A Look Back At The Past & A Look To The Future

(Or New Year's Eve, technically)

I wouldn't say 2014 was one of my best years.

End of The Year Book Survey: 2014 Edition

Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner hosts the end of year survey each year and this will be my first time participating, still being a bit new and all!

Review: Amour Amour by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Amour Amour by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Publication Date: December 12, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Page Count: 347 pages

Summary: The best aerial technique won’t land 21-year-old Thora James her dream role in Amour—a sexy new acrobatic show on the Vegas strip. Thora knows she’s out of her element the second she meets Amour’s leading performer. Confident, charming and devilishly captivating, 26-year-old Nikolai Kotova lives up to his nickname as the “God of Russia.” When Thora unknowingly walks into the cross hairs of Nikolai’s after-show, her audition process begins way too soon. Unprofessional. That’s what Nik calls their “non-existent” relationship. It’s not like Thora can avoid him. For one, they may be partners in the future--acrobatic partners, that is. But getting closer to Nik means diving deeper into sin city and into his dizzying world. Thora wants to perform with him, but when someone like Nikolai attracts the spotlight wherever he goes—Thora fears that she’s destined to be just background to his spellbinding show.

I didn't hear about Amour Amour until very recently, as I was currently reading the Addicted series by the same authors. I was already completely hooked on the series because of the writing, the characters, and their chemistry with each other whether through friendships or relationships. These authors do such a good job with all the aspects of a book that I truly love, so I decided I had to try Amour Amour. Especially since I was just finishing the last of the Addicted books. I had high expectations all things considered, and I was not let down! I really loved this one as well.

Best Books of 2014

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

This Weeks Topic: Top Ten Books of 2014

The Busy Week Ahead and Some New Possibilities.

No discussion post or deep thoughts this week...or last week. Why, one might wonder (or not)?

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Publication Date: Semptember 27, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Page Count: 456 pages

Summary: Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can. She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is. She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong. (via goodreads)

So, I've known about this series for quite a while now. At first I didn’t realize the last book had come out until recently but it’s been around and I've seen all sorts of mixed reviews for it, which left me intrigued because I more often see a collective love or dislike of a lot of books from the reviewers/bloggers I follow. Then Jess from My Reading Dress reviewed the series and I decided I had to finally give it a try. I have to say, I ended up enjoying the first book.

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

This weeks topic: Books I look forward to in 2015.

Review: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Dial Books
Page Count: 371 pages

Summary: Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

I’ll Give you The Sun is the second young adult novel by Jandy Nelson, her debut being The Sky Is Everywhere. I enjoyed her debut so much; the imagery in her writing captures the emotions of her characters so well and the writing is beautifully poetic, which gives a certain feel to the words on the page. It’s almost overwhelming to read her prose and the emotions that are evoked. I can say the same for this one as well. She so easily makes my chest tighten for Lennie, Noah, and Jude.

Waiting On Wednesday: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

This weekly meme is hosted by Breaking The Spine.

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Page Count: 320 pages

Summary: Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn't play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised. With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Why am I excited about this? Because of that summary!! It just seems like a really interesting story to experience, and something much more diverse. Super excited to see how good this one could be. Also, I love the whole idea of relationship building over email, so that will also be really interesting to read about. Plus, I really like that cover!

What's your pick this week?

Top Ten To Read This Winter

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

This weeks topic: Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR List!

Do you find one more important than the other?

This probably isn't a new topic, especially among writers and those who create the stories we read, and it's one professors in my literature courses have touched on as well. But, it’s a question I've asked myself and thought on plenty of times, and I’m curious about the opinions of others in regard to this train of thought.

Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

While this review isn't full of spoilers I don't recommend reading it unless you've read the previous books. Unless of course, you're a rebel, then read on!

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (Book Three)
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Page Count: 562 pages

Summary: Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat–and his own toughest enemy. While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love? (via goodreads)

Leaving Our Comfort Zones

A Return to Erilea: Review of Crown of Midnight

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (Book Two)
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Page Count: 420 pages

Summary: From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil. Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart. Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for. (via goodreads)

WOW: I Was Here by Gayle Forman

This weekly meme is hosted by Breaking The Spine.

I haven't done one of these in quite a while! There are a great many books I'm waiting on, so this was a tough one to decide for this week.

