A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (Review)

 

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	May 3, 2016
Pages:	624
Published By:	Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Series	A Court of Thorns and Roses #2
Review copy:	Purchased

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Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

  It was all I could do to keep from screaming, to keep from shattering into ten thousand pieces as I sank onto the marble floor, bowing over my knees, and wrapped my arms around myself.
  He'd trapped me; he'd trapped me; he'd trapped me   
  I had to get out, because I'd barely escaped from another prison once before, and this time, this time   

  And I realized I was in a free fall with no end.  I had been for awhile.  From the moment I'd stabbed that Fae youth in the heart.
  I didn't look up at him again as i devoured the food.

  "So I'm your huntress and thief?"
  His hands slid down to cup the backs of my knees as he said with a roguish grin, "You are my salvation, Feyre,"

   Okay so I am at no point going to promise that this review will be spoiler free.  I have told anyone that will listen that upon finishing this book my life is ruined.  Maybe ruined is a little much but my soul is screaming for an undefined number of reasons.  This is the kind of book that you pick up and when you put it down everything has changed.

  For some reason I was under this impression that I could pick this book and the story would continue on its merry little way.  Why?  Why did I expect this?  I'm starting to think it was because I'm a blind fool.  Nothing ever stays the same long and obviously with a new book comes a new conflict, but this was indescribably so far from what was anticipated.  However, with all the change and the progression of the plot there was never a dull moment and ample amount of emotions.  There was not a single moment where I was not reeling from one thing or another.

   Feyre was and still isn't a weak character, but something in her has changed.  Well, she believes something about her has changed and I guess you can't go through what she went through without carrying some baggage.  Thing is I am not really sure what I expected of her beyond what I got because she was still as bad ass as always.  Regardless, for awhile I was feeling let down and wanted something more or less of what I was getting.  Turns out that something more was only brought on by the wanting and being trapped.  Then when things started to change with her I kind of rebelled.  I couldn't help but think she had once again become unrecognisable and yet something was the same.  Feyre is kind of like a phoenix, reborn from her own ashes and though she is the same she is completely different.  I don't know maybe I am failing at nailing what I want to portray but I was honestly floored in both good and bad ways by her in this book.  Honestly, she is so very much of everything that I want in a character, the very few things that irk me are forgivable.  Heck maybe they make her a better character... Ya they probably make her a better character.

  Here we go with the potential spoiler...  The romance.  For the love of all things why?!  Okay I admit that something wasn't right with the entire Tamlin thing but WHY?!  Okay, I mean ya Rhysand is awesome and you know he is like a damn onion with his layers but WHY?!   No, I do not mind a triangle or a potential one, but the damn romance here had me reeling and rebelling like a freaking toddler in a temper tantrum half the time.  THIS ROMANCE RUINED ME!!!  And maybe it shouldn't have.  Maybe I should have been like the mass of people that anticipated this, or wanted it... but I wasn't. I wasn't... I was conflicted and irritated and then I settled into this acceptance that was like a calm/happy.  Then what happens you may ask.  Then... Well, then Maas blew everything apart like a grenade in a paper factory (no one is injured in the factory of course but the paper isn't doing well).  I was legit torn.  I was torn and raging on the inside and couldn't believe after that entire ride and reluctant acceptance, I was thrown right back into the place in where I want to scream about this happening.  Of course there is some happy thrown in there but I don't even know what to tell you.

  Maas surely crafted this book and its changes to everything to rip us readers apart and leave us to put the pieces together in whatever fashion we can.  I have not had a hangover like this from a book in awhile and I don't even know what to do about it.  This is either going to be a book that people absolutely adore or want to scream about.  Maybe the responses will be one in the same because it's all kinds of amazing and I don't see anyone not loving it no matter their feelings throughout it.  If you are fan of Maas you seriously need this book in your life, or if you haven't tried...  YOU NEED TO!  These books are an obsession that you don't want to miss out on.

Roses by G.R. Mannering (Review)

Genre:	YA, Retelling, Fantasy
Publication Date:	November 6, 2013
Pages:	311
Published By:	Sky Pony Press
Series	The Tales Trilogy #1
Review copy:	e-ARC from publisher

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A dark rendition of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast!

She bears no name. Her silvery appearance is freakish to the numerous inhabitants of Sago, the cosmopolitan capital of Pevorocco in a fantasy realm. With her mother vanishing at the instance of her birth, she is sent to live with the cruel, rich Ma Dane, where she is punished daily for something, though she knows not what. Tauntingly named Beauty, she flees Sago in a violent uprising that sets out to massacre all Magics and journeys to the furthest point of the country.

