YA/NA Books: Best of 2014

Looking back on 2014, so many wonderful changes have been made to the blog. I’ve gained several hundred followers and views, thank you! I’ve opened more communication networks and expanded social media to include more Indie authors and have made friends with many new authors. I’ve upped my participation in tours, giveaways, and conducted great interviews. It’s been a year of growth and discovery and I hope that you’ll continue on with the blog into what promises to be another amazing year-2015. A year which may or may not include my book release…we’ll see. Fingers crossed.

That being said, in 2014 I read and reviewed 218 books. That’s 32 under what my goal was but grad school, eh and writing, YAY. I asked over on the FB page and on my personal page for categories, the following are a combination of those suggestions and my own. The books on this list consist ONLY of books I’ve read this year. Some of them are not 2014 releases, most are. 

BEST DYSTOPIA

BEST DEBUT

BEST FEMALE LEAD

BEST MALE LEAD

BEST PLOT TWIST

BEST CLIFFHANGER

BEST COUPLE

BEST SERIES

BEST MADE INTO FILM

BEST SECONDARY FEMALE 

BEST SECONDARY MALE

BEST DIVERSITY

BEST PARANORMAL

BEST TEARJERKER

BEST OVERALL

BEST DIALOGUE

BEST PROSE

BEST WEIRD/BIZARRE/HORROR

BEST ACTION/SUSPENSE

BEST CONTEMPORARY

BEST DRAMA

BEST LGBTQIA

BEST END OF SERIES

BEST MYTHOLOGY

BEST LOVE TRIANGLE

BEST GOTHIC

BEST REALISTIC FICTION

BEST NEW SERIES

This is, of course, not an all-encompassing list and I’m sure there are categories and areas that I’ve neglected. Some of these titles are repeated but I couldn’t help myself. 

Keep reading and have a lovely New Year,

Upcoming Reviews

I know it’s been an extremely long time since I’ve done one of these posts and I’m still a little behind on reviews but since I can never keep track of when I receive books to participate in Stacking the Shelves, this is the next best thing. I’ve decided to do color as theme. This week is blue 🙂 There will probably be more than just these four but for now…

Coming up:

 

 

 

 

Between the Layers by SaraJean Panek

Most fifteen year old girls are trying to figure out who they are; I’m trying to stay alive long enough to figure out what.

I’ve always been on the run. From my guilt about the things I couldn’t change, and from the voice in my head that won’t let me be normal.But yesterday Tommy and I were in a car accident on the way home from school. When I woke up, Tommy was gone, and so was the world I grew up in. Now I’m running less in a metaphorical way, and more in a “pick up the pace if you don’t want to die” way. Why? Because my eyes are blue, and I’m lost in a fantasy world where that means I’m different. It means I might not be human. It means I should already be extinct, and someone called “The Regent” is determined to make me that way.

I need to find the way home, and before I do that, I need to find Tommy. He’s only in this mess because of me. I can’t do it on my own, but it’s hard to know who to trust when everyone keeps trying to kill me.

The Silver Tower by Colee Firman

At eighteen-years-old, Sophie Hayden’s entire life has already been planned out for her. Just like her parents, she’s on the fast track to becoming a Guide for The Silver Tower. In three weeks, she’ll graduate from Slatemore Academy and move away from home—away from her controlling father and spoiled siblings.

When Sophie heads out to do fieldwork required for graduation, she hardly expects to cross paths with students from her school—much less witness them using an ancient relic that’s not supposed to leave the grounds of Slatemore.

Sophie’s decision to find out exactly what they’re up to nearly costs her everything. It seems like a miracle when Leo Emerik swoops in and saves her from disaster. Sophie’s ready to thank him and move on. He has other plans for her.

The minute Leo set his sights on Sophie she knew she was in trouble. Just being in the same room as him has her perfect world ready to spin off its axis. Getting mixed up with Leo is the last thing she needs, and suddenly the only thing she wants.

A catastrophe with Sophie’s name on it seems to be waiting around every corner since meeting Leo. Somehow, he’s always there to bail her out.

Everyone else can see the one thing she can’t—her bad fortune may all lead back to him.

*WARNING* CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER AND/OR SENSITIVE READERS.

Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision

Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.

Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.

But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.

Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.

Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch

Perfection comes at a price.

As soon as the government passed legislation allowing humans to be genetically engineered and sold as pets, the rich and powerful rushed to own beautiful girls like Ella. Trained from birth to be graceful, demure, and above all, perfect, these “family companions” enter their masters’ homes prepared to live a life of idle luxury.

Ella is happy with her new role as playmate for a congressman’s bubbly young daughter, but she doesn’t expect Penn, the congressman’s handsome and rebellious son. He’s the only person who sees beyond the perfect exterior to the girl within. Falling for him goes against every rule she knows…and the freedom she finds with him is intoxicating.

But when Ella is kidnapped and thrust into the dark underworld lurking beneath her pampered life, she’s faced with an unthinkable choice. Because the only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn’s family is leaving…and if she’s unsuccessful, she’ll face a fate far worse than death.

For fans of Kiera Cass’ Selection series and Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden series, Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, and a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow.

