Monday, June 30, 2014

Gated (Gated, #1)


 Gated (Gated, #1)

Author: Amy Christine Parker
Series: Gated, #1
Pages: 339
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★


*****

Goodreads Summary:

A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths.

Appearances can be deceiving.

In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.

Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?

From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Gated follows Lyla and her life in her more than average community. Led by their leader, Pioneer, Lyla, her family, and a cluster of more families have come to believe that they are the chosen and have secluded themselves away from others to prepare for the apocalypse. They are preparing for the end that the Brethren have concluded is upon them. Near the last couple weeks, Lyla meets a boy from the outside and soon starts to question everything Pioneer has been telling everyone for the last few years. But will anyone doubt Pioneer and believe Lyla after all that they have been through?

Lyla is a weak girl that is set in her beliefs and is slightly struggling with her lifestyle and training. Overtime she becomes stronger and proves to be an extremely important factor in the survival of her community.

As a reader the book was good and interesting even though I could not connect very well with the characters since this book is more plot-driven than character-driven. But the problems the characters faced where believable especially with the cult aspect which made the story more interesting.

I would say this book was different than what I expected. When I first saw it I thought it would be more of a paranormal book of sorts but its everything but. It was thrilling, suspenseful, and psychological. My favorite scene was when Lyla and her friends sneak out for the night and what happens after. I liked the scene of when everyone went into the Silo, that started the events into the climax of the book. I least liked Pioneer's character. He was overall extremely creepy and slightly scary with what he was capable of.

With the ending, I was left satisfied. In my opinion there wasn't really a cliffhanger for the next book and it could have actually been a standalone in my eyes, but nonetheless I will check out the second installment when it comes out later this year.

As far as ratings go... the cover gets a 6/10 and the overall story gets 4/5. I would recommend this to those looking for a psychological thriller with a bit of suspense and an interesting climax and ending. The plot was different than what I've read recently with it being a small break from the dystopian and paranormal reads out now.

*****

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

"Waiting On" Wednesday (WoW, #7)



 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

This week's selection is:


Author(s): Katherine Howe
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Putnam Juevenile
Publication: July 1, 2014
 Goodreads Blurb:
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane comes a chilling mystery—Prep meets The Crucible.

It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.

First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.

Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .

Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?

What books are you "Waiting On" this week? 


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #7)

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top Ten Book Cover Trends (or elements) I Like/Dislike

Top Ten: ( in no particular order)

Dislikes:
 I'm sure you can see a trend here...CLOSE UP Faces! I really don't like these types of covers. For me they're just a little creepy and unattractive to see someone's face zoomed in on the front cover. Nothing personal to the models that pose for these covers! And with The Perks of Being a Wallflower cover, I just think it is boring and bland.

Evernight (Evernight, #1)The Host (The Host, #1)Phantom (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters, #1)
The Perks of Being a WallflowerVampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)

Likes:
 If you can't tell, I'm a typography girl! Those types of covers really catch my attention in a good way mostly! Also with the close up eye and girls face on Unravel Me and Incarnate, I feel that it works for those covers and I don't mind it since it's done in a tasteful way.

Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2)Everything Leads to You
Incarnate (Newsoul, #1)Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle, #1)The Museum of Intangible Things

*****
What are your favorite/least favorite book cover trends?
Comment and let me know!!

Friday, June 20, 2014

Weekly Reading Update (WRU, #6)

Currently I am also still reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz and Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz. I also started City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. Hopefully I'll be able to finish all of these this week!


City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)

  City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)


Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: Chapter 5
Acquired: Ebook
Published: 2008


***No Goodreads Blurb to avoid any spoilers since this is the 2nd in the series.***



Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

  Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe


Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz
Pages: Currently reading on page 157 of 359
Acquired: Library
Published: 2012


Goodreads Blurb:
A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.



Frozen (Heart of Dread, #1)

  Frozen (House of Dread #1)


Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Pages:Currently reading on page 194 of 336
Acquired: Library
Published: 2013


Goodreads Blurb:
From New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston comes this remarkable first book in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic.

Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.


