Review: Inescapable (The Premonition, #1) by Amy A. Bartol

My name is Evie Claremont and this was to be the making of me–my freshman year of college. I’d been hoping that once I’d arrived on Crestwood’s campus, the nightmare that I’ve been having would go away. It hasn’t.
I may be an inexperienced seventeen-year-old, but I’m grounded…sane. I look for rational explanations to even the strangest circumstances. Since meeting sophomore Reed Wellington, however, nothing makes any sense. Whenever he’s near, I feel an attraction to him–a magnetic kind of force pulling me towards him. I know what you’re thinking…that sounds fairly awesome. Yeah, it would be…if he liked me, but Reed acts as if I’m the worst thing that has ever happened to Crestwood…or him. But get this, for some reason every time I turn around he’s there, barging into my life.

What is the secret that he’s keeping from me? I’m hoping that it’s anything but what I suspect: that he’s not exactly normal…and neither am I. So, maybe Crestwood won’t be the making of me, but it could be the breaking of me. I’ve been left to wonder if the dark future my dream is foretelling is…inescapable.

If you're familiar with this blog and my tastes than you're aware that I'm a sucker for a great series.  This series opener by Bartol quickly grabbed my attention and had me flying through the pages wondering how it had taken me so long to find the series as well as her writing.  How it's possible that a book like this has been out there since 2011 and escaped my notice boggled my mind, but in the end I was just glad that I'd finally found it.

I love a good college age story because let's face it, there's something fresh and enticing about students getting a clean slate at a new place with new people and nothing but choices ahead of them.  Freedoms are given and responsibility doubles, but it gives everyone a chance to spread their wings, so to speak and see how they fare on their own in a lot of ways.  Evie is no different than every other college freshman trying to get her bearings and make a place for herself at her new school...except for these nightmares she's having.  And they aren't just normal run of the mill scary dreams.  They recur and cause more than just loss of sleep.  Throw in an attractive upperclassman with instant attraction and of course the attitude that typically follow and we've got ourselves quite an addictive mix.

Evie will have to make her way through more than just introductory classes, but uncovering secrets and questions will be her biggest hurdle right off the bat.  Is she overreacting or is there more to this sophomore heartthrob?  Are her dreams just that?  Or is there some force at work that's trying to warn her of something?  And even if she gets the hint, will she figure it all out in time?  That's basically what Bartol reels you in with...suspense and questions that quickly answer themselves only to be replaced with more to keep you guessing and reading faster.  It's a great combination and one that had me making my way through this first book very quickly only to add the other installments in the series to my library as well in order to avoid having to take breaks from all the fun!

Review: Consume (Devoured, #2) by Shelly Crane

Eli and Clara's story continues as she tries to finish high school. Eli is as over protective as ever and Tate and his group of friends are no help. They wait for the Horde, always looking over their shoulder. But the ever annoying but strangely prophetic bird begins to become more of a chatter box and Eli learns something that could change some things. Not just for him and Clara, but Devourers everywhere.

Then an unexpectedness guest comes forcing Eli to flee with Clara, leaving her temporary family behind. She is thrown into his world of underground 'traitors' and learns much of his past. They meet many new people and creatures along the way to freedom. But when tragedy strikes the two, will Clara see the monster in Eli? Can she handle his strange world and awful past? Will one of them lose their life forever...

I'm jumping right in, much the same way Crane picked up in this sequel where she left off in the opener.  Just a warning, reviews of sequels and any installments that follow a series opener are hard to put together without spoilers, so if you haven't read this series opener yet, just know that it's a series you should get on board with immediately and come back to check out the reviews later, but if you're already finished with the first installment read on. 

Clara of course was ever hopeful that she'd be able to finish off high school and maybe tie a neat bow around everything but with the Horde an ever present threat a lot of that was out of her control.

Eli on the other hand has two priorities...keep Clara safe being the first and most important to him and then of course trying to ensure her happiness.  It's a tough job, but clearly one he wasn't walking away from.  Once these two were forced to flee, his goals start to become harder to maintain, but the action and suspense sure do get your heart pounding.  The new character additions were interesting and certainly threw curve balls into the mix, but who doesn't enjoy it when an author spices things up, right?

I know a lot of readers will be sad to see Crane end Eli and Clara's story after just two books, but at least we have a chance to see some more of them in Enoch's story, Altered.  I for one am really looking forward to getting more from Enoch.  I'm curious to see if he'll surprise us when he's center stage and I'm eager to find out.

