Better

Title: Better (Too Good #2)

Author: S. Walden

Genre: NA/Romance

Release Date: November 19, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♡

Their relationship has been exposed, and now their lives are changed forever. 

 For Cadence Miller, the fast track to adulthood proves intimidating and frustrating.  She’s a little girl lost—abandoned by her family and uncertain of her future.  She doesn’t think she “fits” anywhere. She’s eighteen.  She wants to be older.  And the result is both comical and heartbreaking. 

 Mark Connelly will do anything to provide Cadence a stable, loving home—to be her protector.  But he’s just as broken and lost, and his heart won’t let go of his past so easily. He knows he should share his secret with Cadence.  He should trust that she’ll understand. But what if she doesn’t?  What if their love doesn’t grow stronger?   What if it doesn’t get better?

~ Goodreads

Noooo!  Now that I've finished Better, I've finished the series *sniff sniff*  I was hoping for at least one more book in the Too Good series, but I'm just glad that Better ended on a wonderful note.

Cadence Miller and Mark Connelly are forbidden lovers.  The world wanted to separate them, but they overcame the odds and pushed through only to end up in a personal struggle.  Mark's been keeping major secrets about his past from Cadence, and she doesn't take it well.  Cadence completely spirals out of control, and it's up to Mark to put the fragmented pieces of their relationship back together.  Will he be able to do it before Cadence loses all of her faith in their relationship?

So, I love, love, love Good passionately.  It's one of those books that ends with you tucked in a ball and bawling your eyes out (or at least I was...).  But Better didn't do that to me.  I mean, sure there were a lot of sweet and monumentally swoonful scenes, but Cadence was just..... ugh.... truthfully, she acted like a little bitch.  You'd think that since she's totally and completely in love with Mark that she'd forgive him for not being ready to tell her an enormous revelation about his past, but no.  The exact opposite.  Cadence goes berserk, and that's where my problem comes in.  Mark cannot undo his past, and besides, she wasn't even a part of his life at that point, but she gets pissed off anyway!  Cadence was the one acting like a child and being completely immature.  Those scenes drove me insane because I just wanted to reach through the screen of my Kindle and shake some sense into her.  Conclusively, the only problem I had with Better was Cadence's selfish behavior in the middle of the book.

I seriously want my own Mark after reading the epilogue.  Oh my gosh, the flawless epilogue completely unwound my emotions, and I was crying tears of joy and happiness and sadness because Better is the last book in the series.  But, anyways, Walden must have put a lot of heart into that scene because it was so perfect and lovely.

The romance was as sweet as ever, showing just how much Mark and Cadence love each other through their many tender moments.  Better is explicit, so I would only recommend it to anyone 16+!  But other than that, it was wonderfully romantic and Mark had me swooning in my shoes.  Gosh, why can't I have my own Mark?!  Because I would really like one....

The dialogue did drive me crazy, what with its incessant usage of "wanna" and "gotta."  Okay, one, that's not proper grammar (correct grammar, please!), and two, those words made the characters sound younger than they actually were.  I mean, Mark's an English major, right?  He should know better!  "Wanna" coming out of his mouth sounds just plain wrong.

Overall, I'm giving Better a 4.5/5 because it's a sweet and pleasant ending to the series, but Cadence drove me a little crazy.

The Coldest Girl In Coldtown Mini-Review

Title: The Coldest Girl In Coldtown

Author: Holly Black

Genre: YA/Paranormal

Release Date: September 3, 2013

My Rating: 
♥♥♥♥♡

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist.  In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey.  The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave. 

 One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses.  The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret.  Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. 

 The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

~ Goodreads

Oh goodness... I though Better by S. Walden was going to be released on Tuesday (19th), but apparently it's been out since Sunday (17th), so I'm going to make this a quickie so that I can start Better!

The Coldest Girl In Coldtown is just.... wow.  I definitely was not expecting such a punch from a book about vampires!  Although, the vampires in TCGIT are much edgier and fiercer than the vampires in Twilight.  Oh, and more blood-thirsty.

Tana lives in a world where becoming a vampire is the norm.  A horrible and painful norm, but a norm nonetheless.  Enormous towns are dedicated to vampires and are sealed off, keeping the vampires from spreading the infection any further.  But some vampires have escaped the Coldtowns and are prowling the streets when they come across a high school party, putting Tana and her friends in the vicious vamps' line if sight.  It's a mix for catastrophe, love, and lots of bloodshed.

Edgy, dark, and carnivorous.
Tana, the main character, is so fierce and bad-ass that you immediately love her.  Her adventure in Coldtown in definitely a unique one!  There was so much action that it became a bit difficult to keep up, what with all of the gore and knives and daggers.  There was also a little bit of a romance thrown into the mix, which made me very happy.  I was practically drooling when it came to Gavriel and all of his hotness.  I mean, really, who wouldn't?  Tana and Gavriel are a match made in Cold (if you haven't read the book, you're probably what the hell I'm blabbering about).

TCGIC is beautifully lyrical, enchanting readers with more than just mesmerizingly gorgeous vampires.  I was sucked in from the beginning!  Tana's narration is hypnotic with just a hint of a gothic tone.  In other words, flawlessly perfect.

Overall, I'm giving TCGIC a 4.5/5 because I loved this refreshing take on vixen vampires!

Tattoo Thief

Title: Tattoo Thief (Tattoo Thief #1)

Author: Heidi Joy Tretheway

Genre: NA/Romance

Release Date: October 8, 2013

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:
♥♥♥♡

22-year-old Beryl doesn't know why Gavin Slater trashed his penthouse, abandoned his dog and fled the country.  But as his house sitter, she must pick up the pieces for the front man of the white-hot rock band Tattoo Thief. 

 When ultra-responsible Beryl confronts the reckless rock star, she wants to know more than just what to do with his mess.  Why is he running?  What’s he searching for?  And is he responsible for the death of his muse? 

 New York newbie Beryl must find her footing in Gavin’s crazy world of the ultra-wealthy to discover her own direction and what can bring him back. 

Steamy, sassy and tender, Tattoo Thief is a story of breaking from a comfort zone to find a second chance.

~ Goodreads

♥A special thank you to Heidi for allowing me to read and review Tattoo Thief!

I was torn between 3.5 and 4 stars, so I settled at 3.75 stars.  
Tattoo Thief is gritty and refreshing, but slightly redundant.

Beryl has been living in Eugene, Oregon for most of her life.  Simple, routine, and mundane.  Inside, she's craving for an adventure, anything to urge her onto the road of Wonderful Careers and Fast-Paced Wonders.  That opportunity arises when a family friend offers Beryl a job she can't say no to.  But there's a catch - she has to leave Eugene and move to large and bustling New York.  Frantic and amazed, Beryl is just at the beginning of her story of mending broken hearts, seeing past false exteriors, and finding a love that was made for her.

