Book Review: Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3) by Beth Revis

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

My Thoughts:

It has been awhile since I read the first two books in this series so I was a little worried that I wasn't going to remember how they left off or all the characters.  As soon as I started reading, though, everything came back to me and I was instantly caught up in the story.

Shades of Earth begins with Amy and Elder and about 1500 of the people from Godspeed in the shuttle getting ready to land on Centauri-Earth.  Everyone is worried about what they will find on this new planet and if they will even be able to live there at all.  But first, Amy and Elder have to actually land the shuttle safely, which turns out to be more difficult than they thought.

After landing, all chaos ensues.  People are hurt and some are even dead, the Frozen are waking up and there are monsters outside the shuttle on a planet that no one has ever been on.  As Elder tries to maintain some control, Amy is excited to finally be able to see her parents again.  

As soon as Amy's dad and the rest of the military wake up, there is a fight for control.  The shipborns do not trust the military at all and the earthborns think the shipborns are strange and different and they don't really trust them either.  Amy's dad starts leading the people off the ship but the people soon find out that they are fighting against the unknowns of a new planet as well as monsters that they aren't able to see.  

I liked Elder a lot but sometimes he got really annoying and showed that he was really more of a child than a leader.  He demanded to be in control of his people but then he never really took any control.  Amy couldn't decide if she was going to stand behind Elder or stick with her parents.  She would think Elder was right in something but her father would disagree and instead of standing up for herself or Elder, Amy would just meekly follow her father.  I would get so frustrated with Amy and that disappointed me.

I am so glad that the people finally got off Godspeed and were on a planet with real air, sky and trees but there wasn't a lot of exploration of the planet.  The colony went from the ship, through the forest to the ruins where they stayed.  There was a lake and the compound and that was all.  I would have really liked to have seen more of the planet explored but with the ptero monsters out there,  I guess it wouldn't make sense for the people to go off exploring.  

I knew who the traitor was right away.  There are subtle clues throughout the book that I was able to pick up on.  I wasn't sure what the whole twist in the story was though, so it didn't detract in any way.  Once the twist was revealed, I actually felt sorry for the traitor.  I could totally understand what happened.  

I seriously could not put this book down!  It helped that we had our first snow of the year (which means everything shuts down here even though we get snow every year) so I was able to spend the days reading while my kids played.  This book was action packed and so full of questions that you couldn't stop reading until you got the answers.  

The Friday 56 (Nov. 14, 2014)

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice. 

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.




For one second Maanik's eyes rolled to meet hers and Caitlin felt raw horror wash down her spine.  She had seen young people trapped in terrible circumstances - held hostage by a parent, pinned by a landslide -  but here she felt as if she were looking at someone who had wakened in a coffin and found herself buried alive.  The girl took an uncertain step and her eyes rolled to the ceiling.  She was still trying to scream.
 *This book was so fascinating!  Enter my giveaway to win it HERE. 



Noise swells from the cryo room, interrupting my dark thoughts.  At first I think it's just the natural volume of fifteen hundred people cramped together in one giant room, but then a voice screams in fury over the sound of all the others.
 

W...W...W...Wednesdays

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions.

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next? 

What I'm currently reading: 

I am currently reading Shades of Earth by Beth Revis.  It is the last book in the Across the Universe trilogy.  I read the first two awhile ago and then got so behind on my TBR pile.  I'm excited to see how this series ends.



What I recently finished:

I just finished A Vision of Fire by Gillian Anderson with Jeff Rovin.  I loved the X-Files when I was a kid and wanted to be Scully so I was really excited to read this one.  I could not put this book down.  It was so fascinating!  If you are interested in it, enter to win my giveaway for it HERE.





What I plan to read next:

 I love Nora Roberts paranormal stories (well...I guess I love any of her books).  This is the first in her Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy.  I wanted to wait until all three books were out so I didn't have to wait a long time for the next book to be published.






So, what are you reading right now? 

Giveaway Time! Win A Vison of Fire (Earthend Saga) by Gillian Anderson with Jeff Rovin

I am giving away two copies of A Vision of Fire (Earthend Saga) by Gillian Anderson with Jeff Rovin. 

