Wishlist Wednesday #1

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Pen To Paper featuring books we want to read.

This is my first time joining, and I'm super excited!

Today Hunting Lila is on my wishlist.

goodreads.com

Synopsis: 17-year-old Lila has two secrets she’s prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she’s been in love with her brother’s best friend, Alex, since forever.

After a mugging exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust—her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organization called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they’ve found them.

In a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realizes that she is not alone—there are others out there just like her—people with special powers—and her mother’s killer is one of them… (Goodreads)

Unfortunately, it's very complicated for me to get a copy of this book. There's only a UK edition, and as an American, this makes it very annoying to even try.

According to my library's catalog, Sarah Alderson doesn't exist.

Sorry world, guess you'll never get my review unless I move. Or Simon and Schuster can just publish an American edition...

Hint, hint.

Waiting on Wednesday #2

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It features books we need to read in order to achieve self-actualization and inner peace. (No joke here!)

This week I'm waiting on
   
United We Spy!

It's coming out in thirteen days on the 17th! DYING. I MEAN LIVING.

Synopsis:
Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever. (Goodreads)

Ally Carter is the master of writing, but Cammie is the true master of the series. Sorry Ally!

As for me, I can't master waiting for my life, but I can make a mean grilled cheese sandwich.

Cammie, Ally, Zach, whoever else, I CAN'T WAIT. JUST GIVE ME AN ARC ALREADY. :)

Watching City of Bones

So it failed at the box office.

It's okay though. Cassandra Clare's greatness is so great that this movie is at least half good. I don't care what Rotten Tomatoes says. I will watch City of Bones and like it.
I love Lily Collins. I love Jamie Campbell Bower. I love the cast. I will watch City of Bones.

Because honestly? I'm faithful to Cassandra Clare, no matter what happens in the movie.

*Just took this walk in very humid weather. *
Anything will seem good now.

CASSANDRA CLARE I FREAKING LOVE YOUR WRITING

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

I love this series! With most series, I don't bother to read the sequels until about a year later. However, with the Mythos Academy series, I CAN'T NOT read it! I also can't not obsess over it. It's like a disease of obsession! 4 out of 5 stars!

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
4 out of 5 stars
Published in 2011
Summary from Goodreads: I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

One thing I'm questioning is the author's choice to wait until the middle of the book to put Logan in the story. To tell you the truth, I kind of missed him. I really missed his loyalty and how he cared for Gwen. I wanted him and Gwen to be together! In other words, Logan kind of won me over. I really like him now! (The power of bad boys!)

Gwen, as usual, is your average stubborn, strong, great heroine! She's blunt, sharp and smart! I love how smart she is! She always uses her brain, even when she does not want to. Even when she is close to dying, she tries to get out of the situations and survive. She really has the mind of a heroine; I admire her character and ability to survive swords.
As for her psychometry, I'm just glad that Gwen used it well. You see, her powers grow, but she does not use them selfishly, well not in the end. She uses them for good reasons.

I could tell who the villain was the first time I read about her or him. While this time it was kind of obvious, the whole story behind it is not. I did not know the true identity of the villain until it was explained. In the end, the author still manages to surprise you. Yay! Anyways the part with the Reapers is explained in more complexity, so I feel as if I understand that part better.

I like Gwen's grandma. She is epic! I like how she can the future. However, I like her goodies and baking even more! Every time I read about what food she is whipping up, my mouth literally starts drooling. I was covered in drool by the end of the book! (Well, maybe not covered...)
Plus, I thought she had some great advice. Gwen's grandma is your light that helps you see when it's black and dark out. She's that loving character every book needs!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I've been saying the first sentence of this book over and over again since last year. Of course, it has definitely driven everyone around me crazy but not like I care! However, I've driven everyone even more crazy BECAUSE I FINALLY READ IT! And I'm pretty speechless right now... 4.5 out of 5 stars!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
4.5 out of 5 stars
Published in 2011
Summary from Goodreads: Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

I have a very distinct taste in books, especially when they are about ------. (Hint... synonym to killing, begins with m.) While I can't say that I loved the plot, I liked it a lot. Some of the times it was too fast-paced, especially the ending, but overall it was pretty good. I was pretty surprised by how exactly the ending turned out, but I can't say much. I will say that it is totally not your average twist. It's so much more than a twist, especially because it kind of messes up all your predictions and makes you think again. It also makes you reread it to finally get the gist of what happened. I think that's a bad thing though...