I Was Here by Gayle Forman
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Page Count: 288 pages

Summary: Cody and Meg were inseparable. Two peas in a pod. Until . . . they weren't anymore. When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question. I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss. (source: goodreads)

I loved If I Stay/Where She Went and I'm planning to read Just One Day/Just One Year as soon as possible, but this one sounds just as good. Gayle Forman does heartbreak and sad so well.  I want January to come fast!!

What are you waiting on for this week?

Top Ten Character I Wish Would Get Their Own Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and The Bookish.

It's actually quite hard for me to get attached to characters outside the main one or two. At least, enough for me to want more from them. When I do, usually, it's for companion series' that allow me to eventually experience a book with that character, so I did my best to name a few!

Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Publication Date: May 24, 2012
Publisher: Orion Books
Page Count: 422 pages

Summary: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

Honestly this was me through a lot of the book.

Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful ladies over at The Broke and The Bookish.

The weeks topic: Top Ten Books I want to reread.

So, I'm actually a big rereader. If I'm in the mood for something very specific and I know I've already read a book that has that something I'll often just reread instead of finding something new to fit my mood. Other times I just loved the book so much I want to experience it all over again.

Let's have a chat about my absence.

WoW: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

This weekly post is hosted by Breaking The Spine.

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
Page Count: 368 pages

Summary: Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him. Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined. A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

I've read Evernight and Stargazer by this author but never got around to finishing the other books in the series, but I should because I did enjoy the first two very much. The summary for this one is very intriguing, especially the complication around Pauls character! I would love to see how that will play out.

What's your most anticipated book this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a post hosted by the girls at The Broke and The Bookish on a weekly basis. This weeks topic is "Books on My Summer TBR List" so here are some books I look forward to reading this summer.

Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

(short note: Sorry for the major delay in posts! Busy times so I didn't have much time available for putting together posts. So I'm getting back into the groove of things with this review, so it's on the short and simple side.)

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Publication Date: May 4, 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Page Count: 344 pages

Summary: Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is my first journey into the world of Morgan Matson novels. I've had this one on my to read list for a while now but I just hadn't brought myself to read it yet. Then Since You've Been Gone (will be reviewed in the future) came out and all the excitement and love over this book and for Matson in general had me deciding, I just have to give her books a try! I have to say, I wasn't disappointed with this one at all. I love discovering new voices who come to be some of my favorites.  

The novel starts off with Amy, who's left alone in her old house for the last month before summer and the new beginning in a new place, as per her mother's choice. Due to some things that have yet to be revealed in the story, instead of Amy driving herself across country to get to her new home, she's joined by Roger. Roger agreed to drive her because he's also going to the east coast to visit his father after finished his semester at school. Both are meeting for the first time right before heading off on their little adventure.  

Amy and Roger's Detour was a delightful little read about learning how to deal with grief and letting go for the sake of the future as well as emotional healing. Amy and Roger both have their fair share of emotional turmoil and incidents to come to terms with and together they grow as they continue to travel from state to state, ignoring the itinerary made by Amy's mother. While it doesn't take long to understand what Roger is dealing with, Amy's story is revealed slowly within the novel, within length of her acceptance and understanding. I enjoyed the evolution of their relationship with each other, and the growth of their friendship and the camaraderie that builds on the road trip. It's not forced or superficial, nor is it something that moves too fast. For me, it was just right and unique to them. Both were also great characters to read about outside their relationships. Amy specifically, with what we see of her and her brother and his own healing as well. I wish we'd gotten to see more between Amy and her mother, how they were able to work through things together but the book still had a great end to it.  

Overall, this was a great first novel to start by Morgan Matson. Second Chance Summer will be the next one I'll try.

Waiting on Landline by Rainbow Rowell

This weekly post is hosted by Breaking The Spine.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Page Count: 320 pages

Summary: Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now. Maybe that was always besides the point. Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her. When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything. That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . . Is that what she’s supposed to do? Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened? (via goodreads) 

I truly enjoy everything I've read from Rainbow Rowell so far, and Fangirl is one of my favorite book for sure! So, I am definitely looking forward to this book because she always knows how to hook me with her writing and her characters. Plus, I do love the simple but eye catching cover designs for her books!

What's your most anticipated book this week?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the girls over at The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is "Books about friendship." I haven't managed to read that many books with a theme of friendship so here are some I've read where friendship and growth are big themes, as well as a couple on my to read list.

