The Golden Lily, by Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines, #2
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Genre: Young Adult - Urban Fantasy
Read it in: 5 days
Source: Own
Challenge: TBR Pile, ABC Reading 
Rating: ★★★★★

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series
Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.
Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

So here I am once again left staring at the screen wondering what the hell I'm going to say about a Richelle Mead book. I've only read her Vampire Academy series, plus the two Bloodlines books, but I have to say that Richelle is an amazing writer. AMAZING!

She always has me dying to read the next book in a series, and then when I finally get a copy of it, I don't want to read it. I want to save it. And then when I finally do start it, I get sucked in. So completely sucked in.  I love when a book grabs you and takes you to another world. Another world where you feel all these amazing feelings that the characters feel. They feel the same feelings we do, but for some reason ALL of their feelings are amazing. Whether they are truly happy, or completely and utterly heartbroken.

The Vampire Academy series, and it's spin-off Bloodlines series does that to me. The Golden Lily did that to me.

I've heard a lot of people say it was kind of slow, and it kind of was, I'll admit that. But I was so sucked in with the plot and characters, that I didn't mind. It could be a story of their every day life, from brushing their teeth, to getting ready in the morning, to going to sleep at night and I wouldn't care! Because not only does the plot make up the story, but the amazing, REAL characters.

I'll admit, too, that I sat there, reading, and waiting for something to happen with Adrian and Sydney. I want something to happen between them SO bad. I want--no, need--them to be together. NEED. I love Adrian and he deserves to be with someone like Sydney. They have amazing chemistry, even if they don't see it. They are so different, but they help each other perfectly.

Also, there are new things brought into this story. You hear about them in the first book, but you think its just a myth. But you're introduced to them in this one. The vampire hunters. Even though I knew that they would probably pop up with all the talk about them in the first Bloodlines book, my mind was completely blown when they did pop up. I literally had to stop and whoop before continuing reading because I was excited. I mean, yeah, they aren't exactly "exciting", they are scary and they pissed me off. But that's also what makes them exciting, if that even makes sense. Even though I hold my breath at the action parts, hoping my favorite characters will be fine, I still love them. Doesn't everyone?

Overall, I could go on and on and on with this book and it's series. But I need to draw a limit at times. I have no real problems with this book except for the fact that I always dive into a reading rut when I finish it's series books. Always. It never fails. it takes me a while to get my head out of the VA world. I'm writing this a full six days after I finished it and I've probably started and put down at least that many books in those last six days.

By the way, if you haven't read the Vampire Academy series, please go do that right now. Please. Do the world a favor. And me. Also, if you've read the Vampire Academy series, but haven't stared the Bloodlines series, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Go. Now. I'm not kidding. DO IT.
                                                                                                                                           

Author Info: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository

The third book, The Indigo Spell, will be released on February 12, 2013. 

Forgiven, by Jana Oliver

Series: The Demon Trapper's, #3
Author Info: Website| Facebook| Twitter
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Paperback: 354 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Urban Fantasy
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 7 days
Source: Publisher
Challenge: TBR Pile
Rating: ★★★★★

The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list. 
But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control:  something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

Can I just say that I. FREAKING. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! and be done with my review? No? Okay, well it's true. I love this series so much, it's definitely toward the top of my list of favorite YA series. This is one of those series that you just can't help but give EVERY book in the series 5 stars. And that is exactly what I did! I checked because I couldn't remember!

Forgiven completely pulled me into the story like no time had passed. Which, really, between Soul Thief and Forgiven, no time had really passed at all. Which I LOOOVE about this series! If my husband hadn't of stolen this book and started reading it after he finished the first two, I would have probably finished it within two days at least. Once I started reading it again, I couldn't stop. I kept having to MAKE myself to stop in order to savor it, but it was hard!

I can't think of a single thing that bothered me in this book, I mean yeah, sure there was a lot. But it was the things that are MEANT to annoy other you in a book. If that makes sense. That's the only things that bothered me. The writing is amazing and flows well and you just seriously can't stop.

