Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Opposition

Series: Lux #5

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Entangled Teen Publishing

Date Published: August 5, 2014

Genre: YA fiction, sci-fi, supernatural, action

Pages: 306 (ebook - not the Special Collectors Edition)

Age Range: 13+



Summary


Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came. She can’t believe Daemon stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.


 Review


I think this cover is the least cheesy out of the series! My favorite cover is still from the first one (Obsidian) but this one is nice too. 

So many things happened in the last 50 pages of this book and it was...intense. Like, wow. Was not expecting some of them to happen and others were just flat out shocking and horrible. But, before I talk about the ending, let me start with the beginning and middle. There will be spoilers here and there.

We see a lot more Archer in this book and it's awesome! I love him as a character and I wish there was more of him! I want more Archer! He's a very reserved character that has a fantastic sense of humor. He shows up in the first few pages and pokes fun at Katy. He really strengthens as a character in this book and even ends up with one of the most important characters in the book!

Speaking of Archer ending up with one of the most important characters... Even though I knew Dee would be back to her normal-self before the book was over, I was really nervous about her. I was worried everything that happened would affect her badly. I think having a connection with Archer kept her grounded.

Again, I really liked being able to read from not only Katy's perspective but also Daemon's. It gave us a lot of insight for what was going on and to get an understanding for what both of them were feeling and thinking throughout the book.

Okay! So the ending.

I feel like we should have gotten more closure with Nancy. Her death was too said-and-done. I wanted more. After everything she did, I wanted more of a show-down or more of an actual death-scene.

DAEMON WAS SHOT! HE WAS SHOT AND KATY AND DAEMON AREN'T CONNECTED. KATY WOULD HAVE GONE ON IF HE HAD DIED AND THAT'S TERRIBLE!

I wasn't too worried but I was not expecting Daemon to get hurt. He doesn't really get hurt in the series so it was rather shocking when that happened. I was pretty sure he wouldn't die but I was worried that there would be some sort of harmful outcome other than death. 

What happened to Katy's mom was something I was not expecting. I really thought that she was okay. I thought there would be some sort of huge reunion, but as soon as everyone got out of the car and they sensed that there was a Luxen near by, I immediately knew that something was up. Although, I was not expecting what was actually waiting for Katy...

The ending to this series was nice! I was happy that Beth and Dawson finally got their "happy ending"--that they could relax and finally be together without struggle. I loved Katy's reference to Twilight. She was holding Dawson and Beth's little girl and said that she was tempted to call her Nessie. Aaaaahh! This series has been a lot like Twilight (in a good way. I felt that a lot of things were better) but to have Katy actually mention something from Twilight saga's Breaking Dawn was funny!

Very nice ending...BUT I WISH THERE WERE MORE!!

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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!

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Uninvited and Unleashed by Sophie Jordan

 Title: Uninvited

 Author: Sophie Jordan

 Series: Uninvited Series #1

 Publisher: HarperTeen

 Date Published: January 28, 2014

 Genre: Dystopian, Romance

 Pages: 384 (Hardcover)

 Age Range: 14+






                                                                    Summary:

     Davy had everything—a terrific boyfriend, the homecoming crown, a bright future at Julliard—but when her genetic tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, she loses it all. Uninvited from her prestigious school, avoided by her friends and family, she is placed in a special class with other "carriers" who are treated like the murderers they someday might become.

     Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life and tells her that she alone controls her actions—not the code embedded into her DNA. But even if she can learn to trust him, can Davy trust herself?

                                                                      Review:

     Sophie Jordan is coming to my town, so I just had to read a book by her before I get a book signed. I had some pretty average expectations for this book. I was expecting a pretty interesting plot, some meh characters, and a killer cliffhanger that would make me want to kill someone to have the next book. I waltzed into this story only having read the flap, and that is the best way to go into this book- knowing nothing. Now is where I say that this book went beyond what I had imagined. It was surprisingly good, and it left me thinking. That being said, the book fell flat at the same time.

     One way that the book fell short in my opinion was that things moved very erratically. At first things start chugging along, and then things slow down drastically before they pick up again. Besides the erratic pace, I didn't like some of the characters. Tori felt like a completely random, unnecessary character just used as a plot device. Zac, I just despised- I never really liked him; his affection always seemed stilted. I disliked the ending of this book too. This book did NOT need to be a duology! This book could have easily been a slightly longer standalone. In fact, I would've liked the book better if everything had been resolved in this installment.

     Besides those rather small issues, I really did like this book. I LOVED Sean. Oh my, goodness gracious. Yes, he was cliche, and yes, there was instalove. HOWEVER, he was so sweet, and a bad-boy which I love. I also really liked Davy herself. She wasn't anything super special, but she fit perfectly into the story. I REALLY, REALLY wanted to read more about Mitchell. He was so funny, sarcastic, and I really wanted to wanted to see some more depth on his part. Honestly, I just wanted a lot more of Mitchell. I enjoyed meeting Sabine and Gil, but I hoped that they would get together.
     The near-ending was... interesting. For awhile, it looked like we would have a promising, open-ended ending. Instead, we had... the ending that we did. I really was praying that this book would end in one book, but of course it couldn't! Goodness gracious.





Title: Unleashed

Author: Sophie Jordan

Series: Uninvited Series #2

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date Published: February 24, 2015

Genre: Dystopian

Pages: 368 (Hardcover)

Age Range: 14+




                                                                       Summary:

     Davy has spent the last few months trying to come to terms with the fact that she tested positive for the kill gene HTS (also known as Homicidal Tendency Syndrome). She swore she would not let it change her, and that her DNA did not define her . . . but then she killed a man.

     Now on the run, Davy must decide whether she'll be ruled by the kill gene, or if she'll follow her heart and fight for her right to live free. But with her own potential for violence laying right beneath the surface, Davy doesn't even know if she can trust herself.

                                                                         Review:

     Honestly, this book was not necessary. At all. Now that I have read it, I can definitely say that this book adds very little to the story. I am very upset that this book is so bad, especially since I loved the first one so much.

     This book totally ruined what we built in the first one. Whatever we built with Sean became a problem after it wasn't a problem in the first book. And then, Sophie Jordan cruelly throws this new guy in here.. that I also love. WHY YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?! This book is both more boring, and more action-y than the first one. At times, I wanted to blow something up to make something- anything- happen. And other times, I was panting.

     Davy didn't change very much in this installment. She became a bit tougher, and she became more brutal, but- if anything- she made some steps backwards. We meet some new characters, and not a whole lot of them stick out to me. I did love Junie, even what ended up happening to her. Besides her, the only other character that I can really remember is Tabatha. And I felt very... meh towards her. Then, my favorite character is Caden. He was wonderful, and I was severely torn about this whole Sean vs. Caden thing.

     The plot thing with Sabine and Sean was... wow. Just wow. I was really angry because we never got to see what ended up playing out with Sean and Sabine and Gil while Davy was gone. The letter that Gil sent Davy at the end had me tearing up a little because, letters man. They always kill me.

     Overall, I would give this series four stars. The first book was so much better than the second, but they were both pretty decent.

                                       

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??

                                    

Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

 Title: Ashes to Ashes

 Series: Burn for Burn Trilogy #3

 Author(s): Siobhan Vivian, Jenny Han

 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

 Date Published: September 16, 2014

 Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal

 Pages: 401 (hardcover)

 Age Range: 14+




          Summary:

     They only meant to right the wrongs. It was about getting even. Burn for burn.
     But the fire they lit kept raging…Reeve ended up hurt, then Rennie ended up dead.
     Everything will turn to ash if they don’t stop what they started. But now that Mary knows the truth about what happened to her, will she want to?
     Secrets drew Lillia, Kat, and Mary together. The truth might tear them apart.

