Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

"A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published June 7th 2011 by Quirk Publishing


Peculiar, indeed. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was an original and refreshing read. It really stood out to me in a sea of sameness. It wasn't your typical YA book about love triangles and wanting to be with the random hot guy that has supernatural powers.
The cover drew me in with its creepy photograph and strange name. Even the font caught my eye.
Just in case you couldn't tell, that girl on the cover is levitating. Yeah, levitating.


This book is filled with interesting...erhmm, I mean peculiar, children that can do all sorts of things. Jacob's grandfather has told him stories about these children for as long as he could remember, but he never thought them to be true. They couldn't be, could they?
But when a series of events leads Jacob to the mysterious island where all these stories originated, adventures ensue. As do some pretty scary things too.


The first bit of the book freaked me out a bit. I started reading it at night, like late night, and found that was not a good idea. Being that tired and seeing those pictures made for some pretty creepy dreams. But if you are not a fan of scary reads, have no fear (no pun intended...okay, yes it was) the scare factor calms down and settles into a really great adventure story.
I really enjoyed this book. From the pictures to all of the children it was a really great read. A little slow at times, but in the end totally worth it.
If you enjoy adventure stories with some supernatural twists, you most definitely need to pick up a copy of this book.


I did get an email from Quirk not to long ago and they sent me some sad news. The untitled sequel to Miss Peregrine's does not come out until Spring of 2013! Gah! How could they do that to me? I really want to know where the story goes...they are lucky I have plenty of other books to read between now and then.


I received this book free of charge from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, altered my opinion of the story or my review.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

**This is a spoiler free review for this book. But the synopsis and review contain spoilers from the previous book.**

"Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart."-GoodReads.

Paperback, 359 pages

Published August 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen

Source: Bought at bookstore.

I am so beyond happy how much Meghan grew up in this book. As much as I loved the first book, The Iron King, she was hard to relate to because she was quite whiny in the beginning. But towards the end of the first book and on into this one she started to grow up and realize that whining is not helping anyone so she better get smart and keep her wits about her.


To me The Iron Daughter was a tad slower than The Iron King, but it didn't really bother me all that much. It gave me time to catch up and learn more about certain characters, ya know, like Prince Ash. Who, if I might add, is just as hot as ever.
He has such a hard exterior which definitely shines for a good part of this book. But, for very good reasons, so I can't really blame him for being a jerk sometimes. Once you finally get past that exterior shell though, he can be even more fantastic.


There is so much more I could say about this book. I really truly love The Iron Fey series. They are such great faery books. But I don't want to spoil things for anyone who has yet to read this one. Just know that the action, adventure, humor, and romance are all still there and just as great as the first book.
Julie Kagawa's master story telling skills shine again. So if you enjoyed The Iron King, you should most definitely enjoy The Iron Daughter.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. 
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 391 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Angels, ancient battles, romance, hot guys, awesome cover. What's not to love about Hush, Hush?

I LOVE the main character's name. Nora is so lovely and Grey spelled with an E always makes me happy. That right there made me feel like I needed to read this story, but I had seen sooo many mixed reviews I wasn't sure I wanted to waste my time with another stinker (and I have had TONS of those lately). 

I finally bought the book and put it in my TBR pile but it kept getting moved farther and farther down the list. Why, I am not sure, I guess I just wasn't in the mood for that type of story. Then one day it seemed to just call to me from my bookshelf. I picked it up and basically did not put it down until I turned the last page. It was just what I needed. Not great, or perfect, or one of my all time favorites, but it fit the book mood I was in.

Thinking back on the story now, there are some things that I have a problem with and that I don't like.

Like, as much as I loved Nora's name I can not say that I loved her personality. She was a little more than a bit annoying sometimes. Very whiny, acted like the good girl but seemed to seek trouble out willingly. Nora sometimes felt like a walking contradiction and not in a good way.

Patch made up for that. Now, I've seen so many people bash Patch, saying that he is too cocky or arrogant...etc. I liked that. A lot. It was hot. And it was different. Too many times now have I read a book where the main guy is just over the top sensitive. Sensitivity is fine, but when I am in the midst of a supernatural battle a knight in shining armor comes in handy just a bit more than some guy that would rather talk things out than fight...okay, well, Patch's armor wasn't that shiny...it's a tad tarnished. But he was a fighter. Loved him. Don't believe me yet? Check out my post where I actually got to "take a picture with Patch". Yeah, I love me some angel boys.


The story had me intrigued in the way that I was constantly guessing if someone was going to end up being a bad guy or a good guy. 

