My favorite things are books, cats, BTS, and Asian dramas.
Here you'll find mostly book reviews with the occasional random post thrown in.
I read and review for fun. Sometimes my reviews are long, but other times they're super short because it's all about the vibes. I like to ramble and include spoilers, so read on with caution.
Friday, January 7, 2022
ARC Review: The One And Only Crystal Druid ~ Annette Marie
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Format I Used: Digital ARC Pages: 330 Running Time: 8h:12m My Rating: 5 stars Publication Date: September 24, 2021
*This was posted as an ARC review on Goodreads before the book came out*
Holy plot twists Batman!
I'll admit, I was slightly skeptical of this when I started it (please forgive me for doubting you Annette) BUT! IT. WAS.
A M A Z I N G
Zak
is my favorite, and I was worried that his book couldn't hold up to his
awesomeness (And I was kind of set on Zak and Tori together even
though, you know -----SPOILER Ezra and Tori *heart eyes* END SPOILER-----
This series is slightly
grittier (in my opinion) than the other books set in this world, but
it's nothing too overwhelming. I am SO excited to learn more about all
the new characters (ESPECIALLY the one that is introduced at the very
end and is the cover star of book 2), and my beloved Cinnamon Bun Druid.
There were several plot twists that took me completely by surprise, and
left me begging for more. I can't wait to see how things progress,
especially with the kind of cliffhangery ending.
This is one you definitely don't want to miss!
Thank you to Annette Marie and Dark Owl Fantasy for giving me a chance to read this book!
Did It Make Me Cry? Not yet, but it's only book one so I'm sure it will happen.
ARC Review: Taming Demons For Beginners ~ Annette Marie
My picture from Insta. If you click on the picture, you'll be able to see all the rest of the pretty pictures there.
Format I Used: Digital ARC Pages: 315 Running Time: 7h:52m My Rating: 5 zillion stars Publication Date: September 11, 2019
*This was posted as an ARC Review on Goodreads, so I'm sticking with that header*
Oh my holy guacamole.
This book
This author
I am in
L
O
V
E
Annette
Marie is one of my absolute favorite, auto buy authors. I've yet to
read a book of hers that I dislike. Also, I need to confess that I have
been/am in somewhat of a reading slump. I can't seem to stay focused
when reading a book. The last several books I've finished have been
audio books. But let me tell you what! I absolutely DEVOURED this book.
It was an amazing feeling.
I wished that Robin had been a little
more... tough? and stood up for herself more, but I can tell that she's
only going to grow and be more awesome as the series progresses. I loved
that she loves to bake, and the fact that she stood up to scary old
Zylas instead of running away scared (go figure)
And Zylas. Oh boy, ZYLAS.
He
reminded me a bit of Inuyasha, which if you know me, is a HUGE plus. I
can't wait to see more of his character development, because I know
that's going to be AMAZING.
I also enjoyed the crossover scenes with the characters from the Guild Codex series, it made me SO happy.
Although
I will admit that I am a little worried about something. But I will
refrain from mentioning what exactly until later on in the series,
because I don't want to maybe spoil anything.
Thank you thank you T H A N K Y O U to Annette Marie and Dark Owl Fantasy Inc. For allowing me to read an ARC of this title
Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.
My Review:
First off, the cover of this book is absolutely, positively stunning. One of the most beautiful covers I've seen so far this year.
This was such a fun and enchanting book, and I can't wait for everyone to be able to read this book when it comes out. It's definitely made the list of 2019 favorites.
It is touted as being a cross between Mulan (which is one of my favorite Disney movies) and Project Runway, which, I've never seen and episode of in my entire life *GASPS* shocking, I know. but I would definitely agree with the Mulan aspect, to an extent. It also had themes from Aladdin, too. Plus there were Zombies and Demons, and twists and turns.
It's also recommended for fans of Renee Ahdieh, and Sarah J. Maas. I would agree 100% on Renee Ahdieh, but only partially on Sarah J. Maas. It shared some themes, but Sarah's writing has a lot more action happening. This book is a little slower paced, which isn't a bad thing. But just don't go into it, expecting lots of action to be happening all at once.
I'm not particularly familiar with Chinese Mythology as I am with others so I don't know if any of it was based on real myths or if it was all made up, but I was fascinated by it, nonetheless
I was excited to hear that this book was going to have a Gender Bending theme Mulan, Ouran High school Host Club, Hana-Kimi are all some of my favorite books/movies. I don't know why I like the Gender Bending theme, but I do.
I love how determined Maia was, even though she was scared out of her wits at times. She knew she wanted to protect her remaining family, and she'd do whatever it took to make sure that they were taken care of, no matter what it cost her.
I do think that the rivalry between *spoiler redacted* and Maia ended up being kind of...anticlimactic. It was built up throughout the first section of the book, only for it to fizzle out. I was thinking there would be more of a confrontation, but maybe that's something that's going to happen in book 2?
Edan. Oh Edan. He's my Smol Little Bean (I use that word a lot) He is so amazing and beautiful, and absolutely insufferable at times... And I loved him SO much for it. I would compare him to Rhysand (my other favorite Smol Bean) except it's easier to make Edan blush. (which made him even more charming, in my opinion) I loved getting to hear more about his history and what made him tick. I like how enamored he was with Maia from the start, and how hard he had to work to earn her affection.
The end of the book had me all sorts of worked up. The plot twist at the end that I did NOT see coming. I cannot wait to see what's going to happen next.
Thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.
By Your Side By Kasie West My Rating: 5 Stars Date Read: February 2017 Publication Date: January 31, 2017 Paperback, 352 Pages
Summary From Goodreads:
In this irresistible
story, Kasie West explores the timeless question of what to do when you
fall for the person you least expect. Witty and romantic, this paperback
original from a fan favorite is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins
and Morgan Matson.
When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally
locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things
could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is
locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s
trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief
stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not
exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps
reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her
almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to
rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it
becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of
days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy
who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax
than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so
grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising
connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the
weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten
to pull her from Dax’s side?
My Review:
"Locked in the library for an entire weekend" *BLINKS* The. Entire. Weekend. *Heavy Breathing* That would be one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. Okay, maybe not the whole weekend, but like a day or two... in fact, I get to work a lock-in at the library where I work, but that is a story for a different time Anyway. I love Kasie West books. Like, super love them. The boys are swoony, and the MC's are super relatable, and so now I'm going to try to review this and have it make sense. Here goes nothing:
Things that made me go ehhhhh
Where are
the phones? Or in my haste and excitement at having this new shiny Kasie
West book, did I read over it. Why didn't
Autumn pick one up and dial a friend or family member? I'm speaking from
personal experience here... but the library that I work at, even after
hours has a phone that works... Sure, when patrons call in they will get
an automated message explaining that the library is closed, and when it
will be open again, blah, blah, blah. But you can still dial out and
make calls.
And the food situation. Again, I'm just
going by the way my library does things. We have some kind of food there
all the time. Stuff that has a pretty good shelf life that ALL staff
can munch on during the day. Crackers, Chips, bags of un-popped popcorn
that you can throw in the microwave. Lots of candy {I'm usually the one
who brings the candy in} granola bars, bottles of water. So as you can
see, if someone were trapped in my library for a 3 day weekend, they'd
be able to eat and not worry so much about rationing it off. I do
realize that every library is different, and this one is fictional, so
yeah... But I just had a hard time finding that to be realistic.
Okay, time to stop being nit picky now Things that made me go oooooooooooh *Heart Eyes*
The Cover. I think I've loved every single book cover of Kasie's. There's just something so, I don't know, je ne sais quoi about them. So adorable, and they really do match the feel that the books give you when you read them.
This book was exactly what I was expecting from Kasie West: an adorably fluffy light read, that isn't super long. This one though, had a little more edge/drama than West's previous books, but it made it all the more awesome in my opinion. The chemistry between Dax and Autumn. It was so entertaining. There was so much tension between the two of them, and so much "I don't wanna like you, but I kind of do"
Dax's character in general. He's looked at as a bad boy. A rebel. Someone who should be avoided at all costs. But in reality, he's not. He's actually very kind, and caring. And people should just stop gossiping and lying about him all the time. Not that I'm saying he's perfect, because he is definitely not. But he's also not the horrible person that every one makes him out to be, and he actually grows quite a lot throughout the story.
I also really liked the premise of the whole thing. I mean, getting spend the night in the library is pretty exciting.
