The Winner's Crime

Title: The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy)
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10
Publication Date: March 3rd (US), March 12th (UK).

I was given an egalley of this novel from the publisher vie netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Lady Kestrel's engagement to Valoria's crown prince calls for great celebration: balls and performances, fireworks and revelry. But to Kestrel it means a cage of her own making. Embedded in the imperial court as a spy, she lives and breathes deceit and cannot confide in the one person she really longs to trust ...

While Arin fights to keep his country's freedom from the hands of his enemy, he suspects that Kestrel knows more than she shows. As Kestrel comes closer to uncovering a shocking secret, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth.

Lies will come undone, and Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them in this second book in the breathtaking Winner's trilogy."

***

The marvellous thing about Rutkoski is she can make me care about a character even as I want to strangle him for his stupidity.
I had to put my kindle down at least three times and go for a walk and take a deep breath, Arin was aggravating me so much. I mean, I can see why some doubt would be in his mind, but his lack of faith in Kestrel made me want to slap him a good one on his head. He should seriously know better.

The hard part here is reviewing this without spoiling anything, because if I say one thing, it unravels another, and it's just a vicious cycle.

But what I can say, was that I really liked Verex's character. He grew on me, and his worry over Kestrel was really cute. I hope things turn out okay for him in the next book, because there was some hint that they might not be entirely peachy, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Risha really interested me. Knowing more of her backstory was great, and I'm very interested to see where Rutkoski takes it from there; logically, there are two open options for her character, and it'll be fun to see which one she takes.

What I did not appreciate, like I said before, was Arin's thickheadedness. He drove me to distraction, that silly man! I love him, don't get me wrong, but oh my god, someone needs to give him a good, hard shake to see if some reality sinks in. The same goes for Tensen. I'm a horrible person, because I was actually grimly accepting of the end; in a way, he brought it on himself, breaking his damn word and keeping the letter. If he hadn't been found with that, everything would've been fine. Now look what happened... brilliant job at screwing everything up, Tensen. Really brilliant *scowls*.

Now for Kestrel herself. I liked her development, and that she was still trying to save the whole world. It's impossible, of course, but she does her very best, and I loved that. Her daydreams about Arin were so cute, I nearly cried, especially when she started having mental conversations with it, like he was actually there - too sweet! And the idiot has no clue... hmpf.

Thoughtful

Title: Thoughtful (Thoughtless #1.5)
Author: S. C. Stephens
Genre: Adult Contemporary
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Publication Date: February 24th

I was given an egalley of this novel by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"In Thoughtless, Kiera told her story. Now it's time for Kellan Kyle to share his side in Thoughtful . . .

The only place Kellan has ever felt at home is on stage. Gripping his guitar in a darkened bar, he can forget his painful past. These days his life revolves around his music and his band mates, and that's the way he likes it. And then one woman changes everything . . .

Kiera is the kind of girl Kellan has no business wanting - she's smart, sweet, and dating his best friend. Certain he could never be worthy of her love, he hides his growing attraction . . . until Kiera's own tormented heart hints that his feelings might not be one-sided. Now, no matter the consequences, Kellan is sure of one thing: he won't let Kiera go without a fight."

***

I knew from the get-go that this book would shred my very soul to pieces.

I wasn't wrong.

Out of all three books, Thoughtless is the only one I haven't re-read because I couldn't face dealing with all that pain again, so I knew what I was doing. I knew exactly what I was doing.

And, as usual, Stephens doesn't pull any punches. We know what's coming, but we can't stop reading; it's like watching a train wreck. But boy, what a hot hot hot train wreck it was!

For starters, don't skip any part of the book - not the dedication, not the acknowledgements, nothing. Trust me. Suffice it so say at this point, I was crying ridiculously early into the book.

All the scenes that we love - and the ones that we love to hate - are in there, which means that yes, Thoughtful is just as long as Thoughtless. To be honest, Kellan was a fun narrator. Seeing things through his eyes did clear up a few things - like his woman binge and what was really going through his head when Anna was around. It also made me consistently want to wrap him up in a security blanket and tell him how much he's loved. It's one thing to be told about insecurities and his belief that he doesn't deserve to be loved through the medium of Kiera; to have them right there, shoved in your face... made it all the more painful and unfair.

One of my favourite things about Thoughtful though, was getting to see a couple more of the lyrics of the songs he writes for Kiera. Heartbreaking, yes, but also achingly beautiful.

This is a definite must-read for all fans of Kellan and Kiera. Just make sure the tissues are nearby, and maybe a stiff drink too for when you finish. If you really want to sob, a good song to go with it is Taylor Swift's Style. I guarantee it'll make you shed a few tears, just listen to the lyrics; it fits them to a T.

