The Pact by Karina Halle

     The Pact, by Karina Halle, was exactly what she promised us it would be...a hot, feel good story. Linden and Steph have been friends since they were 21, and started working together at a bar with their friend James. Fast forward a few years and they're at 25, rehashing their horrible dates, when Linden first introduces the idea of a pact to get married to each other at thirty if they aren't in serious relationships. This book takes us through the years, and shows us the ups and the downs of their friendships and relationships. Then comes year thirty and its when shit starts to get real.
     I'm giving this one a four. It was fun to read (except when I was reading the extremely dirty scenes and praying someone wasn't looking over my shoulder), and it was a fast read. I think one of the most exciting things for me was how fast this book came out. One second I'm getting teaser emails from the newsletter I subscribed to (Ps you want to subscribe to her newsletter) and then one second later the book comes out (okay maybe there was a week or two in between there, but it flew by). The characters were all super lifelike and realistic. I appreciated how realistic they seemed and how often the f word was dropped. That honestly made it seem more realistic. The one part that I hated, was the shit talking on my bruins. Who even likes the sharks? (not I, that's for damn sure). It was the only part I genuinely didn't like, but that was for team loyalty reasons. Next time can they at least be Kings fans?
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To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

     "What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them...all at once?
Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hat box her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved- five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's live life goes from imaginary to out of control." Sounds like it"ll be a fun read right?
    I am giving this book a 2. I don't like not enjoying a book, almost as much as I don't like giving a bad review. The book wasn't written terribly, nor was it covered in grammatical errors. The story itself is what killed me, and the ending. I was pretty p'd off after that ending to be honest with you. I like conflicts to have resolutions, and I don't like cliffhanger type endings when there is no second book. Be prepared, because that is what happens in this one. There was also something about the way the way the characters acted and spoke that just didn't feel real to me. It felt entirely too made up, when it didn't have to, and I think that was one of the biggest problems for me. I wanted so hard to like this book, and I kept waiting for it to get better, but there were only bits and pieces of it that I truly enjoyed. The only character who really made me happy was Kitty. She was perfect, and also the reason this is getting a two.

A is for Abstinence by Kelly Oram

     A is for Abstinence, the sequel to V is for Virgin, was perfection. Per.Fec.Tion. It was like one big long perfect epilogue. This book took us through Kyle’s bad breakup, and him joining the abstinence team. What this book really showed was Kyle growing up. It was from his perspective, which was really a lot better than I expected, and it showed him slowly working his way towards winning Val back, and keeping her. There were a few ups and downs, and it took a lot for them to start to trust each other.

     I am giving this book a 4.5. The book ended really abruptly. I was definitely not expecting the end to actually be the end. That being said, I am really happy with the ending. While I would love to continue to read more and more about Val and Kyle, I was worried some terrible thing was going to come up after the end. I feel like I am not giving you very many details, but I don’t want to go too crazy and spoil the whole book, which pretty much leaves me useless (other than me telling you that you need to go and read this). This book had me laughing again and again. You’d think you’d get sick of Kyle at some point, but you really don’t. And I LOVED the side of him that we really got to see. It was just done really well, and I almost couldn’t be happier (I really just want to know if Val becomes the President).

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V is for Virgin by Kelly Oram

     V is for Virgin, by the ever entertaining Kelly Oram, was more serious than I expected it to be, while still being really fun at the same time. Valerie was adopted because her mom got pregnant really young (her first time having sex too) and knew she couldn’t raise a child. She gave a necklace and a letter to the adoptive parents, who then gave them to Valerie, and she has always kept with her. She makes a promise to herself that she won’t have sex until she’s married, and she isn’t backing down from that. This inevitably leads to her boyfriend breaking up with her and breaking her heart, and a recorded showdown in a cafeteria that goes viral. We get to see Val pushed to her limits on many different fronts, and constantly being bombarded by offers that she can’t turn down, and offers that she most definitely can. Things spiral out of control, and in the end she needs to do what’s right for her.

     I am giving this book a four. It was serious, but still had a lot of parts that were funny and ridiculously over the top (in the best way possible). I think what I liked most was how true to herself she stayed, and how she could actually see other people’s arguments. I liked how even when she knew doing something would hurt her heart, she still did the right thing for her. This book had a lot of layers to it, and while the main character has a strong message, this book wasn’t preachy in the least. The ending of this book was definitely a surprise (as well as a big time leap), and I am seriously just hoping the next book picks up exactly where this one left off.

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Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram

     Cinder & Ella, the fairy tale take on Cinderella, by Kelly Oram, was fantastic. I honestly can’t remember the last time my face hurt from smiling so much while reading a book. This story takes us through Ella’s tragic loss of her mom, her slow painful recovery from the accident, bullying at school, creating a relationship with a father than abandoned her, dealing with evil stepsisters, and an online pen pal she’s having a hard time not falling in love with. It sounds like a lot right? It’s not. This book shows how friendship can help you heal, and that forgiveness is always possible, especially when given the truth. It also shows how people can deal with the truth better than you might give them credit for. This story has the fun factor of Hollywood, and a serious dose of nerd. It’s basically got everything.

