THE KISS OF DECEPTION By Mary E. Pearson

June 14, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Series: The Remnant Chronicles #1
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on 7/8/14
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 497
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia's life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn't—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.
On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

Short and Sweet

Princess Lia does not like traditions. Lia escapes from her arranged marriage by taking off to a nearby village. Lia is making a new life for herself as a barmaid. Everything seems to be going fine until two men enter the bar, one is the prince she left at the alter and the other is the assassin sent to kill her.

My Thoughts

~ The book is told from all three characters points of view. All three did a beautiful job as narrator.

~ Lia was an intriguing character. She had a vast knowledge in languages which she used to her advantage. She was also brave and stood for what she thought was right.

~ We get to see the men the same way Lia did, and we got to learn their names, as Rafe and Kaden.

~The most interesting aspect of the book was that we didn’t know who was the prince or the assassin.

~I thought I would be able to guess who was who but in the end I was totally wrong.

Overall

The Kiss of Deception was an amazing book. The story is captivating once it gets started. I definitely liked this book, and I can’t wait to continue on with the series!

Filed Under: Reviews

THE WINNER’S CURSE By Marie Rutkoski

May 31, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #1
Published by Square Fish on 3/3/15
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

They were never meant to be together. As a general's daughter, seventeen-year-old Kestrel enjoys an extravagant and privileged life. Arin has nothing but the clothes on his back. Then Kestrel makes an impulsive decision that binds Arin to her. Though they try to fight it, they can't help but fall in love. In order to be together, they must betray their people . . . but to be loyal to their country, they must betray each other. Set in a new world, The Winner's Curse is a story of rebellion, duels, ballroom dances, wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Short and Sweet

Kestrel is the daughter of a general, and she has two choices get married or join the military. In this empire the Valorians have enslaved the Herrani. When Kestrel goes to an auction and buys a slave, she doesn’t realize the problem with what she has done until it’s too late.

My Thoughts

~ My favorite thing about Kestrel is how intelligent and strategic. She was also good at getting situations to turn in her favor.

~ Arin was also smart, he knew how to achieve his goals without getting caught.

~ The book is also told in both Kestrel and Arin’s point of view which was interesting, because we get to see what’s going on in their heads and what they’re planning.

~ I liked the relationship dynamic between Kestrel and Arin, it was always shifting. Their relationship also took time to develop.

Overall

I thought this was a great book and I can’t wait to read The Winner’s Crime. I’m interested to see what happens next especially after what happened in the end. I would definitely recommend this book!

Filed Under: Reviews

THICKER THAN WATER By Kelly Fiore

May 24, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thicker Than Water by Kelly Fiore
Published by HarperTeen on 1/5/16
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Cecelia Price killed her brother. At least, that's what the police and the district attorney are saying. Although CeCe is now locked up and forced into treatment, she knows the story is much more complicated. Cyrus wasn't always a drug-addled monster. He used to be a successful athlete, but when an injury forced Cyrus off the soccer field and onto pain medication, his life became a blur of anger, addiction, and violence.

All CeCe could do was stand by and watch, until she realized an effective way to take away her brother's drugs while earning the money she needed for college: selling the pills. Only she never expected what happened next.

Short and Sweet

Cecelia “CeCe” Price used to be a honor roll student at school. After watching her brother Cyrus get hooked on pain medication, CeCe decides to take some of her brothers pills and sell them. When Cyrus dies, the district attorney is convinced CeCe murdered him. Now, CeCe is in a juvenile treatment facility awaiting the court case that will determine the rest of her life as she struggles to accept her roles, both active and inactive, in the events that led to her brother’s death.

My Thoughts

~ Thicker Than Water is told in alternating time periods and in this book it worked. Seeing all the events that led CeCe to where she is now, was pretty intriguing especially, because we don’t actually know how Cyrus died until we get towards the end of the book. It just added to the suspense and my interest.

~ I felt pretty bad for CeCe, she felt extremely guilty about Cyrus’ death and his drug use even though she didn’t have control over that.