                                                      Review:

     Oh, my literal gosh. Ashes to Ashes is like that third book in a series that you just have to read, but you kinda wish you could rewrite. It's slightly angering, more than slightly intense, and a little perfect. Honestly, I'm not sure how to rate this book- I almost wished that I hadn't read it. I want to give it all the stars, but I also want to take away a few stars because of... issues. This review is going to be spoilery because I can't talk about this book without being spoilery. I just can't...
     Mary became so evil and awful in this book.I knew that something was totally wrong with her, but I never guessed ghost. When I read Mary's chapter and found out that she's been a ghost the whole time, I lost my mind. And that was the beginning! It really set the mood for the rest of the book. I really hated Mary in this book. She became so evil and vengeful over something that she did entirely to herself. I liked Lillia even more through this book, but she made a few stupid decisions. That being said, I felt bad for Lillia too. Kat... was Kat? She didn't undergo much of a change throughout this trilogy and I didn't get to see her shaken up that much except when she gave up Oberlin. Reeve- oh, Reeve- I kinda love him now. He's changed so much throughout this trilogy, and he's not the person that I though the was at first. Alex also didn't go through much change, but I still really like him.
     The plot in this book is slower than in the others, but there's also so much more that happens. When Lillia gave up Reeve, and Kat gave up Oberlin to kill Mary, I was rocking back and forth like a crazy person- I was so upset. And when Lillia broke the seal with Reeve that had been placed on Mary, I was screaming at Lillia for being such a fool. One of my favorite parts of the book was when Reeve was shoving Kat and Lillia out of the room so he could deal with Mary. I almost cried when Reeve cut himself, and I thought that he was dead. My favorite part of the book is when Mary realized that she had done everything to herself. I really liked how the authors dealt with Mary's problems and suicide.
     The epilogue... I don't even know. I really started shipping Reeve and Lillia and then Lillia never hears from Reeve again?! What is up with that? And Kat settling for a different school? And Alex and Lillia are together? I'm glad there was an epilogue because I hate open-ended books, but I'm not sure if I liked the epilogue. It was so...final. And so final in things that I'm not sure if I like.
     I'm so glad I read this series, and Fire With Fire is my favorite book out of the three. Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian truly have some talent- especially together.


                                         

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess

Series: The Infernal Devices #3

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Date Published: March 19, 2013

Genre: YA fiction, romance, thriller, action, historical, paranormal, fantasy

Pages: 592 (hardback)

Age Range: 13+


Summary

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Review


This is probably my favorite cover out of the trilogy! Probably my favorite book out of the trilogy as well. The writing, as always, was amazing. Cassandra Clare never fails to write beautifully. She writes such amazing books with wonderful, spunky, witty, etc. characters that have your eyes glued to the page.

Cecily is a great character. I love her spunk and sassy attitude. She isn't any less stubborn than Will either. I loved how Cassandra put her with Gabriel! It was just so ironic that Gabriel would fall for her after he's despised Will for years. Gabriel could hardly believe it himself.

Speaking of Will (hehe), most of his walls have come down. He's more open and honest, except about his feelings for Tessa. Though, he tries to contain his love for her for the sake of his parabatai, he can't hold back. Now that he's let the walls down, he can't put them back up. He can hardly keep his emotions to himself.

Sofie and Gideon....They're so perfect! I was cracking up when Gideon accidentally told the entire household that he intended to marry her! Then, when the two of them were left alone and he tried to, kind of, take it back, Sofie wasn't having any of it.

When Jem got sick again, I was like: "No...No, no this isn't happening! Jem CAN'T DIE!" If he actually had died...I don't know if I would've been able to handle it...I was freaking out that he was dying from book one; it was love at first page.  

 I was so relieved when I found out that he was going to live. I can't even tell you lol. I was freaking out for a few chapters there because I was like, "This is it....I need to prepare myself....He might die.....BUT PLEASE DON'T!!"

 I couldn't even wait to read about what happened in the book. I was just reading along when suddenly Will was like, "Jem was dead." I didn't even wait. I put the book down and I went on Shadowhunters' Wiki to find out right then if it was true.

Me when I found out Jem became a Silent Brother: "WHAT IS THIS MADNESS! I thought this wasn't possible!"

3 seconds later: *SCREAMS* "OH MY GOD HE LIIIIIIIIVES!!!"

Jem is my favorite character, probably ever. Now that he's a Silent Brother, he's different; his personality and looks have changed, though he hasn't yet gone through the process of fully becoming a Silent Brother. I love the thin, fair, silvery-haired boy. Though, Brother Zachariah is my favorite Silent Brother out of both The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments series.
But I am very glad/relieved that he's alive, regardless.

