Oh Book Sanity

Series: Throne of Glass #1

Publication:  August 7th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Children's

Goodreads Synopsis

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Review

5 out of 5 stars

If you have not read this book yet, what are you doing with your life?

I am so enthralled with this book; it was freaking fantastic. I loved every page because it is the kind wherein you find yourself just devouring everything that is happening in it. This is such an easy way to start a series that is fantasy. The amount of it being a fantasy book and the modern world feel to it was perfectly blended in a way that you don't get to be in a situation wherein you are struggling through the details of this fictional world and the people in it or being too overwhelmed with the world itself. I love how this book was presented in a way that there were multiple character point of views in a chapter. There are some books wherein that kind of POV didn't work out well for me, but here it was perfectly done.

It was action-packed with such an awesome kickass protagonist, Celaena. I really love reading books about badass female protagonists. I loved her character so much; she was so strong and smart at the same time. She knows her dispositions in life and doesn't let anything get in the way of what she really wants. Her character as an assassin at 18 was just admirable! I mean I'm already 19 and I don't think I can do even a quarter of what she's done or if I could even handle every struggle she had in life.

There was also romance in the book but it was not the main focus; it kinda took the backseat actually. For me, it actually reduced the darkness of the book which was a good thing. The guys Dorian and Chaol were also very enjoyable. Dorian with his slutty and fun personality really made me feel giddy and laugh at some point and Chaol with his "I'm Captain of the Guard, nobody mess with me" kind of personality was a pretty fun read too. I loved their relationship with Celaena and how it added color to the story.

Ooooh! Also, the tasks given to them throughout the competition, you know the "hunger games" kind of games, wherein they fight to be the King's Champion was so freaking awesome that I just want to punch the air every second.

I loved how compelling this book was. Everything in it just drew me in right from the start. The entire premise of the story was really interesting and amazing. Aaw it just so good that I do not know how to explain the amount of awesomeness that is in it but you just gotta read it and experience it yourself. The ending was just perfect as well and really made me want to jump right into Crown of Midnight.

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Publication: May 6th 2014 by Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Synopsis

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.

But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just… disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try… unless they could lead back to her best friend.

Apple Picking at Night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a Stranger? Wait… what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um…

Review

5 out of 5 stars!

I am in love with this book and at this point, I vow to read every Morgan Matson book ever published. She has this way of writing something that is about adventure, friendship, and romance. She makes such a cute story without it being too cheesy or very unrealistic.

I loved how the plot focused on completing a list and was super pumped to see how Emily would do them knowing that she never had the confidence to do any of it. I also loved the idea of the exchanging of playlists found in this book; I think it added more color to their adventure.

I can really relate to Emily’s personality. She’s very shy, socially awkward and was overshadowed by her best friend’s fame. Like her, I used to be referred to as *insert best friend’s name here*’s friend. I was laughing most of the time with the way she reacted to different situations around her because I know that it was exactly the way I would act if I were in her position.

It was really fun to watch her grow out of her comfort zone and be her individual self. She put herself out there so much throughout the book and I felt so proud of her.

This definitely was not about Sloane and Emily’s friendship but rather it was about Emily’s self-discovery. It was really a fun journey to see her doing all of these crazy and fun things, and also about the new people she befriended along the way.

I loved everything about this book! The first two chapters were a bit slow-paced but damn, power through it and you’d find yourself not wanting to ever put this book down. Highly recommend it. It’s the perfect summer read (even though I read it sometime this January).

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Trilogy: The Darkest Minds #1

Publication:  December 18th 2012 by Disney Hyperion

Goodreads Synopsis

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

Review

3.8 out of 5 stars!

This book was good. I enjoyed it but did not love it that much. But hey, it’s the first installment! This book was slow-paced for me but I pushed myself to finish it and I’m glad I did. I didn’t enjoy it that much until I was more than halfway, where all my emotions were beginning to heighten in a good way.

It gets better; you just have to push through it.

