Double Review: Wesley James Ruined My Life

Hey guys! So a while ago we hosted a Blog Tour for Wesley James Ruined My Life and also included a review by the marvelous Mari. I just recently read it as well and would love to share my thoughts with you! Below is Mari's previously posted review, along with the my new one.

Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn

Mari's Perspective

Review:

This book was the quintessential beach read. Honestly it was the kind of light book that you sometimes NEED during vacation, and it didn't disappoint. While it had a predictable and somewhat cliche plot, the backstory more then made up for it. Q is a likeable girl who (like me) loves England, and needs to make cash in order to go. Her relationships with her parents are complex (what with her gambler of a dad) and in many ways she is a fully developed character. Then in comes Wesley who "ruined" her life a while ago, who is stirring some new feelings in her. In my opinion it was stupid that she blamed him for the divorce of her parents. Like really Q? You really thought that he was the one to reveal to your mom that your dad lost his job? How dumb and naive can you be? But whatever. Wes is SUPER hot, and his reporte with Q is extremely cute, something that really drives the book forward. Their love/hate relationship is super fun and cute to watch, and it was perfect to lazily read on a summer day, outdoors with a lemonade in hand!

Rating: 7.5/10

Lauren's Perspective

Review:

    Wesley James Ruined My Life is very short and to the point. It's an easy read and hard to put down, but there were a few flaws within the writing.

    The author's writing, or Quinn's thoughts, were very repetitive. Quinn kept saying over and over again, 'this and this only happened because of Wesley James'. She blamed him for everything even though clearly none of the problems were his fault. She was very immature which does not portray her age very accurately (she's in her senior year). Although, this repetitive thinking could also show how deep Quinn is stuck in the past, and how she really never got over her parents divorce. It was better to blame Wes for everything going wrong in her life instead of face the truth of what actually happened.

    There was also another factor that didn't really add up: Quinn's coworker Amy. I don't want to spoil anything, but something goes down with Amy that really comes from out of the blue. It was plausible of course, but it just seemed like the author wanted a plot twist and a way for Quinn to look good, so she threw that in there. There wasn't even support throughout the novel, so it felt random.

    Overall, I would recommend Wesley James Ruined MY Life, but more for a discussion topic than for its content. 

Rating: 6/10

Recommended if you are looking for: a fast paced, short and easy read.

Well, there you have it guys! Thanks so much for reading and sorry we haven't really posted in a while!

Your friends at the Autumn Bookshelf

Book Review: Daughters of Ruin

Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner

Released: April 5th 2016
Read: May 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Paperback ARC, 320 pages

Description from Goodreads:
Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren have lived together since they were children. They are called sisters. They are not. They are called equals. They are not. They are princesses. And they are enemies.
A brutal war ravaged their kingdoms, and Rhea’s father was the victor. As a gesture of peace, King Declan brought the daughters of his rivals to live under his protection—and his ever-watchful eye.
For ten years they have trained together as diplomats and warriors, raised to accept their thrones and unite their kingdoms in peace. But there is no peace among sisters, and all plans shatter when the palace is attacked. As their intended future lies in ashes, Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren must decide where their loyalties lie: to their nations, or to each other.

Review:
This novel was one that I really thought I enjoy. However this book fell just slightly off the mark. I felt that there should've been a more loving connection between the 'sisters'. They were (quite frankly) total enemies. But the rest of the book had an almost medieval twist to it, and I really liked it. But the parenthesis were OVERWHELMING! The youngest sister queen is a mere 14 years old, and is an extremely chatty person. Since the book is told from alternating POV's, her chapters were filled with ideas coming from ideas, coming from ideas. At the end of one such 'rant' I counted NINE brackets! NINE! It felt a little ridiculous.. But all in all it had an engaging story, and you couldn't have helped but feel a little attached to at least one of the queens (I quite liked Iren!). It was a nice read, but I don't see how there can be a sequel, or how this is the beginning to a whole series.

Favourite Quote:
"She knew now they would never truly be sisters, the way her father wanted."
- K.D. Castner

Rating: 6/10

Recommended for people who enjoy: fantasy, historical fiction, sister stories, female heroines

Happy Reading,
Mari 

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

Released: July 16, 2005

Read: First time in 2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: Paperback, 608 pages

Series: Harry Potter #6

Description on Goodreads:

   It is Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Voldemort's sinister forces amass and a spirit of gloom and fear sweeps the land, it becomes more and more clear to Harry that he will soon have to confront his destiny. But is he up to the challenges ahead of him?

