Review: United We Spy by Ally Carter

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

United We Spy by Ally Carter
Series: Gallagher Girls #6 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 17th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback

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.

I can’t believe the Gallagher Girls series is over. I just never expected it to come… so soon. I always kind of thought that this series would never end, you know? It’s been going on for so long (7 YEARS!!) that I never expected Cammie and the gang’s story to finally come to its conclusion. But I honestly could not have hoped for a better ending than the one Ally Carter gives us with United We Spy. It was everything I expected and more.

I still remember lil ol’ middle schooler me going into Target and seeing this kickass book about girls who are SPIES, and thinking, Oh gosh, I have GOT to read that book! And can you believe this was back in 2006?!? I was still just a kid back then when the first book released, and now I’m only a few months away from turning 18 and the Gallagher Girls series is ending. It’s like marking the end of my childhood. And I couldn’t help but feel just a little bit heartbroken after finishing United We Spy. The series has been with me for so long, and it was like saying goodbye to a childhood friend.

Let me first start by saying that I LOVED this book with all of my heart. It was absolutely incredible. Ally Carter goes all out and holds nothing back, and if you haven’t read this yet, you are in for the ride of your life. Page after page is full of intense action, stunning revelations, unveiled secrets, and, of course, a sweet, heartfelt romance (can’t forget about that!).

It’s Cammie’s senior year at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, and Ally Carter does a wonderful job of writing about Cammie’s anxiety for the future. It’s her last year of high school, of attending a school that is, for all intents and purpose, her home. And she’ll be leaving pretty soon. To what or where, well, who knows? She has no idea what’s in store in her future, whether or not she’ll even have a future. The Circle of Cavan is still after her, and Cammie and Zach and Bex and Liz and Macey all take their futures into their own hands and… well, you’ll have to read and find out!

The best part about this book was the fact that everyone has grown up. Cammie is an adult now, and she has to make adult decisions. She has to take everything seriously now, because there are no tests anymore. It’s the real world, with real bad guys, and sometimes it’s a matter of life and death. Her gang looks up to her, so Cammie’s choices don’t just affect her, they affect everyone she loves. But she grows to learn that she can handle taking charge, that she can handle anything she sets her mind to do. After all, she is a Gallagher Girl.

“What is a Gallagher Girl?
She’s a genius, a scientist, a heroine, a spy… a Gallagher Girl is whatever she wants to be.”

Catherine, Zach’s mother, is a fascinating villain. I hate her, but I just love how well created her character is. To have her as the mother of Zach… It’s pretty crazy, because she’s pretty crazy. We find out some pretty heavy stuff about her, none of which i ever expected. So be ready for some SHOCKING twists!

And Zach… *sighs dreamily* Well, United We Spy is the most romantic book, in my opinion, of the series. 😉 Cammie and Zach love each other. Their love is solid and still going strong–you know it and you can feel it. Zach is perfect for Cammie, because he sees her, the real her, even though she’s the Chameleon. With these two, you no that no matter what life throws at them, they’ll make it to the end.

I was nearly in tears at the end of the book. Because… it’s over. *cries* The Gallagher Girls series is well and truly over. But the series ends so perfectly well that there’s nothing I wish would change about ending.

If you bought a copy of United We Spy, then you know there’s a special little extra at the back of the book. And OH MY GOD, it is THE. BEST. So go! Buy the book. Read the book. You won’t regret it.

5 hearts! It’s now one of my all-time favorite books ever.

*I WILL NOW COMMENCE MY SPOILERS HERE SO BEWARE*

A Gallagher Wedding! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! It was so bloody amazing (channeling my inner Bex here). Even though Cammie’s mother and Mr. Solomon play only a little part in the book, I am just fascinated with them and their relationship. I don’t even know why, but I know I was SO SO happy to read about their wedding.

Plus! Zach! In a tuxedo!! *faints*

*END SPOILER*

Reading Order: Gallagher Girls series

#1 ~ I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Only the Good Spy Young: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Out of Sight, Out of Time: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#6 ~ United We Spy: Shirley’s Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads

16Sep2013

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Shirley

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: November 13th 2012
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

THIS BOOK LEGITIMATELY TOOK MY BREATH AWAY. (The cover is trippy trippy though right?)

Going into this book I already had a pretty positive mindset, I suppose you could say. I just knew that it would be one of my favorite books because of all the wonderful things that Lac said. But when I read the summary, my thoughts kind of wavered and I was kind of skeptical because the summary just didn’t sound really appealing. Just the way it was written, didn’t make me feel like it was going to be my type of book, but I was wrong and this book is amazing.

I’d definitely recommend this book to um… anyone. I feel like it touched all these different characteristics and topics that books usually–okay fine nvm–cover. The entire time I was trying to figure out the person who tried to kill, or sorry, killed Nastya. But it was also amazing, like it always is, to listen to her story and see how her life was before, and how much she changed.

I also cried multiple times in this book. Most of those times were when she was with her family </3 BUT also with Josh and Drew. I love them. I wish I was best friends with Drew and Josh. Like honestly, they can be my protective older brothers. But this book was just lakfjd;alkjdflkajsf so perfect I actually want to re-read it right now.

**IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THIS BOOK YET DO NOT READ THE PARAGRAPH BELOW IT WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE. But if you did read it, then read the paragraph because I’m probably going to blow your mind away, but probably not.**

OHMYGOSH. Also, at the end when Josh asked Emilia what she saw when she died and it said how SHE TOLD HIM HER LAST SECRET AND SHE SAID “YOUR GARAGE” OMFG SHE WASN’T FREAKING LYING. BECAUSE REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK WHEN SHE WAS RUNNING AND FOUND JOSH’S HOUSE AND WAS LIKE, FOR SOME REASON I KNOW THIS HOUSE. OMFG GUYS. SUDDEN REALIZATION AS I WAS PROCRASTINATING. OMG. AND THIS ALSO CONNECTS TO WHAT JOSH’S GRANDFATHER SAID ABOUT HOW WHEN HE DIED HE SAW THE SWING AND HE ENDED UP THERE OR SOMETHING AND MARRYING HIS WIFE. FORESHADOWING AND FLASHBACK MUCH KATJA MILLAY!!?!?

P.S. This review was supposed to go up 2 months ago…heh. Life and school kind of took over. + procrastination, but that’s always a factor. For example, I’m procrastinating on my homework right now.

2Sep2013

Review: The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 27th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback
Source: won an ARC from a giveaway on Epic Reads

The epic conclusion to Rae Carson’s Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she’s never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

Wow. I… I don’t even know what to write. Where to start. I really don’t think I can do this book justice. Well, I can at least say that I l o v e this book with all of my heart. The Fire and Thorns series is one of my absolute favorites, if not my very favorite fantasy series of all time. I am completely in love with this series. And I am so very happy with this last book in the trilogy. Oh and I just want to give a humungous THANK YOU to Epic Reads for the ARC! Totally squealed when I found out I won 🙂

So I had been dying to read this book ever since I finished The Crown of Embers, since CoE ends with a wicked cliffhanger. But not only that, I fell completely head-over-heels in love with the series, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the final book. The fantasy world-building is absolutely divine. It’s so well created, so fleshed out, that it feels like a real world to me. And I just love the Spanish influence Rae Carson has put in the world building (and I’m so grateful that I took Spanish classes in school!). I’m sure I’m pronouncing some names and words wrong, but whatever! The world where Elisa and Hector and Mara and Belén and Storm live in is so incredibly well written, so alive, it’s like its own character.

Elisa is a badass. She is one fantastic heroine. I love that she changes so much throughout the entire series, starting from an insecure, nervous girl, to one who reaches her full potential. She’s the damn queen of her kingdom, for christ’s sake, and she’s only 17! If there’s any heroine I would look up to, it would be Elisa, and I admire her inner strength, her intelligence, her independence, and basically everything about her because she’s amazing! I have a total girl crush on her. Throughout the entire book, she proves to everyone that she is fully capable of leading her kingdom, that she has what it takes to rule firmly, but compassionately. She doesn’t take anything for granted, and she values her life, the lives of those she loves, and the lives of those who live in her kingdom. And every time she comes up with an idea (which are always so epic and badass), I’m just like, You go, Elisa. Show ’em who’s ~~boss~~ queen. And at the heart of the series, I love that Elisa shows that you can pretty much do anything you set your mind to, if you give it all your effort. You don’t need to rely on outside forces to do what you want, because you have always had the capacity to accomplish what you want inside of you. And Elisa proves that even though she has the Godstone, she doesn’t always need its help to accomplish a goal.

