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

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

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

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

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)

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

Author's
Goodreads  Tumblr  Twitter

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

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

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

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Facebook  Twitter

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

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 358 Pages
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Narration: First Person: Lillia, Kat, Mary
Genre: Contemporary
Challenge: None
Source: ARCycling

The Burn for Burn Series:
Book One: Burn for Burn
Book Two: Fire with Fire
Book Three: Ashes to Ashes (2014)

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

Jenny's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter  Facebook

Siobhan's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

Goodreads Synopsis:

Big girls don't cry.....they get even.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

My Review:

Since this was marked as a DNF read at Pg. 119,
this review only reflects the portion that I got through.

Unfortunately, I have nothing good to say about Burn for Burn, so if you're an avid fan of this novel, I suggest you leave now. Or else you're going to want to suckerpunch me in the end. Burn for Burn was an absolute catastrophe. It is my reason, embodied, for not reading contemporary novels. However, the premise and the gorgeous cover were impossible to resist. Three girls seeking revenge on the people who wronged them? I mean, come on, who could resist that. Sounds a bit like modernized Furies, does it not? But even though this novel had oodles and oodles of potential, as well as an absolutely gorgeous cover to support that potential, it unfortunately fell flat and made me want to chuck it into a fire and take off running.

So this novel takes place in a teensy, tiny island called Jar Island. Kat, Mary, and Lillia are three girls who are supposedly completely different from each other, yet strive towards the same goal. Sweet, sweet revenge. Yeah, no. Even though I saw what the author was trying to do, making three completely different characters by putting them in different social circles; The Outcast, The Popular, and The Runaway, they all seemed the same to me. Completely shallow. I would've expected the popular one to be conceited and annoying, but the outcast and the runaway? They were all immature, frivolous, stupid, superficial, brats. These people kept on jumping to conclusions when they should've just asked for the truth in the first place. The levels of irritation I'm experiencing right now astounds me.

Well, this is probably one of the shortest regular reviews I've ever written. There really is nothing else to write about, because nothing was memorable to me. Perhaps, their stupidity, but I already covered that in the last paragraph. There was no action, no suspense. Just frequent moments of facepalms, headbangs, and chucking books at walls. Overall, I'm definitely not going to be finishing this novel anytime in the future. In fact, I probably won't be picking up any contemporary novels for a while either. If you're already a huge fan of contemporary, unlike me, perhaps you will enjoy this novel more. However, if you're iffy about contemporary reads, run far, far away.


Heroines- 1/5
Action- 1/5
Romance- 1/5
Writing- 1.5/5
Overall- 1/5

(M) Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 318 Pages
Release Date: June 28, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Narration: First Person: Lexi
Genre: New Adult Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian
Source: Netgalley

The Sinners Series:
Book One: Branded
Book Two: Untitled
Book Three: Untitled

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

Abi's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

Missy's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 

Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 

My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

My Mini Review:

Since I marked this novel as a DNF, this review only reflects the portion that I read.

I loved the dystopian world that Abi created, but I wasn't too crazy about how it was executed. This novel had serious potential, but unfortunately, it fell flat. The heroine kept on telling herself to stay strong, which was admirable, but her actions contradicted her words. The romance, if you can even call it a romance, grated on my nerves. It isn't quite able to be labeled an Insta-Love, but it was close enough. Considering her location, her past, and his position in The Hole, the relationship they had was unrealistic and not even the slightest bit believable, at least in my opinion. And even if I was able to overlook a romance that had no foundation, it was hard to believe that she cared about him at all by the impulsive actions she took, never hesitating to put both their lives, as well as her friends' lives, in harms way.