   In her darkest and most breathtaking adventure yet, J.K. Rowling skilfully begins to unravel the complex web she has woven, as we discover more of the truth about Harry, Dumbledore, Snape and, of course, He Who Must Not Be Named ...

   

Review: 
    As with all the other Harry Potter novels, Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince is filled with magic, mystery and mischief. This book is my favourite, if I had to pick one, because it still takes place in Hogwarts, but has a major part of the overall series plot. By this I mean, we finally get to know how to defeat Voldemort, and we get to understand how he's survived for so long without a body. J. K. Rowling's ideas are pure genius and have a way of making you feel like every small detail matters in the end.
    The Half-blood Prince is the last novel in the series that has scenes where Ron and Harry goof off like they used to. They fool around in class, can still laugh and make jokes. It's also the last with quidditch, a sport I've come to love over the years. Sirius-ly (sorry I had to), if we had quidditch leagues or learned how to play quidditch in school, I'd definitely be in on that. Talk about a dangerous and nerve-racking game.
    Half-blood Prince is the end to Harry, Ron and Hermione's childish ways. It's depressing, and sad, but true.

Favourite Quotes:

• "It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more." -Albus Dumbledore
• "The thing about growing up with Fred and George, is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." -Ginny Weasley
• "It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking to the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew- and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents- that there was all the difference in the world." -Harry Potter

Rating: 10/10 (Of course)

Recommended if you like: Fantasy, any of the other Harry Potter books, witchcraft, a world hidden within our own, quidditch, suspense, adventure, wizarding school drama, war, taking life into your own hands. 

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Released: May 3rd, 2016
Read: June 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Format: Hardcover, 640 pages
Seiries: A Court of Thorns and Roses #2

Description from Goodreads:
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

Review:
I was lucky enough to be able to read this book right after the first one, and not have to wait a year as many other readers had to do. Can I just say that I am so glad I did? Reading the stories back to back really made you believe in the world. I'm sorry to say, but this book made me hate some of the characters I previously had loved. Like a LOT. No spoilers, but I did scream a little whenever they were mentioned... Unlike most sequels, this one managed to build on what the first created. It also managed to introduce new characters without it feeling forced. Among the new characters that I loved was Rhysand. Although he has a role towards the end of the end of the first novel, we really get to know him in this one. I'm really upset that I said no spoilers before, because I'd really like to spoil right now! But I'll restrain myself. Let's just say that Rhys is one of my favourite characters now, and probably will be yours too... Oh, and Feyre really develops into a heroine who doesn't need any men to conquer the world. I really love how she acts in the Night Court! Way different from the Spring Court. If you read my review for the first book, you'll recall that I wanted more exposure to the other courts. Well I got my wish in this book. From the courts that are visited (Spring, Night and Summer) we got to find out about the 'special powers' were for each court, as well as their fashions and palaces. This book kept twisting and winding, all I could do was keep reading. I really could not put this book down. That twist in the end was AMAZING! Completely took me by surprise. I was screaming out loud in class, and everyone was looking at me strangely! You would not believe the book-hangover I had after this one. Unbelievable. But I was so impressed with this one that I decided to start on Maass' other series, Throne of Glass. I thought this book was simply amazing, and I can't wait until book three!

Favourite Quote:
“I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belong to you.” 

― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

Rating:
9/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: high fantasy, romance, strong female leads, adventure

Note: This novel really is for MATURE readers only. Some scenes are inappropriate for young readers. So be careful who you recommend this to.

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Released: May 5th 2015
Read: May 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Series: A Court of Thornes and Roses #1

Description from Goodreads:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Review:

I first heard of this book from the ever so lovely Ohana Reads about a year ago when it first came out. From her I heard positive things about the book, that it was AMAZING and so forth. However, I had a TBR list about a mile and a half long so I (can't believe!) pushed it out of my mind. When I stumbled across it in the local library, it suddenly came back to me. I decided to check it out and read it, because why not? I am so glad I did! This book was an amazing blend of high fantasy and romance. Not to mention the incredible setting and character development. I had to read a little while, until it really grabbed me, but boy did it ever grab me. I found the mysterious plot intriguing, and it was one of those books that kept my attention until the very end. I'll admit, I did very little homework the few days that I had it. It was so good. I really fell in love with the characters, and it was a joy to read about them. I simply loved everything about the novel. Plus the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin really grew and developed as the book moved forward, but not in a pushy or rushed way. However I would have liked to find out more about the other courts in the realm, because I think it would have given a certain depth to the story. But still amazing!

