Waiting on Wednesday: Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Publication Date: November 7th, 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Book Depository 

Synopsis: A healer who cannot be healed . . .

When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill.

A soldier shattered by war . . .

Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.

Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.

This smart, sweeping fantasy with a political edge and a slow-burning romance will capture fans of The Lumatere Chronicles and An Ember in the Ashes. 

Review: All the Stars Left Behind by Ashely Graham

Series: All the Stars Left Behind #1
Publication Date: June 6th, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: Relocating to Arctic Norway would put a freeze on anyone’s social life. For Leda Lindgren, with her crutches and a chip on her shoulder the size of her former Manhattan home, the frozen tundra is just as boring as it sounds. Until she meets her uncle’s gorgeous employee. 

Unfortunately, no matter how smoking hot the guy is, Roar comes with secrets as unnerving as his moving tattoos. And Leda doesn’t trust him.

Roar shouldn’t be drawn to the moody human girl with eyes that leave him weak in the knees. But when Leda gets shot by one of his enemies and survives, Roar finally understands why he’s drawn to her: Leda is exactly what he was sent to Earth to find. A weapon of immense power capable of saving his planet. 

She just doesn’t know it yet.

My Rating

2/5 stars

My Review

Oh the predictability and the cliches. It was all too much.

After the death of her father, Leda moves to Norway to live with her uncle. When Leda meets Roar, their world is flipped upside down and the two feel a very strong attraction for one another, the only problem is that Roar is an alien sent to Earth to look for the secret weapon to save his home planet. Will Leda be a distraction to his mission or will their attraction prove to be useful in finding the secret weapon.

Leda was a very good main character. If the situation was different I could definitely see myself loving her. She's very strong, and she doesn't let having a disability slow her down. She's definitely got the right attitude and is willing to go down fighting for what she believes. 

Yet, the reason I couldn't bring myself to love Leda, was because of the romance with Roar. I cannot tell you how much I hate insta love. The first time they meet you get the slow motion, no one else in the room but them moment, and when they hold hands their hearts flutter and they can't stop thinking about one another. Ugh the amount of eye rolls per chapter was on a new level for me. While this type of love may happen to some people, for 99% of the normal population, things like this don't happen. Then later in the story you get the, "Oh, it turns out we can't be together after all, but I still love you" type of thing. The romance is basically Twilight, but with aliens. Thank god there wasn't a love triangle, I'm pretty sure I would have DNF the book.

While this book is a fairly short read, the beginning dragged on so long that I couldn't get myself to pick up this book to keep reading, and I ended up dragging it out. There wasn't a lot of action or anything to keep the reader interested in the beginning of the story, unless you're really into aliens or insta-love. Around 70% the action started to pick up, but at this point the story became so predictable that you could tell exactly what was going to happen without having to finish the book.

This probably would have been a one star review, but I decided to go with two stars because I was really impressed with how well the author used diversity in her book. You have a main character with a disability, a transgender character, multiple gay characters, ect. Also I was extremely happy that the book was set in Norway and the author used terms and landscape from there, I would have loved to see more research, but I was happy with a book being set somewhere other than America. 

Overall, I really would not recommend this book, unless you are into the cliche type of story or are really into aliens. The author put in a lot into this book but unfortunately the romance and the plot needed some more work. Hopefully her next one is better.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger

Series: Follow Me Back #1
Publication Date: June 6th, 2017
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: YA, Contemporary 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Tessa Hart’s world feels very small. Confined to her bedroom with agoraphobia, her one escape is the online fandom for pop sensation Eric Thorn. When he tweets to his fans, it’s like his speaking directly to her…

Eric Thorn is frightened by his obsessive fans. They take their devotion way too far. It doesn’t help that his PR team keeps posting to encourage their fantasies.

