Happy Monday!

Hi guys! Another week has flown by. I feel like 2015 is going by so quickly!! I had a pretty decent reading week, plus got some new books yesterday. AND Six of Crows comes out in two days! *runs around screaming*

Read Last Week
Down to You by M. Leighton
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Currently Reading
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

To Read
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I'm gonna wait for Winter to come out before I progress with the Scarlet and Cress. I want everything fresh in my mind!

Happy readings :)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2012
Pages: 387
Song I Played While Reading: New Americana by Halsey
Rating: 4 stars

   Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time...
   Humans and androids crowd the races streets of New Beijing. A deadly plagues ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl...
   Sixteen-year-old Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past and is reviled by her stepmother. But when her life because intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself in the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her worlds future. Because there is something unusual about Cinder, something that other's would kill for.

I've finally done it. I'VE READ CINDER. You know that hyped series that everyone seems to have read except for you, the one that's been on your TBR pile for months and months AND MONTHS? This was The Lunar Chronicles for me. And god damn it, I've finally done it. It's incredibly satisfying.
This was such a fun ride! Everything about this story, from the characters, the plot, the world, and writing, was fantastic. I don't really know what I was expecting, but the direction this story went, with the lunar people and Kai and the person he was trying to find, was just not what I was thinking would happen.
Anywho, I really enjoyed the batch of characters we got. Cinder was super cool, someone I would definitely want on my side, not only because she's a mechanic (I'm absolutely hopeless with that sort of stuff) but she was caring, selfless, and able to kick some major booty. Kai was a sweetheart and I loved their scenes together, though I cringed a little at his, and everyone else's, reaction to cyborgs. I don't understand why they found it so repulsing, or even odd to begin with. It's not like these people asked to be in car accidents or to have been hurt in some way. Just because they had a metal limb didn't make them any different, or less human. It was an odd prejudice.
My favorite character honestly had to be Dr. Erland. I don't know why but I just thought he was the sweetest old man, and as we got to learn more and more about him my heart was threatening to split in half. And just knowing he's short makes me want to crush him to my chest and make sure nothing happens to him. STAY AWAY FROM HIM, MEYER.
Levana was absolutely insane, and I really wanna order Fairest. You get evil people who kill millions, but this psycho had half her family killed, or mauled in some way, so that she'd stay on the throne and be the best looking one on it. And her veil? *shudders* I understand the cover now.
The ending, hollllllyyyy GUAC was it intense. It was, again, unexpected, and my heart was pounding from the tension. I honestly didn't know what to expect, and that's the best feeling when reading something. Though I was able to guess the twist from page one, which was why I docked a star.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The world is fantastic and I can't wait to see how Meyer continues on with this story.

Quotes
"He pointed to the holographs pelvis. "Your reproductive system is almost untouched. You know, lots of female cyborg are left infertile because of the invasive producers, but from the looks of it, I don't suspect you will have any problems."
Cinder sat on one of the exam tables, chin settled atop both palms. "Lucky me."
The doctor wagged a finger at her. "You should be grateful both surgeons took such care."
"I'm sure I'll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on."

""I don't know. I don't actually remember anything from before the surgery."
His eyebrows rose, his blue eyes sucking in all the light of the room. "The cybernetic operation?"
"No, the sex change."
The doctor's smile faltered.
"I'm joking."

Mini Reviews: The Girl on the Train & Where They Found Her

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

TGotT book was not at all what I was expecting. Firstly, I expected Rachel (the girl on the train) to be, well, a girl. I was picturing a young 20-something, not an older woman. She had a lot of personal issues, so we hear about all of those in this story, and it got pretty boring/annoying at times.
We also get two other POV's, and they each had their own set of problems as well. Overall, this book was more a complicated life drama than a mystery. I did enjoy the way Hawkins connected everything, and definitely did not see the twist at the end, though it wasn't a huge shock. I'd rate this 3 out of 5 stars!

Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight 

WTFH started out slow, but quickly picked up speed as we started hearing about the murder. This was another multiple POV story, something I love, and I REALLY liked the way McCreight spun it. Everyone and everything was connected in some way, and it was a little mind boggling.
One POV really ticked me off, but in a way where it boosted my enjoyment of the story because I knew I was invested in it. I really liked the personal aspect to the story, unlike The Girl on the Train, simply because it was engaging and really added to the plot. The small clues really held my attention.
I didn't see the ending coming at all. My boss and I were so shocked that we were just staring at each other, mouths hung open. McCreight weaved the ending beautifully and really blew my expectations out of the water. I'd rate this 4 out of 5 stars!





I listened to these with my boss at work, hence the audiobooks and the odd background in my pictures :)

Mini book haul!

Hello bookworms!! I had heard (and seen) on Instagram that Six of Crows had been released early at certain Barnes & Noble, so of course I sprinted there right after work, but was let down when I didn't see it. So I bought three other books instead. It was kind of a win-win situation, wasn't it? Even if I didn't get Six of Crows, I'd get at least one (or three, oops!) other books.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

The Demon King by Cindy Williams Chima

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I've heard fantastic things about these books, so I can't wait to dive into them! Happy readings :)

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: Balzar + Bray
Publication Date: January 28th, 2014
Pages: 342
Song I Played While Reading: Gasoline by Halsey
Rating: 3.5 stars

Since birth, Nyx has been betroth to the evil ruler of her kingdom- all because of a reckless bargain her father stuck. And since then, she has been training to kill him.
Betrayed by her family yet bound to obey, Nyx rails against her fat. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, she abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, disarm him, and break the nine-hundred-year old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is to what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle- a shifting maze of magical rooms- enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way toffee her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. But even if she can bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him?