     I am giving this book a five. It more than deserves it too. Sometimes I go off of young adult and new adult novels for chick lit and romance (and sometimes even a little mystery and thriller), but nothing has the magic feels that young adult and new adult books have. This one captured it, and I honestly refused to put the book down (even to miss the season finale of House of DVF). The writing in here is really good, the characters are all very well developed, and you get to watch them change and grow, and see how they better themselves. The dialogue was perfect; it wasn’t too studied nor did it feel like the author was trying too hard, it just flowed with perfection. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book. I cried happy and sad tears, I laughed through almost the entire book, and I was surprisingly content with the ending. You really need to make it a point to go and read this immediately, it’s more than likely better than the book you’re reading now. 

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Find Her Free Her by Robyn Roze

     Find Her Free Her, the last book in the keeper trilogy, has been my favorite so far. This book was definitely the resolution I was waiting for, and the final answers I was waiting for. This book takes us to Olivia as she travels around the world, adventuring and hiding from Nick. There are a few big blowouts, and a lot of steamy scenes, coupled with some amazing scenery that takes you all over. I don't want to say too much about what happens because I'm pretty sure I'll give it all away.
     I'm giving this last one a 4.5, mainly because of the entire epilogue, which was definitely more than just the labeled epilogue. Very few books ever give me the epilogue I so desire, and this one did a good job of delivering just that. I really liked how this book gave the final answers, and didn't leave me needed or wanting more. It didn't create new questions either. I feel like the actual labeled epilogue almost did create new questions, but really just showed the side of Nick that we expected to see.
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Keep Her by Robyn Roze

     Keep Her, the second book in this trilogy by Robyn Roze, was definitely a little more intense than the first. This book takes us into Nick really finding out about Olivia and Jake, and where she’s going to go from there. She’s doing her best to keep her worlds from colliding, and seeing a side of Nick she hasn’t seen in a very long time. She has to decide who and what she can trust, and she has to find some kind of a solution before it all swallows her whole.

     I am giving this book a four. It definitely answered a lot of questions I had from the previous book, and it felt a lot more intense than the other book. The ending was very different as well. In the last book, I didn’t realize it was the end, but in this one I knew it was, even if I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet. We get to see a different side of Olivia, one where she finally snaps, and I think she really needed to do it. The last book is one that I am definitely beyond excited to get going on. 

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Keeper by Robyn Roze

     Keeper, by Robyn Roze, was definitely a keeper (see what I did there). Like the warning on Goodreads, this book really does leave you with A LOT of unanswered questions, and a serious cliff hanger ending. This book tells the story of Olivia meeting Jake, and dealing with being in a relationship with him and running/blocking out her past. There’s definitely something really big that happened in her past, and while we get hints (I have a few speculations), we don’t get anywhere near a thumbnail of a picture of what happened to her. And then there’s Nick. At first, he seemed liked a serious villain. I think he still might be, but I just have no idea what to think of him. He’s definitely got a lot of stuff that needs to be atoned for, and I’m hoping we’ll find out what those things are and if he makes up for it in the books to come.

     I am giving this book a four. The only part about this book that I didn’t really like was the tickling. Weird, I know, but when you read it, you’ll see. It just made me feel uncomfortable, and seemed a little unrealistic. Other than that though, the story line is good. It’s definitely intense, and it’s setting up something really good for the future books, which makes it even better. The dialogue in this book really seemed on point. None of the dialogue felt stiff, or forced, and the conversations felt normal and believable. All in all, I’m super excited for the next one. 

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Private Series (4-14) by Kate Brian

     The rest of the Private series novels, 4 through 14, were so good that I couldn’t stop reading to write my reviews, so I’m doing the rest of them in this one. The series was…crazy. Ridiculous. Absurd at many, many points. And So. Damn. Good. This series took some weird and crazy twists that I NEVER saw coming. None of them. I can’t even tell you anything that happened, and if I did, you wouldn’t believe me. What I can say is that Reed and Noelle and Josh and Ivy were some of my absolute favorite characters, through and through. That the bad guys and gals are capital B A D bad. I can’t tell you who lives and who dies, and I can’t tell you who stays together and breaks apart.

     I’m giving this series, as a whole, a four. The crazy shit that happened in a few of the last books didn’t really continue into the last book, and the last book wasn’t any kind of an epilogue like I was hoping for. There was too much not told for me to be really satisfied. The rest of the series though, was fantastic. It was like everything that happened was leading up to the last books (minus the last one). I feel like some of the super out of left field stuff was just a whim that maybe didn’t pan out, but sadly, I’ll never know. I realize I am making this sound super negative, but given everything that happened in the book and at the end, I’d read them all over again. I probably will. 

Untouchable by Kate Brian

     Untouchable, the next book in the Private series, was the best at the end. The Billing’s Girls seem to be saying things with double meanings, and Reed isn’t anybody’s fool. This book mainly shows Reed, and how she’s dealing with Thomas’s death (with a little help from his roommate Josh). Reed isn’t exactly very trusting of the girls, even after they told her they wouldn’t have any more secrets between them. Taylor disappears, and Reed is freaking out about that, on top of that Noelle gives her some insight relating to her new romantic interest, Josh. She doesn’t seem to know who to believe, and the end…the end was a cliffhanger that has me darting for the next book.

     I’m giving this one a 3. It was good, but most of it seemed more filler than thriller. The ending of the book is where things got really intense, especially with how the book ended. This book leaves you with a lot more questions than answers, and a lot more characters seem shady and not quite as genuine as they were starting to seem.