Favorite Quote:

“Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him.

"Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all.” 

― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

Rating: 8.5/10 Stars

Reccomended for people who enjoy: romance, fantasy, cool heroines, magic

Happy Reading,

Mari

P.S. Keep a look out for my review of the sequel, "A Court of Mist and Fury"!

Book Review: Lair of Dreams

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Released: August 25th 2015
Read: May 2016
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover, 613 pages
Series: The Diviners #2, here's my review of the first book.

Description from Goodreads:
After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people’s secrets, she’s become a media darling, earning the title “America’s Sweetheart Seer.” Everyone’s in love with the city’s newest It Girl…everyone except the other Diviners.
Piano-playing Henry DuBois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers a secret—for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City.
As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess…As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city?


Review:
Holy cow! I thought that like most sequels, this one would fail to capture the magic that the first one did. I was happily proven wrong. This book (while not QUITE so scary) managed to keep the suspense from the reader until the very end. While I thought that it would be hard to follow the plot from the first book, she managed to create a mystery with the same excitement as the last one. In this novel, the old characters were developed upon, and new ones introduced. In many series, it sometimes feels like the existing characters are almost forgotten, or set aside. Not in this one. Although we got to know the new people, the old were still very much there. Goodness... this is actually such a good sequel! I couldn't stop gushing about it while I was reading, because there were many twists and turns that came from nowhere. The only thing that could've been improved was the "horror" element. It could've been scarier, like the first one was. But still an AMAZING read! And luckily there are still two more books to go!

Favorite Quote:
“We are made by what we are asked to bear, Ling Chan,” 

― Libba Bray, Lair of Dreams

Rating: 8/10

Recommended for people who love: mystery, horror, romance, suspense, supernatural, strong female leads, historical fiction

Happy reading!
Mari

Book Review: The Raven King

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Released: April 26, 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Format: Hardcover, 439 pages

Series: The Raven Cycle #4

Description from GoodReads: Nothing living is safe. Nothing dead is to be trusted.
   For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey… and is certain she is destined to kill him.
   Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path.

Review: I normally dislike books that get dark and ruined until the last half of the book, but this one did it so well that I loved it. Almost everyone gets their stories wrapped up nicely enough to make me happy, but loosely enough to keep it realistic and open.
   It was also treated as not only an ending, but as just another book in the series, although things were getting progressively worse (not like bad-worse, but like plot-thickening-worse). New characters were introduced, old characters were built upon, the story continued.
   The ending was so good, I just can't get over it! Oh man I don't want to spoil anything, but it wasn't as welsh-kingy as I expected! Problems weren't solved with a flick of a wrist or a snap of a finger, it was real! It was personal and touching, more than I thought it would be. I felt like I was intruding on something deep and dark that I wasn't supposed to see. Whoo boy am I going on a rant.
   All in all, I adored this series, and this, the final book was just as good.

Quotable Quotes:
"His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he'd let them overflow and now there wasn't a damn place in the ocean that wouldn't catch fire if he dropped a match."

"What a strange constellation they all were."

"It wasn't that Henry was less of himself in English. He was less of himself out loud. His native language was thought."

"Richard Gansey III had forgotten how many times he had been told he was destined for greatness."

Rating: 10/10

Read if You Liked: the deeper aspects of Harry Potter, teenagers finding themselves, (screaming)

Optimistically yours, Ola <3
(now off to read the other novel titled the Raven King)

Book Review: Down with the Shine

Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn

Released: April 26, 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen 

Format: ARC, 368 pages

Series: Stand-alone

Description on Goodreads:

    Lennie always thought her uncles’ “important family legacy” was good old-fashioned bootlegging. Then she takes some of her uncles’ moonshine to Michaela Gordon’s annual house party, and finds out just how wrong she was.
    At the party, Lennie has everyone make a wish before drinking the shine—it’s tradition. She toasts to wishes for bat wings, for balls of steel, for the party to go on forever. Lennie even makes a wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was murdered six months ago.
    The next morning gives Lennie a whole new understanding of the phrase be careful what you wish for—or in her case, be careful what wishes you grant. Because all those wishes Lennie raised a jar of shine to last night? They came true. Most of them came out bad. And once granted, a wish can’t be unmade… 

