The Styclar Saga: Lailah - Nikki Kelly

Currently reading :)

Nothing to special about the cover. I'm more of a fan of less is more.

My boyfriend loves batman, so I was so excited to see this as the first quote before the book started!

Ok it took me about 2 days to finish this book but that does not mean that it was not good. This book held a lot of suspense in it. The main character, Lailah/Cessie/Francesca, has a weird 'dark guardian angel' following her that seems to appear when ever she needs help. The beginning is hard to get into, but that is only because you are left just as confused as the main character. With each flash back of memory that Lailah has you become more interested and curious as to what she is and where she came from.

Now, Lailah comes across a vampire, Jonah, who is of course hot like all vampires are described. With the saving of Jonah she comes into contact with Gabriel. I am bias because I am a sucker for true love and I just wanted her and Gabriel together right away. As the book goes on though you start to feel for Jonah. Jonah is a vampire trying to redeem his soul through the help of Gabriel. Something in Lailah makes Jonah act more human than he has before and he is so sweet and cocky all at the same time. I don't like that he openly is with other girls which makes me love Gabriel more.

Gabriel in this book is so shut off and secretive. It gets frustrating especially knowing how Lailah feels about him automatically. You eventually learn why is was the way he was but sometimes things may just be too late. The book ends in a complete cliff hanger that I don't want to ruin because this is an up and coming author. So seriously go read this book because it was unlike anything I have read before. I love original plots and deep characters. It gives me hope that there is a magical world out there somewhere that has yet to be discovered.

This author came to be up and coming through this site called the Wyatt App. This is the second book I have read that is a product of this site and I am again not disappointed!

Perfect Ruin - Lauren Destefano

Well I am done already, and if you have ever read a book by Lauren Destefano I am sure you can understand why. This novel is slow, yet fast paced at the same time. The character growth is slow but the plot progresses quickly. You start with Morgan, a 16 year old girl who has a dysfunctional family. She has a best friend, Pen, who also has a dysfunctional family. After a mysterious death their perfect world, or island in the sky, starts to go crazy. Heightened security has the girls on high alert and soon you find out things are not what they seem in their perfect world.

Daphne is the girl who is murdered within the first chapter of the book. Soon after you meet her sister, Amy, who is seen posting her dead sisters essay all over town for everyone to read. Next thing you know the local flower shop catches fire. Now all we are told as the reader is that it is believed to be a boy named Judas, Daphne's betrothed. You think that would be weird in the book but it actually works. The people put together really seem to be meant for one another. Especially our main character, Morgan, and her boyfriend, Basil. So back to the story...

Morgan finds Judas and tries to help him, which kindles her friendship with Amy. Story progresses where things get worse and worse in the city and people start showing up dead. Morgan and Basil get home from school and she immediately checks on her mother who appears to be sleeping. Morgan is overcome in pain so Basil takes her to her bothers apartment.

Back story on her brother, Lex, he is an ex-pharmacist, who has a wife, Alice. Lex tried to jump over the edge of the Island after Alice had to have her pregnancy terminated for being out of turn. He was left blind from the incident and almost died. From that point forward Lex hated the government and the King.

Now that I caught us all up... because of Morgan's family history we find out she was poisoned, as was everyone in her family as well as several other people. Lex and Alice no longer take their medications from the government so they are safe. Morgan's mother and father are both dead and Lex is barely able to save his sister. Lex, Alice, Morgan, and Basil now all have to go in hiding because they are supposed to be dead. Morgan wakes up to find herself underground in a 'bird' (plane) meant to help rebels leave the floating island. In a fit of rage over her parents she leaves the bird followed by Judas to kill the King. She realizes this is ridiculous when she gets to the surface and decides to just write a message to Pen.

Pen is already at her and Morgans secret spot and the two get to talk. It is here Morgan realizes the Pen truly loves living on the Island and believes every word of the history books. Morgan decides not to tell her about the bird and just wanted to say good-bye. Before she can leave they are shot with darts by the Prince and Princess and rendered paralyzed. They are captured...yada yada yada, they escape and make it back to the bird. The group realizes it has to leave now or be killed. As they reach the end of the floating Island they find the Princess has been stowed away in the bottom of the bird with Pen's betrothed, Thomas.