As for Mara, I'm just glad I could finally find another main character who loves drawing. You see, Mara's great at drawing and she loves it. I guess that's why many people call her artsy...
She's also famous for her rejoinders! (Witty comebacks... per say.) I loved how quickly she could come up with these super offensive biting remarks that really ticked people off. She is also pretty strong, not that it I would notice if she wasn't...
I really had some trouble understanding her visions. I could not tell what was real and what was not. I do think it will be clarified in the next book though.
Even through this all, she was pretty relatable. Mara is bogged down by tragedy, and I could not help but feel terrible for her as she tried to reason why it would happen.

Noah... some people think he's like Jace Lightwood, but I think he's in his own class. Cocky? Yes. Arrogant? Yes. A bad boy? Yes! A smoker? Yes, unfortunately. However, what people don't include is that he is incredibly loyal to Mara and that he really loves her and her family. For me I was struck by how realistic he is. You see, at times I thought he was too good to be true, but then he would make a mistake and I would be happy for his flaws. He did open up incredibly, which may or may not be normal. Not that I care, because I'm basically in love with him!

I always judge books by the last paragraph of every chapter. As for this book, it is basically always a single sentence that is super impressive. Every last sentence is catchy, true and sometimes incredibly heartfelt and funny. Of course, that makes you want to flip the page and read even more, so you end of finishing the book super quickly. Not that I care though... I'm still awed by Noah.

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

Just reading the title gives me shivers... even after I've finished the book! I guess I'd call this obsession with it title-lust, but I'm not so sure...
This title is amazing! 4 out of 5 dead stars.

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
4 out of 5 stars
Published in 2010
Summary from Goodreads: On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.

After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine, where she finds herself studying subjects like Philosophy, Latin, and the “Crude Sciences.”

It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.

Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul.

Just as a warning, Dead Beautiful is not a contemporary read. It's more paranormal than the summary makes it out to be. I had no idea, so I did not expect things to be so paranormal. Of course, not that I mind the paranormal, it's just that I did not know. *****POSSIBLE SPOILER!!********Haters of the undead beware! You will fall in love with a certain paranormal creature and change your mind about the undead! END SPOILER!!

Not only that, but you'll be laughing like a maniac, especially when Renee and Dante first meet! I could not believe how funny and awkward it was! I like how the humor ends up balancing all the tension and stress throughout the book, so the reader does not end up feeling overloaded. Besides, who'd pass up a good laugh? I like funny books!

Renee was rebellious and fun and snarky! I loved her attitude. She did not put up with bad treatment. She stood up to people and was not afraid of being herself! I liked how she tried to solve a certain mystery and not wait for things just to happen. She was brave and actually USED HER BRAIN. Of course, I admire characters like that!

As for Dante... let me just say he was smoldering and mysterious. No book is complete without a love interest, but Dante trumped my expectations. I did not expect him to be that interesting. He actually had a personality! I actually kind of fell in love with him! He was a pretty good bad boy! It makes many love interests pale in comparison!

There is a twist that leaves you appalled. I'm not kidding! I was literally unable to function. While the first part of the plot was relatively predictable and average, the ending totally makes up for it! The beginning might be a little boring and slow, but keep on reading until the end! It is totally worth the wait! I guarantee it!

Waiting on Wednesday: In Honor

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted Jill over at Breaking the Spine that features upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week's not-yet-published "need-to-read-now" selection is:

In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Publishing 5.8.12

Summary from Goodreads: Honor receives her brother's last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn't. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

If you haven't read Moonglass, Jessi Kirby's debut, you won't know how amazing and fresh her writing is. I have, so I definitely know. Anyways, I also like the love stories that also happen to be about travel; there's just something about them that call to my soul....

I hope Rusty is as awesome as he seems to be! There's great hope he'll make it on my coveted crush list, for now. Anyways, he had better be swoon-inducing! How am I supposed to wait more than two months?!