The first novel from iconic X-Files star Gillian Anderson and New York Times bestselling author Jeff Rovin: a science fiction thriller of epic proportions.

Renowned child psychologist Caitlin O’Hara is a single mom trying to juggle her job, her son, and a lackluster dating life. Her world is suddenly upturned when Maanik, the daughter of India’s ambassador to the United Nations, starts speaking in tongues and having violent visions. Caitlin is sure that her fits have something to do with the recent assassination attempt on her father—a shooting that has escalated nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan to dangerous levels—but when teenagers around the world start having similar outbursts, Caitlin begins to think that there’s a more sinister force at work.

In Haiti, a student claws at her throat, drowning on dry land. In Iran, a boy suddenly and inexplicably sets himself on fire. Animals, too, are acting irrationally, from rats in New York City to birds in South America to ordinary house pets. With Asia on the cusp of nuclear war, Caitlin must race across the globe to uncover the mystical links among these seemingly unrelated incidents in order to save her patient—and perhaps the world.

To enter to win this book, go to my giveaway HERE.   Right now, the giveaway has very low entries (only 2) so your chances of winner are pretty good!  The giveaway ends on Sunday night so get your entries in.  This was a great book full of mystery and suspense.  I don't usually read science fiction but found this story to be fascinating!  So hurry, go enter for a chance to win a free book!

Book Review: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and The Tenth Circle, pens her most riveting book yet, with a startling and poignant story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy.

Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families.

Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be.

My Thoughts:

I have only read two other Jodi Picoult books (Salem Falls and My Sister's Keeper).  I liked both books but they weren't books that made me want to read everything she ever wrote.  I happened to pick this book up from our Little Free Library (a community box of books that you can swap).  I could not put this book down because I had to find out what really happened. 

Peter Houghton is the boy that everyone picks on in school.  He has been teased and bullied mercilessly since the first day of Kindergarten.  The book begins with him entering his high school and shooting students and staff.  From there, you begin to get an insight into who Peter was and why he did what he did.  Is bullying ever an excuse to murder?  Absolutely not!  However, with that being said, I can honestly say that this book made me THINK.  It made me think about how awful high school can be for some kids.  How judgmental the kids there can be and how kids so desperately want to just fit in.  It was heartbreaking to me, as a mother of two boys and one girl,  to read what Peter went through on a daily basis.  

I enjoyed how we saw the story through Peter's eyes as well as Josie's, the parents of Peter and the mother of Josie, the defense attorney and the detective.  I think that it helped to understand everything that happened and not just that Peter was bullied.  I felt like I really got to know the characters as well as their history in this book.

I did not like Josie one bit.  She was friends with Peter up to a point and didn't care what others thought of her.  Then she gets popular and she just turns into a horrible person, in my opinion.  She knows that the things her boyfriend and his friends are doing to Peter are wrong on so many levels and yet she won't do anything at all about it because she is so scared of losing her popularity.   She stays with a boy who abuses her because he is one of the most popular boys in school.  Then there is the twist at the end that I can't tell you but that clinched it for me.  I did not like her.

This book hit me emotionally on many levels.  There has recently been a school shooting at a school in my state (Marysville-Pilchuck High School) and I immediately thought of this book and the emotions I felt while reading it.  It's so heartbreaking on so many different levels and for every single person involved.  I think this book made me open my eyes a little and look at things in a slightly different way.  Before I would always just say what a sick individual it was that shot up a school (and I still think that...because anyone who would do that has serious mental health issues and it is not excusable for any reason) but now I think a little more about the shooter and why he or she would do it.  Again, not saying that it is acceptable for any reason but it makes you really wonder what went on behind the scenes.  It makes you THINK and I believe that that makes the book worth reading.

 

Teaser Tuesday (Nov. 11): A Vision of Fire by Gillian Anderson with Jeff Rovin & Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

     "Even as Maanik began to breathe somewhat normally, Caitlin was still on high alert.  She was afraid to look around, to give credence to something she was feeling:  that something had come back with the girl." ~page 188 of A Vision of Fire by Gillian Anderson (check out my giveaway for this book here)


    






     "Something - a rocket failing? a computer malfunction? -  knocks the shuttle off course again.  I can see features of the planet's surface now:  mountains and lakes and cliffs.
     And we're going to crash into them.  ~page 16 of Shades of Earth by Beth Revis




What are you reading today? 