Hush, Hush tended to be a bit cliche-paranormal-romancey, but like I said, that is what I had been wanting to read. It was predictable at parts, but very surprising at others. Becca Fitzpatrick definitely had me hanging on every word to find out what would happen and I cannot wait to read Crescendo.

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

" Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.

This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong."-GoodReads.

Paperback, 245 pages

                                                                  Published May 8th 2011 by Flux (first published May 1st 2011)

Sociology was one of my favorite studies in college, as was psychology. So naturally I 

am drawn to books about people with "issues". I find the human mind and how it works

in different situations fascinating. Unfortunately, that was not the case with "But I Love

Him". I was far from fascinated. Mostly, I think, because it is told in reverse 

chronological order. Starting with day 365 working back to day 1, when it all began.

Basically it was being thrown right into the climax of the story. But I didn't know

who the characters were or how they got to where they were. I didn't know about all

the pain Ann had already gone through. And I had no idea what was causing Connor

to act the way he was.

And since I was technically reading the story from end to beginning, seeing Connor

at his worst first, then slowly working my way back to where he was sweet, decent,

and a good boyfriend, made me not be able to feel for his situation. I didn't like him

right off the bat. And that is CRUCIAL to these kinds of stories. You need to show

me what Ann saw in Connor, why she loved him enough to stick around and be

beat by him.

There was a line in the book that made me livid. Ann says "and I know that when

the anger is gone, and he's back, he will cry for what he's done to me. He'll mean

every word he says, every apology. But it won't stop it from happening again." p.64

Yeah, that doesn't happen. The abused doesn't think that way. They truly believe

that when they are told that "that was the last time I will ever hit you" is really the last 

time. And I'm sorry, but if he is apologizing and really "means" every word, but you

know it won't stop, then he doesn't actually mean what he is saying.

There were also two things that I wish had been explained better. First, why did she

stay with him? When I saw how many red flags were shown in their first couple of weeks

together, I wonder why she didn't get out before she was in too deep. It made very little

sense. 

But my biggest question would have to have been, why was Connor that way?

Connor's father is abusive to his mother when he's drunk, which would cause me

to believe that Connor would become abusive after drinking since things like that are

hereditary. But he didn't drink. He was always sober when he got angry. And the 

weirdest things set him off.

It just didn't come off a psychologically sound story.

Too many aspects thrown into one story to try and make it heart-breaking. Which it

was to a point. I felt sad for Ann that she thought she had to stay with Connor to feel

needed and loved.

But this was definitely not one of the "better" and more believable abusive boyfriend stories. 

It lost me too many times, so I rarely felt connected to the story or characters which, in the 

 end, made me care little about what happened.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

"Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published May 3rd 2011 by HarperCollins Children (Katherine Tegen Books)

Wow. Divergent was an INCREDIBLE story. So much so that when I was done reading it I wanted to start it all over again. There have been only two other books that I have wanted to do that with. 

The characters, the plot, the world...everything was amazing.

I read the first page and a half one Sunday morning on my way to church. Not the best time to start this book, because I was hooked. I was so intrigued by what happened on that first page that I had to know more, I had to know why, and I had to know soon. It was a bit difficult to put the book down and go inside. 

The illustrations that Veronica Roth paints with her words are just so vivid and make her story come to life. 

Oh, and Veronica, thank you soooo much for writing such a great lead female. Tris was perfect. Unlike so many main girl characters who whine about everything, act weak, and depend on guys to do everything for them, Tris knew she had to become strong in order to survive, so she did. Not without difficulties, and not totally alone, but she didn't think everyone else should be fighting her battles. I don't think I have ever felt so connected to a character as I did to Tris. Finally a girl that I got to actually think "hey that's what I would do!"

And also Veronica, thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating Four. Strong, mysterious, a born leader...ah-maz-ing! Seriously...can I have him? Cause I want him, real bad.

The secondary characters brought so much life into this story, as well. There are a lot of them so it took me a little bit to remember everyone, but they all add something to the story and make it feel just that much more real.


Not only does this book have great characters, but it has an awesome plot set in dystopian Chicago, which was really neat. For the most part we are in only one of the factions (which one I will not say), which works for this story, but I am hoping in the next book we get to go out into the world that Tris lives in and explore it more (and by the way Divergent ended I'm pretty sure that will be happening).

Divergent is most definitely one of my favorite books now. Just writing this I am craving a re-read, to be able to get back into the characters heads and sucked back into their world. I cannot wait until my to be read pile is down a little bit so I can dive back into this one.

If you haven't read this one yet I would like to know why not? Go to the store, buy it, go home, and read it. Now. Do nothing else until it is finished. That's an order...or peer pressure. Which ever will actually make you read it.