But Beauty cannot hide in the grassy Hillands forever. Before long, the State officials find her and threaten to take her back to war-torn Sago where death surely awaits. In a midnight blizzard she escapes them, running into a deep, enchanted forest to a great and terrible beast who will bargain for her life.

But can Beauty accept Beast? Eternity is a long time.

The name stuck.  The child became Beauty, though for a long time she did not realize that it was said in cruel jest.

"Well, maybe I teaches yur to ride and yur can be a stable hand like me?"

She blinked at him.  She had never considered her future.

"I do not know what will become of me," she whispered.

Owaine said nothing for he did not know what would become of her, either.

They galloped on and on for half an hour before stopping again.  Beauty looked over her shoulder and groaned to see the castle just as near as before.  It was all an illusion   they were running and going nowhere.  She reached down and patted Champ's neck. 

"At least we shall never be lost," she muttered, but she did not feel particularly grateful.

   OMG how did I not know about this book before now?!  Seriously, I love retellings and this book has existed in the world for over two years without me knowing!  G.R. Manning created a beautiful and magical story, that weaves many elements together seamlessly.  I was intrigued right from the start and tore through the book with ease.  This felt to me like Cinderella meets Beauty and the Beast, with some unique magical elements mixed in.  It was the type of book that I devoured in one sitting with zero regret.

  Roses is everything you want in a book.  It has strong and complex characters, an intriguing plot and twists that keep you guessing.  I think the twists are mostly because there is so much uncertainty when it comes to Beauty.  There is so much that you really don't know about her.  This isn't because Mannering doesn't take the time to develop her, but because she is uniquely a mystery among everyone.  With the book circling around all of the unknown, and in a world where being magical or different is dangerous, there is much to consider.  The beauty of this read was that there was such vivid and remarkable details when it came to the settings.  I loved how easy it was to envision and slip into this curious world and it's changing landscapes.  Beyond that with everything changing, there was never really a time where I felt the pacing dipped out.  I would have to say Mannering had no problems keeping my attention.

  Beauty was something else.  You don't really get a handle on who she is for the first while.  It is made clear by those around her that she is "different," and you learn quickly she is curious but she is also quite young.  This book passes times in seasons (which might have tripped me up to start), so you kind of get a small feel of who Beauty is as she grows.  Defiant as a child due to the cruelty she was shown, I was pleased by how her spirit never seemed to break.  She may not have spoke much and taken more than she should have, but she never let anyone break her.  There was so much more to her and so much more to figure out with the coming books, I can't help but wonder how many more challenges this girl can face.

  The Beauty and the Beast part was wonderfully unique, and I loved the story behind Beast.  I think the different takes on both Beauty and Beasts characters are really what gave this read so much originality.  The tale itself is twisted into something that could become an original tale if one did not know about the originals.  Every bit of the Beast and how he came to be was revealed at different times, and I found it that it made it easier to mould him into what he was to be to me.  Even the rose itself was not how it was in the more well know Disney version.  Though this was a smaller portion of the book, there were so many important things packed into it.  Little details that I am sure hold much importance for the books to come.

  I loved, the depth in which the author took to twist the tale more than I could have imagined I would.  Mannering and her beautiful writing crafted this book into nothing short of amazing, making it a classic in its own way.  Though I had not heard of this book or author prior to picking the read up on Edelweiss, I must say that this is an author that I will watch for and ensure that her books make it to my shelves.  I would highly recommend this read if you are a fan of twisted tales, and if you normally aren't but enjoy some seriously amazing fantasy...  Well, lets just say that this book is definitely for you as well.

Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	April 26, 2016
Pages:	355
Published By:	Harper Teen
Series	Standalone
Review copy:	ebook from Edelweiss for honest review

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There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them-literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave.

These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late-after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago.

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashioned bootlegging.

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year.

Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

  To put it simply: I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it any more.  So yeah, I'm going to fulfil a a dead girl's wish.  But that's not all of it.  I'm also going to that party to FUCKING OWN IT.

  Grinning, I bring the jar up and take my second swallow.  And this time    the crowd cheers.  It is perhaps the best moment of my life.  I am at the biggest party of the year and I am owning it.  Bow down, bitches.