Book Review & Giveaway: A Vision of Fire (Earthend Saga) by Gillian Anderson & Jeff Rovin

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The first novel from iconic X-Files star Gillian Anderson and New York Times bestselling author Jeff Rovin: a science fiction thriller of epic proportions.

Renowned child psychologist Caitlin O’Hara is a single mom trying to juggle her job, her son, and a lackluster dating life. Her world is suddenly upturned when Maanik, the daughter of India’s ambassador to the United Nations, starts speaking in tongues and having violent visions. Caitlin is sure that her fits have something to do with the recent assassination attempt on her father—a shooting that has escalated nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan to dangerous levels—but when teenagers around the world start having similar outbursts, Caitlin begins to think that there’s a more sinister force at work.

In Haiti, a student claws at her throat, drowning on dry land. In Iran, a boy suddenly and inexplicably sets himself on fire. Animals, too, are acting irrationally, from rats in New York City to birds in South America to ordinary house pets. With Asia on the cusp of nuclear war, Caitlin must race across the globe to uncover the mystical links among these seemingly unrelated incidents in order to save her patient—and perhaps the world.

My Thoughts:

I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive when I was asked to review this book.  I mean, I loved the X-Files when I was growing up so I certainly knew who Gillian Anderson was but I am not a huge science fiction fan.  However, I found this book to be more of a thriller than science fiction.  I was happy to find out that not only did I enjoy this book but I really didn't want to put it down.

The book starts off with Maanik, a young girl who's father is the Indian Ambassador to the United Nations.  Maanik and her father experience a harrowing event and, although Maanik is shaken up, she appears to be fine.  That is, she if fine until she ends up in strange fits in the middle of her class.  She is scratching herself, talking in tongues and not responding to her parents.  Ben, who works with Maanik's father as a translator at the UN, calls in Caitlin to help.  Caitlin is a psychiatrist but even she has not seen anything quite like this.  

Caitlin travels from Haiti to Iraq, talking to other people who have experienced the same kind of episodes.  She meets and receives (some) answers from a High Priestess and a Hindu Priest.  As Caitlin and Ben dig deeper, the discover that Maanik and the other two people are experiencing something from another time and place.  

This book completely surprised me by gripping me at page one and keeping me wanting more until the very end.  I was caught up in the tensions between Pakistan and India and stress that Maanik's father, as well as Ben, were dealing with and the helplessness of Maanik's mother and even Caitlin at points.  The mystery surrounding Maanik's "episodes" kept me reading to try to figure out what was going on with her.  Now I am anxiously looking forward to reading the next book in the Earthend Saga!

 Now for the fun part...If you would like to win a copy of this book, please fill out the rafflecopter below.  A winner will be chosen on Saturday, November 15, 2014 and Simon & Schuster will send a copy straight to the winner.

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster for allowing me to review this book in exchange for an honest review! If you want to join Simon & Schuster Insiders, where you can share your love of books, get special access to new books and earn rewards, sign up HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
#simoninsiders: I'm required to disclose a relationship between my blog and Simon & Schuster. This could include Simon & Schuster providing me with content, books, access or other forms of payment.
Vision of Fire on Simon & Schuster's Website

Book Review: The One (Selection #3) by Kiera Cass

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):   The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen—and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Find out who America will choose in The One, the enchanting, beautifully romantic third book in the Selection series!

My Thoughts:  I've loved this series since book one and I wasn't disappointed with The One.  I am very happy with the way it ended and I'm happy with the choice that America made.  

America finally grew up and dealt with things with a little more maturity.  She doesn't spend her time whining about how unfair things are and she finally makes a decision as to what she wants and decides to fight for that choice.  

I am glad that America was able to put aside her bad feelings for Celeste and they started to become somewhat friends.  It was refreshing to see Celeste as a decent human being instead of the horrible one that she was in the first two books.  She still has issues but at least she is tolerable now.