Review: 
    To start things off, this book was predictable up until the plot twist that caught me totally off guard. I was just following the chase, and then BOOM. I had to ask myself what happened. But I loved the ending anyway.
    The way the characters were written was slightly odd, especially the three uncles. It was like they spoke in unison, and were all basically the same person. But how could you not love them? They were hilarious, supportive, brave and caring at the best of times.
    Then there was Smith. Sigh. I love the way he was connected to each character. He's Lennie's ex-Friend, Dylan's brother, and knows everyone from school. He's a great side character for the novel and could really have a novella made all about him. Also, I was fond of the idea that Smith would never apologize.
    All together, Down with the Shine was a wonderful read.

Favourite Quotes:

• " I think about how right my uncles were - the stars in the sky are not to be reached for, but to remind us how small we truly are."
• " You don't pull the teeth of a trained dog. No, sir. You take the teeth of a dog you're afraid might still bite."
• " You know, people say hate is a strong word. But it's not, not really. I've seen lots of people hate and it always looks the same. Now, love, on the other hand, oooh boy, that's another story. If somebody loves you, or you love somebody, you never know how it's gonna come out. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended if you like: magic, genie, romance, fantasy, fairytales, the story of King Midas. 

Keep flipping pages,

Lauren

Book Review: The Glittering Court

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Released: April 5th. 2016

Read: April 2016

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Borrowed, hardcover, 416 pages

Description from Goodreads:

Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.
Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.
When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.
But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Review:
This book was certainly not what I expected. It started in one spot, and ended in another. Staring it, it was almost like a historical version of the Selection, with the main character very similar to America Singer. Both were headstrong and independent, wanting a better life for themselves. So Elizabeth (later Adelaide) decides to take her maids place in a finishing school, and is TOTALLY prepared to be sold of like an object. Hmm. That doesn't sound like America to me. I had many issues with this novel, among them the patriarchal (almost sexist) undertone to the plot and the school she attends. Also, it started as this "princess" story and ended up in the wild west. Yes, the wild west. She ends up panning for gold in the "New World". Not even kidding. The plot felt forced, and rushed. Starting it, I would never have guessed that it would end up there.. Another is the love interest, Cedric. He was a two-dimensional at best. Mead tried to make him less so, by revealing his "dark secret". I won't spoil, but it was not juicy in the least. It's kinda boring, and really didn't make him a better character. Lastly, I'd like to point out that this is billed as "fantasy". THERE IS NO FANTASY! Part of the appeal for me was this supposed fantastical element, but there was literally none! I have no idea who labeled this book, but they did wrong. Not sure how someone could make a mistake like that. All in all, this book had high expectations, and sadly it didn't meet them.

Favorite Quote:
“Do you think my being someone else's wife will change anything? Don't you know that I'd lie with you in the groves, under the light of the moon? That I'd defy the laws of gods and men for you?”
― Richelle Mead

Rating: 5/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: romance, frontier lands, "The Selection"

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Illuminae

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Released: October 20th, 2015
Read: December 2015
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: Paperback ARC, 599 pages (borrowed from the lovely Ohana Reads)

Description from Goodreads:
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Review: Reading this book was unlike anything I've ever read before. This was such an interesting and refreshing take on the normal scifi genre. Instead of having the story be told by the protagonists, it took a multimedia approach. The plot was told through emails, reports, schematics, files, medical reports and interviews. It was exciting to turn the page, not knowing what would be on the other side. I have to say, I liked this book. Like a lot. Kady (one of the two main characters) is so ballsy and cool! She does what she wants, when she wants and doesn't care if she clashes with the people in charge. I loved reading the reports on her, where she breaks into secret rooms and then waves at the camera to the people watching. In a book that is ultimately about survival in the deep, dark space, reading about Kady was refreshing and a tension relief to say the least. Her relationship with Ezra was SO CUTE, and you were hoping that they'd rekindle their relationship by the end. The tension over "will Ezra get away from the infected crazies?" really kept the plot driving forward, and kept you turning the page to see what would happen. And don't get me started on AIDEN, the AI (artificial intelligence)  on the ship. Reading about what he was "thinking" was so incredibly unique, and it was a testament to the authors talent on how well they wrote his scenes. I would think that it's hard to write about a character who really isn't alive, but is still "feeling". The authors approach this with poise, and although this is a computer talking, it feels like a human voice. It was actually quite beautiful. Reading the scenes of his was almost like reading poetry turned into art. Confusing to write down, but if you read it, you'll understand. In a weird way, this book was basically a mash up of a "zombie survival" story (the infection that breaks out and that is SUPER contagious), a rouge computer (AIDEN) and a wild space adventure wrapped up into one. So cool... This novel ended on a cliffhanger, so I will definitely be watching for book two come October!  