Review: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Publication Date: December 1, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Page Count: 374 pages

Summary: Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland--known as The Death Shop--are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild--a savage--and her only hope of staying alive. A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile--everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

What I Liked: The world Veronica Rossi created. It wasn't just a dystopian young adult novel, but there was such underlining science fiction aspects to it, and it was an interesting telling of the world after great disaster. Such as the world of Reverie and how everyone who lived there could go anywhere they wanted in the world, create realms filled with the things the love most, do what they wanted most, just with a thought. It's a world that seems almost perfect on the surface, a paradise that the people who run Reverie want others to crave. Then we have the world of the outsiders, a world aptly named The Death Shop. It's a place of many dangerous things, and stories are past around Reverie about what lives out there. Cannibals, Savages, and the deadly Aether Storms that are feared by all in the pods. And the outsiders aren't the same as those in Reverie, biologically. This was a really interesting aspect of the story, especially when it comes to Perry and his sense of smell descriptions of Aria and the others from Reverie. 

Perry. Oh Perry. From the moment he was introduced I was intrigued by him, even if Aria wasn't quite fond of him. He's the complete opposite of Aria in the way he grew up and the life he's used to. It's a lot harsher, and he's learned to survive danger in a way only Aria has been able to imagine. There's not much to condemn when it comes to how Perry and his village has had to survive (outside the certain events). I couldn't help but feel for him either when you get to know him and his full story. Outside the circumstances of where he lives, he's not had an easy life emotionally. And the way his feelings of distaste for Aria gradually changes, had my heart going soft big time. 

Roar. This character was a delightful surprise to find in Under The Never Sky. He's the kind of charming character who makes you smile when things get tough, and provides the laughs when you need him to. But he's not just a comic relief, he's a character that I fell for just as much as I did for Perry, especially when you get to see what's under the funny and charm he exudes constantly. His fondness for Perry and eventually Aria evolved so nicely. I don't think I can even fully describe the evolution of feelings that built for this character, he was just there in my heart by the end of it. All of his scenes in the book were some of the best. 

What I didn't really like: The lack of world building. Rossi creates a universe that's pretty amazing but there isn't enough descriptors when it comes to making sense of things for the reader. You have to pretty much assume what certain things mean or how certain things look like. When it comes to dystopian/fantasy novels there should be more building for the setting to pull the reader into your story. Reverie was just brushed on, as well as the Death Shop and the extent of the world outside the pods. This part of the novel could have been added to. 

Lastly, I wasn't too fond of Aria. At least, in the beginning. It was very annoying to see her prejudices and emotions over her situation being pushed onto Perry. I couldn't sympathize for very much until she finally quit it with her preconceived ideas and thoughts to see what was really in front of her. That's when I began to see how things changed between her and Perry, and her relationships with Roar and the others along the way in the novel. 

However, it was an enjoyable novel overall and there were plenty of things I enjoyed enough that the weak points didn't greatly impact how I felt about the story. I will definitely be continuing the series and most of what I see from others say that it gets even better in the next book of the trilogy.

Waiting On Wednesday

Weekly post hosted by Breaking The Spine.

Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Page Count: 352 pages

Summary: Despite their rowdy hookups, Harlow and Finn don't even like each other...which would explain why their marriage lasted only twelve hours. He needs to be in charge and takes whatever he wants. She lives by the Want-something-done? Do-it-yourself mantra. Maybe she’s too similar to the rugged fisherman—or just what he needs. (via goodreads)

The two writers behind Christina Lauren know how to write some fun and sexy reads and some of the best male characters I've read when it comes to contemporary adult romances. Not to mention I like the design behind the covers. I'm pretty much at the stage where I'll read anything they come out with. The first book in this series, Sweet Filthy Boy, just came out today as well and I'm waiting on my copy in the mail!

So what are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books About Friendship

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is "Books I almost put down but didn't."

• Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I'm not even going to lie about my brief moment of shallowness when I read about Etienne being shorter than Anna but I told myself to shush it and keep reading and I loved him!
• Hopeless by Colleen Hoover - I actually put this one to the side several times before I finally read it all the way through. I have no idea why it was such a struggle in the beginning because wow, it was not what I was expecting.
• Frenched by Melanie Harlow - This one simply started of slow for me. It turned out to be a nice easy read.
• The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken - This is another one I simply put to the side or stalled in favor of other books but it was an interesting one!
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - kept stalling. Then I was properly introduced to the Darkling, heh.
• This Girl by Colleen Hoover - I wasn't fond of this series being three books, because so much drama and heartache but I don't like leaving a series unfinished. It turned out to be a good read!