All Fall Down

Title: All Fall Down (Embassy Row #1)
Author: Ally Carter
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10
Release Date: February 5th

I was given an egalley of this book by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Grace can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay - in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved."

**

Stunning, as usual. I had truly missed Carter's specific brand of storytelling; because while the book was in no way thin, it simply flew by in a flash.
Carter is an expert storyteller; she has complete control over the narrative, and it shows very clearly here. We are only allowed to see what she wants us to see, when we want her to see it. As such, everyone becomes a possible suspect, and we end up just as paranoid as Grace. It is a delight to read, making us feel connected to Grace through our confusion and shared mistrust of everyone - and even of Grace, the very unreliable narrator.
And the plot twist at the end (well, one many in a quick succession - this book isn't for the faint of heart, I'll tell you that much!) left me breathless, and desperately wanting to find out more.

That it, ultimately, the one problem I had with All Fall Down: the ending felt a bit rushed. After all the shocks of the last few pages, to have that just dumped on us halfway, and not explained in full, left the ending lacking somewhat compared to the brilliance of the rest of the novel. However, knowing that there will be sequels does help with that, as I'm sure it will all be explained in due course.

Conspiracy Girl

Title: Conspiracy Girl
Author: Sarah Alderson
Genre: YA contemporary
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 8/10
Release Date: January 5th, 2015

I was given an egalley by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Everybody knows about the Cooper Killings – the Bel Air home invasion that rocked the nation.

There was only one survivor - a sixteen year-old girl.

And though the killers were caught they walked free.

Now eighteen, Nic Preston - the girl who survived - is trying hard to rebuild her life. She’s security conscious to the point of paranoia and her only friend is a French Mastiff bulldog, but she’s making progress. She’s started college in New York and has even begun dating.

But then one night her apartment is broken into and the life Nic’s worked so hard to create is shattered in an instant. 

Finn Carter - hacker, rule breaker, player – is the last person Nic ever wants to see again. He’s the reason her mother’s killers walked free from court. But as the people hunting her close in, Nic has to accept that her best and possibly only chance of staying alive is by keeping close to Finn and learning to trust the person she’s sworn to hate.

Fleeing across a snowbound New England, frantically trying to uncover the motive behind the murders, Nic and Finn come to realize the conspiracy is bigger than they could ever have suspected. But the closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, the greater the danger becomes.

To survive she has to stay close to him.

To keep her safe he has to keep his distance."

Alderson has done it again. She has a knack for creating memorable, diverse and interesting characters, and Nic Preston is no different. I loved the entire setup, the premise was brilliant, and best of all, the execution didn't let me down. Most importantly, Alderson weaved a very good story in a used-up genre without falling into many of the stereotypes of that genre - and it made for a very enjoyable read indeed.

I especially liked the connection between Finn and Nic - it was nice that she didn't clap eyes on him shirtless and swoon, instantly forgetting about their past; he broke down her walls and defences with time and patience. And Nic's paranoia could have been very easily overdone, but Alderson presents it in just the right amount to make it clear that it is serious, and to make the reader feel on edge, while not making it too much.

But perhaps the best part about Conspiracy Girl was trying to figure out whodunnit. If you're a mystery buff, this one is definitely up your alley! I don't want to say too much, but I had a theory, and it was (I thought) a pretty good theory... but the actual perpetrator took me completely by surprise. They did enter my mind, briefly, at an early stage, but I dismissed it. What a bomb that one was!

A brilliant way to kick off the year's reading list! Most definitely recommended.

Under my Skin

Title: Under my Skin (The Immortality Strain #1)
Author: Shawntelle Madison
Genre: YA dystopia
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10
Publication Date: December 9th

I was given an ARC of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of those 'oh my god I love that cover... and oh yay the blurb looks amazing' kind of situation. And let me tell you, I just love it when the first impressions turn out to be right.

Tate was a very engaging character - and even if she wasn't, the nemesis would make sure that we'd all be rooting for her. Her independence and self-reliance aren't seen enough in YA protagonists, and it made her so much more special. Her love for her family was really touching - and I really liked how Madison kept reminding us of them. Tate didn't forget about her family even in the face of her own astronomical problems.
Zoe was a delight to read about. I know she's about the same age as Tate, but her excitement over all the luxury was very childlike and endearing, even though we just know everything's going to go to hell soon.
The whole idea of the Guild was very original, I thought. The two-minds-one-body thing did, at times, remind me of The Host, but obviously the similarities pretty much start and end there, since the person who's taken over Tate's body isn't a friendly alien, but a ruthless general.
And of course this review wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention Quinn. His character intrigued me from the start. It was obvious that he'd be love interest, so of course I payed special attention to him. I liked his backstory, but quite honestly, I'd like to maybe hear more about him in the next book. Surely he'd be pretty pissed off that she had told the General everything he needed to know to mess up his life?
Anyway, so if it's so awesome, why 4.5/5? While the characters were fabulous and the plot was brilliant, there were moments, particularly towards the end of the novel, where the descriptions grew weirdly vague. It wasn't at a point where description was particularly needed, but it felt almost like a too-casual treatment of what was happening.
Definitely read this one! I'd say this is a weird mix between The Host and The Selection, with an awesome main character who just won't take no for an answer.

