Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

 Title: Lair of Dreams

 Series: The Diviners (#2)

 Author: Libba Bray

 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

 Date Published: August 25th, 2015

 Genre: Paranormal

 Pages: 624 (Hardcover)

 Age Range: 14+






                                                                        Summary:

     After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people's secrets, she's become a media darling, and earned the title "America's Sweetheart Seer." Everyone's in love with the city's newest It Girl...everyone except the other Diviners.

Piano-playing Henry Dubois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers a secret--for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City.

As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess....As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city?

                                                                          Review:

     YESSSSS!!!! I finally got my hands on this book, and I freaked out! I'm incredibly pleased to report that Libba Bray can do no wrong. In this book, we meet some new people, and run into a whole slew of messy drama. This book does a stellar job of moving along the overarching theme while focusing on the singular plot of this book.

     This book was a lot less focused on Evie, and more focused on Henry and Ling's journey and development. Which was not necessarily a bad thing because I was angry with Evie for a lot of this book.  I know, I know, angry with the character who I loved so much in the last book? Yes. While Evie really ticked me off for a majority of this book, that didn't stop me from waiting on the edge of my seat for her next chapter.
     In this book, we focus a lot on the dream world, something that, I felt, was a great place to go. Last book, we had some exorcism ghost type thing goin' on, and in this book, we have some weird dream/ reality thing goin' on. It's super hard to explain, but it was really cool. I am loving the direction that we are heading. The whole twist with Mei was something that I didn't see coming, but it was terrifyingly perfect.
      I really like the new characters that we met in this installment, and I liked the characters that we got to learn more about. Henry is so perfect, but I saw the plot twist about his love life coming up. Ling got on my nerves, but I am excited to add her to our Avengers lineup. Evie needs to get her act together in the next book, or else. And I wanted more Jericho! I felt like this book was a little Sam heavy although I LOVE him. Honestly, I'm not a fan of love triangles, but this one just works for me.
     I cannot wait for the next installment! I just hope that it's another eighteen years before book 3.

                                              

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

 Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

 Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses

 Author: Sarah J. Maas

 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

 Date Published: May 5, 2015

Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 432 (Hardcover)

Age Range: 14+






                                                                       Summary:

      When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin--one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin--and his world--forever.

                                                                         Review:

     Sarah J. Maas has done it again. I am slightly disappointed because she published this while the Throne of Glass sextet is only four-sixths of the way finished, BUT BUT BUT this book is totally worth waiting on Throne of Glass for.
     Feyre is this girl, and she starts out being an incredible Katniss rip-off. Feyre isn't a parody, but a serious re-representation of this girl. Feyre hunts to provide for her otherwise-screwed family, and she shoots with- guess what??- a bow and arrow. I could draw more similarities from The Hunger Games to this book than I could with Beauty and the Beast; this book is supposed to be a Beauty and the Beast re-telling, and while I did find some of those traits, I found more Hunger Games characteristics, especially in the characters. So while Feyre can be renamed Katniss, her younger sisters can be renamed Selfish Idiot, and Prim. Nesta got on my nerves, and I never really ended up liking her. I actually forgot the youngest sister's name. Their father, too, got on my nerves. He was so weak, and he truly became his ailment.
     Moving on to the actually juicy drama, Tamlin was all sorts of amazing. Of course, I could see the Beast in him, but I could really see the Beast in Rhysand the most. Tamlin reminded me of Fluffy from Harry Potter: big and scary, but secretly cuddly. Rhysand was kind of a mixture of the opposite, and some weird form of secretly good. I'm team Tamlin, but I have a sneaky feeling that we'll be seeing a lot more of Rhysand. And Lucien!! We MUST have more of him!!!
      The plot of this book was all over the place- in a good way! First we have the whole thing going on with The Evil Queen, then we have the thing going on with Tamlin, and then we have stuff going on with Rhysand and faeries. I can't say much without being spoilery, but things went in fantastic directions.
     Now, I must read Queen of Shadows. I do believe that Sarah J. Maas can do no wrong.