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Invitation Only by Kate Brian

     Invitation Only, the second book in the Private series, was a much steadier ride than the first book. This one takes us into the life of Reed and her beginnings in Billings. There is blackmail, and secrets (so many secrets), and traps, and lies, and plans, and a betrayal or two. This book focuses around some information that Reed is trying to find, as well as Reed trying to get invited to the most exclusive, and mysterious, party in all of Billing’s history. It’s where Thomas is going to be, if he’s going to be anywhere, so it’s where Reed needs to be. She also has the little matter of deciding on whether or not to betray her new friends to avoid expulsion (via some blackmail from another Billing’s girl, via some inappropriate pictures taken while she was drunk), or tell the girls what exactly is going on. So when I say it was a smooth ride, I really only mean that Reed actually got into Billings.

     I am giving this book a four. It took some turns I didn’t expect, and the ending was not a happy one. What I like most about this series is Reed’s character, seeing the tests the author (and the Billing’s girls) put her through, and seeing how true she can stay to herself. I like the moral compass aspect, and am curious to see how that continues. More so than anything, my review score is going to be based off of the actual story line for the rest of this series. The character development, and dialogue, haven’t changed in this book from the last, and what I’m really looking at is where the story goes, and what the characters are going to do. So far, so good.

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Private by Kate Brian

     Private, the first book in the Private Series by Kate Brian, started out slow, but picked up real quick. I started this series a long, long time ago (sound familiar House of Night series?), and now that all of the books are out, and I have some procrastinating to do, I’ve decided to start reading them (with huge thanks to a super good deal I got on all of them from Amazon). This book is the real introduction book, and while I usually find those to be insanely boring, this one did not fall into that category. If you read this book, and hate what you see at the beginning, KEEP READING. It gets SO much better. Reed, the main character, gets accepted into a super exclusive private school, leaving behind her old gray life, and pill popping mother. When she gets there she hopes to come out of her shell and be accepted, to be one of the girls, and to finally make friends after keeping her head down for a long, long time. She finds things are a lot more f’d up at her new school than she could have ever imagined, starting with her new boyfriend, and ending with her new “friends.”

     I am giving this book a solid 4.5 (which doesn’t really seem so solid). This book, while starting off really slow, was far more interesting than I remember it being. The book had a pretty serious feeling to it, and if what I remember, and feel, is right, it’s setting the stage for some big things to come. I like how there might be a little bit of foreshadowing in this book for what is to come with Ariana (and I hate to be that person to “look” for things in other’s writing), and I like everything about Noelle. This book was written very well; the dialogue was on point, and the characters very well developed. And now, I am dying to get started on the next.

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Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

     Perfect Scoundrels, the third book in the Heist Society series, has definitely been my favorite so far. This book follows Kat and her gang as they try and find stolen prototype and plans for said prototype, which belonged to Hale’s family’s company. Kat was hired to track down the will of Hale’s recently deceased grandmother, because her maid (and best friend) believed that someone had changed it. In this they found the family lawyer up to a whole lot of no good, and a set of events to sad to go into detail over (also, I’d be spoiling a lot of moments for you). This book was much sadder than the others, too many deaths came about, but it also had a lot of happy moments. We got to meet quite a few new family members, and there were some good twists that I definitely didn’t see coming in this one. My least favorite thing that happened was that we still don’t know Hales first name (what in the hell!).

     I am giving this one as four. It had the Bagshaw boy’s humor, and a much more serious feel than the others. It could be the recently deceased, and the dealing with the death of a loved one that gave it this feel, but I also think it was much more than that. This book was deeper than the others, and I think that’s where this book went right. I loved the connection we saw between Kat and her dad, and the way he grilled Hale about Kat (there were demands for goats involved, you really need to read it). I also loved how the family (the whole family) worked together, and how they all accept Hale as one of their own. Overall, this one was a roller coaster that I am really glad I went on. 

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Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

     Uncommon Criminals, the second book in the Heist series, was good. It takes place a little bit after the first one started, where Kat has been doing jobs by herself and generally making everybody mad at her (again). Then, she gets stopped by a stranger in the street and is asked to steal the Cleopatra Emerald back for her. This emerald is well known to be cursed, and after their first successful heist of it (yes, you heard me correctly, first), it seems to be that the crew might actually be a little bit cursed. This book takes you through the whole crew’s journey towards trying to steal the emerald back again, for its RIGHTFUL owner, and uncovers a lot of interesting pieces of family history, and old cons gone wrong surrounding past attempts at stealing the emerald.

     I’m giving this one a 3.5. It was good, but it didn’t have the same feeling as the first one did. The writing was still good, and the scenery was still interesting, but it just wasn’t as funny. I liked the story line in this one a lot, a little bit of history always makes me happy, and I hope that the author continues on with this theme in the next book. I’ve been partial to the WWII references (as it’s my favorite war to read anything about), and I hope she doesn’t stray too far. At the same time, I am hoping that more family secrets come out, and we that we finally get to learn Hale’s first name. 

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Heist Society by Ally Carter

     Heist Society, by the ever entertaining Ally Carter, was once again, not what I expected. Now, granted I didn’t read the book description, I just went off of the cover, and the fact that after I finished the Gallagher Girls series, I wanted to keep reading her books. All of this though, is beside the point. The first book in this series was, very much, a good read. In this book we find the main character, Katarina, about to be in trouble at her new private school for putting her headmaster’s car on top of a fountain. She has quit the thief live for good, and just wants to be a normal girl getting an education. Unfortunately, someone (a mob man is my best guess) thinks that Kat’s dad stole his precious paintings, and he’s only giving two weeks until he starts hurting the people Kat loves…her family (which is also a ring of thieves). This book takes them all over the world as they try and figure out who actually took the paintings, why, and how in the hell they are going to get them back.

     I’m giving this book a four. It was a very fast and entertaining read. I loved the brother characters more than anyone else. They were very funny, and perfectly mischievous. The rest of the characters were also very well done, but the brothers were my favorites. I liked this book because it intertwined a few things from the Gallagher Girls series, and I was really, really hoping it would (who’s excited to get to the crossover book? This girl!). The only thing I wasn’t too sure about in this book was the narration. It may be that I just didn’t pay enough attention to the narration, and only felt like it switched, but, for the most part, I just wish it would have exclusively from Kat’s point of view. As I mentioned before, this book was funny (thanks to the brothers), but it also had a sense of danger and suspense attached to it that I was really happy about. It had a few twists that I didn’t expect, but not so many that I was over it. Overall, I’m excited to get started on this next book.

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Gallagher Series by Ally Carter

     The Gallagher Girl series, all six of them, were much better than I expected them to be. I remember reading the first one (a long, long time ago), and not knowing there would be anymore, so I didn’t look for them. Randomly stumbling upon them in the bookstore, I didn’t really think twice about them. I don’t know what made me decide that I really wanted to read these (even though I really felt like I might be a bit too old), but I am very glad I did. If you read the first one, you too might think you are too old for them, but I urge you to continue on. This series changed into something I definitely didn’t expect it to change into. It gets better and better each book, and it really is a thrilling and enthralling ride. This series takes you through the school years of Cammie, and her friends, as they navigate their lives through spy schools, secret organizations that go back as far President Lincoln, and a plot to destroy everything.

     I am giving this series, as a whole, a four. The first book was my least favorite, but I think that is because it was more of an introduction novel than anything else. There were some characters I wanted to see more of (Josh), and some that I wish weren’t dead. There were a lot of twists that I never (ever) saw coming, and the one that I thought (and was really hoping) was coming, never did. The characters were all so much more than I thought they would be, and all very well developed. I think the author did a great job with the dialogue, and with the relationships between the characters. I think she also did a tremendous job with the locations and situations the characters were put into. This series was funny, suspenseful, entertaining, and much better than I expected. True to one the series titles, you really can’t judge a book by its cover.

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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

     We Were Liars. THIS BOOK!!! This book was about Cadence, and what happened in Summer Fifteen, as well as what is happening in Summer Seventeen. This story chronicles the adventures (and the misadventures) of “the liars” during their summers at Martha’s Vineyard. There is a lot more going on though, like the Aunties’ bitter feuds with each other (and their father) over their inheritances, the broken families that each of them seemed to have suffered, and the migraines and everything that Cadence seems to be forgetting about what happened in Summer Fifteen. This book was about memories and remembering, and pain, and love, and hard truths. This book was absolutely amazing.

“A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate political boy.

A group of four friends- the Liars- whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True Love.

The truth.”

     I am giving this book a solid five. The way this book was written made it a very interesting, fun, and fast read. I did not want to put it down at all (which made stopping to go back to work while reading on my lunch break very difficult). The characters were all really greatly written, and while I detested some of them (the grandfather), I couldn’t help but love a lot of them. The twists in this book…it was wonderful and heart wrenching all at the same time. It was not at all what I expected. I want to read more and more and more of this. I want there to be more to this story at the end, but I know that, sadly, there cannot be. 

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Love, in Spanish by Karina Halle

     Successful, wealthy and absurdly handsome – Spanish ex-football player Mateo Casalles seemed like he had it all.  A high-society wife, an adorable little girl, and flashy apartments in Madrid and Barcelona only sweetened the deal. But there was more to Mateo than met the eye – a life of uncertainty and regret that colored his black and white world.

That was until Vera Miles came into his life like a shooting star. Tattooed, wild and young, Vera seemed like Mateo’s polar opposite at first. But you can’t choose who you fall in love with, and the two lost souls did everything they could to be together, all while suffering grave consequences.

Now with Mateo divorced and living in Madrid with Vera, there is a whole new set of challenges and setbacks facing the couple and rocking the foundation of their star-crossed relationship.

Unfortunately for them, the brighter the star, the faster they burn.

     Love, in Spanish, was told entirely from Mateo’s point of view, and went a lot further along in Mateo and Vera’s story than I expected it too (a fact I am quite pleased about). I am giving this book a four. I loved the story, and getting to read more about Vera and Mateo. I wish his sister and his family were in this book more, but I’m happy for the scraps of them I got. While this book did show some more of the problems the couple had to face, it felt like a really long and fun epilogue. This book felt a little more passionate, but I think that had a lot to do with Mateo being the narrator of the story. One main thing I want to mention about this book, it won’t seem as good if you don’t read “Love, in English,” first. It’s a good story on its own, but it doesn’t have the same impact if you haven’t read the one that comes before it first.