~ There was some romance in the book, but not a lot. I thought that Tucker was a good love interest for CeCe, mainly because he was more like a friend, and was willing to listen to her problems even if she wasn’t ready to share them.

Overall

The message in this book is deep, Fiore does a great job portraying how drug addiction not only affects the user but the people around them. I really liked CeCe and I could understand why she felt the way she did. I really love this book and I finished it in a few days, I would definitely recommend it!

Filed Under: Reviews

THE HATERS By Jesse Andrews

May 23, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Haters by Jesse Andrews
Published by Harry N. Abrams on 4/5/16
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

For Wes and his best friend, Corey, jazz camp turns out to be lame. It’s pretty much all dudes talking in Jazz Voice. But then they jam with Ash, a charismatic girl with an unusual sound, and the three just click. It’s three and a half hours of pure musical magic, and Ash makes a decision: They need to hit the road. Because the road, not summer camp, is where bands get good. Before Wes and Corey know it, they’re in Ash’s SUV heading south, and The Haters Summer of Hate Tour has begun.

Short and Sweet

Wes and his best friend Corey are at jazz camp which is where they meet Ash. After a jam session with Ash they decide to hit the road and find venues to play at along the way because that’s how bands get good.

My Thoughts

~ I liked the road trip aspect. Getting to see where the band would play and the different people they would meet was interesting. Also getting to see how they would tackle different situations that would arise was quite entertaining. It was almost like being on an adventure with the band.

~ I didn’t really connect to any of the characters, I mean I liked them at some points of the book and at others I would just get really annoyed with them.

~… So the word d*ck was mentioned a lot! And by a lot I mean a lot!!! (I didn’t count but someone else did) Anyway it was mentioned 77 times. I mean how many d*ck jokes can one person take? Me personally 5, after that I was over it.

Overall

I didn’t end up liking this book as much as I thought I would. I just didn’t think the jokes were funny. I found myself having to push through at some points of the book and that’s the only reason I’m sure I finished this book. And after writing this review I kind of feel like a Hater myself.

selena gomez whatever shrug nbd

Filed Under: Reviews

VALENTINE WITCH By Shay Roberts

May 19, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Valentine Witch by Shay Roberts
Published by Snowfire Press on 2/6/16
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 36
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Isabelle, a college student who grew up in the Amazon jungle, is half-Fae. Her unique appearance draws constant scrutiny and her emotions are wildly powerful. Valentine’s Day is a stressful time for her because it usually ends in disaster. Izzy keeps souvenirs of her romantic misadventures in a heart-shaped box, all symbols of hope and heartbreak. But perhaps this year will be different because she’s working on an unusual class project with her secret love …

Luke, who grew from an annoying boy into a handsome, athletic man. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Luke delivers devastating news to Isabelle, confirming her worst fears about the upcoming holiday. Desperate, Izzy turns to …

Millicent, a dangerous love-witch living on a mysterious island with a historic past. Millicent offers Izzy a devil’s bargain in exchange for happiness. But when the deal goes awry, Isabelle experiences a Valentine’s Day unlike any other.

Short and Sweet

Isabelle is half-Fae which means everything can be controlled by her emotions. Izzy emotions can be either good or bad, good in the fact that they help her in her surroundings and bad because if something breaks Izzy’s heart she can die. Izzy decides to go to a witch to help her remove her feelings for her crush Luke, because one wrong move with Luke can end Izzy’s life.

Overall

I loved this novella more than I thought I would! I thought it was so interesting that Izzy could die just from a heartbreak and it explains why she was so guarded. I also liked getting to see some of the other Heartblaze aspects in this book. Luke was just so sweet and I loved the connection that Izzy had with him. I Loved the ending it was so cute and I was just smiling the whole time. I would love to see both of these characters in another book. I love all of Shay Roberts books, and the novellas are just helping me stay patient for the next Heartblaze book!