Review: Devour (Devoured, #1) by Shelly Crane

Clara has it all. A wrestling star boyfriend, popular friends, all the right school activities...pretty much a perfect life...up until her parents died. Now she lives with the Pastor and his family and though they take good care of her, she feels alone. Then her boyfriend, Tate, starts to show signs of trouble when a new guy, Eli, comes to town. Clara is fascinated with him but hides it until something happens. Eli confesses to her that she gives him something he's never had before...something he needs. Everything is about to change for this normal pretty popular girl in a supernatural way.

I didn't think anything would stand up to the Significance series but Crane thankfully proved not to be a one (series) hit wonder.  The Devoured series quickly became yet another addicting read.  Clara and Eli, oh my goodness!  There are two huge reasons Crane always keeps me coming back for more.  One, her lead characters and the relationships they form.  And two, the fact that there are always more questions and twists and turns with each flip of the page to keep readers entertained and guessing until the very end.  She never allows her readers to become complacent or bored.

Choosing sides is of course a familiar element in Crane's work and readers will feel as though its not just the fictional characters making choices but themselves as well.  That's at least the feeling I got when making my way through this title.  Could you choose sides against your friends and family?  Go against everything you thought you knew to be right?  I could almost hear the disapproval in The Godfather's words, to "never go against the family" but yet unless you're in the shoes and faced with those decisions, it's a tough call to make.

Readers all over the blogosphere are claiming to have been "devoured" by this book and I'm not different.  Crane's given me no choice but to become invested in these characters and the world she created.  There was no question that I was going to move right along to the next installment.

Review: Full Moon (The Crescent, #3) by Jordan Deen

You know her story. You know her painful initiation into the werewolf world and you’ve seen her struggle to find the truth.

Now, Lacey Quinn is ready for the war to be over. Are you?
Lacey has been used, lied to and cheated out of the only thing she ever wanted: independence. Struggling with her newfound knowledge of being pack leader, Alex coming back into her life and the kidnapping of Lily’s mate—Matt—Lacey is faced with one of the biggest decisions of her life: fight or flight. While she knows running from the war will risk many lives, but staying means she would never have the life she wants and quite possibly never know a world without werewolves, witches and war.
Sometimes doing the right thing isn’t always the first or most obvious choice. Lacey Quinn is about to challenge what everyone thinks is the right thing to do. Unfortunately for her, most will not agree with her decision or the painful outcome.

Sometimes, love means death.

Jordan Deen will forever be someone who never ceases to surprise and impress me.  Her Crescent series made me a fan from the first installment and without question kept me interested long after that.  A good amount of time has passed between the sequel and Full Moon's release.  As a fan I fell right back into step feeling that it wasn't difficult to pick up where it left off or that it required any re-reads on my part.  Publishing company changes, new cover art, but Deen's writing style remained consistent, her plot kept up with the action and her characters were as likable as always.

There were lots of new faces this time around but Deen somehow managed to minimize the confusion that inevitably can occur with so many elements in a series as detailed as hers.  But I was left wondering if this was the end of the series to be honest.  There's definitely room for more installments in my opinion and it would of course be my preference, but its unclear.  Her spin off series involving the recently introduced Lune coven is in the works and maybe that's what readers will have to content themselves with and maybe that will work out.  These are all questions I'll be eager to have answered and I'll be checking out the Web constantly hoping for updates.  But if I had my way I'd ask for one more installment centered around the wolves...there's still a few details I'd like to see play out...and I'm just not ready to say goodbye for good to these characters that I've grown so attached to over the years.

Review: The Keep (The Watchers, #4) by Veronica Wolff

JUST BECAUSE YOU WORK FOR THE DEAD DOESN’T MEAN YOU WANT TO JOIN THEM.

Drew has just started her second year on the Isle of Night, and the weather isn’t the only thing changing drastically. She has ascended to the rank of Initiate. She’s also found an intimate love in the handsome vampire, Carden. But most of all, she no longer dreams of escape. She dreams of vengeance.

Her friend, Emma, was brutally wounded by the savage vampire Alcántara, and may have been taken to the dreaded castle, from which none of the living return. But there are so many different stories from so many people with so many of their own deceits and machinations, Drew can’t be sure of anything—except that she must find a way into the castle to discover the truth and take down Alcántara once and for all.

But Drew isn’t the only one out for revenge. Someone very dangerous on the island is also out for blood…

Hers…

The action continues and mystery still abounds in Wolff's fourth installment of The Watchers series.  While Carden played center stage in the last book (and is still featured here) Wolff decided to bring Ronan back to the main events.  I most certainly wasn't complaining about that.  This love triangle has always been a bit unique but I've always thought Ronan and Drew were better suited and dare I say, destined for one another.  Let's face facts, without Ronan, Drew wouldn't have survived as long as she has despite her prowess on the island.