I found six for this weeks! I didn't have sufficient time today like I usually do to do something creative to get to the full ten so I found these for my list pretty quickly. I ended up enjoying every one of these so I have to say I'm glad I didn't put them down or quit them! Mostly at the time of reading each of them the first time, I wasn't in the mood for the kind of story they were so I switched to reading something else. No regrets!

What are some of the books you ended up not putting down? Are you glad you didn't?

Book Skimming

So lets say you find a book to read. Interesting summary, it looks like it has potential. Nice cover too, nothing that turns you away if cover design is something important to you when it comes to choosing reads. You start the book and so far, no complaints!

So far, the characters seem ok, you start to like them more as you read. The plot isn't bad at all either, though maybe you're not sure yet because all hasn't been revealed or you're waiting to see how things go down at the climax to judge. But you get to the climax and then bam, things go down the drain. Plot events aren't going the way you think they should in the book and it's frustrating you so much you want to throw the book but you also don't want to flounce because you must. See. The end. 

The end is what could change your feelings or make them build but ultimately the conflict has changed the game up. However, you're getting impatient and the plot has gotten you so worked up and you want it to end so you do the unthinkable: you skim. You try to catch the dialogue as quick as possible, you find yourself skipping or glancing at the thoughts in between, and your eyes are moving across the page fast enough that some words may blur. You just find yourself working hard to get to the finish line that ultimately the full reading experience has changed.

Does this sound familiar? I have to say, sometimes it can be me. Sometimes books throw me into such an unpleasant loop that my impatience wins and I do a lot of skimming. I try to keep myself from taking a peek at the end, though I have done that before as well *hides*. And, maybe it's silly, but I feel a little ashamed. Because when skimming you miss the little stuff, and they might be as important to the story as the overall picture. Like, I'm breaking some rule in the world of reading or something! But sometimes books can just make you go a little crazy, I suppose. And sometimes when this happens, it leaves me disatisfied with the book so I'm usually give it a rating of about 3 or lower. It takes a lot for me to quit in the middle of a book, so maybe this is a topic that goes along with going the DNF route that many have discussed before.

So, it begs the question: do you skim? For similar reasons or completely different ones? Let me know your thoughts!

Enter the world of Erilea: Review of Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Publication Date: August 7th 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Page Count: 404 pages

Summary: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

I started Throne of Glass excited about what this story would bring because, once again, I'd seen a lot of positive things being said by other people, bloggers included. I definitely get excited when I see a big amount of people loving the same book! I also like the fantasy genre, though it's a genre I don't read heavily because I can be a bit picky. However this series did not disappoint! It was like a mixture of game thrones and a bit like some fantasy novels I've read by Tamora Pierce. It also took me a bit longer to read because I made the mistake of starting right before finals week. It seriously took all my willpower to study and write papers instead of reading this book.

Throne of Glass gives us Celaena, a trained assassin at 18 years old, forced to slave away in a place called Endovier for her crimes. She gets an opportunity for freedom when Dorian asks her to be his champion in a battle of sorts for the choice of being the King's chosen assassin for 4 years and eventual freedom. Celaena was a really interesting character to read about, to be honest. She was young but she didn't had the opportunity to truly be young since the start of her training as assassin from such an early age. Yet she still managed to laugh, have sass, be confident, and have strength in her character, considering the trials she's faced in her short life.

I enjoyed the fact that she didn't fall all over Dorian Havalliard from the start, considering his good looks and the charm he exuded. However, when their relationship started progressing, it seemed so stale on her end. It was easy to see his feelings and the progression but even when she stopped hating him I just didn't feel she was on his level. Dorian was still an enjoyable character on his own. His humor lightened up many moments and his affection that built for her was sweet to witness. Especially nice to read, was his rebellion against the King in such little ways. The dynamic between her and Chaol, however, was perfect. I feel like there was more between them under the surface. The build up of their camaraderie was done so well. However there still wasn't a huge focus on romance in the series and I can't say I have an actual preference in choice for her (though I do really like Chaol). Nehemia was also spectacular. There was so much going on for her and her friendship with Celaena and I can't wait to see her continued part of the series. And it was great to see another strong female who was fighting in her own way just as Celaena did.