  "We, Grant. Wishes.  Make a wish isn't a way of saying, 'Down the hatch.' It's our way of saying, 'What do you wish for?' That's it.  Right there.  We grant wishes.  Do you think you maybe got that now?"

  I'd be jealous except, lets face it, some people are meant to rule the world and some are meant to ruin it.  And at this point I don't think there's any doubt which category I fall into. 

  So here's the deal.  I had no clue that this was the same author that wrote Another Little Piece.  It was a book on my must have list in 2014, and though I have it I never got the chance to read it.  I have looked at it longingly many times but it remains on my shelf.  Well, Down with the Shine has made regret never making the time to read ALP.

  The book starts off with a bang.  Well, not literally but seeing Lennie's best friend dies, it's hard to explain the intensity that leads this book into its start.  Having not read the synopsis since originally deciding that I needed this book, the start also took me by surprise.  I was sure that I was in for some sort of contemporary/mystery, but that was quickly remedied.  This book hooked me in with its quick pace and honest characters.  Quinn crafted a twisted and intriguing tale, that was more original than I could have expected, and so addictive I only put it down to sleep... Because I had to.  I can't say that once I understood that Lennie could grant wishes that I knew where everything was going.  In fact despite the fact that you have an idea of the chaos once the wishes are granted, there is always some twist of fate that comes to take out any preconceived ideas you may have.

  I would like to say as far as Lennie goes, that her character was extraordinary but she wasn't really.  Lennie was an outsider because of her notorious father, and kind of isolated herself because she felt judged.  Hell, maybe she was judged, but she had no idea the power that she held either.  She had lost the only friend she felt she had, and only learned her inner power, when she decided not to take life laying down any more.  When I said she wasn't extraordinary, what I meant was she didn't seem that way because despite what she thinks she is anything but ordinary.  I think that Lennie is the type of character that everyone can get behind.  Beyond the fact that she can grant wishes, she is just the girl that wants what she feels is beyond her reach.  Basically, Lennie is the girl next door... Well, she is isn't quite the girl next door because people see her as from the wrong side of the tracks, but on the inside she is the girl next door.

  The entire book is based around Lennie and her 'mistakes', but there is a little wiggle room love and friendship.  When I say love and friendship, I don't just mean Lennie but everyone around her.  It's hard not to see the wishes many made as not just a curse but also a blessing.  Lennie wanted nothing more than her friend back, and Smith wants Lennie to get what she has coming to her.  Problem was that in the process they created a bond that they didn't expect.  Same could be said for so many people that Lennie granted for.  The wishes made a mess of everything, but in the long run as they say "everything happens for a reason,"  and many of the characters became developed in their own way because of this.

  There is no denying that this book was an absolute addiction.  The kind of book that people start and don't put down until the end.  With quirky characters, wonderful pacing and throughout, Down with the Shine is one of my favourite reads this year!  Hats off to Kate Karyus Quinn for creating a fun and unique read that fantasy and paranormal lovers alike will surely devour!

Dreamology by Lucy Keating (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publication Date:	April 12, 2016
Pages:	336
Published By:	Harper Teen
Series	Standalone
Review copy:	e-ARC from publisher

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For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.

But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.

When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?

Don't be creepy don't be creepy don't be creepy, I repeat to myself as I make what feels like an epic journey across the well-manicured lawn.  I have a million introductions swirling around in my head .  Phrases that will make me seem witty and cool, a femme fatale of someone's dreams, which technically, I am.

  "New blood." She nods. "I'm Celeste."
  Oh god. Celeste? Names like Celeste kick dirt on names like Alice on the playground.  Names like Celeste steal names like Alice's prom dates.  Names like Celeste are apparently dating names like Alice's imaginary dream boyfriends.

Now I don't just feel noodly.  Now I'm a noodle that's been chewed up by a mother bird, regurgitated and fed back to he babies in the nest.  My brain knows it's completely idiotic, to feel rejected by someone you aren't sure you actually know... but my heart does not seem to have gotten the message yet.

  Honestly, I think I was drawn to this book by its title and cover.  There was no true expectations, because I could't have told you what it was about if I tried.  I know you should never judge a books by its cover, and probably doubly by its title, but thankfully this time it worked out just fine for me.  Debut author Lucy Keating really nailed it with this one.  This book is filled to the brim with unique awesomeness.  There is something entirely fascinating about dreaming come to reality, and this book captures all of it and more.