This book made me realize something.
I'm doomed.
I don't know why it's taken me this long to realize it, but my heart has no bounds. Even if he's the nastiest guy on Earth, and has killed hundreds of people and kicks puppies and does god knows what else, if I see even the smallest sliver of kindness, or even the hope that I can help him realize his mistakes, I'll take it. I'll snatch that little piece of hope and I'll cuddle it and make it laugh and make it grow and grow. Maybe I'm only saying this because I don't feel the hatred that most characters do towards "the evil lord". I've never been in a similar situation, where I'm forced to be with someone that I dislike 24/7, or have heard awful things about so I judge him immensely. But I always seem to see the good in people, so maybe that's why I always pity the evil prick. Pity and end up loving them with a fiery passion.
Ignifex was no different. The second he was in pain, getting the taste of his own medicine, I wanted it to stop. "He doesn't deserve that kind of pain, who cares what he's done, don't treat him like this! Make him see that there's good people in the world!!" It's a problem, I know, but luckily, it hasn't bitten me in the ass yet. *knocks on wood*
Nyx and Ignifex were an absolute riot together. 50% of the time she was threatening/trying to kill him, and the other 50% of the time was spent her mouthing off to him, and him back. They would just be going about there day, maybe eating breakfast, and he would walk over to her and she would jump up and try to stab him with a fork. He would just laugh it off and say how it turned him on that she was ruthless in her quest, and she would snap some witty retort at him and flounce off, already planning her next move. And the best part was that it was absolutely random, so I would be caught off guard and almost start crying from laughing so hard.

"I'm the evil demon lord. I know it's not a compliment, but I do like a wife with a little malice in her heart." He poked my forehead. "If you don't sit up soon, I'll use you for a pillow again."

See? How can someone not love that??
Not only was she witty and courages, but Nyx was dark. She hated the world and hated her family and she hated the position she was in. She was brutally honest and had no repents on who she was; she accepted it, and acknowledged that at least when she died, she'd be taking Ignifex down with her, ensuring her town would be safe. I love that kind of vicious acceptance, where the character has gotten shit on by the world, so they shit on it right back. It's breath of fresh air from the usual YA character who strives to be good all the time, who is fearful and embarrassed by her dark side.
The world was based on a complicated mix of mythology and elemental magic, something that you really needed to focus on to understand. Though I got greatly confused at the end (the reason why I docked it down to 3.5 instead of 4 stars) I gotta give credit to Hodge; she's got an imagination I would kill for.
Her writing was beautiful and flowed incredibly, making this story a dark and twisted take on Beauty and the Beast. 

Quotes
"With a sigh, Aunt Telomache unfolded my fist and plucked out the crumbled Tom-a-Lone.
"Still they cling to their superstitions," she muttered, and flung it into the fireplace. "You would think Romana-Graecia conquered them last week, and not twelve hundred years ago."
And from the way Aunt Telomache talked, you would think she was descended in a straight line from Prince Claudius, when in fact she and Mother came from a family that was only three generations removed from being peasants. But there was no use pointing that out to her."

"Astraia didn't follow me, which was lucky. If I'd seen her face again, I would have shattered. Instead, I floated numbly down the stairs. I knew that soon I would realize what I had done, that the acid of my self-loathing would eat through my walls and burn me down to the bone. But for now, I was wrapped in cotton wool, and when I reached the bottom of the stairs I stepped out onto the floor and curtsied without even trembling."

"He advanced on me like a cat stalking a bird. "You want me to worry more about my own demise?"
I took another step back and smacked into one of the pillars. With nowhere to run- and knowing that running wouldn't save me- all I could do was stare him down.
"Oh no,  I could possible bother you. Do go ahead and rest in comfortable ignorance."
"The better to kill me in my sleep?
"It would be rude to wake you first."

"And I was his delight and he was mine."

"You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could." I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. "I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me." I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.
He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. "That's what makes you my favorite." He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you."

Underhyped Recommendation: The Dark Divine trilogy

The Dark Divine trilogy by Bree Despain 

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.
The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.
The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

Before we get started, let's appreciate these covers. Just... yes. This is how it's done. I'm a wee bit miffed at the font change in the last one, but at least the girl in the dress is the same. SERIOUSLY WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE FONT?? EVER HEARD OF FUNG SHUI? MY SHELVES ARE CRYING. 

Now, onto the story! I loooooved these books. Not only for their gorgeous covers, but for their content. Grace Divine (I literally wanted to name my child that) was the perfect role model for any girl dealing with her type of paranormal situation. She was kind and studious and thoughtful and just an all-around great girl. I remember at one point being so inspired by her ability to still be able to do homework and study, though her entire life was turning upside down. But that doesn't mean she's a boring character! She's got a feisty side to her, one that is fiercely protective of her family and friends. 

Honestly, this whole series was incredibly fun, but dark enough where it didn't feel like total fluff. Daniel was smokin' (as they always are), and the plot, though running along the same lines as most paranormal novels, was fresh and original in it's content as we progressed in the books. I loved everyone's character development, and thought the ending was super satisfying. It's rare for me to feel that way, since there's always something stopping me from fully liking it, even if it is the tiniest issue, so I can stamp the approval for a solid ending on this one. 

Steamy romance, engaging plot, vivid characters, and GORGEOUS covers make this trilogy the perfect package! 