If you have a color you’d like to see for the following week, feel free to comment. As always, if you’ve read any of these and would like to discuss them or really would like to nominate another blue book comment as well 🙂 

Pleasant reading, 

ARC Review: Dollhouse-Anya Allyn

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks

4/5 Stars

Release Date: May 20, 2014

***I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley and The Studio, a Paper Lantern Lit imprint.

Dollhouse is a sinister and twisted read that will haunt your dreams and star in your nightmares. It’s a surrealist funhouse, complete with humans used like marionettes, gigantic, vicious dolls, and a carnivalesque sense of the magical and unreal. Dollhouse is the sort of book that compels you to sleep with the lights on and mistrust the shadows, to dart your eyes around the room, suddenly suspicious and uncertain of your surroundings. Eerie, mysterious, and creepy at its core, Dollhouse is horror at its finest.

Sometimes I wished I could stare down the tube of a kaleidoscope and rearrange the pieces of Ethan and me, and out of every future possibility, find a pattern-a world-in which we fit together.

***

And just like that, the fear that I had always carried with me, that blind terror of darkness, began to bleed away. There were worse things-things thousands of times worse-than darkness. There was being a small child on a dark road, in the grip of a terrifying accident. There was the loss of someone I had loved-a loss so total, I couldn’t even remember it.

Dress-up turns deadly. . .

When Cassie’s best friend, Aisha, disappears during a school hike, Cassie sets off with Aisha’s boyfriend Ethan and their best friend Lacey, determined to find her. But the mist-enshrouded mountains hold many secrets, and what the three teens discover is far more disturbing than any of them imagined: beneath a rundown mansion in the woods lies an underground cavern full of life-size toys and kidnapped girls forced to dress as dolls.

Even as Cassie desperately tries to escape the Dollhouse, she finds herself torn between her forbidden feelings for Ethan, and her intense, instinctive attraction to The Provider, a man Cassie swears she has known before…

Because Cassie’s capture wasn’t accidental, and the Dollhouse is more than just a prison where her deepest fears come true—it’s a portal for the powers of darkness. And Cassie may be the only one who can stop it.

-via Goodreads

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***The Goodreads blurb is a little exaggerated  and not entirely correct. 

While hiking in the woods for a school project, Cassie, Ethan, Aisha, and Lacey never expected that one of them would end up missing. Desperate to capture artistic pictures worthy of acclaim for their assignment, Aisha pushes forward into the woods, off the familiar path, and into the unknown followed wearily by her friends. The teens stumble upon a gigantic mansion, nestled snuggly in the middle of the woods. Cassie is struck by chilling déjà vu. She’s seen this mansion before but has never been to the woods. Disturbed and unsettled by the way the darkness seems to cling to the walls, Cassie begs her friends to cut their exploration short and head back towards the path. Before they know it, bickering turns into full on accusations about the glances between Cassie and Ethan and Aisha runs away from the group, angry and upset. When Ethan goes after her, he comes back after a while with no clue where she disappeared to. Distraught, the rest of the group screams for Aisha but only silence answers back. 

Weeks pass, Cassie, Lacey, and Ethan attempt to lead normal lives but are constantly accosted by stares and whispers in the hallways. Unable to cope, as the days pass by, Cassie and her friends embark on a rescue mission, searching the woods one last time, hoping to find something the cops might have missed. Thoughts keep returning to the mansion and as the teens retrace their steps, they become convinced that something isn’t right about that place and that clues about Aisha’s disappearance might just be inside.

Curious and perturbed, the teens inspect the mansion and quickly discover that nothing is quite what it seems. Hidden doorways, unexplainable movements, and stairways that descend deep underground bewilder and shock the teens. When they find one of Aisha’s belongings, they muster up the courage to dig deeper, sure that somewhere within this labyrinth of a house, Aisha is cold, alone, lost, and scared. They never imagined that the truth was something far more insidious.

LIfe sized dolls act as wardens of a horrendous prison. Trapped and half crazed, Cassie and co. must pretend to submit, giving in to the insane whims of a fanatical girl with superhuman powers, or else face certain punishment. Secrets so vile and twisted destroy all hope as the situation gets more and more dire. With no escape in sight and talk of a mysterious Provider, Cassie must scramble to save her friends, uncover the truth, and beat their captors at their own game before it’s too late.

PROS:

• The story is downright spooky. The descriptions are a perfect blend of macabre and perversion. They get under your skin. The sheer ingenuity and repulsive attributes of this surreal and bizarre Dollhouse are meticulous. Anya Allyn takes the most innocent of toys and turns them into sadistic tools of madness and suffering. You will never look at teddy bears, dolls, or clowns the same again.
• A twist so mind-blowing you’ll have to do a double take of the big reveal to make sure you read it right.
• The ending breaks and mangles emotions as a gut wrenching and explosive decision results in unprecedented and overwhelming loss. The feels consume and strangle, eating away at any residual hope for a happy ending.
• Jessamine is terrifying. Her quiet control is sociopathic and possessive to the point of insanity. She’s more than unhinged she’s suffocating. Her desperation to love and keep order, her inability to feel true emotions, and her off way of speaking adds an ominous vibe to the story. Her connection to the dolls as mistress, her insistence on keeping up appearances, force feeding, and psychologically damning punishments are enough to shake anyone. Her excursions into the unknown, random appearances, and secrecy enforce this idea of the unexpected, any minute she can pop up from the shadows, ever watchful, ever waiting.
• The story of the house is an elaborate concoction that combines magic, murder, mythology, and a little circus freak action. The combination is an uncanny and obtuse riddle that is hard to decipher and heightens the overall anticipation and thrill of discovery.
• The “dolls” are beautifully crafted glimpses into the human psyche. Each girl is unique, bringing something power and heartbreaking to the story. Their imprisonment, the loss of their childhood, and their collapse into themselves is achingly sad.
• Ethan is a mystifying character. Constantly cryptic and eager to hide his inner most thoughts, you never know if he can be trusted or what he’s truly feeling. Plus there’s a sneaking suspicion that somehow he’s instrumental to their abduction and a piece of the puzzle that sheds light on their captor’s intentions. Ethan is what you would call smudgy, the kind of character that’s cloaked in darkness and ambivalence.
• Cassie is an honest, thoughtful girl who fights hard to solve what seems like impossible problems. Despite disgusting treatment by her friend, she’s forgiving, open-hearted, and never gives in, through the darkness she’s always searching for light. As a protagonist, Cassie is crafted and real, she speaks her mind and sorts out her feelings while staying focused on the ultimate goal, escape. What’s more striking is how she overcomes her fears and learns about herself.
• The carnival scenes, the masquerade, and the peculiar role of the adults reads like a disquieting game of hide and seek where those who are caught will suffer a fate worse than death. The grotesque sexuality and stomach-turning interactions at the feast make skin crawl and induce shudders. There’s something Bacchanalian and ritualistic that serves as a turning point in the plot, where darkness starts to win out.