Filed Under: Reviews

CHRISTMAS WITH THE VAMPIRE By Shay Roberts

May 19, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

Christmas With The Vampire by Shay Roberts
Published by Snowfire Press on 12/18/15
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 37
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Beatrix, a daring college student, can’t believe she gets to spend Christmas traveling alone in Europe! But her excitement fades when a terrifying natural disaster strikes, trapping her in a remote Gothic village at the mercy of…

Augustin, a gorgeous Czech vampire with sad eyes and a tragic past. The holidays have profound significance to Augustin. He seeks to share his secrets with Beatrix, whose parents never celebrated Christmas, and soon she gets caught up in an extraordinary yuletide adventure.

Augustin becomes consumed by Beatrix and demands more than just a confidante. Much more. So Beatrix must fight him with the only weapon she has…her heart. But will that be enough to survive the night in the arms of an immortal? If not, her first Christmas may be her last.

Short and Sweet

While traveling alone in Europe during her Christmas break, Beatrix, gets lost and ends up trapped in her rental car from an avalanche. A police officer shows up and gets her out and takes Beatrix to the nearest small town in the Czech Republic. After the storm lets up Beatrix decides to explore and that’s when she ends up meeting Augustin.

Overall

A Christmas novella that does a beautiful job expressing the loneliness some people feel during the holidays. I really liked that though Beatrix and Augustin spend a short amount of time together it was something that Augustin could enjoy, because he’s lonely most of the time. This is a novella so it was pretty short but I’d love to read more about these two!

Filed Under: Reviews

WHERE SHE WENT By Gayle Forman

May 17, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay #2
Published by Speak on 4/7/12
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Ever since Mia's decision to stay - but not with him - Adam's career has been on a wonderful trajectory. His album, borne from the anguish and pain of their breakup, has made him a bona fide star. And Mia herself has become a top-rate cellist, playing in some of the finest venues in the world. When their respective paths put them both in New York City at the same time, the result is a single night in which the two reunite - with wholly satisfying results.

Short and Sweet

Adam, an infamous bad boy rocker, has been in an emotional and mental state since his girlfriend, Mia Hall left him. Three years later chance brings Adam and Mia together for one more night and we follow these two around New York for 24 hours. During their time together Mia and Adam get to talk about what’s really important.

Quotes

~ “I needed to hate someone and you’re the one I love the most, so it fell on you.”

Overall

Adam’s journey in this book is the main focus. Adam definitely needed the time with Mia to finally understand his feelings and deal with the pain she caused him three years ago. I enjoyed Where She Went more than If I Stay. I was on Adam’s side every single page and almost resented Mia at times for hurting him so much. I liked the way that the story came kind of full circle, and Adam did get his closure, even though it came through finding out things that certainly hurt. I would definitely read more books by Gayle Forman in the future.

Filed Under: Reviews

IF I STAY By Gayle Forman

May 13, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay #1
Published by Speak on 4/6/10
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family

Short and Sweet

After a devastating car accident, Mia wakes up only to find herself out of her body. Mia is caught between a choice of staying alive without her family or passing on. Mia witnesses how her remaining loved ones deal with the loss of her family, and weighs the decision of leaving versus the decision of staying behind. Ultimately, the choice is up to Mia and this choice is a matter of life or death.

What I Liked

~ The flashbacks, it gave the book an interesting tone.

~ The Music, I love that there was so many different kinds introduced in this book. I loved how it brought people together and drove people apart as well.

~ I also loved Mia she was easy to connect to.

What I Didn’t Like

~ At some points I found myself getting disinterested.

Quotes

~ “I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard.”

~ “But the you who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, the same you I’ll be in love with tomorrow.”

Overall

If I Stay was such a moving and captivating read. This book is incredible. It’s a short read and wonderfully written. But I did have to push through sometimes, because I did get a little bored. Otherwise everything was great and it had me guessing up until the very end what Mia would choose to do.

Filed Under: Reviews

TEN By Gretchen McNeil

May 6, 2016 by Dani Young 1 Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil
Published by Balzer + Bray on 9/17/13
Genres: Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie are looking forward to two days of boys, booze, and fun-filled luxury. But what starts out as fun turns twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. And things only get worse from there.