(Pictures from Goodreads)

Down to You by M. Leighton

Down to You by M. Leighton
Publisher: Berkley Books
Publication Date: September 21st, 2012
Pages: 275
Song I Played While Reading: Gecko (Overdrive) by Oliver Heldens
Rating: 2.5 stars

   When college student Olivia Townsend returned home to help her father run his business, she never imagined a complication like Cash and Nash Davenport- twin brothers different in so many ways but with one thing in common: an uncontrollable desire for Olivia.
   Cash is dangerous, sexy, and bad to the bone- a man whose kisses make Olivia forget she is playing with fire. Nash is successful, reliable and intensely passionate- and already taken. But all it takes is one soft stroke to make Olivia forget he belongs to someone else.
   However, Olivia is in for a surprise. These boys have a secret hat should make her run way as far and as fast she can. If only it wasn't too late. A sensual game between three players has begun, and it's about to spin deliciously out of control. 

Sue me, but I'm a sucker for a love triangle. People are so "Oh my god, ANOTHER love triangle??" and I'm over in the corner squealing with joy. There's nothing that makes me laugh harder, or swoon faster, then two guys fighting over a girl.
Obviously, if it's done in a crappy/corny way, I won't like it. But I hate when people initially judge a book because it features a love triangle.
But a love triangle between brothers?? Oh man. Talk about tension. 
But that's where this book severely lacked. There were lots of issues I had with this book, which can mostly be summed up with me saying that there was something missing, something emotionally, so I wasn't able to connect with the characters. I wasn't overly crazy for any of the sex scenes, nor did I laugh a lot at the banter. It was all so... mundane.
BUT. Even with that all said, I could not get this story out of my head. I had to run some errands today, and the entire time I was thinking of Olivia, Cash, and Nash. It's like my brain was trying to dredge up some emotion in me, making the book seem better than it actually was, so I was more excited to read it than to actually be reading it. Does that make sense?
I also kind of had a guess as to what the secret was, so it wasn't that big of a shocker to me. I could see where Leighton tried to make it as shocking as possible, but honestly, even if I hadn't had an inkling as to what it was, that shit is completely unrealistic. I know this is fiction, BUT STILL. There's things that can happen in a fiction novel that can realistically occur in real life, and then there is stuff like this that just can't. Nope. Sorry.

Quotes
"I want to paper-cut her. On every square inch of her body. And then roll her in saltwater."

""So this has nothing to do with a guy?"
I pause.
"Aha! I knew it! Penis problems."
"Well, it seems that the cause of some of my problems happen to have a penis. Well, two actually."
"Oh, sweet Mary! You're dating a guy with two dicks?"
"Ginger, no! It's about two different guys."
"Oh," she said, obviously disappointed. "Damn. That woulda been kinda cool."
"How so?"
"I don't know. One for each hole?"
"You're sick, you know that?"
"Yeah, pretty much."

Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover / Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge / Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren / An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir / Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher / Rook by Sharon Cameron / Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers / Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman / Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I only have 4 out of the 10 books here (I preordered Six of Crows), so I guess that means I have to buy the rest of these? DARN, IF YOU INSIST. 

What books are on your fall TBR? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hi guys! I can't believe September is almost over. I'm visiting some friends in SoCal the first week of October, and it's not really hitting me that it's a little under two weeks away. I have to write a paper for class before I go, plus I'm trying to cram in as many books as I can because I won't be reading anything down there. I might get an audiobook to listen to in the car, but I don't want to use my data for that long. *sigh* THE STRUGGLES OF A BOOKWORM. Do you guys use Audible? Do you enjoy it? I'm open to really anything, and if it doesn't use my data after I download it, that would be AMAZING.
Anyways, let's get onto the post!

Read Last Week
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

Currently Reading
The Vacationers by Emma Straub

To Read
Down to You by M. Leighton

I think I'm gonna put The Vacationers down. It's quite the odd book, not only because it's insanely boring and stuffy and some of the characters in it are SO snotty, but because it has all these rave reviews from People and The New York Times and Publishers Weekly, but then on Goodreads it has a 3.13 rating, and it seems like the people don't like it. I can see why, and am mildly amused at the contrast of feelings between the people and these high-up magazines/ newspapers. But overall, the story is super dry and isn't pulling me in, so I'm gonna put it down and pick up this juicy NA, Down to You. A love triangle with two brothers? YES PLEASE.

Happy readings :)

The Badlands Book Tag

This was created by Charnell from Reviews from a Bookworm :)

Hi guys! An email popped in from a subscription I have to one of my favorite bloggers (Faiths Bookspiration, check her out!) yesterday, and I almost squealed when I read the headline. Halsey has become one of my all time favorite singers, and Badlines is incredible. It's rare for me to like every song on an album, so I of course had to go out and buy the actual CD. Her lyrics are raw and gritty and so incredibly real and relatable that it's creepy. Some of my favorites are Coming Down, Gasoline, Castle, Young God, and Colors, but seriously ALL her songs are amazing. Those just happen to be the ones I have memorized. 

I'm seeing her in concert in December and I'm SOOOOO excited!! She's opening for The Weeknd (another incredible singer/rapper who you should listen to ASAP) and I snagged some tickets for my friend and I to go for her birthday. EEEEEP!

1. Castle

"Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise"

Choose a book that has hype surrounding it that you wish you didn't have to hear about.