Pen has a melt down about leaving the Island but it is too late and the bird is in the air. They make it to the ground where they are greeted by other people. The book ends here!!!!!!! Ugh don't worry the sequel comes out March 10th. So, not too long of a wait. I gave a crazy simplified synopsis because you have to still be able to enjoy reading it! Lauren Destefano is an amazing author and I recommend reading anything she is willing to write.

Currently reading Perfect Ruin! Now I was a huge fan of the Chemical Garden Trilogy so I am hoping Lauren Destefano will have written just as well here.

I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but this art work is simply amazing.

In side flap with more artwork.

Pretty stars in side the book.

The back of the book. I really can't get over how great this looks. So simple yet it sucks me in.

The One & Only - Emily Giffin

Well I don't know what to really say about this book other than I was really into it, and then all of a sudden I wasn't. I cannot review this book without including spoilers to accurately describe why I almost wanted to puke toward the end. Lets start with the basic plot line and go from there...

Shea, main character, lives in a small Texas town where Football is religion. You eat, breathe, and sleep, Walker Football. Her best friend, Lucy, is the daughter of infamous Coach Clive Carr, for Walker's team. Lucy's mother dies in the very beginning of the book and set the mood for the teams year that they need to win all the games and championship in her honor. Shea is a reporter that covers Walker Universities sports teams for the Post. She is dating an ex-football player, Miller, who is now a gym teacher. She is essentially in a rut going no where because she is too loyal to her football team to pursue anything else.

Now onto the story...

With the death of Connie, Lucy's mom, Lucy and Shea's mom push Shea to break up with dead beat Miller and move on in life. Coach Carr, who Shea has always looked up to and seen as a father figure, agrees with them. Taking Coach's advice she does break up with Miller and in turn Coach gives her the phone number of a guy in Dallas to offer her a better reporting job so that she can actually do what she wants. Through this job Shea means Dallas Cowboys Quarterback, Ryan James, who she went to college with at Walker and was home visiting to watch the game. Ryan asks Shea out and from there they become a couple.

Things get serious fast and Shea starts to notice Ryan is a little possessive. At first she sees it as just jealousy, but she also thinks it is her mind playing tricks on her because she is starting to get a crush on Coach Carr. Grosssssss. I was really hoping that was just going to be a glance over that she would get over and move on.

*Disclaimer - I am a huge Cowboys fan*

So me being the fan I am, I want Shea and Ryan to work because that would be amazing. But Shea starts talking to Coach more and more and they get closer. While her and Ryan's relationship is still growing Ryan often becomes angry at her if she is found to be talking to other guys. At the end of the book Ryan grabs her arm and belittles her in the bar in front of her friends. Ryan storms out of the bar and Shea goes home. Coach calls to check on her and she asks him to come over and keep her company. By the time Shea is done showering Ryan is in her apartment waiting for her and starts apologizing. Shea asks him to leave and things start to escalate. Low and behold, Coach Carr, arrives just in time to save the day. With Ryan gone Shea and Coach admit they have feelings for each other. *vomit* They end up meeting up later and kissing in his office.

Here is another part I was not happy with. Lucy saw Ryan get hands on with Shea and saw the marks on her arm. Yet, Lucy still asked if there is any way that Shea and Ryan can work it out. What kind of friend is that? No kind of abuse is acceptable. But, lets continue on. Lucy and Shea have been slightly on the outs because Lucy is jealous of the relationship Shea and Coach have.

Christmas Time is upon us and the Carr family plus Shea are over Lucy's house decorating. Lucy leaves the room and Shea and Coach have an intimate moment. Unsurprisingly, Lucy walks back in the room and catches this moment causing a blow out. Shea and Coach go back to his house where she asks him to 'make love to her' because it may be the only chance. They don't, thank god, and they leave. The next day Shea is called by her mother stating Lucy is making Shea choose between their life long friendship or her love for her father, Coach Carr. Shea goes to Lucy and tells her she chooses Lucy which Lucy is of course elated over. Shea then goes to her job and tells her boss she quits/gets fired because she cannot be impartial due to her love for Coach Carr and Walker Football.

