Nichole

I have finally finished this series (I'm not counting Fairest or Stars Above when I say series)! And I'm only really 4 months late for this one!

I have a lot of conflicting thoughts about this series as a whole, it definitely had its ups and downs and grew on me as I completed each book. That being said, this book was a beast all on its own. For starters, it is massive at over 800 pages. Going into the book, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the story and plot really seemed to drag for me. We were leading up to this epic revolution and fight against the Queen, but I felt like there was a lot of filler and just unnecessary drama and kidnapping.

So while this book dragged and I lost interest at times, I still really love these characters. I don't think I had enough time to really get to know Winter and Jacin, but I still feel like they are an integral part to this cast that I have come to adore. Cress and Kai continue to be my favorite people in the gang, but each member has their peculiarities that I love.

This was a great continuation of the series, but it definitely felt more like a filler book to me. It did end with a bang as you would expect from both Holly and Cassie.

Um... So I basically just finished that book in one sitting.



I have no idea what took me so long to get around to reading the trilogy. I always hear such amazing things about it. I was in love with the world for the first half of this book, then in the second half I was on the edge of my seat, frantically reading to find out what was going to happen next.

I will definitely be reading the rest of this trilogy, hopefully sooner rather than later. I would love to finish this trilogy so I can read Six of Crows before Crooked Kingdom comes out in September.

I may or may not write a full review once I have had real time to digest this book and everything that happened. But do know I absolutely loved it and it is definitely a new favorite!

This book did not really have much going for it. Other than the interesting Atlantis storyline. It was confusing and the end was rushed.

Ander was creepy. I don't care that it was his job he was basically stalking her. And it really bothered me that Eureka called her mom Diana. I know it was kind of explained, but the reason wasn't sufficient for me.

This book had a good idea behind it, it just was not written in a way I enjoyed.

Anna is different in this book, but she is still the same in some aspects. Still absolutely love Kai!!! Loved learning more about the Neph children in this book. Cannot wait to read the next book.

Quite the book. Creepy as heck, also a tad bit disturbing. I really enjoyed Mo Hayder's writing, even if the book disturbed me to no end. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book.

I really struggled with rating to give this. But decided on 4 stars since it has stuck with me. Yes the subject matter is highly disturbing, but Mo Hayder's writing is great and her stories are unpredictable.

I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book, but it definitely wasn't want I got. The premise was very unique. I loved the idea of Atlantia and the world above and the whole choice between staying below or going above, however I felt like we were thrown in this world with little to not thought or explanation.

The world building in the book was plain bad. I did not get a sense of what Atlantia was truly like, yes the Divide was clearly explained, but the actual workings of Atlantia and what it was like living there was extremely lacking. I don't think we ever even got a full description of Atlantia. I just feel like it was expected I already understood the world when I started the book.

While the world was way under developed, the characters were a struggle too. We barely knew Bay but she was clearly very important to Rio. The entirety of the plot is Rio trying to be reunited with Bay and figure out why she left in the first place. Then you had the side plot of Atlantia falling apart. But the characters seemed dry and I was not at all emotionally invested in them. I did appreciate however, that the romance was not a huge part of this book. True and Rio were cute together and I like them working together to figure out why Bay and Fen left, but their relationship wasn't the central part of the book.

This book had a lot of potential with the idea. But it completely fell short. The world was underdeveloped and the lack of explanation really hindered my enjoyment. I was unable to grasp Atlantia as a place and even the sirens were poorly explained. I'm still not really sure what exactly they are capable of. The ending also seemed rushed and then the book ended quite abruptly without really explaining the consequences of Rio choices in the Above.

2.5/ 5 Stars and only because of the potential.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review

As an avid hockey fan, this book was a great in-depth recap of the Colorado Avalanche's 2013-2014 season. This book is completely different from my typical read, but as a hockey fan it was engrossing. I just want to preface this review by saying, I am not at all an Avs fan, they are a divisional rival to my beloved Hawks. However, I really enjoyed learning more about the franchise and how they came to be the team I know today and the team I remember last season.