I dont understand WHAT people see in this. This whole series has gotten such rave reviews and I was so damn excited to start it. But once I did I felt like chucking it at the wall because angst. overload. This sort of unstable relationship is one I try to stay away from, and I wish I had known it had been like this before I wasted my time reading it. And then I tortured myself by reading (well, skimming, really) Walking Disaster and WHAT WAS I THINKING? 

"I'm headed straight for the castle.

They wanna make me their queen"

Choose a 2016 release that you think will be "the next big thing"

This was SO difficult. There are so many new and amazing-sounding books coming out in 2016, and I was literally breaking a sweat trying to figure out which one to use. I decided to do Heartless by Marissa Meyer, which is the story of The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, but before she was queen and instead engaged to The King of Hearts. The hype surrounding her Lunar Chronicles series is insane (it's on my TBR, DONT JUDGE) so I figured Meyer is gonna wipe the floor with our feelings on this one, too. 

2. Hold Me Down

"Throw me in the deep end, watch me drown."

What's a book that made you drown in the feels?

I wasn't expecting the feels that came with this book. And by feels I mean the breakdown I had. It came out of left field, smashing into me and ripping my heart to shreds. What happened wasn't even that sad, but it was so shocking and sudden that my heart just cracked in half and I was a goner. These two ladies have incredible writing, CURSE YOU FOR MAKING ME CRY.

3. New Americana

"But he could never love somebody's daughter"

Choose a favorite LGBT character.

I couldn't not choose my cinnamon roll. Ronan Lynch is my child and I will protect him at all costs. He deserve the kiss he so desperately wants from you-know-who, plus more. C'MON STIEFVATER.

"We know very well who we are,

so we hold it down when summer starts."

Choose a character who is deceptive about their identity. 

I mean really. Is this not the biggest deception in YA history? I was in a daze for days after this, totally mind blown. 

4. Drive

"All we do is think about the feelings that we hide."

Choose a character that tries to push away their feelings in an attempt to protect themselves or others.

WILL HERONDALE IS MY FUCKIN CINNAMON APPLE. Seriously this poor, beautiful soul pushes everyone away so they won't get hurt. It was so sad. 

STILL NOT OVER THE EPILOGUE, BYE.

"... would it really kill you if we kissed."

Choose a fictional character that you would kiss if they showed up at your doorstep.

My boyfriend Chaolrowandaemonnikolairhysandtamlinwillliamthedarklingwarnerganseyevan :))))) 

5. Hurricane

"And there's a storm you're starting now."

Choose a book/series that grabbed you from the get-go

Even though the world was a little hard to digest in the beginning, I was insanely curious about Karou. The blue hair, scars, tattoo's, drawings... I was hooked from page one. There's nothing I love more than a mysterious and cunning heroine. 

"Don't belong to no city, don't belong to no man."

Choose one of your favorite strong female leads.

Please don't make me pick.
PLEASE.


















6. Roman Holiday

"We'll be lacing the same shoes we've worn through."

Choose a concept that has been used many times (good or bad).

I'm gonna go with a personal favorite: supernatural powers. Bring on the crazy X-Men-like shit. BRING IT.
(My favorites are Red Queen, The Lux series, The Darkest Minds trilogy, The Grisha trilogy, Shatter Me trilogy, and so on. LOVE ME SOME COOL POWERS.)

"Keep close, stand tall."

Choose a fandom you will always stand by despite the hate.

CHAOLAENA/ ROWAELIN FOR LIFE. Don't ask me how I ship her with both of them but I do. And now that Throne of Glass has been optioned for TV (!!!!!!), there's probably going to be lots of hate. BUT I'LL ALWAYS STAND BY MY LEADING LADY, SARAH J. MAAS.

7. Ghost

"I'm searching for something that I can't reach."

Choose a book/series that missed the mark for you.

Nope. When I finished The Winners Curse I actually thought I had read a different book than everybody else. It's so boring. 

8. Colors

"You ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece."

Choose a book/series that ripped your heart into a million pieces but you still love it because it's a literal masterpiece.

I DONT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. PLEASE DONT MAKE ME. *starts sobbing* 

IT.

WAS.

SO.

GOOD.

9. Strange Love

"That's the beauty of a secret,

you know you're supposed to keep it."

A book/series that you got spoiled for.

I bet if you look at the reviews for Allegiant on Goodreads it'll still be there, glaringly obvious. Some idiot posted a review on there, which consisted of a simple question. A question that pertained to why Roth did what she did at the end. It took a full minute for it to sink in, and then I was in denial until I actually read it. 

10. Coming Down

"I'm such a fool to pay this price." 

Choose a book that you bought but as soon as you started reading it you regretted the purchase. 

I swear I contemplated dropping this book on my face and suffocating myself. I have no idea what the hell people see in this story, but it was absolutely awful. I pushed 150 pages before I had to quit. I just as easily could've bought Anna and the French Kiss instead. WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY. 

11. Haunting

"... I've been cold since the day you left."

Choose a book/series that made you numb when you read it.

I felt so many emotions and cried so hard while reading this that my brain just exploded by the time I finished it. I was done. I laid on the couch and snuggled with QoS for about an hour, staring at the wall. Then I went to bed and still had a puffy face the next day. 

12. Gasoline

"... saying that you shouldn't waste your pretty face like me."

Choose a book that has a gorgeous cover but you disliked the actual content. 

For reals this cover is stunning. But the story.. not so much. It was a little boring, and then outright shocking with the twist. But as the story settled, I got annoyed. I didn't like the way Oliver had wrapped everything up and felt like she had just gotten lazy and scrambled to find something that made some sense. Maybe if I hadn't read a book that had a smiler ending before this than I probably would've been kneeling at her feet in amazement. But I did, so it felt like a copy cat. 