The characters were amazing! I loved how they met and how they developed their friendship and built trust towards each other.

Ruby, the narrator, was okay-ish. I was sort of annoyed with her about sharing her supposedly “dangerous ability”, when she would not tell her friends about it because they might get super scared of her. I think she exaggerated a bit about that. I didn’t like her that much but really enjoyed her relationship with other characters; Liam, Chubs, and Suzuma. I think she has potential and hopefully she’ll develop throughout the series.

But damn that ending. I can’t. My heart. My poor, fragile heart. Just there, on the floor, divided into pieces. I still get a little tear on my eye just thinking about it.

I have the second book and I cannot wait to see what happens next, but I need an hour or a day to stabilize myself before I begin reading that.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Publication: May 4th 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Synopsis

Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

Review

4.5 out of 5 stars!

I guess I started my 2015 right.

This book was pure perfection! Throughout the book, I felt like I was really having the time of my life travelling to different places in America. It made me want to go out and see the world. The little scrapbook added to the book was my favorite thing to look at; I think it was a really cute touch to the story and added more life to their trip.

The characters, Amy and Roger, were easy to love. They had some issues of their own and it was so great to see them gradually get out of it and see them develop throughout the book. It was very exciting to see their relationship build up from kinda strangers to friends to something more than that in just a matter of a couple days.

The only problem I had was things were becoming better for Amy and then before I knew it, I was on the last page. Why did it end that way? NO! JUST NO! I wanted it to be longer. I DEMAND FOR A SEQUEL! *hi, Ms. Matson :’) *

This book made me feel good. It was just great; the kind that you would never expect to fall in love with. Just the book I would recommend to anyone.

Now I really want to go on a road trip with a cute boy and get stuck in the middle of nowhere so we’d be on a trip forever.

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Series: The Heroes of Olympus #1

Publication:  October 12th 2010 by Hyperion Books for Children

Goodreads Synopsis

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

Review

4 out of 5 stars 

This book is a very awesome introduction to the entire series. It gave us a view of the Roman side of mythology. We were introduced to Roman gods that we’ve (or maybe just I) never heard of. I personally liked how it gave us 3 different POVs, it did not entirely focus on the perspective of Jason (who I think is the most main out of the main characters), and it shows how equally important the three of them were and made us know their distinct personality and thoughts. Some characters from the Percy Jackson series were also involved here which made me so happy!

New demigods were introduced and the story revolved around them and their adventure/quest.

Jason is the son of Zeus. I kinda liked his character but it also made me a bit cautious around him. I did not fully trust this guy at first because he cannot remember anything yet these random facts just popped out of his mouth, I honestly thought he’s going betray them. He also kept on referring to the gods using their Roman names, and instead of Greek, and he speaks Latin. I found him really interesting and annoying at the same time. There were times wherein he would kick-ass, but most of the time I found him a bit useless, and he kept on questioning everything.

Piper is the daughter of Aphrodite. Her father is a famous actor and she doesn’t want to be known by that. Being the famous actor’s daughter also meant that the father is not there at all times, so she did things that would hopefully get her dad to  stop being so negligent.   Also, being the daughter of Aphrodite meant indescribable beauty, but she didn’t want to put too much attention towards herself that is why she preferred to wear baggy shirts and to not look very presentable, but she’s gorgeous. She can also charm speak which was very rare among the daughters of Aphrodite, and I really loved how her character developed in the book.

Leo is the son of Hephaestus and my favorite among the three. He has this rare ability which made me really happy about. He was very funny and there was never a dull moment when he was around. I really loved his character simply because aside from being funny and the rare ability, he was also the one who does everything and he was kick-ass. His story about his history with his mom really touched me, and I immediately figured out who the enemy was because of his description of it.  

The ending made me want to punch someone and I cannot wait to see how it would go. I just hope my theories about it won’t be correct because I would murder someone.

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Publication: May 13th 2014 by Delacorte Press

Goodreads Summary

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
 
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Review

Rating: 2.8 out of 5 stars

It was okay-ish. I was just a bit disappointed because the book received too much hype and it just did not reach my expectation.

It was intriguing but very predictable.

I guessed the mystery even before I was halfway through the book.

I would not say it was an awful book because it is not. I get that many people liked this one.

I think that it is just not what I have been used to reading, something that did not interest me that much and the way I knew the conclusion even before the mystery began to unravel kind of what thwarted me.

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Series: Bloodlines #4

Publication: November 19th 2013 by Razorbill

Goodreads Summary

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure — and re-education — looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

RATING

Great book! My favorite out of the series so far, well I have not read the next 2 yet. This series is getting more and more interesting and compelling and I just cannot get enough of this, especially Sydrian! I loved how Sydney and Adrian’s relationship progressed. Ah, they're perfect together. Simply perfect.


When I first opened the book and saw Adrian’s name as the header of the chapter, I was so pumped because finally, a POV from Adrian! It was told I both their point of view. I’ve always wanted to know what goes in his head and it made me understand him more. I loved his voice so much and being inside his mind was thrilling and exciting and just totally amazing.

Zoe though, so much hate for her. I’ve always despised her ever since how she reacted toward Sydney on Bloodlines. I hated her even more here. I understand where she is coming from, but damn, she is just so insecure and jealous that I just could not stand her anymore. And the part she played in the ending, *stab stab stab*.

The ending was sooo insane. I always knew it was going to come down to that but never expected it to punch me in the face this soon. I wanna know what happens so badly, it got me so worried!

I have the 5th book, but the 6th has yet to be released so I am trying so hard to not read it until then. I do not want to wait for many months before getting my hands on the sixth if I ever read the fifth now, my heart would not be able to take it so I‘m postponing it while I still can.

Review also posted in my Goodreads account

I like some challenge! 

Series: The Young Elites #1

Publication: October 7, 2014 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

REVIEW

This book is not dystopian or post-apocalyptic. It’s dark fantasy; set in a world full of magic and complex villains. It was a very interesting book and the events were unpredictable.

Adelina is definitely not a nice girl! She had this hatred within her that she held for so long since she was a little kid; coming from his father and everyone around her who sees her as an abomination. This left her with a deep-rooted darkness in her soul. She's broken, selfish and even a little wicked at times and I think she had every right to feel that way. Her family bond also played a big role in her character development.

It’s very different from the other books I’ve read. I got used to reading about the main character’s point of view being kick-ass and strong but at the same time has a pure and innocent heart within her. This one, the main character is very dark. Sure, she cares about her sister and ready to fight for what she believes in. There were instances wherein she would hurt somebody and feel remorseful about it, but then at the back of her mind, she was contented to do it.

There was a little bit of romance between Enzo and Adeline but it didn’t entirely focus on that. I especially loved the platonic relationship between Raffaele and I think it was so rare. It was told very well.

The thing I liked about this book is that NO ONE IS PURE GOOD. Everyone has their potential of being bad, even the other character who you would think at first to be innocent.

The thrill of it was a bit inconsistent for me. It would be dull and nothing would happen for a while, and then some action will, and then turns dull again, and turn exciting again. I guess I was just having this first-book-of-the-trilogy syndrome, and I am hoping for the next book to be more exciting than how I felt about this one.

But contrary to how I felt about some events, the book is still very good and interesting. The plot-line was very intriguing and the plot-twists as well.

Review also posted on my Goodreads account

Publication February 12th 2013 by Razorbill

Goodreads Summary

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets--and human lives."
In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Review

Woo. It took me quite a while to stabilize my relationship with this spin-off series. The first two books were very slow-paced.

The amount of romance in the story, the amount of action and magic just clicked together in the right way.

Sydney upped her game here. She was beginning to change her ways and it was basically like breaking out of a cult. I loved how she was willing to give up everything that she believed in if that would mean her loved-ones’ safety.

