Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Narration: First Person: Harper
Genre: Paranormal,
Contemporary Setting
Paranormal Type: Paladins/Witches/Seers

Rebel Belle Series
Book One: Rebel Belle
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

My Review:

Rebel Belle was like a refreshing glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day. 

There should definitely be more novels out there like this, both tone wise and content wise. Rebel Belle was light and fluffy, but it still retained that kick-ass, grittier edge that I'm always after. Content wise, I believe that this is the first novel I've ever read focused on paladins. What do I know, there might be millions of paladin books out there that I'm oblivious to, but through my experiences, I haven't seen many of them, besides maybe The Paladin Prophecy, which I have yet to read. 

Rebel Belle was pretty much an equal blend of anything you could ever want in a novel: strong characters, humor, action, romance, and a unique theme. Rachel also has a flowing, hilarious, image provoking writing style that draws you right in! I felt like I was actually in the novel experiencing the emotions that Harper felt. Especially so in the beginning, when David Stark pulled off that huge stunt, which I'm not going to give away for the sake of keeping this a spoiler free review. The aggravation and indignation I felt made me want to hit my head against a wall amongst other things harmful towards my outwardly appearance of sanity.

The romance between Harper and David was slowly and steadily developed as well. They didn't immediately fall in love after discovering how much their lives were really connected. On the contrary, they seemed to despise each other even more. It was the little things, the little gestures and conversations, that eventually led them to deeper, realistic (Key Word REALISTIC) feelings. However, I am a bit ticked off at how Harper treated Ryan whilst this was all going down. Actually, the way she treated all her friends irritated me endlessly. While I understand the choices she made, I really wish she would've stopped dragging a relationship that would never see the light of day again. Every time she ditched Ryan or forgot to call Bee made me want to cover my face in horror.

Other then that, I liked Harper. I have no doubt that some people are going to rip on her because they believe she accepted the supernatural events that occurred too quickly, but I still thought it was believable. People face traumatic and shocking situations in different ways, and Harper's way involved colliding head first with her issues, using sarcasm and wit as her main defenses. Kind of like Percy Jackson now that I think of it. It was her personality that inclined her to react the way she did, not desire to get the storyline moving on the author's part. While her life was crashing down around her, the life she had worked so hard for, she remained strong. I admit I was a bit skeptical of how her character would play out in the beginning. Bluntly stated, I thought she was snobby and superficial. But throughout trying times, she showed her true colors and redeemed herself completely by the end.

Heroine- 4/5
Romance- 5/5
Cute and adorable. Realistic in the fullest!
Action- 4.5/5
Badassery included.
Humor- 5/5
In a Rachel Hawkins book, your always gonna have some sort of humor.
Writing- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Taliesin Ascendant by Megan Peterson

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 370 Pages
Release Date: July 27, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Narration: Third Person: Ashe, Harris, Cole
Genre: Paranormal/Wizards
Challenge: Paranormal
Source: Author

The Children and the Blood Series:
Book One: The Children and the Blood
Book Two: Taliesin Ascendant
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The war isn't over.

And new enemies await. 

Life on the run hasn't been easy, but so far, Ashe has survived. But now Carter has ordered her to leave the Hunters and find her family's people – an order she can't refuse, no matter how much she wants to stay. 

Following his command will bring her into an unknown world, however – a world filled with new enemies and old prejudices that will demand more of her than she can imagine, at a cost higher than she'll ever be willing to pay.

My Review:  

Unfortunately, I haven't listened to my own advice of writing a review as soon as I finished reading a novel. Pro procrastinator, for the win. BUT! But! It's not entirely my fault, because I've been busy busy busy with the new school year and all, trying not to fall behind on my ever-growing pile of schoolwork. However, I can't blame my laziness completely on my homework, because a major portion of it is just my inability to think up a good review. For the most part, I just stare blankly at my screen, wondering what the hell I'm going to write next. To all my fellow book bloggers out there, have you ever experienced a similar problem?

Anyways, now that I've spent a whole paragraph rambling as I always do, let's get onto the story, shall we? Prior to reading the sequel, I enjoyed, but admittedly did not fall in love with, The Children and the Blood. Magic has always intrigued me endlessly, which is one of the main reasons why I agreed to review these novels and what originally dragged me into the storyline to begin with. After all the books I've feverishly read, which is quite a bit, I still have never encountered a story focused specifically on Merlin mythology, until now. Of course, you have your traditional wizard and witch novels where the protagonist is distantly related to the Merlin bloodline in some fashion, but those novels never go in depth into the actual tales and myths. They toss out the name as a passing comment and never develop it any farther then that. That's one of the aspects that stood out to me so much in Megan's works. And if you were still disappointed by the lack of history and world-building in The Children and The Blood, then you will definitely enjoy Taliesin Ascendant a whole lot more.