And don't forget to add Insurgent (Divegent book #2) to your reading list. The expected publication date is May of 2012. I cannot wait!

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

" Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 299 pages

Published May 1st 2010 by The Chicken House (first published May 4th 2009)

When I first saw Stolen on GoodReads I knew I had to read it. I have an unhealthy 
love for psychological books. And an even more unhealthy love for Stockholm 
Syndrome stories. Just in case you are not familiar with Stockholm Syndrome, let me
explain it a little bit. Basically it is when "hostages express empathy and have positive 
feelings towards their captors; sometimes to the point of defending them. These feelings are 
generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who 
essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors as an act of kindness."-Wikipedia

That is Stolen in a nutshell. At first Gemma hates Ty, but the longer they are together
and the more stories Ty tells Gemma about watching her grow up from a distance,
she starts to wonder if he is really all that bad. Maybe, he did actually save her by
taking her away from the life she lived before. Before she was with Ty, she was
ignored by her parents and basically just going through the motions, but now
she is the center of Ty's world. The only thing he cares about is her. But are her
feelings for him true? Or just the result him being the only person she has talked to
for months?

Don't pick up this book thinking it is going to be some kind of adventure and that
there is going to be tons of action.
It is much more subtle than that. There is some action, like when Gemma tries to escape
but mostly it is about Gemma and Ty at his home in the middle of nowhere, why he wants
her, and her internal battle of trying to escape of staying there with him.
I absolutely love that Stolen is written in the form of a letter. At first I wasn't too sure
about that but it really makes this book stand out.


The ending really took me by surprise. I was expecting something completely different to 
happen. When I read the last page, closed the book and set it down, I actually said "Wow."
It was pretty mind blowing. So if you like books that deal with psychological issues and
has some tough decisions in it, this would be the book for you. It does get a bit graphic
in a few scenes with Ty and how wild he is from being on his own for so long, but I 
would recommend giving this one a shot. It was fantastic.


Also, I would love to know if you know of any books like this one that you would recommend
me reading as I have had a bit of a hard time searching for them. I already have Forbidden by
Tabitha Suzuma on my list to read, so let me know if you of any more!

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (aka my love letter to this series)

"The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!

Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them."-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 594 pages

Published December 7th 2010 by Penguin Group (USA)

(Since I know some people have not yet read this series, I do not want to spoil the whole thing for them by putting any sort of spoilery in a review. I loved this series so much and want everyone else to be able to enjoy it just as much without knowing what happened in another book before reading it, so I am just going to fangirl for a little bit.)

Vampire Academy and I got off to a bit of a rough start. At first, I was just not sure how I felt about it. Rose seemed pushy, arrogant, self-centered, and loud. She just did not come off as the kind of girl I could picture myself hanging out with or wanting to be like.

Then Dimitri Belikov came into the picture. Sweet, sweet Dimitri. I had to know more about him. And when Rose was around him, I got to see this softer side of her, a side that wasn't in total control of everything.

So I stuck with the series. I had to see what happened between these two.

That had to be one of the smartest literary decisions I have ever made. Richelle Mead built this amazing world within our own. She created otherworldly characters, but still managed to keep them realistic. They felt like people I could know. The thought that they could exist somewhere does not feel like a crazy idea. Sure they are vampires and half vampires, but their emotions and characteristics are so very very real. They develop and grow. The Vampire Academy series has some of the best characters I have ever read.

The romance is to die for. Rose, Dimitri, and Adrian are one of the best love triangles EVER. Even though I was Team Dimitri from the first page he was on, I do love Adrian. He is funny, sweet, and so thoughtful, but with enough bad boy edge to keep him very 

interesting. 

There are so many jaw dropping and heart pounding moments in this series. Every book is riddled with them, and most ended up being unexpected. I will also admit I have never cried so much while reading a series as I did with this one. Happy and sad tears. Many of them.

 

I became so attached to certain characters that I was so nervous to start reading Last Sacrifice. I did not want to be disappointed. The only disappointment I felt after putting that book down was that that series was over. The end of the story left me very satisfied and I cannot wait to see what Richelle has planned for her new series Bloodlines which is set in the same world as Vampire Academy and even includes some characters from that series.

Romance, action, adventure, betrayal, mystery, love...this series has it all and then some. Pick it up and get to reading it now. You will not be disappointed in what you find. Once I catch up on my reading pile I will most definitely be visiting these books again. I don't think I can go for to long without a dose of Dimitri. 

And I really hope that August comes faster so that I can get my hands on Bloodlines and find out what happens next in the story.

So, again, if you have not read Vampire Academy yet, get to it.