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who gets obsessed with a single book for about a day (unless it's Clockwork Prince...) and absolutely must review it. As of right now, It's Touch of Frost, a book that happened to make me laugh like a maniac. 4 out of 5 stars.

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
4 out of 5 stars
Published in 2011
Summary from Goodreads: My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .


“Logan Quinn was the kind of guy who could stab me in the eye with a freaking Twizzler.”
That's precisely why I love Touch of Frost. Gwen has a great sense of humor that she's not afraid of showing. I loved how she was interested in comic books and actually admitted to loving cookies! Now how's that for a protagonist? Gwen was totally unique!
Not only that, but she was not a sissy. Plus she was really curious. She was willing to look for her own answers and not just wait for them to come. She actually tried! Even though that seems kind of normal, she actually had a great heart. She was willing to help people she hated, and she basically loved her enemies. While many YA characters are not capable of doing that, Gwen was. For that, I have to admire her. Besides, who can resist someone with an awesome name like Gwen?

Logan Quinn was kind of.... an average bad boy. He was your typical arrogant, supposedly hot guy known for all the girls he was connected with. Not only that, but he was the strongest guy at Mythos, which made girls swoon even more. While I liked his looks, I didn't exactly think he was good enough to swoon about, at least not yet. Like I said before, he was kind of average...
but not to Gwen. She ended up falling for him and hard, too. Oh well, at least she chose a guy with connections.
Okay, so maybe I kind of like him too, but I still kind of dislike him. Well, at least I kind of like him.

As for the whole academy idea, I have to say that at least the author made it interesting. At least she didn't use the same old boring creatures, like vampires. She made her own academy and actually used the Greek part pretty well. While the only Greek mythology I know comes from Percy Jackson, I have to say I was happy to see it again. The mythology was not exactly the same, but I still appreciate that it was there.
As for the villian, I'm just going to say that he or she was not expected. He or she made me very surprised, more than usual. Usually I can guess who the villian is, but this was a mystery. (Cue spooky music...)
I loved how much action there was! Touch of Frost is not a book for people who like slow books. It was fast-paced and awesome! There was lots of suspense, so I was extremely happy!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

If I weren't so furious by what Cassandra Clare can do to a reader, I would be praising this book. BUT since I am so furious that she made me stay up late for four nights, making me lose my sleep and my sanity, I will be resorting to obsessive ranting and maybe a gush or two. 5 out of 5 stars!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
5 out of 5 stars
Published in 2011
Summary from Goodreads: In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

I am so confused. How can Cassandra Clare get a person to fall in love with two totally different people in the same book? You see, I somehow lost my mind trying to choose between Jem and Will, so I decided to like them both. Every time Jem came into the picture, I was Team Jem. Every time Will came into the picture, I was Team Will. I honestly can not choose right now. However, I felt really bad for Will. His secret made me cry for him. Because of the secret, he never had a chance to be honest. He was living a lie to save the ones he loved, and that ended up crushing him. I honestly admire him for his strength and humor through everything.
Jem was a different story. While his problem was not mental, I still could not believe how nice and kind he stayed. I really loved his constant kindness and how happy he made Tessa, but I still can't help thinking about Will...
That's why I'm mad at Cassandra Clare. I'm supposed to like only one guy, but she just has to make them complete opposites and both totally crush-worthy. Why does she have to make my heart split for them?

I was also extremely mad about the plot. I usually have a faint inkling about what's going to happen, but for Clockwork Prince, I totally did not. Is that a good thing? How was I supposed to guess the events when they were totally unexpected? I did not predict a thing correctly. All the traitors, liars and motives were just not predictable. My mind is still reeling from who the spy actually was... but you'll have to read the book to find out!
Since I was so surprised, it's obvious that there were lots of twists and turns. All the events had me gasping, especially when I found out Will's secret and why he visited Magnus...
There was also a ton of action, especially knife throwing. Don't you just love a book with knife throwing?

As usual, I loved and got really mad at Cassandra's epic writing. I was drawn from the first page, not the first half. I love how her writing draws you in immediately. Considering that it's in third-person, that's an even greater feat to accomplish. However, since I'm supposed to be mad, I'm just going to say that I'm extremely furious that she pulled it off. Even though it was set in historical London, I was surprised by how natural it seemed. Such narration usually seems a little unsettling for that timeframe, but she pulled it off. That proves to everyone that Cassandra Clare can write ANYTHING.