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Love, in English by Karina Halle

Love, in English, is this book.
     "He's 38. I'm 23. He speaks Spanish. I speak English. He lives in Spain. I live in Canada. He dresses in thousand dollar suits. I'm covered in tattoos. He's married and has a five-year old daughter. I'm single and can't commit to anyone or anything. Until now. Because when they say you can't choose who you fall in love with, boy ain't that the truth. ***To a restless dreamer like Vera Miles, it sounded like the experience of a lifetime. Instead of spending her summer interning for her astronomy major, she would fly to Spain where she'd spend a few weeks teaching conversational English to businessmen and women, all while enjoying free room and board at an isolated resort. But while Vera expected to get a tan, meet new people and stuff herself with wine and paella, she never expected to fall in love. Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Latino charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something...more. Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time. Something that can never, ever be. Or so she thinks."
     I am giving this book a 4.5 because I think Vera freaked out a little too hard in Vancouver. Even saying that though, it still felt real. I just wish she handled being apart from him better. This book was silly, serious, sexy, and a really good story. One thing that I really loved about this was how the author didn't paint Vera as someone who was okay with cheating. She made Vera into one of my favorite characters I've ever read about. None of the other characters in the book could compare to her, but that is not to say that they weren't all pretty wonderful (except the mom, fuck the mom and the sister character). I love that the book took place in Spain (I am now dying to go there, thanks), and made it seem like a magical country. I loved that every time I though the book was going to end (e-reader problems), it didn't, and I didn't have to be sad yet. I wish I could have read more about their lives after the fact, but I can see that it wasn't exactly necessary. I also wish we could have seen the Spaniards a little more later on the book, but I'm needy and want everything.
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Stepbrother Dearest by Penelope Ward

     "You’re not supposed to want the one who torments you. When my stepbrother, Elec, came to live with us my senior year, I wasn’t prepared for how much of a jerk he’d be. I hated that he took it out on me because he didn’t want to be here. I hated that he brought girls from our high school back to him room. But what I hated the most was the unwanted way my body reacted to him. At first, I thought all he had going for him were his rock-hard tattooed abs and chiseled face. But things started changing between us, and it all came to a head one night. Then, just as quickly as he’d come into my life, he was gone back to California. It had been years since I’d seen Elec. When tragedy struck our family, I’d have to face him again. And holy hell, the teenager who made me crazy was now a man that drove me insane. I had a feeling my heart was about to get broken again”

     Stepbrother Dearest, by Penelope Ward, was…dirtier than I expected it to be. In the beginning of the book I thought that might be what would stand out the most from this novel, but I was definitely very wrong. The love story in this book, as well as the pain and hardship Elec and Greta had to go through, were beautiful. I have to give this book a 4.5. It was so funny, and sad, and moving. Elec’s books (the ones he wrote) were a really fantastic addition to this story, and a great way to give us more background into his life. The puns in this book, between Greta and Elec, were absolutely one of my favorite parts. They were just so casually and perfectly thrown in there you wouldn’t notice if your mind wasn’t already in the gutter (or you were someone who maybe finds ridiculous amounts of joy in terrible puns). I wish I could have read about Greta meeting Elec’s mom, and I am very hoping there will be another book where these characters all pop up in it.

     If you mix up the letters in Stepbrother Dearest you get a seriously great read (obviously not really, but I am not trying to find an anagram right now). 

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My Skylar by Penelope Ward

     My Skylar, by the amazingly talented Penelope Ward, was absolute perfection. There are two other books that go with this one, Gemini, and Jake Undone, but this can be read as a stand-alone (I don’t recommend this, read them both!). The main characters, Mitch and Skylar, go through about every possible thing you can imagine during their long and difficult relationship, including cancer (and contrary to what I expected, this is not another Fault in Our Stars type sad story), unplanned pregnancy, and crazy broads. In the book that came before this, you meet a very interesting Skylar during her time in the hospital when she has cancer. This book takes you to the before and after from that time. This novel also goes into the time she had cancer, but doesn’t spend too long on it.

     This book is above and beyond a five, but that is my highest rating, and there wasn’t a second thought or a doubt in giving it. This book was touching, and heartfelt, and beautiful, and sad, and happy, and real (and real dirty at some parts). It encompassed so many different things over a great deal of time for the two main characters. The author did an amazing job showing a relationship that was beyond difficult, that should have been impossible, but somehow love won out. It was truly beautiful. I was so excited to finally get around to reading this one that I didn’t reread the first two like I wanted. I highly, highly suggest you read those two as well. They are every bit as much as wonderful as this book was.

My Skylar:

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Gemini:

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Jake Undone:

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The One by Kiera Cass

     The last book in the Selection series, The One, has by far been my favorite. This book answered all of the questions I had (finally!) from the previous stories, and shocked me quite a few times with some of the things the characters stood for. While there were a lot of sad parts, there were a lot of funny parts to even it out. This book really delivered exactly what I was hoping it would. There were a lot of characters in here that you learned more about and loved (Celeste) or hated (Kota) even more (the king). We got to see a lot more about the rebels, more the northern rebels than the southern ones, but that definitely made it more interesting. So much happened in this story, and while I think the love story was a bit predictable, that was actually something I am really glad stayed constant.