And thank you, Richelle, for creating such wonderful and amazing stories. I cannot wait to read them again...and again :)

If you have not yet read Vampire Academy, head over to THIS blog post and enter to win a paperback copy! Giveaway ends July 8th.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

" Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road -- diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself."-GoodReads.

Paperback, 352 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour started out great. Right off, I felt connected with Amy. Her father was killed in a car accident and Amy is having such a hard time dealing with it, especially since she believes she is to blame. That is a lot to deal with.

With her mother already in Connecticut Amy has to drive their car from California to their new house all the way across the country. Thing is, Amy doesn't drive. Enter Roger. He is coming to her rescue and driving the car for her, all she has to do it co-pilot and tell him how to get there. 

A road trip story. A perfect summer read. Or so I thought. As I said before, the book started off great. I loved all the playlists and little tidbits about each state Amy and Roger went through. Amy was very believable as someone who was wounded. Roger....well, I'm still not sure what to think about him.

He is described as very good looking (of course, fictional boys must never be 'average'), almost unattainable in Amy's eyes. It's not until a scene that he puts on his glasses to do some night driving that she says it helps make him look a little dorkier...less perfect. I guess looks is where his perfection stopped because I just could not really get into him. Roger would be funny and entertaining but then he would get all crazy and bring up his ex-girlfriend...who he has been obsessively calling and trying to figure out why she left. I started getting a bit creeped out. They hadn't even been together that long. I just could not get him. 

The secondary characters, all the ones that were introduced into the story while they were on the roadtrip, were pretty neat and added a great element to the book.

*WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK AND DO NOT WISH TO KNOW THE ENDING SKIP THIS PART AND HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE END WHERE THE ASTERICKS ARE*

Okay, so normally I really try to keep all of my reviews spoiler free. But the ending of this story really bothered me and I need to vent somewhere. And I would like to know if anyone who has read it agrees with me.

As previously mentioned, I wasn't a big Roger fan...he's just a bit too much for me. Throughout the book I could tell that Amy liked him a bit and at times Roger flirted with her but it never seemed like that much. The blossoming romance was a bit lost on me. I mean, they were driving in the same car for what, 10 days? And all of sudden Amy is saying things like Roger is making a face only she would recognize the meaning of? Well...that happened in the middle of the road trip. So after knowing him for all of 5 days she really knows what he means when he looks a certain way? Or says something in a certain tone? I don't think so.

But the thing that pissed me off is when Amy finally started feeling strong and happy again pretty much the first thing she does is (*highlight to read only if you really want to see a huge spoiler*)jump in bed with Roger.*

Again...only knowing him for 10 days...seems a little soon for that. 

But then it gets even better! After getting back out on the road she thinks they are all happy together...WRONG AMY! You are not. He's not even sure what he wants. Roger states very clearly that she needs to "let go of being the navigator and let things take their course". 

*jaw hits floor* What....the....HELL?!?

Bitch move, Roger....(pardon the language).

Strangely, Amy is okay with that? Again, I don't think so. After everything she has gone through and doing that was her way of breaking out of her shell and then he bails on her...she would have been an emotional wreck.

*************************

END OF SPOILERS (and rant).

I was sorely disappointed in the ending of this book. It could have gone out with such a bang...but it was even less than a fizzle for me. I think I sat at my desk trying to decide if the ending really ruined the rest of the book for me, or if I would ever be able to read it again, and the answer ended up being yes the ending ruined the book and because of that, no, I wouldn't be able to read it again.

If you have read this book, what about you? Did you like how it was ended? How did what happened work for you and made you enjoy it?

Leave a comment, I would love to hear your opinions. 

BUT, try not to be spoilery...and if you have to be, be kind and put a warning.

City Of Glass by Cassandra Clare

"To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight. 

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?"-GoodReads.

Hardcover, 560 pages

Published March 24th 2009 by Margaret K. McElderry 

The third installment of The Mortal Instruments series is most definitely worth a read. For me, this is a series that gets better with every book.

Put together action, drama, romance, humor, more action, and some really great plot twists and you get City of Glass.

Clary and Jace are still trying to deal with everything that has happened to them in the very recent past with some all new problems added to the mix.

It may be just me, but I love reading books where people have really big, supernatural, possibly world ending problems. Makes me feel like my every day problems aren't so bad.

The characters that I loved from the first two are back and better than ever. And some new characters are introduced, as well.

Best part though, hands down, is that you finally get to 'see' the City of Glass.

The descriptions are pretty awesome. Cassandra Clare has a really great way of showing rather then telling...if that makes sense. 

If you have not yet started this series, get on it. The forth one, City of Fallen Angels, just came out and the fifth, City of Lost Souls, will be out May of next year. So now would be the perfect time to start this series!