And the characters, oh my! You get to learn a lot more about Beck in this book and I love it and you learn a lot more about the Demon Hunters, which now I've kind of grown to like. At least a few of them. =) You also see who Riley's REAL friends are and she's got a great bunch. =) I'd love to have them as friends!

You get to see her dad a bit as well, though I'm not going to say anything more about that as to not give off any spoilers. And if you haven't started this series yet, DO. IT. NOW! Seriously. I'm not joking. Buy it, borrow it, or even steal it if you have to. Okay, don't steal it....it's free at the library. To borrow....

Anyway, you can see I feel strongly about this series. Speaking of feelings. Oh, my God, what a roller coaster! Jana, I love you, but you drive my heart insane with these awesome books of yours. Really. My heart was thumping from suspense one minute, and then leaping for joy the next, and then completely being shattered the next minute! AAAH! Why?! Why must you torment me? I mean, it makes the book THAT much better, if that's even possible, but oh my!

Overall, this book is kick-ass. This series is kick-ass. Riley and Beck are kick-ass. EVERYTHING is kick-ass. Even the demons. They are scary! But that makes them kick-ass! I mean, I know they are bad and everything, but they are so fun to read about. This whole story arc is. I love this series, and I can't recommend it enough. READ IT! You'll love it. (Now I have the "Try it, you'll like it." Yo Gabba Gabba song stuck in my head, anyone else's children watch that weird show??") Trust me. You won't regret it.

Note: Yes, this was supposed to be the last book. But due to needing to tie up loose ends, because Jana is awesome, there will be a fourth book! It will sadly be the last, but at least there is another one coming! =D

The fourth and final book in this series is called Foretold. It will be released on December 11, 2012. 

                                                                                                                                     
Read my other reviews for this series:

• The Demon Trapper's Daughter (#1)
• Soul Thief (#2) 

Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake

Series: Anna, #1
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Publisher: Orchard Books (UK) / Tor Teen (US)
Release Date: July 5th, 2012 (UK) / August 30, 2011 (US)
ARC: 367 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 10 days
Source: Publisher
Challenge: TBR Pile, Book Blogger Recommendation
Rating: ★★★★

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

I've been wanting to read this for a long time, so once I saw it on the review list from Orchard Books I knew I had to get it!  I'm so glad I had the opportunity to review this, even though it took me forever to read it once I started it. That had nothing to do with the writing or anything either, more the fact that I was a chicken and wouldn't read it at night if my hubby was working and I was also reading an eBook at the same time. So it took me ten days!

I don't know where to begin with this book. It was downright creepy. I looove creepy things, but this nearly gave me nightmares! Which, of course, I did love! This is such a unique idea and I fell in love with it. Sometimes I have trouble getting into reading through books that have male point-of-views, but I didn't have an issue with this book at all. I got dragged in from the start.

Cas, the main character, is sarcastic and such a great guy. Yes, his occupation/hobby isn't normal for someone his age, but that makes him so interesting. He doesn't have a lot of friends, but he knows how to make his way to the top if he has to. Which really helps when he's looking for information on the "ghost stories" around his new town.

Cas makes two new friends when he comes to Thunder Bay: the beautiful popular girl, Carmel, and the scrawny outcast Thomas. When Carmel came into the picture, I thought she'd be the stereo-typical annoying popular cheerleader, but after a few events happen in the book she becomes a lot more than that and you actually see real personality there and I really liked the REAL side of her.

I really liked Thomas' character and his grandfather, Morfran. They added a lot to the story and Thomas is very helpful and a great guy. Him and Cas are hilarious together.

Anna was really creepy at first and I didn't like her. I just wanted her gone so we could continue with the story. But she WAS the story, which even though the title IS after her, I thought that by the end of the book she'd be dead and boy was I wrong! By the end of the book she wasn't as creepy, she could have her moments, but she was a great character and I'm glad we got to know her a bit.

Overall, this was a great book and I'm dying to read the sequel. I definitely recommend this to those who love a great story and a great creepy type novel. There is even a little bit of romance in it! I'm definitely adding Kendare Blake to my author watch list because she definitely knows how to write and definitely knows how to creep someone out. Great job Kendare Blake! I love your name too, by the way!