***** 
Tell me what you're currently reading or what you've read this week!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #6)

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR list

I am desperately trying to kick myself into gear to read more as well as tackle my TBR list this summer especially since I have a personal goal to try to read at least 25 books this summer before I start college. So to accomplish this I hope to read some of the books I own as well as possibly finish or progress in the many series I have started. So here are some of the books I hope to try to read this summer!

Top Ten: ( in no particular order)

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2)The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)The Uprising (The Forsaken, #2)

Clockwork Prince: Since I just recently finished reading Clockwork Angel, I am in desperate need for the next book to continue following Tessa Gray's story and see what happens next!

Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn, #2)World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2)Enticed (The Violet Eden Chapters, #2)

 Unravel Me: I Definitely NEED this one for obvious reasons!! Hopefully I'll get my hands on a copy to read it this summer.

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

 Cress: I'm so anxious to move along with this series! Marissa Meyer has an amazing storytelling and story-weaving ability that is incredible and leaves readers, myself included, extremely excited for the next installment in the series!

*****
What's on your Summer TBR List? 
Comment and let me know!!

Monday, June 16, 2014

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)


 Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)

 Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices, #1
Pages: 479
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Paranormal
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★½


*****

Goodreads Summary:

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Clockwork Angel follows young Tessa Gray, who after the death of her aunt, goes to London in search of her brother. But upon her arrival, Tessa is met with surprises, uncertainty, and secrets. Clockwork Angel  follows Tessa on her interesting journey to discovering herself and also uncovering secrets about her past and family that she could have never imagined to be true.

I really liked Tessa's character. She was interesting and different, especially after the discovery of her ability. I related to her the most and her determination to find her brother as well as the sacrifices she made in the process. With him being the only family she had left, I thought it was awesome that she made finding him a top priority above all that she went through. It was always the goal and she never deterred from the goal no matter what happened.

Other interesting characters? Ummm yes, Mr. William Herondale! I now see what all the fuss is about. Will is full of mystery and intrigue as well as stubbornness and sarcasm. In addition to Will, I also found Camille the vampire and Tessa's brother Nathaniel to be interesting characters as well.

With the story being in 3rd person, you were able to see how all the characters interacted, but also not knowing their inner thoughts kept the story interesting and mysterious. The problems faced in the book fit this particular storyline nicely and how the characters tried to solve those problems were realistic and clever.

Tessa changes and grows from the first page to the last as she learns life changing things that make her an even better character to read about. I can say that this book was definitely different from what I expected. I loved it 10x better than the first and only other Cassandra Clare book I've read so far which was City of Bones.

My favorite scenes in the book were the vampire party scene and the scene that starts with Tessa and Jem on the bridge and basically everything that happens afterward. What I liked most about the book was definitely Will and also the mystery of the Magister. What I liked least would have to be Nathaniel (those who have read the book can probably relate).

As far as the ending goes, I really liked it! It was interesting and action packed through and through and it definitely made me want to get my hands on the sequel as soon as I can! Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading more from Cassandra Clare. The plot was very different from what I've read in Young Adult books so far and it gave me a nice break from dystopian and post-apocalyptic worlds. Also the world building and setting were both amazing. I can also say that I was kept quessing throughout the novel especially with the mystery of the Magister and how the outcome panned out in the end.

With the cover, I would rate it 6/10. I really like it and think it fits the tone of the book nicely. Also with the actual rating of the book, I gave it 4.5/5 stars. A really enjoyable read!

*****

Friday, June 13, 2014

Weekly Reading Update (WRU #5)

This week I managed to read two books and start two more. When the week first started I finished Miss Match by Erynn Mangum. Afterwards I moved on to Gated by Amy Christine Parker which I finished on Thursday. Currently I am reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz and Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and both are pretty good so far!

Miss Match (Lauren Holbrook, #1)

  Miss Match (Lauren Holbrook #1)


Author: Erynn Mangum
Pages: 305
Acquired: Library
Published: 2007
Rating: 3/5

Goodreads Blurb:
Lauren Holbrook has found her life's calling: matchmaking for the romantically challenged. And with the eclectic cast of characters in her world, there's tons of potential to play "connect the friends."Lauren sets out to introduce Nick, her carefree singles' pastor, to Ruby, her neurotic coworker who plans every second of every day. What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything.