When a fellow pop star is murdered at the hands of a fan, Eric knows he has to do something to shatter his online image fast—like take down one of his top Twitter followers. But Eric’s plan to troll @TessaHeartsEric unexpectedly evolves into an online relationship deeper than either could have imagined. And when the two arrange to meet IRL, what should have made for the world’s best episode of Catfish takes a deadly turn…

Told through tweets, direct messages, and police transcripts.

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

All Eric wants to do is release some stress and backlash on some of his fans. What he doesn't expect is a lonely fan named Tessa to understand the struggle he’s going through. The last thing Eric wanted to do was fall in love with her.
Tessa’s only way of coping with her agoraphobia (fear of leaving her room) is by listening to her favourite artist, Eric Thorn. When talking to people in real life becomes too difficult, Tessa turns to social media where she can be completely anonymous and express her love for the artist, what she doesn't expect is to befriend the one person who harasses her online.

This story is absolutely adorable. I haven't read a book that was remotely similar to this one. I just thought the idea behind the story, the characters and the uniqueness was all just so well thought out and it blended together into such a beautiful story. I seriously loved this book so much, it is definitely going on my favourites shelf. 

Tessa was such a relatable character. She was so kind, and intelligent. I definitely loved reading from her point of view. Initially I thought that her part of the story will be boring due to her agoraphobia, but the author did an amazing job with keeping her story interesting, even though she spent most of the book in her room. What was most important to me, was getting to know the reason why she developed her fear in the first place, and when you do find out why (unfortunately thats near the end of the book), you can totally understand why she developed the fear, and if I was in her place I probably would have done something similar (maybe not that intense, but similar).

I also loved reading in Eric’s point of view. You really do get to see the other side to being a celebrity, the ugly and fearful side that no one really thinks about. The side to Eric that you see off stage is completely different than what you see on camera. He’s not outgoing, he doesn't enjoy being half naked and acting like a player, its not who he really is, but unfortunately he has to do what his publicist says. The part of the story when he finally stars opening up to Tessa really had me rooting for the couple. It was really sweet, and it made me see Eric as such a genuine character.

My absolute favourite thing about this story was the plot twists. I assumed this was going to be the cliche type of story, how most contemporaries are, but the author did such an amazing job eliminating cliches and making the story so interesting I could not put it down. After getting about 40% into the story, I just had to finish the book in one sitting. It was that good.

I will warn you, the ending had me dying. You get this super cute ending, where everything works out perfectly (just the type of ending you thought was going to happen), then BAM! You read the last (very short) chapter and the whole story just gets flipped. Honestly a part of me wishes I didn't read this book so early, because now I’m dying to read the next book. I seriously need it, like right now.

I cannot wait to continue this series, I will highly recommend this book to all YA fans. Even if you’re not a huge fan of contemporary, like I am, still give this one a try, I’m sure you will love it.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Waiting on Wednesday: One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Series: Three Dark Crowns #2
Publication Date: September 19th, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Book Depository 

Synopsis: The battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

Review: The Nerdy and the Dirty by B.T. Gottfred

Publication Date: November 15th 2016
Publisher: Henry Hold and Co.
Genre:YA, Contemporary, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: Pen Lupo is sick and tired of hiding who she is. On the outside, Pen is popular, quiet, and deferential to her boyfriend. On the inside, however, Pen is honest, opinionated--and not quite sure that she's like other girls. Do they have urges like she does?

His classmates may consider him a nerd, but Benedict Pendleton knows he's destined for great things. All he has to do is find a worthy girlfriend, and his social station will be secured. Sure, Benedict is different--but that's what he likes about himself.

When fate intervenes, both Pen and Benedict end up at the same vacation resort for winter break. Despite their differences, the two are drawn together. But is there such a thing as happily ever after for a nympho and a nerd?

My Rating

3/5 stars

My Review

If you're looking for a quirky romance story, and don't mind a lot of graphic sexual content then you will definitely love this book.

