Rites of Passage by Joy Hensley

Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 416 Pages
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Narration: First Person: Sam
Genre: Military/Contemporary
Series: Stand-Alone
Book Trailer: Here

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.

At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

My Review:

Boot camp full of dudes. First girls ever to enroll. Now this...this had entertaining written all over it. I was very close to squealing after I read the synopsis. It was a little out of my usual range of genres, but how exactly do you say no to a synopsis like that? Heck, I was about to grab a bag of popcorn to top it off.

So in the beginning of the story, we're introduced to a girl named Sam. Sam was raised in a military family with a dad who lived and breathed military. He was the type of guy to think that girls were weak and dependent, and because of this, Sam was determined to prove him wrong. Did she ever. I cannot even begin to explain the the utter crap that this girl had to put up with. *Insert nonsensical rambling here* There were an infinite amount of times when I just wanted to knock heads together. Especially Matthews. How I hated, how I excreted disgust from my very pores for this boy. I had to get up and kick air for a few moments, because this guy flipped my bitch switch.

Back to Sam. I had to give her props. I'm used to leading female roles who are strong and fierce because of their magic superpowers, but Sam was relentless through sheer force of will. Like I said, the absolute crap she had to deal with...it was enough to drive any person insane. On top of that, she fought back without ever really fighting back. This is the military. You can't yell at your higher ups because things are unfair or you don't agree with what they're doing. Yet she stood up for herself in the simple fashion of not letting anything phase her. They yelled at her. She nonchalantly did what was asked. But at the same time, she wasn't some unfeeling robot who always triumphed. She had feelings. She had emotions. She endured failures. She almost caved a couple of times under the pressure, but she kept herself together.

However, despite how much I loved her, I also felt like she thought the world revolved around her. When everyone else had issues, she gave it 2 seconds of thought and got over it. These are your supposed friends. They've made mistakes, yeah, but there might be reasons or circumstances why they did. She just jumped to the conclusion that everyone was evil and out to get her. Admittedly, there were an awful amount of people out to get her, but still. Towards the middle to end, very rarely did I see her ask about other people instead of being wrapped up in her own issues. In the beginning, she looked out for her friends, but that sort of just disappeared. I know she had a lot on her plate, but it struck the wrong chord with me.

The romance between Drill and Sam was unique. Unlike many YA stories, it didn't happen straight off the bat. They saw each other a bit; there was that initial physical attraction, but it didn't go anywhere. The romance sparks around the middle of the book. This rushed it to an extent, but it was still nice to see something new. Drill was definitely drool-worthy. I think I fell in love with him myself. Throughout the book, he seems so much older than he actually is. It was nuts. They mention that he's 17 often, but you can't help thinking that he's at least 21 or something. 

When the story started, I literally had my eyes glued to every page. I think that was mostly because I was so excited to see everything go down. It was intriguing to learn about all the military rankings (Kind of got mixed up on those) and all of the traditions and various uniforms. However, the pace started to slow for me around 65%. There were still tons of things going on, but it wasn't as heart-racing as it was in the beginning.

In conclusion, this is a must read. So far, I believe it's still a stand-alone, but Rites of Passage is definitely set up for a series. There are so many things unresolved, relationships open ended, and people who still have karma coming for them. The writing was excellent, the theme unique, the protagonist diverse. Plus, who can skip out on a book with a synopsis like that? Grab the popcorn. This is going to be a good one.

Heroine- 4/5
Romance- 4.5/5
Action- 3.5/5 Tapered off in the middle
World-Building- 4.5/5
Loved learning about the military world
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4/5

Honey Queen by Christina Mercer

Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up
Kindle: 270 Pages
Release Date: May 31, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Narration: First Person: Melaina
Genre: Mythology/
Contemporary Setting
Series: Stand-Alone

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Love is honey sweet, but it comes with a fatal sting . . .

Melaina Maris needs wings to fly the gap between loving Sam and her family’s ancient curse that forces carnal love and then kills the male lovers. She won’t let the same fate that killed her father befall another. She refuses to allow her goddess-created bloodline to continue. But there’s no easy way out, especially after the curse turns her into the Honey Queen—savior to honey bees—intensifying her charms.