                                             

In the After Light by Alexandra Bracken

Title: In the After Light

Series: The Darkest Minds #3

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Date published: October 28, 2014

Genre: YA fiction, romance, action, thriller, suspense, adventure, sci-fi

Pages: 544 (hardback)

Age Range: 13+




Summary


Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. Only Ruby can keep their highly dangerous prisoner in check. But with Clancy Gray, there's no guarantee you're fully in control, and everything comes with a price.

When the Children's League disbands, Ruby rises up as a leader and forms an unlikely allegiance with Liam's brother, Cole, who has a volatile secret of his own. There are still thousands of other Psi kids suffering in government "rehabilitation camps" all over the country. Freeing them--revealing the governments unspeakable abuses in the process--is the mission Ruby has claimed since her own escape from Thurmond, the worst camp in the country.

But not everyone is supportive of the plan Ruby and Cole craft to free the camps. As tensions rise, competing ideals threaten the mission to uncover the cause of IANN, the disease that killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others with powers the government will kill to keep contained. With the fate of a generation in their hands, there is no room for error. One wrong move could be the spark that sets the world on fire.


Review


I was up until 1am finishing this book. I was a little upset about how things ended, but I was also happy. I'm about to explain why but let me get through the characters first! This review is going to be full of spoilers so if you haven't read the book, go away. Shew!

The writing was just as amazing as always. The characters were fantastic! Even though Jude was no longer with us. I was really, really sad throughout the book because of this. I could really feel Vida and Ruby's pain as they struggled to come to terms with his death. I loved how they leaned on each other--they really bonded in this book.

KINDA SPOILERY

I was really surprised but not surprised by Chub's and Vida's relationship. We could kind of see how they were glued to each other throughout Never Fade and In the After Light, but I wasn't sure what sort of relationship was developing between them because they were always bickering and snapping at each other, or punching each other.

Liam and Ruby. What can I say? I don't know what to say because they're just...*sigh* amazing. I love them together, so I was worried when their relationship was rocky. Ruby was being protective of herself and Liam's feelings, I get that. She was putting a wall between them because she couldn't tell him a lot of things, I get it, but why did Alexandra have to play with their, and my, feelings?

When Ruby found the note Liam wrote, I was torn. Torn, I tell you! I was devastated that he wrote something like that, but I understood. I thought that Cole was going to make him leave too, but I didn't think that Ruby would take his memories again--not after everything that happened. I was so upset when Ruby found it because she was completely broken up about it. I wanted her to mention it to him! But of course she didn't so that put an even bigger strain on their relationship!

Okay, I think I need to talk about something else now. This is still kind of spoilery. Zu! Let's talk about Suzume a little bit. We didn't really so a whole lot of her in Never Fade, or in this book really even though she's back with the gang.

I was really hoping that Zu was going to start talking again, but I started having my doubts when I was more than half-way through the book because I thought that there was going to be a big show-down at Thurmond. I was so relieved when she finally spoke during the interview. Vida finally warmed up to her and was cheering her on. I was really happy about Team Reality's reactions! The moment was truly heart warming.

THE ENDING: OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE GOING TO BE MAJOR SPOILERS

The Thurmond Op. Okay, so I was expecting a little more of a battle scene, like I wanted a serious show-down. I wanted to see Liam and Ruby fighting side by side, Ruby protecting Liam from harm, Vida having Ruby's back. I wanted all of that.

I didn't like how the book just kind of abruptly ended. We don't really know what happens during the camp hit because Ruby was being interrogated, and then kicking some PSF ass. I wanted to see more fighting, though I thought it was really awesome how Ruby wouldn't let Liam kill anyone as they made their escape, and how Ruby refused to be carried out of Thurmond. She wanted to walk out of there even though she was severely injured and couldn't walk on her own.

We also don't know what happens to the kids in the end. Like, what happened to Sam for example? I want to know what happened to her and we didn't see her after Ruby yelled at her in the mess hall.
Also, at a conference, Senator Cruz was giving a speech about the new laws that would be placed and talked about the cure that has recently been developed. Kids 18 and older had the opportinuty to choose whether to keep their abilities, or not, and the children who chose to keep their abilities had to live in a "community" where other Psi kids would live.