On the outside, Pen is quiet, does what she's told, and pretends to be a "good" catholic girl. But on the inside, Pen has urges and would love nothing more than to speak her mind freely. Her polar opposite, Benedict, can't help but speak freely. He believes theres no point in lying, and will tell you how it is to your face, unfortunately this labeled him as the weird nerdy kid everyone calls Tin-Man. When the unlikely pair end up together at the same resort, they realize that the other one isn't exactly who they seem to be.

I was actually thinking about giving up on this book when I first started it. I found Pen's point of view really hard to focus on, and I just wasn't too impressed with Benedict. Benedict is basically Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory, but younger. He doesn't understand how to be social with people, and will turn away any potential friends with his brutally honest personality. Pen's point of view was like being in someones brain who has ADHD and will fly from one topic to the next. It was very hard to follow at first, but I kept on reading for some reason, and I'm somewhat glad I did. 

The book really picks up when the two are at the winter resort, which happens around 45% into the book. Before that, I found the book to be boring, confusing and bland. But when the two main characters actually start talking and falling in love with each other, it was actually a really cute romance story and I found myself rooting for the two of them to be together, against all odds.

This book had a lot of sexual content in it, especially from Pen's point of view. While I didn't mind reading about it, I don't think it's very fitting for young adults, I think it's safe to say that people reading this book should be at least 15 and older... hopefully.

I'm not sure if I would recommend this book to everyone. I definitely recommend it to people above 15 who are either outcasts who believe they will never find love (which, trust me, you will <3) or for people who are ready to have their first sexual encounter with a partner.

I wish I could have given this book more than 3 stars because it was a really cute romance, but unfortunately it wasn't my type of read. Hopefully, you will enjoy it more than I did.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten this past week.

From Netgalley

All Things New by Lauren Miller
Seventeen-year-old Jessa Gray has always felt broken inside, but she’s gotten very good at hiding it. No one at school knows about the panic attacks, the therapy that didn't help, the meds that haven’t worked. But when a severe accident leaves her with a brain injury and noticeable scars, Jessa’s efforts to convince the world that she’s okay finally crumble—now she looks as shattered as she feels. 

Fleeing from her old life in Los Angeles, Jessa moves to Colorado to live with her dad, but things go from bad to worse when she realizes she’s seeing bruises and scars on the people around her that no one else can see. She blames it on the accident, but as her body heals and the hallucinations continue, Jessa wonders if what she’s seeing could somehow have a deeper meaning. 

In her quest for answers, she falls for Marshall, a boy whose kindness and generous heart slowly draw Jessa out of her walled-off shell and into the broken, beautiful, real world—a place where souls get hurt just as badly as bodies, and we all need each other to heal.

Your One & Only by Adrianne Finlay
Jack is a walking fossil. The only human among a sea of clones. It’s been hundreds of years since humanity died off in the slow plague, leaving the clones behind to carry on human existence. Over time they’ve perfected their genes, moving further away from the imperfections of humanity. But if they really are perfect, why did they create Jack?

While Jack longs for acceptance, Althea-310 struggles with the feeling that she’s different from her sisters. Her fascination with Jack doesn’t help. As Althea and Jack’s connection grows stronger, so does the threat to their lives. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?





From the Library

The Hawkweed Prophecy by Irena Brignull
Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn't lead more different lives. Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don't belong and seeking escape.

Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they've never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other.

Switched at birth by the scheming witch Raven Hawkweed, Poppy and Ember must come to terms with their true identities and fight for their own place in the world. Enter Leo, a homeless boy with a painful past who – befriending them both – tests their love and loyalty. Can Poppy and Ember's friendship survive? And can it withstand the dark forces that are gathering?

Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburne
After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can’t help but feel like a monster.

Though she’s formed a tentative alliance with the Palace, Kyra must keep her identity a secret or risk being hunted like the rest of her Demon Rider kin. Tristam and the imprisoned assassin James are among the few who know about her heritage, but when Tristam reveals a heartbreaking secret of his own, Kyra’s not sure she can trust him. And with James’s fate in the hands of the palace, Kyra fears that he will give her away to save himself.