To help her fulfill the curse’s demands in the least harmful way, her grandmother takes her to mate with terminally ill Boyd. But Boyd’s gay. And an expert in mythology. Instead of having sex, Melaina learns how she might summon the goddess who created the first ancestor bee-charmer and cursed her bloodline. Melaina's magic—tears to save honey bees from endangerment—could be enough to persuade the goddess to end the curse. But an unexpected discovery soon changes that hope, spinning Melaina into a swarm of love, friendship and death. 

My Review:

When I first read the synopsis, I was skeptical. Honey bees? Honey Queen? Authors really have to dig deep now to find any YA ideas that haven't already been bled dry. To be honest, I found the idea laughable at first, kind of like the theme of Hungry by Swain, though admittedly not to that extent. Who's ready to get hungry?  However, there was also a part of me that was intrigued, so I decided to give it a try.

Melaina's power over bees stems in Greek Mythology, from a goddess named Aera whose domain lies over honey bees and virginity. In order to shirk her duties as a goddess, Aera created a line of female descendants whose main purpose in life was to tend her honey bees and live out a life of chastity. However, things go awry when the first of her line falls in love with a demigod. They have a daughter, but not without consequences. Angered by the act of love, Aera curses the family. From that day on, the mothers are cursed to have carnal urges for men until they get pregnant and continue the long line of daughters. To make matters worse, the men fall ill soon after and die as soon as the baby is born.

Aera always needs someone to care for her honeybees. For Melaina, that isn't a problem, since it's her passion in life, as it was for her mother, grandmother, and so on. However, another downside of the curse is that if she leaves the honey bees for a long period of time, she eventually withers and dies. Uplifting, isn't it? 

As for Melaina's character, I could never connect with her. She showed compassion and thought of others, but it was all on the surface. I never felt it. Throughout the entire book, her thought processes consisted of, "I hate this goddess," "I really, really like Sam, but I can't be with him, because it'll kill him," "I must seclude myself in misery," "What am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" It was irritating to hear the same thoughts over and over again. 

One time, she sees a really hot guy and tries to restrain herself. But then, she thinks, You know what? I can prove to this goddess bitch that I'm above this curse. I'll just kiss him..just a little bit. Then I'll back off, I promise. *Insert eye roll* Like that's gonna happen. You already know that you're raging hormonal, yet you decide to tempt fate anyways? 

The romance wasn't much of a romance. There were some flashbacks of when Melaina and Sam were kids, but that wasn't enough for me to want them to be together. If there were more, perhaps I would've understood their friendship better. The lust curse hit Melaina pretty early into the story, so the conversations between Melaina and Sam consisted of more making out than anything. When they weren't making out, Sam was knocking on the door or basically stalking her, trying to get her to talk to him, which eventually led to more of the aforementioned making out. The depth in their relationship was nonexistent.

Overall, Honey Queen was a superficial story. Things were happening on the surface, but they all felt fake and unreal. I can't even explain it. I give props to the author for the honey bee theme though. It's definitely a breath of fresh air, and Greek mythology is always a good thing. The writing wasn't bad, but the explanations were confusing at times. Perhaps this just wasn't my cup of tea.

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 3/5
World-Building- 3.5/5
Writing- 3/5
Overall- 2.5/5

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 368 Pages
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Narration: First Person: Adelina
Third Person: Raffaele, Teren
Genre: High Fantasy
Trailer: Click Here

The Young Elites Trilogy
Book One: The Young Elites
Book Two: Untitled (2015)
Book Three: Untitled (2016)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

My Review:

My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.

I finished this book mere minutes ago, and I am flabbergasted, cowed, stunned, and any other synonym that comes to mind. My feelings are in such a form of disarray that John Green is the only man who could describe them. The fantasy, the characters, the worldbuilding, it all tied together to produce this wonderful package of epicness. Marie Lu is a talented dytopian writer, undoubtedly, but she is a phenomenal fantasy writer.