Now in my opinion Lucy is 100% right. I mean her mother hasn't even been dead for a year yet in the book... and Coach has been like Shea's dad growing up. What a sick and twisted line to cross. He is an old man and she is in her 30's. How can he do that to his own daughter let alone a young woman who looks to him for advice on life. And how can Shea even be mad at Lucy or her mother for being upset about the whole situation. Shea and Coach break it off and Shea runs off to New York to stay with her dad and get over her 'broken heart'. Lucy continues to call her and act like life is just perfect these days. Shea eventually comes home for the final Walker Football game where they win the championship for Connie.

What is disgusting is that Lucy tells Shea she finally is ok with her and her dad being together. Coach Carr gives this nice speech about how they did it all with Connie's help (you remember his dead wife) and then kisses Shea right there in front of everyone. HOW THE HELL DO YOU THANK YOUR DEAD WIFE AND KISS YOUR SORTA DAUGHTER.

The book ends there where you don't know what happens next and I really hope she doesn't write a sequel to this because I was appalled with the gross love triangle. To me it was like she was hitting on her step-dad.... You may not agree but this is my opinion... again I was skeeved out by this book and felt dirty after reading it.

Hollow City - Ransom Rggs

Just in from the library!! Currently reading. Review to be posted

The cover of the 2nd book. You meet this peculiar girl in Part Two.

Update 11/17 almost done! Sorry its taking so long, life is hectic right now

Not much more to go now

Well its almost 5am here and I am finally done the book. I will say the first few chapters drug along with the childish bickering, but the story gained momentum fast and did not stop until the very last page. In this book the children are set out to find a way to cure Miss Peregrine who is stuck in bird form. We come to find out almost all of the Ymbryne's have been captured by the Wight's. The children find their way into an old Loop where peculiar animals live. Their ymbryne Miss Wren has fled to London in hopes to help her sister ymbryne's who were under attack.

From there the children, who need a ymbryne to help Miss P, make a long journey to London and hit lots of hiccups along the way. When they leave the loop they come across a group of gypsies and manage to hide on the back of a wagon for several hours before they are discovered. At first the gypsies shove the children in a cage and threaten to harm them however suddenly one of the men steps forward and chooses to hide the children when the wight army comes looking for them. You soon find out the gypsy man has a peculiar son who is rapidly turning invisible. With a new found understanding the gypsies agree to help the children get to the train station. They make it but are soon taken by the wights and are forced to fight their way free.

Once free they manage to catch back up to their train where they indeed finally make it to London. London is under attack because it is still 1940 where they are and World War II is still happening. They follow clues hidden in the Peculiar Stories that lead them to St Paul's Cathedral. Here they go searching for pigeons as mentioned in the story they are peculiar and help lead the children to Miss Wren. They find the hidden loop in the crypt of the church and find themselves at a side show event where they go searching for other peculiar people. They find a boy who tells them the name of an intersection which the children follow and low and behold finally find Miss Wren. They give Miss Wren the peregrine who is their ymbryne in hopes to heal her. Now at this point the bird who is Miss P has become aggressive and been acting more bird like. The children fear this is her losing her humanity and becoming more animal.

While staying inside the building, which is covered in ice thanks to a peculiar girl, the children learn that peculiar's are teaming up in hopes to fight back against the wights and save their ymbrynes. The group is torn down the middle and some decide to stay back where it is safe and others choose to let Miss Peregrine decide what they should do. Emma tries to convince Jacob to go home at this point which he actually agrees to do!! I was appalled at this because he is just starting to truly understand his ability to feel the hollows.