This story was still told in multiple POVs, but Ashe's voice quickly became the most prominent. It's become abundantly clear, that although this story has it's important supporting roles, it is still very much focused on her and her struggle to discover who she really is. Ashe both inexplicably annoyed me, yet earned my respect. I'm really having some mixed feelings about her. At times, I wondered how she could be so selfish and inconsiderate, yet at others, I could see the potential and markings of a truly extraordinary leader. There's a bit more character growth, but she still has a looong way to go before she comes anywhere near the exceptional queen she's meant to be. Countless moments, I wanted to tell her to build up a better argument in convincing the counsel that the Blood exist, other then saying, "I know what I saw," repetitively. You already know the counsel is horrifically prejudice and have a outdated method of thinking, so please use your common sense and find a better way of showing them. However, out of all the feelings I felt for her, pity would probably be the most frequent one. It seems like every time something starts to go her way, something horrible happens just to spite her. Luck, is definitely not on her side.

The officer, Harris. Gah. I got so angry with him every time the POV was switched to him, because of the huge web of lies he's tangled up in. And every stinking day, it just keeps on getting worse! Obviously, it's not his fault for unknowingly running in the wrong circles, but it still infuriates me every time he badmouthes Ashe in some way. I have literally lost count of all the times I had to set down the book, bury my head in my pillow, and yell "NOOOOOOOO! DON'T BELIEVE THEM, I BEG OF YOU." Of course, since he is a fictional character, he didn't have the ability to hear my desperate, fervent pleas. 

*SPOILER ALERT* When Ash had captured him, I really really really wished that she cleared the air between them. (Wanted it so badly that I had to use not one, but three reallys to express my point.) In fact, I was 100% sure that it was going to happen and that everything would be rainbows and unicorns, but IT DIDN'T! I was pretty much set on giving up on life right then and there. The agony. *SPOILER END*

The writing style was wonderful, and if I daresay, improved. The passages flowed imperceptibly smoother, and I never had to pause awkwardly at the end of a sentence. Fluid, continuous sentences are something I very much admire about this author in particular, because it's so rare to find that trait in a writer, even less in a self-published one. However, I was disappointed that she still resorted to using the same phrases over and over again. By the time I finished this book, I had the suspicion that there was something very wrong with the eyebrows of every character in this book. Because literally, every page, at least someone "furrowed their eyebrows in confusion." I have no problem with an author peppering a similar phrase throughout the novel, but when it's used too often, it gets really aggravating.

The action was pretty well done, and I found myself pacing back and forth from excitement more than once. The fighting scenes were engaging, and I could actually picture everything that was enfolding within my own mind. Some plot twists were seen a mile away, while others....took me completely by surprise.

Overall, this wasn't a bad read. I enjoyed it quite thoroughly and loved learning more about the interesting world these wizards reside in. Although I probably won't be rereading this novel in the nearby future, I will most certainly pick up a copy of the last installment in this series!

*Huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.*

Cover- 2.5/5
The fire is relevant to the story, but it's a bit bland.
Heroine - 3.5/5
Has a lot of potential
but still needs work.
Romance- None
Surprisingly no romance, but it isn't needed. This story is great on its own.
Action- 4/5
Writing- 4/5
Smooth, Fluid.
Overall- 3.5/5

Hover by Melissa West

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Narration: First Person: Ari
Genre: Paranormal/Dystopian
Challenge: Paranormal/Dystopian
Source: Netgalley

The Taking Series:
Book One: Gravity
Book Two: Hover
Book Three: Collide (2014)

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Goodreads Synopsis:

On Earth, seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander was taught to never peek, but if she hopes to survive life on her new planet, Loge, her eyes must never shut. Because Zeus will do anything to save the Ancients from their dying planet, and he has a plan. 

Thousands of humans crossed over to Loge after a poisonous neurotoxin released into Earth's atmosphere, nearly killing them. They sought refuge in hopes of finding a new life, but what they became were slaves, built to wage war against their home planet. That is, unless Ari and Jackson can stop them. But on Loge, nothing is as it seems...and no one can be trusted.

My Review:

I guess my expectations were just a little too high for this one. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't anywhere near hating it, but I definitely was no where close to loving it either. To me, this was just another unfortunate case to suffer from second book syndrome. I can't even put my finger on what I disliked about this novel, it just felt off in some way. It didn't have my pulse running or have me anxiously pressing the next page button on my Kindle. It was just a "meh" read that was lacking a lot of "oomph".

Hover starts off pretty much exactly where Gravity left off. If felt as if it was simply a continuation of the first novel, and that no time had passed at all, despite the year gap we actually did spend waiting for it. Usually, I have no problem with that, because authors generally take it into their interests to subtly recap the important events in the previous novel, but as you can already guess, that didn't happen here. If I had read both of these books together, I would've obviously remembered all of the names and the plot from the previous novel. However, since that wasn't the case, I was left floundering around, wondering what the hell was going on.

Throughout most of the book, Ari questioned herself as a leader and whether or not she was capable enough of leading a full-blown rebellion. Which to me, was understandable. I mean, if I was in her place, I'd be rocking back and forth in a corner, hardly able to function properly from the stress of being responsible for the lives of not one, but two freaking planets. Although she was a strong, unbendable character at times, there were also numerous times when I wanted to smack some sense into her thick brain. She's so smart, yet so unbelievably stupid and naive. Use your brain, girl!

There wasn't as much fighting as I was hoping for, however, there was just enough to satisfy my bloodthirst. xD But despite the fact that there was always something happening, I never felt emotionally involved or connected with the storyline. I was reading it and comprehending the sentences, but at the same time, it was just going through one ear and out the other. There was no substance to hold onto.

The part I was looking forward to the most, was surprisingly the romance, a topic I usually don't make a lot of fuss about. But something about the camaraderie and connection these two had in the first novel had me practically drooling for more. They were so perfect for each other! However, what I actually got in Hover didn't even come near to meeting my expectations. They were constantly switching back and forth between hating then loving each other. Enough to actually give me a headache and put down the novel a few times. I really hope Melissa is able to bring the relationship back to what it was in Gravity. Ari and Jackson have so much potential!

Overall, I'm just....disappointed. It was alright if you graded it independently, but compared to it's predecessor, Hover was depressingly lacking in every department. Will I still be reading the last book in the series? Of course. But I'll be more guarded for disappointment this time.

*An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest and thoughtful review.

Heroine- 3/5
Action- 3/5
Romance- 2.5/5
Writing- 3.5/5
Overall- 3/5

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 432 Pages
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Narration: Third Person: Celaena
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Challenge: Paranormal
Source: Netgalley

The Throne of Glass Series:
Book One: Throne of Glass
Book Two: Crown of Midnight
Book Three: Untitled (2014)
Book Four: Untitled
Book Five: Untitled
Book Six: Untitled

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Goodreads Synopsis:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.

But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

My Review:

I read Crown of Midnight quite a while ago and decided to put off the review until we were closer to the release date. Unfortunately, since all this time has passed, I've forgotten some of the details. Suffice to say, I won't be waiting this long to write a review ever again. xD However, even after all this time, Crown of Midnight still holds a candle above all the other novels I've read this year, even surpassing Siege and Storm, a book that I wrote a nearly hysterical review on earlier in the year. For some reason, when I first read Throne of Glass, I marked it off as an alright read...nothing special or even close to remarkable. But after reading it over again, my views have definitely changed, kind of the same case that Angelfall by Susan Ee was for me. Since I loved Throne of Glass oh so much and reread it over and over again like a bajillion times, I had super high expectations for it's sequel. I was ecstatic when it didn't suffer from "second book syndrome" like many trilogies do nowadays and that it went above and beyond my original expectations.

In this novel, Celaena Sardothien was as bad-ass as ever. She knows how to fend for herself and hates it when she has to rely on others for support. She is, by far, the most independent and fierce heroine I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. However, even though she's definitely more courageous and brave than most, she still has her weaknesses. For one thing, she still hasn't gotten over her arrogance, although some light is shined on why she's so confident of herself to begin with. And even though she has a fierce, no BS, mess-with-me-and-I'll-slit-your-throat sort of persona, she's still as vulnerable as any other girl when it comes to matters of the heart. And Holy Crap, the secret that's revealed about her? Mind-Blown. I had speculated about it and even guessed it near the beginning, but immediately wrote it off as impossible, something I shouldn't have been so quick to do.

The romance was a bit confusing. If you've been keeping up with this series, you'd know that there are two love interests, Dorian, the prince and current heir to the throne, and Chaol, the head of the Guard. From the beginning I knew who I wanted her to pick and had no doubt as to who it would be, but now? Not so sure. Dorian....he's growing on me a bit. He's gone through a lot of character development, and although he's still a bit dependent on others to protect him, he's grown a backbone, can stand up for himself, and fights for what he believes in. With Dorian growing up before our very eyes and after what transpired between Chaol and Celaena, I'm not too sure which direction the last installment is going to take. Heck, I'm not even too sure if I know which side I'm on anymore.

This novel never had a dull moment! Every page was filled to the brim with nail-biting and seat-clinging suspense. The action scenes were marvelously written and I felt as if I was watching everything unfold before my very eyes. I was constantly gasping at every little detail and awed by all the amazing secrets that were revealed. We get a lot more history and world building in this one, something that was definitely needed and beautifully done.