Favorite Quotes:
 “I am frequently underestimated. I think it's because I'm short.” 

“The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is to do something worth remembrance.” 


“All he cares about here on the edge of forever, is her. He does not want to die. Not because he is afraid. Simply because he cannot bear the thought of leaving her behind.” 


Rating: 9/10

Recommended for people who enjoy: scifi, romance, adventure, survival stories

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Seconds

Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Release date: July 14th, 2014

Read: January 2016

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: Hardcover, 323 pages

Series: stand-alone

Source: owned

Description from GoodReads: Katie’s got it pretty good. She’s a talented young chef, she runs a successful restaurant, and she has big plans to open an even better one. Then, all at once, progress on the new location bogs down, her charming ex-boyfriend pops up, her fling with another chef goes sour, and her best waitress gets badly hurt. And just like that, Katie’s life goes from pretty good to not so much. What she needs is a second chance. Everybody deserves one, after all—but they don’t come easy. Luckily for Katie, a mysterious girl appears in the middle of the night with simple instructions for a do-it-yourself do-over:

1. Write your mistake
2. Ingest one mushroom
3. Go to sleep
4. Wake anew

Review: First things first, the art in this book is gorgeous in all its details and expressions. Not to mention Hazel's outfits are to die for.

   The plot, while generally done before, had many interesting plot twists that made it a unique and surprising story. It's characters were flawed and realistic, if a little annoying at times. Just like actual humans. Katie was definitely a little off-kilter, but that's what made the story possible.

   Altogether it was a great read, and way worth the purchase.

Quotable Quotes:

"Adult life is terrible, Hazel. Never grow up."

"There are somethings we can't change, and we just have to accept that. And maybe that's some sort of grace."

Rating: 9/10

Read if You Liked: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Eleanor & Park, All Our Yesterdays, quirks

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Released: February 24th, 2015

Read: March 2016

Publisher: Tor Books

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Series: Shades of Magic #1

Description from GoodReads: Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.
   Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to take her with him for her proper adventure.

Review: Reading this probably took me longer than it should have, which isn't a bad thing, but it lost some of the details or emotional attachment for me. Altogether though, it was a really great book!
   The main characters (Lila and Kell) are loveable and complicated with flaws that make them human and realistic in a world of fantasy. Lila, with her tomboy (I hate that word, but what else can I use?) personality and cutthroat attitude was a lovely balance to the consistently frightened, forever on the run Kell. They had some really nice, deep conversations that showed their differences and how they got along better because of them.
   Along with that, the world-building was amazing. It really made me want to visit Red London, even after being shown the underbelly of such a wonderful city.
   The plot was different from what I was expecting but also not at all what I was expecting. Books that don't really tell you at least what the basic plot is in the description, are a little annoying and usually disappointing. Thankfully this was not that disappointing of a book.

Quotable Quotes:
"I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still."
"Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive. Simple as that."
"A life worth having is a life worth taking."

Rating: 8/10

Read if You Liked: Harry Potter, Carry On, anything adventurous or magical basically

Optimistically yours, Ola <3

Book Review: Wolf By Wolf

Taken from Goodreads

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Released: October 20th, 2015
Read: February 2016
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Borrowed ARC, Paperback, 388 pages
Series: Wolf by Wolf #1
Source: Borrowed from the lovely Ohana Reads

Description from Goodreads:
The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