Tattoo Thief is a sweet love story with a twist!  I loved the way Beryl and Gavin's relationship unfurled through texts and online chatting.  That's definitely a first for me in the NA world!  Most of the NA books I've read had the bad boy personally introduced into the story through some sort of physical interaction, so I loved that Tattoo Thief had sort of a pen-pal thing going on.  Although, I didn't really feel their chemistry through the online chatting, which would have added so much more to the story.  It just felt like Beryl was flirting with Gavin - sweet and innocent flirting.  Not falling head over heels in love with him.  That part came as a surprise because I thought there would be more development in their relationship.  I wish there had been more palpable chemistry between Beryl and Gavin.

Beryl setting out in a new city was refreshing and enjoyable, but I wanted more.  Her job as a house-sitter and all of the adventures that came along with it was fun to read about, but I wanted more.... more action, maybe?  Okay, not necessarily action, but something along the lines of it.  Like adventures?  I mean, Beryl had some adventures that involved partying and walking dogs and some unsettling men, but I felt like there was something lacking in the story.  There also could have been more of an oomph when it came to Gavin.  He actually wasn't that much of a bad boy, but I wouldn't go so far as to say he was a sweetie pie.  I thought he would be edgy and bad-ass, but he wasn't, unfortunately.  Although, he was lovable!

Tattoo Thief definitely started out slower than I would have liked, but once I got past the first 40%, I was cruising through.  I just wish that Gavin had come into the story earlier because to only have him in the last couple of chapters is plain torture!  In the beginning of Tattoo Thief, I kept asking myself "WHEN IS GAVIN COMING BACK?"  Seriously, I asked that over and over again, and when did I get him?  In the last 20%.  Such a downer.

Overall, I'm giving Tattoo Thief a 3.75/5 because it has great potential, but fell short in some areas.

Save the Enemy ARC

Title: Save the Enemy

Author: Arin Greenwood

Genre: YA/Mystery

Release Date: November 12, 2013

Source: I won Save the Enemy in a Goodreads First Reads contest

My Rating:
♥♥♥

Everything has been downhill since Zoey Trask’s mother was murdered in a random mugging.  Her younger brother, Ben, is on the autistic spectrum and needs constant supervision. I t’s senior year, and she’s the new girl at a weird private school in Old Town Alexandria, VA, full of kids who seem too nice to be true—including a very cute boy named Pete.  Aside from half-forgotten martial arts and survivalist skills that her widowed father insisted on teaching her (because that is excellent for her social life), Zoey has nothing to offer Pete or anyone else. 

 Then Dad is kidnapped.  Zoey suddenly finds herself sole caretaker of a younger brother she barely understands.  Worse, Ben seems to hold the key to their father’s disappearance in his Dream Diary, a bizarre journal of names and places Ben claims that their mother shares from beyond the grave.  And as if Zoey doesn’t have enough on her plate, there’s Pete, who stubbornly refuses to leave her side. 

 Relying on the skills she never wanted to learn—Dad might have had his reasons after all—Zoey is plunged into a lethal battle to rescue her father, protect her brother, and determine the identity of her family’s true enemy.

~ Goodreads

Oh goodness.... I have such mixed emotions towards this book.

Zoey Trask lived a seemingly unconventional life up until her mother was murdered in a random mugging in Washington.  Since that night, her father has been pulling farther and farther away from Zoey and her autistic brother Ben.  When her father is kidnapped without a warning, Zoey's life is turned upside down.  Her family is not who she thought they were.  She's no longer living a normal life as she attempts to hunt down her father's kidnapper and discovers her family's secrets, coloring them in a different and strange light.

What I Liked:
Save the Enemy had some very humorous parts!  It's more like the 'weirdo humor' than actual joke humor.  But, nonetheless, I was laughing pretty hard when it came to Zoey's witty and awkward narration.
The narration was actually - despite its flaws - entertaining.  I feel like Zoey was a good protagonist who held her ground throughout the story.

What I Didn't Like:
When you read a YA book, you expect to not have any overtly political and/or religious themes running through it, right?  Wrong.  Totally wrong.  Zoey went on a couple political tirades, making it crystal clear which political party the author belongs to.  It made me very uncomfortable because, frankly, I don't care what political party you belong to because it's none of my business!  I just want to read!  Oh, and don't even get me started on the religious bashing!  Really, I don't care if you believe in God or not, and I don't want to hear your completely secular rant on why there is no God.  Just...ugh.
The plot had a lot of potential, but the story didn't live up to it.  I felt like Save the Enemy lacked in some crucial points, like explaining what the hell was going on.  Seriously, when I finished the book I was still so confused because there were so many holes that were not patched up throughout the story, like why Zoey's mother had the secret occupation that she had had, and what exactly Pete was doing for his mother.  If the author had just explained these points, I would have enjoyed Save the Enemy much, much more.
There was absolutely no chemistry between Zoey and Pete.  It was just "I want to have babies with him."  Ummm, sweetie, you just met him.  Yeah, awkward is an understatement.  There was hand holding and hand rubbing, but sparks were essentially nonexistant.
Zoey was a bit of an idiot in some parts of the book.  If your dad was kidnapped, would you go to a party because it's your senior year and you want to potentially get wasted?  I'd hope the answer is no, but in Zoey's super special case, the answer is "Sure!  Why not?"  What the hell....

Overall, I'm giving Save the Enemy a 3/5 because the plot was interesting, but the story did not cut it, and the author left some integral parts of the story unexplained.

The Darkest Minds

Title: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Genre: YA/Dystopia

Release Date: December 18, 2012

My Rating: 
♥♥♥♥♥

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed.  Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police.  Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.”  She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. 

 Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.  

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life.  Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River.  She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp.  Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby.  But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close.  Not after what happened to her parents. 

 When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader.  But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government.  Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

~ Goodreads

If you plan on reading The Darkest Minds, it'd be a good idea to read it during the weekend because you'll most likely be so glued to the romance, action, and pure awesomeness that you'll completely forget about getting your healthy 8 hours.  Of course, getting an adequate amount of sleep always seems to be a reoccurring problem with bookworms.

Ruby is trapped in a world filled with monsters.  Monsters that can manipulate with a brush of their hand, move entire cars with the sweep of a fingertip, and wash a person's mind completely blank with a sharp glance.  Ruby is one of these monsters.
The "Psi" - dangerous kids - are kept in facilities run by the government, used to contain them for fear of their powers.  But when Ruby escapes one of these camps and meets up with three runaways, her luck changes.  She's thrust into a world filled with adrenaline and fear - fear of being captured and thrown to the wolves.  Ruby discovers a love she never thought she could have for someone else.  Will she be captured along with her friends, or will they escape the grip of "the darkest mind?"