So if you didn't already know, The Young Elites takes place in a fantastical world where kids with paranormal abilities run rampant. Where did these powers come from? Actually, the process is pretty similar to that of The Darkest Minds. An epidemic, called blood fever, spread across the land leaving a death count in its wake. However, this disease affected children differently from how it affected adults. Some kids survived with no marks, some with marks, and others with marks and abilities. The latter category was dubbed, "The Young Elites." In Kenettra, the Young Elites are considered abominations by the majority, because the public fears them as much as they are awed by them. They have powers like control over the elements, affinity to animals, invincible skin, things like that. In the next book, I think we'll see an even bigger variety.

This book definitely had a much darker theme than Lu's Legend series. So much so that I felt like, "Woah, this is some deep stuff man." There was so much pain and suffering and Adelina couldn't exactly be described as a ray of sunshine either. 

We're used to our heroines being all about helping others, self-sacrifice, and fighting for what's right. Adelina does have that to an extent, but she also has another side to her. In fact, her dark side is far more dominant than her light counterpart. She dwells on fear and hatred, revels from it really. It is only when she is brought to her lowest that she can accomplish her greatest feats. She loves her sister, but at the same time, despises her because of all the love she received when Adelina herself was isolated and abandoned. She's not a Mary Sue. Like all humans, this protagonist has her flawed moments, her dark thoughts, thoughts that we ourselves might shame-facedly have. Adelina embodies a true heroine. Someone who has suffered through abuse and hasn't emerged perfectly from it. Someone who understands that she has darkness in her, tries to fight against it, but doesn't always succeed.

The supporting characters were very well written and played much stronger roles than they usually have in YA novels. All of them differed in personalities, which was nice to see as well. None of the Dagger Society were quite so eager to trust Adelina completely when she first joined. They weren't hostile, at least not most of them, but they still kept everything under wraps and stayed cautious. As she continued to train with them, they opened up to her a little bit and tentative friendships grew. I'm hoping to see more developments in the friendship area in the next two novels. Adelina certainly needs it.

I'm thrilled that Marie decided to take a different route with her books. Some authors are too nervous to go out of their genre or comfort zone, but Marie took a leap, and pardon my corniness, she definitely soared. The Young Elites had a dark atmosphere, yet she still kept it afloat from the depressing feels even without the help of humor, which is quite a feat. Adelina wasn't a picture perfect heroine. Her thoughts weren't always good, yet she tried her best to fight against them and remind herself what was right. The romance was there, but it was underlying and didn't overpower the plot itself. Action was nonstop, and I read it in one sitting. Overall, The Young Elites was an awesome read, and it's definitely a series to look out for. If the wait for the sequel doesn't kill you first.

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 5/5
Action- 5/5
Humor- None
Very dark themes
World-Building- 4.5/5
Writing- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Appropriate For: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 432 Pages
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Narration: First Person: Meira
Genre: High Fantasy

The Snow Like Ashes Trilogy
Book .1: Icicles Like Kindling
Book One: Snow Like Ashes
Book Two: Untitled (2015)
Book Three: Untitled (2016)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

My Review:

The concept was super interesting. I loved how Snow Like Ashes focused on a mythical land centered on the seasons themselves. I mean, how can you get cooler than that? Winter 24/7? Sign me up. I've always had a bit of Elsa in me. (Frozen reference if you didn't catch that. xD) Plus, it's not an idea that's been overused, which is saying something in this YA era. I have to admit, I was a bit confused at first by the explanations and world-building, but after awhile it clicked.

I wasn't too big a fan of Meira. I found her whiny, irritating, immature, and reckless. 16 is definitely old enough to stop throwing foot-stomping, arm-waving tantrums, especially when those tantrums are completely idiotic and have no merit. For example, one time, Meira's little refugee group was discovered by a couple of scouts and one escaped to tell the bad guys of their position. What's her first reaction? I AIN'T GOING, MAN! I'VE HAD ENOUGH RUNNING FOR A LIFE TIME. Common sense impaired thought. Even she realized it later, telling herself that the scout could easily send back enough numbers to overwhelm them. Well gee, I wonder why you wasted the time at all to hiss about it when you were in possession of a smidge of common sense after all. 