This time around the trainees and initiates aren't playing so nice...but it's not like they've ever been striving for Junior League or Debutante status.  Assassination 101 is on the forefront in everyone's mind and of course there are casualties.  Attack after attack after attack, Wolff kept me on the edge of my seat, desperate to know how it would all play out.  And talk about secrets being revealed!  Let's just say the front door isn't the only way into the off limits Keep and Drew never let the saying "curiosity killed the cat" deter her.

Great risks are taken, Alcantara's mind games would drive anyone crazy, the action doesn't stop and the suspense will keep the pages turning for sure.  While readers wait for Wolff's fifth installment to be scheduled for release, Dark Craving, a novella for the series with Ronan's narration should tide us over, at least temporarily.

Review: Opposition (Lux, #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

It's come to my attention this past month that a lot of my favorite series' are coming to an end.  While I have no shortage of titles on my TBR list, it's sad and bittersweet that I've had to say goodbye to so many wonderful worlds, characters, and stories.  Armentrout pulled me into her Lux series a few years ago when the first installment came out and I felt as though my countdown would never end to get the chance to find out what would happen to Daemon and Katy in Opposition.  But find out we did.

 

Craziness abounds in this final installment and Armentrout does it at break neck speed.  Her writing style as always flows quickly but in a fluid way that readers will never complain about.  The siblings were reunited so to speak with their own kind and they were without a doubt outnumbered.  The Luxen presented a unique addition when they showed up and no longer were the Origins at the top of the food chain.  But Armentrout's characters have never been the type to lay down and give up and nothing changed when the obstacles mounted and their hopes dwindled. 

 

I went through just about every emotion possible with each page I turned and the stress I experienced while reading this book left me reeling.  I'm always surprised when authors are able to draw me in so completely that I have trouble doing anything else in my daily life.  I love it when I can't stand the thought of putting a book down, staying up late to finish even just one more chapter, wishing more than anything that characters found weren't works of fiction.  These are all experiences that I have each and every time I pick up one of Jennifer's books.

 

I hate that the series is over, but Jennifer found a way to leave me content with how things turned out, and eager for her to start a new and fresh series filled with equally wonderful people inside!

Review: Taming Darkness (Artemis Lupine, #4) by Catherine Banks

Things aren't going like anyone planned and life keeps throwing one curve ball after another at Artemis and Ares. Can she live up to the prophecy or have they been wrong this entire time? Join them as they try to right the balance of light and dark in the final installment of Artemis Lupine's life.

I know this series doesn't have a following quite like some others that are out there now, but for the life of me I can't really figure out why?  Has it just not gotten enough exposure?  Is it because it was one of Banks' first series and her name is still unfamiliar to some readers?  Whatever the reason is I'm hoping with crossed fingers that it changes, and sooner rather than later.  Readers who haven't had the chance to check out this series couldn't come into it at a better time.  All four installments are out and available now so there won't be any waiting for the next title, or counting down until a copy can be theirs.  Readers don't have to take a break in between each book, but can fly through all four as quickly as they like.  But be warned...it will most definitely feel like it's over in a blink and like me, readers may find themselves disappointed that a goodbye must be said to these characters and the world that Banks has created.

 

I myself, was one of the readers out there that admittedly did not pick this book up in any part due to the cover art.  There isn't anything wrong with it, but there's no denying the fact that there is cover art out there now that will just blow your mind and leave you with no other choice but to see if the writing found between the the pages can live up to that beauty.  But that aside, there isn't too much I can say in the negative when it comes to Banks' Artemis Lupin series.  It might not flow the same as other stories do, and it's not without critique that I write this review, but this series was just so entertaining that I enjoyed it from the series opener all the way through the final installment.

 

Her characters are simple, but in the best possible way.  They wear their hearts on their sleeves so to speak, and readers get to know them a little more with each turn of the page.  Banks left her readers with a mind blowing cliffhanger in the last installment and I wasn't sure how things would progress after that doozy, but somehow she managed it flawlessly.  As much as I love our leads, Artemis and Ares, it was nice to see Victor play a more dominant role is this book, and the addition of even more new faces and names was a great bonus.  I most definitely wasn't sure how she would wrap up the series, and as crazy as it turned out to be, I wouldn't have it any other way.  While I'm sad to see this series end, I think Banks did her characters, her series, and her readers justice.