I do think that America could have handled her relationship with Aspen so much better, especially when it came to telling Maxon about him.  There were many opportunities when she could have spoken to Maxon about the relationship and America was never brave enough to do it.  In the end, it (of course) causes a lot of unnecessary heartache.  

I thought there was a good amount of action in the book and I liked how America tied all the pieces together about who was involved with the Northern Rebels and how the Northern Rebels were so different from the Southern Rebels.  I enjoyed the new characters that were from the Northern Rebel gang.

I thought the book ended on the right note.  America gets to fight for her man (whether she gets him or not is another question) and the trouble with the Rebel groups keeps things interesting and action packed.  If you have enjoyed the other two books in the series, I think you will be happy with this one as well.

Book Review: The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Clair Legrand

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster—lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does too.)

But then Lawrence goes missing. And he’s not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out…different. Or they don’t come out at all.

If anyone can sort this out, it’s Victoria—even if it means getting a little messy.

My Thoughts:  This book is the perfect book to read before Halloween!  It is a creepy book that is guaranteed to give you the shivers! 

Victoria is the perfect child.  She is obedient and very smart and ambitious.  She doesn't put up with silliness at all and because of this, Victoria really has no friends.  Victoria decides to become friends with Lawrence to "fix" him.  She doesn't realize that she is actually coming to care for Lawrence until the day Lawrence disappears.  

As Victoria tries to find out what happened to Lawrence and some of the other kids that have mysteriously disappeared from  her school, she starts to discover the mysteries of the Cavendish House for Boys and Girls.  The House is at the end of the road and although it is an orphanage, no one ever sees the children out and about.   Now Victoria has to figure out how to save Lawrence and the other children.

This book had me hooked from the very first page.  I could relate a lot to Victoria as I have the same personality (although not quite to her level).  I loved the creepy old house with its mistress and her gardner and all her creepy puppets and birds.  

Mrs.Cavendish was perfectly creepy and her house was so mysterious.  It took me a long time to figure out if her house was helping Mrs. Cavendish or helping the children.  The beetles were a great touch and the little goblin creatures were horrifying.  

If you enjoy spooky books you will honestly love this one.  The book's ending will have you wanting to find out more and leaves you with a slightly unsettled feeling.

Book Review: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Thoughts:  I picked up this series at the beginning of this year.  I am so glad I waited because, to be honest, I don't think I could have waited for the other books to come out.  I am so sad this is the last book in what has quickly become one of my favorite series (trilogies).

Just a warning...this review will most likely have spoilers for this series so if you haven't read the books then don't read this review yet...

Alina is recovering from her showdown with the Darkling.  She is under the very watchful eye of the Apparat in the White Chapel.  She has people worshiping the ground she walked on.  She is the Sun Summoner.  She has a lot at stake however as the Darkling is still stalking her.  She knows she has to find the last amplifier and do her best to ruin the Darkling.

I loved all the characters in this trilogy.  Alina is strong despite having to deal with three men who all want her (although for different reasons).  Mal has finally overcome his jealousy and has come to terms with the fact that he and Alina have no future together.  I am still a major fan of the Darkling too though.  He is just one of those characters that you love and hate at the same time.  He did some things that made me truly want him dead (Nicolai, Keramzin) but I still wanted a somewhat happy ending for him.  Nicolai is still funny and I was very upset with what happened to him.  Zoya was my least favorite character in the first two books as she was obnoxious but she grows in this book and while she can still be obnoxious, she is also funny and loyal.

I absolutely was thrilled that we finally got the whole story behind the Darkling and more importantly, Baghra's story.  It was fascinating to learn about them both and also about Morozova and how they all tied in with Alina and Mal.  

I loved the ending...and I've read a lot of reviews where people hated the way it ended but I thought it was perfect.  It was heartbreaking but so perfect. I loved what happened when Alina wore all three amplifiers.  It was completely unexpected.  

This book takes off from page one and is full of excitement.  You come to love all the characters and you can't help but feeling at least a little bit sorry for the Darkling.  Although I am sad to see this trilogy end, I am happy to say that I thought it ended well!