She also loves yelling the word No and Stop, as if those words alone had the power to stop whatever horrific event was happening. A couple of times, I even felt like she was surprised that her order wasn't obeyed. Another thing that irked me was how she needed so badly to be needed. I have no issues with protagonists having insecurity. In fact, I find it gives a character more depth. If she basked in the glow of praise or if she felt disappointed when she was ignored, understandable. However, when you're sole need is to be wanted and when you put that need over the lives of other people....we've got a problem.

Snow Like Ashes also sports a love triangle that is or is not a love triangle? I was a little confused by Meira's sudden change in emotions for a certain someone. I felt like certain things were rather abrupt and unrealistic, but since I'm still not sure where Sara is going with that relationship, I'll keep my mouth shut. Not going to delve deeper than that for fear of spoilers.

Overall, this wasn't a bad read; it just didn't meet my overly high expectations. I try hard to not get too excited for a first book in series, because I'm scared of how it's going to turn out. Unfortunately, with a cover as epic as that, I had no choice in the matter. The writing style was smooth, transitioned nicely, albeit some ideas were explained weirdly. Although many events happened throughout the span of this book, I never felt truly involved or gripped by the story. It was alright; nothing more nothing less.

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2.5/5
Left me a tad confused...
Action- 2.5/5
World-Building- 3.5/5
I adored the theme! Worldbuilding was average.
Writing- 3.5/5
Overall- 3/5

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 400 Pages
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Narration: First Person:
Ember, Garrett, Riley
Genre: Dragons/Paranormal

The Talon Series:
Book One: Talon
Book Two: Rouge
Book Three: Unknown
Book Four: Unknown
Book Five: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

My Review:

Talon reminded me a lot of Sophie Jordan's Firelight.

Obviously the most prominent similarity being that they both revolve around dragons, but it went much deeper than that. Like Firelight, this book sported a star-crossed romance between a dragon and a dragon slayer. Adding to that, the third person in the love triangle was another dragon. There were more parallels than that, but for the sake of spoilers, I'm going to keep them out.

Talon was a very entertaining, action-packed, humor filled read. I had high expectations for Julie Kagawa after reading her Iron Fey series, and she definitely met them. I have to admit; I'm always quite wary when it comes to having expectations before starting a book, but I should've never doubted Julie's utter epicness. She always writes books filled to the brim with seat-gripping action, swoony romance, and sarcastic humor. What else could you possibly want? Ember was a headstrong, fiery (pardon the pun), and loyal character. She had a temper and was impulsive, but not overly so. Lately, I've been having issues with reading about characters who are too set on getting their way, ignoring advice from everyone else just because they don't want to be told what to do. There's a fine line between strength and stupidity. Ember made mistakes and raged a few times, but she grounded herself with the help of her loved ones.

The love triangle wasn't technically a love triangle....but it sorta was at the same time. We have two contenders at the moment, Garrett and Cobalt. However, despite Ember's attraction to both, it's obvious that her human side has stronger feelings for Garrett. He's the one always on her mind. They gradually fell in love through surfing lessons, carnival rides, and all the other cutesy things they did. With Cobalt, it was more primal instinct than anything else. Their dragons called to each other and when they were in dragon form, they could barely resist each other. What I'm thinking right now is that she'll end up with Garrett. However, there are two major problems standing in their way. One being the obvious "He's the enemy" sort of thing, but really, what's stopped two star-crossed lovers before? In fact, in most YA novels that seems to be the key factor. Impossible lovers = Definite relationship. Though there's also the issue that he's a human...and she's a dragon, a creature that lives for hundreds of years. This isn't Twilight. She can't bite him and turn him into a dragon so they can have a happily ever after. Unless some new secret about Garrett is revealed in the upcoming books, I can't see how they can be together in the long run.

Despite the fun I had reading this, the plot wasn't exactly original. Two radical societies hell bent on the destruction of the other. Two people from each society realizing that the world isn't as black and white as it had originally seemed. Later on in the series other people probably begin to realize the same thing, which leads to some sort of revolution and ends in either the abolishment of the old systems or the epiphany that things must change in order for both sides to survive. It's a storyline we've seen thousands of times before, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of it. It still had me gripping my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.