Review:
I read this book, as it was literally forced on me by Laurens sister (who runs Ohana Reads). I'm soooooo glad she made me read it!! This book is everything I look for, be it fantasy, historical fiction or strong female characters. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every page of Wolf by Wolf. Yael is such an interesting character, and the "skinshift" quality of hers is just so cool. I kept worrying that she would accidentally reveal herself to Felix (the brother of Adele) or Luka (the former love interest of Adele). Both guys are eager to help Yael but are really suspicious of this "new" Adele. I have to say, I was more partial to Luka. He was just so.. so.. handsome? And suave? It's hard to describe but he was the epitome of an annoying bad boy, who just steals your heart. You hate to like him, that kind of thing. Whereas  That aside, I loved how Yael was able to develop from a young girl (through flashbacks) to a powerful young woman right before our eyes. Although she is perceived by the other characters as someone who is "made of steel", she has her vulnerabilities. The tattoos of wolves (hence the name of the book) represent the people she lost, so her grief and loneliness is always with her. That is what drives her desire to get revenge, and make the leaders of the Third Reich pay for what they did. Because of this she gets drawn into this revolution, and it's the reason she enters the race. This book had a minor "Hunger Games" feel, what with the competition and all. It really moved the plot forward, and filled any parts that normally would've been too long and boring. Right until the very end there is the tension of "will she win or won't she??" It's a surprise ending, and I couldn't stop babbling about it. I won't give it away, but let's just say I CANNOT wait until the sequel is out (Blood for Blood)! 

Favorite Quotes:
“So she traced and she named. She hurt and she raged. She remembered.” 

― Ryan Graudin, Wolf By Wolf

Rating: 9/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: fantasy, historical fiction, alternate retellings, romance, strong female leads

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: H.E.A.R.

H.E.A.R by Robin Epstein

Release Date: December 29th, 2015
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Soho Teen
Format: Paperback ARC, 272 pages 

Description from Goodreads:
Expelled from high school months shy of graduation—her acceptance to Columbia revoked due to vigilante justice gone awry—Kassandra Black is sent to work in her great-uncle Brian’s lab at Henley University. She’s helping with his HEAR (Henley Engineering Anomalies Research) program, and hopefully getting him to put in a good word for her to attend Henley instead. She’s got to go somewhere, after all.But as she gets to know the other HEAR students, it becomes clear that she overlooked the “Anomalies” part of their acronym—these kids are here to help Brian run experiments that gauge ESP capacity. They’ve each been selected and recruited, including, to her astonishment, Kass herself. But ESP? She doesn’t buy any of it. And even if it were real, she definitely isn’t psychic.Yet with each new test, she finds herself more frightened. Kass really can communicate telepathically; she can even glimpse the future. When one of her fellow HEAR students is murdered, Kass must try to forget everything she knows about herself and her family and learn to trust those who share her remarkable gift.


Review:
What really got me into this book was the main character. Kassandra is strong, and doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. I loved the growth of her powers, and it feels realistic (well as realistic as supernatural powers can be!). I loved that she did what she wanted, when she wanted, and said what she wanted. She is the type of girl everyone wants to know, and everyone wants to be. This book was a refreshing break from the normal dystopian/supernatural genre. It wasn't just about saving the world. It had a deeper story line and plot to it. I really liked getting to know the other recruits of the program. It was almost like X-Men or something. It even had the history to it, about shady ex-colleagues and an untrustworthy government agency. Everyone's power was unique to them, and their character development was interesting, and never dull. Of course the romance between two of the characters (won't say which ones, spoilers!) is a great addition to the story, and adds depth to the characters involved. One of the best parts of the story was the twist at the end. It came out of nowhere, and finished the story perfectly! I can't wait to get my hands on book number two!

Favorite Quote: "Keep my mind open. Keep an open mind. How hard could it be?" -H.E.A.R. by Robin Epstein

Rating: 8/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: scifi, adventure, romance, strong female leads

Happy Reading,
Mari  

Book Review: Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Released: January 28th, 2014
Read: December 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages

Description from GoodReads: Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
   With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
   But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.
   As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Review: I've always loved the sort of mystical Arthurian time period of books like Grave Mercy or Fairest, and Cruel Beauty just clicks with it.

   The story is well-paced and keeps you interested by twisting the story a little further and further (not unlike the staircase on the cover) until it unravels at the end. Which was a little confusing. Actually scratch that, it was very confusing. Maybe the next book will clear things up a bit.

   Familial relationships in this book are seen as very important, including the awfully taut ones that Nyx has with her father, sister, aunt, and even her dead mother. Even though she hates them throughout the book, she still feels a sort of obligation and love to them, which doesn't seem to be requited. 