     I’m giving this book a 4.5. The characters got better and better as the story wore on, and the humorous parts were some of my favorites. I really liked how the author tied the rebels into everything. The father character for America, and everything she came to in her little realizations about him, were absolutely fantastic. I had my ideas on that, and I was glad to see that I wasn’t wrong. In the end, this books was more political than love story status, and while I do love a good happy ever after, I loved the political aspects in this book more. The love story made it a better read, and gave it more character, but I think the themes in this book were way more than that, and absolutely perfect. 

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The Elite by Kiera Cass

     The second book in The Selection series, The Elite, answered some of the questions I had, but also created a lot more. Prince Maxon is something of an enigma, and I can’t tell if I love him or hate him. I also think that America is acting like an idiot sneaking around to see Aspen. Did she not witness, first hand, what happened to the other girl (notice how I didn’t tell you the name? I’m so good at not giving out spoilers)?! I really thought (aka was hoping) that Aspen was going to die during a rebel attack in this book; he doesn’t. I don’t know why, but I just really don’t like his character at all. It doesn’t make sense that he wanted America to participate in the selection so she could have a chance for something more, and then goes about trying to ruin it. I also HATE the king. You will also hate the king after reading this (if you don’t, you’re wrong).

     This book definitely was a little bit better than the last one. I’m giving this one a four, mostly because it actually answered some questions I wanted answered. I think this book went a lot further with the character development for the main characters. We got to see about twenty different sides of the prince’s personality, and learn a little bit more about some of the other girls in the selection, and America’s father (who reminds me a refined kind of hippy that’s actually kind of cool). I’m really excited to start the next book, not because I care about what happens in the Selection, but because I want to know what happens in the country and if there’s a change in the castes, and what it is exactly that the rebels are looking for. SEE! So many questions!

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The Selection by Kiera Cass

     The first book in The Selection series was both very much what I expected, and not at all what I expected it to be. I haven’t really gotten into kind-of-futuristic books before, so this was a little unexpected. This takes place after America has been taken over by China, attacked by Russia, and then turned into its own kingdom. I think what keeps me the most interested in these books are the questions of: who the rebels are and what do they want/what are they looking for? There are love stories intertwined, and it is very much like what I assume the bachelor is (I haven’t ever actually seen the show, so I have no idea). There is only one character’s point of view so far, and I’m glad it’s hers that we get, because out of all of the girls in the selection, she’s my favorite. One character I’m really hoping to see more of is the queen. I really think she’ll end up being a champion to the main character (probably not so ironically named America), and give us another interesting avenue to look down in this series.

     This book is getting a 3.5. It has left me with way more questions than answers, and while sometimes I think that’s appropriate, I don’t know how well it will bode for this series. In my case it’s leading me to read the next book. The writing was very well done in this, none of the dialogue seemed forced, and the setting was done just enough that I wasn’t bored with details, or left with no image of the scenery at all. I love the characters so far, and I have so many questions about some their motives, or what’s going to happen to them. I am SURE (okay, not really, I’m guessing) one of them is going to die in one of the future books, and I know it’s mean but he deserves it. So far, this book was an easy read, and an enjoyable one at that. I don’t exactly know what it could have done better (other than answering some of these damn questions I have), but I’m hoping to see whatever it is that I want in the next book. 

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The Waiting Room by Alysha Kaye

     The Waiting Room was my first request from an author to read and review, so naturally it’s going to hold a special place in my heart forever (this would have been whether I loved it or hated it). When I read the summary on Amazon for this book, I honestly didn’t think I was going to like it. It just didn’t give you enough. …Then I read the story. The summary is pretty accurate, and I think, that after reading this book, I understand why it couldn’t give more away; it would be giving the whole story away. This isn’t just some ordinary love story (not to be a GIANT cliché or anything), it is about so much more than just love, and it is about one and one hundred love stories, all at the same time.

     This book, to me, is definitely a 4.5. This was unlike anything I have ever read before (there could be more in this kind of genre, but I haven’t read them yet). I don’t think I would have picked it out were it not for being asked to read it. I am so glad I was asked to read it. The stories within the story are beautiful. There was not one instance where I didn’t like what they were doing or who the characters were. This book was uplifting (and I usually hate that overly optimistic stuff), but not in a way that made you want to vomit sparkles, and rainbows, and the sound of children’s laughter. It makes the idea of death not so scary, which is something I think most people fear. I’m not trying to start a discussion on what happens after you die, or to say anyone is right or wrong, but this book made me want to believe in something a little bit more than I had imagined. The writing in this book was very well done. The dialogue was all very well done, believable, and interesting. Some stuff was funny, and I was glad for the comic relief, it was placed appropriately and that really matters in a book like this. The only part I didn’t like, but at the same time loved, was the ending. It left you hanging in a way you could appreciate. 

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Redeemed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Redeemed, book twelve (TWELVE), and quite sadly the last in the House of Night series, was exactly what I wanted from beginning to end. There were many things that I wish didn’t happen (those deaths though), but I know they needed to for the story to be what it was. I can say that I never truly trusted Thanatos until the end, and she really just made me so happy in her role in this last book. There were so many characters, and so many moments, that just stood out and really shined in this book, the touching moment between Zoey and Aphrodite definitely being one of my favorites.