Heroine- 1.5/5
Romance- 1/5 
Action- 1.5/5
A lot of things were happening, but I just couldn't bring myself to care.
Overall- 1/5

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 323 Pages
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Narration: First Person: America
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian Challenge

The Selection Series:
Book .5: The Prince
Book One: The Selection
Book Two: The Elite
Book Three: The One

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

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter  Facebook

Goodreads Synopsis:

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

My Review:

Beforehand, I wasn't looking forward to reading The Elite. Not one iota. When someone asked me what I thought of the series, the first words that popped into my head were princesses and fluffy dresses, which is definitely not my scene. At least not anymore. A year ago I wouldn't have minded, but now, I've shifted more towards the darker and actiony (Is that even a word? O.o) side of literature, otherwise known as the beloved Paranormal genre. The only aspect of this book that finally pushed me to give it a chance was the cover. Yeah, I know, it's the exact same thing that I just said I despised, but even I have to admit that it's undeniably elegant and beautiful.

I don't remember too much of America's character in The Selection, but I do specifically recall liking her personality. She was compassionate, loyal, not stuck up like the majority of the other princesses, and smart, something I definitely admired in the sea of annoying, whiny, pathetic heroines that seem to be the norm in way too many YA books. That's why I was astonished by her change in character in The Elite. It seemed like she took a complete 180 degree turn and morphed into this selfish, rash, infuriating princess during her stay at the castle. 

When the princesses were asked to come up with a charity idea to help the citizens residing in the lower caste systems, much like what Queen Amberly did when she was just starting out as queen, I was expecting America to be chock full of ideas, because she actually understood what it was like to live as one of the lower caste people. To be forced to hide her love for Aspen just because society deemed it unacceptable. To watch other people starve around her, because there wasn't enough food to go around. Even though she couldn't come up with an idea right away, I still had faith that she would come up with something, anything, that would help her family as well as the other people suffering even worse than she did when she was a five. In the end, she came up with the idea of ________ (Don't want to give away the spoiler. :P), which I would've supported completely if her heart was in the right place to begin with. Instead of stating her idea for the benefit of the public, she said it just to get back at Maxon, because she was angry with him. What the heck is wrong with you!?

Now comes the love triangle. *Slams head on table* Our contenders are Maxon, the adored prince with a painful secret, and Aspen, America's first love who will always hold a special place in her heart. To be honest, I really don't care for either of them. If I had to choose, I would be on Team Maxon, but I still didn't feel any sparks when America described him or when they had personal heart-to-heart conversations. One thing that bothered me the most about Aspen was the action he took after what happened with Marley and Woodstock, I think his name was? Gah, it's so hard to keep myself from saying spoilers. >.<  I can't believe that Aspen would decide to make his move on America then. Of all times, he of course would choose the worst one. It became hard to believe that Aspen cared about America's safety at all. 

The romance between all of them was bland and eye-roll worthy. It seemed like the author divided the chapters up according to which love interest America was going to spend time with. She would literally be set on dating Maxon in one chapter, confident about the love they had for each other, then going after Aspen in the next after some sort of misunderstanding. Back and forth, back and forth to the point where I just gave up on the romance all together.

The action was the only part that I enjoyed. Surprising, because it was the only thing that I feared would suck. Although much of the time was spent on princess protocol and organizing events, I never felt bored with the storyline or put to sleep by the lack of action. I'm not sure how to explain it.....it wasn't action in the literal sense, as in sword-fighting or ass-kicking, it was more of a....political sense? Never mind, you'll find out if you ever decide to read the book. xD We see a bit more of the Southern and Northern rebels in The Elite, and I for one, am very interested in learning more about them and what they really seek when they invade the castle.

Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the storyline but disliked the fact that it came at the expense of a ruined love triangle and an impulsive and selfish protagonist. I will be reading the sequel, probably just because of the gorgeous cover I'm sure it'll have, but I hope that America reverts back to the strong character she was in The Selection and actually takes the time to use her brain to think out her plans thoroughly instead of letting her emotions guide her actions. I haven't lost faith in you yet, America! Please don't disappoint me in The One!

Cover- 5/5 *Stares at creepily*
Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 1/5
Comedy- N/A There were some jokes 
but not enough to rate.
Action- 4/5
Writing- 4/5
No issues with the writing, but it didn't jump out at me either.
Overall- 3/5

(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
                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Paperback and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

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