  When everything started, I was sure on one thing: this book was either going to go horribly right, or it was going to go horribly wrong.  Not wrong in the traditional sense (you can't really tell your own story wrong), but wrong in the way that it was going to become your typical love story, with your typical obstacles.  There's nothing wrong with that really.  I enjoy books like that every now and again when I am looking for something easy and fun.  Dreamology was not typical though.  With it's dream world crashing into reality land, I found myself fully diving in, wanting to figure out how everything went so beautifully wrong.  

  Alice herself may not have been horribly complex but she was fun as heck to read.  She said awkward things and over thought things, the way that I am sure the majority of us did as teens (some still as adults).  Basically, Alice and her behaviours were real and easy to relate to, and if they weren't they were amusing to read at the very least.  This also made it easy to sympathise for her on other levels for me.  I'm not sure how many of us have dreamed a guy into existence (probably none if we're being honest), but it would be freaky as hell and super hard to know how to handle.  Alice is developed basically perfectly and her quirk had me laughing on more than one occasion. 

  It's super hard to know how to react to Max.  There's this awkward line that is most definitely blurred due to odd circumstances.  He is basically an anomaly and because of this at times his cold attitude seems justified.  Well, I felt it was at least.  You can't just expect someone to be as cool in real life as they were in your dreams... or I don't think you can.  However, this doesn't mean that Max did not have redeeming qualities to him.  He could be kind and the person that Alice thought he was, was there it was just hiding behind some fairly big insecurities.  It was also his reactions that very much kept this book from being insta-love, which is a very enjoyable fact.  There was something awesome about not exactly knowing how the attraction between these two would end.

  Honestly I had a lot of fun reading this one.  It was light, fun, different and 100% enjoyable.  Keating really nailed her debut and I'm looking forward to more from her in the future.  It's quite simply too hard to explain all of the little things, that complimented the bigger things to make this such an amazing read.  There is no doubt that this book will give people a serious case of cover lust and the writing was beyond enjoyable.  For anyone looking for a fun and amusing summer read, don't hesitate to pick this beauty up.

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	March 29, 2016
Pages:	484
Published By:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Series	The Winner's Trilogy #3
Review copy:	Purchased

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Some kisses come at a price.

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

  It would be a blessing to forget.
  After all, what was there to remember?
  Someone she never could have had.  Friends dead or gone.  A father that didn't love her.
  The cup tipped.  Water ran over her tongue, cool and delicious.  She forgot the pain, forgot where she was, forgot who she'd been, forgot that she had ever been afraid of forgetting.

  Dear one, what do you care?

  A small serpent of worry lifted its hooded head inside her.

  Then his lungs opened and his mind grew quiet and clear.  "Come back to me," he murmured.
  "I will." 

 

  Where do you begin at the end?  There is so very much to say about this book and yet very little at the same time.  It's totally a conundrum.  This trilogy is without a doubt action packed and filled to the brim with twists.  Sometimes it was hard to tell where one thing stopped and another began and I mean this in the most amazing way possible.  The Winner's Kiss was not just the final book in a trilogy, it was an adventure and

  What amazes me most about this book is that it seriously completed my feelings on the series.  It kind of took some things back to block one while carrying others forward.  The entire Kestrel and Arin romance was ripped right apart.  Not only was it ripped right apart, it was flipped, twisted and then basically burned to ash.  I know that sounds horrible but sometimes something can come from ashes, something magnificent and life altering.  Okay, it didn't alter my life but it altered so much in their lives and the story.  I can't stress enough how this book stood on its own.  This gave way to a spectacularly paced plot, with wonderfully produced setting.  There isn't much about this books plot, setting and overall development that I didn't love.

  It's so hard to describe Kestrel in this book.  She has been this staple of strength in the previous two books and yet her position was somewhat compromised, while not being compromised.  Curious, right?  So, in order to do this without giving you some sort of spoiler is going to be difficult.  What I can say is that despite the moments of 'weakness' Kestrel just has something in her that refuses to be put out.  Her fire is something unique and admirable that doesn't die.  She has a mind that continues to work no matter what she is put through.  I have to admit that I enjoyed having a different side of Kestrel, it really completed her as a character for me.  We all love strong characters but it's good to see that despite all of that strength, that they do have some weakness and the ability to work on it.