Chubs complained and it was agreed that things would be reconsidered, but what if they didn't change their minds? What if things got bad again? I don't think they did but there's a chance, and we won't know because this is how the book ended.

I really wanted to get a glimpse of what Liam and Ruby's lives would be like after all this. They mentioned it a little but I want more! I want details, a short story, anything! Gimme!

And, back to the Sam-thing: I'm pretty sure Alexandra is releasing a book that has 3 different short stories. Its called Through the Dark and it comes out in October. It consists of In Time, Sparks Rise, and a new, unpublished short story called, Beyond the Night. I need this book! I need to know what happened to Sam!

Anyway, the last thing I want to talk about is...Clancy. Yes, Clancy Gray! I really wanted Ruby to kill him, or for Clancy to accidentally get shot or something! I just wanted him dead. He was one of those characters that you just hate. He's so evil! After what he made Ruby do, and after Cole...if I were Ruby, I woulda shot him! Yes yes I know why she didn't: she didn't want to stoop to his level blah blah blah, but couldn't someone have killed him? I didn't want to see him walk away, not after what he did to Cole.

Okay, I think I'm done with my rant. This is a long review but I'm not sorry. I was up late last night so I could finish the book and I woke up and things just started popping into my head. I feel like this series is unfinished and I don't think Alexandra Bracken is going to write a fourth book so I'm very upset because I want to read about Ruby and Liam's lives, and find out what happens to the rest of Team Reality.

"The Darkest Minds Never Fade In the After Light"

I've been buying young adult books left and right, but now that school has started back up, I have a lot of books I have to read for school so I'm going to be gone for a while. Sorry, I love writing reviews but I don't think anyone is interested in reading a review on a Jane Austin book.
I'll be back soon though with more reviews!

If you want to read more of my posts, I have a personal blog and a tumblr, links are below. Follow me!

www.ashleyearley.com
www.ashleyearleybooks.blogspot.com
www.ashleyearleybooks.tumblr.com

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Title: All The Bright Places

 Author: Jennifer Niven

 Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

 Date Published: January 6th, 2015

 Genre: Contemporary,

 Pages: 400 (Hardcover)

 Age Range: 15+








                                                                          Summary:

     Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
     Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
     When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.


                                                                           Review:

     This book has been incredibly hyped since its release around half a year ago. Honestly, the hype hasn't really died down ever since- which is a little terrifying. I always read hyped books with a grain of salt, ready to be disappointed or caught up in the hype. Usually, I am pleasantly surprised; this book, though, blows everything that I have ever read out of the water. Per the usual, I will try to be very non-spoilery, however, there will be spoilers later on in this review.
     The cover of this book is sickeningly adorable, and I will admit to some cover lust. Just look at its cuteness!! Cover aside, this book was very raw, and unrelenting. The way it dealt with problems like depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders was amazing. Jennifer Niven did such a great job with these heavy subjects because she didn't shy away from the harsh realities, and she certainly didn't make this a mindless read. The heavier topics were met head on, they weren't romanticized in any way, they weren't glossed over, and the true consequences of these problems being ignored was prominent.
     Violet and Finch were both great characters, and polar opposites. While Violet was the example of defeating her depression, and rising above it, Finch is the example of becoming his disorder at times. Both characters could seem very superficial at times, but teenagers are superficial sometimes- all of us are. All of the minor characters in this book were just that- minor to a fault. I can remember names of certain characters, but none of them really stuck out as important, or as individuals, except for Amanda. Finch's mom was your typical, absent YA parent trope, while Violet's parents were the opposite. I actually really liked Violet's parents. Finch's father's new family was so absent that I couldn't really bring myself to form an opinion about them. Decca and Kate, while pretty minor, really got on my good side. One of my favorite parts of the book was where Finch was crafting with Decca and he was trying to teach her that there is beauty in nasty words.
     And now, things are going to get very spoilery. Trust me when I say that this is a book that you do not want spoiled for you.
     So, first, I actually never saw Finch having bipolar disorder. Looking back, it makes perfect sense, but I actually thought that he had some kind of brain trauma from being abused by his father that was making him spaz out. I thought that his brain trauma was pairing with some major depression to make him flip out. Of course, it turns out that he has bipolar disorder instead. And I knew that Violet was majorly depressed because it is stated pretty early on.
     The book was so mean in the way that things that really hopeful and happy around the middle, around the peak. I truly believed that we were gonna have a happy, hopeful ending. Then Finch disappeared, and I freaked out. As much as I hate to say this, I'm glad Finch died. Yes, I loved him, but untreated mental issues are not a joking matter, and there are repercussions from that decision. Out of all the messages that Finch sent to his friends and family, Decca's was my favorite, and that is when I started to cry. After that, I cried pretty steadily until the book ended.
     I hate to be that person, but the book got a little too drawn out near the end. I got a little bored with the ending a few pages before it ended, and that is the testament of a good writer. The fact that I was about to be lost, right as it was ended.
     A little, tiny part of me wants an epilogue so that we can check in on Violet a few years down the road. But mostly, I am pretty happy.
     If you, or someone you know struggles with depression, please visit: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.com or call 800-273-TALK.