Overall, Crown of Midnight definitely did not disappoint or suffer from "second book syndrome." If you came up to me today and asked me whether I liked this novel or it's predecessor better....I would say sort of. Both novels are amazing, but in there own special ways. I wouldn't be able to choose between them. If you've already read Throne of Glass and loved it, this is definitely one book you do NOT want to miss. If you haven't heard of this series yet or have been putting it off for a later date, STOP PROCRASTINATING AND START THIS SERIES NOW!

*An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Cover- 3/5
Not really into this new cover scheme.
Trailer- 3/5
Heroine- 5/5
Comedy- 6/5
Action- 6/5
Romance- 4.5/5
A bit confusing
Writing- 5/5
Overall- 6/5

Click to Watch Book Trailer

Rush by Eve Silver

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 361 Pages
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Narration: First Person: Miki
Genre: Sci Fi/Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian/Debut/Paranormal

The Game Series:
Book One: Rush
Book Two: Push (2014)
Book Three: Crash (2015)

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Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

My Review:

Rush was something of an impulse read. I found it while scrolling through recommendations, thought, "Why the hell not," and checked it out of the library the next morning. (That's a bit of an exaggeration considering that I had to wait a whole grueling week on the waiting list, but hey, that's not the point.) I forcibly restrained myself from reading the synopsis or any reviews and decided to jump, head-first, into Rush with absolutely no expectations. Boy, was I happy that I decided to give this a try.

Rush was based on the most brilliant idea that I ever had the pleasure of encountering. After reading book after book of the same thing, recycled in thousands of different ways, over and over again, I've grown sick and tired of you're everyday Twilight/Hunger Games knockoff affair. Rush was a breath of fresh air that I desperately needed to get me excited about reading again. Although it definitely was not without its flaws, the premise and plot were so intriguing and enthralling that I found myself overlooking those pesky details and focusing on the wonderful world Eve created. After reading this, I eagerly logged onto my Goodreads account, and without thought, gave it a five star rating, because this awesome videogamey world made me forget all of the little things that annoyed me. So the premise? I give you a bajillion stars, because I'm 100% sure that Rush had the best theme out of the hundreds and hundreds of books that I've read. Kudos to you, Eve. Kudos to you.

I had no problems with the protagonist for the most part. For the first one or two chapters, I found her a bit slow in the head, but I was wrong and grew to like her fast-thinking and bad-ass Kendo (Sword-Fighting) skills. I literally jumped off of my bed and did a little victory dance when I discovered that Miki did not fall under the category of whimpering damsel in distress, but instead knew how to take care of herself and was a natural born leader, even if she had a hard time believing it herself. 

When she first got pulled into the "game," she was confused, as anyone would be, and asked tons of questions. One of the greatest feelings you get while reading a book is that moment when you ask yourself a question at the same time the protagonist does. It made me feel connected to Miki in a way I rarely connect with others, and it felt great knowing that we were on the same page, quite literally. Even though she was scared out of her wits when she met her first Drau monster, she still fought back with everything she had. Although she did freeze up a little at first, which in turn scared me out of my wits, she conquered her fears and did what was needed to survive.

As much as I hate to say it, there was a bit of an Insta-Connection between Miki and Jackson Tate. It wasn't a full on Insta-Love moment, but it was enough so that the romance progressed a little faster than realistically believable. Oh, and before I forget, there was a slight love triangle. However, it's no doubt who she's going to choose in the end, so I really don't see the point of it at all. But if you're able to overlook that, then I thought that the romance was wonderfully done. I definitely need me my own Jackson Tate in real life! 

Jackson was the leader of their little team and gave off this aura of mysteriousness. He never takes off his sunglasses, blames it on an "eye disease," and doesn't answer questions, except for Miki, and that's only when he's in a good mood. Although I did like the whole sunglasses tidbit, I also found it a bit unbelievable. His team has known him for months and they never question him about it? Miki asked the same questions, so I'm a little placated by that. Anyways, underneath Jackson's assholeyness, he was just a troubled kid with a tortured past. You know, now that I think of it, he kind of reminds me of Daemon from Jennifer Armentrout's Lux Series.

The action was non-stop! After I got through the first chapter, which sadly didn't pull me in at all, the pacing sped up, and sooner rather than later, I was clinging to every word exchanged and flipping pages so fast that I actually ripped one in my haste. The beyond engrossing premise did help, but even without it, I probably would've still been that anxious to finish it. There was never a dull moment, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of my time with Rush. The only part that nearly made me break out crying, was the ending. That. Cliffhanger. Nearly. Ended. Me. Even though I knew, without a doubt, that what Eve insinuated couldn't possibly be true, my heart still broke alongside with Miki's. I turned into a rambling mess for the better part of the afternoon, walking up and down the stairs, trying to deduce what would happen next.