As a fan, I remember being mystified by how the Avs went from literally the bottom of the standings to the top in a single season. This book was an insider's perspective of that drastic change and rise in the standings.

The book consisted of three parts, the introduction which showcased how bad the Avs were, the Regular Season, and the Playoffs. These parts were filled with stories and chapters pertaining to players and each game. I really liked how each game was broken up into a section with a brief summary of the game and explanation of anything else that was going on.

The best part of this book for me however was the sections about the various players on the team. As a fan of the sport, I really liked the tidbits about their lives and their connections to the Avs growing up. The writing style of this book was also perfect, it was informative, but also had a witty side that kept me entertained. I really enjoyed the sections from Terry and Adrian's Notebook. Those were great insights into the events.

Overall, this was a really informative, in-depth book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I believe this book would only interest hockey fans, or more broadly sports fans. This book is a very focused look at a single season of hockey under the coaching of Patrick Roy and I'm not sure that would interest readers who are not a fan of the sport.

I was sent a galley of this book by EntangledTeen in exchange for an honest review

“When a person is naive enough to believe things are starting to look up, that's exactly when they begin falling down. And that very moment was when I learned about Code B.”


This book comes Feb. 3rd and I was lucky enough to get a galley in order to review it early. This book is your typical YA contemporary and it was exactly what I needed after reading a lot of fantasy and dystopian books recently.

The main character in this book is Alexis. After shoplifting at SmartMart, she is forced to work there over the summer. There she meets other workers such as Ruthie, Bessie, Roxanne, and of course Noah. Noah is a manager in training and also happens to be someone she knows from school. This book is the story of Alexis's summer working at SmartMart.

I really enjoyed this book for multiple reasons. I loved the quirky side characters who worked at SmartMart along with Alexis. They were all so unique and really added to the craziness which was working there. On top of that you had the customers, whether they were just rude or extreme couponers, they added another layer of hilarity to the story. While this book was your typical contemporary, which I do not always enjoy, this book was a good mix of romance, plot, and humor. Barnes also added a few touchy subjects such as bullying, abusive parents, and deteriorating health in relatives. While these were subtle, they added to the overall realness of the book.

One complaint I have with this book is the relationship between Bryce, Court, and Alexis. I understand why we needed the hostility between Alexis's friends and Noah, but it seemed unrealistic that someone like Alexis could be friends with people so unlike her. Even when it came to the shoplifting, Alexis was adamantly against it, but somehow Court was able to convince her.

Overall, this book was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fluffy feel good read.

Book 1 for the #xmasbooktubeathon complete.

Ascend, the third book in this series did not disappoint. I really enjoy Amanda Hocking's writing style. I'm not sure what it is but I am captivated by it and it is never unsatisfying. I think Hocking did a good job tying up this trilogy without it seeming forced or too simple. Wendy had to face her father and was able to defeat him and protect her family. One thing that bothered me just from a practical standpoint was the lack of true casualties. While I understand they have healers, it would have been more realistic to have more casualties.

I'm very happy with how this book went and it was another quick read for me. While these books are not amazing, they are incredible enjoyable and that is why I have given them such high ratings. This is a solid trilogy about trolls. And the trolls alone was enough to entice me when reading this series. The writing style was an added bonus.

This is a short review but since it is the last book in the trilogy I do not want to spoil anything for anyone.

I've been on a little bit of a mermaid kick recently. Anna Banks's Syrena Legacy is amazing. And I've had Wake for awhile now and finally decided I needed to read another mermaid (yes this one is technically sirens, but same idea) book. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives between Harper and Gemma. It was amusing how different but yet similar the sisters were. It was informative to see everything from Gemma's perspective as she learned about what she had become and to see things from Harper's perspective as she saw her sister change and saw other people's reactions to that change.

I also enjoyed watching their different relationships unfold. I have to say I absolutely loved Daniel's character. He is that obnoxious boy who always annoyed Harper until she gets to known him better (AKA typical bad-boy in YA novels). And Alex is such a sweet guy and I absolutely loved him and Gemma together.As for the mythology aspect of this novel, I loved the back-story we got from Penn, Lexi, and Thea about sirens and the Demeter's curse. I also liked that it wasn't until half way through the book that we learned about the sirens.