  There was a lot more Arin in this read.  He really becomes someone to admire and gets more developed than I had expected.  I think this really came to because of everything ramping up to the end.  He drew strength from his loss, his new knowledge and finding out the truth.  In general Arin has been his own type of strong, but he has always been slightly naive.  He seems to be taking steps forward to get past that.  However, I think that the most important thing was that he learned to trust Kestrel.  In fact in losing so much, they both learned trust.  So, although he didn't have the relationship that they had, they get something that is built entirely different and has some legs to it.  I enjoyed Arin so much in this book for those reasons and his massive character growth.  He really became a character that I enjoyed and though I know the trilogy is over I wouldn't complain if there was a surprise more.

  The Winners Kiss is by far one of the best endings to a trilogy that I have read...EVER!  There was a complete feeling upon closing the book, and I can't say that happens often.  I also cannot praise this book enough for being able to stand on its own.  It wasn't just a final book, it was almost its own story.  If you haven't started this trilogy I highly recommend it, and if you have I can promise that you wont be let down by this book.  I really wish I could give more details in this review, but I have zero desire to ruin even one amazing moment for any of you.

If I fix You by Abigail Johnson (Review)

Genre:	YA, Contemporary
Publication Date:	January 31, 2012
Pages:	304
Published By:	Harlequin Teen
Series	Standalone
Review copy:	E-galley

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When sixteen-year-old Jill Whitaker’s mom walks out—with a sticky note as a goodbye—only Jill knows the real reason she’s gone. But how can she tell her father? Jill can hardly believe the truth herself.

Suddenly, the girl who likes to fix things—cars, relationships, romances, people—is all broken up. Used to be, her best friend, tall, blond and hot flirt Sean Addison, could make her smile in seconds. But not anymore. They don’t even talk.

With nothing making sense, Jill tries to pick up the pieces of her life. But when a new guy moves in next door, intense, seriously cute, but with scars—on the inside and out—that he thinks don’t show, Jill finds herself trying to make things better for Daniel. But over one long, hot Arizona summer, she realizes she can’t fix anyone’s life until she fixes her own. And she knows just where to start . . .

  The walk to Sean's Jetta felt like my own green mile.  The idea of being alone with him in a car with barely two feet between us brought my nausea trickling back.

Hate was such an ugly, infectious thing.  It burrowed deep inside and consumed.  My hate hadn't begun that way, not even after Sean.  It had started out as an ice cube lodged in my throat, an obstruction I couldn't move no matter how many times I swallowed.  Then it melted, and the cold had trickled through my insides, numbing me.

  It wasn't fair what he was doing to me.  Making me realize things that I really didn't want to.  Making me realize things that I really didn't want to.  He was so messed up.  His parents had done that to him and neither one cared that they'd damaged something so fragile.

  OMG!! Turning the last page page of this read I knew that I was going to have a book hang over.  Two days later and I am still struggling with what I will be picking up next, because I worry that it will suffer in the wake of this read.  This book leaves no real place for me to start and end, but there is undoubtedly words twisting and pushing to come out.  If You Fix Me is a heart ripping, stunningly beautiful read bound to call to many different readers.

  The plot and pacing flowed together in perfect harmony.  It was like Mozart and Picasso had a baby and it was Johnson's writing.  I know, I know that was a little weird...okay a lot weird, but honestly my love for everything within these pages knows no bounds, weird or not.   Reading this was quite possibly as easy as breathing, yet somehow felt like I was watching a heart wrenching movie.  Everything just flowed so flawlessly that there was no need to come up for air, it just never called for it.  Even as everything began to fall apart, it was pulling itself back together.  Each character had their own story, their own voice and yet twisting them together worked perfectly, making everything imperfectly perfect.

  Jill is everything I want in a character.  There was absolutely nothing perfect about her,  but at the same time everything about her character was flawless.  It's hard with contemporary novels for me because I'm either going to find I connect with the character and really love them, or just like them because they are written well.  As the synopsis says Jill likes to fix things but what made me love her was the reality that sometimes you can't fix others until you fix yourself.  She was not lost, but she wasn't good at voicing things...awkward to say the least.  Jill is someone that people can relate to.  Her emotions, thoughts and feelings are very easy to understand.  I have no doubt that even when I was a teen these are some things I would have experienced in her shoes.  Basically what I am trying to say is that Jill was as close to perfect as a character can get.