 

Book Review: Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

My Thoughts:  If you have read my blog before, you know that I love JLA and her books.  Her Half-Blood series is probably my favorite series ever and her Lux series comes in a close second so I was excited to pick up this book.  I wasn't disappointed in it but it wasn't one of favorites, I am sad to say.  

This books starts out with Sam walking around barefoot in her town with no idea what has happened to her or where she has been.  She's taken to the hospital where they call her family and tell them she has amnesia and doesn't remember a single thing from the past.  She also finds out that her best friend, Cassie, was with her and is still missing.  Sam wants to remember to help the police find Cassie, even though she doesn't remember Cassie at all and has no feelings towards her at all. 

Upon arriving home, Sam realizes that her family is extremely wealthy.  After talking to her brother and meeting her friends and boyfriends, Sam discovers that she was a complete bitch.  She was mean, shallow, had no respect for herself or others and cared entirely too much about image.  Now though, Sam is a completely different person.  She doesn't seem to care so much about money, doesn't care about image and really, she doesn't like her friends or boyfriend at all anymore.   

I could not connect with Sam at all.  She was a little bit naive and way too trusting for my liking.  I would be completely on guard and not trusting anyone if I had no memories.  Her boyfriend, Del, lied to her the entire time about their relationship and she only questioned it a few times.  Del was creepy and a jerk and way too pushy.  Sam's "friends" were your typical "Mean Girl" type friends.  They would back stab each other in a New York minute without a single thought (as you find out later with Cassie) but this is typical of high school (in my opinion).  

I figured out the whole mystery in this one about halfway through the book.  I knew who did it just because of their attitude through the whole book and it wasn't long before I had a sneaking suspicion as to why this person did what they did so that was kinda a letdown for me.  I like a mystery that keeps me wondering until the end.  

I also didn't feel the story was very suspenseful. The notes weren't very scary and the "shadow man" never really did anything to make it scary.  In the end, all this is explained and you see why it is important but it still didn't do it for me in thrill factor department.

However, all that being said, this was still a fast read that kept my attention for the most part.  I enjoyed the amnesia factor and the romance, while a little typical, was sweet.  I got sucked into the book and despite the fact that I had it figured out, I still wanted to find out if Sam stayed "sweet Sam" or went back to "evil Sam".  It's definitely worth a read...it just wasn't one of my favorites.

Book Review: Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Temperance Brennan, like her creator Kathy Reichs, is a brilliant, sexy forensic anthropologist called on to solve the toughest cases. But for Tempe, the discovery of a young girl's skeleton in Acadia, Canada, is more than just another assignment. Evangeline, Tempe's childhood best friend, was also from Acadia. Named for the character in the Longfellow poem, Evangeline was the most exotic person in Tempe's eight-year-old world. When Evangeline disappeared, Tempe was warned not to search for her, that the girl was "dangerous."Thirty years later, flooded with memories, Tempe cannot help wondering if this skeleton could be the friend she lost so many years ago. And what is the meaning of the strange skeletal lesions found on the bones of the young girl?

Meanwhile, Tempe's beau, Ryan, investigates a series of cold cases. Three girls dead. Four missing. Could the New Brunswick skeleton be part of the pattern? As Tempe draws on the latest advances in forensic anthropology to penetrate the past, Ryan hunts down a serial predator.

My Thoughts: I have enjoyed all of Kathy Reichs "Bones" books and this one is no exception.  I can always count on these books if I am in a reading slump.

This book starts out with some of Tempe's childhood history.  You learn a little about Tempe's family, the death of her brother and father and her good friend, Evangeline.  Tempe hasn't really thought of Evangeline in awhile.  Evangeline disappeared with her sister when Tempe was young.  When a detective brings Tempe a skeleton of a young girl, Tempe wonders if it might be Evangeline's (there are some clues that lead her to think of Evangeline).  

In the meantime, Tempe is also helping Ryan with some missing girls/dead girls cases.  This part of the book was very disturbing to me, in particular, one somewhat graphic scene, that I had to actually just skim past.  I have an 8-year daughter so that part was tough for me to read.  Somehow, Ryan's case ties into Tempe's friend's case and through that, Tempe is able to find out what has happened to Evangeline and her sister.  

