this one makes sense, the flower from the first book's cover art has shattered just like Tavia's ignorance. Also in this book pretty much everything comes crashing down so it makes perfect and total sense! And as you, my readers, know I  love it when the cover art makes sense!

*******

Summary:

Tavia Michaels has discovered that she’s an Earthbound—a fallen goddess with the power to remake the Earth—and that a rival faction of Earthbounds, the Reduciata, has created a virus that is literally wiping swaths of the planet out of existence.
Tavia is captured and imprisoned before she can act on this information, along with her eternal lover, Logan. Huddled in a claustrophobic cell, they lose track of the days, their attempts to escape proving as ephemeral as Tavia’s newly gestating powers. But then Tavia and Logan are mysteriously rescued.
They’re brought to the underground headquarters of the Curatoria, another group of Earthbounds that Tavia doesn’t fully trust. There, she’s told that she can save the Earth before it disappears. She agrees.
Tavia quickly realizes that she isn’t like other Earthbound, and as her abilities continue to awaken, they begin to threaten her centuries-long relationship with Logan. When Benson—Tavia’s former best friend and romantic interest—appears at Curatoria headquarters, Tavia will again have to make a choice about who to be with even as she tries to stop the virus that is destroying the world and uncover the truth about the two Earthbound organizations that have her tangled up in their webs.

*******

Okay after reading this first book I wasn't exactly to thrilled to read the second one. I mean don't get me wrong I liked the idea of the first one but I think it should have been left as a single book not a series. And the love triangle in this book, does not work at all like the last one. I mean to even have a love triangle both characters need to have a strong foundation. With Benson we get that, but with Tavia's non-existent memories of her past lives makes it so Logan is just kinda there. They may be eternal lovers, but in this series there is just zero chemistry between them after a certain point. Logan kinda just fades into the background and Pike really makes no effort to bring him back into the forefront. So (spoiler alert!) when he disappears at the end of this book, and is supposedly dead, me as a reader felt like I had zero need to mourn his loss. Team Benson all the way!!! I echo the words of many other reviews of this book, do not read until the third one comes out. Just don't. These books are really good-ish, but it just seems like there is zero direction to them they are just kinda there and without the third book (which I'm guessing and hoping will be the last one in this series) it's missing a lot and the second book unfortunately just can not stand by itself. 

Rating: 6 out of 10. Didn't like this one nearly as much as the third book, and I feel like it was missing to much. 

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). This book has some teen romance, some violence, and a tiny itty bitty bit of swearing. 

Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

First things first: cover art! Like the other books in the series the cover prominently displays a flower. Being that the faeries in this particular series are plants it makes total sense, and I love it when cover art makes sense! What I like about this particular cover art is the water droplets towards the top, the detail is pretty amazing! 

*******

Summary:

" "I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life, I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.

But just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible."

 *******

Okay, at the start of this book I seriously thought that David And Laurel would be in a relationship forever and Tamani was permanently out of her life. WRONG! For some bizarre reason Avalon has decided to shove Tamani in Laurel's school and the love triangle once again is back to the forefront. And all I can say about what happens with it is FINALLY! In every single love triangle book I've ever read the guys 99% of the time somehow remain painfully civil and there is never a good fight, this one though David and Tam duke it out at one point and I was rather pleased. The trolls are back, but the end of this book isn't a showdown between the trolls and the fairies. The twist at the end was also slightly unexpected, I mean there was a lot of predictable buildup to it but still it was pretty good twist! All in all this third book was a lot better than the first and second ones in my opinion. There was much less backstory and much more actually watching Laurel choose between the guys. I think I'm actually starting to lean towards Tamani's side, I mean if you think about it they work much more as a couple than David. Now that all the key players are lined up its going to be interesting to watch the battle in the third book. If you like fairy tale, romance or both read this series! 

Rating: 10 out of 10! David and Tam got in a fight! Finally a love triangle that actually has some realistic tension!

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). There is a bit of swearing, some scenes of violence, and some teen romance. 

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

First things first: cover art! The cover art is really what drew me to bring this book home with me from the library. I think its interesting that she is covering her face in the picture, but it's also kinda weird considering the girl is blind. 

*******

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen. Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne, but once his dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes--now there's a reason to keep her. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare? Because she's not only sick with pneumonia--she's also blind.

*******

I'm a big fan of the mystery genre so as soon as I read the summary when I got home I was sold and started reading this book immediately. The whole cookie cutter story of where some girl gets kidnapped and escapes has kinda gotten a bit old, so the whole girl is blind twist was very interesting. I thought that this book was going to end differently than it really did, but just when you thought this book was over Henry throws in a very unexpected twist which makes your heart hammer all over again. Cheyenne kind of reminded me of Violet in the body finder series for some reason. And even after comparing their characters extensively I still don't know why. However if you are a big fan of the mystery/thriller genre than this book is for you!