As for Tessa, she was a great character. She was strong enough to the point that I would have been crying while she was just thinking things over. She was relatable to the point that I got everything she did. She was likeable to the point that two totally different guys loved her. She was a kindred spirit with a wicked sense of humor, an amazing story and a pretty awesome talent! As usual, I have to blame Cassandra Clare for creating such a perfect main character. (I wonder if I'm actually angry or just trying to fake it...)


I was extremely furious with the details. Honestly, I don't think any other author could do it better. The regular details were all done well, such as your average carriage details and poetry and other regular setting things, but more importantly were the mental details. You have to keep in mind that Clockwork Prince is set in the 19th century, so behavior was a bit different than today's. Tessa was a pretty good character considering that she didn't seem like a modern heroine, yet she seemed like a Victorian heroine.
Wait, why do I need to write any more? It's completely obvious who rocked the writing, although I'm kind of reluctant to admit it...

So everyone needs to read this book before they wait like crazy until they read it and end up ranting like I just did! (This is possibly the longest review I've ever tried writing. And I mean EVER.)

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

For some extremely odd reason, I didn't think there would be a ring involved in The Faerie Ring. Honestly, I have no idea how I could not see the ring on the cover or notice how the summary talked about a ring....
Well, 4 out of 5 stars to the book that I finally realize is about a ring.

The Fairie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
4 out of 5 stars
Published in 2011
Summary from Goodreads: Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood--Tiki's blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched--and protected--by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen's son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief--all must work together to secure the treaty...

Maybe it's because the unbelievable amount of sugar I've just had recently, but I am unbelievably obsessed with Rieker. Even though he's a major STALKER, I can't keep him out of my mind. I honestly think the stalking is just a phase and that it's actually kind of cute. I don't know what my thing with Rieker is, but I like him. A lot. Maybe it's the smoky eyes...
or the way that Tiki thinks about him has spread to me...
Oh, and did I mention that I love how much he loves Tiki? Or the fact that he is extremely loyal and isn't who he seems to be?

Tiki was an exceptional character. She blew me away. Honestly, I don't know how Kiki Hamilton did it. She made Tiki strong and stubborn but also extremely caring and kind. While that seems impossible, let me just say that it isn't. Somehow the author made it work. Tiki turned out to be smart, clever, nice, well-meaning and strong, but she still did not seem like a goody-two-shoes. She also was not annoying at all. In other words, she was not a damsel in distress. She could hold her own ground and have bread fights... well, not really.

Of course I thought the plot was interesting... I didn't even know a ring was involved! Even if you are aware of that, let me assure you that it's not expected. Usually faeries and rings put together in a book result in a really unpredictable plot. Such was the case for The Faerie Ring. Add in Rieker's secret, some more odd characters and the magic of the author's imagination to get one totally unique plot. Of course, even if you've already read the book, the plot will always be filled with twists and surprises and action, no matter how many times you reread it!

I have never been to London, but somehow I could visualize it perfectly. The setting was simply marvelous. I loved the talk of the buildings and the castles and the carriages. The whole era fit perfectly for the story. I loved how Tiki could just hop onto the back of a carriage, climb up a tree and not get in trouble, meet an actual prince and care for fellow orphans. Of course, that could only happen in 1871. As for London, I thought it was perfect. I thought the setting was marvelous, completely marvelous! There's something about London that is just magical, and it makes everyone happy.

I loved the writing style. I admit that I was a little reluctant at first because it was in first-person, but I have to say now that it was a perfect choice. It totally went along the setting and all. The author totally pulled it off. She managed to make me connect with Tiki and relate to her, which is extremely hard when talking third-person. Not only that, but I felt as if I was Tiki. As for the writing itself, I was completely surprised that it was not to flowery. Elegant, yes, but there were no flowers! However, there was a bit of dark humor, a great style and a totally awesome third-person story!