One thing that really bothered me in this book was the fact that Gemma and Harper referred to the Dad as Brian. During dialogue he was Dad but everywhere else he was Brian. It was just weird. They did the same thing when they met their Mom, Nathalie. It was just awkward and I'm not really sure if their was any benefit to it being that way.

Overall, this was a fun read and a great introduction to the series. I adored Hocking's writing style and the way she pulled you into the story. I liked that Hocking built up Capri and Gemma and Harper's lives before she introduced the Siren aspect and the troubles that lie ahead. The ending seemed a little rushed, but I liked the fast-paced aspect of the book.

Book two of the #xmasbooktubeathon complete.

This book was a bit of a disappointment. I'm not really sure what I was expecting but it was not what I read. This book was confusing at times with the timeline and the characters seemed incredibly flat to me. I wanted to really love this book with the math and the wonderful descriptions of prime numbers. Those parts of the book were great.

But when it came down to it, I don't know what the point of this book was. Alice and Mattia were cute together but their lives went different ways. And the end was just so open, it was frustrating. I have not idea what comes of Alice and Mattia and their relationship.

I definitely enjoyed the second book in this trilogy more than the first. In this particular book we got to dive into more backstory on the trolls. I definitely enjoyed learning more about Wendy's background and the Vittra. Again, Amanda Hocking's writing did not disappoint. This book kept me intrigued and motivated to finish to see how the story would end.

One thing I have to say is how much I despise Finn. In Switched he did not bother me, but in Torn he was horrible. I get wanting to protect Wendy but it was just so horrible. And that fact that Wendy still cares enough about Finn to still want something with him absolutely disgusts me. There is absolutely nothing okay with how he treats her and she deserves better. Now Loki and Tove are great guys, even if they both have their “flaws” (flaws is used loosely since the issue with Tove is not a flaw, it is just a reason they can't work). Loki is great because he is so straightforward and he definitely truly cares about the Wendy and wants her happiness rather than following duty like Tove and Finn.

Either way, I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion to this trilogy and seeing what Wendy ends up doing. I have a few theories about how it all ends up and I hope I right.

“We all pretended it would get better, but the unspoken truth is always louder than the stories we tell.”

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I knew it was a survival story but the back made it seem like a love story first. Plus, Jamie McGuire is known for romances such as Beautiful Disaster. Due to all the negativity surrounding that series, I was weary of this one. I am glad I read it though. While it wasn't a favorite book, it was still an enjoyable read. I appreciated the plot and the characters and their journey of survival. I totally was not expecting the zombies at all, but it was written in a way that was almost believable.

My main issue with this book is that from the beginning we are following 3 different characters and their journey to Red Hill. While I knew eventually everything would intertwine, I feel like it took a little too long for that to happen. It wasn't until over 200 pages in that any of the character's stories intertwined. I loved when they did, even when it was beyond the three main characters, but I wanted those connections to start earlier in the book.

I know this review is really short. This was a quick read for me and I do not have much to say about it. It was not really anything special I enjoyed seeing what happened to the characters and their survival instincts but it was nothing amazing. And I tried to keep what I have heard about the author and her other books separate from my thoughts on this book.

This would be a good book for people who want a short book that is pretty laid back and nothing too gory or intense. So if you want something that deals zombies, survival, and family then this is a good book for you.

“The real world worked differently than stories. In a novel you always knew the moment when something Happened, when someone Changed. But real life was full of gradual, piecemeal, continuous transformation. It was full of accidents and undefinables, and things that just happened on their own.”

I'm not really sure how to review this book because it really is two books in one. On the one had we have Darcy's story that focuses on her journey to publish her debut novel Afterworlds. Then we have Lizzie (the main character in Afterworlds) and her story after the attack in Dallas. These stories are clearly separated since odd chapters are Darcy and even chapters are Lizzie with the black top and bottom bars. The top and bottom black bars on Lizzie's story were incredibly helpful when it came to reading this book, since there was not a huge different in the writing style between the two stories.