As tensions rise within Forge’s Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?

In this spellbinding sequel to Midnight Thief, Kyra and Tristam face their biggest battle yet as they grapple with changing allegiances, shocking deceit, and vengeful opponents.

Nemesis by Anna Banks
Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king’s servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But Mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Sepora's gift may be able to save Tarik’s kingdom. But should she risk exposing herself and her growing feelings for her nemesis?

What did you guys get this week? Let me know in the comments.

Review: I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux 
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Book Depository

Synopsis: Desi Lee knows how carburetors work. She learned CPR at the age of five. As a high school senior, she has never missed a day of school and has never had a B in her entire life. She's for sure going to Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation-magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds her answer in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It's a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Rules for True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and fake car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

I Believe in a Thing Called Love was absolutely adorable. It has a intelligent main character, funny storyline and a swoon worthy romance. Any fans of K-dramas and high-school romance books will love this one.

Desi Lee is the closest thing to perfect. She's intelligent, popular, athletic, involved in multiple extracurricular activities, and is well on her way to her dream University of Stanford. The only thing Desi Lee isn't perfect in, is talking to boys. When the handsome Luca Drakos joins Desi Lee's school, Desi makes it her mission to get this boy to like her, so she can finally experience whats its like to have a boyfriend. The plan, follow the steps Korean Dramas use to make Luca fall in love with her.

The first thing I said about this book, only a few chapters in, was that I seriously wish that my future children are exactly like Desi Lee. I fell in love with this character right from chapter one. Not only is she an amazing main character, but she's also extremely relatable. I especially loved her relationship with her father, it is so adorable to read about, I haven't read many book where a parent figure is in the book so much, and is depicted in a positive way like her dad was. Desi Lee will go down as one of my all time favourite main characters.

The romance in this book was really cute. While it wasn't my all time favourite romance, I did ship the main characters. Desi Lee and Luca make a perfect pair, and it was wonderful to watch them fall in love. The only thing I didn't like, was the predictability. It is so easy to tell what will happen to the story, and there weren't any crazy twists to make it interesting.

The main problem I had with this book was the ending. Fair warning, SOME SPOILERS AHEAD. One of the main reasons that I loved Desi Lee was because of her intelligence. I could relate to that, and I really admired it. Watching Desi Lee throw away her future, for the university she's always dreamed about going to, all because of a boy... that honestly broke my heart. Desi Lee had such a bright future ahead of her, and she literally threw away her chances of attending the university because of Luca. I think I would have taken this a different way, if it wasn't for the fact that the main reason Desi and Luca ended up together at the end was because Luca found out she did that for him. I am all for relationships where your partner helps you become a better person and achieve your goals, but this relationship was the opposite. 

This book was so close to being perfect for me. Minor changes and I would have given it 5 stars. I still highly recommend it, especially to fans of Korean Dramas and anyone who loves YA Contemporaries. Desi Lee will rock your world.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Waiting on Wednesday: Now I Rise by Kiersten White

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Series: The Conqueror's Saga #2
Publication Date: June 27th 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

Review: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Series: Daughter of the Pirate King #1
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017
Publisher: Fewer & Friends
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

“Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.” 

If you love strong female characters with a bit of a temper, then look no further, this is the book for you.

Taking on a mission from her father, Alosa gets captured by an enemy pirates in order to retrieve a piece of a map that leads to a mysterious island. The only problem is, the map is no where to be found. When sneaking around at night isn't enough, Alosa must get close to the Captain and his handsome brother to find her father's treasure and prove to him what a loyal daughter she is.

Alosa will go down as one of my favourite characters. I find her very similar to Celaena Sardothien (Throne of Glass) in the way she talks and thinks. She's extremely intelligent, she's cunning, and the amount of sass this girl has is unbelievable. Alosa will have you on your toes, waiting to see what she does next, or laughing out loud from her sassy comments. 