CONS:

• The final scene feels random and rushed, while it does connect to parts of the plot, it felt like there were many loose ends and subplots left unexplored.
• The story starts out a bit slow and some sections drag but the thirst for answers pushes the plot forward.

If you like any of the following, you’ll enjoy this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy reading, 

ARC Review: A Whisper in Time-Elizabeth Langston

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

2.5/5 Stars

A Whisper in Time (Whisper Falls, #2)

Release Date: April 8, 2014

Spencer Hill Press

***I received this e-book as a gift in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley and Spencer Hill Press

I loved the feel of her mouth under mine. I loved the way she tried to give back. It wasn’t enough, but t wouldn’t be much longer before it was too much. I wrapped her in my arms and swayed to the music that only we could hear.

I have never been useless in my life.

Rescued from a life of servitude by the boy she loves, Susanna Marsh escapes across two centuries, only to be plunged into a world she’s ill-prepared to face. Unable to work or go to school, Susanna finds herself dependent on others to survive.

Immersed in the fun and demands of his senior year of high school, Mark Lewis longs to share his world with the girl who’s captured his heart. But first he must tackle government bureaucracy to prove Susanna’s identity.

Overwhelmed by her new home, Susanna seeks refuge in history and in news of the people she left behind. But when she learns that danger stalks her sister, Susanna must weigh whether to risk her own future in order to save Phoebe’s happiness.

-via Goodreads

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• There’s something sweet, innocent, and natural about Mark and Susanna. They just fit. Some scenes of them just being together are uplifting, warm, and just so freeing. Their love is simple despite the fact that she’s not even from the same century, it’s strong and sturdy, able to withstand the problems of impending college life and Susanna’s impediments trying to gain citizenship without a birth certificate.
• The story concept is wonderful. The sheer magical, temperamental nature of Whisper Falls makes it almost alive.
• Susanna’s most compelling trait is her fierce protectiveness for her sister, Phoebe. Susanna is giving, open-hearted, and will risk everything for her loved ones. Often this means she makes rash, stupid decisions without considering the consequences from multiple angles. This bull-headedness is infuriating at times, you might want to strangle her a little or slap some sense into her.
• Susanna’s issues gaining status without any legal proof of citizenship or birth was a really interesting look at the system and the steps to work around these conditions. At times, it felt hopeless and impossible but Susanna and Mark never stopped fighting for her place as a legitimate person in this century.
• Mark adores Susanna. It’s in his image of her as this perfect, angelic creature. Mark’s internal dialogue on Susanna is honest and worshipful, she’s his everything and this makes Mark a bit more likeable. Mark is more developed than Susanna and his warring desires to enjoy his senior year and be with Susanna, who is many ways is mentally stuck in the 1800s is palpable.
• Phoebe has dreams and desires, she’s young but she’s fierce and determined to make something of herself despite her circumstances. She’s unafraid to speak her mind and though this does earn her a few raps on the knuckles and doesn’t do much for her job as a maid, she’s certainly courageous.

• The plot is ridiculously slow. It takes quite a while to get into anything interesting and this is very much so because of the plotline in general being about trying to obtain legal rights as a person.
• Mark gets irrationally angry and says some seriously jerky comments that make you second guess his character. Sure, he’s frustrated and a little fed up but chill out, if you’re in love you need to have patience.
• The characters are bland. Susanna is from another time period where there wasn’t really much to do besides domestic work but she’s so headstrong and never thinks things through, and her sections are mindnumbingly boring. All she does is think about Mark or her sister, I was looking for her feelings, what makes her Susanna but it kind of got lost in the plot. I was left feeling unsatisfied and unable to come up with many characteristics about her.
• Most of the secondary characters aren’t even that. There are flashes of them without much development or purpose.

If you like any of the following, you might enjoy this:

Pleasant reading, 

Review: Split Second-Kasie West

Goodreads/Amazon/iBooks/Barnes & Noble

4/5 Stars

Publication Date: Feb 11, 2014

HarperTeen

He turned toward me, his eyes meeting mine. They were electrified, like a lightning storm raged behind them. I needed to feel that energy. I swiveled in my seat toward him, rested my hand on my knee and turned it palm up. That was as much risk as I could take. Now it was his turn.

***

We held each other’s stare, and without meaning to, my body moved an inch closer to him. He reached over with his free hand, took me by the back of the head, and pulled me to him. Our lips collided roughly. As though years of pent-up emotions were waiting to come out, the kiss was hungry and raw. Our hands unclasped, and mine found his hair and entangled themselves there.