Review: Consequence (Significance, #4.5) by Shelly Crane

Maggie and Caleb are married, leaders of their people, parents to their children, and happier than they ever dreamed, even with the visions they saw of it to prove it so. The council is still rebelling against Maggie’s changes, but this time it’s different. It’s almost as if something…or someone is behind them, pulling the strings and making decisions for them.

And Maggie is having strange visions that only she can see, leaving Caleb helpless to help her. But when her visions start to warn her that their daughter, Ava, will one day be in danger, they’ll do anything it takes to find out what’s going on and how to stop it, even paying a visit to a previous Visionary.

Maggie and Caleb must find out who or what is behind it all and stop them before Maggie is one vision too late.

Lately it's felt like my favorite authors are throwing me a bone.  Crane's Significance series is one of the few that I wish could go on forever no matter how crazy the story lines would become.  It's a combination of all the right elements, tied up in a fantastic package that's been created.  The main characters, the supporting characters, the world that's been created, the elements of surprise and suspense.  It's an addicting combination for sure.  It had been a while since the forth installment had been devoured and completed and to be honest I think it was just plain luck that I even found this addition. 

While it was a novella, to be honest it read to me like each of the other full installments did.  Crane's sense of humor hasn't dwindled, and her characters are as lovable and strong as ever.  The cliffhanger she left with had me both anxious and completely over the moon to learn that the series hadn't yet reached it's end.  The fifth installment is on the horizon and I'll be counting down to the very last day!

Review: Just One Night (Just One Day, #2.5) by Gayle Forman

After spending one life-changing day in Paris with laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter, sheltered American good girl Allyson “Lulu” Healey discovered her new lover had disappeared without a trace. Just One Day followed Allyson’s quest to reunite with Willem; Just One Year chronicled the pair’s year apart from Willem’s perspective. Now, back together at last, this delectable e-novella reveals the couple’s final chapter.

I know I've said it before, but honestly novellas were just never really something that interested me for the most part.  I always felt like I'd be let down by their short length or less involved plots, etc...but this is now the second one I've read in a short period of time that has decidedly proved my assumptions wrong.  And yet again I was pleasantly surprised.

Forman gave her readers a great gift when she introduced her characters, Willem and Allyson.  I fell in love with these two as they were falling in love with each other.  While I enjoyed reading their stories, I was of course sad to see their story come to a close.  So when I saw this novella I grabbed it like a lifeline and was anxious for even a few more pages and scenes with these two.

Each and ever tidbit that Foreman gives her readers is to be cherished.  It's not everyday that we're able to find stories that not only are enjoyable but move us as well.  This series was one that touched me and really felt special.  So while I'll always want more and find myself sad when I've read the final pages of their story, I always feel lucky to have even been given the chance and peek into Foreman's world.

Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

Oh how I needed this one from one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Eulberg!  I'm always anxiously awaiting each and every one of her newest releases and this one was no different.  What was out of the ordinary was me finishing her last novel and not being so enthusiastic overall.  So I went into this one with a little hesitation which is completely out of the ordinary when it comes to her writing, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about.  I think I might have just been expecting something different with her last title, because this book felt like coming home again.  Eulberg's quick wit and wonderful characters reigned supreme and kept me entertained the whole way through.

Mac and Levi...what can I say, but yet again we've got two characters that will forever hold a place in my heart.  They were endearing and real and the kind of characters readers will wish were their true friends instead of just names found in fiction.  Their interaction and relationship was gritty and truthful, blunt and honest and had me loving them right off the bat.

But what's really a key factor in this book's brilliance is how easy it was to relate to how every scene turned out.  I found myself nodding along and rolling my eyes right along with the characters themselves, and watching from the outside while totally empathizing with some of the more difficult challenges these two were faced with due to their unorthodox friendship.  One of my favorite things though was that these two just rolled with most of it.  They didn't let what others thought of them or their relationship morph it into something else the majority of the time.  They didn't constantly feel the need to defend of define what they had and were.  I'm not saying they were always acting older than their years, but it was heartening to see this mature side to characters often portrayed in different lights.  As always I'm looking forward to what Eulberg produces next!

Review: Devour (Warm Delicacy, #3) by Megan Duncan

You never know how strong you are until something makes you choose between humanity, and the beast.

As Claire descended deep into the ancient tomb; laying to rest the bodies of the fallen, she wondered if time healed all wounds, would an eternity be long enough? Still recovering from a brutal attack that nearly killed her, she refused to let evil win. Pain and destruction glared at her everywhere she went. Nothing and no one would ever be safe until Baal was not only defeated, but destroyed. Fueled by her thirst for revenge, she traveled with her father to the ‘old world’, seeking the aide of a long forgotten ally. Will their quest for help lead to their salvation, or is it only the first step in their annihilation?