The sequel to this is called Girl of Nightmares. It will be released in the US on August 7th, 2012. 

Note: A lot of people got confused when I kept putting up the UK information for Anna Dressed in Blood. I live in the US, but I do reviewing for Orchard Books which is in the UK. Anna Dressed in Blood has already been released in the US by Tor Teen and is now newly released in the UK by Orchard Books. 

Heist Society, by Ally Carter

Series: Heist Society, #1
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: February 9, 2010
eBook: 337 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 5 days
Source: Library
Challenge: TBR Pile, ABC Reading
Rating: ★★★★

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria... to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.
Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.
For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

 I first started this book back towards the end of 2010, but I never got to finish it before I had to give it back to the library. I'm so glad I snagged this from the eBook catalog from my library. It was an enjoyable read!

This is a very unique contemporary book! The main protagonist, Kat, is born into a family of thieves basically! They pull heists and steal from museums, art galleries, rich people, and other things! Some even pickpocket! It's crazy! But so interesting!

Kat was an interesting character. She's fifteen, but she acts a lot older. She's really mature, but there are times you can tell she is really just a teenage girl. She is so smart, too. She learns her father is in trouble with a rich bad guy, someone stole a collection of his paintings and the guy thinks its her dad! She hasn't seen her dad in a while after pulling a good heist herself and getting into boarding school, but she runs to his aide whenever she knows he's in trouble and gets a group together herself to pull a tricky heist!

All the other characters were really interesting as well, and really funny. One of my top favorite characters, besides Kat, was Hale. I loved them two together, they were always bickering and he's just so calm and collected and such a smart ass! LOVED it. I can't really tell you a character I didn't like, even the rich bad guy was interesting.

You're all over the place in this book as well! Paris and London and other places that I can't think of right now. Ha!

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I can't wait to read the sequel. The writing in this book flowed well and had be flying through the pages. Yes, it may not be believable really for a bunch of teenagers to rob a museum, but that's the good thing about FICTION sometimes, right? Sometimes you've got to kick back and just enjoy the ride. And that's exactly what I did. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good enjoyable adventurous read. =) This is my first Ally Carter book, I think I will definitely have to try out her Gallagher Girls books now. I wasn't sure before, but I have to see what they are about after reading this!

The second book in this series is called Uncommon Criminals. It was released on June 21, 2011. 

The Forest of Hands and Teeth, by Carrie Ryan

Series: The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Publisher: Delecorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 10, 2009
eBook: 322 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Library
Challenge: Dystopia, TBR Pile
Rating: ★★★★

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

So some of you may know that the first time I attempted to read this--about a year ago--that I didn't finish it. I couldn't get into it. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for it then. I told myself I'd try again because it had been on my TBR list for a while and I had heard a lot of great--though some were mixed--reviews about it. It was a very popular book back in 2009. It really was for a while, actually, but then just fell off the radar. Hopefully my review will bring it back up!

I borrowed this eBook from the library and it did take me a little bit to get back into this story, but I kept pushing. It was kind of annoying, but at the same time you wanted to keep reading. The writing flows well and keeps you reading.  It took me a bit to get into the fact that a lot of this book is mostly descriptions and the character kind of just telling you her story. There isn't much dialogue for a while until maybe halfway through the book where it picks up. But after a while I honestly did get used to it.

The zombies in this book are scary. They are also called "The Unconsecrated"  instead of zombies. They are terrifying, just like a good zombie is supposed to be. The people in this book has grown up with zombies all around them. It's their everyday life to go about their day with zombies all around them, just over the fence line. There are "guardians" standing watch near the gates, ready to signal the horn when there is a breach and everyone has to run to the nearest platform to get high up into the trees to safety. 


This is way into the future, after "The Return" where the disease has wiped off most of the planet and there are villages. There are also seasons where teen women are supposed to be "called" on and the next season they are to be married. You have very little options if you aren't called for, which the main character, Mary, isn't in the beginning and she has to go stay with "The Sisterhood". The Sisterhood is basically a church full of nuns that runs the whole village. Everyone thinks that The Sisterhood knows everything and that everyone should abide by their rules. 