How to Make Out By Brianna R. Shrum My Rating: 4.5 Stars Date Read: October 2016 Publication Date: September 6th, 2016 Hardcover, 284 pages
Summary From Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Renley
needs three thousand dollars for the math club’s trip to New York City,
and she knows exactly how to get it: she’s going to start a how-to blog
where people pay for answers to all of life’s questions from a
“certified expert.” The only problems: 1) She doesn’t know how to do
anything but long division and calculus. 2) She’s totally invisible to
people at school. And not in a cool Gossip Girl kind of way.
So,
she decides to learn to do . . . well . . . everything. When her
anonymous blog shifts in a more scandalous direction and the questions
(and money) start rolling in, she has to learn not just how to do
waterfall braids and cat-eye makeup, but a few other things, like how to
cure a hangover, how to flirt, and how to make out (something her very
experienced, and very in-love-with-her neighbor, Drew, is more than
willing to help with).
As her blog’s reputation skyrockets, so
does “new and improved” Renley’s popularity. She’s not only nabbed the
attention of the entire school, but also the eye of Seth Levine, the hot
culinary wizard she’s admired from across the home-ec classroom all
year.
Soon, caught up in the thrill of popularity both in and out
of cyberspace, her secrets start to spiral, and she finds that she’s
forgotten the most important how-to: how to be herself. When her online
and real lives converge, Renley will have to make a choice: lose
everything she loves in her new life, or everyone she loves in the life
she left behind.
My Review:
I liked this book. And I'm going to ignore the fact that it makes no sense for Renley to start a Blog where people have to pay to learn how to do things, when there is Google... That will tell you what you need to know for free...Yeah, ignoring that...
Renley drove me crazy at times. The fact that she was so dense and couldn't see that Drew was head over heels in love with her. She never even let it be a thought that they could be a couple. And she was just so consumed with being obsessed with Seth... and yeah, he's cool and everything, but I mean, DREW. I think that he was my favorite part about the book. He was so patient with Renley, and he was an amazing friend. He put up with a lot when it came to Renley. Things that would usually obliterate a friendship. He would do whatever for Renley, even if it was breaking his heart, because he loved her so much. Even when he was majorly ticked at her, if she needed him, he was there.
I get that Renley started up the Blog as a way to earn money, I really do. But why not just get a real job? You know, where you earn a paycheck every week (or every other week) doing normal worky type things... That seems like it would be less of a headache. But I'm ignoring it!
I wish that there had been a little more closure with different people by the end of the book, but I get that not every story is going to end with a happily ever after, and tied up with a little bow. But I loved that Ren figured things out with her dad, and her stepmom was pretty amazing too.
Review: The Season Of You And Me by Robin Constantine
The Season of You and Me By Robin Constantine My Rating: 5 Stars Date Read: May 2016 Publication Date: May 10th 2016 Hardcover, 352 pages
Summary From Goodreads:
Cassidy Emmerich is determined to make this summer—the last before her boyfriend heads off to college—unforgettable. What she doesn’t count on is her boyfriend breaking up with her. Now, instead of being poolside with him, Cass is over a hundred miles away, spending the summer with her estranged father and his family at their bed-and-breakfast at the Jersey Shore and working as the newest counselor at Camp Manatee.
Bryan Lakewood is sick of nevers. You’ll never walk. You’ll never surf. You’ll never slow dance with your date at prom. One miscalculated step and Bryan’s life changed forever—now he’s paralyzed and needs to use a wheelchair. This is the first summer he’s back at his former position at Camp Manatee and ready to reclaim some of his independence, in spite of those who question if he’s up for the job.
Cass is expecting two months dealing with heartbreak. Bryan is expecting a summer of tough adjustments. Neither of them is expecting to fall in love.
My Review:
I've been having a tendency to fall into book reading slumps lately... And it kinda, sorta, really sucks. I'll pick up a book, read a few pages, then put it down and walk away from it. But when I picked this one up, I finished it in one sitting! It was glorious!
I thought the idea of this story was pretty interesting. It was new to me because I'd never read anything similar. I was a little bit hesitant, because I was having horrible thoughts like: WHAT IF THIS IS LIKE ME BEFORE YOU?!?! I CAN'T HANDLE THAT KIND OF HEARTBREAK!! I know, I know, I was just being over dramatic. There was nothing to worry about, this book was perfectly adorable.
I love, love, loved Bryan. He was just so sweet, and he didn't spend too much time feeling sorry for himself...
I liked Cassidy, too... But I found myself getting annoyed with her quite a bit because she was just so obsessed with her ex-boyfriend, Gavin. I mean, even when she knew she liked Bryan, she couldn't stop thinking about Gavin. I just wanted to shake her and yell "NO! You like Bryan, you go be with BRYAN! Gavin is a jerk face butt monkey, and you need to stay away from him." There was also a time that she handled something very poorly, and it made me cringe:
SPOILERS AHEAD
That was the time that she was going on a date with Bryan, and Gavin showed up, and she introduced Bryan as her ride... she could have at least introduced him as her friend.. I'm cringing just thinking about that.
END OF SPOILERS
Anywho, this book has some of the best relationships I've seen in a while. I loved Cass and Bryan together. Their relationship was super believable and adorable, and AGH! I just love them together.
The relationship she had with her family was great, they were always there to support each other. Even her mom and dad got along okay, even though they were divorced. And I especially loved her relationship with her half brother Hunter. He adored her, and I'm pretty sure that the feeling was mutual.
And her relationship with her friends-old and new. It was always entertaining.
I loved the descriptions of the beach, and the bed and breakfast... ah... I wanted to be there, I felt like I was there. It was so beautiful.
I was a bit unsure of the whole #wheelchairperk thing at first... but then I realized that my friends and I are always putting hashtags in front of things just to be silly. But I noticed that quite a few people were really annoyed at the fact that it was in there like that.
For some reason, the song that popped into my head while I was reading this book was Somewhere in My Car by Keith Urban... Don't know why, it doesn't really have anything to do with the book, but that's the song that I thought of while I was reading it. Check it out below, and let me know what you think:
Review: Aimee And The Heartthrob {Backstage Pass #1} by Ophelia London
My Rating: 5 Stars Date Read: October 2015 Publication Date: April 14, 2015 Paperback, 223 Pages Summary from Goodreads:
He never noticed her before, but now she's all he can see...
Miles
Carlisle is every teen girl's fantasy. His rugged good looks and exotic
British accent have helped catapult his boy band, Seconds to Juliet, to
super-stardom. But after two disastrous and very public breakups, Miles
isn't interested in dating just any girl; he wants The One. And the
only girl he's interested in is not only his best friend's little sister
- and off-limits - but won't even give him the time of day...
As
a kid, Aimee Bingham had a huge thing for Miles...until he made fun of
her for always tagging along. Now that she's outgrown both him and her
pigtails, the prospect of spending two weeks on tour with the childhood
crush who broke her heart isn't exactly enticing. Except now Miles seems
interested. Very interested. And no matter how hard Aimee tries to
resist him, her crush is definitely making a comeback. But everyone
knows that falling for a heartthrob is a backstage pass to heartbreak... My Review:
I've been in sort of a reading slump lately, and that's just been really sad for me. So one day, during my dinner break at work, I picked up my phone and started reading this book that I had downloaded forever ago and then promptly for got about... And I loved it. Not that it really surprised me. This book falls right in with What I Love, with the Boy Band and what not.
There aren't a lot of stories out there about Boy Bands {at least, I don't think so... I could be wrong} and I thought it was cool that this one didn't glaze over anything and try to make it seem like everything was peachy all the time {because really, how believable would that be?} and I also liked the relationship that the boys had. They fought and got on each others nerves, but they still loved each other like brothers.
Miles. Oh swoon. I think that it's the British accent that makes him seem so fantastic. And Aimee was adorable too... Although sometimes it was hard to remember that she was 16 because of the way she talked sometimes. I mean, I totes know that it's lowkey cool to talk like that now.... But it really makes the person sound way young.
Though this book was a little predictable at times, it was a fun, cute, quick read, and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for something that's not overly serious and heavy.
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Hardcover, 448 Pages
Summary From Goodreads:
The battle rages on.
Ali Bell and Cole Holland's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular—the love of his life, Kat Parker.
On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond—Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla is the one who betrayed them all, leading to Kat's death.
But when Anima rises from the grave to become a force the slayers may not have the strength to overcome, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes, the line between hate and attraction is blurred…and the road to redemption isn't through revenge, but in letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.
My Review: *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* I was totally and completely broken hearted when I read The Queen of Zombie Hearts. The ending, while ultimately a happy one, had me crying big, fat, ugly tears at the unfairness of the whole situation. My heart hurt for Frosty and I was hoping that he would get a story of his own so that he could get a chance at Happily Ever After. So when I heard that Gena was going to write another book, you can imagine how elated I was. With that being said, it did end up taking me a bit to actually get into the book. I guess even though I wanted Frosty's story, I wasn't quite ready to have someone other than Ali narrate it. I spent three books seeing things through her perspective, so it took a bit of time to adjust to the change. I stuck with it though, and I am glad that I did. True to the other White Rabbit books, there was a lot of kick butt action, and, yes, romance. We get to learn a whole bunch of stuff about Frosty {like his real name!} I always liked Frosty, because he was always so freaking hilarious, but in this book, he's hurting. He's more than hurting, he's broken. He's lost the girl that he's loved forever, and he blames himself. It was awesome getting to see him get closure and heal and move on with his life. I loved Milla. I mean, I had mixed feelings at first, but once she was introduced and you get to see her perspective on things, I couldn't help but admire her. She always took things in stride, and was pretty good at not letting people know just how much things hurt her. Calm, cool and collected, that one is. And I think that's what I like most about Gena's female characters in this series. They're always so confident, and they're not afraid to say what they're thinking.
This book just goes to show that your friends will sometimes do things that are bad, because they think it's what's best for you, and that you can't always assume the worst about a person, especially if you don't know their background.
I loved the ending. All the little extra details about all the hunters, and where they are in life "Now". It was like the story was all wrapped up with a neat little bow, and that's pretty fantastic...
One of my {many} favorite Quotes from this book: "I don't lie. Ever. I don't need to, because I don't care if I hurt anyone's feelings. The truth is the truth, forever unchanging, and it's better than a lie any day of the week." -Frosty
My Rating: 5 Stars Date Read: August 2015 Publication Date: August 4, 2015 Paperback, 336 pages Summary from Goodreads:
"When I met Oliver
Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers.
Unbeknownst to him, I was the only girl in the world who hated his
music."
Stella will do anything for her sister—even stand in line
for an autographed Heartbreakers CD... for three hours. At least she
met a cute boy at the Starbucks beforehand. A blue-eyed boy who looks an
awful lot like...
Oliver Perry. Of course Starbucks guy is the
lead singer for her least favorite band. Thanks, universe. But there may
be more to Oliver than his world-famous charm, because even after she
insults his music—to his face—he still gives her his number. Seriously,
what is her life?
But how can Stella even think about being with
Oliver—dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band—when her
sister could be dying of cancer? My Review:
I liked Oliver. I did. But I can't say that he was my favorite character. I'd say that out of the 4 boys, Alec is my favorite, then Xander, and then it's a tie between JJ and Oliver. I actually found myself wishing she'd go for Alec or Xander instead of Oliver, but oh well, beggars can't be choosers.
I thought it was hilarious how Stella had no idea who Oliver was when she ran into him at Starbucks, but that's only because I could see myself doing the exact same thing. It was absolutely hilarious when Stella shouted at Oliver and the other guys. I thought that was a nice twist, instead of her falling all over herself just because they're famous. I also liked the fact that the guys all kind of took Stella under their wing and watched out for her.
This book kind of had an insta-love thing going on, and sometimes I find that really annoying, but with this book it didn't bother me as much.
I loved that Stella pushed Oliver out of his comfort zone and that she {along with a little coaxing from his band mates} was the one to convince him that the band needed to play some of their old music.
I also really really liked the relationship that Stella has with her brother and sister. It's an unbreakable bond, and they'd all do anything for each other {something Stella proves when she stands in line FOREVER just to get an autograph for her sister} And I just so happen to share a birthday with the three of them, so that's pretty cool.
My Rating: 5 Stars Date Read: July 2015 Publication Date: July 7, 2015 Hardcover, 304 pages Summary from Goodreads: Practice Makes Perfect.
Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.
But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo? My Review: "You know I wish that I had Jesse's GIIIIIIRRRLLL--" Oh, uh, *AHEM* hello there, fancy meeting you here... Anyway... The cover of this book is FANTABULOUS, and Jesse likes Keith Urban, which gives it bonus points right away... But those aren't the only reasons why I liked this book. I 'll tell you right now that throwing together a punk-rock, 80's music singing girl, and a country boy was a fantastic idea... Especially since this girl claims to hate country music. This book only took me about 3 hours or so to read, which is fantastic because I've been having a reader's block of sorts, where it takes me forever to finish a book, if I even make it that far I loved Maya. I really did. I think we could be BFFs. I mean, she loves funnel cakes as much as I do! But seriously, she reminded me of a combination of Maya from Girl Meets World, Eve Rosser from Morganville, and Abby Sciuto from NCIS. It was fantastic. She was so confident in herself {besides her Gabriella Montez/Ally Dawson stage fright, that she ended up overcoming} and she wore all these crazy cool punk rock outfits, that I don't think I would ever be brave enough to try. I also LOVED the fact that the chapter titles were song titles {I was proud of myself because I knew almost all of them} I'm super glad that Maya had such a great relationship with her family. They supported her 100%, and they would do anything to help her out. There was no big family drama going on anywhere, no resentment of siblings, or anything like that, which I thought was pretty cool. Maya and Jesse had a lot of trust related issues to work through. They were both guilty of blaming and pre-judging each other over something that someone else did, and I understand why they felt the way they did. Once bitten, twice shy and all that, but it still hurt my heart to see them going through that. I do kind of wish that we had been able to get a glimpse ahead to when Maya is finally allowed to participate in Wannabe Rocker. I mean, all the anticipation leading up to the decision of her holding off for a year, it kills me.
Sixteen-year-old Nina
Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy
trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by
soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her
younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all
that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their
deadbeat mom a long time ago.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is
keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything
to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as
crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And
Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.
To keep them both
alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who
has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But
what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?
Wanted by the Church and
hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She
needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
My thoughts before I read the book:
From Reapers to Exorcists? This is gonna be good
My thoughts after I read the book:
Okay, no one inspires me to write a book review like Rachel Vincent does. I mean, seriously, how long has it been? Too. Freaking. Long.
I loooooooved Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers Series {Mostly
because of the Super Awesome Swoon-Worthy Reaper whose name is Tod but, you
know, whatever} and when I found out that she was writing a new YA series, I
may or may not have fangirled pretty hard Oh who am I trying to kid, I flipped out. I
was FREAKING out, I was so excited. Then when the cover was revealed, I fell in
love with it a little more. Because, well, LOOK AT IT. {I'm a cover snob, what can I say?}
I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant when I actually started
to read the book, and found out Mellie’s “secret” was the fact that she was
pregnant. I was just like “really?” books about teenage pregnancy just aren’t
my cup of tea. I understand that some of you may disagree with me, and that’s
absolutely fine.
But there was so much other stuff going on, I wasn’t focused
so much on it. Except when I was trying to speculate what may or may not happen in the rest of the books, but I'm just not going to talk about that right now, otherwise I'll get myself worked up...again.
I really reaaaaaaaallly liked Finn’s character {maybe not as
much as I liked Tod… what? Don’t look at me like that... I'm not obsessed!} I have to say that I totally
shared Nina’s opinion when she first found out what Finn could do. I thought “No,
surely he’s lying to her…” and that’s all I’m going to say about that for fear
of spoilers. Sorry I doubted you Finn!!!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even though it had
its slow parts. It kind of reminded me of a mix between Soul Screamers, and
Stephenie Meyer’s The Host, which is
a good thing, for me at least, because I ADORED those books.
I can’t wait to see what happens to Nina and the rest of
Anathema in the books to come. I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach
that I know what is going to happen. It’s going to involve someone sacrificing
themself and I hope, I reeeally really hope that I am wrong. Because if I’m
right, it’s going to kill me.
Or, you know, the fact that the publication date on Goodreads
just says a vague “June 2016” might kill me first… wish me luck as I try to wait
patiently for the next book… I’m going to need it. {PSSST, the title is The Flame Never Dies!!!! *SQUEEE*}
My name is Kait, and I have had a love for reading since I was 4, nothing makes me happier than when I get a new book to read. My Blog will consist mainly of book reviews with the odd, random post thrown in every now and then.