I was so proud of Adrian! I expected him to be all moody and a dick towards Sydney based on what happened at the end of The Golden Lily. He was all chill and seemed very okay with that. But he did not give up and instead he thought of another approach with her. It was obvious he wanted to do things right with Sydney unlike his past with Rose that ended with him hateful of the world and constantly moping around.

I love Sydney and Adrian’s relationship. I was literally screaming at my book every time Sydney tries to deny her feelings towards Adrian.  But still, there were a lot of instances with Sydrian that really made me all giddy and gushy. I mean, seriously this book was pretty much all of that. They were very adorable and hilarious when they are together and they really bring out the best of each other. And I loved every single second of it!  

This book was awesome. I really enjoyed it. It showed how big this whole world is and I really liking where this series is heading. The ending though was super exciting!

Review also posted on my Goodreads account.

PUBLICATION: March 18th 2014 by Atria Books

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance.

At twenty-two years old, Sydney has a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter's cheating on her--and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore, either. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one...

REVIEW

First book I’ve read from Colleen Hoover and I swear I am going to read every single one of her works from now on. This book was so good! I cannot even. It was so beautiful and perfect.

It talked about how fate is something you cannot deny. It talked about how you can’t help who you fall in love with and that sometimes people need to know how to distinguish being desperately in love with someone and wanting to be their hero.

The first sentence of the first chapter was “I just punched a girl in the face.” That sold me immediately! It was very compelling and I would've been able to finish this one immediately if it weren't for the fact that I have to do things such as my school responsibilities.

The involvement of music in this book is something I loved. I’m a sucker for guitar players, so knowing this is what the guy lead does is definitely a bonus. I think it was so beautiful to see Sydney and Ridge write wonderful music together.

I was in an emotional state throughout reading this that I just want to rip it into shreds and use the pages as a tissue. It has everything you could want to feel while reading; one moment you were so giddy and laughing and the next you just want to punch someone in the face and stare at the wall and bawl your eyes out.

This is impressive, okay. I cannot even explain how much I love this book. I am currently in a book hangover; I’ve been trying to start a new book (tried 3 books) but just couldn’t stop thinking about this and how I want to marry it.

Review also posted on my goodreads account. 

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.

But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.

Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?

REVIEW

I liked this book better than the first one. 

I loved the character development on it, especially with Sydney.  I found her smarter than she was before, she was very reasonable in thinking things through. I think because she was able to redeem herself from the Alchemists’ judgment, she was finally able to speak her mind. She seems cool and composed but behind that girl is a teenager with insecurities of her own. I really enjoyed seeing her begin to date this guy and I was laughing the entire time when things would get awkward between them.

Adrian Ivashkov. I loved him even moreeeee.  There are so many emotions behind that wit. He was so protective of Sydney and I am positive that something romantic is going to happen between them, you just wait and see.

Angeline was super funny, I enjoyed every second of craziness she did. That Lia girl was so annoying by the way, with her insisting Sydney and Jill with that modeling thing.

The ending was quite slow to tell you honestly. I found myself having to skip a few sentences because it was pretty much over by then.  The last chapter though, broke my heart but I know that’s going to change. It has to.

Publication: August 23rd 2011 by Razorbill

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

REVIEW

I liked this book but not that much, maybe it’s because it’s still the first of the series.

The story started out slowly. The sideline characters from the VA series finally got the center stage.

The new plot line was pretty incredible. We still get the Moroi, Dhampir, and Strigoi world but this one we get to experience the world of Alchemists. This opened my mind to why Sydney was uncomfortable around vampires and dhampirs, which I thought before was irritating.

Sydney was a very good protagonist. She had a very strict life and she lacks social skills. I hated her father for how he treats her. I kinda felt sad about how she could not stand up for herself some times; she just grinds her teeth and bears it because one word from Keith, an asshole by the way, she’s out of the mission and would immediately be replaced by her younger sister Zoe. What I like about her is that she seems innocent but once provoked, she’d make her revenge without you even knowing it was her doing.