  Daniel and Sean are nothing alike and yet they seem to have something that is the same.  For me I didn't really want one more than the other, there was a pull from both.  I think for Jill it was the same way, but only more complicated.  Sean was who her heart had wanted for years, only to be betrayed.  Daniel had something in common with her, a past and a broken home.  There were also many boundaries with Daniel, and it's so hard to explain without ruining it all, just the same as I can't explain Sean without taking something away.  However, the entire thing with Sean always felt like it was a little sideways, like there was a missing puzzle piece that no one was willing to see even though it was just sitting in the box still.  Both boys were expertly written and brought a unique element to Jill's life.

  This book is nothing short of a must read.  It's heart breaking, heart mending beauty, rolled into one beautiful book.  I cannot even tell you all of the ways that this book was amazing.  I will make sure that everything that this author writes finds a home on my shelves.  With its lyrical writing, developed characters and beautiful story, If I Fix You is by far one of my favorite reads this year.  If you are a fan of contemporary or are looking for the perfect hangover read, this book is undoubtedly the one for you. 

Downdrift by Sutton Shields (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy, Mermaids
Publication Date:	August 12, 2015
Pages:	353
Published By:	Author
Website	Sutton Shields Website
Review copy:	Physical for honest review

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Two Waves Remain...

Marina Valentine is one future time-traveling trip away from putting the final trident in King Zale’s reign. The future, however, has a dire message for the Savior: She is one decision away from costing everyone everything.

Marina doesn’t want the burden of some unknown decision, nor does she want to learn of yet another sneaky trick by King Zale. All she wants to do is focus on her trip with Troy to retrieve the last soul stealing stone—a trip that will not only take them to wondrous, mysterious places, but will bring them closer than she ever dreamed possible.

Unfortunately for Marina Valentine, burdens and Zale tricks are part of the job description.

Only this time, the burden has never been heavier and the trick has never been more destructive.

  Though I kept my eyes on the road, I was very aware of Troy's eyes on me.  I'd bet anything he bore that smile I loved so much.  He probably had his sexy eyes flicked to the 'on' position as well.

  My God, this was a nightmare, one no amount of pinching would wake me from.  We had been changed back into our mer-selves, and I managed to land fin-down.  That should have been comforting.  It wasn't.

Polly bounced off the walls, knocking guards off their feet and rendering them unconcious, as if they were nothing more than scarecrows.  It was quite a sight, like seeing your grandmother go from knitting in her rocking chair to butt-kicking bad guys, midair.

  Elaborate oak panelling, extraordinarily detailed balustrades, and cherub fixtures were only made more spectacular by the natural   well, weather mermaid-created    light beaming through a remarkable wrought iron glass dome ceiling.  

  It is no secret that I adore Miss Shields writing.  Her writing is teeming with character, her characters are vivid and her books nothing short of wonderful.  This is a writer that put a bit of herself not only into the book itself, but each character that she has created.  Though I know this is something that most do, Shields does it with such passion that I can't help but be captivated every single time I open one of her books.  

  What always blows my mind is Shields ability to craft these worlds.  Every place is spectacular and vivid, giving the reader a clear picture of each magical place.  When I think that there is no way that Shields could add another place without over doing it or not giving a clear enough picture, I am proved wrong.  Downdrift took a lot of time developing the story further but it didn't skimp out on the action or progression.  There was a reason behind every voyage and every twist, and though my heart broke a little and I internally scream for being a fool and not seeing everything earlier, fact of the matter is that it was all worth it.  The only thing I could have wished for when it came down to it was that we got a little more of the other characters.  This one was largely (not completely but Largely) about the development of Marina and Troy's relationship (that is beyond the bigger point of, you know getting the final tools to basically save the world).  Beyond that (and that took a lot of thought to pick out), the pacing and plot were perfect! 

  Marina never gets a second to just be a teenager.  Her life has been a series of ups and downs right from the start of Finned.  At this point I just have to applaud her for not going insane from all of the downs.  Though she has never been a normal teen, life since she was banished has just gotten harder and harder.  This being said, Marina does well with the mounding challenges that face her.  Time after time new things are thrown at her and she does her best to conquer each thing.  The beauty of Marina though is that she is not perfect but she will not give up, and no matter how many times she finds out she is more powerful than she could have ever imagined she doesn't pretend that she really has a clue as to what she is doing.  She has gotten stronger and much more self assured, but she is still the same imperfectly, perfect character that I cannot get enough of.

  As always, I love the supporting cast that Shields created.  The entire gang is unique and continues to grow right along with Marina, and yet they bring the same entertainment each time the grace the pages.  It's seriously mind blowing that there are so many characters and yet I never feel overwhelmed, nor do I ever forget who someone is.  This is a special talent I think, because honestly I love every single part of every character.  Okay, so I am not a fan of the Mer Bitch but I can appreciate how well her and her story is written.  Beyond this there is basically a character for every taste that a reader may have.  Personally I love the contrasting Polly and Airianna more and more. Airi is basically everything good.  She is the sweetest and I adore her.  While I adore Polly because she does not hold back.  Maybe it her demons, but honestly she is just plain ol' quirky and I would attempt to hug her(even though it would probably end up in an injury).  I wish I could spend time and talk about each character but you probably wouldn't finish this review.

  What else could I say to entice you all to not only start this series, but pick them each up until you reach this point.  OH, maybe the fact that no matter how many times you think you have everything figured out... YOU DON'T!! Shields never hesitates to throw you off of her trail and possibly even break you heart a little.  No character is ever safe, and though there has been minimal loss, there is no shortage of twists and turns.  These are books that I have no problem devouring, and openly recommend them to any person that enjoys a great read with amazing characters.  

Curses & Ash by Tiffany Duane (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy, Mermaids
Publication Date:	January 2016
Pages:	254
Published By:	Jester Ink Press
Website	Tiffany Duane Website
Review copy:	Physical for honest review

Buy it:
Amazon 

Discover the spellbinding sequel to Coral & Bone... 

A demented twin sister, a demon hijacking her powers, and a mysterious journal filled with more questions than answers—Halen needs her Guardian Dax more than ever. But if she confides in Dax, she fears he will never forgive her, not after all he sacrificed to help her vanquish Asair. Halen drowned Asair in a tornado of wings—at least, she thought she killed him. Why then does his mocking voice snake through her thoughts, enticing her to surrender her power? Maybe she screwed up—big time—but she will never allow Asair to control her magick. And when Etils' fires threaten the Earth, suspicions surrounding Asair's death rise, igniting restlessness within the realms. Her life in balance, Halen must race time, purge the demon's soul before flames consume the Earth or the Tari strike first.

  Nothing she could say would comfort him.  Right now, their lives hinged on Asair's memories.  Whether he was alive or dead, their fate still lay in the demon's hands.

His rage called to her, fuelling her magick.  She found Dax tripping on the seam of her soul; wavering between the light and dark.  The darkness tugged harder, and Dax fell in with open arms.  As his anger consumed her, she understood what he needed.

  Her friends' faces flashed through her thoughts one by one.  Was she blind?  Had they all lied?  "What about my friends   Tage and Ezra?"  Their names stung.  "Carch and Pepper?"  Her Voice was but a whiper.
  Lies run deep, darling.

  Saying that this is a spellbinding sequel just does not cover how absolutely amazing this book is.  Duane out did herself creating a second book that is not only as good as the first book, but quite possibly out does it.  Okay, so maybe it's Coral and Bones equal but there is nothing mediocre about this second book.  In fact this book holds its own and shows us all that being second isn't always a bad thing and that Duane rocks it as an author!  

  I think the biggest thing for the plot in this book was the massive twist that it took.  I can't say exactly how it happened or when I realized that it was happening, but it did and I just couldn't grasp it to start.  This is not saying that I didn't realize that something was changing, that something was off.  However, I didn't see the depth of deception that was going on.  The pace didn't let up and kept me quickly turning the pages.  One of the biggest appeals and perks of the pacing and the plot twist was that the book had the excitement of a first book, but the bonus of knowing the characters that you are reading.  You get to see all of the old friends and still get the feel of the first time you met.  There was nothing that I can think of that I would change, nor a moment that I would change, knowing what I know now.

  Halen is in quite a predicament.  Spending so much of her life being lied to is still blowing up in her face.  It's hard to know who to trust when everyone you thought you knew, you didn't and everything you thought to be true is gradually twisting with no way of knowing what's really the truth.  There is also the matter of her and Dax, and the lines that they seem to be walking.  Basically, if Halen thought things were tough before, her life has just gotten two times more complicated.  Halen did manage to maintain her appeal through all of this.  She continues to be a strong female lead, and yet she is not without her weaknesses or faults.  Halen is unique in the fact that she does adapt to a situation quickly and she will fight to do what needs to be done, but she also is willing to admit that there is much she can't do on her own.  For this I have always enjoyed Halen and am sure I will continue to do so.