This book was very fast paced and kept me on my toes.  This book dealt with Leprosy, which was interesting to me to read about since I knew very little about it.  It seems a little strange to me that the family (who has money) would not seek medical care but I also know people who are very wary about hospitals and the government in general so I can see it happening.

If you like Kathy Reich's books, you won't be disappointed in this one.

 

Book Review: Origins (Lux #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

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

All Katy can do is survive.

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

Together, they can face anything.

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

And will they even be together?

My Thoughts:  

If you haven't read this series then don't read this review.  It has some spoilers in it from the last book that you just don't want to know about yet.  

So, after the rescue mission for Beth went horribly wrong, Katy is now in the hands of Daedalus and Daemon is livid!  The book begins with Daemon's point of view which was awesome.  Daemon has decided that nothing will stop him from rescuing Katy.  After knowing what they did to Dawson and Beth, can you blame him for that?

While Daemon is in the process of his rescue mission, we switch to Katy's point of view.  Katy is being held at Daedalus and is not having a pleasant time.  There are things that happen that make cheer though (sorry...no spoilers for this book) but I wasn't quite sure why Katy felt the need to hide what she did from Daemon.  

Things start out in this book with a bang and they don't stop.  The whole book is a roller coaster ride of emotions and so much action.  I loved the fact that it had alternating POVs (Katy's and Daemon's).  Katy and Daemon's relationship grows in many ways in this book.  They have been through so much together and I loved the spontaneous moves they made.  

There are some serious surprises in this book as well.  I could not believe what happened with Matthew but figured out what was going on with Beth and Dawson almost right away.  I really enjoyed getting to know Archer and Luc better and I hope that Dee gets some much needed romance in the next book.

The end of the book isn't as much of a cliff hanger as Opal but it leaves you with only about a million questions.  My goal was to space out the reading of this series so that Opposition was out by the time I finished Origins but once I started, I couldn't stop.  So now I have to wait.  I have a feeling it will definitely be worth the wait though!

Book Review: Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

My Thoughts:  I finished this book last month but we are wrapping up school and have some house stuff going on (a kitchen remodel) so I'm slacking here.  

My first word of advice for this book is to have the next book, Origin, ready to read because the cliff hanger on this one is crazy!  My heart broke when I read the end of this one so I was happy that I could immediately jump into the next book.

Katy and Daemon are finally together and admitting their feelings for each other without any hesitation.  With that being said, I have to tell you, I miss the romantic tension there.  It's not quite as fun to read about them because you aren't waiting on edge for the romance to happen anymore.  Daemon is still funny and sarcastic though and I love him for that.  Katy still makes some dumb choices but hey, we are all human right?  Well, I guess maybe not in this case but you know what I mean!

Blake is a jerk.  I can't stand him but honestly, there are times when I actually feel a little sorry for him.  I am still not really sure what his part is in this whole story but he's still hiding a lot (which becomes painfully obvious at the end).  I think he really does miss Katy as a friend though and I think he did really like her but I cannot bring myself to like his character at all.

When it comes to Katy and Dee's friendship, you can't help but feel for both of them.  Katy made some seriously bad choices in the last book so I can understand why Dee is so angry at her.  But at the same time, it wasn't ALL Katy's fault.  I really want Katy and Dee to repair this friendship but I'm not sure how that's going to turn out.  

This was not my favorite book in this series.  I felt that out of the three that I have read, there wasn't really a lot of action until the end.  Dawson is back and they are trying to find a way to save Beth but it wasn't all that exciting.  Don't get me wrong, it was still a good book but it wasn't an "I cannot put this book down" kind of book like the first two were.  

If you haven't picked up this series yet, I really recommend that you do.  Even though this book wasn't my favorite, the ending made up for a lot of it.  

Book Review: The Body in the Woods (Point Last Seen #1) by April Henry

**Received from NetGalley for an honest review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods.

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

This first book in April Henry’s Point Last Seen YA mystery series is full of riveting suspense, putting readers in the middle of harrowing rescues and crime scene investigations.