**Spoiler Alert**

It's show time. Miss Wren is about to break the spell keeping Miss P a bird when suddenly it is not Miss Peregrine, but her brother who is peculiar and can also turn into a bird. You learn that the wights from the first book tricked the children into taking Caul, and letting them think it is Miss Peregrine. The whole time Caul sat listening to the children and learning of all of their weaknesses and abilities. Caul has the building surrounded and ends up taking everyone captive by killing the peculiar girl who makes the ice. The large group is brought to present day London when they exit the loop and are being stuffed on a train when a fight breaks out. The bendable man slips out of his cuffs and makes a run for it. The wights shoot him of course causing chaos in the subway. Emma uses this as an opportunity to fire up her cuffs and melt them off of her. She and Jacob fight several Wights before being knocked out by the blind brothers screaming. Jacob is semiconscious when he sees the Wights shoving the last of the group onto the train and Addison dragging him to safety. When Jacob comes to he learns Addison's loop had been invaded by wights and he fought his way out of it. Jacob takes a call from his father where he tells him he is alive, he loves him, and he hopes to return one day. A hollow shows up, which only Jacob can see, and some how Jacob realizes he has another peculiar ability, he can talk to and control hollows.

The book ends there which still leaves us with questions of course. I am looking forward to the third book mostly because of Jacob's life like premonition dreams. At first I was convinced they were what was going on in the real world in current time but then at the end I was convinced I was wrong. Jacob dreamed he was being burried and could hear his family and friends talking about him. I thought this was due to the fact he was from the recent times but was stuck in the past. Then, at the end of the book when Jacob takes the call from his father, you find out his parents are in London looking for him. I also want to point out that his phone had 177 missed calls from Dad. Not 1 from Mom... his mom was very strange from the first book and almost seemed happy to have both men leave her house. I predict something comes of that. Now back to the dreams... Jacob has a dream from his grandfather which was obviously him saying you can control hollowgashts. I want to know if this is some ability Jacob has or if it is something his grandfather is able to do.

Well, on to the next book!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs

I started reading this book one day at work because it was available as an e-book through my local library. I wasn't sure I would even like it, but the cover sucked me in. Yes I choose books by their covers.

I will say I was instantly trapped in this book and found myself not even noticing when people were talking to me. You start off hearing these wonderful stories from Jacob's grandfather, Abe. Now as a reader you automatically think these are fake and the main character grows to stop believing in them as well. One day Jacob's grandfather Abe is killed by wild animals near his home and Jacob is the one to find him. This leaves him terribly disturbed and has to seek counseling to try and work through the incident.

This counseling leads Jacob and his father, Franklin, to the island where Abe was living as an Orphan. From here the book seriously picks up pace and you find out that yes, all of the stories were true. Also, all of the kids in the photographs also exist and they have yet to age. Jacob becomes familiar with all of the children and Miss Peregrine as well as the dangers they face. Not long after Jacobs continued visit to the Loop, the Hollows end up finding them. Hollows are what they call the bad wights because they lost their souls during a dark magic type ordeal.

The book ends with a cliff hanger and some unanswered questions. I look forward to reading Hollowed City to see what happens next. The only thing I will comment on the book is the righting style is definitely that of a younger reader however the content is more for an older reader, if that makes any sense.

Sorry I don't have any pictures, again I read it through my Kindle. The book has such good creepy photos to go along with the story.

Redeemed - PC Cast & Kristin Cast

Currently reading... Review to be posted

Well sorry it took me so long, I had life going on and got a little side tracked. This book was actually good. I know I haven't reviewed the other 11 books on this blog or the 3 novellas but if you are on shelfari you can find me (sgamble187) and read my reviews on them there.

Rant time - I wish it didn't take P.C Cast and Kristin Cast 12 books to finally do what readers have been complaining about since the second book. My biggest issue with this entire series has always been the redundancy. By the time I hit book 6 and they were still explaining why Grandma called Zoey u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya I wanted to slam the book down and be done with it. If I didn't love books so much I just might have. And it wasn't just with Grandma, it was with everything that could possibly have been related to a previous book. I wanted to scream to the authors that we are obviously several books in, we get it, stop repeating yourself. I won't continue on about the previous books and what angered me because this book was actually really good and I am happy I stuck it through to the end. Again just read my shelfari reviews if you want to see my opinions.