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

I was really intrigued by the cover- there's something about the petal throwing that's just not normal. In this case, there turns out to be a devastating reason. Anyways, I was then drawn by the title. Turns out my instincts were right: I LOVED it! 4 out of 5 stars.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
4 out of 5 stars
Published in 2011
Summary from Goodreads: Everyone's sorry. But no one can explain why.
Harper Scott's older sister, June, took her own life a week before high school graduation, leaving Harper devastated. So when her divorcing parents decide to split up June's ashes, Harper steals the urn and takes off cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going--California.
Enter Jake Tolan, a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession...and an unknown connection to June. When he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what Harper needs. Except...Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn her life upside down--again.


Before I started reading Saving June, I was already ready to declare this one of my favorites. But once I started reading, I realized it was that and also so much more. I could not believe how utterly realistic it was. Harper's bitterness was perfectly done, she actually played her part quite well. Fortunately, Saving June wasn't some sappy death story where it actually seems quite cliche and cheesy. It was real. You could tell that the author really put time into creating a plausible (mostly) and believable story. For that we must commend her.

I loved the musical references throughout the story. I loved how much Jake relied on music! I loved how he truly believed in it! So yes, I am swooning over Jake and gushing about the music at the same time. As for Jake, I just wish he were a real guy. He was definitely a developed character that really fit well into the story. I loved his attitude; let's just say he's a total bad boy...
In other words, I thought he was pretty awesome!
Back to the music. Even though most the songs were a lot older, I still appreciated all the playlists. I loved how big of a part music played in it all! Finally some book that understands music!

Harper really was a realistic character. I loved how unforgettable she was. While sometimes it was really easy to be annoyed by her, she had reasons for her choices and actions. She was incredibly stubborn and bad-tempered. I don't think most readers would immediately like her, but she definitely grows on you. She was full of anger, at the least. However, even though she was all of these things, she was also strong and a survivor.
Who can hate a survivor?

I have to admit, I was really impressed by the romance. It wasn't sappy or fake. There was no insta-love. Now that's what I call romance! Plus, Jake and Harper had great conversations that were really deep. Their relationship was meaningful and real. It wasn't some perfect relationship with a perfect ending. It also had a few problems, including the secret Jake has. I loved that even more.

There were quite a few supporting characters that popped up throughout the novel, but I have to say I got them a little mixed up. During one part of the story, the author introduced quite a few all at once. I couldn't get all of them straight, but at least they were just little characters. Even so, all the characters had a unique personality. That's what I really loved. I could not believe how they were all so palpable and how right they felt.

The only other problem I had was that there were some innappropriate scenes and topics. I think Saving June is for mature teens, not younger teens. I'm thinking around 14 and up...
Also, don't go into this book if you're a very easily offended Christian either. There were some parts that would offend you.

However, overall I LOVED Saving June.

Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe

I don't really read books about dancing, especially not about ballerinas. I really did not have a reason to read this book, but I read it anyways! I thought it was quite unexpected.... 4 out of 5 stars.

Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe
4 out of 5 stars
Published 10.13.11
Summary from Goodreads: When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent.

As I wrote before, I did not expect this. I was totally unexpected for Audition to be in verse, just as I did not expect how good Stasia Ward Kehoe would be at it. Every line was a tense, beautiful and wonderfully crafted. I got addicted to it pretty quickly and started thinking in verse! The verse was also fairly easy to understand, yet so poetic as well. I could not believe how well-written it was.

I'm kind of unaware of how much drama there can be in ballet, especially the competition and efforts gone to be thin. I found myself aghast at how cliquey and hardworking all the girls were. I could not believe how hard it was for Sara to go through it all; especially when she was constantly being put down by the teachers. All the moves in ballet were new to me as well, so I found it especially fun to pronouce them all! I think I now can offically say that I don't mind ballet anymore... even though I still can't imagine why anyone would spend 6 hours a day doing it.

Remington is so not on my crush list. I HATED him. He was a terrible, nasty person. I hated how mean he was to Sarah, what he did to her and just overall how bad of a person he was. I hated everything about him. He was not even close to being a nice or good person; it was depressing how Sara kept on coming back to him again and again. While Remington is an awesome name, Remington the character is not. In fact, he's quite the opposite. However, the author wants you to hate Remington, so all is okay!