The romance in this story was very well written. I was expecting a love triangle, but thankfully there was none of that. Alosa and Riden have an amazing slow-burning romance that you get to watch grow. While it was a little bit too much insta-love for me, it was still a very well written romance. I definitely ship them.

The writing, the plot twists and the world building were all amazing. The story and world that Tricia created is very unique and captivating. While the characters didn't explore too many places, the author gives us a sense of the world and some of the places that Alosa will be soon visiting. There was just the right amount of action and surprise in the plot to keep you engaged in the story, the twists the author threw definitely caught me by surprise. I'm really impressed.

Overall, this book was fantastic! I can't wait to read more about Alosa and Riden, hopefully as they take on the world. I highly recommend this book to all pirate lovers, as well as fans of strong female characters.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. 
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. 
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. 
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High s notorious gossip app. 
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who s still on the loose? 
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them."

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

One of Us Is Lying will probably be my favourite book of 2017. It has diverse main characters, a great romance and a mystery that will make you stay up reading till the AM.

Simons dead, but who did it? Was it Bronwyn the brain, Addy the princess, Cooper the athlete or Nate the criminal? Is it a coincidence that the four of them were in the room when Simon was killed? Especially since he planned to expose their secrets the next day. Which one of their secrets was so important that they killed the boy who was going to tell the rest of the school.

I've always been a huge fan of The Breakfast Club, so when I read the synopsis I knew I had to read this book. I was a little disappointed that the only similarity from The Breakfast Club was about their personalities and that they were all in detention, but the book itself was so amazing that this little thing didn't influence my rating what so ever.

Right away, we dive into the four main character's lives, their secrets, home life and what they think about the situation. Every single character was so different, yet they all had something that you could love about them. Abby has been the girl her boyfriend has always wanted her to be, she dresses like he wants, agrees with everything he says and follows him around like a lost dog. Without him, Abby would be nothing, and what Simon has on Abby could end her relationship for good. While I wasn't a huge fan of Abby in the beginning, she really redeemed herself near the end and I ended up cheering her on. Cooper is the all star athlete, he's popular, extremely nice and is dating one of the prettiest girls in high school, but he's also hiding a big secret, one that could tear his family apart and end his baseball career before it even starts. Nate comes from a bad home, an alcoholic dad and a bipolar mother who ran away and left them behind. Nate is an open book and could care less if anyone knows his secret, but if the parole officers find out that Nate is dealing weed again, he could be trifled as an adult. Bronwyn (my favourite) is focused on getting into Yale, with perfect attendance, perfect grades and lots of extracurricular she's a shoe-in to get in, the last thing she needs is Simon spilling her secrets and ruining her chances of getting in to the university of her dreams.

I finished this book in two days, but if I had the time, I probably would have finished it in one sitting. This book is definitely addicting. It has tons of action in every chapter, take my word when I say you wont be bored. The suspense and mystery of this book will keep you reading until you find out who the murderer is, and the romance in this story will have you swooning. I loved every single aspect of this book.

My favourite thing about this book, was that it wasn't predictable at all. In every mystery book, you always have a feeling of who did it, and when you find out that it was who you suspected, you either have the "I knew it" moment or the "dang it, that was too easy" moment. The amount of times I changed my mind about who the killer was, is too many to count. Yet none of the people I suspected killed Simon. The ending was such a nice surprise which I never saw coming. It was extremely well written and I'm really impressed with the amazing job Karen did.

If you love Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, The Breakfast Club or Thirteen Reasons Why, you will absolutely love this book. I highly recommend it to everyone who loves a good mystery and is prepared to stay up all night reading this book. I can't wait to see what this author writes next.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten this past week.

From Publisher

The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones

When Dee Moreno makes a deal with a demon—her heart in exchange for an escape from a disastrous home life—she finds the trade may have been more than she bargained for. And becoming “heartless” is only the beginning. What lies ahead is a nightmare far bigger, far more monstrous than anything she could have ever imagined.