13. Control

"And all the kids cried out,

"Please stop, you're scaring me.""

Choose a book that scared you. (Or if you're a wimp and don't read scary books like your's truly, then choose a book that creeped you out)

This book creeped me the frick out. And confused me a little. And made me scream internally because Noah Fucking Shaw. But mostly it scared the living poo outta me. 

14. Young God

"And I've been sitting at the bottom of the swimming pool for a while now."

Choose a book/series that you think needs more recognition. 

International escapade? Check.

Hot guys? Check.

A secret society that has a hand in every single thing that occurs in the world? Check.

Writing that makes you feel like you're actually there in the scenes with the characters? Check.

WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?

Here, I'll do all the work for you. BUY IT.

15. Walk The Line

"You've got a way to keep me on your side."

An author that keeps you coming back for more. 

Cassandra Clare and Sarah J. Maas<33

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Publication Date: December 11th, 2012
Pages: 243
Song I Played While Reading: Black Magic by   Little Mix
Rating: 4 stars

Love is; heart-wrenching, tongue-tying, butterfly-inducing. 
But most of all, love is awkward.

Amelia should know. 
From the moment she sets eyes on Chris, she is a goner. Lost. Sunk. Head over heels infatuated with him. It's problematic, since Christ, 21, is a sophistic university student, while Amelia, 15, is 15.
Amelia isn't stupid. She knows it's not gonna happen. So she plays it cool around Chris- at least, as cool as she can. Working checkout together at the local supermarket, they strike up a friendship: swapping life stories; bantering about everything from classic books to B movies; and cataloging the many injustices of growing up. Their conversation crackles with wit and repressed longing, and as time goes on, Amelia's crush doesn't seem so one-sided anymore. But if Chris likes her back, what then? Can two people in such different places in life really be together? 

This. Was. SO. Cute. Cute and fluffy and quirky and hilarious. This was exactly what I needed to get over my Queen of Shadows hangover.
They're so many reasons why you should read this book, but first I must admit, it's one of those books that you'll either love or hate. Now, with that out of the way, let's get into the good stuff!
Amelia. She was a fucking riot. I was wary about reading from the pov of a 15 year old, but damn, I wish I had been this selectively spunky when I was that age. She's normally pretty quite and goes with the flow, putting in her two cents only if she feels strongly enough or because she enjoys talking to whoever she's talking too. This girl was a feminist, and it was hilarious. Her and Chris could talk for hours about the injustices of the world, especially about how cleaning commercials always featured a woman. It actually gave me pause because, holy shit. I never noticed this. I mean I did, but I never even thought to think about it. But Amelia did and charged into the rant, and it opened my eyes and made me realize that, hell yeah they should feature men in those commercials. Why the hell not? Not all woman clean the kitchen. Men do too sometimes, so why not feature them in there as well?
And then Chris would get into how he hated being jealous of other people who had more than him, solely because there were people out there with absolutely nothing.
Example: "I try not to envy him. It's disgusting to waste time envying those things when whole families, whole tribes, get slaughtered by the thousands in Africa, when leaky boatloads of refugees drown or starve by the hundreds in the open sea, and the children of those that do make it here have to grow up behind razor wire, watching their parents slide into insanity. When houses, families, towns get washed away in a day. I disgust myself when I covet things from Ro's life. But then, we humans have always coveted each other's oxen, haven't we?" 
It get's pretty deep at times, though at one point I thought Buzo was overdoing it a little because I was getting extremely bored with the history lesson we were getting. But that was only one time, and the rest of them are honest-to-god learning experiences. I didn't expect that in here!
Chris is insanely quirky, which was why I liked him. This book was split between their pov's, her's in present day, while his are from his diary. He had his own thing going on, not caring what other people thought of him, and was pretty damn intelligent, which was evident in the discussions him and Amelia had. It was sweet.
I was a little disappointed with the climax and the way Buzo steered the plot from there. She was revving us up for this huge thing and it happened and it just was... blah. Everything from that point on was, making it feel a little flat. But since I enjoyed 70% of the book, I decided to keep the four stars instead of making it 3.5
Overall, this was a really fun and light read. Go into it expecting to float on clouds of adolescent cuteness, with some lessons in history and english dabbled here and there.

Quotes
""I," he said, "am Chris, your friendly staff trainer. You'll be with me for three four-hour shifts. I will call you Grasshopper and you will call me Sensei, and I will share with you what I know. Right?"
"Okay." I smiled. It was hard not to.
"Now," he said, fumbling in his pants pocket. "Where's your...? Got it." He pulled out a name badge that said Trainee. "This baby is yours for three days, and after that, if you play your cards right, you'll get your very own to love and cherish for all your days.
He approached me and fastened it to my shirt. I wasn't sure where to look.
"Just so you know, I'm open to all kinds of bribery."
"Good to know."

(The rest of these are from his diary entires, which were HILARIOUS)

"For the benefit of the new notebook, Kathy is at present- once again- the focus of my Search for the Perfect Woman. She seems to look hotter every day, and while she pretty much ignores me at uni, I do seem to be able engage her at odd moments when we are at work. She's dropped down to two shifts per week, though, so that's a bit crappy. The upshot is that I pretty much don't have a change with her. And, you know, thank God, because if I did, I'd have to give up my life style of soul-wrenching loneliness and sexual frustration. I'm too good at it to quit now. I could brood for Australia."