Audition was not as character-driven as I would've liked it to be. I really didn't get to know much about the supporting characters; I even forgot their names already. Even Sara seemed unreachable and distant. I felt as if I didn't get to know her enough through the story. She was just there, our doll in the play, without a set personality dancing to the music. While her writing was obviously great, she was not exactly. I think the author focused too much on the verse and not enough on the characters.

Still, I loved Audition anyways! There was romance, though not exactly the right type of it, ballet and verse! What's not to like?

Lament: the Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

Before Maggie Stiefvater wrote the Shiver series, she wrote Lament: the Faerie Queen's Deception. And that was the problem. Lament isn't as popular, nor is it as highly rated on Goodreads. So I was kind of reluctant to read it. But don't be! It's amazing! 4 out of 5 stars.

Lament: the Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
4 out fo 5 stars
Published 10.01.08
Summary from Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .

I'm going to start off by saying this summary doesn't exactly give you the right perception of the book. I entered this book thinking there was going to be a love square- but no, I was wrong. I guess you could say there's a love triangle, but I thought there was only one true love interest.

His name is Luke, and he is the awesomest assassin yet! I love him. He has a past you can't guess- not until Maggie reveals it. His intentions are kind of unclear, he's not exactly the boy your mother would approve of, and he's unbelievably good-looking. In other words, my type of guy. Not to mention that he has no soul. You kind of have to meet him to understand why he is so crush-worthy.

Then there was this plot. I loved the idea of Celtic faerie lore, not just regular fairies (yes, with an i). Maggie Stiefvater brought in a ton of that and wove it into a story with tons of twists and turns. Let's just say you can't expect anything that happens to happen. And even when it does, you kind of just stare at the page gawking. And yes, that's exactly what happened to me.

I happen to have a huge admiration for Deirdre. She reminds me of all the characters who don't know their inner strength they possess. Just like how they seem weak, she seems shy. Just like how they don't know their strength, she doesn't either. Until she realizes that she has to because it's the only way she can survive. Yup, she inspired me enough to rant about her that long. But most of all, she's not boring! She wasn't a spineless dishrag, as Julie Kagawa would say.

Then there was this ending. It was bittersweet, real and not a perfect fairy tale ending, even though there were faeries. Did Maggie Stiefvater suddenly blank out and force out a sappy, fake happy ending? No! She followed her heart (maybe...) and wrote the most heartbreakingly beautiful ending. I admire her for that.

Just like all stories have an ending, this review must end too. So read this book and swoon because Luke's an awesome assassin!

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

This is another one of those books that is really hard to review because you absolutely loved it. My mind is struggling to create the write phrases to describe this book. It's incredibly hard for me to form complete thoughts. So basically 5 out of 5 stars!

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly
5 out of 5 stars
Out, out and out!
Summary from Goodreads: Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed romantic trilogy, L. A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill ride of a road trip  —  and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

I just want to start off by saying this isn't your average angel book. Instead of angels being the good guys here, most of these angels are mind-sucking, aura-taking monsters! They feed off of humans and cause insanity, craziness, and eventually death to the prey, or humans. She wasn't afraid to show how bad the angels were. And that takes skill.

I love the path L.A. Weatherly took with her plot. Every moment was action-packed, with lots of incidents with guns and all. I was never bored with Angel Burn, instead I was yearning for more. Every path she took with her writing led to more and more twists and turns. Throughout the book, I couldn't even predict one event! But let me just say this, once you find out everything, it just clicks! This is one good plot! I absolutely love, love, love it! And I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!

Then there were the characters. Let's see, there's Willow, who may or may not be an angel. She's a pretty awesome heroine. I really, really like her because she's brave, beautiful and heroic. She is very kind and funny. She is the girl everyone should try to be. Why? Well, because she's the best! And because she has an awesome name!
There's also Alex, who isn't exactly your average bad boy or Prince Charming. But there's one thing he is: crush-worthy! He's really protective, charming and broken. Oh wow, I am in love with Alex! He is amazing! While he does have his flaws, I still love him. He is one crush worthy guy! And did I mention he was an assassin? I didn't? Well, he is one. He just happens to kill angels instead of people...

I loved this ending. It made me speechless, which is a pretty hard thing for a book to do. This ending is so bittersweet and perfect and beautiful. It made me want to tear my hair off, and that's a good thing...
... Well, kind of...