   Altogether, it's a pretty great book!

Quotable Quotes:

"Where you go, I shall go; Where you die, I shall die, and there will I be buried."

"He is a monster, and maybe I am a monster for pitying him."

"From nothing into nothing how swiftly we return."

"... Lose myself in the embrace of the one person who had ever seen my heart and claimed to love me after."

Rating: 9/10

Read if You Liked: Grave Mercy, Ella Enchanted, Beauty and the Beast, Graceling

Optimistically yours, Ola

Book Review: The Girl from Everywhere

The Girl From Everywhere, by Heidi Heilig

Released: February 16, 2016
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format: ARC, 464 pages

Description from Goodreads:
    Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
    Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.
    In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance. 

Review: 
   Filled with action and devilishly handsome characters,  the Girl from Everywhere takes place literally everywhere and at every time. Aboard the Temptation, Nixie has a troubling role to play. She tries to help her father bring back his dead wife, even though there's a chance she might not exist if her mother lives.
   The novel took me by surprise. I honestly didn't know what to expect at first; the description on the back of the ARC was extremely vague. All I knew was that it involved a time-travelling ship and was from the perspective of the captains daughter, but the novel turned out to be about much, much more.
   Only having Rotgut, Bee and Kashmir as friends, Nixie lives a seemingly lonely life. All she wants is to learn how to navigate (travel through time), and run away. She doesn't care if her mother comes back to life, or about finding a map to get to her. She's a strong character and has a personality that is her own. She has opinions, an attitude and makes witty remarks. Nixie is well developed and is someone people can compare themselves with.
   Kashmir and Blake are my favourite to read about. Their perspectives of life are mesmerizing and the way they act is cute and funny. Kashmir is romantic without trying to be, even if he is just giving gifts he stole from other people. He is graceful for a pirate, and reminds me a lot of Puck from the Iron King. He has a sort of mysterious air about him. Well, whatever it is, I'm glad he has it.
   And then there's Blake. Siggggghhhhh. He is definitely unlike the other characters; he has self confidence, and wants to stay in one place instead of travel the world. He is balanced and knows what he wants to do with his life. He's the guy you wait your whole life to meet, because everything is more fun when you're with them.
   Anyways, both Blake and Kashmir have unique personalities that leave you dying to meet them.
   Overall, the Girl from Everywhere teaches you a lot about history and how far people will go to change the past.


Favourite Quote:

• "I don't need help looking good. All you're doing is making it seem like I keep unfashionable company." -Kashmir, (Heidi Heilig) 

Rating: 8/10

Recommended if you like: time-travel, learning about history, witty banter, strong female leads, reading about family issues, love stories

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren

Book Review: Front Lines

Front Lines by Michael Grant

Released: January 26th 2016
Read: December/January 2015/16
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: Paperback ARC, 576 pages


Description from Goodreads:
Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Code Name Verity, New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant unleashes an epic, genre-bending, and transformative new series that reimagines World War II with girl soldiers fighting on the front lines.
World War II, 1942. A court decision makes women subject to the draft and eligible for service. The unproven American army is going up against the greatest fighting force ever assembled, the armed forces of Nazi Germany.
Three girls sign up to fight. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr, and Rainy Schulterman are average girls, girls with dreams and aspirations, at the start of their lives, at the start of their loves. Each has her own reasons for volunteering: Rio fights to honor her sister; Frangie needs money for her family; Rainy wants to kill Germans. For the first time they leave behind their homes and families—to go to war.
These three daring young women will play their parts in the war to defeat evil and save the human race. As the fate of the world hangs in the balance, they will discover the roles that define them on the front lines. They will fight the greatest war the world has ever known.

Review:
This book is quite simply amazing. Grant’s writing style is wonderful- it’s easy to follow, it’s vivid and it shines even through the sad parts. The storyline itself is also terrific. Being a historical fan as well as a fiction fan, it is the perfect blend. This alternate re-telling of the Second World War is brimming with strong female characters that are fiercely independent. They come from different places, and have different backgrounds, but they are all united in the Allied cause. They really keep you rooting for the whole way through. The way Grant weaves all their stories together keeps you on your toes, and keeps the plot moving forwards. While reading, I never really felt as if there was a “slow part” or a part devoted to set and character development. I loved how every woman wins their fight to be apart of the war. The sexism and misogyny is depicted quite well, unflinching and honest. There was (quite frankly) never a dull moment. I would recommend it to people who love stories from the 1940’s, and who like the espionage, and underdog stories. 