It was a huge, lovely surprise when I started reading, and all of a sudden, there were chapters in HECTOR’S POV. I was so shocked, but excited, because Hector is the. b e s t. The BEST. He is one of my favorite book boyfriends ever. His love for Elisa shines through clearly, but doesn’t completely overcome everything else about him. His love for Elisa, his queen, and his quiet strength, loyalty, and dedication to his kingdom are so beautiful and inspiring.

“I love you the way a drowning man loves air. And it would destroy me to have you just a little.”

Both Hector and Elisa are independent people, and if they were to lose one another, it would devastate them, but they would survive and move on. And I love this. They have an epic love, but it’s not the be-all end-all for them. But basically, what I’m trying to say is that Elisa and Hector are perfect. Separately and together.

Every part of The Bitter Kingdom is intense. Rae Carson goes all out in the final book and holds nothing back. I was frightened for the characters one moment, and laughing the next. The secondary characters are incredibly well done, and I was surprised by how much I came to care for Storm, and by how much I was rooting for Mara and Belén. This book made my heart go absolutely crazy. It would be pounding because of some intense scene where someone is almost killed, or it would be melting because of some sweet words Hector says. I just wanted everyone to stay alive and survive through their journey, but the author is obviously a sadist (NO I’M KIDDING I LOVE YOU RAE CARSON!), because these characters do not have their journey cut out for them. Rescuing Hector, fighting Inviernos, killing nasty scorpions, Elisa and the gang are put up against so many things, but they never give up. AND I LOVE THEM SO FREAKING MUCH.

I can’t recommend this series enough. It’s epic. If you love fantasy, you’ll love the Fire and Thorns series. Even if fantasy’s not your thing, I’m pretty sure this series can change your mind about that. Love love love this series so much, but I’m so sad that the trilogy is over, even though I loved every bit of how it ended.

5 massive hearts.

Reading Order: Fire and Thorns series

#0.5 ~ The Shadow Cats: Ebook • Goodreads
#0.6 ~ The Shattered Mountain: Ebook • Goodreads
#0.7 ~ The Kind’s Guard: Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ The Girl of Fire and Thorns: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Crown of Embers: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Bitter Kingdom: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads

22Aug2013

Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels #6 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 30th 2013
Purchase: Paperback • Ebook

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

The Kate Daniels series is one of my favorite series of all time! The first book, though I didn’t love it as much as the rest of the series, still blew me away with the incredible world that Ilona Andrews created. And Kate totally hooked me in, with both her narration and character. Kate is a major badass. She’s like, queen of badass heroines. Sigh, I just love her so much. The second book was even better than the first, and that was when I started l o v i n g the series. And the third book, just, wow. Absolutely incredible, and still my favorite of the entire series (well, Magic Rises was a close second). The fourth and fifth books were amazing as well! I know I will always be wowed by a Kate Daniels book, and Magic Rises totally didn’t disappoint at all!

Magic Rises is full of everything you can expect in a Kate Daniels book—Kate being her badass, snarky, hilarious self. Crazy intense and exciting action. The best secondary characters (I love Derek so freaking much) that are just as fleshed out as the main characters. And CURRAN. Curran. Curran. Curran. Curran. Curran. This lion shapeshifter is one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE book boyfriends. Like, ever. He’s the alpha of alphas (literally, he is), incredibly fierce, strong, loyal, hot, and most of all, he loves Kate with all his heart. He would drop everything he had worked for, all to save her. But of course, Kate would do the same in reverse. Their romance is one of my favorites. They’re strong and top dogs independently, but together, they can do and best anything. They bring out the best (and sometimes worst, which is usually hilarious to read) out of each other.

Curran. *SWOONS* *FAINTS*

Anyways, back to the err… fighting scenes. Yes! Fighting scenes. God, I get so crazy excited during all the action scenes in the Kate Daniels books. Because they’re just so well done! My head is completely into the fight, my heart’s beating, and I’m worrying about who can defeat whom. It’s so intense! And there are so many fight scenes in Magic Rises. LOVED them! I always enjoy action in books I read, and Magic Rises definitely gave me the rush and adrenaline I get when I read them.

There’s a special character who appears in the story, but I can’t say who, because it’s a spoiler! But I really liked him. Like, really really did. Even though he’s evil. There was just something so intriguing and dark and sexy about him… and his fight scenes with Kate! So. hot. Not that he could ever compare with Curran, but he’s still mighty fine on his own. If only he weren’t evil. Drat. Still, I’m excited to see more of him, and we definitely will be seeing more of him in future books.