The actually plot of the book was amazingly done. I like the set up and the complexity of the world Celaena lived in. The whole politics behind the King's treacherous behavior was easy to grasp, as well as the hate that builds for him and all the destroying he's done over the years. You sort of build up a hate for him along with her. The whole championship thing was frustrating and intense, especially the way the others (mostly Cain) treated her. The whole murder mystery plot with the other contestants was a bit predictable though. There was only a split second where I doubted the culprit or the story behind what was happening but it wasn't too hard guessing who. The how or why though, that was tricky indeed. And Kaltain. Lord, I felt more anger for her than the rest. The King being close behind.

Overall, Throne of Glass was the perfect fantasy read for me. The characters were enjoyable and complex and the plot didn't bore me to tears in any parts. I was able to take it slow and enjoy the ride. There was even well done humor in several parts of the book. It was also nice for the book to end without a massive cliffhanger. I will definitely be continuing this series when I can.

Waiting on Wednesday

Weekly post hosted by Breaking The Spine.

Boomerang by Noelle August
Publication Date: July 15th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
Page Count: 304 pages

Summary: Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen with its no-fuss, no-commitments matchups, and where work is steamier than any random hook-up. Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They’re sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret. Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters. What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they’re now competitors for only one job at the end of summer. As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?

This book is a new one by Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger under the pseudonym Noelle August. I've read the first book in Rossi's YA series so far and enjoyed it but I was looking forward to this one before that reading it as well! What's your pick this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Covers As Pieces of Art

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by the girls over at the broke and bookish. This weeks Top Ten is "Book covers I'd frame as pieces of art."

Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Burned by Karen Marie Moning (Fever Series)
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour
Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine
Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blackman
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
Ink by Amanda Sun (Paper Gods Series)
Museum of Intangible Things by Wendy Wunder

There aren't really a lot of book covers I love so much that I'd use them as pieces of art but these are the current ones I could find that I'd be willing to do so! My absolute favorites from the top ten are Nina LaCour's new upcoming release, Museum of Intangible Things, and the UK version of Dreams of Gods. I just really like a variety of aesthetically pleasing things from minimalist/simplistic to floral and feminine.

What book covers do you love enough that you'd frame them? Or maybe even just stare at them in awe?

Review Time: Monster In His Eyes

Note: this book is categorized as erotica and may have some darker elements that aren't suitable for viewers under the age of 18.

Monster In His Eyes by J.M. Darhower
Publication Date: April 27th, 2014
Publisher: Self-published
Page count: 350 pages

Summary: Ignazio Vitale is not a good man. I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I'm thinking before I even do. It's alarming and alluring. It's dark and deadly. It's everything I've ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession. It doesn't take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it's too late. He has secrets, secrets I can't fathom, secrets that make it so I can't walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that's both terrifying and thrilling. He's a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything. I want to hate him. Sometimes, I do. But it doesn't stop me from loving him, too. (via goodreads)

J.M. Darhower is quickly becoming one of those authors that I'll read anything they write. The characters and the realistic but intriguing worlds of danger she can write have me hooked instantly (also she's a nice lady). In Monster in His Eyes, J.M. Darhower gives readers a book that has you wondering from the very beginning how things are going to go. What's being hidden? Who is Ignazio Vitale? And more importantly, why is he a monster?

Ignazio “Naz” Vitale was mesmerizing from the start. He was silent and deadly, captivating Karissa so very quickly. He captivated me quickly. On the outside he was calm and controlled but there always seemed to be something going on in his head. As if he was calculating every action he took as well as the actions of those around him. There was no doubting his danger, even if Karissa was slowly being seduced into believing there was none at all with him. This man had me on the edge of my seat until the end of the book. There was no doubting the storm going on behind his eyes, the darkness that he let out in gradual stages as he spent time with Karissa.

Karissa herself was likeable, and she was also so wrapped into the mystery and sex appeal of Naz so she's easily persuaded into a sense of safety. This, as a reader, sets you on edge even if you're being seduced almost as easily as she is. However, I was screaming in my head “Watch out!” But, when push comes to shove she does have her own spark that comes out. The tension between her and Naz was a great thing to see, especially with how the age difference plays in. It was sexy without there being overdone or full of sex. I hope that in the next book, with the big reveal being out, that we get to see more of her spark and the angry passion building between her and Naz.