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

-via Goodreads

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Told from the alternating perspectives of Addie and Laila, Split Second picks up a little after the events in Pivot Point. Addie is heartbroken over the lies and skin-crawling emotional manipulation Duke put her through and the threat to her friendship with her best friend Laila. Her world seems to be falling apart, she thought she had everything figured out and that her life was in a content, happy place until everything came crashing down. Between her parent’s divorce, Duke, Laila’s betrayal, and the events that happened in the other time line that she has no memory of, Addie is puzzled over her choice of this pretty terrible reality. What could have been so bad in the other path that she would have willingly picked something that cut her so deeply? On top of this catastrophic new reality, Addie’s powers have gone haywire. It seems like her ability to search future paths has mixed with slowing time or speeding herself up. She’s not too sure but knows that she can’t tell anyone about it because if it’s strange to her, a mark on her file would be much worse. Addie is asked to spend the holiday’s with her father in the Normal world, where people don’t have crazy brain powers and everything is like a trip into the past. The awkwardness of her school situation, having to face Duke, and even looking at her best friend has become trying. Addie wants to escape the pressure of her current path and relax in a place without constant reminders of her heartache.When Addie meets Trevor, she is struck with déjà vu. She feels like she knows him, inside and out, which is impossible. Deep within her heart, she warms whenever Trevor is around, content on a soul level. She doesn’t know what to make of this insane and inexplicable feeling but she likes it.The only problem is, her new BFF in the norm world, Stephanie is Trevor’s ex and despite what she says, she’s not over him. Torn between her budding friendship and the fireworks that Trevor sparks, Addie is more confused than ever.

On the other side of the wall, Laila is rife with guilt over the wedge she’s driven in her friendship with Addie. With a letter burning in her pocket from Addie after the path Search in Pivot Point, Laila does something she shouldn’t, again. Curiosity gets the best of her and what she finds in the note is puzzling. Addie’s letter mentions Laila’s potential power to restore memories, something Laila had never even imagined. Seeing this as a way to make her past mistakes up to Addie, Laila embarks on a mission to get highly illegal materials to enhance her powers. But it seems that every path towards this is blocked by people who warn her of danger and the wrath of the government. Laila doesn’t care, she desperately needs to fix their rift and restoring Addie’s memories would do a lot to mend the wounds she carelessly inflicted. Cue Conner, mysterious and gorgeous, and apparently in the know for coveted mind enchancers.Conner is immune to Laila’s charms and beyond infuriating but she needs him to help Addie. In the pursuit of lost memories and a race against time and the government’s watch dogs, Addie, Lailia, Trevor and Conner must team up to get back Addie’s memories before the future is irreparably altered.

PROS:

• While Addie’s overall plot was full of action, secrets, and mystery, Laila’s was the more compelling of the two. Laila has grown so much as a character, she’s sassy, snarky, bursting with this big, bold energy that will enchant and ensnare you. Laila is intoxicating. Her lines are original, hilarious and rich in sarcasm, she’s a wonderful protagonist that is unafraid to fight to be heard and do what it takes to get what she wants. As the story progresses, Laila opens up, the soft, marshmallowy girl who loves shoes and pretty things rises to the surface and a whole new layer of Laila emerges. The Laila who talks about her past, who admits her emotional issues, and teases her brothers is made of heart and sunshine. She’s brilliant and warm, and when she let’s herself love, it’s truly a magical, uplifting moment. 
• Conner is a puzzle waiting to be solved. He’s introverted, adores Norm technology and spontaneously appears when Laila needs him. As his character progresses, his funny commentary, his concern for Laila, and the revelations about his past will capture your heart. 
• Laila and Conner’s interactions are flirty, heated matches of wicked, sensual banter and anger. They butt heads. Their personalities war with each other but the tension between them is electric. I found myself flipping eagerly through, racing to get to their next scene together. Conner challenges Laila, puts her on the spot and makes her work through her issues. He infuriates her like no one else but also awakens something raw and real inside of her that she’d been too afraid to face. 
• The brief glimpses of Stephanie and Rowan present two very different characters than in Pivot Point and show a whole different side to their personalities. Stephanie is still a bit of a priss but she’s a good friend to Addie, kind and inclusive. Rowan is as comical as ever but he’s not just a playboy. He’s a companion and a savior to Addie.
• Addie is the same character we know and love from the first book, level-headed, smart, a little self-conscious but now she’s got more attitude, she’s not scared to give back what’s thrown at her full force. Addie’s search is reckless and inspired, she hunts down clues and works on rebuilding her life. Addie’s internal dialogue is filled of emotions, she sifts through the memories of Laila and Duke, the shadows of images of her and Trevor and tries to piece everything together. Her hope is admirable, she struggles with what she thinks she should feel and what she actually does. Her confusion is understandable and really plays into Addie’s dilemma of choosing between the head and the heart.
• When this group gets together, their teamwork is unstoppable. They forge an inseparable bond of precision, risk, and ingenuity that helps them get through several precarious situations. In terms of the plot, the Trevor and Addie’s love is on the line and these teens go through deadly and suspense-filled scenes that will leave you on edge to save it.

CONS:

• The story starts out a little slow and doesn’t really pick up for a while. Addie’s parts are initially a bit boring and knowing what we do from Pivot Point makes the void between Addie and Trevor hard to cope with. 
• It’s strange that Addie doesn’t confront her father about the secrets he’s been keeping and that she doesn’t ask enough questions about the sudden reappearance of her family member. His odd behavior is only slightly puzzled over and Addie, knowing what she does should have been more cautious or at the least bit more curious.
• Addie and Trevor’s interactions were kind a let down. The chemistry was lacking for most of the story and Addie spent most of her time on a wild goose chase for a pretty random plot point.