*spoilers ahead*

So, Redeemed. Zoey finally gets her shit together. If you are an avid reader of this series you will get the little joke I made there. (for those who haven't read the series Zoey does not curse). When I first started out the book I was so afraid it was going to be the who is Zoey going to have sex with saga all over again but it was not! In the beginning Zoey turns herself in because she believes she murdered two men in the park (Revealed). Now we, the reader know Nefret is the true killer. Don't worry Zoey doesn't waste the book away in there, she is actually out in a few chapters. The #1 thing I have always loved about this whole series is how it changes narrators so you can see where several characters are at once. I loved getting inside Nefret's head and see just how crazy and deluded she had become.

Crazy Pants Nefret decides the Mayo (a hotel in town) is now her temple where people should worship her. She honestly thinks that the people inside are waiting to worship her... She uses her little darkness worm things to take over peoples bodies and make them do her bidding. Nefret is easily upset and lashes out on the receptionist Kylee just because she doesn't immediately refer to her as Goddess. Nefret goes on throughout the book just proving how crazy she is by throwing people off of her balcony and making her worms burst through peoples bodies. One human, Lynette, does not get taken over by the worms and pretty much becomes Nefret's personal assistant. Lynette is only saved by the fact that she herself is power driven and uses that to her advantage to please Nefret. In the end she dies like all the other people trapped in the Mayo but seriously it's Nefret I wouldn't have expected it to be any other way without it seeming cheesy.

Kalona goes on to prove his worthiness of forgiveness to everyone. His story is more of a wrap up of the novella Kolona's Fall. So I did enjoy his part in the book just to see how far he really has come and why he has been so jaded over the years.

Shaunee and Erik end up together. While the characters in the book don't find it weird I certainly do. Erik was always a cry baby to me in the books. Shaunee is a strong character, her affinity is for fire for goddess sake! ;) I do like the turn in personality Erik took not being so self centered like he has been but that is the running theme of the book. People changing and coming to see what is truly important in life.

This book should have been called Zoey Redbird Finally Stops Whining. This is the first book that I have liked Zoey's character. Being in jail finally makes her snap into reality and make some major decisions that needed to be made 6 books ago. I do understand why she was so annoying in the other books because obviously they wanted to show her growing as time went on. And now that the last book has been written I can appreciate the annoying Zoey in the earlier books. She really does come a long way and starts to act like an adult.

My favorite quote in the book I took a picture of sorry if it is grainy. It is at the end of the book before the big showdown which is in the last 50 pages. I started to panic thinking how on earth can this book be done and have all my questions answered in 50 pages. Well they do it, and they do it well. That is why they write books and I read them.

So that is the end. I will try and do better reviews like this for future books too.

Kiera Cass - my first meet and greet

So this past summer I was able to meet one of my favorite Authors, Kiera Cass, who wrote the Selection Series. A recent post on her website reveals she is adding two more, that's right TWO more full length novels to the series. The Heir is set to release May 5, 2015 and there is no title or date on the last book.

The Selection is about a girl, America, who is put into a pool of girls to try to win Prince Maxon's affection in hopes to be the new Queen. The setting is in the future in the United States where we have reverted back to a King and Queen instead of a President. Also, the people have been broken down into a caste system of numbers where what ever your number is will decide what type of work you can preform. America is currently a 5 which are artists and musicians. Maxon is the son of the current King and Queen making him a 1. Aspen, America's long time friend and neighbor, is a 6 which is the lowest of the Castes and he is a laborer. In the Selection America deals with the fact that a lot of people cannot see past the number she once was. Once you are chosen for the Selection you are bumped up to a 3 which is where most other famous and wealthy people are. I dont want to say to much more without giving it away.