Overall, I enjoyed Talon very much. It was fast-paced, fun, and full of humor. The writing was amazing, as Julie Kagawa's writing always is and the dragon lore that was introduced was explained well. I was never left wondering about what something meant or how something worked, but I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the history of dragons in the next novel.

Cover- 6/5 Simple, yet undeniably gorgeous!

Heroine- 4.5/5

Romance- 4.5/5

Action- 5/5

Writing- 5/5

Humor- 5/5

Overall- 4.5/5

Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen

Appropriate For: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 469 Pages
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Narration: First Person: Cecile, Tristan
Genre: Fantasy/ Historical Setting
Paranormal Type: Trolls

The Malediction Trilogy
Book One: Stolen Songbird
Book Two: Hidden Huntress (2015)
Book Three: Untitled (2016)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling 

comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

My Review:

Trolls. Trolls? My first thought: Shrek 

Is Shrek even a troll? Anywho, fortunately that wasn't what a troll looked like in Trollus, which by the way, is a horrid name. About half the trolls were beautiful and otherworldy looking, while the other half was deformed and misshapen due to inbreeding. This was interesting to me, because for the first time in forever *Breaks into Frozen song*, we don't just have a race of perfect, gorgeous people. It's not that big a deal, but to me, it stood out.

Another thing I liked was that the heroine was down to earth and overall, very normal, yet strong. Although she was prophesied to be the savior who broke the curse that trapped all the trolls under the mountain, she failed. It's not like I wanted her to fail, but for once, I wanted a heroine to not be perfect, to not be able to pull off amazing feats just because she was the big and powerful "chosen one." She made her fair share of mistakes, but she always learned from them. She was intelligent and cunning, yet she could also be stupid. She was compassionate, but she wasn't willing to throw her life away or put it in danger before she knew exactly what she was fighting for. Cecile had depth, and I enjoyed that about her.

I also very much admired Tristan, the love interest. My heart broke for him over and over again throughout the story. All his life, he's had to act like someone he's not. He's had to paint himself as the bad guy, bearing the hatred from those who didn't know him any better all in order to make the world, or more like cave, a better place for the half-bloods who are constantly being discriminated against. Ever since he was young, his father tried to instill in him a sort of ruthlessness, but Tristan always followed his own moral compass. When Cecile comes along and bonds with him, he's most afraid of her seeing through his deceptions. The only place where he's ever been allowed to be himself is in his own mind, and with the bond, that's taken away from him. Because of this, Cecile and Tristan's relationship starts off a bit rocky. There's a mistrust between them, but that mistrust turns into a reluctant friendship, which then in turn morphs into something more. The romance wasn't instant; it was gradual.

Although I really enjoyed those aspects of the story, this novel dragged a bit too. At times, I skimmed the pages just to get to the interesting stuff. The action wasn't slow persay, but it did have its moments. The writing style was average. Things were explained well and the sentences flowed. Overall, I enjoyed Stolen Songbird because of its uniqueness, not only story wise, but character and romance wise as well.

Heroine- 5/5
A special snowflake that lacks specialness. However, despite her failure, she held her head up high and lived with it.
Romance- 4.5/5
A nice change.
Action- 3.5/5 Dragged in places.
World-Building- 4/5
Unique. How many stories do we hear about trolls?
Humor- 4/5 Lots of pointed jabs between the happy couple.
Overall- 4/5

Going Down In Flames by Chris Cannon

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 407 Pages
Release Date: June 30, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Narration: Third Person: Bryn
Genre: Paranormal/
Contemporary Setting
Paranormal Type: Dragons/Paladins

Going Down In Flames Series
Book One: Going Down in Flames
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

If her love life is going down in flames, she might as well spark a revolution.

Finding out on your sixteenth birthday you’re a shape-shifting dragon is tough to swallow. Being hauled off to an elite boarding school is enough to choke on.

Since Bryn is the only crossbreed at the Institute for Excellence, all eyes are on her, but it’s a particular black dragon, Zavien, who catches her attention.

Zavien is tired of the Council’s rules. Segregated clans, being told who to love, and close-minded leaders make freedom of choice almost impossible. The new girl with the striped hair is a breath of fresh air, and with Bryn’s help, they may be able to change the rules.