If you like any of the following, you’ll enjoy this:

 

 

 

 

Happy reading, 

Bout of Books 10 Day 5 & #showauthorlove

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

Yesterday my progress improved significantly. In total I read one book. Now that’s an entire book down from Monday but school and homework can’t be helped. Sigh. The plight of grad school. I’ve never taken a gender or urban planning class before because I’m typically forced into history so this is a nice change of pace and it’s really making me think about current issues.

This is my third time participating in Bout of Books and I always love a good challenge. For this week my goals are pretty simple:

• Read as much as I can as often as I can.
• Complete the books you voted for me to read on my previous post/NetGalley books.
• Find time to participate in all of the Bout of Books activities/giveaways.
• Review several books that you voted for.

Books to Read:

• Shattered Veil by Tracey E. Banghart
• Split Second by Kasie West
• No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
• Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
• A Whisper in Time by Elizabeth Langston
• Creators by Tiffany Truitt

5/12

Number of Books Read Today: 2
Total Number of Books Read: 2
Books read during week: Shattered Veil and Split Second
Participated in: Nothing yet 😦
Feelings: I absolutely was in awe of Shattered Veil, wow, what a beautiful, powerful protagonist and the introspection and self discovery was so incredibly raw and brilliant. Loved it. I gave it 5 stars. The review will be out today. I’ll attach it later. Split Second, in my opinion was so much better than Pivot Point, which I rated as 3 stars. Split Second flips between Laila and Addie and each section is something entirely different and just full of personality. I became so wrapped up in Laila’s story, I kept speeding through, I didn’t sleep last night/this morning until I finished.

5/13

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 2 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil and Split Second, 1/2 of No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Nothing yet 😦

Feelings: I’m trying so hard to like this book but the main character is overly obnoxious and eccentric, she’s kind of an idiot. The whole story is awkward in that embarrassing, weird way that sort of feels like the story is either being told by a 10 year old or someone much older trying to sound like what they think a teenager would. It’s really slow. The introduction into the story is awesome, it’s full of mystery and a horrific murder and what’s really keeping me going is the need to know how it ends. Therefore, this is a really snails pace read for me because I have to push through but I WILL prevail!

5/14

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 3

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil, Split Second, and No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Perfect Pairings Challenge

Feelings: I really had to push myself through No One Else Can Have You, it was a matter of overcoming and perserverance to get through the really slow, lewd, and awkward general feeling of the book. After reading two amazing books in a row it was hard adjusting to something that was just okay. But, I did finally get to the killer and the action. Unfortunately it was in the last 5% of the book.

5/15

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 3 + 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil, Split Second, No One Else Can Have You, and Crown of Midnight

Participated in: The “spell it out” challenge

Feelings: It’s been so long since I read Throne of Glass but Crown of Midnight immediately pulls you back into that dark and deadly world. I remember when I finished the first book in this series being completely in awe of the story, the fierce protagonist, and just the world building, everything was consuming. Half way through Crown of Midnight and I can safely say that I love this book even more than the first. Just wow. Also the Captain. Sigh.

 

5/16

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2 + 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 4 + 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil, Split Second, Crown of Midnight, No One Else Can Have You, and A Whisper in Time

Participated in: Rainbow of Books Challenge

Feelings: Finished Crown of Midnight and it ended an epically as could be expected. Insane reveals and dangers to come. Started A Whisper in Time, halfway through and I don’t know how to feel about it. It’s kind of slow and these teens have some serious anger issues, it’s a little boring. Overall, it’s okay.

Blog Posts so far this week:

• Bout of Books Goal Post
• All About Jessica Gibson Teaser Post
• Release Day Blitz: Tempting the Bodyguard by J.Lynn
• Book Blast, Guest Post, & Giveaway: Love, Lucy by April Lindner
• ARC Review: Shattered Veil by Tracy E. Banghart
• Bout of Books 10 Day 1
• Bout of Books 10 Day 2 & Perfect Pairings Post
• Bout of Books 10 Day 3 & Spell it Out Challenge
• Release Day Blitz: The Luthier’s Apprentice by Mayra Calvani
• Bout of Books 10 Day 4 & Rainbow of Books Challenge
• Review: No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

Pleasant reading, 

Bout of Books 10 Day 4 & Rainbow of Books Challenge

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

School has once again interfered with my reading time, so my progress has suffered and I’ve only read 1/2 of a book on Tues, Weds, and Thurs. Sigh. I promise I’ll do better readers! Plus, it has alos messed with my reviewing standards. Therefore, tomorrow I will have a mini review-a-thon and finish reviewing everything I’ve read for Bout of Books so far. Make sure you check back for those reviews. 🙂 

This is my third time participating in Bout of Books and I always love a good challenge. For this week my goals are pretty simple:

• Read as much as I can as often as I can.
• Complete the books you voted for me to read on my previous post/NetGalley books.
• Find time to participate in all of the Bout of Books activities/giveaways.
• Review several books that you voted for.