The three main characters have this unbelievably strong bond that doesn't even waver when Jem becomes a Silent Brother. Jem's love for Tessa and Will is what keeps him compassionate for so many years, until he finally becomes human again in The City of Heavenly Fire.

When Jem came back to tell Will and Tessa good-bye....It was too much. I was crying, and I've only cried while reading 3 other books (if i stay, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, and The City of Heavenly Fire). I was upset that Jem didn't tell Tessa that he loved her, but I understand why he didn't since he couldn't do anything about it, or express it. 

I think the Magister's death was too quick. I mean, it was cool how it happened! But I felt like after reading three big books, he should have gone out with a bang, or somethin' lol.

The ending was really, really sweet. The wheel came full circle, guys! I was very happy with the ending. The ending was also sad because the Epilogue is set in 2008 and Tessa starts thinking about how Will died and how she couldn't stand by and watch her children die....it was so sad. But then Jem showed up and everything was okay.

Ashley's Favorite Books of 2014

Here are my favorite reads of the year!!


1. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. I didn't even have to think about my #1 book of the year. There was no question that this was my favorite book I've read this year! Cassandra Clare's characters and writing always gets my blood boiling. This book kept me on the edge of my seat! There were so many twists and turns. I was so sad when it ended. I really love this series, and it's characters, and I was sad to see it come to an end.

2. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare. This book was awesome! I was flying through the pages of this book, waiting to see when Jace would slip from Sebastian's clutches. This book was filled with twists and turns too! I can't read any of these books without holding my breath--The Mortal Instruments is just that good. Read it!

3. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. This book was excellent! There were a lot of things I didn't see coming (and it's hard to surprise me). The ending made me so depressed and itching for more!! It was a genius cliff-hanger. I couldn't believe what Ruby did. I was legit angry with a fictional character lol. I can't wait to read its sequel to find out what happens!

4. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I've heard about this book for a while before finally picking it up. I don't regret it--which it why I made it #4! I'm not big on aliens or sci-fi but I really enjoyed this book. It was just so much fun to read! :) Definitely pick it up!

5. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. This book was good, but it was probably my least favorite in the series. It kind of disappointed me because Mara wasn't the same (though it was understandable, considering the circumstances). It was good though; very gothic and gripping and intense!

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth. This was a great thriller with tough, fun characters! People have been saying that it's like The Hunger Games, but I don't see how. It's totally different, or it was in this first book at least. I will definitely be reading Insurgent before the movie comes out in March!

7. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. This is one of my favorite authors! The writing was great and the story was very original. It was a fun read, filled with love and family. I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel!

8. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. The story was very good; very realistic, and very intense. I loved the game Sky and Dean played whenever they ate. It was fun and I want to play it! Sky's past is heartbreaking and a reality for a lot of women; my heart went out to her. It was scary how realistic it was. That's what made it so good.

9. First Love by James Patterson. This book was sweet and sad. Their love and friendship was beautiful. I only wish it could've lasted longer. Though this book seemed like a The Fault in Our Stars ripoff, it was still good! The adventures these two characters had before tragedy struck was fun and filled with butterflies.

What was your favorite book of the year? Comment below!

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Series: Mara Dyer Trilogy #3

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Date Published: November 4, 2014

Genre: YA fiction, thriller, romance, action

Pages: 470 (hardback)

Age Range: 14+



Summary

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived

Review

After waiting two years, it's finally arrived. The final installment of the Mara Dyer Trilogy is here! 

Being the book-geek that I am, I went to Barnes & Noble the day it came out to get my signed copy, and have been reading it since.

Hodkin turned up the violence in this final book, displaying Mara as this killing machine without regret or remorse. Mara isn't the same person when she wakes up--which I kind of struggled with because the reason why I loved the series so much had a lot to do with Mara's personality and how she saw the world. But she wasn't the same; the writing was different because she saw things differently, therefore I found it easy to put the book down.

But that didn't last. It takes Mara awhile for her personality returns, but it does, though, not without a painful consequence. Though she does manage to shake out of her dazed, ruthlous murder state, she isn't completely the same. Though I can't imagine who would be after seeing the things, or doing the things that she has.