With reality turned on its head, Dee has only a group of other deal-making teens to keep her grounded, including the charming but secretive James Lancer. And as something grows between them amid an otherworldy ordeal, Dee begins to wonder: Can she give someone her heart when it’s no longer hers to give? 

The Hawkweed Legacy by Irina Bringnull

Poppy is discovering a purpose for her powers in Africa, but she is haunted by a vision of her own death. Taken in by a boy and his great-grandmother, a healer, they vow to keep her safe-even if that ultimately means holding her captive. But Poppy never stops longing for Leo and, when she feels his magic begin to spark, she will do anything to be reunited with him.

Desperate to regain Poppy's trust and bring her home, Charlock embarks on a plan to reunite Leo with his mother. What Charlock doesn't foresee are the string of consequences that she sets into motion that leave Ember all alone and prey to manipulation, the clan open to attack from other witches, Sorrel vulnerable to Raven's ghost, Betony determined to protect her son from his father's fate, and which leave both Leo and Poppy in terrible danger.

What did you guys get this week? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles by J.M. Sullivan

Series: The Wanderland Chronicles #1
Publication Date: May 16th, 2017
Publisher: Pen Name Publishing 
Genre: YA, Retelling, Horror 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: **Readers' Favorite Five Star Review Recipient**

“Always protect your queen.”


Ever since the outbreak of the Plague, life hasn’t been easy, and for seventeen-year-old Alice Carroll, it just got worse. Her sister, Dinah, has contracted the ‘un-deadly’ Momerath Virus and without a cure, will soon be worse than dead. She’ll be momerath.

Alice must leave the safety of the Sector and venture into Momerath Territory to find the antidote - if it exists. Chasing a rumor about a mysterious doctor with the cure, Alice falls down the rabbit hole into Wanderland, where ravenous momerath aren’t the only danger lurking.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Think Alice in Wonderland mixed with The Walking Dead. This will probably be my favourite retelling of Alice, ever.

Alice and her sister Dinah live in the Sector, a safe place where the Momerath (zombies) can't get in. When the sisters go on a scavenge hunt to a pharmacy and the library, they encounter a Momerath and barely escape. When Dinah falls ill and begins showing the signs of the virus that turns people into Momerath, Alice takes it upon herself to venture out on her own and find a cure for Dinah, before the virus takes her.

Alice was a really good main character. I liked her in the beginning, but I loved her in the end. Alice went from being the afraid little sister thats shy and likes book, to a powerful warrior thats not afraid to kill some zombies and encounter new groups of people if it gets her what she wants. She faced her fears and picked up a machete to kill zombies, somethings she's never done before and was able to fend them off all by herself, I was truly amazed looking back at her character development. 

The plot of this story was really fast and intense. I love how the author didn't bore us with pointless details about the world, and had enough action to keep the reader entertained. From the reader's point of view, it was nice not to go over all the boring little details, but from the scientist's point of view, I would have loved to learn more about what the virus actually does to the body, and how it changes normal people into Momerath. 
Since this was a retelling, all the classic characters are still here, even though they're slightly changed. My favourite, was probably the adaptation of the Red Queen, into a zombie killing warrior that brought her tribe together at the beginning of the outbreak, as well as Matt Hatter being the leading scientist to cause the outbreak, it was all so very creative. 
While I was extremely impressed with the world that Sullivan created, it became a tad predictable at times. I know its very hard to make the story unpredictable when you're writing a retelling, but I would have loved to see more twists and surprises in this book.

The romance... I don't even know if you could call it that. While this book didn't exactly focus on the romance aspect, Alice was introduced to two boys, Nate and Chess. I'm sensing a potential love triangle in the future, but for now, this book remained love-triangle free. I'm definitely excited to see what the author does next with the romance.

Overall, this was a fantastic book. It is definitely something you should pick up if you're going through Walking Dead withdrawal, or if you love Alice in Wonderland, zombies, or really intense action stories. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

Happy Reading,
Aneta