 

My Thoughts:  This book was very difficult for me to get through. Have you ever read a book or even watched a movie and sat through the whole thing saying "yeah right" or "this would never happen like that"?  That's how I was reading this book and it was very frustrating to me.

Now, I am 35 so I am older than the intended audience (although I read mostly YA books so this shouldn't be a problem) and I grew up in a law enforcement family (my dad was Chief for over 20 years, my uncle was Sheriff) and my husband is a deputy for our county and also a SAR coordinator (SAR = Search and Rescue).  I cannot tell you how many times my husband is called out to look for missing hikers!  I also live in the heart of the Columbia Gorge and only 40 minutes from Portland, OR, where this story takes place so I have a lot of background knowledge.  This was not a good thing while reading this book.  Maybe if I didn't have a lot of knowledge about how this stuff works, it wouldn't have seemed so farfetched to me.

The Body in the Woods starts out with Alexis, Nick and Ruby, three teenage SAR volunteers (with very limited training), getting called out to a "hasty search".  They are looking for an autistic man in a local park.  First thing that struck me as a little odd was that these three inexperienced volunteers are put together in a group to search for this man without any experienced SAR.  Yeah, this would NEVER happen because the last thing you want to do is have to send in a SAR team for your first SAR team (although it has happened).  Now, the guy who sent the groups out did admit that it was a mistake but the guy that split up the groups was an Eagle Scout volunteer who also did not appear to have much experience.  It just didn't ring true to me at all.  They should have a deputy or someone with a lot of experience dividing the people into groups and telling them where to go.

So, Alexis, Ruby and Nick are on the trail looking for this guy.  They are told to stay together but of course, they don't.  After asking some people the see on the trail if they have seen the missing man, Nick and Ruby both run ahead of Alexis.   While looking, Alexis spots someone in the brush and it ends up being a dead girl.  Alexis is obviously traumatized and calls for help.  In the meantime, Ruby and Nick hurry back to her and Ruby (who appears to have Aspberger's) takes in the scene very closely.  Ruby has amazing observation skills and is very interested in forensics so this could be very helpful.

 

After the body is removed, the kids are questioned by a detective.  Now, I realize that a cop does not need the parent around or even the parent's permission to talk to a kid.  However, these kids just found a dead body.  You would think that the police would have contacted the parents and had them come down to pick up their kids and be supportive.  Not only did they not do that (and as a parent, I would be very upset if the police didn't have me come down to pick up my kid who had just seen a murdered girl) but they told the kids that they couldn't talk about anything to anyone, including their parents about this.  I found this a little odd too.  I understand not talking about things that are confidential but surely the kids could talk to the parents about how they felt finding a dead body.  They weren't privy to any confidential information at that point because there was only a dead body found.  That was in the news by the morning.  They did bring in some grief counselors but these people were also very young and also volunteers.  I'm just not sure how much help an 18 year old volunteer could be.  I would think if they were bringing someone in, it would be an experienced counselor (probably with education and a degree behind them). 

 

Anyways, the kids are convinced that they can find the killer and help the police.  They help with an evidence search and then get caught up in trying to find out who is killing homeless girls and the whole time they don't realize that one of them is now on the killer's list.  

Another issue I had with the book was the constantly changing POVs.  I just never felt like I got to connect with any characters and in the beginning, it was difficult to try to figure out what was going on.  Plus, I really didn't like Nick at all so did not find his chapters entertaining in any way. 

 

 I think Ruby was my favorite character but we were constantly being told how socially awkward or "weird" she was.  Her parents thought her "obsessed with death/darkness" which I didn't get at all. She was interested in crime and forensics.  How is that obsessed with death?  She was the character that I could most connect with and I would have loved it if the whole story was told from her POV.

This is the first book from April Henry that I have read and I have heard some of her other books, like The Girl who was Supposed to Die or The Night she Disappeared, are really good so I might give one of those ones a try.  I won't be picking up anymore books in this series though.  If you like crime books, you might want to try this one.  Again, I think people that are younger would enjoy this book but it just wasn't one for me.  I would love to hear your thoughts on it though!