Picking up once again right where the series' sequel left off, the epic battle at the end is over and Claire and Arrick, along with everyone else is working on recovering from loses and injuries inflicted.  And while this would have been enough to deal with on their plate, they know it's not over and what lies ahead will be more than they can even imagine.  Duncan will not disappoint her readers as her characters continue to develop and expand in your opinions as a whole.  Decisions were made and while the characters must live with their consequences, it's refreshing and nice to see that Claire is still trying her best to hold on to any little pieces of her old self and values that she can. 

While the dilemmas that go hand in hand with love triangles is still evident, I have to admit that Arrick stole it for me towards the end of the second installment and sealed the deal with this third book.  He's just what I as a reader enjoy in a male lead.  He's decent despite what's thrown at him, and how he's treated.  And despite the fact that I like Claire's character, there was more than a few times I wanted to smack her character and her treatment of him.  I did not always approve. 

New characters join the fold and old ones resurface, creating a great mix of personalities and plot twists.  Who can these people trust and who should they be watching out for?  It's a fun ride to take and Duncan once again maintained a great balance of action and suspense, along with romance and friendships.  It was fun to read and again had me only wanting more!

Review: Indulge (Warm Delicacy, #2) by Megan Duncan

Claire's heart is torn between her first vampire love, Dmitry, and the Blood Mate, Arrick, that she is eternally bonded to with a powerfully deep and emotional connection. A vengeful vampire is haunting her steps, after Claire killed their mate. An ancient evil threatens to rip her world apart. With the danger of war looming on the darkening horizon, will Claire find the strength to fight back and protect those she loves? Even if it means embracing the darkness inside her? Is it worth it to become the evil she fears, in order to destroy it?

I wasn't exaggerating when I said I couldn't wait to continue on with this series, and continue I did.  With this series' second installment readers are thrust right back into all the action exactly where the first installment left off.  Love triangles don't go away so easily and resolutions are hard to come by for Claire, Dmitry her first vampire love and friend, as well as Arrick, the blood mate intended for her to spend the rest of her days with due to their eternal bond.

But it's not all long and angst in these pages this go around.  Duncan keeps up the intensity and nail biting suspense with vengeful vampires hot on Claire's trail desperate for revenge thanks to Claire killing their mate.  And let's not leave out the crazy evil that's putting Claire's world at risk each and every second.  No one wants to see a war start, but with these characters and the obstacles they're constantly facing, Duncan leaves no doubt for her readers that war is indeed coming no matter what they do to try and stop it.

Claire and the rest of the gang have a lot of tough choices to make and difficult decisions there's no way to avoid.  While wanting to retain parts of her old life and humanity, Claire will face the age old question...can and should she embrace her inner darkness?  Check out this series if you're like me and were desperate to see which way she'd go.

Review: Savor (Warm Delicacy, #1) by Megan Duncan

When Claire Miller turned eighteen all she wanted to do was celebrate her birthday, but after a night on the town with her best friend she awakes to a visitor she never expected. The rulers of her region, a vampire royal family, have chosen her to be turned as their new heir and vampire princess. In a world fueled by the power of blood, Claire quickly discovers the vampire royal family is not what they seem and that she has secrets in her past, she never knew existed.

While vampires are something readers are seeing all over the place now days, whether in books, movies, TV shows, etc...Duncan has managed to create a unique and tale in her Warm Delicacy series.  Vampires and humans living together in peace and out in the open?  While it might seem crazy and virtually unbelievable, Duncan managed to spin this reality of hers into something that before I knew what had happened, had me nodding my head as if it made perfect sense.  Humans donate at a blood bank, vampires rule the world.  Of course there's more to it than that, but it's the beginning that roped me in and Duncan kept me entertained and intrigued the rest of the way through this series opener.

Claire's discovered to have that "something" special about her that the vampire royal family has decided is just what they've been looking for in order to create an heir to their throne.  So after the announcement is made, she's whisked off to leave her old life and way of living behind only to begin her new life at the castle in preparation of becoming a vampire herself.  Once this is set into motion, action and suspense abound in these pages.  Love triangles are presented and secrets are both kept and revealed at the perfect moments.