Gated (Gated, #1)

  Gated (Gated #1)


Author:Amy Christine Parker
Pages: 352
Acquired: Library
Published: 2013
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Blurb:
A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths.

Appearances can be deceiving.

In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.

Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?

From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.



Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

  Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe


Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz
Pages: Currently reading on page 157 of 359
Acquired: Library
Published: 2012


Goodreads Blurb:
A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.



Frozen (Heart of Dread, #1)

  Frozen (House of Dread #1)


Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Pages:Currently reading on page 16 of 336
Acquired: Library
Published: 2013


Goodreads Blurb:
From New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston comes this remarkable first book in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic.

Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.


***** 
Tell me what you're currently reading or what you've read this week!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)


 Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)

 Author: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days
Pages: 283
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Dystopian, Paranormal
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★


*****

Goodreads Summary:

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Angelfall is a novel that follows seventeen-year-old Penryn in her search to find her sister and rescue her from the angels that took her. Penryn is a brave and determined young girl with one mission in mind... to rescue her sister and get her family to safety which includes herself, her sister, and her deranged mother. When her sister is taken by warrior angels, she goes after them with the help of a broken and battered angel named Raffe who has his own agenda and secrets.

I really liked Penryn and her dedication and unwavering resolve to get her sister back and to protect her family in the midst of the apocalypse. I related to her most and admired her maturity for her age and how she dealt with having to grow up fast to support and look after her family especially when her mother goes through her deranged, crazy spells.

I also loved Raffe and how interesting he was as a character. He is an angel, who in the midst of a fight with a crew of warrior angels, get his wings brutally and forcefully ripped off. When Penyrn saves him and nurses him back to health after this incident, she convinces him to help her find the location of the angels who took her sister and in return will help him try to get his wings repaired and sewn back onto his body. Another interesting character was definitely Penryn's sister at the end of the novel..... one word.... freaky.

The problems faced in the story suited this particular story nicely. The characters dealt with a kill or be killed mentality as well as the survival of the fittest aspect whilst on their journal to the angels location. Penryn learned early on that she would have to build an alliance with Raffe if she ever wanted to survive and also find her sister.

Penryn also got stronger and more cunning throughout the novel in preparation to try to kick angel ass and rescue her sister. I loved this part in reading the book! I can say that this book definitely took me by surprise a little bit and I loved that! Susan Ee's take on angels and the apocalypse as well as the interesting turn of events near the end of the novel made me shake with excitement. It was soooo good!

My favorite scenes were the camp scene and the club scene at the end. Both were a bit scary and suspenseful but added to the storyline nicely. I also liked the relationship between Penryn and Raffe. As far as ratings go, I give the cover a 7/10 I thought it was very pretty as well as symbolic to the story. I would recommend this to someone who is looking for a different take on an angel story with lots of action and adventure along the way! I gave the overall book a 4/5 and will definitely pick up the next book.

Also the ending was crazy! The cliffhanger at the end.... Ugh.... it ended a little abruptly especially with the Raffe aspect but otherwise it was done really well! Check this one out for sure.

*****

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Top 5 Wednesday (T5W, #1)

Original Picture

Top 5 Books You Struggled to Finish 

 With these books it took me what felt like an extremely long time to finally finish them. In no particular order....

Before I FallThe Blessed (The Blessed, #1)Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration, #1) 
Nightshade (Nightshade, #1)Allegiant (Divergent, #3)


5. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
I felt this book was extremely boring and ridiculously repetitive. I do understand the point of the repetition but it was entirely too drawn out for me to actually enjoy the story line and appreciate the plot. It was unique..... but still boring to me nonetheless.

4. The Blessed - Tonya Hurley
This book was not my cup of tea AT ALL. I really didn't enjoy this book. Not a favorite...... but I was still in my stage where I absolutely had to finish books so I suffered through it.

3. Dearly, Departed - Lia Habel
This book unlike some of the others was actually a bit more enjoyable and interesting mainly because this was my first zombie novel. But I still struggled to make it to the last page. It is a very "heavy" story.... not sure how else to describe it.... so I only read small chunks of it at a time causing me to read it for what felt like an eternity.