At the Institute, old grudges, new crushes, and death threats are all part of a normal day for Bryn. She’ll need to learn to control her dragon powers if she wants to make it through her first year at school. But even focusing on staying alive is difficult when you’re falling for someone you can't have.

My Review:

Going into the book, I already knew that the protagonist was most likely going to be a spoiled kid who thought the world revolved solely around her, and I was right. Countless times throughout the book, she threw tantrums, referred to herself as acting like a five year old, and raged whenever she didn't get what she wanted. Her version of rage being shooting balls of fire at people she didn't like. Another immature thing she had a tendency for was doing the exact opposite of what people told her to do. We see this often enough in other stories when headstrong female leads come into question, but her version of rebelling was absolutely ridiculous. For example, in the beginning, she refused to do something that she didn't want to do. However, after someone agreed with her and told her not to do said something, she was all, "Screw you, I'll do it if I feel like doing it!" *Facepalm* In the least, she realized that she was acting like a child, and further down along the road, restrained herself to some degree of success. I guess that counts as some sort of character development.

Dragons. Freaking awesome mythical beings. After my How to Train Your Dragon phase, I've been a bit obsessed with them, which is why I became interested in this book in the first place. However, the world building for this was....not as amazing as I had hoped. I mean, it wasn't bad, but at the same time, it wasn't great either. There was no intricacy whatsoever. Dragons are classified by their skin color, their skin color specifying their skills and talents. The protagonist, being a mix breed between a Red and Blue dragon, unsurprisingly had both their qualities, fire breathing and ice shooting. It all felt too by the book. There was nothing that was surprising or made me fangirl.

The romance was almost comical. The classic everyone starts crushing on the protagonist sort of plot, which, in my opinion, is confusing, because I really don't see anything appealing about her character. The main love interest was just creepy, at least I would think he was if I was in her shoes. You just meet the dude, and then he begins stalking you. Like literally, he was always climbing through her window, standing by her door, or doing something else vaguely alarming. Another thing that irritated me was how he ALWAYS seemed to be profusely begging for Bryn's forgiveness when he wasn't the one to blame. So many times I wanted to shake some sense into him.

The writing was pretty well done. It flowed well and the jokes here and there were funny. Nothing ever slipped awkwardly and thoughts blended very well. The only thing that stood out to me was the author's overuse of the word "growled."

Overall, Going Down in Flames was an entertaining and quick read. Although I despised the protagonist 99% of the time and thought the dragon lore was too simple, I had fun with it, and it kept my attention. I probably won't be reading the sequel, but I don't feel like I wasted my time reading this either.

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 4/5
World-Building- 2/5
Writing- 3.5/5
Overall- 2.5/5

The Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 492 Pages
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt
Narration: First Person: Lia,
Third Person: Rafe, Kaden
Genre: Fantasy/Magic
Source: Library

The Remnant Chronicles:
Book One: The Kiss of Deception
Book Two: The Heart of Betrayal
Book Three: Unknown

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

Goodreads Synopsis:

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love

My Review:

DNF at Pg. 336 

Because of this, my review only reflects the portion that I read.

The pacing is so unbearably slow. The whole book, at least to the point I read, basically just revolved around her everyday life. Great. You Work. And pick berries. HURRAH! The setting and the theme were both intriguing, which is why I was pretty interested in the beginning of the novel, but it went straight downhill from there. Most things weren't explained well, if they were explained at all. The book itself had more unrealistic happenings than realistic ones. I found it hard to believe how easy it was for the freaking First Daughter to escape so easy. And after she escaped, only 3 people were able to find her? Everyone goes on and on about her skills in tracking and covering her tracks, but I highly doubt it. From the way she described her getaway, concealing her path was the last thing on her mind. Screaming at the top of your lungs? Yep, that's not telling at all. 