Favorite Quotes:
"She's fighting for her country." (This is actually the tagline, but I love how epic it sounds!)

Rating: 8/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: adventure, strong female characters, military stories, WW2, hints of romance

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: The Killing Jar

The Killing Jar by Jennifer Bosworth

Released: January 12, 2016

Read: December 2015

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Format: ARC, 352 pages

Description on GoodReads: 

“I try not to think about it, what I did to that boy.”

Seventeen-year-old Kenna Marsden has a secret.

She’s haunted by a violent tragedy she can’t explain. Kenna’s past has kept people—even her own mother—at a distance for years. Just when she finds a friend who loves her and life begins to improve, she’s plunged into a new nightmare. Her mom and twin sister are attacked, and the dark powers Kenna has struggled to suppress awaken with a vengeance.

On the heels of the assault, Kenna is exiled to a nearby commune, known as Eclipse, to live with a relative she never knew she had. There, she discovers an extraordinary new way of life as she learns who she really is, and the wonders she’s capable of. For the first time, she starts to feel like she belongs somewhere. That her terrible secret makes her beautiful and strong, not dangerous. But the longer she stays at Eclipse, the more she senses there is something malignant lurking underneath it all. And she begins to suspect that her new family has sinister plans for her…

Review:
   The Killing Jar was nothing like I expected it would be. It completely took me by surprise. When I first saw the cover, I have to admit, I thought it would be a typical love story with a twist. Oh, I was sooo wrong.
Constantly battling her inner demons and pushing her emotions to the side, Kenna had a troubled childhood. She couldn't fully enjoy any situation and was always at risk of killing someone. She had to grow up by the time she was ten, and take care of not only herself, but her twin sister who was dying from many different conditions. Her family life was a mess; between barely knowing her mother and the chance of her sister falling dead at any moment. It's details like these that set the stage for a fantastic novel.
   As soon as Kenna arrived in Eclipse, I knew something weird was going on there. How was Anya, Kenna's mom, so familiar with the town? Why didn't they want visitors there? What were they hiding? Why did Jennifer Bosworth describe everyone with a wide age-range?
   All my questions were answered in the end, but slowly, over time, which made me all the more intrigued in finishing the book. I haven't read anything that compelling in what has felt like ages, and I am extremely glad that I had the chance to read this novel. 

Favourite Quote:

• "I walk the world alone without fear." -Jennifer Bosworth

Rating: 9/10

Recommended if you like: thriller, murder scenes, mystery, supernatural (I mean beings, not the TV show, even though you can still read the book if you do ;) ), music, aliens

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren

Book Review: Sword and Verse

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Released: January 19, 2016
Read: Early December 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: ARC, 384 pages

Description from Goodreads:

   Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.
   Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.

Review:

   Raisa ke Comun is caught in the midst of a storm. Her loyalties whisk between the Resistance and her beloved, Prince Mati, never fully committing to either.
   Her relationship with Mati begins as a mere crush, but quickly, too quickly, strings into a series of hook-ups and heart-to-heart conversations. While dating, you don't really get the feel of their relationship, and separate from one another, Raisa's personality is unknown to me. She seems brave at times, but is mostly shy given her past.
   The History of Qilara is well thoughtout. Slaves being the key to the functioning of the society, they play a major role in the book, as Raisa is one herself. I believe Kathy MacMillan has handled this subject well, accurately describing the feelings of the slaves, the relationship between slave and master, and how they were raised.
   The plot, however, was my favourite part to read about. In a world where Raisa is one of the four people allowed to read and understand the higher order symbols, she must decode a letter written by her deceased father while battling her emotions for Prince Mati, and secretly helping the Resistance. It's enough to keep your mind occupied and completely interested in the topic. I just couldn't put the book down.

Favourite Quote:

• "I was not foolish enough to think that the situation had changed... but I had changed. I knew how it felt for my heart to lie dormant, and now that it had been reawakened it would not go silent again." -Kathy MacMillan

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended if you like: fantasy, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, books set in other eras, slavery (if you like reading about it), forbidden love, overthrowing the government

A recipe for disaster, 

Lauren