Review Friday: Split Second by Kasie West

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Pivot Point #2

Goodreads Blurb:

"Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too... but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories... once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot... and a future that could change everything."

Review Thursday: What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

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The Hybrid Chronicles #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything."

Short Story Mini Review, Interview, and Revisit Monday: Letter from a Desperate Father by Maron Anrow

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Stand-Alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

""I know how my recent actions must seem. My story is not a simple one, though it pains me to dwell on how things turned out. All I ask is to see my son, and I hope you’ll be willing to help me after reading this letter."

An innocent man has been imprisoned. Hoping to see his son one last time, he composes a letter explaining the devastating event for which he's been blamed. LETTER FROM A DESPERATE FATHER (a short story) is a chilling tale of grief and betrayal with supernatural elements."

R&R Review Sunday: Hope With Stickers by M.L. Crum

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Irony #2

Goodreads Blurb:

"Hope Scott is a stranger to herself. She has fossilized her emotions deep within to hold back the pain of being an unwanted daughter, wife, and now the most painful of all…an unwanted mother. The nine years she chose not to search for her runaway daughter has led her down a sorrowful path to the edge of her only child’s grave. Hope must now live with the fact that her child chose to take her own life over coming back home. She barely exists within the pain and has completely closed off her heart. This would have been her story had she never met Miriam Duvall one rainy September day - but meet Miriam she does. 

There’s more to the story that was never told in Irony of Time. Read Hope’s story about how this chance meeting and brief friendship changes the course of her life, detouring her into a dangerous world to save her daughter. Within this unnatural world she meets the Novaks, a mysterious family of private investigators dwelling between evil and good. Fearing for her daughter’s life, Hope is forced to ask for help from the arrogant, brash cousin, Rylas Novak, who seems uncomfortably drawn to her for there is something about Hope that resonates deep within him. And there is something about Rylas that Hope desperately wants to hate, but just can’t. During their intense search, Hope quickly finds herself in one perilous situation after another. But could the most detrimental blow come when she finally opens her heart?"

Review Friday: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

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Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2

Goodreads Blurb:

"Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011—an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike. Publishers Weekly called it “an enjoyable, eccentric read, distinguished by well-developed characters, a believable Welsh setting, and some very creepy monsters.”

This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages."

R&R Review Sunday: Alicia's Sin by Nick Iuppa and John P. Mendoza

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Carlos Mann Trilogy #2

Goodreads Blurb:

"REVENGE, MURDER, ADULTERY, OBSESSION, GHOSTS, GYPSIES, TIGERS, WITCHES, FREUD, MYSTERY, DRUG LORDS, CHINATOWN, MEXICO, VIENNA... AND THE SPANISH INQUISITION!

To avenge her parents’ death, sadistic sex trafficker Tiger Joy sends deadly assassins after Carlos and his beautiful ghost wife Alicia. The pair escapes to Cancun where they battle witches and drug lords to help their friend Señor Popcorn win the love of his life. But the Afterlife Judges aren’t happy with Alicia’s temper, and they send her off to anger management therapy with the ghost of Sigmund Freud. In old Vienna, the spirit of a seductive crown prince tempts Alicia, and then she’s captured by gypsies who put her on display in the Ghost Chamber of their traveling carnival. Alicia commits an unforgivable sin, and it finally gives Tiger Joy the perfect chance for revenge."

R&R Review Monday: Our Souls To Keep by Gary Caruso

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Our Souls to Keep #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"After seventeen-year-old Wake Reynolds agrees to trade his life to prevent the damaged soul of his suicidal mother from the fiery tortures of Hell, Satan strips him of his humanity and forces him to become a demonic collector of souls. With no memory of his human existence, Wake preys on defenseless teenagers until they willingly end their own lives.

After many years of loyal service, something inside Wake is changing. Images of a forgotten life, lost human emotions begin to emerge. As Wake struggles to keep these new sensations hidden, Satan orders him to corrupt the soul of a pregnant girl, Annemarie. Beautiful, gentle Annemarie. From the moment Wake sees her, she brings lightness to his blackened heart. If he chooses to defy Satan and spare the lives of Annemarie and her unborn child, his mother’s soul will writhe in Hell’s deepest pit for eternity. Annemarie or his mother? It’s a choice no one should have to make. "

Review Friday: Talon by Julie Kagawa

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Talon #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons."

Review Tuesday: Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

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The Worldwalker Trilogy #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected."

Review Friday: Ignited by Corrine Jackson

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Sense Thieves #3

Goodreads Blurb:

"Nobody hides forever.

Ever since Remy O'Malley discovered her dual identity as a Healer and a Protector, she's kept alive by staying one step ahead of both sides in this centuries-old war. Now someone's trying to draw her out of hiding, using her kidnapped father as bait.

To save him, Remy will need every friend she's got. But as new alliances form, old bonds fray. Her boyfriend Asher is losing his powers, becoming more mortal every time she touches him. Meanwhile, Remy finds herself growing closer to Asher's brother Gabe, even as a family tragedy drives her sister Lucy farther away.

