Rave: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover FREE for Amazon Kindle!

Today only -- download Hopeless by Colleen Hoover in Kindle format for free on Amazon.  Click here to download NOW!

My review, as published on Goodreads last year, before the birth of my blog:

I'm not going to lie here; the first third of the novel was an eyeroll fest. Pretty much everything having to do with the main character's introduction to high school was just one adolescent cliché after another. I graduated from high school thirteen years ago, however, so I'll chalk my opinion up to the fact that I am old and jaded now. Still, to me, the novel was very forced at first.

Why did I keep reading, you ask?

In short: I had it, I was broke and didn't want to buy anything else, and have you seen the reviews?!

This book is considered part of a genre that I think was just created (again, I'm old), called New Adult. It's basically Young Adult fiction with more sex. As much as I ended up loving this book, I don't think I will revisit the genre anytime soon unless Colleen Hoover is the author.

The last half of this book was just... wow. Powerful. Amazing. Uplifting. I couldn't put it down. The less you know, the better, so I will just say that I highly recommend it to everyone that likes a good romance, and if you think the beginning is a bit cheesy, well... stick it out.

Check out this title @Goodreads.
Don't wait to download this -- offer is good TODAY only!

Review: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi is the last novel in her stunning young-adult dystopian trilogy, Under the Never Sky.    If you have not yet read the first in the series, I would recommend skipping this review, and checking out my review for Under the Never Sky, instead.  You can view that here. I also reviewed the second novel in the series, Through the Ever Night, which you can read here.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do--and they are just as determined to stay together.

Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival--he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her earth-shattering Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.                                                                    @Goodreads

I found Into the Still Blue to be a good, but not great, conclusion to the Under the Never Sky trilogy.  I absolutely loved the first two books in the series.  Maybe that is the reason that I didn't love the last -- I liked it, but love it, I did not.  However, I did not power-skim it like I did Mockingjay in order to get through it; I wasn't disappointed, exactly, I just wasn't completely satisfied.

Four stars for Into the Still Blue, and four and a half stars for the Under the Never Sky series as a whole.

In a nutshell, I felt the end was a bit rushed.

Spoiler alert!  (Do not read if you have not read this novel and intend to)

Review: The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell is a thoroughly entertaining and hard to put down family drama dealing with mental illness, secrets, lies, and tragedy within one small family.

Meet the Bird family. They live in a honey-colored house in a picture-perfect Cotswolds village, with rambling, unkempt gardens stretching beyond. Pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and tow-headed twins Rory and Rhys all attend the village school and eat home-cooked meals together every night. Their father is a sweet gangly man named Colin, who still looks like a teenager with floppy hair and owlish, round-framed glasses. Their mother is a beautiful hippy named Lorelei, who exists entirely in the moment. And she makes every moment sparkle in her children's lives.

Then one Easter weekend, tragedy comes to call. The event is so devastating that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass as the children become adults, find new relationships, and develop their own separate lives. Soon it seems as though they've never been a family at all. But then something happens that calls them back to the house they grew up in -- and to what really happened that Easter weekend so many years ago.

Told in gorgeous, insightful prose that delves deeply into the hearts and minds of its characters, The House We Grew Up In is the captivating story of one family's desire to restore long-forgotten peace and to unearth the many secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of home.                                                                               @Goodreads

I'll be honest; although the synopsis sounded okay to me, I chose this book because I needed to take a break from YA Dystopian reads and knock out some of the ARCs I had waiting for me courtesy of Netgalley.  I couldn't have chosen a better novel to ease the transition back to Women's fiction.

Told in the perspective of several characters (each one completely unique and extremely well developed) Lisa Jewell takes us through a journey into the lives of the Bird family, past and present, showing us how they went from happy and content to estranged and in some cases, bitter.

Lorelei, the mother, is a free spirit, a hippie.  She lives in the moment, never dwelling on the past, never even thinking about the past, even when she should.  She copes with her life and the tragedy that befalls it by hoarding.  I'm sure you've seen the reality shows about hoarders, and yes, she is that bad.  Maybe even worse.

The novel opens in present day, with Meg, Lorelei's daughter, arriving in tow with her teenage daughter at her mother's estate, following her death.  The novel weaves back and forth between the present in the past, usually centering around the time of Easter, Lorelei's favorite holiday, and also the day of tragedy in the Bird family -- a tragedy that changes their lives forever.

I am a sucker for a story about a bat-shit crazy mother.  Reading a story about a mother that desperately loves her children, yet still manages to fuck up all of their lives absolutely fascinated me.  My own mother was abusive and cruel.  I found myself wishing Lorelei was my mother early on in the story, and extremely glad she was not by the end.  There is just simply more than one way to destroy your child's life when you're a mother.  The sky is your limit.