I liked Mary. I loved that she was a dreamer, she knew deep down that there was something more out there and she was determined to get it. But that was also something I hated about her. She let her dreaming go so far to make her selfish. She wished so much for the guy she loved to love her back and to be with him, and she wished for so many other things, and when she finally did get them they weren't enough for her! She jeopardized everything that she had hoped for for something that may or may not be real. That bugged me to no end and completely broke my heart.

I liked most of the other characters as well, though most of them had something about them that really did annoy me. I didn't like her brother Jed at first, I wanted to scream at him, and then Cass as well. I really liked Cass in the beginning, but toward the end when she started changing I really didn't . Though I couldn't blame her for wanting to go back to the safety of things she had always known. I really liked Travis. He was my favorite character. And Harry was okay, though I like him better with Cass. =D

Overall, this was a great story. It completely destroyed my heart, but it was great and I can't wait to read the next book. If you love bad zombies and want a serious and suspenseful book to read, read this! The suspense definitely makes your heart race. This is not a zombie book to miss!

The second book in this series is called The Dead-Tossed Waves. It was released on March 9, 2010.

Torment, by Lauren Kate

Series: Fallen, #2
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Facebook
Publisher: Delecorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 28, 2010
Paperback: 452 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 6 days
Source: Own
Challenge: TBR Pile, ABC Reading
Rating: ★★★★

Hell on earth.
That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.

What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

 I'm so happy I was finally able to read this! I read Fallen in 2011, but never moved on to read Torment. So this year I re-read Fallen and FINALLY dove into Torment. Though Torment wasn't as good as Fallen, it was still amazing and gave you a lot more history on things and Luce was able to find out a lot more about her past lives than she knew in the first book.

Daniel, unfortunately, wasn't in it as much as I was hoping. Boo! BUT after starting the book and learning about the truce, he was in it more than I expected after all that. Which I was happy for. I love Daniel! I'm starting to like Cam again after all the crap at the end of Fallen, but I'm still team Daniel!

I know a lot of people think that this series is a "Been there, done that." series. But I don't think so. Yes, some parts have been done before, but a lot of it is unique and extremely addicting. EXTREMELY. So much that I went ahead and ordered Passion and Rapture.

You meet a lot of new characters in this book as well. Miles and Shelby, whom I absolutely ADORE! At times I was getting mad at Miles, since I'm team Daniel, but at other times I was all "Awww..." and falling under his spell. He's a great guy. =) Shelby is a great friend, at first I was a little annoyed by her, but as soon as she started opening up and being nice to Luce, I started really liking her.

Overall, this is a great series. The writing and plot is addicting and the characters are well developed and you find yourself flipping through pages faster than you think you can even read. You go through so many emotions as well, at least I do. I'll be happy and then I'll be heart broken and it's just so emotional with Luce and Daniel and heart-wrenching at times and sometimes I really need a box of tissues sitting beside me when it involves them.

Read my review of the first book:

Yes, I'm aware this is the Australian book trailer, but I couldn't find a US one. Still the same book, so who cares? Ha!

The Forgetting Curve,

The Forgetting Curve, by Angie Smibert
(Memento Nora, #2)
Author Info: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Release Date: May 1, 2012
e-Galley: 202 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Dystopian
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 1 day
Source: Netgalley
Challenge: Dystopian, Sophomore, TBR Pile
Rating: ★★★
To learn more about my rating badges, click here!

Aiden Nomura likes to open doors—especially using his skills as a hacker—to see what’s hidden inside. He believes everything is part of a greater system: the universe. The universe shows him the doors, and he keeps pulling until one cracks open. Aiden exposes the flaw, and the universe—or someone else—will fix it. It’s like a game.
Until it isn’t.
When a TFC opens in Bern, Switzerland, where Aiden is attending boarding school, he knows things are changing. Shortly after, bombs go off within quiet, safe Bern. Then Aiden learns that his cousin Winter, back in the States, has had a mental breakdown. He returns to the US immediately.
But when he arrives home in Hamilton, Winter’s mental state isn’t the only thing that’s different. The city is becoming even stricter, and an underground movement is growing.
Along with Winter’s friend, Velvet, Aiden slowly cracks open doors in this new world. But behind those doors are things Aiden doesn’t want to see—things about his society, his city, even his own family. And this time Aiden may be the only one who can fix things... before someone else gets hurt.

 After finishing Memento Nora last year, I was extremely excited for this sequel to come out. I really thought the story line was intriguing and unique and I was going crazy waiting for it. Over the months while waiting for it, I completely forgot that the character's points-of-view were different than it's predecessor. In The Forgetting Curve, you follow Aiden, Winter, and Velvet. I really missed hearing about Norah and Micah, but following Aiden, Winter, and Velvet was still enjoyable.

A lot has changed since the first book in their world. There are new chips coming out that is mandatory and they work with the new mobiles that Aiden's father's company is coming out with, to help work a lot like the TFC pills do; help people forget something that may have happened to them.

But a lot of people are finding out they have the new chip without ever remembering getting it, and forgetting a lot of memories they wouldn't have wanted to forget. Things that would have made them very suspicious of the government.

The underground movements are growing and the government is really cracking down after finding out about the Memento comics Micah, Norah and Winter were creating. I really missed hearing about the new issues of Memento, but it was still mentioned once in a while throughout the story.

Also, there is a new underground radio station that lasts only a few minutes and the talker is someone who calls herself Meme girl, which you figure out who she is later in the story.

Overall, it wasn't as great as the first book, but still enjoyable. It was a fast read, not very long. Only a little over 200 pages, so I read it in one day on my Kindle. I'd recommend this series if you want to read a fast, enjoyable dystopian series.

Read my review for the first book:

Angel Burn, by L.A. Weatherly

Angel Burn, by L.A. Weatherly
(Angel, #1)
Author Info: Website / FB US / FB UK / Twitter
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: May 24, 2011
e-Book: 455 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 4 days
Source: Library
Challenge: TBR Pile, ABC Reading
Rating: ★★★★★
To learn more about my rating badges, click here!

In a world where angels are beyond redemption, Alex thinks he’s found one that might deserve mercy. 
Alex is a ruthless assassin—of angels. Forget everything you’ve heard about them before. Angels are not benign celestial creatures, but fierce stalkers whose irresistible force allows them to feed off humans, draining them of their vitality until there is barely anything left. As far as Alex is concerned, the only good angel is a dead angel... until he meets Willow. 
She may look like a normal teenager but Willow is no ordinary girl. Half-angel, half-human, Willow may hold the key to defeating the evil angels. But as the hunter and the hunted embark on an epic and dangerous journey and Willow learns the dark and terrifying secrets of her past, Alex finds himself drawn to Willow... with devastating consequences.

This has been on my reading list for a while. I kind of forgot about it for a bit, until I was searching the e-book catalog online for my public library and saw it. I checked it out and started to read it and completely fell in love. I'm really glad that this was my first official e-book on my Kindle. =)

There are a lot of Angel books out there, I know. A lot of them are starting to blend together and not really have any new concepts. There are a few out there that are my favorite and that are different, but this one is DEFINITELY different. When you think about Angels, you think about the glowing, beautiful, serene, gentle, beings from Heaven, right? Well, when you read this book you'll see completely different to these angels. The normal humans who are infected with "Angel Burn" do see the Angels in that way, but they really aren't. They are far from it in this unique series. They're killers!

Yes, I did say killers. They've come to Earth to feed off humans in order to stay alive. Sometimes they just infect the humans with Angel Burn, which makes them slowly lose it more and more each day and develop diseases like schizophrenia and cancer,  and other times they kill.

BUT don't be afraid, because there are awesome Angel Killers to help somewhat get rid of these killer angels and protect the Earth! Like sexy Alex. Oh my! If I haven't intrigued you yet with this amazing book, just picture a hot guy who is smart, badass, and kills angels for a living! You'll just have to read his description yourself and see his personality by reading this book. It's the only way to get the full awesomeness that is Alex!

This book switches points-of-view between Alex and Willow; the main characters. It also sometimes shows the views of Raziel, one of the head Angels, and Jonah, one of the people from The Church of Angels. Though Raziel was just plain evil and Jonah was helping him out, I still liked their characters. All the characters in this book are real and have so much personality to them.

Other than the killer angels, and sexy AK's, there was romance brewing throughout the whole book. I'm not going to mention much about that though. It was amazing. Had be going crazy the whole time, screaming at the two to just tell each other how they feel, and then they're finally together and its awesome and then its sad and, well, you get the point. It was amazing.

Overall, don't let the fact that it's "another angel book" get to you. It's very unique. VERY. So do yourself a favor and READ IT. So much awesomeness going on throughout it. Most of the time it actually had me forgetting the fact that I was reading it on my Kindle, which I am NOT used to doing. Which added another brownie point to its awesomeness. I'm itching to read Angel Fire now. I'm glad it's already out, I'll definitely be using birthday money on that. =D

The sequel, Angel Fire, was released on January 24th, 2012. 

Wither, by Lauren DeStefano

Wither, by Lauren DeStefano
(The Chemical Garden, #1)
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Hardcover: 358 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Dystopian
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 8 days
Source: Own
Challenge: Dystopian, TBR Pile, Book Blogger Recommendation, ABC Reading
Rating: ★★★★★
 To learn more about my rating badges, click here!

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

I can't believe it took me this long to read this book. I've wanted to read it since I first heard about it before it even had a cover! But no matter how much I checked at my library's website for it after it came out, it just wasn't there. Finally MONTHS after it came out, it appeared, but I never put it on hold.

Finally, I got my own copy as payment for a layout I made for the lovely Michelle. I was excited, but it still just sat there on my TBR pile under my nightstand. FINALLY got to read it and I'm completely blown away. Sometimes, I worry when a book has too much hype. I'm worried hearing it all will give it very high expectations and then it won't live up to it in my eyes and ruin it for me. But that wasn't the case with this book. It lived up to EVERY great thing that everyone has said about this book.

I was sucked in from the very first chapter by all the amazing detail and writing. Lauren, you've definitely made a lifetime fan out of me! You're writing is beautiful! When you're reading this book, you feel as if you're really there. I felt everything Rhine felt. (LOVE her unique name.) All the pain, and anger, and longing to escape. Everything.

All the characters were vivid and real. Even the ones that I hated. Rhine and Gabriel were my favorites, of course. Which reminds me to let you all know that I am 100% team Gabriel. Yes, Linden was nice at times and you learn a lot about him. But he's not for Rhine! And who would want to share a man with two other women?

This book made me think--as all Dystopians do--what if the world is really like this in 100 years? 50 years? Maybe even 20 years from now? That is VERY scary. Girls being kidnapped out of no where and married off to a man along with a couple of other women? And being locked inside a mansion with no freedom at all? And basically only being there to continue the human races? Really freaking scary.

But overall, this was an amazing book. I'm dying to get my hands on a copy of Fever. I'm dying to see what happens, definitely after that ending! It's driving me nuts! At least one great thing came out of me waiting so long; I don't have to wait a year for the sequel. It's already out!

The sequel is called Fever. It was released on February 21, 2012. 

Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins
(Companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss)
Author Info: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Blog
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: September 29, 2011
ARC: 338 pages
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Won it in giveaway from Andra
Challenge: TBR Pile, ABC Reading
Rating: ★★★★★
To learn more about my rating badges, click here! 

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

I've been dying to read this since I finished Anna and the French Kiss back in August 2011. I won this in a Twitter giveaway from Andra and it took a while to get here because of the stupid mail people, and I was SO excited to have it in my possession. But once I finally had it, I couldn't read it! I wanted to SO badly, but I wanted to save it for a time that I got into a major reading slump. Which, I did! And I joined a    read-a-thon and read it during that time and it definitely got me out of my slump, though now after I've read it nothing else compares and it really sucks!