     I am giving this book a five, because after everything we’ve had to go through in these stories, the authors really came through for us in the end. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I knew what I was hoping for, and that is exactly what I got. The fact that the book seemed so dark and gray in the beginning, and then slowly grew to be less gray until it shone, was something that really surprised and pleased me in this one. I wasn’t sure if that foreboding shadow that darkened the feel of this book would really go away, but one character’s death is what actually made things feel a lot less gloomy (it’s not who you think and no I am not telling you who!). There were many times when I have read a book, especially a series, and they don't give me a really good epilogue. This book gives you a really great epilogue; so while you’re sad that it is done, you’re happy you’re not left wanting (let’s be real: NEEDING) more. I think I could probably read quite a few more books (not twelve more though) that just show the characters being normal and not fighting for their lives, but sadly that is not to become. I wish I could say “until next time, merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again,” but alas, this is the last book.

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Revealed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Revealed, the next book in the House of Night series (I should really come up with a better opening sentence), was unlike any of the other books. The feel of it was just completely and totally 100% different. It was much darker than the others, much bleaker, and there were a lot of shocking things that took place. Kalona continues to surprise and please me, as he grows, and his brother (who is supposed to be the good one) is seriously annoying. The whole Seer stone thing, being almost exactly like one of the horcruxes from Harry Potter, was not lost on me either. I really, very much, disliked that part.

     I don’t know whether I think this book was really great or really good. It was important for the overall series. I know that much, but it was also very much, even more so than the others, a leading up to something book. I didn’t realize I was at the end (damn you e-books), when the book was just finished. I might have said a big what the eff when it read, “the end.” I think, even though this was a leading up to novel, that it merits a 3.7. It was not quite at that four potential, but again I don’t think the point of this book was to be big and explosive in the way the others were. I think this book was exactly what it was supposed to be, and is very much setting us up for the big stuff that is about to happen. With that being said, I think it actually is a four. While there wasn’t a great amount of action, there was a great deal going on. I want to tell you all of it. I want to give away all of the book, and the crazy stuff that goes down, but instead I’m going to leave you with the links to buy and read this book yourself, and then get going on the next book.

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Hidden by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Hidden, book ten, was absolutely phenomenal. From start to finish this book was just really good. The official breaking up of the twins, and really getting to see them as separate entities was pretty fantastic. I also take back what I said about Shaylin and not caring about whether or not she was a part of the next few books. I was wrong. I also foresee her and Aphrodite becoming close (even though at this point that would equate with hell freezing over). The one part of this book that did not need to happen, that I don’t ever want to read about again, was Neferet killing a cat. There did not need to be any gruesome detail (at the same time I am extremely biased, I love cats more than people and have recently lost one of my own). That terribleness aside, seeing Erik actually do something nice, and not act like a huge jerk (look at me censoring myself like an adult) was a good change that was long needed.

     I have to give this book at least a 4. There wasn’t a whole mess of the usual bickering we often have to read. There was more action, and growing up, especially for Zoey (it’s about damn time someone told her to stop crying) in this one than in the previous (at least more so throughout the entire book). One theme that continues to be prevalent in these books is giving others second chances. For those characters that want them and prove themselves, reading about those changes has been very interesting and enjoyable. Even for those who are pretending, seeing justice come in and kick their behinds has been fun. This book, as with most of the others, left me hanging and wanting more, which will surely leave me exhausted and hoping to sneak a peeks at my book tomorrow. Here’s hoping I stay strong against it, and if I can’t, that I don’t get fired (I’m mostly just kidding).

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Destined by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Destined, the ninth book in the House of Night series, was the best at the end. I’ll be honest, this one seemed like a lot of filler and leading up to stuff, until the ending of the book; WHICH WAS AWESOME!! I can now make a Pinocchio joke when I say that Aurox is a real boy (and so is Rephaim!!)! The whole Zoey having to wait, and wait, and wait to use the Seer Stone until she felt it was “right” was a little bit annoying though. I really think she should have used it during the whole tree incident (which isn’t really that big but I still won’t tell you about it). The biggest thing that came out of this book, for me at least, was Kalona. I knew eventually he was going to play the part he’s probably going to play in the books to come, but it still surprised me at the end. Even though I am finally kind of sure this is the last book in the series that I have read previously, I still didn’t remember a lot of parts that happened.

     I don’t want to do it, but I have to give this one a 3.4. The ending was absolutely amazing, but there were some things that seemed mildly pointless. I understand the whole marking new fledgings red as being important (honestly this isn’t even really a big spoiler or anything so don’t worry), but everything else involving the new character Shaylin seemed kind of useless so far. I’m not really sure if I care or not whether she’s in the next books, because from the sound of her gift it’s both going to be used for bad or for good, and no one is going to have any idea. The entirety of the ending is what brought this book up to the point five. If there had been more stuff like we saw in the end, woven throughout the book some more, I think it would have gotten a higher ranking. All of that being said, there was still a lot of stuff that I know is going to be important in the books to come. I don’t really know what, but I know there will be more. Thinking on that, it is possible I have read the next one and don’t remember anything except for parts about Erin. I am hoping that it is just time, and not lack of content, that has caused its removal from my memory. 