I really, really enjoyed this book!  I had uber high expectations for The Darkest Minds because of all the praise it's received from other bloggers, and I am now proud to say I'm an official Darkest Minds fan!

I'm a huge fans of dystopia novels, like Shatter Me and Through the Ever Night, which TDM felt like a combination of the two.  This is a dark dsytopia; there's a lot, lot, lot of violence and smashing bones and pouring blood, and....well, you get my drift.  Remember, violence.  Although, the violence was a major factor in keeping the book interesting, what with the Ruby and the gang getting ambushed around 3 or 4 times.

I am Team Liam!  Oh my gosh, I loved Liam and all of his sweet Southern glory.  In my mind, his character actually had Liam Hemsworth's face.  I mean, their descriptions matched up; light blue eyes and blond hair.  It's a perfect match!  Now, I had the exact opposite feelings when it came to Clancy, and I don't want to be all spoilery, so I'll just leave it at this: DOUCHE.

The ending.  *Sniff sniff*  The ending made me bawl like a two-year old toddler having an explosive tantrum.  Just, why?  It's pretty darn heart breaking, if you ask me.  It's also sort of a cliff hanger... I mean, it's a perfect ending to pick back up on in the sequel, but it was too sad and complicated and ugh.

The second book in the trilogy, Never Fade, is out now, so I'm jumping in my seat and very eager to get my hands on it as soon as possible!

Overall, I'm giving The Darkest Minds a 5/5 because it's served with a plate of happiness and a side of wow.

Goddess

Title: Goddess (Starcrossed #3)

Author: Josephine Angelini

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Release Date: May 28, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♡

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war.  But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.  To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends.  

As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance.  Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores. 

 In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars.  With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

~ Goodreads

I'm so disappointed in Goddess!  I was expecting a humongous blast of awesomeness, and what did I get?  Just a wimpy splash.  This is definitely one of those books that you might want to freshen up on the characters before taking a stab at.  Oh my gosh, I had completely forgotten who was who, so I had to make a list of all the characters so that I could keep up and not be completely lost (I was pretty darn lost).  Leaving a series on your book shelf for more than a year will do that to you.

Super short summary of Goddess because I've completely forgotten what happened in the two preceding books: War is approaching.  Helen's powers are gaining in strength every day and are planting doubt in the hearts of those closest to her.  The gods are outnumbered by the scions, but not by their intelligence.  The sneaky, dopple-ganger gods are planning to take Helen's new world from her, no mater what the cost.  With Lucas and Helen's family by her side, she will take on the very beings that created her.

Three Reasons Why I Was Disappointed In Goddess

1. I hate love triangles.  I hate them with a fiery ball of burning passion, and do you know what's in Goddess?  A love triangle.  Lucky me.  Personally, I'm on team Lucas, mostly because Helen was with him first, and also because I imagine him being eons more attractive than Orion.  Helen's wavering attraction between the two drove me crazy.  Completely ballistic, actually.  I get how Helen would be freaked out by Lucas because they're supposedly cousins, but to try to have sex with Orion to get Lucas out of your mind?  Nuh-uh, honey.  You know it's not going to work because sex only lasts for a little bit and when it's over you'll just start bawling because you'll feel like you betrayed Lucas.  Common sense, right?
I'm definitely a hater of love triangles....

2. The beginning of Goddess was so slow!  The one thing I don't like about books is when it starts out weak; books should start off strong and then gradually become weaker so that you don't notice it as much.  But when it's right off the bat, you - unfortunately -  notice it.  I felt like I was just drifting through the first couple of chapters, aimlessly drifting in and out while nothing significant happens.

3. Goddess was dramatically weaker than Starcrossed and Dreamless.  I loved, loved, loved the first two books in the series, but I didn't even come close to loving Goddess, although I do love the cover.... The preceding books in the trilogy were memorable and quote-worthy, while Goddess is just like "Yeah, it was okay.  I'll probably forget about it in a week."  Or at least that's what I would say.  I think Goddess was weaker partially because it lacked romance.  There was barely any romance, and when there was, it was very sparingly described.  I love Helen and Lucas together and would've liked more romance scenes between the two, mostly because I didn't sense their connection.

Overall, I'm giving Goddess a 3.5/5 because I was expecting so much more.

Breathing Ghosts

Title: Breathing Ghosts

Author: Laekan Zea Kemp

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Release Date: September 30, 2013

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

She is a winding cosmos, bleeding and bursting into night.  She is a dream.  She is dead. 

River has just lost the one thing that matters most to him—Nia—and all she's left behind is a pile of scribbled love notes detailing their past and a pin-holed map planning out their future.  Hopes and dreams confined to one dimension now that she's gone and River’s too afraid to leave his hometown, crippled by the same anxiety that’s plagued his mother for as long as he can remember.  

But after a strange encounter with the only girl he ever loved a week after laying her to rest, River, armed with nothing but her map and his memories, decides to finally leave and never look back. And with the help of a pair of eccentrically named siblings as well as a mutt with three legs, he sets out to do the very thing Nia always knew how to do better than he ever could—live.  

From the moonlit beaches off of Florida's east coast, to the forests of Mississippi, to Bourbon Street, Cadillac Ranch, and the Arizona desert, River is faced with not only Nia's ghost but his own and he learns that in life there are no accidents, only miracles.

~ Goodreads

Holy guacamole!!  I think I've just found my newest favorite author!  Breathing Ghosts is a whirlwind of emotions, incessantly sucking the reader into a vortex of absolute rawness.  River's story is just so intense and alluring, and I loved every minute of it.

River is alone; his girlfriend - Nia - is gone, his mother barely speaks to him, let alone defends him when her "boyfriend" turns to River in a drunken rage.  River is lost.  He doesn't know who he is or what he wants, and his life starts to fall apart after the only person anchoring him to this life is taken away in a flurry.  River wants to escape.  He wants to escape his haunting town, his decrepit life as a loner, and the part of him clinging to fear.

As River takes on a journey Nia planned for the both of them, he starts to catch glimpses of her ghostly form.  His life is turned upside down as his adventure turns into something he never expected - a journey leading him to explore the utter breathlessness of life.

What I Liked:
The writing.  It's so lyrical and beautiful and just wow.  I'm not sure how Laekan did it, but she made every sentence sound gorgeous with surgery-like precision.  Every sentence and thought wrapped around my mind like a symphony, creating a perfect cacophony of emotions.