NOte: This book is also called Angel. For some reason, I chose to call it Angel Burn. If you search it up on Goodreads, they show both titles for this book, but it first comes up as Angel.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

This book was recommended to me at least a million times. Not to mention I've heard about it at least a billion times. Also, do you know how many times Goodreads has recommended it to me? Even more! So I guess I was what you would call a reluctant reader. But hey, at least I ended up reading it... and liked it! 4 out of 5 stars.

Fallen by Lauren Kate
4 out of 5 stars
It's out! Yay!
Summary from Goodreads: There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

These were my reactions after I finished reading Fallen: Daniel! Cam! Cam! Daniel! Daniel! Cam! ...and so on. So basically I was actually immersed into this whole triangle. Fallen was good enough to make me torn between the two! Yay! Anyways, I liked Daniel because he was the one for Luce. But I also liked Cam because he was actually pretty charming and awesome and a total bad boy. I like my bad boys. Yay for Cam!

I thought the whole idea of what Lauren Kate weaved in about Daniel was pretty cool. (The God of No Spoilers says no spoilers!) Just when the plot was slowing down, Lauren's awesome idea came to the rescue! So this plot was pretty good. It had twists, surprises, turns and all other sorts of amazingness like that. So I was happy with this plot. It was a lot better than some other plots... (not naming names...)

Luce was a pretty nice character. She can be feisty, shy, nice, whatever she wants to be. I liked that she meant well for the most part and was not too selfish. She seemed fairly relatable and amazing! I think she'll be even more interesting and intriguing in the later books. I can't wait! So she will definitely be remembered as one of Valerie's favorite characters.

And I loved the cover! This cover is as epic as Anna Dressed in Blood's cover! And that's saying a lot...
I loved her dress, her hair, her skin, everything! So let me conclude by saying: this cover and this book is epic! Epic, I say, epic! Go epicness!

Haunting Violet, by Alyxandra Harvey

“Tucking my nose into a book makes me completely oblivious to my surroundings. I would have made a terrible spy in the army--the first person to hand me a novel would have been able to shoot my head clean off without me noticing.” -Haunting Violet
Look at that quote!!! It's about reading! And books! And that means only one thing: it's awesome!!!!! I love books with characters that love books! In other words, 5 out of 5 stars! ...that aren't haunted...
That was cheesy.

Haunting Violet, by Alyxandra Harvey
Published June 21, 2011
5 out of 5 stars!
Summary from Goodreads:Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?


Guess what? This book is a murder mystery! And a paranormal book! And a half, but not really, romance! I'm for it all, but really only for the murder! Still, this book has it all! And that's a good thing! Yay! Go a variety of intriging things!
Not only that, but this murder mystery is truly a mystery! The killer is the last person you'd suspect. I suspected a ton of people, but the killer was the one I didn't even think about! Let's just say this murderer is a very good murderer... is he? Or she?
Anyways, besides that, the plot is still astounding! It's actually kind of ironic if you think about it. In other words, Valerie loves this plot!!!!!!!!!! And you should love it too! Absolutely amazing!

Oh, the time! It's in 1872! In England! Victorian era, delicious description, nice narrating, totally an old-fashioned novel! That appeals to modern readers! Anyways... it's a beautiful setting totally worth raving about! I absolutely devoured this setting. And the story. Anyways, where else can you go besides London?

And ghosts... wow... I was not expecting that! Ghosts are usually the forbidden species, ignored by time and rain. But not anymore! In this book, ghosts are... pretty interesting, to say it at the least. And pretty awesome! So unique and captivating! There, I used big words!

And I liked Violet a lot. She was smart and clever and basically okay with me! Well more than okay, but still! She's strong, which I admire, a bookworm, which makes me even more okay with her, and a great friend, which is a must on my list. Basically, a perfect protagonist and a perfect main character to write about. Yay, and her name is Violet because she has violet eyes! I've always wanted violet eyes!

And then there's a guy. Colin, to be exact. He's your average bad boy. Yup, just average. But good-looking. Still, I like him a lot! Lots of good quotes. Lots of swoon-worthy moments. Lots and lots of admiration... from a certain Valerie. Anyways, Colin is pretty awesome for a Victorian dude. That's all you really need to know...

And all you'll ever get from me.