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Awakened by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Awakened, the next book in the House of Night series, was just a whole mess of ridiculousness. I want to make a Pinocchio joke in reference to a character, (and actually thought of it for the blog while I was reading) but realized that: a) I would be giving stuff away that I am so not giving away, and b) I will, more than likely, be able to make a Pinocchio joke about ANOTHER character in my next entry. I flew through this book. I can’t even tell you what about it made it fly by so fast (other than I have no life apart from reading). There was no character development in this book, there was a whole lot of serious character CHANGE going on. There were so many different things going on, and I just cannot tell you any of them because you need to read about them for yourself. What I can tell you is that I love Rephaim even more than I did before, and I am beyond pleased with Stevie Rae and her coming clean on some things. I will also give away that she finally talks to her mama (who she still hadn’t told that she was undead!), and there is one part that may or may not make you cry (please note that I am a giant crybaby though; it does not take much to make me leak from the eyes).

     4.5! This would have been a five if Nyx would have just put things out in the open (if the characters need to stop hiding things, than she can stop being so f’ing mysterious when she manifests). The truth coming out for some things really made this book better. I’ll be honest, I wanted as much of Stevie Rae’s and Raphiem’s stories as they would give me, and every little bit I got made this book that much better. I also really liked how consequences were appropriate, and not too harsh, for the characters that received them. The ending of this book though, the ending of this book! It is a good thing I don’t have to go to sleep yet, because I do believe I will be continuing on and reading until my eyes can no longer bear it. I would like to suggest that you follow my lead. 

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Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Burned, the next book in the House of Night series, was completely and totally different from the other books so far. This one was told from quite a few different perspectives than the others, with Zoey’s voice being heard the least (which makes sense, seeing as how her soul was shattered and all). There was so much about this book, compared to the others that I absolutely loved (writing this, and not immediately diving headfirst into the next book, is a serious challenge). I think, and from the other character’s points of view it would be considered awful of me, that Rephaim was my favorite character. While all of the others, Aphrodite especially, were really wonderful, they didn’t have that raw bluntness that he had. As much as I love the nerd herd too, I’m really glad they didn’t have as much of a prominent role in this one as they have in the past books.

     I am giving this a 4.4 (why the .4 I can’t really explain, other than it just feels right). This book wasn’t exactly all action, but it was more of a journey and growing up novel for a lot of the characters. This also means that there wasn’t a lot of “high school” type drama that we’ve seen in some of the previous books. I really, really loved how much more of a role Stevie Rae played in this than in the past. I think her character really helped make this book what it was, and I think she’ll continue to have bigger parts in the next few as well. This book was also, while serious in many parts, sometimes funny. There were a few parts that had me laughing out loud (mostly from Aphrodite’s big mouth), and I think this book needed, and got, the few pieces of comic relief that it had. Overall, I’m excited to start the next book and am letting that color how much content I can continue to put into this review. If that’s not a selling point for you, you’re wrong.

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Tempted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Tempted, the next in the House of Night series, stays very true to the title that claims it (if you’ve been reading the books then you will get my terribly awesome pun). There are a lot of different things going on in this book, and there are a few times when you really didn’t know how to feel about Stevie Rae,  or some of the other characters (not Erik though, for the most part he plays his biggest d-bag role yet…another terrible pun if you’ve been reading). It feels like a lot more happened in this book than the others. The main theme in this book seems to be temptations, and which ones are worth fighting for and those that desperately need to be fought against. There seems to be a lot dealing with and telling/not telling of the truth as well. One of the things in this book that I really liked was Heath and Stark actually getting along, and acting like the parts they are meant to play in Zoey’s life.

     Rating this book is a little difficult for me. It was a really good read (I started and finished this book today, on top of working), but I’m not sure exactly that it warrants the full four I’m considering giving it. While there were a lot of good points, and no actual negative things that come to mind just now, I feel like something was missing. Plus, eff you ending, you’re hurting my heart. I’m not going to tell you the ending other than I knew it was coming and wanted to put reading it. I still remember the first I read it and I hated it then too. I think, overall, I can safely give this book a 3.8. While I was not pleased with how this one ends, the book was still a good read. I don’t recommend reading this book out of order, but get your butt through the others and get to reading this one!

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Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

     Book five, Hunted, takes place after the group flees the school (after a freaking god erupts from the earth) and heads to the tunnels. We get Heath back in this book (which is a glorious thing) and we get to see some friendships start to really form that we never expected (side note: Erik is a d-bag, and I’m pretty sure this isn’t a spoiler at this point). I feel like I was really in it with this book. More so than the others so far, this one really picks up the pace. While there were some parts that I wanted to gloss over because it seemed a bit repetitive (if you’re starting this series on book five you deserve to be lost; the rest of us don’t need a catch up play-by-play), I kept on because sometimes even the smallest details can be important. Repetitiveness aside, this book still managed to keep me on my toes.

     I’m giving this book a four. I’m not sure if I just liked the fact that is wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, or that there wasn’t as much high school drama in this one, but overall I think it was well done. I really like the extremely blatant good vs evil theme, as well as the difficulty in fighting to overcome that evil in this book. While there are a few things in the books I actively dislike (goddess what is with Zoey having a thing with so many guys at once?!), the good, and the interesting, and the exciting parts (SO MANY CATS!!) definitely outweigh those and keep me coming back for more (and apparently more and more and more, because I have no idea how many books are left). This one had a bit of everything and everyone in it. It’s going to be interesting to see how they’ll continue to keep this series alive. While I know a little bit about what is to come, it’s been a few years since I have delved into this series, and, for once, I’m not sure what is going to happen at the very end.

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