While this series opener without a doubt provides ample background information and details to set the scenes for the rest of the series, it's not just information being shot at readers from every direction.  The characters are developed in a way that will leave readers finding it difficult to put the book down, let alone not want to continue the series immediately in order to see what will happen to them next.  While I did find this a quick read, it was only in the best possible ways.  I got through it quickly, but also enjoyed it from start to finish and decided to continue with the rest of the series before starting anything else.  A must if you're a fan of vampires and are looking for something that gives a new storyline and interesting characters you'll want to root for and find out what happens at each and every turn.

Review: Be with Me (Wait for You, #2) by J. Lynn

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

A series that I can't let go of, and wouldn't want to if I could.  Armentrout sold me from the very first installment in this series, Wait for You, where readers meet Cam and Avery and experience their relationship, but this time around, we get the chance to get to know Cam's best friend Jase and his sister Tess all the better.  With the series opener, Tess was a great addition, but wasn't around a whole lot so I wasn't sure how this sequel would pan out.  My hopes were riding on the development of Cam's best friend, Jase, who after the first story, while his appearances were fewer than some, still managed to intrigue and entertain me.  Seeing these two together...it was like Cam and Avery all over again in a great way.

These two are characters that are deep in their own ways, and carrying a lot around for two people at their age in my opinion.  While some secrets are unveiled until the very end, for the most part J. Lynn does a great job of peeling back the layers at just the right times so that readers get a taste here and there and with each turn of the page, more suspense is added into the mix, creating a heart pounding combination that had me doing my best to read as fast as possible.

Where women were hoping to catch a guy who baked cookies last time around, cupcakes are the main event on this stage, and while I thought no character could hold a candle to Cam's thoughtfulness and persistence, Jase will not let readers down or fail to leave them fanning their faces and pining after someone just like him.  And Tess, once again J. Lynn created a female lead that women will get behind and men will swoon over I'm sure.  These two had a tricky road laid out for them, but J. Lynn will keep you entertained and wanting more, more, more, as soon as you crack open to the first page.

Review: A Beautiful Wedding (Beautiful, #2.5) by Jamie McGuire

You know that Abby Abernathy unexpectedly became Mrs. Maddox. But what do you really know?

Why did Abby pop the question?
What secrets were shared before the ceremony?
Where did they spend their wedding night?
Who else knew about it . . . and didn’t tell?

Everything about Abby and Travis’s elopement was top-secret . . . until now. Fans of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster will get all of their questions answered in this whirlwind tale of the wedding day (and night!)—and as with all good stories, this one will definitely have been worth the wait.

Jamie McGuire can do no wrong!  That is unless she ends the Beautiful series anytime soon...then that's a different story altogether.  But for now, she keeps bringing me more and more of the Maddox clan and Abby and every one of her fantastic characters, which in turn makes me a very happy reader and fan! 

I am honestly so biased when it comes to this series and these characters that if you're skeptical in the least, I might not be your best bet to tell you one way or another about this series, because I honestly love everything about McGuire's writing, her style, content, characters and plot lines.  It's all top notch in my book and each and every time one of her titles hits the shelves I can't wait a second past it's release to get my very own copy and devour it immediately.  Everything else falls to the wayside when I've got one of her books in my hands.

When I first heard about this short novella she decided to release describing in detail what actually happened after the fire, what went down in Vegas exactly, and all the great stuff in between and afterwards, I was literally jumping for joy!  McGuire of course hit it out of the park again in my opinion and my only complaint...that I couldn't find an actual paperback or hard copy to call my own.  I settled for the Kindle version, and not that I'm complaining too much because either way I got to read it, but this series is one that I have wanted in total on my bookshelves.  I really found nothing but entertainment with this story and was excited reading each and every page.  Would I have liked it to have been longer?  Of course, but really I was just thrilled that she allowed us another glimpse into Abby and Travis' relationship...can't say enough about this novella!

Review: Defy (Defy, #1) by Sara B. Larson

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Fantasy, romance, magic and adventure, this story has it all!  As debuts go, Larson certainly lived up to the hype that surrounded the release of this 2014 young adult series opener.  I always get a little anxious when it comes to debut novels, because there's always so much pressure for it's delivery.  The young adult genre is packed with wonderful and promising books that readers are eating up left and right and to break into that category requires material that readers haven't come across before.  And the fantasy genre is saturated with so many titles that while containing characters with different names and story lines that might vary a little, for the most part there can often be find titles that really aren't too different from others.  Obviously there is plenty of innovative material out there or none of us would be reading anything new, but still, it's a hard act to follow and Larson surprised and impressed me with her unique and inviting world.