Overall, I'm so overwhelmingly happy that I decided to grab this one from my recommendation tab on impulse. In fact, I might turn it into a weekly event, called "Impulse Reads" or something. (Not a very creative name, I know) The premise was the best I've ever read and will now have me scouring Goodreads for anything remotely similar to it. If you guys know any, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment or email me the title! I will be eagerly awaiting for the second installment! Meanwhile, I'll be trying to keep myself from going mad, trying to figure out what might happen after that cliffhanger.

Heroine- 4.5/5
Premise- 6/5 AMAZING Premise
Romance- 4/5
Progressed a little too fast.
Action- 6/5 Nonstop Action!
Comedy- 4/5
Trailer- 2.5/5
Didn't really tell me anything.
Overall- 4.5/5

Click to Watch Book Trailer

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 314 Pages
Release Date: March 21, 2013
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Narration: First Person: Margo
Genre: Paranormal/Genies
Challenge: Paranormal/Debut Challenge
Source: Library

The Art of Wishing Series:
Book One: The Art of Wishing
Book Two: The Fourth Wish (2014)
Book Three: Untitled

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Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

My Review:

When I opened this book for the first time, I was eager to get into the heart of the story, because come on, how often do we see novels written about genies? I was expecting all sorts of magic, some really cool world-building, and well, as embarrassed as I am to say this, something along the lines of Aladdin and flying carpet rides. However, I was disappointed by the first chapter and ended up putting it down before anything really magical began. Months later, I decided to give it another go, bracing myself for nothing other than more disappointment. Fortunately, I was completely wrong! Despite the fact that I'm usually not into books of this sort (More contemporary than paranormal), I was charmed by the simple yet undeniably compelling plot The Art of Wishing had to offer.

Margo, the protagonist, was a character that I truly admired throughout the whole novel. She's the type of girl who you'd want to aspire to be one day. Strong, brave, pure-hearted, and determined to keep everyone around her safe. Unlike most YA protagonists, especially the ones who are 100% human, she didn't take on that tone of a damsel in distress. Despite the fact that she was fighting against something otherworldly, she didn't back down or plead with the villain to let her go, instead, she took matters into her own hands and did something about it.

Although it took me a while to get into the pacing of the story, once I did, it was nothing but smooth sailing from there. After I reached the third or fourth chapter, I was a goner. No matter how many times my parents attempted to cajole me out of my reading hole or pry the novel from my hands, I just wasn't able to set it down. Every word demanded my complete and undivided attention. The plot was pretty simple in itself. There weren't any long drawn-out explanations or any intricate world-building. There was a bit of genie history included, if I remember correctly, but the whole description lasted all of one or two pages. Essentially, all you had was the villain, the heroine, and the good guy. There were, of course, more characters than that, but those three were the most significant and the whole story revolved around them. Since I'm used to huge, convoluted, and twisted plots that need to be carefully read in order to be understood, The Art of Wishing was like a refreshing breath of air to me.

A lot of people on Goodreads who reviewed this book before me had said that the relationship between Margo and Oliver was an Insta-Love connection, something that I was deeply dreading as I read on. However, I'd have to disagree. Although their relationship progressed a little quicker than most, they didn't fall in love at first sight. Margo was attracted to him, as any girl would be, because he was hot, not because she felt this instant soul-felt connection to him. There's a huge difference between attraction, which was quite understandable in Ollie's case, and love. Anyways, the romance that they did have was absolutely, freaking adorable. I literally lost track of the amount of times I said "AWWWW!" while reading this story. It's drastically different from the romances I'm used to with steamy make out sessions and broody bad boys, but I loved it all the same!

Overall, I was really surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this book! Although the plot was pretty simplistic, I still found myself enjoying every second of it. The romance was a breath of fresh air and completely different from what you find in most YA novels nowadays. Instead of a dark and mysterious love interest with a tortured past, we have one that's cute, funny, awkward, and charming. I recommend The Art of Wishing to anyone who wants a quick and fun read with just a touch of supernatural.

Favorite Quote:

“...Oh God. I'm one of those girls."

"What girls?" he asked, perplexed.

"Those girls. The ones in all those books and TV shows. Some dumb high school girl falls in love with some supernatural guy, and he's all, 'Behold, I am five million years old!' and she's all, 'Oh my god, how can you ever love pathetic little me!' and he's like, 'Because of destiny!' or whatever. It's just so...ew. You know?” 

-The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Heroine- 5/5
Romance- 4.5/5
A little too fast, but adorable nonetheless.
Action- 4.5/5 Slow in the beginning,
but it definitely picked up pace.
Writing- 4/5
Comedy- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5

A Castle of Sand by Bella Forrest

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Release Date: June 26, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Narration: First Person:
Sofia, Derek, Ben, Lucas
Genre: Paranormal
Challenge: Paranormal Challenge
Source: Author

The A Shade of Vampire Series:
Book One: A Shade of Vampire
Book Two: A Shade of Blood
Book Three: A Castle of Sand

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Order Links Will Go Live On June 26th


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Goodreads Synopsis:

No synopsis is available at this time.