"The Kathy virus has been in and out of remission for, let's see, three years now. I might make an executive decisions sometime this year to actually hit on her proper and see what happens. Kathy reserves the right to shoot me down in a ball of flames at all times. At least I'll go to my grave knowing I did not go quietly into that good night."

"There was a fire in the Wonder Bread factory last night. Thousands have been left breadless. Foul play is suspected."

""Actually, yeah. I just started seeing this guy from uni. James Lyon. Do you know him?"
James Lyon, James Lyon. Yes, vaguely. He's one of her library-lawn gang. I've met him at the uni bar a few times. He's in his last year studying commerce. Already has a paid internship at a big accounting firm. Very, very tall and alpha-race looking. He could well be the one! Good luck to 'em. Of course, what I really mean is fuck them both. But I finally feel I am "on the level" with Kathy- with who she is and what she wants. And where a guy like me fits into her worldview, which is nowhere. I could have provided strawberries, poetry, and orgasms, but James, on the other hand, will provide a house in Vaucluse and a six-figure salary.
I can see clearly now. Amelia would be proud."

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: September 1st 2015
Pages: 645
Song I Played While Reading: Left Behinds by Hardwell
Rating: 4 stars

   The Queen has returned

   Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire- for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...
   She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.
   She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return. 

Where the hell do I even begin with this?
Honestly, WHERE?
Since this is the fourth book in this series, I'm not going to write anything non-spoiler-y except for this: This is series absolutely incredible. If you haven't picked up ToG yet, please do yourself the favor and do it. If you aren't the biggest fan of ToG (I wasn't completely enthralled by it, either), then at least push through to Crown of Midnight. This is my ALL TIME favorite series. Ever.
And if you have read Queen of Shadows... LET'S GET INTO THIS.

SPOILER-Y SECTION

I seem legitimately incapable of writing a mature review for any of these books. I'M SORRY. I TRIED MY BEST TO MAKE IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. But alas, my emotions got the best of me and they all came tumbling out.