Rating: 9 out of 10. This book was a bit stereotypical, and the only reason it didn't get an eight is because the main girl was blind which was a very unexpected twist. 

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). There is just some content that is a bit to mature for younger readers but other than that its a good book! 

Earthbound by Aprilynn Pike

First things first: cover art! There are three cover art types that I found for this particular book on the great internet but this is the cover art for the particular one that I read. After reading this book I still don't really understand the cover art on this one. The bubbles have faces in them and the girl in it is mirrored on both sides, the mirroring thing makes sense once you read the book but I found that I much prefer this cover art:

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Summary:

"Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told. 

Tavia immediately searches for answers, desperate to determine why she feels so drawn to a boy she hardly knows. But when Tavia discovers that the aunt and uncle who took her in after her parents' death may have actually been responsible for the plane crash that killed them--and that she may have been the true intended victim--she flees for the safety of Camden, Maine, where the boy she sees in her visions instructs her to go.
Now, Tavia is on the run with no one to trust. No one, that is, except for her best friend and longtime crush, Benson.
Tavia feels torn between the boy who mysteriously comes to her at night and the boy who has been by her side every step of the way. But what Tavia doesn't know is that the world is literally falling apart and that to save it she will have to unite with the boy in her visions. Only problem? To do so would mean rejecting Benson's love. And that's the one thing Tavia Michaels swore she'd never do."

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 This book was written by the same author who wrote the wings series (see my review here) so when I saw them sitting on the same shelf at the library I decided to read it on a whim. It was.... uh... interesting! That's a good word, lets just say interesting. Pike is working with the whole theory that gods and goddesses created the world, and they each had their perfect significant other. But like something always does, it all ended. Now each of them is forced to deal with reincarnation and finding their significant other until the end of time. Weird right? This book, again, was very interesting. The plot line was straight forward, but I found myself thinking that this book is very weird... There is a beginnings of a love triangle in this book but I don't even know why it's there because again some details that are in it. Pike is trying to apply the same formula that is found in the Wings series and I just don't think that it is working very well. 

Rating: 7 out of 10. This book was just a little to weird of a concept for me, and some things in it just do not make a lot of sense. 

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). There is some teen romance and some violence as well as a couple instances of swearing. 

Desires of the Dead (Book 2 of the Body Finder Series) by Kimberly Derting

Summary: 

"The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found. Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.
As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally, she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger."



This book is just as dark and thrilling as the first one. I am a big big fan of mystery books, and as I said in my review of the fist book, The Body Finder, it is very similar to the suspense that is felt in Criminal Minds. This book is very different in the fact that there really isn't a serial killer. The point of view that we see in this book besides Violet is not a killer, however I think that it gives this book a very interesting twist and more perspective to the story. Violet and and Jay's relationship is a little strained in this book and I was so worried that they weren't going to make it through but they did! They are still the perfect power couple and I hope that as the series progresses (if it isn't over in the last book) that Jay will pop the question! Instead of a serial killer in this book there is a lot of old demon's that are going to come to light because of a new family that moves into the city. Also there is a new boy that is mentioned in this book, don't know if it will turn into a love triangle, but I sure hope it doesn't. Jay and Violet are super cute together and I don't think anyone could replace him. Also the cover art of this series, it's all flowers but they are almost otherworldly flowers especially with the black background. This provides so much symbolism to the novels as Violet is like a flower, a beautiful light in the darkness of her gift. I wish that they would make these books into movies, it's great content and I think there would be a really good market for it. I really, really recommend this series. It is rather dark but the mystery and romance blends perfectly. I highly recommend reading these books if you enjoy mystery, crime and romance. 

Rating: 9 out of 10. The point of view in this novel was very uncharacteristic compared to the last one, but after you understand it really helps the rest of the novel. 

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). These books are rather dark as your dealing with death and murders, also there is some teen romance.  

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Summary:

"On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, their

daughter Tandy knows just three things: 

1) she was one of the last people to see her parents alive. 

2) The suspect list only includes Tandy and her three siblings. 

3) She can't trust anyone--maybe not even herself.
As Tandy sets out to clear the family name, she begins to recall flashes of experiences long buried in her vulnerable psyche. These memories shed light on her family's dark secrets, and digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs proves to be a disturbing and dangerous game. Who knows what any of the Angels are truly capable of?"