Books to Read:

• Shattered Veil by Tracey E. Banghart
• Split Second by Kasie West
• No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
• Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
• A Whisper in Time by Elizabeth Langston
• Creators by Tiffany Truitt

5/12

Number of Books Read Today: 2
Total Number of Books Read: 2
Books read during week: Shattered Veil and Split Second
Participated in: Nothing yet 😦
Feelings: I absolutely was in awe of Shattered Veil, wow, what a beautiful, powerful protagonist and the introspection and self discovery was so incredibly raw and brilliant. Loved it. I gave it 5 stars. The review will be out today. I’ll attach it later. Split Second, in my opinion was so much better than Pivot Point, which I rated as 3 stars. Split Second flips between Laila and Addie and each section is something entirely different and just full of personality. I became so wrapped up in Laila’s story, I kept speeding through, I didn’t sleep last night/this morning until I finished.

Blog Posts: Bout of Books Goal Post, All About Jessica Gibson Teaser Post, Release Day Blitz: Tempting the Bodyguard- J. Lynn, Book Blast, Guest Post, & Giveaway: Love, Lucy-April Lindner

5/13

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 2 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil and Split Second, 1/2 of No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Nothing yet 😦

Feelings: I’m trying so hard to like this book but the main character is overly obnoxious and eccentric, she’s kind of an idiot. The whole story is awkward in that embarrassing, weird way that sort of feels like the story is either being told by a 10 year old or someone much older trying to sound like what they think a teenager would. It’s really slow. The introduction into the story is awesome, it’s full of mystery and a horrific murder and what’s really keeping me going is the need to know how it ends. Therefore, this is a really snails pace read for me because I have to push through but I WILL prevail!

Blog Posts: ARC Review: Shattered Veil-Tracy E. Banghart, Bout of Books 10 Day 1

5/14

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 3

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil, Split Second, and No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Perfect Pairings Challenge

Feelings: I really had to push myself through No One Else Can Have You, it was a matter of overcoming and perserverance to get through the really slow, lewd, and awkward general feeling of the book. After reading two amazing books in a row it was hard adjusting to something that was just okay. But, I did finally get to the killer and the action. Unfortunately it was in the last 5% of the book.

Blog Posts: Bout of Books 10 Day 2 & Perfect Pairings Challenge

5/15

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 3 + 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil, Split Second, No One Else Can Have You, and Crown of Midnight

Participated in: The “spell it out” challenge

Feelings: It’s been so long since I read Throne of Glass but Crown of Midnight immediately pulls you back into that dark and deadly world. I remember when I finished the first book in this series being completely in awe of the story, the fierce protagonist, and just the world building, everything was consuming. Half way through Crown of Midnight  and I can safely say that I love this book even more than the first. Just wow. Also the Captain. Sigh. 

Blog Posts: Bout of Books 10 Day 3 & Spell It Out Challenge, Release Day Blitz: The Luthier’s Apprentice-Mayra Calvani

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Today’s Bout of Books challenge is hosted by Neon Yeti Reads and is called the Rainbow of Books Challenge. What does it entail? Make a stack of books into a rainbow of color. These could be books you’ve read or on your TBR, physical or e-books. 

I have so many books on my TBR list, so I’ve decided to make a rainbow out of them as a preview of what’s to come on the blog and to share my collection with you 🙂

I’m crazy excited for these books. I hope you are too! 

Happy reading,

 

Bout of Books 10 Day 3 & Spell It Out Challenge

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

My progress for Wednesday was pretty much the same as Tuesday. I had a lot of classwork to get done. BUT I did finish that lagging book.

This is my third time participating in Bout of Books and I always love a good challenge. For this week my goals are pretty simple:

• Read as much as I can as often as I can.
• Complete the books you voted for me to read on my previous post/NetGalley books.
• Find time to participate in all of the Bout of Books activities/giveaways.
• Review several books that you voted for.

Books to Read:

• Shattered Veil by Tracey E. Banghart
• Split Second by Kasie West
• No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
• Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
• A Whisper in Time by Elizabeth Langston
• Creators by Tiffany Truitt

5/12

Number of Books Read Today: 2
Total Number of Books Read: 2
Books read during week: Shattered Veil and Split Second
Participated in: Nothing yet 😦
Feelings: I absolutely was in awe of Shattered Veil, wow, what a beautiful, powerful protagonist and the introspection and self discovery was so incredibly raw and brilliant. Loved it. I gave it 5 stars. The review will be out today. I’ll attach it later. Split Second, in my opinion was so much better than Pivot Point, which I rated as 3 stars. Split Second flips between Laila and Addie and each section is something entirely different and just full of personality. I became so wrapped up in Laila’s story, I kept speeding through, I didn’t sleep last night/this morning until I finished.

Blog Posts: Bout of Books Goal Post, All About Jessica Gibson Teaser Post, Release Day Blitz: Tempting the Bodyguard-J. Lynn, Book Blast, Guest Post & Giveaway: Love, Lucy-April Lindner, 

5/13

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 2 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil and Split Second, 1/2 of No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Nothing yet 😦

Feelings: I’m trying so hard to like this book but the main character is overly obnoxious and eccentric, she’s kind of an idiot. The whole story is awkward in that embarrassing, weird way that sort of feels like the story is either being told by a 10 year old or someone much older trying to sound like what they think a teenager would. It’s really slow. The introduction into the story is awesome, it’s full of mystery and a horrific murder and what’s really keeping me going is the need to know how it ends. Therefore, this is a really snails pace read for me because I have to push through but I WILL prevail!

Blog Posts: ARC Review: Shattered Veil-Tracy E. Banghart, Bout of Books 10 Day 1

5/14

Namber of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 3

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil, Split Second, and No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Perfect Pairings Challenge

Feelings: I really had to push myself through No One Else Can Have You, it was a matter of overcoming and perserverance to get through the really slow, lewd, and awkward general feeling of the book. After reading two amazing books in a row it was hard adjusting to something that was just okay. But, I did finally get to the killer and the action. Unfortunately it was in the last 5% of the book.

Blog Posts: Perfect Pairings Post

Today’s challenge is hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads and it’s “spell it out”, here are the rules:

1. Use the first letter in any book you’ve read or want to read to spell out a word. You can choose first name, initials, your birthday month, or your zodiac sign.
2. Share your word on your blog, Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads.
3. Submit a link to your post in the linky below! You’ll get an extra FIVE entries in the Rafflecopter international giveaway for an eBook of your choice (Amazon or B&N, up to $10 USD) for participating in this challenge. You MUST be participating in Bout of Books 10.0 to be eligible to win the giveaway, but you can always post your answer in the comments just for fun if you aren’t a participant.
4. If you tweet about this challenge, don’t forget to mention me, @kimberlyreads, and use the #boutofbooks hashtag. 

ARIES 

 

Happy reading,

Bout of Books 10 Day 2 + Perfect Pairings Post

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

First, here’s my progress for Tuesday. Like I thought, it was way less impressive than Monday because two classes got in the way, plus I was really struggling over whether or not to put my current read in the DNF pile.

This is my third time participating in Bout of Books and I always love a good challenge. For this week my goals are pretty simple:

• Read as much as I can as often as I can.
• Complete the books you voted for me to read on my previous post/NetGalley books.
• Find time to participate in all of the Bout of Books activities/giveaways.
• Review several books that you voted for.

Books to Read:

• Shattered Veil by Tracey E. Banghart
• Split Second by Kasie West
• No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
• Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
• A Whisper in Time by Elizabeth Langston
• Creators by Tiffany Truitt 

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5/12

Number of Books Read Today: 2
Total Number of Books Read: 2
Books read during week: Shattered Veil and Split Second
Participated in: Nothing yet 😦
Feelings: I absolutely was in awe of Shattered Veil, wow, what a beautiful, powerful protagonist and the introspection and self discovery was so incredibly raw and brilliant. Loved it. I gave it 5 stars. The review will be out today. I’ll attach it later. Split Second, in my opinion was so much better than Pivot Point, which I rated as 3 stars. Split Second flips between Laila and Addie and each section is something entirely different and just full of personality. I became so wrapped up in Laila’s story, I kept speeding through, I didn’t sleep last night/this morning until I finished.

Blog Posts: Bout of Books Goal Post, All About Jessica Gibson Teaser Post, Release Day Blitz: Tempting the Bodyguard by J. Lynn, Book Blast, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Love, Lucy by April Lindner

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5/13

Number of Books Read Today: 1/2

Total Number of Books Read: 2 1/2

Books read during the week: Shattered Veil and Split Second, 1/2 of No One Else Can Have You

Participated in: Nothing yet 😦

Feelings: I’m trying so hard to like this book but the main character is overly obnoxious and eccentric, she’s kind of an idiot. The whole story is awkward in that embarrassing, weird way that sort of feels like the story is either being told by a 10 year old or someone much older trying to sound like what they think a teenager would. It’s really slow. The introduction into the story is awesome, it’s full of mystery and a horrific murder and what’s really keeping me going is the need to know how it ends. Therefore, this is a really snails pace read for me because I have to push through but I WILL prevail!

Blog Posts:ARC Review: Shattered Veil by Tracy E. Banghart, Bout of Books 10 Day 1

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 Bout of Books Read-a-thon has daily challenges with prizes. I’ve never participated before but thought I should try to interact more this time around. Today’s challenge is presented by My Overstuffed Shelves:

THE RULES:

1. Choose a book and something to pair with it.
2. Share your combination and why you think the two go together on your blog, Facebook, twitter, or Goodreads.
3. Link to your posting in the comments, with your BOB 10 participant number so I can verify your registration.
4. If you tweet about this challenge (and I hope you do) make sure to mention me, @KnittingGromit, and use the hashtag #boutofbooks.

+++If you would like to participate for this prize, you would head on over to My Overstuffed Bookshevles for number 3. It’s hyperlinked above. 

Shattered Veil is set in a dystopian world but the city that the main character Aris hails from is on the coast. Aris and her beloved Calix have a secret cave where they go to spend time together. Some of the most romantic scenes in the book take place in this cave physically or through letters about memories had in the cave. Calix often speaks poetically about Aris’ flowing tornado of dark locks and the scent of the ocean breeze. When the times of war get their most harrowing, Calix fantasizes about a reunion in that cave, eating a perfect mango and taking in the smell of the ocean. What I imagined as the perfect pairing for this particular aspect of the book is a mango pina colada 🙂 

Mango Pina Colada Recipe

Split Second rarely talks about food except to toss out a vegetarian selection during a Thanksgiving party. In honor of that lost food, I’ve paired Split Second with a vegetarian selection of Thanksgiving norms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food and Wine have an entire vegetarian Thanksgiving menu that looks delicious. Here’s the link: Vegetarian Thanksgiving

No One Else Can Have You is set in a tiny town called Friendship where their main diet is meat. They’re constantly eating italian sausage, brats, or hotdogs. But because I’m just a little dark, I’ve decided to focus on corn because a corn field was the scene of the murder. 😉 A bratwurst with corn relish. Bratwurst w/ Grilled Corn Relish

ARC Review: Shattered Veil-Tracy E. Banghart

5/5 Stars

Shattered Veil (The Diatous Wars, #1)-Tracy E. Banghart

YA Dystopian

Release Date: February 28, 2014

*I received this ARC as a gift in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley and Tracy E. Banghart

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Warmth rolled in slow, heavy waves from her cheeks down low into her belly. For a while, Aris didn’t think. She lived in the heated space between their bodies, in the slick warmth of Calix’s mouth. Every thought, fear, memory faded and the world was reduced to the wildness of the ocean throwing itself to the shore, the fathomless swish of rain against the sand. To the hardness of the rocks that enclosed them, the hardness of his body beneath her.

***

Galena fell to her knees, powerless to stop the flames from curling around his body, powerless to stop his writhing. The heat licked at her knees, at her hands and she was on fire too, screaming as it engulfed her, the demons of hell licking her cheeks, giggling and skittering in red-edged shadows before her eyes. Locked in torment forever, she burned.

Shattered Veil is one of those books that you want to read in one sitting and curse life for getting in the way; one of those books that leaves you breathless and wanting, savoring the wonderful escape from the world into one fueled by desire, danger, and political intrigue; Shattered Veil is one of those books that you need to recover from, to slowly wean yourself away from and come back to reality. The world stops, everything is suspended, and in that perfect moment when you read the final page, you won’t know whether to laugh or cry. The bittersweet, fantastic journey has left a whirlwind of emotional carnage behind and yet somehow, the world seems brighter, and that contented, satisfied feeling that only comes when finishing an amazing book will cocoon you in its warmth.

When everything that defines you is stripped away, who do you become?

War has invaded Atalanta’s quiet villages and lush woodlands, igniting whispered worries in its glittering capitol. Far from the front lines, 18-year-old Aris Haan, a talented wingjet flyer, has little cause for concern. Until her beloved Calix is thrust into the fray, and a stranger makes her an impossible offer: the chance to join a secret army of women embedded within the all-male military.

Aris’s choice to follow Calix to war will do more than put her in physical danger; it will make her question everything she believes about herself. When she and her enigmatic commander uncover a deadly conspiracy, her expert flying may be the only hope for her dominion’s survival…and her own.

It’s Mulan meets Battlestar Galactica, with a heroine who is strong enough to save a nation…but only if she’s willing to sacrifice everything, even the one promise she swore she’d never break.

-via Goodreads

• The cover is beautiful. It’s thought-provoking, colorful, and each link in that bracelet features little pictures that are almost like a hidden objects game, waiting to be discovered and pieced together to create a bigger picture. The opalescence, the tagline, everything draws you into the mystery of the book.
• Aris is the bravest, fiercest protagonist. She’s a survivor through and through. Her self discovery is poignant, brilliantly written and full of raw, striking emotions and truths.
• Some scenes are almost whimsical, they’re poetic and romantic, while others are graphic, grotesque depictions of the horrors of war and torture. These are balanced by the alternating perspectives of Aris and Galena. Both are compelling, dominant female warriors in their own right, one in the military and the other as Ward of Ruslana. They overcome terrifying, sadistic obstacles and put everything on the line to protect the ones they love and gain their freedom as women. The sheer feminism is striking in that each woman is unique in her reasons for aiding the war cause, their conflicted feelings about how to function and keep their secret as men but still maintain their sense of self as women is complex and delves acutely into what exactly it means to be a woman in a masculine world like the military. I admired and was very impressed with the fact that although the female characters had to become men essentially to achieve their goals, they were never unaware or damning of their gender. They recognized what others perceived as their weakness as women and blatantly challenged that idea.
• Often in YA, physical beauty is a key component to how the female protagonist views herself and how others see her. Shattered Veil transcends that idea, physical beauty is not mulled over or focused on but attributes are highlight, what these women can accomplish is paramount to their character and their development as both women and people in general.
• Shattered Veil deals with very relevant political issues regarding gender inequality and resource allocation. Banghart depicts the underlying motivations and manipulations in a somewhat farfetched but real way.
• The dystopian world, dividing into 5 regions and different sectors is meticulous. Everything is detailed from the geographical attributes to the cultural characteristics of the people there. That the names of the regions are so close to what they are in reality adds another layer of foreboding and suspense to the story.
• Galena is such a heartbreaking, agonizing character. Her suffering is almost unbearable. The nostalgic, dream-like state that she collapses into in order to cope is a revelation of her heart. She’s a magnetic, driven woman with a broken heart and perseverance beyond anything imaginable. That she continues to fight in the face of her trauma is remarkable and inspiring, no matter how dismal and dark her situation, her strength sparks desperate hope for a happy ending.
• Romance is dealt with in an open, realistic way. That defeated, sad realization that people change and what we once thought was no longer works is so well written and easy to identify with.
• Dysis. I wish I could have seen more of her internal dialogue because this woman is a fire starter. She’s violent, opinionated, determined, and kind of crazy at times but has the biggest heart. Her love for her brother and the ends she’s willing to go to for him is out of this world. The battle within herself to keep up the charade and to uncover intel about her brother is brutal. You’ll want to hug her and restrain her at the same time. Her heart is so open to love but her past makes truly taking the risk almost impossible.

• The male characters are just fleeting glimpses apart from the protagonists’ respective love interests, whether it be filial or romantic.
• The story starts out a little slow and the gushing romantic sections may irk some but as Aris learns more about who she is as a person, it’s hard not to become enraptured with her yearning for flight, autonomy, and matters of the heart.

If you like any of the following, you’ll enjoy this:

Pleasant reading, if you like dystopian or powerhouse female protagonists, pick this up!