   

Teaser Tuesday: Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

     I no longer saw the world in black and white and deep down I knew I didn't operate on basic social norms anymore.
     Like thy shalt not kill or whatever.
~page 23 of Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

My Thoughts:  I did like this book but not nearly as much as I liked The Selection.  I think one of the reasons why I didn't like it as much is because American really annoyed me in this one.  She is so wishy-washy that I wanted to smack her.  

We left off with only 6 girls remaining in the selection.  They were America, Celeste, Marley, Elise, Natalie and Kriss.  Celeste is still a major brat and I cannot stand her.  Elise and Natalie are okay but it is clear that they are only there because they are easy to manipulate and Elise has an "in" with the country she is from.  Celeste is obviously only there because she is a Two so she is already "a lady" and she's beautiful.  Marley and Kriss are the peoples' favorites so that leaves America at the bottom of the list.  However, Maxon has continued to assure her that she is the one for him.

America still has feelings for Aspen though and since he is a guard at the palace, she sees him frequently.  This means that she is unable to let him go.  It is also one of the reasons that America really annoys me in this book.  When something serious happens, America pushes Maxon away and it seems to me that she goes back to Aspen as a "back-up" plan yet she gets upset with Maxon for suddenly spending more time with Kriss.  I completely understand why she was upset with Maxon.  Heck, I wanted to beat him up too but she doesn't give him a chance to really explain himself.  I admire America's morals and ethics and the fact that she isn't sure she could become a princess but she is always talking about changing things and what better way to change things than to become princess and then eventually queen?  

I like Aspen and he is always there for America but I am fully Team Maxon.  Especially when you discover a little more about Maxon's relationship with his father.  The king is a total and complete jerk and you really can't help but admire Maxon for finally (somewhat) standing up to him.  Aspen is a great friend to America but he is someone from her past and she has changed now so I think it is time for her to let Aspen go.  

America was a very strong character in the first book.  However in this book, I felt that she lost her edge.  She was constantly whining about who to chose, Maxon or Aspen.  Then, if Maxon made her angry or she didn't agree with something going on in the palace, she would demand that Maxon send her home and then she would change her mind and cry that she wanted to stay.  It was so frustrating!  Then there were the times when she was just reckless and didn't think before acting or speaking.  

I did like the idea of the selection (because I secretly love The Bachelor and this is very similar) and I liked Maxon.  I enjoyed reading about the riots because it brought a little danger and excitement to the book but America really needs to get her act together for the last book!

 

Book Review: Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

My Thoughts:  I just have to say that I totally and completely disagree with the first sentence in the synopsis.  I think being connected to Daemon Black would be awesome on so many levels!  

Okay, now that we have cleared that up, I will say that I liked Onyx better than Obsidian.  It had more action and tons of sexual tension between Daemon and Katy but Daemon wasn't quite a complete and total jerk like he came off in Obisdian.  

I still really like Katy.  She is so strong and independent and yet she is not perfect.  In fact, she in not perfect by a long shot and made some crazy bad moves.  There were times when I was shaking my head and thinking "Girl, what is going on in your brain?!" but it made her a more realistic character to me.  Sometimes I really do think she should have thought out her plan more but I guess if we had that then it would probably have been a pretty boring book (and it was FAR from that)!  I was sad at the way she pushed Dee away at times.  I totally understand why she did what she did but it seemed to me like there could have been a different way to go about this.  Of course, this also led to less of Dee in Onyx and that made me sad because I really liked Dee.  

Blake was a very interesting character and while I was with Daemon on not trusting him, he totally surprised me at the end with who he was and what he wanted.  I thought that Blake was a complete ass at times (like when he was "testing" Katy) but I liked him at the beginning.  I felt a little bad for Blake with the way Daemon would always show up and how poorly Daemon treated him but on the other hand, I never quite trusted Blake either so I understood why Daemon felt the need to watch out for Katy.  

The action in this book is nonstop.  You have the Dept.of Defense that is snooping around and just when you think you know their intentions, you realize you are wrong and you actually know nothing about why the DOD is there.  Then you throw in Blake and Katy's mom's boyfriend, Will, and things just get crazy.  I loved the fact that this book constantly had me guessing and the cliff hanger at the end makes me so happy that I have the next book already!