New and old characters were introduced as well. There is Keith, this dick who I really dislike, Jill, who was also in VA , Queen Lissa’s illegitimate sister and is a huge part of Sydney’s mission.

Adrian is my favorite ever since the VA series! He’s an asshole and a pain in the ass but then his cuteness and funniness weighs down his bad side and I LOVE HIM! He was very charming and irresistible as he ever was.

This book is a good introduction to the series and I am definitely going to continue. I am also very excited to see how the events and the characters were going to turn out.

PUBLICATION: August 14th 2014 by Dutton

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series

REVIEW

I’ve read this book without reading the blurb because if it’s Stephanie Perkins, no doubt it’s great.

The story was just so good! It was very realistic; the story, the characters, etc. It really touched my heart.

I felt so much emotional connection with everything in this story especially with Isla, the protagonist.  Her insecurities and worry about not knowing what she wants to do with her life is something that I’ve been struggling for years now, so I get her.  I also liked how she thought of herself as a blank canvas and that is definitely the perfect description of how I feel about myself. Josh was a great character as well. We had a glimpse of him in the first book, Anna and the French Kiss, and I honestly would not have been able to remember him if he didn’t mention St. Clair as his best friend and that’s when it all clicked to me. I loved learning more about him and just like Isla, he had his own personal issues as well.

It felt very real to me especially with their relationship. They faced these issues that couples also struggle with and again, I easily connected to that. I absolutely adored seeing their growth personally and together.

I also loved how this story didn’t focus on only one setting. It took in Paris, New York, and Barcelona. Perkins had a wonderful way of describing the surroundings that made me feel as if I was with them the entire time.

Oh! I got super excited when the characters form the first two books made their appearance here. I was shedding tears of joy just seeing them all together.

I laughed in this book, I cried, it has a little bit of everything. There are issues beyond the romance that make it more realistic and touching. Knowing that this is the final installment makes me so sad. I wish there are ten more books in this series.

PUBLICATION: May 6th 2014 by HarperTeen

GOODREADS SUMMARY

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

REVIEW 

Kiera Cass does not disappoint! This book is yet another awesome and fast read. It ended the way I wanted it to which made it even more awesome. It’s as if the author read not only my mind but my heart as well. I loved and hated some characters even more.

Even though I was irritated with America most of the time, I still love how she had a strong personality and ideals and wasn't afraid to stand up for people or for what she believed in even though she made rush decisions. In this book, she was finally able to decide who to pick and was precise with her feeling toward Aspen and Maxon which made my annoyance toward her somewhat lessened.

The only problem I had with it was that the last chapters were too fast that the shocking events and happenings on some characters didn't have that much of an impact to me because I felt like it didn’t gave me the chance to let those sink in because one minute a big thing happens and not a few paragraphs, another big one would occur.

I loved every book in this trilogy! I don’t know which is my favorite out of the three, but this is now definitely included in my favorites. I cannot wait for The Heir to be released next year!

PUBLICATION: April 23rd 2013 by HarperTeen

GOODREADS SUMMARY

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

REVIEW:

I swear this book took me 2 seconds to read! I don’t know what it is with this series that I could not put it down. I love the concept and where the story seems to be heading. The plot in this one seems to advance a little from the first one. There are 5 more girls left for America to compete with, and although prince Maxon already expressed his feelings for her, the other girls are beginning to up their game.

No matter how much I adored the book, a few characters were beginning to get into my nerves. America Singer would have to be the most indecisive girl there is which was sooooo frustrating! One minute she likes Maxon and then she would come running to Aspen.  There were also times wherein I want to stab both Aspen and America for being utter idiots.

Even though the characters annoyed me, I totally loved the world building. I really want to know more about the rebels and what is going on in New Asia, I think it’s quite vague to the readers because it’s in America’s point of view and she knows very little about it as well.

I really enjoyed this book except America. I hope she’d get her shit together in the 3^rd book.