Overall, this was a great read for me personally. It was dark in a way I hadn't found before (but dark in the way I can occasionally enjoy) and the mystery of Naz's secret went in a completely different direction than I was expecting to witness. I don't want to say too much about certain part's of the book considering how big everything is in regard's to the plot. Great characters, and great story; I couldn't have asked for more from Darhower's mind.

Desperately Waiting (on Wednesday)

Weekly post hosted by Breaking The Spine.

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Publication Date: July 1st, 2014
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books (Penguin)
Page Count: 384 pages

Summary: Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.

I like the premise for this one, and I have her other books on my to read list, and I bought an actual copy of one of them both for the summary and the pretty cover, so I hope I enjoy it, as well as this one in the future! What titles are you waiting on?

Top Ten Books if you like...True Blood!

This meme is hosted by the girls over at The Broke and The Bookish.

Ok I like many things paranormal/fantasy and a touch campy when it comes to some of my entertainment. True Blood is just that while also being a bit badass at times (and with some romance added).

Crux by Moira Rogers (Southern Arcana)

Summary: Jackson Holt makes a decent living as a private investigator in New Orleans. When a local bar owner asks him to do a little digging on her newest hire. New Orleans is the fourth destination in as many months for Mackenzie Brooks, a woman on the run from a deranged stalker. After all, any man who shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her destined lover has more than a few screws loose. But crazy doesn't explain why he always finds her no matter how far she runs. When her well-meaning boss puts a PI on her case, Mackenzie comes face to face with the incredible truth: magic is real, and whatever spell has kept her hidden and separate from the paranormal world is rapidly deteriorating.

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian (Midnight Breed)
Summary: When Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed—a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite. Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind—and the unwitting humans existing alongside them—from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark Hunters)

Summary: He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance. Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win.

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole (Immortals After Dark)
Summary: After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him. Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle.Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks (Love At Stake)

Summary: Three signs that something is very different with your new man: 1) He sleeps all day...which would be annoying except he's so attentive at night. 2) He's attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own. 3) He never seems to age. Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There's something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she's never been with a man so charming, so attractive...so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn't after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.

Bit The Jackpot by Erin McCarthy (Vegas Vampires)
Summary: Vampire Seamus Fox is supposed to be the campaign manager for a Vampire Nation presidential candidate. Instead, he finds himself running around Vegas keeping tabs on the candidate's wife and female entourage. Seamus has had his fill of women: a disastrous and deadly love affair has haunted him for over two centuries. Talk about baggage. But suddenly he finds himself obsessed with a mysterious stripper who dances behind a screen. The sultry yet shy Cara Kim whets his appetite for more, but leave it to Seamus to fall fangs over feet for that rarest of Vegas attractions-a good girl. After a sudden run-in on the street, though, they may soon have a lot more in common...

Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy (Accidentally Friends)

Summary: It's a lousy first day on the job for Nina Blackman when a patient, loopy from the anesthesia, bites her. At least he was cute. But for real drama she can't beat the next evening. Nina wakes up with a set of razor-sharp fangs, bionic vision, supersonic hearing, and a taste for blood. But there's a good explanation: It's her patient, Long Island vampire Greg Statleon. Actually they're perfect for each other if Nina's willing to commit to one man for eternity.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson)
Summary: Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson is a talented Volkswagen mechanic living in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. She also happens to be a walker, a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will. Mercy's next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a bus for a vampire. This is the world of Mercy Thompson, one that looks a lot like ours but is populated by those things that go bump in the night. And Mercy's connection to those things is about to get her into some serious hot water... 

Wicked Enchantment by Anya Bast (Dark Magick)

Summary: All eyes are on Gabriel Mac Braire the day he makes his first appearance in the Seelie Court, including those of Aislinn Finvarra. Despite deep bitterness over her last failed relationship, Aislinn cannot help but be curious about the half incubus who is known to possess dark magick, both lethal and sexual in nature. Rumors abound of the women who have become enslaved to his irresistible charms. So when the Summer Queen of the fae orders Aislinn herself to act as his guide in the court, she is understandably on guard. She's fallen under the spell of far less persuasive men before. In addition, Gabriel might be more than he seems, and his true mission is far from innocent.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake)
Summary: Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees—with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting—to help figure out who and why. Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along—yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters—both dead and alive.