I'm gonna try and go chronically here, since if I don't, I'll forget things. And that'll make me a very sad person.
SO. We open with our beloved Aelin (pronounced Ay-lin), already shit-deep into her plans, and about to meet Arobynn. Now, I was confused when I read in a review that Aelin was different than Celaena.  "How can the same person be different if all she does is change her name? She was fine at the end of Heir of Fire." Which was also why I could never wrap my head around the face that "Celaena would always pick Chaol, but Aelin wouldn't." Like??? They're THE same person. Just because she accepted the fact that she's the Queen of Terrasen and wants to revive her kingdom doesn't mean she can't still be in love with Chaol. They have the same heart, the same feelings. Just the responsibilities have shifted.
So, wasn't it a shock to me when I finished reading the first page and could already tell a difference between Aelin and Celaena. And I mean a MAJOR difference. It was unsettling; everything leading up to her rescuing Aedion was a blur to me. My mind kept going, "Who is this girl? What the fuck is happening? SOS SOS SOS." I still can't fully wrap my head around it. And that was probably the most disappointing thing about this book, so much so that I cried. I got used to it as the book progressed, and by the end of course fell in love with Aelin, but still. It feels like theres something lodged in my throat whenever I try explaining it. And then my feelings were even MORE in at tiffy when she became Celaena again to go see Arobynn's dead body. Thats when I knew it was legit because I was literally giddy off that chapter. It's probably one of my favorite moments in the story.
Now let's get to the good stuff; the ships. This was the first red flag I saw when fucking Bloomsbury sent out finished copies before the release date. (IF THE AUTHOR DOESNT WANT/SAYS THEY'RE NO ARC'S BEING SENT OUT, WHY THE FLYING FUCK WOULD YOU SEND OUT FINISHED COPIES BEFORE THE RELEASE DATE????) And no surprise here, I was spoiled about Aelin being with Rowan. The fury I felt at reading that.. oh man. First of all, a big middle finger to the person that posted the spoiler-y review on Tumblr. What the hell is wrong with you? Second, BLOOMSBURY, C'MON. *smacks my palm against my forehead* GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.
And it's not that I didn't like Rowan; I LOVE him. L-O-V-E. He was the greatest thing that has ever happened to Aelin, and Heir of Fire was a god damn masterpiece. (Don't even GET me started on all the Rowan haters saying he's abusive.) But... Chaol. That's all I kept thinking, wanting to sob for my poor baby. Chaol is one of the most self-less characters I've ever read about. He risked his life to send Celaena away to Wendlyn, even though he loved her with his entire being and wasn't sure if he would ever see her again. Not only that, he also made a bargain to leave the castle, leave his best friend, and go live with his emotionally abusive father, just so she could safely leave. It absolutely blows my mind that people forgot about this part simply because he had issues accepting that she was fae and had magic. I was livid, and I gotta admit, some of that was directed towards Maas. She worked so hard to make Chaol this amazing character and had Chaolaena depicted as this HUGE thing.
"The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realised she was home."
"It somehow felt as if it had always been Chaol, even from the very beginning, even before they'd ever met." How could she just dump him like that? HOW? He was literally getting shit on from every direction and it was so unfair.
But, I don't know if this was Maas's plan all along (since it sure as hell didn't seem like it), the second I read from Chaol's pov, I knew he had changed, too. And as I read and read, my heart broke. I love Sarah J. Maas, I really do, but I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive her for how she depicted him in this book. Maybe I'm being supremely biased and totally unfair, but god damn it, it hurt. He was angry and mean and judgmental and blamed Aelin for things that were so stupid. And vice versa, Aelin blamed him for things that were completely out of his control. These are two very mature adults, who have both gone through some major shit. So why the hell were they acting like two children? They had one common goal; save Dorian. It frustrated me to no end that they would tip-toe around the subject, never fully admitting it, and instead just keep heaping blame after blame upon one another. JUST TALK IT OUT.
Okay, I'M DONE. I'M SORRY. I JUST AM VERY PROTECTIVE OF CHAOL, OKAY?
Onto the two other males! (I swear this won't be as long, STAY WITH ME.)
I wasn't Aedions biggest fan in Heir of Fire, simply because I knew he kept a front up. He had to be the macho and dangerous Wolf of the North. Well, once we hit Queen of Shadows and Aelin rescued him (A+++++++ for that scene), he became one of my favorite characters. Not only because we got to see his softer side and the love he had for Aelin, but he literally turned into a puppy. A big, fluffy, golden retriever puppy. Maybe it's because he was joking around a lot and we actually got to see him, not just the Wolf of the North. But seriously he's one of my children now, SO DONT FUCKING TOUCH HIM, SARAH.
Now, Rowan. My boo. Like I said, the second him and Celaena turned their hate-filled gazes onto each other, I knew this would be the greatest duo in YA history. I called it from the very beginning. And since Aelin and Chaol definitely aren't working out anymore, Rowan is the next best thing, and my god, the gasp that came out of my mouth when Aedion smelled pine in the street was literally ground breaking. I've never in my life gasped that loud before from a book. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY APPROVE OF ROWLIN.
I also wholeheartedly approve of Lysandra. I was extremely wary to see how this would work out, since I read The Assassins Blade and knew their scary history. But, sweet baby Jesus, she broke me when she burst forth as a ghost leopard and defended Aedion and Rowan. Like, sobs. I love her. So, so, SO much, way more than Nehemia. I wasn't at all thrilled with the Eyllwe princess, so I FULLY approve of this new friendship.
One of my dreams was to see Manon and Aelin fight and GOOD LORD, IT WAS SO GOOD. I SENSE A BLOOMING FRENEMY-SHIP HERE AND I'M SO HAPPY IT OCCURRED. That scene was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. You know she's gonna team up with Aelin against the Valg bastards. YOU KNOW. And seriously, I would've been gung-ho for Kaltain to be in there, too. She was incredible and also made me cry with her little finale show. HONESTLY, ALL THE WOMAN IN HERE ARE SO BADASS AND COOL AND BEAUTIFUL. #GIRLPOWER
And finally, we have Elide and Nesryn. You know Aelin is gonna get weak-kneed when she figures out who Elide is. And then probably want to rip Vernon apart. Nesryn, too, was a cool character, but both these ladies definitely took a backseat in this book. Nonetheless! I'm still excited to see how they develop. *grumbles about Chaolryn* I GUESS I'M OKAY WITH IT.
I need to end this review ASAP. If anyone is still with me here, bless your sweet heart. All the action scenes were absolutely incredible and vivid and SO GLORIOUS. Arobynn and the King are dead. I didn't think it would happen in one book, yet Maas manage to do it beautifully and not make it feel rushed. That's apparently something people are complaining about? I thought the pacing of this book was perfect!
Once I hit page 635, I was done. I started sobbing. Seeing Aelin, Dorian, and Chaol in her room again ripped my heart to shreds. Absolutely tore it apart. I felt nostalgic for those good ol' days, before everything went to shit in a hand basket. I've never experienced nostalgia in a book before and SERIOUSLY I DONT WANT IT TO EVER HAPPEN AGAIN. I was mess. I ran into the living room and cried in moms lap, then laid down with QoS wrapped in my arms and stared at the wall for at least an hour. I was zombie. And then I went to bed because I was so done with life. I still am. Bless you, Sarah J. Maas. Even though I gave you hate earlier, I wouldn't change anything for the world. This story has taken root in my heart and I know for a fact that it'll never go away.

Quotes
"Manon dug her legs into Abraxos's scarred, leathery hide, and his Spidersilk-reinforced wings glittered like gold in the light of the fires far below. "Fly, Abraxos," she breathed.
Abraxos sucked in a great breath, tucked his wings in tight, and fell off the side of the post.
He liked to do that- just tumble off as thought he'd been struck dead.
Her wyvern, it seemed, had a wicked sense of humor."

"Aelin said hoarsely, "I'm in."
Lysandra heaved a sigh. "Oh, thank the gods. Now I can talk to someone about clothes without being asked how so-and-so would approve of it, or gobble down a box of chocolates without someone telling me I'd better watch my figure- tell me you like chocolates. You do, right? I remember stealing a box from your room once when you were out killing someone. They were delicious."
Aelin waved a hand toward the boxes of goodies on the table. "You brought chocolates- as far as I'm concerned, you're my new favorite person."

"The woman closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, steel gleamed there. "When you shatter the chains of this world and forge the next, remember that art is as vital as food to a kingdom. Without it, a kingdom is nothing, and will be forgotten by time. I have amassed enough money in my miserable life to not need anymore- so you will understand me clearly when I say that wherever you set your throne, no matter how long it takes, I will come to you, and I will bring music and dancing."