First lets talk about the cover art! I love the cover art of this book, even the inside cover of the book is good as well! This book is weird, super super weird, but in a good way. The main character, Tandoori, has a super super messed up family. Her and her siblings are left dealing with a mess after their parents die and as they struggle to find normal the whole mess of their upbringing/life comes out. I found myself comparing Tandy to Sherlock Holmes, her personality is somewhat similar. The cops pinpoint Tandy and her siblings as suspects in her parent’s murders, however after you start to realize just how messed up Tandy’s life has been you can’t really blame the police or her for that fact. I mean her parents used standing on one’s head and reciting all the major landmarks in a country as a punishment. I love Patterson’s writing style in this book, he does something that not many authors do which is breaking the fourth wall. He has Tandy actually talk to the reader, and what I love about this is that you know that she isn’t telling you everything. Patterson makes her first person dialogue more vibrant and lifelike than any other character I’ve read about. If you don’t mind weird, than this book is for you!

Rating: 8 out of 10. Super weird, but good!

Content: 3 (16-18). Abusive parents, murder, romance. Some topics are definitely not for younger readers.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary: "Some race to win. Others race to survive.

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen."

I was not a big fan of Stiefvater’s Shiver trilogy so I was hesitant to read this book, however I am so glad that I finally decided to read it! This book introduces a majestic creature called a Water Horse, Water Horses come from the sea and enjoy eating meat. This book is like National Velvet (the book by Enid Bagnold) on steroids. The stakes are higher, death is a very real possibility, and Puck has no chance of winning. This horse race is unlike any race you have ever heard about, and it will make your heart race as you read it. Puck, the main character, is one of my favorite heroines. She knows she doesn’t have what it takes to win this race, but she doesn’t care she knows what she wants and she is going to do what it takes to get it. There is also some romance in this book, it is very mild but still mixes perfectly with everything else to bring an amazing story to life. Stiefvater really has outdone herself, and I wish that they would turn this book into a movie!

Rating 9 out of 10. To much buildup to the race, found myself wanting to skip some sections to get to the end faster, but other than that I seriously recommend this book to all readers within the age group below.

Content rating: 3( 16-18). There is a lot of violence in this book, the seahorses eat meat, and Stiefvater is not shy about letting the readers know that.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Summary: 

"Picking up several years after the dramatic conclusion of If I Stay, Where She Went continues the story of Adam and Mia, from Adam's point of view. Ever since Mia's decision to stay - but not with him - Adam's career has been on a wonderful trajectory. His album, borne from the anguish and pain of their breakup, has made him a bona fide star. And Mia herself has become a top-rate cellist, playing in some of the finest venues in the world. When their respective paths put them both in New York City at the same time, the result is a single night in which the two reunite - with wholly satisfying results."

I was so excited to read this book! If I Stay was an amazingly written book with a very open ended ending so I was hoping for more. This book is written from Adam’s point of view and I was a little skeptical of how that would work out but Adam is just as full of raw emotion as Mia is. He is still reeling from some of his past and is still very much hurt by it. So to see this beautiful story from his point of view was amazing. I don’t think this book would have worked nearly as well if it was from Mia’s point of view. It made me as a reader understand Mia even more from Adam’s point of view. The ending of this book was also very satisfying. All in all this second book was not better than the first one, but still it was a necessary companion to the story. I loved it!

Rating: 9 out of 10. I gave it this rating because I was kinda sad to see just how bad one of the characters was doing in this book. But I think he’ll have a happier life because of how the end of the book turned out!

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). I gave it this rating because just like the second book, there is teen romance, language, and a bit of smoking and drinking. 

Ghosting by Edith Pattou

Summer:

" In a hot summer night in a midwestern town, a high school teenage prank goes horrifically awry. Alcohol, guns, and a dare. Within minutes, as events collide, innocents becomes victims—with tragic outcomes altering lives forever, a grisly and unfortunate scenario all too familiar from current real-life headlines. But victims can also become survivors, and as we come to know each character through his/her own distinctive voice and their interactions with one another, we see how, despite pain and guilt, they can reach out to one another, find a new equilibrium, and survive."

After opening to the first page of this book and realizing it was in poem format I almost shut it and returned it to the library; I am so glad I chose to read this book instead of returning it. The poem format works for this book and it turns into this gorgeous flowing of words and ideas. I am not a poem person, and I hate reading poems but this was easy for me to keep up with. Each of the eight individuals poetry style is different so after two cycles of transitions through all eight I could tell who was who without looking at the top of the page. I highly recommend this book, it is haunting and leaves the reader wondering what if? It is also a story of healing for the eight characters, and I can’t imagine it being told without the poem format. Pattou is also able to give each of the eight characters a unique voice, something that I’ve never seen any other author do successfully with multiple points of view. It’s almost as if someone took a real life story and turned it into a book.

Rating: 10 out of 10. This book is a masterpiece, I have read hundreds and hundreds of books and none of them compare to this one. Highly, highly recommend.

Content Rating: 3 (16-18). This book is in this age group because there is a bit of swearing, there is also teen partying, a couple instances of kissing and the climax of the novel might be a little too much for young readers.