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.

12Sep2013

Early Review: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: September 24th 2013
Links: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books) in exchange for an honest review

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She’s never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love–even with someone who seems an improbable choice–is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

I’ve never read a book by Trish Doller before, but I was thoroughly impressed. I requested a copy from Netgalley because of the premise and gorgeous cover. And I’m so glad I did because I enjoyed this book so much! It was slow and raw and heartwarming and sweet, and shows so much how you absolutely can find love no matter who you are, what you are, what you’ve done or where you’re from.

Callie was a great narrator. She was real, even though she had been on the run with her mom for twelve years. She’s hesitant about going back into a normal life, but I mean, who wouldn’t if you’ve never had any semblance of a normal life for over a decade? I wanted to feel sorry for her, but she’s a tough girl. She can handle her own, as she’s been doing the past twelve years, even if some things in her past do continue to haunt her. And the fact that she’s so resistant to her father and his family makes it hard for her to see how much they love her. Her new (well, technically it’s ‘old’) family is loving and welcoming, but Callie can’t accept their love. She feels like she’s betraying her mother, whom she still loves. But eventually, her family worms their way into her heart, and Callie knows that she’ll do anything for them, and that they’ll do anything for her. They teach and give her the unconditional love she never really had, and it was so touching and uplifting to read.

Greek culture is a pretty big part of the book, which was refreshing. The town Callie’s father lives in is a Greek tourist-y place, and Callie finds work selling Greek-like souvenirs with her cousin Kat. I never really read books that feature Greek culture, so it was a good kind of different to read about the food, the people, the language. I loved the Greek touch to the book! Made me want to go to Greece, see some Greek boys… *sigh*

Alex Kosta is the older boy Callie meets who she instantly is intrigued with. He’s beautiful but has something inside him that makes her want to know all his secrets, and tell him all her secrets. Their relationship was slow and awkward and bittersweet. I didn’t really connect with Alex, but I still felt he was perfect for Callie. He brought out the best in her, made her feel, and made her fall in love. And Callie is different for him as well. They connect in a way that they never have with anyone else before, and they show each other that love is possible for them both.

Favorite quote:

There are so many maybes in life, but sometimes you just have to put your faith in possibility.

I enjoyed reading this book so much. The dark and gritty balanced perfectly well with the sweet and heartwarming. I definitely recommend it for those who like their books a bit slow but moving. Now I’m really looking forward to reading Trish Doller’s first book, Something Like Normal.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Also by Trish Doller

Something Like Normal: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The Devil You Know: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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5Sep2013

Review: Everything for Us by M. Leighton

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Everything for Us by M. Leighton
Series: The Bad Boys #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 3rd 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

When it comes to passion this hot, it’s all or nothing.

Olivia Townsend’s wealthy cousin Marissa had everything a girl could ask for—a great job, a privileged life, and all the friends she wanted. Or, at least, all the friends money could buy. But one case of mistaken identity has turned her privileged world upside down.

An abduction gone wrong lands her right in the lap of the sexiest, most dangerous man she’s ever met. To Marissa, he’s an enigma, but one to whom she’s irresistibly, inexplicably drawn.

With him comes a new world of freedom and passion, of dark shadows and dangerous secrets, a world where nothing is what it seems—except for the blind passion that Marissa can’t escape—or maybe even survive.

Even though I don’t spoil anything for Everything For Us, there WILL be spoilers for the previous two books, so be forewarned!

I’d been eagerly awaiting this new release because I’m a huge fan of the series. I mean, come on, it’s called The Bad Boys series, so how could I not love it? The romance in the previous two books is so thrilling and exciting, and Everything For Us is no different, even though it focuses on a different couple. So it’s goodbye to Cash (!!) and Olivia, and hello to Nash and Marissa.

As much as I adored Cash and his bad boy-ness, I had even higher expectations for Nash. He seemed to be even more bad, dark, intense, and might I even say, sexy. And in Everything For Us, he absolutely lived up to my expectations. *Sigh* Nash. I loved him. He’s just so totally Alpha-male and in complete control of everything that you can’t help but fall for him. And you also can’t help but feel for him once you find out how he came to be such harsh, dark person. He went through such hell during his exile for seven years, and he was only a teenager when everything went bad for him! He was dealt with horrible circumstances, and tried his best to do what he had to do to survive, even if it turned him into a not-so-good man. It was sad though, seeing how beneath all his revenge for his dead mother, he was just a lonely man. He doesn’t trust anybody, not even his twin, and he has no one he can really count on. And it’s so gratifying and satisfying to see him finally falling for a woman he can trust his heart to.