Another thing I was irritated by was her utter lack of concern for her kingdom. Yes, she's been shaped and molded and told what to do and ignored her whole life, but even if she's had that sort of childhood, wouldn't it be decent for her to at least consider the needs of her people over her own desires and dreams? People are dying, and all she cares about is finding her one true love. Which of course brings us to the love triangle. To be honest, I spent the entire first half of the story believing Rafe was Kaden and Kaden was Rafe. So either Pearson's writing was weird or I'm terribly unobservant. I mean, in my defense, their POV titles were The Assassin and The Prince. When Lia actually crossed paths with them, the way they acted made me automatically assume that Rafe was the assassin and Kaden was the prince. Imagine my surprise when the POVs switched near the end to Rafe and Kaden instead of The Prince and The Assassin. As I said, the fault probably lies solely on me, but this has never happened to me before, so I don't even know anymore. Either way, both boys were blah to me. Insta-love connection kills my happiness. That's all I have to say to that.

Update: I finally understand that the POV names were The Assassin and The Prince for a reason and that the author wanted us to be almost as much in the dark about the characters' identities as Lia. Hitting myself at the moment, because of how slow I feel. I give props to the author for introducing the characters in such an innovative fashion; however, I still don't think it was executed well. It would've been mind-blowing if Pearson dropped tiny clues here and there about their true identities so that in the end I could've had one of those Aha! moments. But I really didn't feel it, at least for the portion I read. Maybe things were explained out better at the end? 

Cover- 6/5 Swooning over the cover. *.*

Heroine- 2.5/5

Romance- 2/5 Insta-Connection, Unrealistic

Action- 2/5

Writing- 3/5 Writing style wasn't bad, but it was difficult at times to follow the author's train of thought.

Overall- 2.5/5

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 417 Pages
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Narration: First Person: Alina
Genre: Fantasy/Magic
Source: Amazon
Trailer: Trailer One ! Trailer Two

The Grisha Series
Book One: Shadow and Bone
Book Two: Siege and Storm
Book Three: Ruin and Rising

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                               Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
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Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

The capital has fallen. 

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Review:

Cover Thoughts: Hurrah! Consistent cover schemes! 

An idea that is seemingly unheard of in YA novels nowadays since publishers seem to love irritating book-buyers. The Grisha series is my favorite set of covers on my bookshelf. I mean, come on, have you seen the spines side by side?

WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS FULL OF SERIOUS SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE FINISHED THE BOOK. 

On a side note, it's also full of incoherent ramblings, 

so I apologize if it doesn't make sense.

Ruin and Rising was nothing like I had expected. All the little notes I scribbled down depicting what I believed would happen (who am I kidding, I don't write notes) never came to pass. To be honest, Alina losing her powers was a plot twist that never even crossed my mind. In YA novels, we've seen main characters die, we've seen their love interests die, we've seen their animal companions die, actually now that I think of it, most plot twists involve an awful amount of death. Alina and her sun summoning abilities seemed to be a package deal, permanent. When they just disappeared...I was like, "Nah, they're has to be something more to it." But as time progressed, I realized that it was set in stone, that she would never be a summoner again. One thing that I really liked was how she reacted to losing her powers. She wasn't a perfect heroine who felt all rainbows and butterflies for having saved Ravka; she mourned the loss of her power because it had been a part of her for so long. She was ashamed of her shallowness, considering all of the people who died in the battle, but she accepted it.

Originally, I was shipping Nikolai and Alina together. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who did. From the reviews on Goodreads, it looks like everyone was either for the Darkling or for Mal. The Darkling wasn't exactly evil, but I felt like he was too far gone to be redeemed within one novel. Maybe, if there were still more books in the series, Alina could've brought him back from the deep end, but since this was a trilogy, I predicted that they wouldn't be together in the end. If they did, I would've stabbed myself. Don't get me wrong, I felt for him and all the burdens he had to carry, but he was such a horrible person the majority of the time. The part where he said that Alina was nothing when she lost her powers? I was about to get violent. However, I do admit he still had his heartfelt moments.

 “In this moment he was just a boy -brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.” “Aleksander," I whispered. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten.”

Despite this smidgen of goodness in him, he was still pretty evil to me. 