I related most with Beth, the daughter of Lorelei's that lived at home until she was about thirty, afraid to leave her mother to her worsening illness, and unsure of what she wants to do with her life throughout the majority of the story.  I myself lived at home until I was around twenty-six, for absolutely no rhyme or reason; my mother was mentally ill, too, in a completely different way.

Beautifully and powerfully told, The House We Grew Up In is a family drama chock full of surprises at every turn, with rich character development and pacing, perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon.  Warning:  You might need some tissues handy when reading this one.

Note:  A copy of this novel was given to me for reviewing purposes courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher, Atria Books.

Expected publication: August 12 2014

Review: Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi

Through the Ever Night is the stunning second novel in Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky series, continuing the mesmerizing romance between Aria and Perry, two star-crossed lovers brought together out of necessity, desperate to survive in a ruined world.  If you have not yet read the first in the series, I would recommend skipping this review, and checking out my review for Under the Never Sky, instead.  You can view that here.  Note:  My review does not contain any plot spoilers, but the book synopsis does.

It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death. 

Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first.

Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?                            @Goodreads

 I cannot even begin to stress how blown away I am by this series.  I wasn't expecting much at all.  I, like everyone else in the world, loved Hunger Games, although in retrospect, the last novel in the trilogy did not do much for me at all.  I read Divergent, and while I thought it was alright, I had way too many problems with it, and found it to be extremely overrated.  Perhaps my low expectations are the only reason I love this series, but whatever the reason(s), I am hooked.

I am pleased to report that not only is Through the Ever Night a satisfying sequel, it's actually better than the first in the series.  With an epic plot, well-developed characters, great world-building, exquisite romance, danger, despair, and heartache, Through the Ever Night had me power-reading all through the night to reach its conclusion.

Also, we were awarded with a better explanation on how the world as we know it ended:

In school, Aria had studied the history of the Unity, the period after the massive solar flare that had corroded the earth's protective magnetosphere, spreading Aether across the globe.  The devastation in the first five years had been catastrophic.  The polarity of the Earth had reversed over and over again.  The world was consumed by fires.  Floods.  Riots.  Disease.  Governments had rushed to build the Pods as the Aether storms intensified, striking constantly.  Other, scientists had called the alien atmosphere when it first appeared, because it defied scientific explanation -- an electromagnetic field of unknown chemical composition that behaved and looked like water, and struck with a potency never seen before.  The term evolved to Aether, a word borrowed from ancient philosophers who'd spoken of a similar element.

Veronica Rossi is a talented writer, no doubt about it.  I went from very angry with Perry (not to mention downright panicked) over something that occurs around 75% into the novel, but by the end, I had forgiven him and loved him again.  Team Perry! Rossi is a master of human emotion.  All of her characters are genuine and likable, even despite their flaws.

And the feels.  So many feels!

What took me so long to read this series?  

Pssst... don't forget my giveaway for a brand new hardcover edition of The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski here!

Review: Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

I realize I am extremely late hopping aboard the Veronica Rossi train, but I wish I would have skipped most of the other YA dystopian novels I've read, and went straight to Under the Never Sky.  This... book... was amazing.

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure.                                                      @Goodreads

In Veronica Rossi's story, the world as we know it was destroyed about three hundred years ago, when a massive solar flare damaged the Earth's magnetic field, resulting in violent energy storms called Aether that wreak fiery havoc whenever they strike.  Shortly after the solar flare, a group of survivors banded together and formed the Unity; governments created huge domes, called pods, for survivors to live in to escape the harsh elements, and a lottery was held to determine who would be able to live in the domes on a permanent basis.  Aria's ancestors were fortunate enough to be placed inside a pod, Reverie, while Perry's ancestors were left outside, battling the harsh elements and struggling to survive.

The world building in this novel is fantastic.  Very imaginative and creative -- I haven't read anything like it at all, which is both unusual and refreshing in this genre.  Aria, one of the two main characters, lives in a pod with about 6,000 other people.  Since they are in such cramped quarters, they have invented a way to virtually go anywhere and do anything they can imagine, accessed by a Smarteye device worn permanently over their left eye.  They essentially live the majority of their lives in virtual reality, which they deem is better than real.  On the surface, it is.  They feel no pain, but can experience pleasure, smells, and tastes.  They can do anything, including flying, with no threat of danger.  They have everything they could need, and have even devised a way to life much longer than the current life expectancy, thanks to anti-aging treatments.