                                            

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

 Title: The Assassin's Blade

 Author: Sarah J. Maas

 Series: Throne of Glass (#0.1- #0.5)

 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children

 Date Published: March 4th, 2014

 Genre: Fantasy

 Pages: 464 (Hardcover)

 Age Range: 14+






                                                                      Summary:

      Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassin's Guild, Celaena yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.

     When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes--and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn's orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn's clutches--and if they fail, they'll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives . . .

                                                                     Review:

     So, Sarah J. Maas strikes again. She writes yet another stellar book about Celaena Sardothien and her constant troubles. This "book" is actually a bind- up, a compilation of five short stories- each of them following Celaena as she attempts to repent for a crime that she committed against Arobynn, King of the Assassins. In the first story, she commits her crime, and later she repents. These stories were very intense, and I can't believe some of the things that happened.
      First, we get to see a lot more of Celaena's true self. We truly get to see some new things that we have never learned about her before, and a lot more of her personality. Celaena's personality in the original series makes a lot more sense, and I really do like her. In these stories, we get to meet A LOT more new characters. Most of these characters are only in this story- at  least that I've seen so far- but they are really nice and involved. Honestly though, I cannot say how much I hate Arobynn. There is not a painful enough way for him to die.
     I totally loved what happened in every single story. The only story that I didn't love was the last one because it was so intense, and because my baby... well, bad things happened to him. There wasn't a story that didn't have me on the edge of my seat, dying.
     Of course, after I read the last story, I texted Ashley in a pool of tears. She was really confused, but after I filled her in, she was still confused. But! She did give me half-hearted pats on the back from two hundred miles away, and she did let me whine.
      I cannot wait to read Queen of Shadows, and I am dying to have it in my hands.

                                      

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

 Title: My Life Next Door

 Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

 Publisher: Speak

 Date Published: June 13, 2013

 Genre: Contemporary, Romance

 Pages: 4382 (Paperback)

 Age Range: 15+ (language)








                                                                    Summary:

     The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

                                                                     Review:

     If you need a cute, light, quick read, this is your book. Although it is rather thick for a summer contemporary, it flies by very quickly. There is a whole slew of characters in this book, and I believe that there is a little bit someone for everyone. I read this book last year after all of the hype was running high, and I really hated it. I put it on my bookshelf and ignored it all year, but last week, I picked it up again to give it another try.
     I had forgotten some of the major points about this book. I had forgotten what a genuinely good person Jase was, and how much I loved him. I had also forgotten what a good job Huntley Fitzpatrick does in developing all of her characters- not just the main ones. For example, Joel plays a pretty minor role in this book, but I knew enough about him, his actions, and his reactions, to develop a connection with him. Samantha is a pretty average female lead, but I still found myself relating to her more than I do with other average leads. As much as I tried not to, I really liked Tim, and I hope that he gets his happily ever after in another book.
    The whole thing between Clay and Grace was weird, and kinda uncomfortable. Not in a bad way, more in a way that kept me reading. I never liked, or trusted, Clay and I was happy when the ending of his chapter came around. I was terrified for the last chapters after the incident, and was so worried that Samantha would wuss out. When she didn't, it really proved how much she'd grown throughout this book.
      I loved this book, and will definitely read more by Huntley Fitzpatrick. Also, the cover is really adorable.