While different is good, one familiar staple never gets a complaint out of me, and that's a great love triangle.  Larson has presented her readers with a new world to explore and fabulous characters to fill it out.  Alexa may be posing as a male soldier in order to obtain the position she wants in the king's army, but she's a heroin that gives others a run for their money.  A fighter with a will or iron and a persevering spirit that is never found lacking, she makes it hard for others to keep up with her.  Resisting her charm and wonderful personality traits is ridiculous and I truly enjoyed watching this story play out through her point of view.  When it comes to a love triangle everyone always generally gravitates to one side or the other, vying for the main character to choose who the reader has favored.  I'm usually no different but I'll admit Larson through me for a loop with how much I tossed and turned over which male lead I liked more.  My mind was constantly changing and as the plot developed, along with the characters, it was impossible for me to establish a concrete side.  And when the readers are having a hard to choosing for the characters, how can I expect an author to narrow it down so easily?

Despite everything that these characters face throughout this series opener, questions remain and of course cliffhangers of a sort were presented at the end, and I was spinning.  What a wonderful debut to be introduced and now the countdown remains for the second installment in the series, Ignite, which won't be released until January of next year!

Review: Shattered Promises (Shattered Promises, #1) by Jessica Sorensen

For twenty-one year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. She knows nothing about her past and has been haunted by the same monsters in her nightmares for the last few months. Unemotional and numb to life, she feels disconnected from everyone. Until the very first day she cries. After that, nothing in her life is the same.
Her emotions slowly surface and she starts experiencing love, happiness, and anger, feelings she never knew existed. But they leave her confused and she doesn’t know whether to embrace them or run away from them.

Her life only gets more complicated when she meets Alex. Sexy, arrogant, and secretive, Alex can get under Gemma’s skin like no one can. Yet she’s drawn to him by an invisible connection she has no control over. She’s also seen him before. In her nightmares.

Every part of Gemma’s mind is screaming at her to stay away from Alex, but every other part of her is begging to get close to him. But the closer she gets, the more she realizes Alex knows more about her than he originally let on.

As secrets about her past unravel, Gemma’s life becomes threatened. She needs to figure out what’s going on, before she winds up dead. But the only person she can turn to for answers is the one person she isn’t sure she can trust.

Again I've got another New Adult book that I couldn't resist reviewing on the blog.   I'll admit that I didn't know much about this read going into it, and what I did learn throughout the blogosphere left me confused and not quite sure what to make of it, to read or not read?  For whatever reason I gave it a chance and was extremely glad that I did.  The book's synopsis left me with more questions than answers, and while sometimes it's a good thing, had I not seen so many positive reviews and experiences from readers with this book I'm not sure I'd have given it the chance. 

Gemma is a character who has never experienced any type of emotion...and no I'm not being facetious.  She's a normal girl in appearance, but how is a reader to react to someone going through their young life without knowing what emotion is?  As a reader I was just confused, but rest assured, if you were in the same boat, answers are revealed and questions are laid to rest.  She does however experience nightmares and a certain individual in featured prominently in ALL of them.  Of course this is how Sorensen has Alex enter the scenario.  As someone she's only ever encountered in her nightmares, readers will understand why she's so shocked and scared to meet him in real life.  What will be hard to digest is that she's drawn to him nonetheless.

Of course if things were made too easy for the characters, readers would just give up, so when Alex rebuffs Gemma's attempt to get to know him, or to find answers for herself, readers get their anxiety inducing set up.  As I was writing and planning out this review I realized that there really isn't a good way to go about explaining things without revealing too much or avoid spoiling all the good stuff, so I'm ashamed to admit that I'll have to leave readers and followers in the dark, much as I was when first starting this series.

What I can say is this...it's a series worth your attention and time.  I started out just as confused and flabbergasted as to why I was giving a book with so many questions attached to it the time of day, and yet after giving it a chance couldn't be happier with my decision.  So if you're looking for a  new read, and one that doesn't spell itself out in the write up on the back cover like so many do, than this read might be right up your alley.  It's a series that now that I've started, will be seeing it through until the end.  I can't wait to see how Sorensen lays out what comes next and am looking forward to checking out the other installments.

Review: Trust in Me (Wait for You, #1.5) by J. Lynn

It’s Wait for You as you’ve never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

Novellas and me...well I don't always follow them.  I've always been a fan of a good series, and with my favorite characters, of course I celebrate the fact that I won't have to completely say goodbye to them while a series plays itself out.  But despite being a fan of a good series, a lot of times, I pass on the chance to read the short novellas that authors put out in conjuncture with the series they've created.  Some of them I've found to be so short and simple that nothing (or at least not enough) new was really gained, or going straight to the next full length installment wasn't interrupted to the point of missing out on anything critical, etc...