Early on in the novel, Aria is cast out of the pod for a crime she didn't commit.  Once she is on the Outside, with no hope of survival, she meets Perry, an outsider that is desperately trying to find his nephew, who was taken by the Dwellers that live in the pods.  He knows someone who can fix Aria's broken Smarteye device so that she can contact her mother, so the two of them form a shaky alliance out of necessity.

Despite the constant threat of the Aether, Aria soon realizes that nothing is better than real, nor is it even close to the same.  She grows increasingly attracted to Perry, and vice versa; Perry can scent her attraction, because he has highly developed skills that allows him to scent other people's tempers/moods, not to mention see clearly in the dark.  Their love story is slow to develop, but the end result is worth it.  I wanted Perry and Aria together, desperately.

With great world-building, excellent character development, and a unique, refreshing plot, Under the Never Sky has become one of my all-time favorites.  This novel wouldn't even wipe its ass on the Divergent trilogy.

Review: The Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3) by Julie Kagawa

The Forever Song, book three of the Blood of Eden trilogy by Julie Kagawa, is the stunning conclusion to what I deem to be the best YA vampire series to date.  There.  I said it.  If you have not read The Immortal Rules and The Eternity Cure, stop reading now; while my actual review does not contain spoilers, the actual synopsis of the novel released by the publisher does.   A big one, in fact.    

VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

MONSTER

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.                                                          @Goodreads

 It’s hard to write this without spoilers, but I am forcing myself.  After all, at the time that I’m posting this, most of you have not read it; it hasn’t even been published yet.  Therefore, this review will be a bit cryptic, much like my review for the other novels in the series.  You can read those here and here.

In the final novel in the Blood of Eden trilogy, Allie struggles more than ever with her humanity in the wake of significant personal tragedy.    The story opens with Allie, Kanin, and Jackal traveling to Eden in search of Sarren, the psychotic vampire that has embarked on a dangerous journey to destroy humanity so that the world can start over.     

Allie knows that she is now a monster.   She cares little for humans, beyond stopping Sarren from wiping out her food supply.  She is hurt on an epic level, and to make matters worse, master vampire Kanin, her sire, is filled with disappointment towards the monster she has decided to become. 

Sound good so far?  It gets so much better.

What is waiting for the trio on their journey is worse than anything they could have imagined.  And… I can’t really say any more than that.

There is a rather large development 29% into the novel that I did see coming, however, I was somehow still shocked and amazed when it did, because it was just done so well.  No disappointments with the last installment of this series at all.  I commend you, Julie Kagawa.  You are… amazing. 

One little qualm:  At the end of The Forever Song, as Allie is reflecting on the time she has been a vampire, it is stated that she has only been a vampire for about a year.  I didn’t go back and make sure that time matched up, but from what I remember… it does not.  All of that happened over just 1 year?  Kanin’s training?  Wondering around after she separated from him, before she found Zeke’s group? Staying with Zeke’s group until they made it to Old Chicago, and later, Eden?  That’s just the first book, and I believe four months separates the first from the second.    This was a very minor issue to me, just something I noticed.  Perhaps it was only a year.  Whatever.

My rating for both The Forever Song and the Blood of Eden is five whopping stars. 

Please note:  I received a free ARC of The Forever Song by the publisher (Harlequin Teen), and Netgalley.  The book was not advertised to be the last in the trilogy, and I requested it without knowing.  Once I realized, after I had read the reviews, I decided to purchase both the first and the second installment in the series.  Well played, Harlequin Teen.  

Expected publication date:  April 15 2014

Feature & Follow Friday #4 - Reading Habits

Feature and Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read where bloggers gain followers and make new connections.  I prefer followers through Google Friend Connect (GFC) and
Bloglovin’, but I'll take what I can get; hit me with your best shot.

Question of the Week: How have your reading habits changed in the past few years? Did you get interested in a new genre? Do you read more? Less? Why do you think your habits changed, if they did.

I've always been an avid reader.  Ever since my mother first gave me those V.C. Andrews books in second grade (and Stephen King in third -- she had taste, that woman), I was hooked.  Completely, irrevocably addicted to books.  I'm the type of person that would much rather be alone, immersed in a great novel than with pretty much anyone else... except my husband, of course, but he doesn't really count.

My tastes have changed, very recently, in fact; I used to be utterly turned off by young adult novels.  Now, I'm hooked.  I've read so many great young adult novels in the last two months alone, and I have you guys to thank for it, since many of you that I follow happen to read YA books.  So... thanks!