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy book #5) by Richelle Mead

If you have not read the previous books do not even read the synopsis. It has spoilers in it. And my review will probably have a bit of talk about the other books, as well.

" Salvation has its price. 
The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. "You're lying. What you're describing is impossible. There's no way to save a Strigoi. When they're gone, they're gone. They're dead. Undead. Forever."

Robert's next words weren't directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. "That which is dead doesn't always stay dead...."

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It's graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside of the Academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

But Rose can't forget what she learned on her journey—whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose's prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what—and who—matters most to her. In the end, is true love really worth the price?"

Hardcover, 489 pages

Published May 18th 2010 by Penguin/Razorbill

Source: Bought.


Jaw, meet floor. 
Seriously, this is one of those books that you think you've figured everything out, but then BAM! something else that you never saw coming happens! Richelle Mead has this amazing way of keeping your attention on one part of the story when she has something else in the works at the same time.
I absolutely love that the farther into this series you get the deeper and deeper the plot gets. More and more characters just keep getting added and having their own story, but it is not hard to keep up with all of them at all.
The action, adventure, and romance are all still there, making this, in my humble opinion, one of the best series. Even this far along in the series (only one book left) it keeps moving right along. Never a dull moment for our dearest Rose Hathaway.
Especially the ending. Good Lord, it totally took me by surprise. I actually gasped at the cliffhanger.


I guess since this is the fifth of the series it is a bit harder for me to write a review and not do any spoilers from the previous books or from this one, but this series is definitely worth your time. Even if you think you are over the whole vampire thing, start reading Vampire Academy and you will realize that you have a new love for them. 


In some other reviews that I have read for this one I see that quite a few people start favoring Adrian in this book and did not really like him before. I am actually the opposite. I love Adrian since he appeared until this book. How he was in the one rubbed me the wrong way sometimes. Maybe it was because I was seeing a softer side of him? 
What about you? If you have read this far, do you prefer now Adrian or before Adrian?


Also, I am very curious who would actually like to see this series be made into a movie. Or do you think it should be left alone as books?
Personally, I would like to see them made into movies and show Twilight just how a vampire movie should be (though I am a nerd and like Twilight ;p).
What about you?

Bittersweet by Marcia Colette

"Phaedra Thorne's goals in life are simple. Make it to eighteen so she can legally adopt her sister and hope she never becomes like her deranged mother who secretly lives in the attic. They're not the normal hopes and dreams of a kid her age, but then again, Phaedra is anything but typical. Schizophrenia and psychokinesis go hand in hand in her genes. With things always upending or blowing up around her, she’s already halfway there and horrified one of these days she'll be the next to go insane. 

Five years have passed since Phaedra has seen her older, estranged brother. She’s hesitant about his return and even more so when he comes bearing a cure for their mother. However, this so-called antidote, having sex with an incubus, comes with a catch that's larger than the statutory rape implications. The incubus who's willing to help the Thornes has unwittingly been followed by beings who call themselves hags. They want to drain the demon dry of his power and don’t care if they threaten Phaedra's desire to have a normal family. She'll do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones, even if that means trusting her uncontrollable powers won't kill everyone in the process."-GoodReads.

ebook

Published March 2nd 2011 by Dusk Till Dawn Books

The description of this book was intriguing and creepy to me so I was a bit disappointed when about a quarter of the way through the story started to lag and lose me.

At first Bittersweet seemed like a really original story. This family has telekinetic powers which are slowly making them go crazy. The mother has already been crazy for years. So crazy in fact that her daughter has had to lock her in the attic only to let her out when they give her some bittersweet, a special plant grown by a voodoo lady that makes the mother sane for a few hours.

It was about the time that the girl’s brother came home after being gone for years trying to find a cure for their mother (and because he has been gone so long the girl hates him, which I just did not get), that the story started to lose me. Because at that point so many things started happening it was hard to keep up. And I could just not connect with any of the main characters at all.

There were just so many elements thrown into this story and it was very wordy. There were many paragraphs that were just not needed or did not make sense.

Being self published I expected some grammatical errors and I can usually get past them, but it was hard not to notice them. It got especially bad at the end of the book when one of the character’s name kept changing from Logan to Lucas. That got a bit confusing until I figured out it was the same person.

I did enjoy the part about the hags though. They were definitely creepy and helped pick up the action towards the end of the book.
Even though this particular story didn’t fit me, if you like paranormal books and are looking for something a little different than the norm and like a lot of elements, I would suggest giving this one a try.




I received this book free of charge from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, altered my opinion of the story or my review.