River!  I absolutely loved River, even though he was such a mess.  I feel like the fact that he was searching for himself throughout the entire book gave him sort of a vulnerability that most people can't help but feel empathy toward.  Especially when it came to Nia, oh my gosh, River was so lost!  He's like the wandering soul that doesn't know where to call home.

Nia.  Nia's sort of the mystery character in B.G., the one character you're dying to know more about, but only receive brief glimpses of her relationship with River.  She was the one lone star that has to escape the confines of ordinary and live life on the edge.  The scenes including Nia were so heartbreakingly difficult to read because River and Nia's relationship was so tangible and electric and real that you could practically feel it in the air.

Oh my gosh, the CAR CHASES.  So, I'm a little obsessed with watching high-speed chases on TV, so when I read the first car-chase scene in B.G., I was so happy out of my mind that I was practically delirious - in a good way.  Terror, anxiety, and a wild instinct to escape flooded my mind as I attempted to flee the bad guys with River in a hulking monstrosity of a truck.  It was seriously perfection in a chapter.

What I Didn't Like:

Only one itsy-bitsy downside: So.  Much.  Sadness.  I adored River and Nia, but it felt like there was this bubble of sadness surrounding both of them.  Especially the brief flashbacks, goodness, some of those scenes tore at my heart.

Overall, I'm giving Breathing Ghosts a 5/5 because it's a gorgeous story of the little - and large - things in life that can mend even the most broken hearts.

The Program

Title: The Program (The Program #1)

Author: Suzanne Young

Genre: YA/Romance/Dystopia

Release Date: April 30, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone.  With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment.  Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive.  She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

 Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can.  The only person Sloane can be herself with is James.  He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything.  But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth.  They are both growing weaker.  Depression is setting in.  And The Program is coming for them.

~ Goodreads

Holy cow!  The Program completely blew my socks off into another galaxy!  I had very high expectations for The Program partly because I loved Young's first book, A Need So Beautiful.  Oh my gosh, guys, The Program is eons ahead of A Need So Beautiful.  So.  Much.  Better.  If that's even possible...

Sloane lives in a controlled world, a world where The Program monitors all teenagers from 14 to 17 to check for any signs of them having caught the worldwide epidemic - suicide.  The only person she can confide in without worrying about being turned in is her boyfriend, James.  Death seems to surround James and Sloane, slowly unraveling their grips until they can't take it anymore.  Turmoil and dread become stronger and stronger in their mind's.  And The Program knows.

The Program is emotionally riveting, while also keeping up a steady love story of two teenagers battling the world to keep their lives intact.  I definitely fell hard for James; he's smooth, sweet, gentle, and gorgeous.  Blue eyes are all it takes to turn him into a total hottie.  Oh, and a nice body ;)
Sloane was a fascinating - and slightly aggravating - main character.  At times, I liked her, and other times, I couldn't stand her (SPOILER?) *cough Realm cough*  I sort of wanted to slap him... like, not really hard, but enough to knock some sense into his impossibly stubborn brain.

The Program.  Oh my gosh, I felt a compelling need to knock over glasses every time I read a scene with it involved.  It's so incredibly controlling and I totally felt for Sloane and James when they were forced to go through The Program.  The pills.  The therapy.  The Wellness Center.  It was all so convoluted and wrong and sick.  I understand that they were trying to help teenagers thinking about committing suicide, but that is not how you deal with it.  Haha, I love how I'm getting so worked up over a fictional program.  But the fact that The Program elicited all of these intense emotions from me just shows how good of a book it is!  Seriously, throughout the entire book I was alternating between maddeningly incensed and blissfulness.
So this basically sums up the unstable emotions I experienced while reading The Program...

The romance in The Program is so sweet!  I've noticed that Young has written all of her books so that they start out with an already established relationship.  Personally, I'm not a fan of it and I prefer for the romance to develop as I get farther into the book.  Although, the established relationship worked in The Program, whereas it was bland in A Need So Beautiful.  James and Sloane are the perfect couple, and when The Program threatened their relationship, they did everything in their to keep seeing each other, which was admirable!  I loved the fact that they were so incredibly devoted to each other that they wouldn't let anyone - or anything - keep them apart.

Just a Blathering Note: I feel like the whole 'suicide epidemic' is pretty relevant to society today, so I think it's important for teenagers to read this book.  I mean, really, our government is already very far gone over the edge, and it wouldn't surprise me if they thought up something similar to the Program.

Teenagers: Read The Program!  It's accurate to society today, plus it's a wonderfully awesome book!

Overall, I'm giving The Program a 5/5 because it was one intense ride!

Rules of Attraction

Title: Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2)

Author: Simone Elkeles

Genre: YA/Romance

Release Date: April 27, 2010

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♡

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado.  Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did.  Then he meets Kiara Westford.  She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways.  As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him.  But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

~ Goodreads

Oh my gosh!  I love Rules of Attraction!  Carlos is now my favorite Fuentes brother (but I still love you, Alex!).  Ahhh, me and my fictional boyfriends...  I have 22, to be precise ;)

Carlos Fuentes - a bad-ass who's not afraid to stand up to a challenge - has just left Mexico, his mother, and his younger brother only to move in with his older brother, Alex, in Colorado.  It seems like everything he loves has been forced away from him.  Until he meets his host family and their daughter, Kiara.

Kiara isn't the bubblegum cheerleader who flaunts her body in excessively tight clothes.  In fact, she's quite the opposite.  With clunky hiking boots, a baggy t-shirt, and hair pulled up in a conservative ponytail, Kiara is the last girl Carlos expects to fall for.  But he does, and it's a fall down the Grand Canyon.  It's that deep.  But when nefarious drug lords pop into the picture, Carlos knows that he will do whatever it takes to keep his family - related and unrelated - out of harm's way.

Every book that I have read by Elkeles has given me goosebumps!  Let me tell you guys, the Fuentes brothers go on some very wild rides, and not all of them are pleasant.  Some of them are downright bloody.

What I Liked:
C a r l o s.  Who doesn't?  In the beginning of Rules of Attraction, I wanted to throw an egg at his thick head, but he matures so much in such a short span of time.  It's amazing, really, how much my love for Carlos grew throughout the book, compared to how much I hated him in the beginning.  He goes from a cocky, arrogant, gang-banger to a sweet, protective, young man who cares too much for others.
K i a r a.  Kiara was a great switch from Brittany.  Don't get me wrong, Brittany was cool, but I just find Kiara easier to relate to.  She's cute, adorable like a puppy, and strong.  What else could you ask for in a heroine?
The whole damn story!  I love the theme of a family related story; all three of the Fuentes brothers get to tell their own unique story in their own perspectives.  And now I'm itching to start Chain Reaction because I just know it will live up to - and hopefully surpass -P.C. and R.O.A.'s expectations!