On the other hand, I had nothing concrete against Mal. He was a childhood friend, understood her personality in ways no one else could, and had this undeniable bond with her since the start. Fate brought them together. Yet, I felt that Mal would never understand the Grisha side of her. He saw her as Alina, his best friend, the orphan he grew up with who taught him to not be afraid of the dark. He didn't see her as a powerful Grisha who had this immense power within her, who was afraid of herself because of the growing greed inside her. Not being a Grisha himself, he couldn't comprehend the nonstop struggles that came with suppressing her powers. While Mal was strengthened by normal, every-day living in normal every-day cities, Alina was weakened by it.That's why I felt like Nikolai was the best match for her. For one thing, he grew up surrounded by Grisha and was used to commanding his own crew of them. Although he wasn't a summoner, which for some reason I thought he was, he understood her powers better than Mal ever could. Although the Darkling understood her the best of all, he wanted to use her power for nefarious purposes, which is why I counted him out. Nikolai was like the center between two extremes. The Darkling represented exploitation. Mal represented suppression. Nikolai was the balance. 

Reason number two: His humor.

“I saw the prince when I was in Os Alta,” said Ekaterina. “He’s not bad looking.”

“Not bad looking?” said another voice. “He’s damnably handsome.”

Luchenko scowled. “Since when—”

“Brave in battle, smart as a whip.” Now the voice seemed to be coming from above us. Luchenko craned his neck, peering into the trees. “An excellent dancer,” said the voice. “Oh, and an even better shot.”

“Who—” Luchenko never got to finish. A blast rang out, and a tiny black hole appeared between his eyes.

I gasped. “Imposs—”

“Don’t say it,” muttered Mal.” 

This part of the book almost killed me. Tears were literally pouring out of my eyes! His sense of humor matched Alina's perfectly.

“On the fourth day, we came upon a cavern with a perfectly still pool that gave the illusion of a night sky, its depths sparkling with tiny luminescent fish.

Mal and I were slightly ahead of the others. He dipped his hand in, then yelped and drew back. “They bite.”

“Serves you right,” I said. “‘Oh, look, a dark lake full of something shiny. Let me put my hand in it.’”

You see? I loved both of these characters so freaking much. However, when she lost her powers in the end, I knew that she would end up with Mal. To me, that was really the only way she could end up with him. If she had kept her powers, she would've had to ascend to the throne and become Nikolai's queen. Someone said in the story, forgot who it was, that it was best for there to be both a human ruler and a Grisha one. That way peace could be preserved because both races were represented equally in court. However, without her power, there really was no need. Nikolai still wanted her to be his wife, but she had already made her choice by then.

Now that Alina was "normal" again, without her Grisha abilities, Mal and Alina could be together again. What really drove them apart in the first two books was their inability to connect with each other and Mal's reasoning that she was meant for greater things. The way Mal and Alina were living at the beginning of Siege and Storm, when they were hiding away from the Darkling, was a perfect example of how they would have lived together if Alina still had her power. The way Ruin and Rising played out at the end was necessary in order for them to ultimately be together. 

Overall, although Ruin and Rising was in no way what I expected it to be, I enjoyed it nonetheless. The action was non-stop, and I wasn't able to put down the book for more than ten minutes without getting anxious. The setting and descriptions of locations were as beautiful as always, and the writing was smooth and poetic. Contrary to the general population, I'm happy with how the love quad ended and how everything tied together. I know that a lot of fans are upset about the Darkling's death, but I felt that it was necessary for the novel to end. Originally, I had expected Alina to end up with Nikolai, but with the sudden, drastic turn of events, I agree that Mal was the better choice. The Grisha series is by far my favorite High Fantasy series out there. I'm sad to see it all end, but it was worth seeing Alina grow as a character and watch her discover who she was and what she was capable of overcoming.

The first winter, when it was time for her friends to leave, 

the girl ventured out into the snow to say goodbye, and the stunning raven-haired Squaller handed her another gift.

"A blue kefta," said the math teacher, shaking her head.

 "What would she do with that?" 

"Maybe she knew a Grisha who died," replied the cook, taking note of the tears that filled the girl's eyes. They did not see the note that read, You will always be one of us.

Cover- 6/5

Heroine- 5/5

Romance- 5/5

Action- 6/5
Humor- 6/5

Writing- 6/5
Setting- 6/5

Overall- 6/5