My Review:

I wanted to enjoy this more, I really did, but unfortunately, my wants were left unrequited. Part of the reason was because I just wasn't in the mood for a book solely focused on the romance, which was my fault entirely. I ignored the little voice in my head that told me to wait just a little bit longer to open the novel, and became disappointed because of it. The other reason was because the protagonist, Sofia, just seemed to continuously annoy me throughout the second half of the novel. If you know me at all, you would know that characters, especially important ones, either make it or break it for me. In my opinion, there the most important piece of a story, and if I find them lacking, then I know, without a doubt, that I won't be able to enjoy the rest of the book, no matter how interesting the premise or writing may be.

I liked Sofia as a character for the first half of the book. She was compassionate, loving, and always put others before herself. In addition to that, she was also the only person who would ever stand up to Derek, even when his humanity switch was flipped, and actually get out of the situation more or less unscathed. That's what I admired about her most, she wasn't afraid to voice her opinions, even if it meant risking her life because of it. 

However, once I reached the midpoint line, I started getting annoyed with her. She often forgot how much pressure was on Derek's shoulders and expected him to do something about a problem immediately, despite the fact that even she couldn't think of a better alternative, one that was feasible anyways. And then she took on the tone of a damsel in distress, always waiting for her brave knight to swoop in and save the day. I know that she probably couldn't have done much against a vampire, considering their strength and speed, but she could've at least tried to learn and defend herself. I'd rather see her try to devise an escape plan or attempt to fight back instead of constantly break down in tears or beg the villain to let her go. If the human hunters were able to learn how to not only defend themselves, but hunt vamps as well, I'm pretty sure that Sofia should be able to learn basic defense.

As you all know, I'm not a huge fan of romance by itself. Even though the past two installments were romance-driven, I enjoyed them, because they were still pretty fast paced. However, for some reason, I just couldn't get into this one. I felt detached and removed from the plot, and I couldn't seem to get interested enough to care about what happened. The action was slow, and I found myself skipping pages more than once. However, if you're more interested in the romance aspect than the action aspect, you'll probably find this book much more fascinating than I did.

I didn't have any issues with the writing style. If you've read Bella's last few books, you would know that she usually writes a novel in multiple POVs, as she does in A Castle of Sand. Although this isn't a easy feat to accomplish, Bella transitioned from character to character flawlessly. In this book, we see through the eyes of Sofia, Derek, Ben, and Lucas, although the latter two were seen less often. There were a few places where things were a bit confusing or could've used more explaining, but those times were few and in between.

Overall, I didn't enjoy A Castle of Sand as much as I hoped I would. This installment was based more on the romance than anything else, and although it was undoubtedly well written, I just couldn't bring myself to care. The pacing dragged for me, and I found myself skipping pages more often than not. The writing style was more or less the same, with constant switches in POVs that transitioned perfectly. Even though this wasn't my cup of tea, I would recommend this novel to people who are more interested in a romance-driven plot than an action-driven one. I have no doubt that A Castle of Sand will get some really high ratings, unfortunately, I just wasn't in the mood for it at the moment.

*An ARC was provided by the author 

in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Heroine- 3/5
Romance- 3/5
Action- 2/5 Was slow, 
but sped up a bit at the end.
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 3/5

Flicker & Burn by T.M. Goeglein

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Narration: First Person: Sara Jane
Genre: Thriller/Paranormal Twist
Challenge: Paranormal Challenge
Source: ARCycling

The Cold Fury Series:
Book One: Cold Fury
Book Two: Flicker & Burn (7/13)
Book Three: Unknown

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Sara Jane Rispoli is still searching for her missing family, but instead of fighting off a turncoat uncle and crooked cops, this time she finds herself on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and pale white skin chasing her through the streets in ice cream trucks; they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're terrifying and hell bent on killing her, but they're also a link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them. While she battles these new pursuers, she's also discovering more about her own cold fury and more about the Chicago Outfit, how the past misdeeds--old murders and vendettas--might just be connected to her present and the disappearance of her family. But connecting the dots is tough and time-consuming and may finally be the undoing of her relationship with the handsome Max--who's now her boyfriend. But for his own safety, Sara Jane may have to end this relationship before it even really starts. Her pursuers who've shown her her mother's amputated finger and the head of the Chicago Outfit who's just whistled her in for a sit-down make a romance unthinkable. The only thing that matters is finding her family and keeping everyone she loves alive.

My Review:

I was shocked by how much I enjoyed reading Flicker & Burn. This is definitely one of those rare cases where the sequel surpasses it's predecessor. The first installment of the Cold Fury series was a good read, great even. I found myself enamored with the elaborate world T.M. constructed, as well as the supernatural twist he intertwined with the plot to give it that dramatic flair. This was one of the reasons I found the plot, the whole premise really, to be so intriguing. It isn't your average, everyday blood-sucking vampire or werewolf love story, but a contemporary action thriller with just a hint of something that's not completely human. 