The Elite continues on with America deciding if she can win Maxon over or if she will risk it all for Aspen. She also bumps heads with Maxon's father and realizes there is a lot more going on outside of the Palace with the caste system than the King is letting on. Again, if I say more I will surely be giving too much away.

The One, as you can probably guess Maxon has to narrow his choice down to 1 girl and choose his bride and the future queen. This book was better than the first two, which is very hard for most authors to pull off. Kiera Cass really does an amazing job at keeping you interested right up to the very last chapter. I wanted to cry at some parts and SCREAM at Maxon and America in others. This last book really makes you feel what the characters are feeling.

Now there are Novellas in this series as well.

The Prince is about the first time Maxon comes into contact with America. Honestly this just made me love Maxon even more than I thought I ever could. I love novellas told from the opposite sex's point of view. You read about Maxon's struggle to win over his Father and yet make is own decisions to make an attempt for real love.

The Guard is told from Aspen's point of view when he joins the Guard, making him a 2 and being in the palace with America while she is dating Maxon. I wasn't fond of Aspen but this book did give me a soft spot for him.

The Queen is being released in 21 days and will be about The Queens time in the Selection. How she came to become the Queen and the bonds she made with the other girls she competed with.

The Favorite is to be about Marlee. I am not sure what this is about because I have not really researched too much about it. I did pre-order the Queen/Favorite combo pack and will make an attempt to update after I have read them both.

The Jewel - Amy Ewing

Since I am terrible at blogging apparently I am going to attempt to keep up to date reactions to all of the books I read. You can visit my shelfari page and see what i am reading there as well as what I plan to read in the future. [sgamble187]

I recently read The Jewel by Amy Ewing. WOW is how I would sum up this book in 1 word. If you have read the Chemical Garden Trilogy (Wither, Sever, Fever) or The Selection Series (The Selection, The Elite, The One, -The Heir* not yet released) Then I have no doubt that you will also love this new and up coming series.

The Jewel isn't a piece of Jewelry, it is actually the center of an island or the capital of this 'country'. The book never really says exactly what the world is only that water surrounds all of the land, and that is where the poorer families live. Then there are stone walls separating each class of citizens basically until you reach the center, which is the Jewel.

The people of the Jewel are royalty and you soon learn that for what ever reason they cannot conceive children of their own. Have no fear though, because they are royalty they have tons of money and can afford to buy girls to carry their children for them. They even have the technology to choose to have a boy or a girl. But this isn't even all of it...

The story follows Violet, a girl who is chosen to become a surrogate after a blood test shows she basically has magic in her. They call magic Augury in this book. There are 3 different kinds, the ability to change colors, the ability to change shapes, and the ability to make life or growth. The royals buy these girls and use the Augury magic to have the perfect children. The girls are forced to use the magic to make the child look how their owner wants them to look.

There is a love story in this book, however the main focus point is on Violets struggle to take charge of her life. She realizes very quickly that she has never been able to decide on anything since she was chosen to become a surrogate. When she is purchased she is even more limited and must listen to what The Duchess of the Lake tells her to do. When surrogates do not listen they are punished and in some cases even put to death. The whole book you are put on the edge of your seat waiting for The Duchess to hurt Violet for disobeying her. Lets just say it finally happens at the end of the book and you have to wait for the next one to come out around 1 year from now :(

Now to the writing style. It is told from a 16 year old girls point of view, but thankfully Violet does not act like a younger girl as in some other young adult books (I'm looking at you House of Night novels). There are very long descriptive parts about the scenery and the background on what is going on. I am the type of person who usually skips this part of the book and looks for the next set of quotation marks to pick back up on the story. This town, country, whatever it is, is seriously so interesting to me that I didn't skip any details. You as a reader are pulled right in to this story by the first few pages. I just needed to know more about Violet and the Jewel. I read this book in a day, which sadly is not unusual for me when I find a good book like this. Amy Ewing really sold me on her first book she had published. I have high expectations for the second book which does not yet have a title but is set to release September 2015.

Update 9/22. If you write to Amy on her website AmyEwingBooks.com she will respond!!! So insanely cool that she takes time out of her day to do this!