"I'm beginning to admire Lysandra more and more. Seventeen-year-old Aelin must have been a delight to deal with.
She fought the twitching in her lips. I would pay good money to see seventeen-year-old Aelin meet seventeen-year-old Rowan.
His green eyes glittered. Aroybnn was still talking. Seventeen-year-old Rowan wouldn't have known what to do with you. He could barely speak to females outside his family.
Liar-I dont believe that for a second.
It's true. You would've scandalized him with your nightclothes- even with that dress you have on.
She sucked on her teeth. He probably would have been even more scandalized to learn I'm not wearing any undergarments beneath this dress.
The table rattled as Rowan's knee banged into it."


"She looked at them, at the three males who meant everything- more than everything.
Then she smiled with every last shred of courage, of desperation, of hope for the glimmer of that glorious future. "Let's go rattle the stars."

Top Ten Favorite Male Characters

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

1. Nikolai Lantsov

My sweet, sweet little Nikolai *crushes Ruin & Rising to my chest* momma's here for you!! I feel like that's weird to say because yes, I want to cradle him in my arms for all the crap Bardugo put him through, but then I also want to rip all his clothes off. *shrugs* 

2. Rowan Whitethorn

I'm 60% done with QoS and just hit uh, a certain scene with Rowan and uh, another person and let's just  sAY I SHIP IT. HARD. I've always shipped these two since the first time they locked their hate-filled gazes on each other. Plus they're are almost as hilarious as Kenji and Juliette.

3. Kenji Kishimoto 

I have a weakness for egotistical assholes that can make me laugh. As you might notice, 90% of this list is going to be filled with them. I LOVE A GUY THAT CAN MAKE ME LAUGH. And Kenji is probably 50% of the reason why I love Ignite Me so much. *squishes that to my chest too*

4. Ronan Lynch

I dont even know where to begin with this guy. Rude, morbid, blunt, incredibly attractive, doesn't give a shit about anything, sarcastic... YET, he's my beautiful cinnamon roll too good for this world, too pure. I'll protect him at all costs. NO ONE IS HURTING MY CHILD. And this time, I actually mean my child. No ripping off his clothes here because this is strictly paternal love. 

Gansey, on the other hand.... :))))))))

5. Richard Campbell Gansey III

Gansey is the complete opposite of Ronan; polite, intelligent (in his own way, I'm not saying my cinnamon roll isn't intelligent!!), generous, caring, masculine, focused... Gansey is just good. He's pure at heart, through and through, and god damn if that isn't a rarity these days in books. 

6. Aedion Ashryver

I wasn't the biggest fan of this guy in Heir of Fire, which is extremely weird since he's the embodiment of my type; tall and ripped, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and the ability to sweet talk a girl in 5 seconds flat. But I knew that was the front he put up, so I wasn't really able to emotionally connect to him. But now that I've read most of Queen of Shadows... this guy is literally a puppy. A fluffy, sweet, dangerous, gold retriever puppy. My paternal instincts are kicking in again. #KEEPAEDIONSAFE2K15

7. Adrian Ivashkov

Do I even need to explain this one? The shit that comes out of his mouth is enough to make me cry with laughter. SYDRIAN FOR LIFE. 

8. Will Herondale

*pauses for a moment of silence* 

*STARTS SOBBING*

9. The Darkling

Just... it's the Darkling. My favorite villain. He was awful and evil and corrupt and vicious and atrocious, but... You could see, in his own weird way, that he truly believed he was bettering the world. And I can't fault him for trying. He was so complex and had so many layers to him that we never fully saw his true self. It's a little sad but also crazy interesting. Plus, good gravy, have you read the description of his face?? *drools*

10. Chaol Westfall (QoS spoilers! I think. I don't know, BUT LOOK AWAY)

OKAY. So as some of you may or not may know, I'm a die hard Chaolaena shipper.  Chaol was my number man, my top fictional boyfriend, my top fictional man in general. So why was he not first on my list today? Hmm? My answer is I DONT FUCKING KNOW. Queen of Shadows is fucking with my head and my feelings and honestly, I don't know if this is a spoiler or not, BUT HE'S NOT THE SAME. HE'S NOT THE SAME CHAOL FROM HEIR OF FIRE. I won't go into detail (that'll be saved for my long and emotionally charged review of QoS), but he's changed. And I'm not 100% sure I like the new him. But, since I loved him before QoS, I wanted to add him to my list, even if I am confused as hell. 

There's probably so many more that I'm forgetting but these were the ones I could think of while looking at my bookshelves. As you probably noticed, this list is a combination of my favorite male characters, some of who are my fictional boyfriends, and some who are purely platonic. THEY ALL DESERVE GOOD THINGS TO HAPPEN TO THEM. *squishes all the books to my chest and whispers everything will be okay even though it never is*

Who're some of your favorite male characters? Link your TTT down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hi! How are you guys? I'm so happy it's a new week. I had a crazy two weeks at work, plus there was  this festival I went too with my friend over the weekend, and my sleeping schedule got hugely messed up. I went from going to bed at 9:30 to midnight, ouch. So I'm soaking up these three days off I have from work, with no goals except to finish Queen of Shadows. I'm weirdly... mute about it. I thought for sure I would burst into tears the second I started reading it, but it's like my emotions got vacuumed into a small corner of my heart and I'm all cold and clinical. Don't get my wrong, I LOVE it, absolutely, but some of the characters are just a little different from HoF and it's not sitting right with me.

ANYWAYS, that doesn't matter because I'm only a 100 pages into it and who knows what crazy shit happens. ON TO THE BLOG POST.

Read Last Week

Loosing Lila by Sarah Alderson

Currently Reading
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

To Read
I had planned on reading something, but I want to fish a book out of my TBR jar since I haven't done that in a while. So it's a mystery!

Happy readings :)