On a rescue mission to London, Remy decides she's tired of being the hunted. It's time to end this war once and for all, as Protectors and Healers alike hurtle towards a final, violent confrontation that not everyone will survive."

Review Friday: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

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Goodreads Blurb:

"On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

A Beautiful Dark is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies."

R&R Review and Interview Friday: Dying Dreams by Katharine Sadler

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Goodreads Blurb:

"Liza Simmons has just learned she is a banshee who dreams of death. Problem is, the government knows what she is and they want her to work for them, touching dead bodies and dreaming of how the victims died. In 2070, in a world ravaged by climate change, the fae have few rights and Liza doesn’t have any other options than to do what the government wants.

Agent Sloane Rice works for the supernatural protection agency, or SPA, and it’s his fault the government knows what Liza can do. He convinces her to sign on with SPA as an agent to avoid becoming a government science experiment. Liza works with Rice to find out why several mermaids have disappeared or died in recent weeks.

During their investigation, they uncover a larger crime and a possible fae rebellion. They both know they need to focus on the job and ignore the mutual attraction growing between them, but trying to fight it may get them both killed. Especially when the fae rebel behind all of the recent violence discovers that they are on his trail."

Review Monday: Significance by Shelly Crane

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Goodreads Blurb:

"Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track, but then her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating - barely - and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football scholarship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has.

Then she saves the life of Caleb and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing. But things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally.

They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive.

Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him.

Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another?"

Review Friday: Empower by Jessica Shirvington

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Goodreads Blurb:

"It has been two years since Violet Eden walked away from the city, her friends, her future and - most importantly - her soulmate, Lincoln. Part angel, part human, Violet is determined to stand by the promises she made to save the one she loves.

Living in the perpetual coldness of a broken soul she survives day to day as a Rogue Grigori in London.

But when an unexpected visitor shows up at her door, the news he bears about someone she swore to protect leaves Violet with no choice.

Even worse, she fears that this might all lead back to the night she tries hardest to forget. And what was taken without her permission.

Violet is going back to New York ... and she knows exactly who is going to be there.

With Phoenix in her dreams and Lincoln in her heart she knows it is only a matter of time before the final choice must be made."

Review Friday: Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Goodreads Blurb:

"Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing."

Book Review Friday: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

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Goodreads Blurb:

"In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!"

Book Review Wednesday: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

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Goodreads Blurb:

"Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for."

Book Review Monday: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

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Goodreads Blurb:

"The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series."

Book Review Friday: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

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Goodreads Blurb:

"Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. 

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON."

Book Review Friday: Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

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Goodreads Blurb:

"WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT'S LEFT, CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?

Nora Grey can't remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom's creepy new boyfriend.

But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.

And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.

Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers...and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again."

Review:

Ho hum... how to go about this...  I'm not actually sure how I feel about this book.  It was kind of surreal actually reading it which is weird because there's absolutely no reason it should be surreal.  But anyway, while I was reading, I just wasn't concentrating at all.  Luckily, I still managed to scrounge up some general notes about the book!

So the enjoyable things...
I really liked the complex angel and Neph problems going on.  They kept the entire book from being a 'love with triumph' sort of book.  I also loved all the new information on fallen angels and Nephilium.  The author is really doing a good job of keeping their roles and information consistent.  There aren't any confusing sections where I wanted to say 'how did THAT' just happen??  I also loved the villain.  It was totally unexpected (well maybe a little...) and they did an excellent job of doing the villain.

And the not so enjoyable things...
I was so frustrated by Patch and Nora's relationship.  I felt like it wasn't real at all in the first place.  And the amnesia at the beginning, they just felt fabricated.  Like a fake plot point to keep the book going because the author couldn't think of anything else to put.  Also, while I was reading, I felt like it was written in a hurry.  Key details were left out that didn't seem intentional at all.  Things were just... missing.

The Final Verdict:
I loved all the complexity and new information regarding the fallen angels and Nephilium and the villain was amazing.  However, Patch and Nora frustrated me all throughout the book and I just wanted to slap them and say 'just get on with it!'.  Important details pertaining to the plot were also left out.
3.5 stars


Quotes:
“Angel... I don't think you understand the lengths I would go to if it means keeping you here with me."


“I love you.” His voice was straightforward, affectionate. “You make me remember who I used to be. You make me want to be that man again. Right now, holding you, I feel like we have a shot at beating all odds and making it together. I’m yours, if you’ll have me.” 


“You're mine, Angel. And I'm yours. Nothing can change that.” 


“Since we're keeping it primal, you smell good," he observed. 
"It's called a shower...," I began automatically, then trailed off. My memory snagged, taken aback by a compelling and forceful sense of undue familiarity. "Soap, shampoo, hot water," I added, almost as an afterthought. 
"Naked. I know the drill," Jev said, something unreadeble passing over his eyes.”


“If I lose you, I lose everything”