2. Nightshade - Andrea Cremer
Another "heavy" book.... but maybe I'm just weird..... this one took me a while to finish also. I liked the plot well enough but it lacked the spunk that I really wanted to read about with this werewolf storyline.

1. Allegiant - Veronica Roth
The holy grail of them all..... so many times I wanted to put this one down just because of the massive amount of boredom that clung to the first half of this book. It also didn't help that I had been spoiled prior to reading it anyway which killed any optimism that I had about the ending of this series. I struggled to finish this one as well as all the others I mentioned above, but please don't my opinions and comments to be true for you! You could very well love all of these books once you've read them but unfortunately I struggled to finish these!

What are some of the books that you struggled to finish? Let me know in the comments!

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1)


 Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1)

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me
Pages: 338
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic
Acquired: Own
Rating: ★★★


*****

Goodreads Summary:

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Shatter Me follows a girl named Julliette whose world completely fell apart when she found out that her touch kills whoever she comes in contact with. Soon the government finds out about her and plans to use her lethal powers to put down the resistance and intimidate anyone who tries to interfere with their plans. But things go awry when Julliette doesn't plan to cooperate.

I really like Julliette's character and her spunk and will to not comply with the plans of Warner, a young male who is charge of a brutal army of soldiers. I liked that she remained true to herself and grew into herself as a character throughout the novel. Written in Julliette's POV, the novel takes you through her struggle with accepting herself and her abilities as well as her struggle with trying to escape from those that want to use her for power and destruction.

The characters and their problems were definitely believable in the regard that they dealt with real life issues including war and how it affects families and dealing with family issues because of war. All the while, the story stayed action packed and full of interesting plot twists through it all.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book as well as T. Mafi's writing especially the mark outs, they were new and interesting. I can definitely say that this book lived up to all the hype it rightfully deserved. My favorite scene was definitely Julliette's escape and her realization of that moment afterwards. What I liked most was Julliette's determination to escape and leave her prison and also even though it was disturbing and twisted, Warner's persistence. I think he made the story scary in the sense of what he was willing to do and did do, it made the story even more interesting.

What I liked least was one of the last scenes at Adam's house. The ending was very action packed and full of  chair-gripping suspense...that is all I will say so that I do not spoil anything for anyone, but I loved it! Now on to my ratings. Cover appeal for the copy that I have, which is the original cover gets a 5/10. I prefer the "eye" covers SO much more since most importantly they all MATCH! But I got my copy for only $4 so I'm not complaining but will more than likely buy it again with the new covers so that when I buy the rest of the trilogy they will all match beautifully. New covers definitely get 8/10 from me. Also my actual rating of the book was a 5/5 of course! I loved it and really hope to continue the series very soon when I purchase the others.

*****

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #5)

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

So considering that I've only read about 10 books so far this year, I don't have much of a choice in picking the best ones that I've read. Currently I'm around 13 books behind schedule for my Goodreads 50 book challenge but hopefully I'll be able to turn that around this summer since I'm challenging myself to read 25 books by the end August. It's time to kick it into gear! Fingers crossed! Nonetheless, here are the books I've read so far this year!

Top Ten: ( in order)

Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters, #1)Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1)Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)

Shatter Me: I finally read this book this year and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed it and need to read Unravel Me very soon!

Allegiant (Divergent, #3)Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)In HonorClockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)

 Clockwork Angel: This is one that I am very ashamed to have not read sooner. It was the first Cassandra Clare book that I read and I am excited to continue on with The Infernal Devices trilogy and also start The Immortal Instruments series as well!

Unbreakable (The Legion, #1)Miss Match (Lauren Holbrook, #1)Gated (Gated, #1)

 Miss Match: This book was one that I picked up on impulse from my library's adult fiction section. I really wanted to branch out this year and read more adult fiction books and figured I would start off with a light read like this one. I was pretty good and is the first in a series. If you have any suggestions for adult chick-lit books or authors let me know!


*****
What are your favorite books that you've read so far this year? 
Comment and let me know!!