I was seriously blown away by it all, more so after I had enough time to digest the book and admire the lengths the author took to make it come to life. And that's exactly what it felt like. As if people who were born with ghiasso furioso (totally just butchered the spelling of that), could actually exist in the world today. The author made it feel realistic by taking actual history and sculpting it to meet his needs, much like what Rick Riordan did with the Percy Jackson series. If you've read the Percy Jackson series, then you probably know what I'm talking about, but for those who haven't, an example would be making the Civil War a battle between clashing demigods, instead of a war between the North and South soldiers in the United States.

In this installment, Sara Jane, SJ for short, has a bleaker outlook on life. After everything she's been faced with, encountering situation after situation that requires fighting or unleashing her secret power just for the sake of survival, she has been forced to grow up faster than any teen ever should. In Cold Fury, we discover that Sara has the ability to wield ghiasso furioso, a cold blue flame of fury that rises whenever she's in emotional turmoil or severe distress, a flame that once unleashed, shows her adversary their deepest, darkest fear. However, as the series progresses, her abilities end up evolving as well, growing in strength and size with continual use. 

The more she uses her power for mafia-related business and the more she kills, the more she finds her aversion to death becoming weaker and weaker. Yet, despite it all, she still continues to fight against the monster within her and keep her humanity from withering away. However, although I admired her strength, cunning, and intelligence, there were still a few times when I questioned her actions. She seemed almost indifferent to letting a certain someone destroy themself little by little in order to gain the information she needed to discover her family's location. I wish she would've at least tried to find another way that didn't involve hurting said person in the progress.

In this book, were introduced to a couple of new characters. Since I really don't want to give anything away, I'm going to try my best not to mention who they are to Sara in particular. Heather was a suckerpunch that I truly never saw coming. My emotions were a complete wreck because of her. One minute, I loved her and wanted to be her best friend....and the next, it was all I could do to refrain from punching my pillow in aggravation. Back and forth, Back and forth. In the end, I've finally concluded that although Heather did have her bitchy moments, I still loved her as a supporting character nonetheless.

If you've read my review for Cold Fury, you would already know that I absolutely despised the romance in the last novel and found it completely unnecessary. Not all books need a romance to appeal to the YA audience. I would read this series for the action and suspense alone! I didn't like the relationship between Max and Sara any more than I did in Cold Fury. Max was boring and completely detached from the plot. I really don't see why Sara is drawn to him and thinks he's boyfriend material. Why can we never have a book where the heroine is able to stand strong on her own?

The action was fast paced the majority of the time, and I didn't have nearly as much trouble getting into the book as I did with the first one. The fighting scenes made me feel like I was actually in the book itself, experiencing what the characters felt as the scene unfolded. You could obviously see that the author spent a good chunk of time researching boxing and fighting techniques in order to make his story sound more believable. 

However, there were a couple of places where the story dragged on a bit, like the times when T.M. just seemed to be dumping loads and loads of information on us instead of subtly working it into the plot. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't enjoy reading books that take on the tone of a textbook, or my ninth grade research paper for that matter. Once again, I had issues with the movie references.There weren't as many this time around, but every time I did see one, I felt my eyes glaze over, because I had no freaking idea what they were talking about when they compared movie situations to the situation they were currently in.

Overall, I enjoyed Flicker & Burn immensely, considering the fact that I was a bit put off when the synopsis promised creatures with red pulsing eyes who drove around in ice cream trucks. The plot and the characters were intriguing and realistic, albeit a bit corny at times. If you've already read, and enjoyed, Cold Fury, then you certainly won't be disappointed by its sequel.

Heroine- 4.5/5
Romance- 2/5 Unnecessary nuisance.
Action- 4.5/5
Fast paced and exhilarating.
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Hidden by Marianne Curley

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 336 Pages
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Narration: First Person: Ebony, Jordan
Genre: Paranormal/Angels
Challenge: Paranormal Challenge
Source: Netgalley

Order On Amazon: Hardcover

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Hardcover

Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

For as long as Ebony can remember, she's been sheltered. Confined to her home in a secluded valley, home-schooled by her protective parents, and limited to a small circle of close friends. It's as if she's being hidden. But something is changing in Ebony. Something that can't be concealed. She's growing more beautiful by the day, she's freakishly strong, and then there's the fact that she's glowing. 

On one fateful night, Ebony meets Jordan and she's intensely drawn to him. It's as if something explodes inside of her--something that can be seen from the heavens. Ebony still doesn't know that she's a stolen angel, but now that the heavens have found her, they want her back.