I was disappointed by the lack of Noah Shaw in this book, but when he did arrive he sure was worth the wait. Like seriously, I went from sad to horrified, then I was blushing and overwhelmed by Noah's speech to Mara...*gleeful sigh* It was just too sweet and swoon-worthy. Noah is definitely a character I will miss reading about.

All the characters were great really (what I really mean is, the good-guy characters were great). Stella was just a throw-in character to me. She didn't really grip me, or hold my attention, so it made no difference to me when she left. I really believe that she was just written in so there was another survivor from Horizons.

Now Jamie on the other hand...Jamie is one of my favorite characters in the book. He was like the glue of the entire operation. He was witty, funny, sarcastic; pretty much the clown of the group. I enjoyed his presence in the book. He was a good addition to the series. Without him, it would have been too dark, hopeless and heartbreaking. He was also a factor that kept Mara (relatively) sane. He made her feel more in-touch with her mortal self.

Overall, I thought the writing was great. Everything was spaced out and thought through on Hodkin's part. I also liked how the writing transitioned even though it was kind of dull for me in the beginning. I thought the ending was genius. I loved all the (good-guy) characters. (The bad-guys got what they deserved). And I like how uncertain the future is for Noah and Mara.

You will love him to ruins.

For those of you that ask: "What was Mara's real name?" we aren't supposed to know. That was the whole point of the ending! Read the first page from the first book, then go back and read the ending of the last book. Michelle planned the trilogy's end. We aren't supposed to know Mara's real name, and we're never going to. And I am okay with that because I understand why she didn't tell us. I get the ending and I thought it was genius. Hodkin planned this series really well and I admire her for it.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Title: Ruby Red (original title: Rubinrot) (written in Germany)

Series: Ruby Red Trilogy (or Gem Trilogy) #1--#3

Author: Kerstin Gier

Publisher: Arena Verlag (German), Henry Holt and Co. (English)

Genre: YA fiction, fantasy, romance, supernatural

Age Range: 14+


Summary

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon—the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Review

I read these three books in a week. I couldn't put them down. The flap was interesting without giving much of the story away, the covers were absolutely beautiful, and the writing was easy to read.

I loved Gideon DeVilliers. First of all, his name is French and it sounds so amazing. Secondly, he was one of those sarcastic bad boys that you're supposed to hate. Over all three books he becomes more real and more human. He starts of being a huge jerk to Gwyneth, and that really makes you want to hate him, but hen he starts acting really nice to her at sometimes. He becomes sort of bipolar--kissing her one minute and then hating her then next. By the middle of Emerald Green though, you fell free to love him entirely, and he stops being a jerk, revealing himself to muscly sweetheart.

Gwyneth got on my nerves. Her prose was incredibly girly and more importantly, teenage girly. Hormones shone brightly in her prose, but most of the time, she was straight-forward. She was a normal girl and I loved that about her. She had regrets, dreams, hopes, she made mistakes, and she was very human. I don't like how quickly she fell for Gideon though. Sure, he was an incredibly attractive guy, but he was jerk to her, and she fell in love with him in the time span of about two days. She was just rather naïve.

Leslie was Gwyneth's best friend, and I loved her. She embodied everything that a best friend should be, and executed it all to perfection. Raphael, Gideon's brother, also was pretty perfect. He was sweet, and slight puppy dog-ish falling for Leslie and trying to impress her without being obvious. I loved the sub-plot romance of these two and let me just say, I ship it.

Count Saint-German was a creepy villain. He was aloof, elusive, tricky, cold, and just evil. He was rather scary. I loved the plot line behind him and who he really was. I never guessed who he really was and when I found out I was incredibly surprised. He was a perfect villain, however, I do wish that we had learned more about him and his story.

Each book takes the time span of about three days. In normal books a year can pass, but in these books, realistic time passed making it only a couple of days, I really liked that. If the book shad taken place over a longer time span, I think that we might have been able to answer some unanswered questions however.

The ending was very satisfactory. It was answered mostly all of the questions that we had and left very few loose ends. I feel like Emerald Green, the final book, could've been longer though, to help us tie it all in. However, it answered everything for the most part, and still left a little for our imagination.