The idea for this story was absolutely fascinating. I really enjoyed how we got to see Darcy on her journey to publication and seeing how she worried about all the little things in the book. We even got behind the scenes information about the book and what was going to happen to Lizzie. However, while I loved this foray into the publishing industry, I feel like things went a little to easy for Darcy. She did not really have the hardships I associate with the industry. Imogen kind of touches on this luck towards the end of the book, but there were still some aspects of the book that seemed too good to be true when it came to Darcy's journey.

As for Lizzie's story, from the start when the attack happens at the airport, I was drawn into what would happen to her and Yama. I loved the world that was created with the Underworld and the ghosts. I think my preference toward the supernatural, fantasy type books is what made Lizzie's story more appealing to me, but once we got further into Darcy's story, she did become more interesting to me and I began to enjoy her story just as much as Lizzie.

One of the things that is really weird to me is how throughout Darcy's story we hear about Untitled Patel and she even writes the draft of it in this book. But then Afterworlds ends and we never learn the conclusion to the story between Lizzie, Yama, Yami, and even Mindy. I really loved these characters and the ending of those chapters left their stories very open. As far as I know there is no sequel in the works for this book, so I'm slightly annoyed that we will never learn what happens to Darcy post publication or what will happen to Lizzie and Yama.

3.5 Stars

Part II of the #Gautierathon complete. This book had a lot more worldbuilding and explaining than the first. For me there was a stark difference between the two. I really enjoyed all the action in Infinity. But at the same time, I really enjoyed all the explanations and lessons in Invincible. We are also introduced to another important character in Grim. I loved the banter between Nick and Grim during their lessons. It really added to the sarcasm and humor I loved from the first book.

One thing I'm still struggling with is whether or not I should have read the Dark Hunters Series before starting this. This is technically a prequel spin-off so I would think not. But there are times we meet a new character and I get the vibe that it is expected that I know more about them then I really do.

I'm really hoping Infamous has more action in it but still has some elements of the worldbuilding in Invincible.

Finally, I am enjoying how we seem to have one main threat in each book. This book we had Devus who Nick had to defeat on is own. I appreciate that Nick's learning is intertwined with overcoming challenges own his own (or at least with his small group of friends/companions).

Also I don't trust Kody at all. I don't think she is going to continue to be an ally.

Part V of my #Gautierathon complete! I am now completely caught up with the Chronicles of Nick series.

I really enjoyed this installment as well. We really saw Nick grow and learn to accept who and what he was. I was sad to see that Thorn was behind most of the attacks on Nick. But I think he can still be trusted (at least that is what I'm going to believe for now).

This book dealt with alternative realities which has always fascinated me. I loved seeing how different everyone and everything was in a “normal” world. It was great to see how different all the characters were. I also loved finally finding out who Kody was and the connections she has to other characters.

As always with these books we are introduced to even more characters that I'm sure I will continue to struggle to keep up with. I feel like everyone has so many different backstories and reasons for everything that we may never truly know whose side they are on.

Part IV of the #Gautierathon complete.

After how much I enjoyed Infamous, this installment was a little bit of a let down. However, the plans for Nick and his rise to power are starting to take form. And we also learned a lot about his Dad. This book introduced the idea of an evil worse than Adarian who is out to get Nick.

The ending of this book has me really confused. The title of the next book is Illusion, so does that mean the next book focuses on Nick getting out of the weird alternate universe we see him in during the epilogue?

Compared to the other books, this one seemed to have less action and more scheming and focused on the struggle for power. There was not a clear enemy to destroy in this book as there has been in the others.

As with the other books, we are introduced to a lot more characters in this installment. Plus we also learn more about Ambrose even if he isn't specifically helping out Nick.

One last thought, the Dear Tormentor letter that Brynna wrote for the Anti-Bully Brigade in this book is absolutely amazing. It was so beautifully written and I love that Sherrilyn Kenyon had the entirety of the letter in the book. It was such insignificant to the overall plot but so important in terms of the the bullying Nick dealt with, the bullying found in Infamous, and a main message against bullying in general.