The Kate Daniels series has romance in it, but it’s not a romance. It’s urban fantasy at its finest. So there aren’t really mushy, lovey-dovey scenes, and even if there were, they would make me feel kind of weird since lovey-dovey stuff is so not Kate and Curran. They usually make me laugh more often than they make me swoon, but I don’t love them any less for it! They’re perfect exactly the way they are. I never had a problem with Kate and Curran not really saying how much they love each other, since their actions speak louder than words, and I still don’t. But I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy reading an occasional mushy scene. And I swooned so. freaking. hard. I was all smiling, being all giddy and giggling, and I loved that even though Kate and Curran have been together for several books, their love is still going strong.

So go forth and read this series if you haven’t started! It’s a must-read series, and for those who are fans of Kate Daniels, you won’t be disappointed with Magic Rises!

5 hearts!

Reading Order: Kate Daniels series

#1 ~ Magic Bites: Paperback • Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Magic Burns: Paperback • Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Magic Strikes: Paperback • Ebook • Goodreads
#4 ~ Magic Bleeds: Paperback • Ebook • Goodreads
#5 ~ Magic Slays: Paperback • Ebook • Goodreads
#6 ~ Magic Rises: Paperback • Ebook • Goodreads
#7 ~ Magic Breaks: Hardcover • Ebook • Goodreads

19Aug2013

Mini Series Review: Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews, Spotlight by Lacey

So this is a first for me, reviewing an entire series instead of just one book at a time. But I figured since the Psy-Changeling series is a series (12 books and counting!), it would be easier for me to just gush about the series as a whole and make short reviews for each book. And this adult, paranormal romance series is the. best. I honestly had no idea I would fall this much in love with it, but I did, and I’m now such a huge fan of Nalini Singh. The only thing I don’t like about the series are the awful covers. I really, really don’t like them. Heart of Obsidian is the only cover I love (well, maybe Kiss of Snow too *cough* beautiful abs *cough*), but I’m so glad they revamped the book covers later. But whatever, who cares about the covers? It’s what’s on the inside that counts, and oh my god, this series is just one of my absolute favorites that I will never get tired of. I trust whatever Nalini Singh throws at us in future Psy-Changeling books.

Here’s a little bit about the Psy-Changeling series:

It is the year 2079, and there are 3 kinds of beings that exist in the Psy-Changeling world: humans, Psy, and Changelings. Humans are, obviously, just normal human beings. The Psy are like humans, except they have powers like telepathy, telekinesis, foresight, and a whole wide range of other powers, and they are under a regime called Silence. Changelings are the shifters, people who can shift into animals like wolves, leopards, hawks, rats, etc.

Silence is a huge part of the series. All Psy are under Silence (implemented in 1979), which means they have cut off all feelings, so they don’t feel any emotions, not love, happiness, sadness, lust, anger, fear, etc. The Council are the leaders of the Psy who are in charge of making sure Silence is maintained. However, Silence is breaking. Slowly, the Psy have been feeling more and more, and the Psy-Changeling series tells the ongoing story of the Psy learning to love again, and all humans, changeling, and Psy working together.

The series focuses on two changeling packs: the DarkRiver leopards and the SnowDancer wolves.

Book 1: Slave to Sensation • Ebook • Paperback
Lucas Hunter (changeling; DarkRiver Alpha) & Sascha Duncan (Psy)
Rating: 5

The first book of the Psy-Changeling series completely hooked me in. I wouldn’t have had the motivation to continue and finish the rest of the 12 books if I hadn’t loved Slave to Sensation. But I did end up loving it so much, and Lucas and Sascha’s story is one of my favorites of the series. It’s currently my third favorite book in this series. Lucas is the alpha of his DarkRiver leopard pack, centered in San Fransisco, and when he meets Sascha, sparks fly, even though it seems she has no feelings because she’s Psy. So Lucas slowly worms his way into Sascha’s heart and shows her how to feel and eventually, love. I love Lucas so much, his fierceness, strength, and capacity to love; he’s the main reason why I loved Slave to Sensation so much, though Sascha can hold her own too. I highly, highly recommend reading Slave to Sensation! Who knows, you might end up reading the entire series and loving it like I did!

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