                                   

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

 Title: P.S. I Still Love You

 Author: Jenny Han

 Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2

 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

 Date Published: May 26, 2015

 Genre: Romance, Contemporary

 Pages: 352 (Hardcover)

 Age Range: 13+





                                                                     Summary:

     Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

     She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

     When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

                                                                        Review:

     Oh, my goodness. Lara Jean is finally back. THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. EVEN THE BLURB CONTAINS SPOILERS.
     So, I really missed Lara Jean and her cutesy little romance. The first book really left off on a brutal cliff hanger, and I waited with baited breath for this book. I was a little worried about how things in this book would work- things were pretty crummy with Peter, and I wasn't ready to throw another love interest in the mix. Then, I met John Ambrose McClaren. John Ambrose was super amazing. While Peter is my favorite, John was pretty close. In the end, I would have been okay with Lara choosing either boy.
     In this book, Lara Jean has so many new issues with Genevieve. I wanted nothing more than for Lara to slap Gen. And Peter, UGH. I understand why Peter couldn't tell Lara Jean about Gen's issues, but I also got increasingly frustrated with both of them. Couldn't Lara trust him? And couldn't Peter feed her at least a little bit of info? This book solidified my hatred of Gen.
      We met a whole slew of new characters, all of them incredibly minor. As much as I liked the characters, I really wished that we could meet some of them more. Maybe they can have their own duologies? I also really loved the Assassins game and plan to play with some good friends soon.
     I did love the moments between Lara and John, and Lara and Peter, but they were fewer than the first book. This book was much more drama-filled. I loved this sequel, and I can't wait for Jenny Han to write something new. More contemporaries, please??

                                    

The Darkest Light by Ashley Earley

  Title: The Darkest Light

  Author: Ashley Earley

  Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

  Date Published: May 24, 2015

  Genre: YA fiction, Paranormal, Drama, Fantasy

  Pages: 458 (paperback)

  Age Range: 13+







                                                 Summary:

     After discovering a secret her parents have kept from her all her life, Alyssa’s life begins to unravel, and she’s thrown into a magical world she never knew existed—one that’s both frightening and intriguing to her. While trying to discover who she really is, and who her father was, she begins to see the darkness this unknown land holds, and fears becoming part of that darkness. Torn between this new world, and the human world, Alyssa must make the ultimate decision between the possibility of losing herself forever to become part of it, or stay behind and let the world of Föld perish. As if her life wasn't complicated enough, she’s falling for two guys—that live in totally different worlds. Wesley and Archer couldn't be more different, but they both have her captivated. A battle is coming. Will Alyssa be forced to fight against the people she loves?


                                                   Review:

     Um, first off, just look at that cover. It's one of those books that you want to own just so that you can have it sitting on your bookshelf. It's that gorgeous. Anywho, I got the immense privilege of reading this book before it even had a cover. Yes, I read this book as an email attachment on my computer because Ashley was freaking out about finishing it and wanted my opinion. As her fellow book nerd, I read the book, and was completely blown away. I was blown away for a few reasons, so let's break them down.
     Alyssa was such a relatable character. Yeah, there's the whole paranormal situation that no one can really relate to, but she's also your average, run-of-the-mill girl next door. She's been through some really tough times, and she's struggling, but that makes her feel even more real. If Alyssa was a great character, the people in Föld were even better. Kay and Archer were, by far, the best paranormal characters that I have read about in awhile- especially Kay. I totally ship Archer and Alyssa (my personal ship- it's not a spoiler).
     The world-building was spot-on! I loved the sound and feel of Föld, I would love to visit there, and stay awhile. I feel like everything was explained well, and fully. The real world and the paranormal scene melded together seamlessly. Honestly everything just felt right, and that was a huge contributing factor to this book.
     Am I going to buy this book? Yes. Would I read a sequel to this book? YES (hint hint, Ashley) ;) I'm so proud of Ashley for writing, and publishing, such an amazing book, and I'm glad that everyone gets to enjoy it as much as I did!