Of course, it’s not that easy for Nash, the stubborn man he is. He really, really resists letting his heart get anywhere near Marissa. Which was a bit frustrating. A lot of the time, I was just thinking, Just admit your feelings already, Nash! Grrr. But despite all this, he’s still one delish man. He’s protective of those he loves, and knows how to be deadly enough to protect them. And he’s so determined! When he wants something, there’s absolutely no stopping him from going after it. *Swoon*

Marissa turned out to be someone that I really, really liked. She was a horrible bitch in the other books in the series, but an abduction is sure to change anybody, including Marissa. Throughout the book, I started liking her more and more, every time she’d stand up for herself against her father. I felt for her when she realized that because of who she’d been in the past, just like Nash, she really has no one to be herself with. So of course these two scarred, lonely people would gravitate towards one another to try to find a little bit of happiness.

Everything For Us didn’t disappoint. There was sweet and tender, there was sexy and thrilling, and there was action and suspense. Everything connected so smoothly, and the characters stand out so well. The romance was a bit slow,though, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I highly recommend this series, and I’m really hoping for a book for Gavin! *fingers crossed*

Reading Order: The Bad Boys series

#1 ~ Down to You: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Up to Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Everything for Us: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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

27Aug2013

Review: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Shooting Scars by Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 20th 2013
Purchase: Ebook

Sometimes the right choice can be the deadliest.

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.

I’m a bit sad right now. Because… I didn’t really enjoy Shooting Scars as much as I wish I did.

I fell in love with Ellie and Camden in Sins & Needles, and after finishing that book, I was still going crazy for their story, pretty much still high off their story. Because that book is intense. Seriously, I had no idea of the wild ride that was Sins & Needles, but let me tell you, it was incredible. Edge-of-your-seat intense. Sexy. Dark. Angsty. All of which I LOVE. And did I mention I was Team Camden? Because I was SO Team Camden, even though Javier was one sexy mofo. He’s just too bad and unredeemable for me, unfortunately.

So by the time I’d finished Sins & Needles, I wanted Shooting Scars IMMEDIATELY. I wanted more Camden, more Ellie, hell, even more Javier. I had to satisfy myself with On Every Street though, which was brilliant! I applaud Karina Halle for writing the best novella I’ve ever read. And so after all this waiting, after all the teasers, when I finally got Shooting Scars in my hands (well, on my iPad in my hands), you can be sure I totally squealed. I read it as soon as I could, (which was pretty much the day after the book was released), but… I ended up disappointed. I didn’t not like it; it just wasn’t as good as the first book. Shooting Scars didn’t live up to my expectations, and I had such high expectations for it. I loved all the characters in Sins & Needles, and to see them fall flat in Shooting Scars was disheartening.

Everything felt too rushed for me. It seemed as if the book was just too fast and easy to read, even though I did take two days to read it. I wanted to get caught up in the craziness and angst, fall in love with the characters all over again, but the plot just zoomed by, and I couldn’t immerse myself into the story, even when I wanted to. Shooting Scars just didn’t have the same oomph, the same intensity, as Sins & Needles, and try as I might to love it, I didn’t.

I was so excited to be reading both Ellie and Camden’s POVs, and I was especially giddy for Camden’s, of course. But when I actually got to reading his POVs, he’d changed. Camden is entirely fueled by revenge, and I just could get a clear sense of his love for Ellie anymore, which was unfortunate. And Ellie didn’t seem as badass as she was in Sins & Needles. Yes, she’s stuck with Javier, but I felt that she could have done more to protect herself and others. Javier is his usually arrogant, mysterious, sexy self, and he’s so very intriguing. You wonder if he’s still in love with Ellie after all these years, and then you have to backtrack and wonder if he even knows what love is, if he’s capable of it. And that, he, was the best part of the book. Because if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s Javier being unpredictable.

Shooting Scars does have intense moments, as everyone is now in Mexico. Travis appears in the flesh, and of course things get hectic when you have evil drug lords. You won’t be disappointed with the scenes of action and suspense!

Even though Shooting Scars was a let down for me, I’m definitely looking forward to the third and final book in The Artists Trilogy. I honestly LOVED Sins & Needles, and even On Every Street, and I’m hoping I’ll love Bold Tricks just as much.

3 hearts

Look at the pretty cover for Bold Tricks!

Reading Order: The Artists Trilogy

#0.5 ~ On Every Street: Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ Sins & Needles: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Shooting Scars: Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Bold Tricks: Ebook • Goodreads

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Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay