DNF Reviews: Don't Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon + The Postmortal by Drew Magary

Title: Don't Breathe A Word

Author: Jennifer McMahon

Genre: Adult, dystopian

Publication date: May 2011

Published by: Harper Paperbacks

Source: For review from publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

On a soft summer night in Vermont, 12-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.

Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn't fear the dark and doesn't have bad dreams - who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam's hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed - a promise that could destroy them all.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
So I read the prologue, but didn't really capture my attention =/ It was really hard for me to get into it... so I just stopped. I couldn’t even tell you what this was about. IDK if I'll pick this book up again to finish it...

Review: Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Title: Asylum

Series: Asylum #1

Author: Madeleine Roux

Genre: YA, horror, mystery

Publication date: August 2013

Published by: HarperTeen

Source: Library book

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Synopsis:

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

My rating: ★★★★☆
The Good: This might be one of the first YA books I have read that had pictures in it, and I really liked it! Some of them were quite creepy! I also found the plot very interesting with all these grisly experiments that went on in the asylum... so much yes! Oh, and let's not forget about the fact that one of my favorite childhood shows was mentioned...

Review: Impostor (Slide #2) by Jill Hathaway

Title: Impostor

Series: Slide #2

Previous book in this series: Slide

Author: Jill Hathaway

Genre: YA, paranormal, mystery

Publication date: March 2013

Published by: HarperCollins, Balzer + Bray

Source: For review from the publishers via Netgalley

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Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository | Book Outlet

Synopsis:

What if a killer took control of you?

Vee Bell’s gift (or curse) of “sliding”—slipping into the mind of another person and experiencing life, briefly, through his or her eyes—has been somewhat under control since she unwillingly witnessed the horrific deaths of her classmates six months ago.

But just as things are getting back to normal, Vee has a very bizarre experience: she loses consciousness and finds herself in a deserted area, at the edge of a cliff, with the broken body of the boy who took advantage of her on the rocks below.

As Vee finds herself in stranger and stranger situations with no memory of getting there, she begins to suspect that someone she knows has the ability to slide—and that this “slider” is using Vee to exact revenge on his or her enemies.

My rating: ★★★★☆
I read Slide a while ago, but I remember loving it and its concept. I mean, it’s just such a cool power! That being said, I don’t know why it took me so long to read this, but I loved it as well!

Review: No Angel by Helen Keeble

Title: No Angel

Author: Helen Keeble

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: October 2013

Published by: HarperTeen

Source: Own paperback

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Synopsis:

Rafael Angelos just got handed the greatest gift any teenage boy could ever dream of. Upon arriving at his new boarding school for senior year, he discovered that he is the ONLY male student. But what should have been a godsend isn't exactly heaven on Earth.

Raffi's about to learn that St. Mary's is actually a hub for demons-and that he was summoned to the school by someone expecting him to save the day. Raffi knows he's no angel-but it's pretty hard to deny that there's some higher plan at work when he wakes up one morning to discover a glowing circle around his head.

My rating: ★★★★★
No Angel was so much fun! I cannot believe I didn’t read it sooner! I LOVED it!

So, our main character Rafael has decided that he wants to go to his mom’s old all-girl boarding school, this being the first year to open up to boys. But much to Raf’s surprise, upon arrival he finds out that he’ll be the only male in attendance! What starts out as a dream for any guy out there soon turns into a nightmare when things get a little weird from there... a glowing halo, wings, and then more freaking wings! What?! It turns out that Rafael Angelos is a freaking angel! Well, part angel, anyway. And wouldn’t you have it, there are demons roaming around the school, what a coincidence! (Not really, lol.) So, Raf is appointed not only a guardian angel, but a demon hunter as well. Only, there’s more to the situation than he could possibly imagine...

Review: Forgive My Fins (Fins #1) by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Forgive My Fins

Series: Fins #1

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: May 2010

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Own paperback

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Synopsis:

Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but for Lily Sanderson, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily has a secret, and it's not her huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid--she's a Thalassinian princess. When she discovered three years ago that her mother was actually a human, Lily finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been going to Seaview High ever since. Living on land has its problems--like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher--but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type--when they bond, it's for life.When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Lily, a half-human, half-mermaid princess from the underwater kingdom Thalassinia, is head over heels infatuated with her classmate Brody, which let me tell you was absolutely annoying! Yeah he's a nice guy, and gorgeous apparently, but come on Lily! Just no. Quince kept telling her and telling her that Brody was not for her and that her constant swooning over the guy was ridiculous. I cannot tell you how right Quince was about everything.

Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Title: Ten

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: September 2012

Published by: Balzer + Bray

Source: Own paperback

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Synopsis:

SHHHH!
Don't spread the word!
Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do NOT want to miss it.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

My rating: ★★★★☆
In this thrilling story, ten kids are invited to a weekend long party on Henry Island. The only way to get there is by boat or ferry, and it's pretty much deserted, with only one other house on the island. No parents and an island practically all to themselves--it's supposed to be fun, right? Wrong! The day after they all arrive, they start dying one by one. Could one of them be the killer? Or is someone else in the house with them, picking them off? *cue suspenseful music*

Review: MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza

Title: MILA 2.0

Series: MILA 2.0 (#1)

Prequel novella: Origins: The Fire

Author: Debra Driza

Genre: YA, sci-fi

Publication date: March 2013

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity-style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

My rating: ★★★★★
Mila is your normal, average teenage girl who recently experienced a horrible tragedy: She was in a terrible house fire that, unfortunately, killed her father and has left holes in her memory. Mila and her mom move to a new town for a fresh start, until the facade that is Mila's "normal" life is shattered. Until Mila finds out that she is not human. She is an android built by a secret division of the military, and her creators want her back... bad! Except they want to use Mila as a weapon. Mila is shocked by all this, I mean she feels like any other human being... like a normal girl! But her creator doesn't care about that. They will do anything to get her back.

Review: The Rising (Darkness Rising #3) by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Rising

Series: Darkness Rising #3

Previous books in this series: The Gathering (#1) | The Calling (#2)

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, paranormal

Publication date: April 2013

Published by: HarperCollins

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

Old secrets are revealed and unexpected characters make a surprising return in this stunning conclusion to Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Darkness Rising trilogy.

My rating: ★★★★★
This book was just amazing! I always love getting back into a familiar story, and one I really enjoy being in, at that. I've been highly anticipating this one and it did not disappoint! I'm just really sad that it's over :(

Review - Origins: The Fire (MILA 2.0, #0.5) by Debra Driza

Title: Origins: The Fire

Series: MILA 2.0 (#0.5)

Author: Debra Driza

Genre: YA, sci-fi

Publication date: January 2013

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Own e-book

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Buy it: Amazon (it's FREE!)

Synopsis:

Heart-stopping and electric, MILA 2.0: Origins: The Fire contains a short prequel story and an excerpt to MILA 2.0, the first book in a riveting Bourne Identity–style trilogy by Debra Driza.

Mila can't remember anything before the fire that took her father's life. It's normal to have some memory loss after traumatic events, but Mila doesn't remember if she's ever learned to ride a bike, or if she's ever been in love. Nothing.

What she doesn't know is that she isn't supposed to remember—that she was built in a computer science lab and programmed to forget. Because if she remembers, she might discover her true identity.

The question is: If she relived the fire, what would she see?

My rating: ★★★☆☆
As the title suggests, there is a fire, lol. Mila it's having a very nice dream when all of a sudden said fire wakes her up from her slumber. Her house is filled with thick, gray, suffocating smoke, and she sees the hot orange flames just outside her door. She escapes only to go back inside to save her parents... Except she herself might not get out alive this second time. And then...

Literary Nails: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Hey guys! So I was going to post this last week, but then I got caught up with school and studying for my exam... stressful, I tell ya! Anyway, this manicure was inspired by Jodi Meadows's Incarnate, a book I absolutely LOVE!

Review: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Title: The Chaos of Stars

Author: Kiersten White

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, paranormal, Greek mythology, Egyptian mythology

Publication date: September 10th 2013

Published by: HarperTeen

Source: The publishers via Edelweiss (thank you!!)

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Synopsis:

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

My rating: ★★★★★
I read Kiersten's Paranormacly a while ago, but I absolutely loved it! She is just a fantastic writer and I was very excited to read The Chaos of Stars because I am a HUGE fan of mythology! So this was a MUST read for me! And this book...LOVED it! It was just very beautifully written with amazing descriptions! I especially loved the museum bit.

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me

Series: Shatter Me #1

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Genre: YA, dystopian

Publication date: November 2011

Published by: Harper Collins

Source: Own e-book

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Synopsis:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

My rating: ★★★★★
What did I think about this book?? Oh, I don't know...I freakin' LOVED it! This has definitely become one of my favoritest books ever (yeah, I know that's not a word)!

Review: The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Calling

Series: Darkness Rising #2

Previous book in this series: The Gathering

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Genre: YA, paranormal, urban fantasy

Publication date: April 2012

Published by: HarperCollins

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Loved this book! There was lots of action, suspense, with extra doses of suspense! I think at one point I even held my breath and didn't even realize it until my lungs were like, "Hey, I need oxygen over here!" lol

Review: The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Gathering

Series: Darkness Rising #1

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Genre: YA, paranormal, urban fantasy

Publication date: April 2011

Published by: HarperCollins

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

My rating: ★★★★☆
I really enjoyed this first book to the sequel series of Darkest Powers trilogy (and I really liked that first series!) Yep, in this one there are more kids being experimented on when they don't even know about it. That is, until strange things start happening do they realize that their "safe" little town holds more secrets then they can imagine.

Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Title: Slide

Series: Slide #1

Author: Jill Hathaway

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: March 27, 2012

Published by: HarperCollins, Balzer + Bray

Source: the publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

My rating: ★★★★★
I really enjoyed this book...I thought it was amazing! Supernatural abilities like this fascinate me! And I think Vee's is totally cool! Except, you know, for the part where she passes out, lol.

Review: Pretty Little Secrets (Pretty Little Liars #4.5) by Sara Shepard

Title: Pretty Little Secrets

Series: Pretty Little Liars #4.5

Previous books in this series: Pretty Little Liars (#1) | Flawless (#2) | Perfect (#3) | Unbelievable (#4)

Author: Sara Shepard

Genre: YA, mystery

Publication date: January 2012

Published by: Harper Collins - HarperTeen

Source: borrowed e-book from library

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Synopsis:

Rewind to junior year in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, to a winter break no one has ever heard about....

Fat snowflakes fall onto manicured lawns, quilted stockings hang over marble fireplaces, and everyone is at peace, especially Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Spencer. Now that Alison’s murderer is in jail and A is dead, they can finally relax. Little do they know there’s a new A in town. . . .

Rule number one of being an effective stalker: Get to know your prey. So I watch these liars day and night, keeping an eye on the trouble they get into, the messes they make, and the secrets they keep. Hanna’s desperate for a very personal session with her gym trainer. Emily is number one on Santa’s naughty list. Aria’s old flame from Iceland is about to land her in hot water. And Spencer’s resorting to some backhanded tactics to get what she wants.

What happens on holiday break stays on holiday break—right? But guess what. I saw. And now I’m telling.

Taking place between "Unbelievable" and "Wicked," "Pretty Little Secrets" is a very special "Pretty Little Liars" tale revealing the liars’ never-before-seen misadventures over their junior-year winter break.

My rating: ★★★★★
This book was awesome! There. I just had to get that out of the way ;)

I really liked how the book was divided into four parts; each girl had her own section, and that section was only about that particular Liar.

Review: Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4) by Sara Shepard

Title: Unbelievable

Series: Pretty Little Liars #4

Previous books in this series: Pretty Little Liars (#1) | Flawless (#2) | Perfect (#3)

Author: Sara Shepard

Genre: YA, mystery

Publication date: June 2008

Published by: Harper Collins - HarperTeen

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Behind Rosewood's grand facades, where the air smells like apples and Chanel No. 5 and infinity pools sparkle in landscaped backyards, nothing is as it seems. It was here, back in seventh grade, that five best friends shared everything--Seven jeans, MAC makeup, and their deepest, darkest secrets. For Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily, it was a dream come true...until Alison, the most beautiful of them all, suddenly vanished.

Now someone named A has turned their charmed lives into a living nightmare. Emily has been shipped off to her hyper-conservative cousins in Iowa. Aria is stuck living with her dad and his home-wrecker girlfriend. And Spencer fears she had something to do with Alison's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse than all of that--she's clinging to life in the hospital, because "she knew too much."

With A's threats turning dangerous and Ali's killer still on the loose, the girls must uncover the truth--about A, about Ali, and about what happened to Hanna--before they become A's next victims. But as they unravel Rosewood's mysteries and secrets, will it bring an end to the horror...or is this just the beginning?

My rating: ★★★★☆
I have been waiting to find out who A is for the longest time ever. And if I hadn't watched the show before reading this book, finding out who A is would've been (pun intended) Unbelievable. But since I do watch the show...well, it wasn't that big of a surprise.

Hannah is in the hospital thanks to A who ran her over. Now she's struggling to remember, because she knew, who A was.

Spencer is freaking out because a memory of the night Ali disappeared she had suppressed has now resurfaced, making Spencer think the she was somehow responsible for Ali's death.

Emily is being sent away to the middle of nowhere to live with family just for dating Maya.

And Aria...well, let's just say things between her and Ezra haven't gotten any easier.

For a girl who almost never reads anything non-paranormal, I have to say, I am LOVING this series (both the books and the show)! It just has a lot of mystery, and the end was just so action-y and awesome!

Well, now we know who A is, but it seems like the girls are not out of the woods yet...who will A be this time??

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath

Series: Everneath #1

Author: Brodi Ashton

Genre: YA, paranormal romance, Greek mythology

Publication date: January 24, 2012

Published by: Balzer + Bray

Source: The publishers via Netgalley

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Synopsis:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My rating: ★★★★☆
I love my mythology, and I have to say, this was an interesting take on the Underworld. A bit on the odd side, but still interesting :)

I think I saw a little Orpheus/Eurydice twist in there (Nikki and Jack), I thought that was very sweet...that Greek story is really moving. Nikki felt a bit empty in the beginning, but I think that was the point. Cole...Cole I thought was a very complicated character. Sometimes I hated him so much I wished he would just go back and stay in the Underworld (AKA the Everneath) forever! Other times he was very sweet and charming and making me swoon like a fangirl...then he would be a jerk again, making me want to smash that guitar of his over his head! Speaking of Cole, I still don't fully understand what the heck he is!! I know he isn't a god...hmm...maybe I'll get more info in the next book?

Anyway, I thought the story was really interesting. I really liked the flashback type things...I thought they were really insightful. And even though it had a terribly sad ending (I still can't believe that happened!), I thought it was a great book overall and I can't wait for the next one to come out!

P.S. I love the cover! It's beautiful!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)

Review: Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows

Title: Incarnate

Series: Newsoul #1

Author: Jodi Meadows

Genre: YA, high fantasy

Publication date: January 31, 2012

Published by: HarperCollins

Source: the publishers via NetGalley (thanks to both!)

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Synopsis:

New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

My rating: ★★★★★
In Ana's world, there are a million souls that reincarnate after every death. They’ve been around for hundreds of years, and each soul retains all their memories from previous lives. I guess you could call them immortal.

Review: Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

Title: Hallowed

Series: Unearthly #2

Previous book in this series: Unearthly

Author: Cynthia Hand

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: January 17, 2012

Published by: HarperCollins

Source: the publishers via NetGalley (thanks to both!)

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Synopsis:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

My rating: ★★★★★
This book was just...wow! I don’t even know if I can put my thoughts into a coherent review, but I’ll try!