 Halen isn't the only one going through a tough time.  In fact basically everyone in this book is going through something.  Though I ache to explain further, I honestly fear that in doing so I would ruin so much.  Even the other major voice Tage (I can't even say point of view because it was like a separate story that ties in near the end), holds far too much to explain fully without destroying some key points.  What you do need to know is that everyone still plays their part no matter how big or how small, and there are lives that are either forever changed, or taken.  Duane showed that she had no fear when it came to removing a character, even if it did twist you up or take a little piece of you each time it happened.

  Duane used her magnificent plot/plot twist  and her magical writing to pull off something amazing in a second book; she flat out made it just as good as the first.  This book was not for one moment a filler, or anything less than an equal to Coral and Bone.  Page after page Curses and Ash kept me captivated and anxious to find out what happened in the end.  I wasn't expecting there to be another book after this, and was equally excited and disappointed to find out that there will be a third book.  I am disappointed only because I will have to wait until 2017 to get my greedy hands on the next book, because beyond that I am nothing but a ball of anticipation and excitement.  If you haven't had the chance pick up this exciting series because there is very little chance of disappointment.  Fans of paranormal, action and a well written read will surely love this book.

Review: Tangled Tides- Karen A. Hooper

Review:

Tangled Tides by Karen A. Hooper



Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

Young Adult fans of Mermaids, Selkies, Sirens and Gorgons will love this tale of the sacrifice one makes for genuine love. Love that could be lost at any moment to the ever-changing tides.

  I have so much love for this book I am not sure I can do it justice in a review and I am trying to do it as spoiler/story free as possible!  This is by far the best mermaid book I have ever read and I am not just saying that because of the gorgeous cover!!!  My love for this book started early on and only grew as I read it.  You can't help but be hooked on this book from the first chapter where Karen thrust you into a world unknown to Yara and makes it almost impossible to put it down( I had to part with it for bathroom breaks and it wasn't easy).  This book is filled with so many refreshing and original characters!! There is not only mermaids but selkies, sirens, gorgons and mentions to other mythological creatures. 

 
  Yara is the best character to start with I think.  There was NOTHING about her that I did not love.  She is strong willed, caring and does have a bit of a temper at times.  Right at the start she is taken from her home and has to adjust to being a mermaid and where as most characters I find just accept what happens just like that and keep going Yara doesn't.  There is a fight raging in her and she refuses to just go without asking questions and wants a full understanding.  Even if she doesn't want any part of it she does make the best of it eventually but who wouldn't with a handsome Treygan there so swoon over. 

  Yara is with Rowan (he's selkie) to start there is a lot going on with him that she doesn't know and it does not take her long to figure it out.  However somewhere inside him he really does care for Yara. Once Yara realizes what Rowan`s intentions truly are she realizes Treygan. This also ensures that we don't get sucked into another love triangle (I don't mind them sometimes but this is a refreshing break).  Treygan is easily one of the most difficult swoon worthy guys that I instantly loved.  Even thought he turns Yara into a mer for his own reasons to start he finds himself caring for her.  He has many of his own secrets and a reason behind many of the things he does, even if it does tick you off.  Treygan evokes so much emotion but makes you want to shake him at the same time.


  Yara and Treygan are such a beautiful story in their own.  Their love was not instant and was not supposed to be.  Like all great love though what was meant to be wins over what was not supposed to be.  Where Yara starts off disliking him for what he did and he is in it because it is simply what needs to be done.  When they start to break through it is such a beautiful love!! I would be lying if I told you that there weren't parts of this book near the end that made my eyes tear up. 

  Other characters that deserve a mention are: Kimber, Delmar, Pango and Nixie.  Kimber is by far my next favorite female!  I see her as being not only beautiful and sweet but she is so strong in her own way and I can't say much else without ruining her and I would not want to do that!! Oh, I should put it out there that she is Delmars wife.  As much as I want to go into details about all of these wonderful characters I don`t want to take all your time up while you should be out getting this book!!

  Overall Karen has created such an amazing world.  The characters are brilliantly written and you come to like each one for their differences. Right from the first chapter you will be hooked and wont want to stop!!  You will love the unique things you learn about each character and all of the amazing things and connections the merfolk have!  There is all you could ever want in this book: love, deceit, myths and so much more AWESOME!!  The ending leaves you wanting more but not empty.  It is a must read and was one of my favorite reads last year!!  So if you don`t have this book and want a break from the vamps, shifters and angels but still want the myth and romance PICK THIS UP!!! Hey even if you don't want the break pick it up, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!

5/5

I am team Mermaid!!!