Since acquiring an e-reader and using it almost exclusively, I do think that I read more in recent years than I did in the past.  It's just so much more convenient -- and so much cheaper.  

Thanks in advance for stopping by -- I will return your comment and/or follow; I absolutely love reading new blogs and interacting with fellow book nerds!

Happy Friday!

Pssst... while you're here, enter my giveaway for a hardcover copy of The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski! 

Want to join this blog hop or enter my giveaway?

Rave: The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure is the second novel in Julie Kagawa’s Blood of Eden trilogy.  If you have not read the first novel, you may want to skip this so as to not read any inadvertent spoilers, especially in the synopsis.  My actual review does not contain any spoilers. You can check out my mini review of the first novel in the series, The Immortal Rules, here.

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever—and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago—and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.                          @Goodreads

As I previously stated, I purchased this novel and the first in the series once I received an ARC for the third novel in the series, and became intrigued.  Well worth the gamble, I must say.  While The Immortal Rules hooked me and restored my faith in vampires and YA literature in general, The Eternity Cure made me realize that this trilogy is going to be one of my all-time favorites.

More murdering, monstrous vampires.  More rabids.  A new plague that destroys humans and vampires alike.  Vivid descriptions, excellent writing, and a heroine that isn't afraid to get her hands dirty.  Gripping, dark, and tense, this novel has you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.  Julie Kagawa is not the type of author that is afraid to let tragedy befall her characters.  And oh, does it.

The two minor issues I had with The Immortal Rules were the underlying religious themes, and the love interest, Zeke.  The religious themes continued -- lightly -- throughout The Eternity Cure, and they again were not a problem for someone that hates shit like that (me).  I am a little worried that there is going to be some huge spiritual reveal in the last book in the series, but so far so good.

Zeke, who I thought was boring in the first novel, was much more tolerable in the second.  He's still not the best love interest (he's not Edward or Jacob), but I do have more respect for his character.  I even grew to like him a bit.  I wouldn't have wiped my ass with him in the first novel.

I gave The Immortal Rules a 4.5 star rating, but The Eternity Cure was better, and gets a solid five.

Stay tuned for my review of The Forever Song, the last in the Blood of Eden saga, coming soon!

Rave: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Excuse me if this review sounds like it is coming from an obnoxious fan girl, but The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa, has completely restored my faith and renewed my interest in the overplayed vampire genre that previously bored me to tears.

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them—the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend—a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for… again.

Enter Julie Kagawa's dark and twisted world as an unforgettable journey begins.  @Goodreads

I stumbled upon this series on accident; I requested The Forever Song, on Netgalley, without realizing that it was part of a series, Blood of Eden.  Once I realized and read the reviews on Goodreads for this series, I decided I had to read it.  I immediately purchased The Immortal Rules and have since purchased the second novel as well, so... well played, Netgalley and Harlequin Teen.

This book was released in 2011, and is therefore considered old news to most avid YA dystopian fans.  I don't have much to say about it that hasn't already been said.  This post is to drive awareness to this series -- it's really good.  If you haven't heard of it, this is what you need to know:

Dystopian.  Vampires that are monsters, not beautiful, sparkling beings.  Zombies (called rabids).  Strong female lead.  Great writing.  Excellent world-building, and viable explanations on as to how the world ended.  Fast-paced.  Masterfully detailed.  And as far as I'm concerned, insanely underrated.  I had never heard of this series until a few days ago!

There are some religious undertones throughout, but they did not offend my heathen sensibilities.

I'd actually give this novel 4.5 stars, but since I was lazy and didn't make half graphics, I'll round up.

The novel is amazing, and has many strong points, but the main character's love interest is not one of them.  Boring!  Hopefully that improves!

Feature & Follow Friday #3 - Favorite Outdoor Reading Spot

Feature and Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read where bloggers gain followers and make new connections.  I prefer followers through Google Friend Connect (GFC) and Bloglovin’, but I'll take what I can get; hit me with your best shot.

Question of the Week: Spring is in the air! Show off your favorite outdoors reading spot. If you don’t go outside...well where else do you read that isn’t inside your house? We want pics!

From my honeymoon in Virginia Beach, 2013

My favorite reading spot is the beach.  The wind in my hair, the smell of salt in the air, sand between my toes.  Reading a great book as the sun goes down, while the tide rolls in.  There is nothing more beautiful, and more peaceful, in all the world to me. 

I work from home currently, and therefore spend the majority of my reading time in the house.  

Pssst... while you're here, enter my giveaway for a hardcover copy of The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski! 

What's your favorite outdoor reading spot?  Read more to join the blog hop or enter my giveaway!