My Review:

Note: Since I did not finish this book through choice of my own, my review will only reflect the portion that I did read, and will exclude the parts that I did not. 

Status: DNF, Gave up at 25%.

The summary isn't anything I haven't come across before, and if that was all I had to go by, I wouldn't have given this novel a second glance. However, the cover is absolutely stunning, and I love the fact that they strategically placed a feather over her eyes, as if she was hidden (Wink, Wink ;) from the outside world. A concept that is focused on in the story itself. If someone had described this cover to me before I ever saw it, I probably would've written it off as corny, but with it right in front of me, I can see that it actually ties the whole novel together. Give yourself a pat on the back Bloomsbury! Superb job with the cover. :D

Onto the actual story. *Cringes* As soon as I read the first sentence, I knew this couldn't end in anything but disaster. It's not that the writing is horrific per-say, it's just more accurate to say that it's a wee choppy and awkward when the words take form mentally, worse if you read it out loud. Part of the reason I was unable to get sucked into this novel might have been because the Galley version had so many glaringly obvious spelling mistakes. Hopefully, they'll fix all of those little quirks before actually releasing the novel.

Another aspect of this novel that I had trouble with was the two different narrators, Jordan and Ebony. I have to admit, although I do feel a bit stupid for saying it, that I didn't even realize the story was told from two different perspectives, until the fourth or fifth chapter. How's that for unobservant? In my defense, I was a bit distracted that day... Anyhoo, their tone of voice sounded so much alike that if they were both the same gender, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell them apart. If they had admirable characteristics and attributes, then alright, fine, I'll deal with it, but their personalities were so bland, flat, and annoyingly lifeless. To be honest, if one of them wound up getting driven over by a truck in the end, I wouldn't have been able to bring myself to care. Of course, since Ebony is some freakishly strong angel, I guess it wouldn't do much, but you get my drift.

The love triangle. Since I stopped at 25%, I hadn't reached the point where the second love interest made an entrance, but one Insta-Love moment was definitely more than enough for me. The moment Jordan and Ebony met was basically one of those wretched, "For a moment, the earth seemed to stop spinning and the room blurred until we were the only two left standing," kind of moments. Excuse me, while I repeatedly bang my head against a wall. *Insert hilariously funny gif here* Since I'm feeling lazy at the moment, you'll just have to use your imagination for that one. xD After reading some other reviews to find out if I was the only one who felt this way about Hidden, I discovered that the romance with the second love interest was, yet again, kick-started by another Insta-Love connection.

I understand that the beginning of a novel is usually a bit slow paced for the purpose of introducing all of the new characters, describing what their like, and giving some background information, but the amount of action in the first 25% was actually laughable. Nonexistent might be a better word to describe it. I actually found my attention drifting to a butterfly whilst one of the characters was dying.

Overall, Hidden was a huge disappointment, at least for the amount I read. Maybe it gets better as the story progresses, but sadly, I'm not motivated enough to finish it. There's a possibility that I might get back to it if I have nothing else to do, which is very unlikely, and hear nothing but raving reviews come in, but at the moment? Nope.

*An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Heroine/Hero- 1.5/5 Boooring. *Yawn*
Romance- 1/5
Sick and tired of Insta-Love connections.
Action- 1/5
Writing- 2/5 
Not horrible, but a bit choppy.
Overall- 1.5/5 For first 25%.

(M) Prophecy Girl by Cecily White

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 368 Pages
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Narration: First Person: Amelie
Genre: Paranormal/Demons
Challenge: Paranormal

Angel Academy Series:
Book One: Prophecy Girl
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

Order On Amazon: Paperback
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Paperback and Nook

Author's
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Goodreads Synopsis:

Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time. 

I was born to slay Crossworld demons. Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom. Then he shows up. Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right? Wrong. Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult. Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

My Mini Review:

Feelings after reading this book? Perplexed. Confused. Flabbergasted. I could barely keep up with the story and some things just didn't make a lick of sense. Although the protagonist was strong at times and had a great sense of humor, she clearly lacked in the decision making department. She acted downright idiotic at times and was way too reckless for my tastes. As they say, there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and unfortunately, she crossed it more than once. I didn't mind (too much) her instant connection with Jackson, but her infatuation with him as the story progressed grated on my nerves. At every fork of the road, no matter if she was doing something as mundane as brushing her hair or running away from things that were trying to kill her, she always had Jackson on her mind, wondering if he approved of her actions or berating herself for acting like a complete fool in front of him. Which she did pretty often. The comedy was hilarious and actually induced a feel laughs from me now and then, however, there were some times I wished the protagonist would stop taking everything as a joke. I loved the idea and concept of the novel, I just wish it was better executed. 

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 3.5/5
Comedy- 4/5 
The jokes were funny, but I wished she took some of the situations more....seriously.
Writing- 4/5
I had no issues with the writing style.
Overall- 2.5/5