Category Archives: Reviews

Early Review: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

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The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 29th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) in exchange for an honest review

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. 

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as “normal” as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he’s forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, “normal” simply isn’t to be. For Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Um, wow. I… did not see that ending coming at all. Like, holy crapola, that has got to be the biggest freaking cliffhanger of ALL TIME. God, Julie Kagawa, what are you doing to me?!?

Ahem, well, aside from that ridiculous cliffhanger, I am SO happy with The Iron Traitor. This spinoff series has really stepped up its game. The first book I was only slightly disappointed with, but it was still good, because hello, it’s Julie Kagawa! And besides, it’s hard to measure up to the epic badass-ness that is the original Iron Fey series (If you haven’t read it, GO READ IT). But The Iron Traitor ended up being better than I expected! Ethan was alright in the first book, but in this sequel, he’s certainly wormed his way into my heart. He’s become so endearing, with his snarky wit, his need to be the heroic savior, and just his basic teenage boy-ness that I want more of him! I’m now very much invested in this spinoff series and am dying for more books in the series!

Ethan has grown throughout the series. At first, he completely hates the Fey, because they’ve done nothing but cause trouble to him. But now, after becoming more involved in their world, and meeting other Fey, he can’t exactly hate all Fey. Because like it or not, he’s related to them. His older sister is the queen of the Iron Court, and he has a nephew (who is the same age as Ethan–freaky, right) who he’s become friends with. Keirran is a huge part of Ethan’s transformation. Both their fates are entwined, and not necessarily for the better. It was all very worrisome, to be honest, and I kept feeling like something terrible was going to happen. And oh my god, it did. It was like, BAM, it comes out of nowhere, and I’m just reeling, shocked. If you’re going to read The Iron Traitor (which you should!) be ready for some serious plot twists.

Keirran is a difficult character to like. Throughout the entire book, he’s searching for a way to save the faery girl he loves from Fading–or basically, dying. And while he’s searching, he embraces the darkness more and more. It was really hard to see him as Meghan and Ash’s son, you know? It was just… weird. Like, oh my gosh, MEGHAN and ASH have a SON, and he’s turning slightly BAD?!? He’s got a good heart underneath, but desperate times call for desperate measures… and I got very frustrated with him. Because he’s the main reason why Ethan and Kenzie and everyone are getting into so much trouble and are risking their lives over it. And I just didn’t like that. I wanted to give Keirran a big shake so he’d come back to his senses, but I guess that wouldn’t make for a good plot, would it.

Oh my gosh. The BEST BEST BEST part of the book was… wait for it… PUCK!!!! YES! PUCK. IS. BACK! You have NO IDEA how much I love this Summer faery. I adore him. Him and his antics and his comic relief. I’d missed this trickster so much. And Ash too. I’m not sure I should say this because I’ll sound crazy, but basically, every time Ash appeared in the book, I would start fangirling like crazy. Seriously, I love him. I’d just be squealing with joy for every ten second appearance he’d make. I’d just missed him so much! *sighs* Ash is the. best. I missed these two enough that I basically reread the entire Iron Fey series while I was reading The Iron Traitor. I’m such a crazy huge fan of the series.

And of course, a certain cait sith is there to help all their sorry asses traipse through the Nevernever so they can fight epic battles against the Fey 😉

ARGH! That ending! I want to know what happens in the next book so bad! Julie Kagawa, I hate love you so much for making me so agonized over the end!

4.5 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

#1 ~ The Lost Prince: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Iron Traitor: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

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Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 11th 2012
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback • Audible

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

Wow, this book was an emotional roller coaster. I had no idea what to expect, but what I got, I highly enjoyed. Ten Tiny Breaths is a book about loss, grief, depression, but most of all, forgiveness and love. It’s about how even in the darkest times of your life, you can still find yourself worthy of love, and you can find things worth living for.

“Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love them.”

Kacey, despite being a very aggressive and anti-social person, was still a likable character. I admired her strength and her love for her sister. She went through such pain after the accident that killed her parents, best friend, and boyfriend that my heart broke her. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the heartache, pain, suffering, and scars that came along with losing almost every single person Kacey loved. It was horrifying and heartbreaking to feel alongside Kacey her despair and desolation. Her flashback to the accident was one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the book. But of course there had to be even more heart-wrenching scenes later in the book! It’s not enough that Kacey’s whole world is ripped in half, it had to be ripped apart again. And can I just say, K.A. Tucker does an incredible job of conveying all of Kacey’s emotional turmoil.

After the life-altering accident, Kacey hardens her heart. She cares for no one but her little sister Livie, and she makes it so that everything good she does, she does for Livie. But then a friendly neighbor, her adorable daughter, and a special boy come along to make her rethink about her life, and make her believe that it’s okay to care for herself again. To love herself again.

“I want to make you smile. For real. Always. We’re going to go for dinners, and see movies, and walk on the beach. We’ll go hang-gliding, or bungee jumping, or whatever you want to do. Whatever makes you smile and laugh more. Let me make you smile.”

Trent is one of the sweetest book boys I’ve ever read. He cares so much for Kacey, and he sees the pain beneath the tough exterior she puts on. He wants to make her feel happy again, to feel cherished and loved. I fell a little bit in love with this boy, with his charm, sweetness, and sexiness. Because oh my goodness, Trent can be very sexy when he wants to be (which is pretty much all time time with Kacey ;)). Kacey slowly falls in love with him, and it gives her hope for a brighter future, one that includes Trent in it. And so she goes through the stages of grief, with Trent helping her heal along the way.

Throughout the book, I got the feeling that something HUGE was going to happen. Because life seemed to turn out too well for Kacey, and well, I was basically waiting for the other shoe to drop. And holy shit, does it drop. I won’t put any spoilers, but K.A. Tucker gives us little hints and clues that relate to the insane plot twist, and I had figured out some of it, but damn. It was so shocking and unbelievable and crazy that I had no idea how to feel about it. This is mostly why I can’t give the full 5 hearts rating, because the twist just completely threw me off.

Nonetheless, Ten Tiny Breaths is such an emotional, heartfelt book. You are swooning one moment over Trent, and the next, you’re shocked and dreading what devastating thing will happen next for Kacey. It’s not an easy book to read, but for those who like books that make their emotions go all over the place, Ten Tiny Breaths is the perfect read.

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Ten Tiny Breaths series

In Her Wake by K.A. Tucker Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker Four Seconds To Lose by K.A. Tucker Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker

#0.5 ~ In Her Wake: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1 ~ Ten Tiny Breaths: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ One Tiny Lie: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Four Seconds to Lose: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Five Ways to Fall: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Review: United We Spy by Ally Carter

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United We Spy by Ally Carter

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.

5-hearts

*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*

lacey

Reading Order: Gallagher Girls series

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter United We Spy by Ally Carter

#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

Early Review: Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

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Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
Series: Wild Cards #1
Publication Date: October 1st 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Walker Children’s Books) in exchange for an honest review

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain–people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

AH!! You have no idea how ecstatic I was to read this book. Because I just adore Simone Elkeles. I fell in love with her How to Ruin series and then I totally hit the jackpot with her Perfect Chemistry series. And once I found out she was going to write a new book, a new series, I totally fangirled! Wild Cards did remind me a bit of Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (with the whole football player heroine), but I knew that Simone would put in that special spark that makes her characters so relatable and unique. And she did! I enjoyed Wild Cards very much!

I sort of flip flopped between liking Ashtyn one moment, and then not really feeling her the next. She’s an amazing football player, and while that’s definitely admirable, I know next to nothing about football. BUT Simone Elkeles is able to write Ashtyn in a way that I could still totally relate to and connect with. She’s a girl with big dreams, but she never really had anyone to support them or her. Even though she does have her football friends, she’s still lonely–until Derek comes in. But I did enjoy her character overall, mostly because of her growth and transformation, though not as much as I would have liked to. Throughout the book, Ashtyn learns to stand up for herself, to grow confident in who she is and who she’s meant to be. And I loved the fact that she never gives up on Derek. She gives her whole heart and effort for those she cares about, and Derek is one of them. The tension between them is off the charts!

Derek is the perfect mix of good guy and bad boy. And he’s got the rockin’ bod to top it all off 😉 YUM! Derek’s the type of guy who does what he wants and doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of him. He reminded me a bit of the Fuentes brothers from the Perfect Chemistry series (!!!) , with the bad-boyness and the sarcasm. So if you loved the Fuentes brothers, you’ll most likely fall for Derek too 😉 Derek’s got a lot of angst in him, which was perfect for me, because I love angtsy book boys! He’s got secrets from the beginning of the book, and he’s closed off. He hides his heart between a delicious wall of sarcasm, sexiness, and fantastic pranks. AKA he has a hard time opening his heart up to Ashtyn. He knows he wants her, but he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Grrr, the frustration!!

Ashtyn and Derek go head to head with each other all the time. It doesn’t help that the very first time they meet each other, Ashtyn stabs Derek in the foot with a pitchfork. I laughed SO hard at that. Seriously, if that scene doesn’t make you laugh, I don’t know what will. And while the entire book isn’t as ridiculously hilarious as that, there are still a whole bunch of funny moments. Derek has his fair share of laughs, with his endless wit and rebel attitude. *sigh* I just swoon so hard for a guy who can make me laugh. Plus, there’s the incredible tension that builds up between Derek and Ashtyn… whew! Very nicely done, Simone Elkeles. I was hooked onto their romance from the very beginning.

I finished this in a day, if that tells you anything. Everything you can expect from a Simone Elkeles book–a hot bad boy, funny, likable characters, a fantastic romance–is found in Wild Cards. I give it 4 hearts! Can’t wait to read the next book! (I’m hoping it’s Jet–who doesn’t believe in love. So excited to see if and how Simone will change that boy’s ways…)

4 hearts
lacey

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

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Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

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!!?!?

5-hearts

shirley

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.