What I Didn't Like:
This is a really minute factor I recognized while reading Rules of Attraction, but I feel like Carlos didn't have his own voice.  Throughout the entire book, I could have easily misidentified Carlos as Alex because their narrative voices are so darn similar!  It would have raised my rating of Rules of Attraction to 5 hearts if Elkeles had just given Carlos more of an edge in his narration.

Overall, I'm giving Rules of Attraction a 4.5/5 because I absolutely love this book and I'm now salivating for Chain Reaction!

Endless Knight

Title: Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2)

Author: Kresley Cole

Genre: YA/Dystopia

Release Date: October 1, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

In the second book of the Arcana Chronicles Evie has now fully come into her powers as the tarot Empress.  And Jackson was there to see it all. In the aftermath of killing Arthur, the tarot Alchemist, Evie realizes that a war is brewing between the other teens that, following the apocalypse, have been given powers and its kill or be killed.

 Things get even more complicated when Evie meets Death, the mysterious, sexy Endless Knight.  Somehow the Empress and Death share a romantic history - one that Evie can't remember, but Death can't forget.  She is drawn to the Endless Knight, but is in love with Jack.  Determined to discover why she's been granted these powers, Evie struggles to accept her place in a prophecy that will either save the world, or completely destroy it.

~ Goodreads

Oh....wow.  I loved Poison Princess, but I never thought the sequel would top it of like Endless Knight did.  Endless Knight is so earth-shatteringly fantastic!  I'm still dazed from the intensity.  This is the type of book that will make you squeal with excitement, whimper with empathy, and cry, cry, cry.

Taking off right where Poison Princess ended, Evie is more unsure than ever about her alliances, her relationship with Jack, and her trust in her own abilities.  The game Evie, Matthew, Finn, Selena, and the other Arcana are playing is deadly, and it doesn't help that Death is now in Evie's mind, torturing her with destructive images of how he plans to kill her.  But does Death really loathe Evie as much as he shows, or is he trying to hide his true feelings from her.  As Evie becomes closer to the man she has sworn to hate, her relationship with Jack is strained.  Forced to face bagmen, savage militia, bloodthirsty cannibals, and her crumbling liaisons, will she make it out alive?  Or will it be an endless night?

Endless Knight literally blew my socks off.  I was not expecting this gut-wrenching thrill ride, but that's exactly what I got.  And I loved every single minute of it.

The Writing:
Cole is an absolute genius who knows exactly what to say in times of peril, romance, and deafening action.  She is seriously one of my favorite authors just because she has the skill to draw the reader in and let them gasp in air only during short breaks.
I loved Evie's narration!  She did seem a bit older than a 16 year old girl at times, but I guess the apocalypse'll do that to you.  Evie's sweet, spunky, audacious, fierce, everything that makes up a totally bad-ass heroine.

The Plot:
I love the fact that the series is based around tarot cards!  It's actually spurred me on to work with my own deck at home (lol).  But seriously, the whole apocalyptic, X-Men teenagers theme is pretty cool, especially during the vivid fight scenes.
Death and Evie's story is unraveled is Endless Knight, and there are so many shocking secrets that completely took me by surprise!  There is one in particular that had me squealing and my eyes bulging, mostly from happiness and some shock!  There's just so much mystery surrounding Death; I couldn't get over it!

Death:
I just had to do a section on Death!  He's the character that you both love and hate.  Well, in my case I love him!  His story is so horribly heartbreaking and you get a chance to see through his tough exterior and into the lonely man he really is.  He's a bit cold in the beginning, but you'll want to cozy up to him in the end.  I know I did!  As you all probably know, there's a love triangle that becomes much more noticeable on Endless Knight.  It IS one of the best love triangles in 2013 YA, in my opinion.  So, so good.  I am definitely on Team Death!!  Wow, that sounds frightening...

Overall, I'm giving Endless Knight a 5/5 because it totally rocked my world and left me salivating for the third book.

Good

Title: Good (Too Good #1)

Author: S. Walden

Genre: NA/Romance

Release Date: August 26, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

Cadence Miller is a good girl. She just happens to make one terrible mistake her junior year in high school which costs her ten months in juvenile detention.  Now a senior, she’s lost everything: her best friend, the trust of her parents, driving privileges, Internet access.  It’s a lonely existence. 

 But there is one bright spot: Mark Connelly, her very cute, very off-limits 28-year-old calculus teacher.  She falls hard for him—a ridiculous schoolgirl crush headed nowhere.  She can’t help it.  He’s the only good thing at Crestview High.  She doesn’t expect him to reciprocate her feelings.  How inappropriate, right?  But he does.  And he shows her. 

 And that’s when her life goes from bad to good.

~ Goodreads

Oh.  My.  Freaking.  Gosh!!  How have I gone this long without having read Good?!

Cadence Miller was raised to follow the rules.  Attend Church every Sunday.  Respect her parents.  Always radiate perfection.  That is, until she does something wrong.  One mistake is all it takes to sever Cadence from her old life and everything it contained.  No friends.  No love.

Mark Connelly is like a bright beacon shining through Cadence's dark tunnel.  He gives her butterflies and warmth and love and everything she's been starving for.  But there's a catch: he's her teacher.

I've had this odd infatuation with teacher-student romances for quite some time.  It's mainly the risk factor and the adrenaline rush that comes along with it.  There's also the element of forbidden romance; the two lovers having to plan clandestine meetings behind closed doors, always on the watch.  Good is a perfect example.

I love, love, looooove this book!  I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks on end.  So much intensity! I loved the romance, but Cadence and Mark were pretty reckless at times.  I mean, really?

Cadence:
Cadence was a little difficult to read as a main character.  Is she a friendly bitch, a good Christian girl, or a rebellious teen?  I'm really not sure, but I would use all of those descriptions to characterize her.  There were so many funny moments between Cadence and Mark, mostly because of Cadence's inane urges to blurt out the first thing that pops into her mind, which led to my face turning a deep shade of tomato and incessantly repeating "Good Lord, shut up, Cadence!"  But her young mind and wittiness are what make her such a quirky and lovable character.

Mark:
Oh my gosh, don't even get me started!  I fell head over heels for the teacher/hipster/total hottie/gorgeous/brilliant/sweet man.  The main factor that caused me to like him so much is the fact that he truly cared for Cadence.  He did not use her.  He did not abuse her.  He simply loved her.
I was totally swooning over him.  Although, Mark does have his weak moments that make you want to shake him and slap some sense into that gorgeous (In my mind, he's very attractive.  Have I already said that...?) head of his.