3.5 Stars

“If the scientists here are so great, how come they can't do what we can do? How come they can't make a boy? The Governess once told us they've tried but the results were deformed, or sickly or not right in the head. That's why we're so important. That's what they get for messing with nature.“

I have a lot of mix feelings about this book. To stat off with, the premise is absolutely captivating. You have a society where girls are hunted and auctioned off to the highest bidder. Girls like Aya are prized due to their ability to be bred for males. The society that Simmons has created with the Magnates, Drivers, and the girls is unique and fascinating. At at the same time, it is scary to think of a society where young girls are sold due to their ability to potentially create male heirs.

In this book, we have Aya who grew up in the mountains with a small group of other women on the run. When she is caught and brought to auction, live takes on a whole new meaning in terms of surviving and being free again. This is a story of survival and gaining your freedom. And that is what I liked most about it. This was simply a story about Aya's journey to freedom. It was her on her own with help from Kiran. But for the most part she was a strong independent girl who could take care of herself. The book was also not a full on love story between Aya and Kiran. It was a subtle building of something more without it driving the plot completely.

As for my issues with this book, the big thing was how incredibly slow the plot was. It took me way longer to get through this book due to how long it took to get to the story. The first third or so of the book is just Aya attempting to escape, time and time again. It was annoying and incredibly boring to see her make little to no progress. The last few chapters is where everything really happens and comes together. And I can say I did not see the identity of a certain character coming.

I listened to this book on audiobook narrated by Soneela Nankani. I've never been a huge fan of audiobooks and this book was no exception. Many people love audiobooks, but I personally prefer holding a book in my hands to read and enjoy it. That being said, I think Nankani did a good job of sharing the story. I just personally am not an audiobook listener.

Overall, this book was a fascinating premise and I enjoyed Simmons writing. I appreciated the way the story unfolded, I just wish it had not been so slow in the beginning. Plus this is a stand alone which is incredibly rare in the genre of dystopia. I would recommend this book to people who are okay with slow starts but more importantly for someone who wants to dive into a truly corrupt and enthralling world.

I received the audiobook from Recorded Books via LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review

3.5 Stars

I had to read this book for my American Studies class about The United States since September 11.

This was a really well put together book. I really liked the different perspectives that are shown that all tie into how 9/11 drastically changed the lives of both immigrants and POC in the US. Many of the families that were targeted were just seeking asylum and refugee, searching for the American Dream. This book really showcased that that American Dream was not their reality.

This was a quick read and it really opened my eyes to just how bad the racial profiling was/is post 9/11 in this country. But it also gave me perspective on just how many people are either trying to get into the US or trying to stay due to horrible circumstances in their home countries.

We got Allan a Dale in this one and that made everything great. This book was a lot of pain and suffering for both Scar and Robin and I did not appreciate that at all. And it set up the 3rd book to be just as bad, if not worse. I definitely was not prepared for the secret that was revealed and I'm very intrigued to see how it plays out in the next book.

This book definitely dragged more than the first in terms of plot and character development. For me this was a weaker book than Wake. While I have still given it the same rating as Wake, it was a let down overall. I still absolutely love Amanda Hocking's writing and love the way she pulls me into a story and keeps me hooked.

I enjoyed the added information about Sirens in this installment. I also continued to appreciate the dual perspectives between Harper and Gemma, this helped show both sides of the story as it unfolded. As for the actual plot, I feel like absolutely nothing was accomplished. I now have even more questions and received no answers about what the long term outcome is.

It also appears as if Gemma and Harper cannot both be happy with their guys at the same time. I know what endgame is though so I'm not super concerned. Having said that, I really hope we do not get another one of those annoying love triangles.

I do plan to continue on with the series by reading Tidal, it just isn't high on my list at the moment.

3.5 Stars, but a high 3.5

This is going to be a hard review to write. I loved the world and the characters, but the plot and the writing were difficult at times and lessened my enjoyment.

This one seemed to have a lot more violence, but a lot of secrets were revealed!

Holy cliffhanger! Luckily I have already have Volume 4, so I can dive right into the next installment. This series is just getting better and better. I love how all the characters' stories weave together in the novels. Plus I'm really enjoying the artwork!