But with  J. Lynn's Wait for You series, I can't seem to resist any and all chances I get to come face to face with her characters again.  And this time around, getting the chance to see the series' first installment from Cam's point of view instead of Avery's...wow!

After meeting these characters and loving them so much I was of course anxious to see where the next story line would take readers, but at the same time, experiencing the same story, but from Cam's point of view shed just enough light on what else he went through and not just seeing it all through Avery's eyes, was all that much sweeter.  Definitely a great and worth while addition to the series.

Review: Wait for You (Wait for You, #1) by J. Lynn

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for...

While I mainly stick to young adult titles on the blog, a lot of my readers know that from time to time I'll feature and review an adult title or one like this J. Lynn title, which is considered to be New Adult.  With New Adult works, we're dealing with material that may not be suitable for all ages, and I like to make that clear before going forward to avoid any confusion.  But this was just one of those books, and now series' that I couldn't pass up the chance to rave about after falling in love with it myself.

This was one of those stories that caught me off guard.  It shouldn't have.  I've been a huge fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout since I picked up my first book that she'd written and despite using another of her pen names, I really shouldn't have expected anything less than the stellar writing and story lines I've come to associate with her.   But there you have it.  Once again she's presented two main characters who are impossible to resist and ridiculously hard to do anything but fall in love with them.  She's develops her characters in such a way that their layers are unraveled just right that readers get the sense that they're getting to know new friends instead of reading along from an outside perspective.

If there is anyone out there who is able to resist the charms of Cam...I just can't understand it and I'm not sure how I'd feel about it.  He's effortless with everything he does.  A character with a heart so big and warm that everyone around him is drawn right in and can't help but just want to be around him.  I wanted all scenes surrounding him for the same reasons.  And Avery...oh gosh.  What a heroin!  She's this girl who has secrets yes, but inspired such empathy from me that I thought for sure I'd crumple if she had to endure anything more.  By the end of the story, when all is revealed and understanding on the readers part is possible after seeing things from all angles, it was crushing and yet inspiring all at once.  Characters, while fictional, journey through a lot of things, overcome any number of events and obstacles, and readers are given the gift of experiencing some of that with them, and the aftermath of others.  It's humbling and enlightening and J. Lynn spins her tales in a way that always impresses me.

I hope if you're looking for a New Adult book you'll try this one on for size because really, it's entertaining, gratifying and just excellent from start to finish.

Review: Origin (Lux, #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

After finishing the third installment in Armentrout's Lux series, Opal, I wasn't sure I'd survive the cliffhanger she left her readers with.  I have always been a fan of countdowns, but this installment honestly could not come soon enough.  As soon as it became available I jumped to get my own copy and was soon devouring the pages in hopes that she'd take care of the anxiety I was left with the last time around.  Oh how wrong I was.  Armentrout, if anything only ramped up the suspense (yet again) with this installment and quite honestly I couldn't believe that with each page came another round of wide eyes and a racing heartbeat.

If readers were worried (and who wouldn't be) about the mess Katy would find herself in after being caught and left behind in the hands of Daedalus, Armentrout proved that we had reason to be feeling this way.  While well written, what Katy endured definitely affected my heart strings and left me counting down the pages until somehow she'd get away.  Whether by rescue or escape I just wanted her out of their clutches.  The surprises were not in short supply with this installment, and readers will be expected to keep up or be left behind themselves, because the amount of action packed into this title was definitely not lacking in any way.

Character development went a long way this time around, especially when it came to our girl.  She went through so much and yet with each turn of the page a new side of her was revealed and I had to admit that as a reader I was proud.  These characters have always felt real and like friends of a certain kind, so to see her in action and powering through despite what was constantly being thrown at her had me wanting to cheer her on and remind her that she wasn't alone.  But along with Katy of course comes Daemon.  Finally a chance to get his point of view, his words, his feelings, etc...it was a treat and one I hope will continue with the rest of the series.

The bottom line is, as always, I can't see any reader and fan of this series as well as Armentrout's writing being disappointed in any way this time around.  Yet another gripping, and highly entertaining installment for the series and Armentrout's works, that once again has left her readers (namely me!) panting for more.  Yet again, I was counting down until we were given the chance to read Opposition, the fifth installment in the series...and as of today, everyone can get their own copy as it's also release day!  So if you haven't read Origin, get on that right away so you can grab the next title and catch up to the rest of us!