The Romance:
There is some explicit content in this book, so I only recommend this to anyone 15+!
There is so much intense romance in Good that it's a little overwhelming at times.  Yes, I did have to read it in segments, but that just made it even better!  I'm a tad bit awkward at describing romance (And the majority of Good is romance), so I'll just say this: I seriously could not stop blushing.  Like, at all.

Teacher-Student Romance:
Like I said earlier, the adrenaline rush and severity of Cadence and Mark's relationship really add to the sparks of the whole situation.  They do some risky things on school property, so it was very.... exciting?  No, it was e l e c t r i c.  Mark and Cadence's relationship went far beyond chemistry and into full on painful love.

If you're a sucker for teacher-student romances, then Good is a must read!

Overall, I'm giving Good a 5/5, because I absolutely adore this book with all of my forbidden-romance-loving heart.

Slammed

Title: Slammed (Slammed #1)

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: YA/NA/Romance

Release Date: January 5, 2012

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother.  Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

 Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor.  Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

 Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt.  Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

~ Goodreads

I love Slammed.  As in, I loved this book so much that I just had to cast aside my studying materials and finish it pronto.  And I was not let down.  I've always been a fan of teacher-students relationships in books (as long as the teacher isn't over 30 and a total creep!), so this was a must read!

Layken is devastated as the sudden death of her father leaves her and her family in shambles.  Layken, her mother, and brother travel the long distance to the foreign state of Michigan for her mother's nursing job and to try to get back up on their feet.  A very attractive 21 year-old named Will lives across the street, along with his younger brother that's the same age as Layken's younger brother, Kel.  Will is perfect; poetic, caring, strong, and handsome.  Seems perfect, huh?  Wrong.

Instant attraction quickly build between Layken and Will, but a secret rocks their worlds.  As they are forced apart, Layken swears to fight the walls building between them.  Will they overcome it, or surrender to the world?

Slammed is so amazingly riveting and passionate and so emotional that it's contagious!  I was sucked in right away; the characters were so lovable that I just wanted to hug them and tell them it'll be alright.

Intense.  So.  Much.  Intensity.  But it was the good type of intensity; the type that makes you want to squeal and jump up and down and up and down.  The type that has you fighting to keep the humongous smile plastered to your lips in check.  In my opinion, Slammed is a carbon copy of Hopeless, but with a different plot twist.  The same emotions were drawn from me, but with less crying.  There was some crying in Slammed!  I have to warn you guys, this one is a heartbreaker.  But all of Hoover's books are emotionally wrecked heartbreakers, so.... read them!

Slammed is a shortie at only 317 pages, so I finished it well under one day.

Although, I'm still not sure if I should categorize it under Young Adult or New Adult, because Layken is still in high school, but it touches some adult subjects.  I'm just going to put it in between YA and NA.

I have to say, I was definitely not a fan of the cover.  I don't want to be too harsh, but it's very... unattractive.  Maybe some color here or there and it would've been so much brighter!  But I do see where they're coming from and how they got the cover.  I just wish there was more to draw the eye to.

Overall, I'm giving Slammed a 5/5, because it surpassed my expectations with it's beautiful poetry and intensely emotional relationships that had me crying not even halfway through the book.

Through the Zombie Glass

Title: Through the Zombie Glass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2)

Author: Gena Showalter

Genre: YA/Paranormal Romance/Zombies

Release Date: September 24, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♡

Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home.  After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well.  A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things.  The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life.  She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now.  But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

~ Goodreads

Where do I start?  Through the Zombie Glass had me reeling, sobbing, seething with anger, and dubious with shock.  I'm on the fence with the rating, because I so dearly loved the book, but there were some parts that frustrated me to hell.  So, I just decided on a 4.5 instead of a 5, which I will explain the reason in a moment.

What I Liked:
Z O M B I E S.  Yes, it seems zombies are the new vampires/werewolves.  Of course, Edward will always have a special place in my heart XD  The zombies are hard-core, spirit drinking, flesh consuming, and utterly frightening.  Every time the gang ran into the zombies, my heart started to speed up a notch, what with Showalter's deliciously grotesque descriptions of the monsters.

The overall plot line.  Whenever there's a book with a plot line involving a broken girl, a bad boy, and a seemingly unstoppable obstacle, I'm all over it.  Through the Zombie Glass did the plot justice, and now I'm sadly awaiting the next book to come out in... what, a year?  Or maybe more...

Ali! (And not Cole!)  She's such a strong protagonist!  I loved how she was a bad ass, but also a sweet, caring girl.  She could rock camo pants and a gun and not have to think twice about it.  Although, she did make some choices concerning Cole that I didn't agree with....

The emotional aspect of Through the Zombie Glass.  In my opinion, you can judge a book on how much emotion it makes you feel, and, honey, I was feeling a lot.  Seething anger, sorrow, shock, hate.  All of it.  And mostly because of a certain character.

What I Didn't Like:
C O L E.  I was so not a fan of Cole in this book.  Ugh, I know everyone's been going on about how he redeemed himself in the end, but it just does not cut it!  Those of you who haven't read Through the Zombie Glass are probably wondering what the heck I'm raving about, but when you get to the scene I'm talking about, you will definitely know.  I was so frustrated and angry and I'm still not sure how in the hell Ali forgave him, because I definitely would not.

Ali and Cole's relationship.... has to be one of the most frustrating and overwhelming character romances.  I usually love it when two characters are all over each other and simultaneously trying to break things off, because it shows how much they care for each other, but this was not the case with Ali and Cole.  I wanted... I don't know, structure?  Even ground?  Anything to stop their persistent make out scenes that just seemed to pop out of nowhere.  I guess it would be easier for me if Cole hadn't been such a douche, but he was, so..... so, I guess I'm finishing Through the Zombie Glass with a heavy heart.

Overall, I'm giving Through the Zombie Glass a 4.5/5 because I love Ali's story coupled with Showalter's fabulous writing, but a certain character ruined the book for me.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Title: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Between #1)

Author: April Genevieve Tucholke

Genre: YA/Supernatural/Romance

Release Date: August 15, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand… 

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along.  River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. 

Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past?  Or could he be something more?  Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back.

 Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it. 

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

~ Goodreads

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea has to be one of the most disturbing books I've read in a while (next to Another Little Piece).  Filled to the rim with lyrical lines, Between is a book that I don't see myself forgetting anytime soon.

Violet White lives in a picturesque town that resides next to the sea.  Ginger lemonade, a large mansion, sweet coffee, and two odd companions make up the beginning of her sleepy summer.  That is, until River West strolls into town and rents Violet's guest house.  With his old good looks and smooth walk, River is like a taste of the sun after a year in Alaska.