With a storm raging outside, the teens are cut off from the outside world . . . so when a mysterious killer begins picking them off one by one, there’s no escape. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on one another, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Short and Sweet

Ten is the story of ten teenagers who are invited to a secret house party on a secluded island over the course of a three-day weekend. Expecting to have a fun time at the party, best friends Meg and Minnie decide to go, despite Meg’s reservations. When the two arrive at the island and party house, things begin to go awry. After watching a video ending with a chilling message, “Vengeance is mine.”, the teenagers start getting picked off one by one by an unknown killer, and at this party, there’s no one you can trust.

What I Liked

~ Ten Teens on an island for three days and one killer that they have to avoid. Its so good and the suspense and having to try to avoid a killer on an island, there’s not a lot of places you can hide.

~There were some twist that I wasn’t expecting and let me tell you the killer is one smart cookie.

~Meg is a very likeable character. She’s always there for her friends, always wants to help out, and her instincts were on point. Especially when it comes to murders around her she didn’t do anything idiotic that would get her killed.

What I Didn’t Like

~This question is irrelevant when it comes to this book.

Overall

TEN is one of my favorite novels! If you want a novel with secrets and betrayals, shocking moments and terrifying conclusions, TEN is definitely the book you should buy and read!

Filed Under: Reviews

RELIC By Gretchen McNeil

May 6, 2016 by Dani Young Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Relic by Gretchen McNeil
Published by HarperCollins on 3/8/16
Genres: Horror & Ghost Stories, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

For Annie Kramer, the summer before college is bittersweet—both a last hurrah of freedom and the last days she'll spend with her boyfriend, Jack, before they head off to different colleges. So she and her friends plan one final adventure: a houseboating trip on Shasta Lake, complete with booze, romance . . . and an off-limits exploration of the notorious Bull Valley Mine.

The legends of mysterious lights and missing persons on Shasta Lake have been a staple of sleepovers and campouts since Annie was a kid. Full of decrepit bridges that lead to nowhere, railroad tunnels that disappear into the mountains, and terrifying stories of unexplained deaths and bodies that were never recovered, Bull Valley Mine is notorious and frightening—perfect for an epic conclusion to their high school lives.

The trip is fun and light—at first. But when a deranged stranger stumbles upon their campsite, spouting terrifying warnings and pleas for help, it's clear that everyone is in danger. And when their exploration of the mine goes horribly wrong, Annie and her friends quickly discover that the menace of Bull Valley Mine doesn't stay at Shasta Lake—it follows them home.

As one by one her friends fall victim to this mysterious and violent force, Annie must do whatever it takes to discover the ancient secrets of the mine and save her friends . . . if she's not already too late.

Short and Sweet

Annie and her friends are graduating and planning their summer of “no regrets” before leaving for college in the fall. They take a trip to the lake, where they venture into an old, deserted mine. In the mine Annie and her friends get separated. After leaving the lake and the mine Annie and her friends realize something has followed them out of the mine and is determined to kill each of them one by one.

What I liked

~ Annie, she was smart and determined to solve the mystery of what happened in the mine and what’s after them.

~ The teens were getting picked off one by one and trying to figure out who was next and if Annie would be able to save them had me on the edge.

~ It was fast paced, eerie, and also had some humor.

What I didn’t like

~Nothing!

Quotes

~ “I have no idea why you would bring a controlled substance for which I do not have a medical license onto government premises. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

~“Four tunnels,” Jack says decisively, “eight of us. We’ll split up and see where they lead.”
“Split up?” Sonya asks. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

Overall

I love all of Gretchen McNeil’s books and this one was just as good as all of her others and its kind of like Ten. The ending was great and it really threw me because I wasn’t expecting it at all. If you like mysteries and horrors this is a great book to read and you can definitely try to find out yourselves what’s after Annie and her friends.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE KISS OF DECEPTION By Mary E. Pearson

THE WINNER’S CURSE By Marie Rutkoski

THICKER THAN WATER By Kelly Fiore

THE HATERS By Jesse Andrews

VALENTINE WITCH By Shay Roberts

CHRISTMAS WITH THE VAMPIRE By Shay Roberts

WHERE SHE WENT By Gayle Forman

IF I STAY By Gayle Forman

TEN By Gretchen McNeil

RELIC By Gretchen McNeil

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