It took me a couple of pages to really get into this new character. You can obviously tell Stephanie Perkins wrote this book, she has a certain unique voice to her that makes you fly through the pages of her books before realizing you're already a hundred pages in. But this wasn't Anna, and I was worried she wouldn't be able to compare to her. Which, she doesn't. I do like Anna better. But I absolutely LOVE Lola. She's definitely unique! I'd definitely want to be her friend.

It was hilarious when Anna and St. Clair pop up in this book. At first when I saw the name Anna and the whole thing with Anna's banana necklace, it didn't click for some reason. I was too into the story to notice. But when I read St. Clair's name, oh boy. I freaked out and had to go back a page or so to read where Anna showed up again. And then I was all, "Yay! Anna and St. Clair." and gosh, they are SO freaking cute. And hilarious. Just makes me so jealous!

I love my husband to death, but sometimes I'd love to go back to fresh new love where we wanted to be EVERYWHERE the other way. Sooo cute! But anyway, the characters are so real in this book. For a while Lola was annoying me a bit, I was screaming at her asking her what the hell was up with her with Max. Yes, he's a hot rockstar. BUT he wasn't right for her. I'm not going to go into anymore details about that....

But, oh, Cricket. He's so awkward and cute and makes you want to just snuggle up to him and give him a HUGEEE hug. *le sigh* I'm SO happy with the ending!

Overall, yes, I do love Anna and the French Kiss more. But this definitely was an amazing read and definitely one of my favorite contemporarys. I can't wait for the next companion novel. I'm going to be sad about getting into yet another characters head, but I know it will be great. =D Don't stop writing, Stephanie! You're amazing! I recommend this cute companion novels to EVERYONE! Especially if you're a hopeless romantic and you love contemporary romances. *Sighs with stupid grin on my face*

The third and final companion novel to  Anna and the French Kiss & Lola and the Boy Next Door is called Isla and the Happy Ever After. It is set to be released in 2013. 

Read my review for the first companion novel:

When It Happens, by Susane Colasanti

When It Happens, by Susane Colasanti
Author Info: Website / Facebook / Twitter  / Youtube
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: May 4, 2008
Paperback: 310 pages
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 1 day
Source: Gifted
Challenge: Off the Shelf, TBR Pile
Rating: ★★★★★
To learn more about my rating badges, click here!

At the start of her senior year in high school, Sara wants two things: to get into a top college and to find true love.Tobey also wants two things for his senior year: to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love with him. However, a popular jock named Dave moves in on Sara first. But Tobey’s quirky wit and big blue eyes are hard for Sara to ignore. Plus, he gets the little things that matter to her. Can a slacker rock-star wannabe win the heart of a pretty class brain like Sara? Hilariously and movingly told through Tobey and Sara’s authentic voices, Susane Colasanti’s debut novel sizzles in its portrayal of two young people searching for The One.

This is my first book by Susane. I've been wanting to read something by her for a while, I think I even have all of her books on my TBR/wish list, but I've never gotten to until now. I got When It Happens in the mail a while ago for RAK, and I'm really glad I did. This was Susane's debut novel and I'm glad I read it first. All of her books sounds really good. This was a great read!

It's very cute and very hilarious at times. I was always shaking my head at how Sara and Tobey acted around each other. I loved the way the point-of-view alternated. One chapter was Sara's POV and then the next would be Tobey's. It really gave you both sides of the story and the whole process of how their relationship goes.

Sara and Tobey were so realistic. Half the time when I was reading this, I got so sucked in that I forgot I was reading a book. Now THAT is a great read. When a book can completely just suck you in and make you forget that it's not real. This book has really made me realize how much I love contemporary. I mean, I love my paranormal, but I've been reading so many lately and haven't added in much contemporary. I'll definitely work on adding in a lot more of them.

Overall, this book was great. A very fast, very enjoyable read. You'll be flying through the pages and finish it before you know it. I sure did, and I'm kind of sad about that because I'd love to read more about Sara and Tobey. They are so cute and they make you want to just keep reading and reading and reading more about them. *le sigh* Romaaanceee.