Strange things start to happen in town, which leads Violet to wonder if River has anything to do with it.  Is River just a smooth-talking city boy... or something more?

Between is such an incredibly weird book.  Excuse me for my use of such a trite word, but that's the main description that comes to mind whenever I think of this book.  Oh, and strange, odd, confusing, etc.

I thought Between was about some young, innocent girl falling in love with the Devil, but I was totally wrong.  The plot is so complex!  I wonder how the author thought of it...

This book is written in such a lovely fashion!  It has the 'I'm poetic and I don't need commas or periods because I'm definitely not going to stop talking' style of writing.  Lately, I've noticed an increase in popularity with this type of writing style.  Although, at times it did feel like a bit too much.  I mean, you can stop for a breath if you'd like.  The whole poetic element mixed with the gore and horror actually worked pretty well.

There is a bit of gore in Between.  Not to the point where you're sprinting to the nearest toilet, but a good amount.  Some of the scenes were very disturbing.  They weren't scary scary like I would have liked, and they were leaning more towards psychological horror than actual horror.  The only book that has really scared me is Ten by Gretchen McNeil.  Between didn't cut it for me in the horror section, but I'm giving it an A+ in abstract horror.

Confusing!  I wasn't sure if Violet was hallucinating half the time because she was already pretty out there as a character, and I was just extremely confused.  Even after finishing the book, I'm only half sure what I think happened actually happened.  Tucholke could have worked on clarifying some parts in Between.

Overall, I'm giving Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea a 4/5 because the writing is lovely, but it left me thoroughly confused.

Origin

Title: Origin (Lux #4)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Release Date: August 27, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back. 

 After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible.  Katy is gone.  Taken.  Everything becomes about finding her.  Taking out anyone who stands in his way?  Done.  Burning down the whole world to save her?  Gladly.  Exposing his alien race to the world?  With pleasure. 

 All Katy can do is survive. 

 Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt.  After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing.  Who are the real bad guys?  Daedalus?  Mankind?  Or the Luxen? 

 Together, they can face anything. 

 But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?  And will they even be together?

~ Goodreads

F A N T A S T I C.  Origin completely blew me away and surpassed my expectations by a light-year!  Daemon and Katy's story continues with heartache, destruction, love, and much, much more.

Origin starts off with Katy being held captive by Daedalus.  Daemon is simmering with anger, anger that Katy is being tortured, anger that he can't just shoot off and save her (because he would obviously  get captured with such a sucky plan), and anger that he can't protect her from the horror she is going through.  As you have probably guessed (SPOILER ALERT?  I'm not sure if this counts as a spoiler because this was insinuated in the plot, in my opinion), the whole story doesn't take place with Katy being captured, so she somehow escapes the clutches of Daedalus.

Some amazingly sweet events occur in this book that had me blushing and repeatedly squealing awwww! 

Although, I must warn you, fellow Daemon lovers, that this books ends on a horrible, horrible cliff-hanger.  Ugh, don't even get me started on cliff-hangers!  They are disastrous devices created to make us suffer through the incredibly long wait time before the next book is released.

So, so long.....

What I Liked:
D A E M O N.  (Oh, and Katy!  But mostly Daemon.)  Gosh, who doesn't love him?  Charming, affectionate, caring, gorgeous, all pulled together with a dash of ET.  It is a little weird to look back in Obsidian and see how much of a jerk-face he was compared to how he is in Origin.  I also love his randomly awkward jokes that make you want to cover your beet-red face with a hat.  So inappropriate XD

Action!  I normally get bored while reading action scenes, but JLA has this way of drawing you into the fighting and completely hypnotizing you, which is great for me because I don't lose interest.

The surprises that catch you completely off guard and cause you to drop your jaw on the floor.  There are a couple of those in Origin.  I love the spontaneity of it!

The sense of 'Hit the road or die.'  Okay, that might be a little melodramatic, but it completely relates to Origin.  I'm not going to say exactly what urges the sense, but the characters have the whole 'Fight or flight' thing going on, which is very entertaining to read about because it gets the blood pumping!

What I Didn't Like:
There was only one aspect I didn't like about Origin, which is definitely saying something.

Katy sounds very similar to Alex from Half-Blood.  I understand how that would come about because JLA wrote both books, but I feel like there needs to be some significant distinguishing factor that separates Alex from Katy.  If Alex and Katy's personal characteristics were placed side by side, I wouldn't be able to distinguish between the two because they are that similar.

Overall, I'm giving Origin a 5/5 because it was a mesmerizing joy-ride from start to finish.

The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Genre: YA/Romance

Release Date: January 10, 2012

My Rating:
♥♥♥

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis.  But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

~ Goodreads

I have read so many reviews on The Fault in Our Stars, all saying how much this book made them cry and how deep and insightful it was.
I didn't get any of that.
Sure, this book was incredibly sad and depressing, but that's about it.  In my opinion, it wasn't deep or reflective like I was hoping it would be...it was just terribly sad.

Hazel was a cancer kid up until she was given the opportunity to test a prescription that supposedly would be able to shrink her tumor.  And it worked.
Hazel's mother finally gets her to attend a Cancer Kid Support Group.  There she meets Augustus Waters, a handsome seventeen year-old.  Through their mutual love of a story, they experience something they never expected to find in each other: love.

I don't think Hazel was a very strong protagonist.  I mean, you can put all these obstacles in a character's way, but it doesn't automatically deem them as "strong," and I just didn't really feel that with Hazel.  I also couldn't connect with her, but let me just say that Hazel is a very old sixteen year-old.  I guess the cancer aged her in more ways than one, but she was just too much of an old soul for me.  Since this is my first John Green book, (I'm just guessing here) I have a feeling all of his characters are like Hazel and Augustus - odd and intelligent.  I liked that they were educated and wise main characters, but after a while it became a tad bit annoying.

I'm not into cancer books because it's just another way of saying 'There's a slight chance that someone in this book is going to die.  And you will cry.'
Total turn-off.
But I took a chance on The Fault in Our Stars and was wholly disappointed.  Too much sadness in a little over 300 pages.  Is it too much to ask for a happy ending, John Green?

Hazel and Augustus's obsession with An Imperial Affliction was also extremely annoying.  It's a book, Hazel.  Do not turn it into something it's not!  Ugh, okay I'll stop ranting...

Overall, I'm giving The Fault in Our Stars  a 3/5 because the story made me cry too much and the ending was disastrous.

Wait for You

Title: Wait for You (Wait for You #1)

Author: J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Genre: NA/Romance

Release Date: February 26, 2013

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥

Some things are worth waiting for… 

 Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace.  The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself. 

 Some things are worth experiencing… 

 Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her.  She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable.  Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed. 

 Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed.  When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar?  And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her? 

 And some things are worth fighting for…

~ Goodreads

Jennifer L. Armentrout is a writing maniac (in a good way)! It must get tiring writing so many books in such a short amount of time.  I mean, she must have been working on Wait for you, Origin, Apollyon, and White Hot Kiss at the same time!  Wow....

Alright, I just have to get this out because I'm holding it in my hands right now and I just feel so giddy.... my second signed book by JLA!

First Half-Blood and now Wait for You!  It really is wonderful how JLA tries to connect with her readers and has so many opportunities for them to buy and win signed books.  *happy dance*

Now on to the review!

Avery Morgansten started fresh when she moved to West Virginia and enrolled in a local university.  It was her own way of escaping the demons that haunted her in Texas through harassing texts and e-mails.  Not that she could escape them for very long...
But Avery forgets about all that when she meets Cam Hamilton.  Dark and handsome, Cam is a player, known for being the guy every girl wants.  But Avery resists the urge to fall for him, no matter how much her heart debates.
Will Avery let Cam in or will she push him away just like everyone else?

What I Liked:
The writing!  Every one of JLA's books has this sense of deep reflection coupled with light humor that is completely addicting.  Of course, the con of this writing style is that all of her main heroines start to mush together and become the same person.
The chemistry!  Cam and Avery's interactions ooze with chemistry and are oh so romantic!  Why can't every author write kissing scenes like JLA? ;)  They're amazingly sultry and sensual.
The characters.  Avery is a sweet heroine; she's the type of girl people want to be friends with and get to know, which makes it a lot easier for readers to root for her as a character.  I'm just glad she's not a bitchy protagonist... gosh, I've read too many books with those....

What I Didn't Like:
The plot.  Don't get me wrong, I love the whole starting over at college theme, but it's the 'I've been hurt and now I'm damaged' part that gets me.   So, so, so many NA novels use that same theme over and over again and, frankly, I'm a little tired of it.  Uniqueness, people!  Every time I read NA novels, I have to fit in a YA novel because I feel like it's too much of a load of the same old plots.

Huh, that's the only part of the book I didn't like.... figures.

Overall, I'm giving Wait for You a 4/5 because I love JLA's trademark writing style, but it would do the book some good if she threw in more diverse plot lines.

The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden

Title: The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden (The Coincidence #1)

Author: Jessica Sorensen

Genre: NA/Romance

Release Date: December 13, 2012

My Rating:
♥♥

There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved. 

 Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her.  After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened.  Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe. 

 For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life.  As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over.  Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him. 

 Now he can’t stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew.  When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her.  But Callie is reserved and closed off.  The more he tries to be part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved.

~ Goodreads

Okay, so I know everyone has been giving this book five shining stars, but I can't figure out why... the plot is incredibly trite and the characters were less than memorable in my opinion.  I couldn't even finish the entire book!

Callie has a dark secret.  A secret that compelled her to change everything on the outside and struggle to get through every day on the inside.  But she can't tell anyone, because that would cause unspeakable horrors.  When Callie finally moves off to college, she finally takes her first breath of fresh air and freedom.

Kayden has a dark secret.  He attempts to cover them up with long sleeved t-shirts, but no material can cover the internal pain he has every day.  Going off to college allows Kayden an escape from the man who has caused him pain since he was a child.

When Callie saves Kayden, neither of them know what to do.  Callie trembles in fear, while Kayden trembles in pain.  But the last thing they ever expected was an attraction neither of them can deny.  Will they be able to save each other?

I get it, the whole 'I'm damaged on the inside' theme seems pretty popular right now in NA books, but there comes a certain point where it becomes too much.  I swear, I feel like I've read the same book a couple of times, but just with a different title.  No originality.  The characters were one-dimensional and boring.

'Oh, I'm too messed up.  No one understands me...'

My God, sentences like that practically took up the entire book!  So annoying!  Look, I know you're messed up, but don't incessantly wallow in self-pity!  I may be being a little harsh, but seriously.  Get a grip.

Kayden, the love interest, was a complete a**hat in the beginning.  Even towards the end of the book I couldn't stand him!  All he thought about was sex, sex, sex.  I never felt any of his real emotions towards Callie while reading his POV.

Callie, the damaged girl, is an okay main character, but her constant self-pity was pretty aggravating.  I'm not going to say what happened to her because that would be a spoiler, but it is pretty bad.  Although, that doesn't mean she had to let it take over her life.

Are you going to read the second book?
Ummm....no.

Overall, I'm giving The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden a 2/5 because the plot was overrated and nothing substantial transpired between the two main characters.

Perfect Chemistry

Title: Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1)

Author: Simone Elkeles

Genre: YA/Romance/Fiction

Release Date: December 23, 2008

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. 

 When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes.  She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. 

 Alex is a bad boy and he knows it.  So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it.  But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. 

 In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

~ Goodreads

Perfect Chemistry is absolutely ahh-maaa-ziiing!  I could not put it down!  I was a bit reluctant to get it just because of the whole gang theme, but in the end Perfect Chemistry was a winner.

Brittany Ellis has it all: money, a jock boyfriend, a nice car, designer clothes.  But her home life is the exact opposite.  An eccentrically psychotic mother, a father that disappears almost every night, and a sister that needs her more than she can imagine.
When Alex Fuentes walked into Brittany's life, the last thing she ever expected between them was chemistry.
Alex Fuentes is a hard-core gang banger.  He's hard on the outside and likes to keep it that way.  But when Alex takes a bet to get with Brittany, he gradually uncovers the real girl underneath all the designer clothes and makeup.  And he falls hard.

So, this is sort of like Romeo & Juliet, girl and boy fall for each other, but their families and backgrounds are not in the least compatible.  Star-crossed lovers.  And let me tell you, Brittany and Alex are polar opposites; Brittany is soft and girly, while Alex is gritty and a total bad boy.
I really liked that the story was told from alternating view points, because I got to get a glimpse into Alex and Brittany's mind and home life.  I have to say, I preferred Brittany's view point just because she was easier to relate to and her life wasn't as complicated as Alex's.

Brittany and Alex's relationship developed at a steady pace.  Their interactions were very fluent and produced sparks, hence the title.  I loved watching Alex fall for Brittany, a girl he never imagined for himself and vice versa.  So sweet!

There were also some really humorous scenes.  The wedding scene (Paco!) is the funniest, in my opinion.  I couldn't stop laughing because it was too comical!

If you like modern love stories with a major twist, then you should definitely consider reading Perfect Chemistry!

Overall, I'm giving Perfect Chemistry a 5/5 because I loved the star-crossed lovers theme and who couldn't love this book?  It's amazing.