Roulette

Title: Roulette
Author: Megan Mulry
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10

I was given an ARC of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, oh, my excitement over Miki's character knows absolutely no bounds. She is exactly what we need more of in terms of heroines - she's strong, independent and self-assured. She knows she's got it good, and that she doesn't need any guy to make her life complete. The fact that she desperately wants Rome does nothing to take away from her stunning independence. I honestly wanted to stand up and clap when she tells Landon to go take a hike over his "full package" comment. For the first time since Hunger Games and Harry Potter, the girl stole the scene entirely from the love interest/guy, and it was glorious.

I also loved how she just sort of went around making friends with everyone, even - and maybe especially so - if they initially seemed quite scary; even Pavel.
As for Rome, I don't know. I mean, he was dreamy all right, and damn him and his smooth, sexy French accent to hell. But the way he reacted to some things I think maybe deserved an explanation. Which is really why it's a 4.5/5: I felt some point could have been explored in a little more detail; and, even though the ending was slightly predictable, it worked - it really, really worked.
Definitely give this a read, if you're sick and tired of all the Christmas-themed books!
Roulette is out December 2nd.

Cold Feet at Christmas

Title: Cold Feet at Christmas
Author: Debbie Johnson
Genre: Adult contemporary
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 10/10

I was given an ARC copy of this book by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

On the last day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.... a dishevelled, frozen bride?
It wasn't in Rob's plans - hell, it wasn't anywhere even near Leah's plans. But when she finds her groom "playing hide-the-sausage" with one of the bridesmaids, she does the only thing any sane woman would do: she did a runner. Only she forgot her wedding was going to take place in a castle in Scotland, with a whole lot of nothing going on around it.
So by the time the car broke down, it was Leah, the snow and the sheep, alone on Christmas Eve.

Seriously a comedy delight. Leah is a hilarious character, and her resilience as a person was really endearing - that a person that had been hurt as much as she had by life could still shrug it all off (I can quite easily see her dancing around to Taylor Swift's Shake it Off) and crack a joke was amazing. The fact that she has no filter whatsoever certainly made for an entertaining read - the comment about the Italian sandwich had me fighting for air through giggles for nearly a full minute. And the whole debacle at the end with the fancy dress honestly had me in absolute stitches, because for some reason I pictured Leah as Billie Piper in that scene, with the cockney accent. A slutty Rose for Christmas, please! But shh, don't tell the Doctor ;)
As for Rob, this was a little harder. Sure, he's hot, and he redeems himself, but he was also a grade-A asshole to Leah for long there, I was almost hoping she'd go for Marco, to be honest. Serve that patronising idiot right for taking her for granted; his push-pull routine got old really quick, and really, I get the guilt, I do, but that's no excuse for how he treated her. So, I guess you could say I had some trouble connecting to the main guy. Luckily, Leah's antics pretty much outshone any negative effects of Rob's moodiness, but still.

A solid 4/5, maybe a 4.5/5, for the hilarious character, good plot and great world building! This is a definite read for the holiday season. Cold Feet for Christmas comes out November 6th.

Famous in Love

Title: Famous in Love
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: YA contemporary
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

I was given an ARC of this novel by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a 100% spoiler-free review.

It's hard to explain my feelings when I finished this book. It was part smugness because my wild guess turned out to be right, and part absolute despair, because let me tell you about the ending. It hurts. Like a picket being thrust into my heart. The first thing I did was rush to the computer, and frantically tweet Rebecca Serle, asking if there was going to be a sequel. But I was too nervous to wait for a reply, so I went fishing, and found out that (thank all the gods above and below) there will two more books. I went into the story assuming that there would be, but because there was no name to the series and #1 by the book on goodreads, I had to be absolutely certain, or I might burst into tears.
Crisis averted, though. There's still hope.
Now let me tell you about the story.

I loved Paige. Really, really loved her. Throughout the entire thing, she was so relatable. Usually, with stories about love triangles (that's not a spoiler, it's in the blurb), I get annoyed at the girl flip-flopping between guys, because to me, it's usually so obvious who she's supposed to be with. Here, though, Serle did such a superb job in the placing of characters, it never once felt strained or fake or stupid. It probably helped that once she actively admitted her feelings for Jordan, she kind of put the stuff with Rainer on hold. It was the right, honourable thing to do, I think, and only fair to all three of them. And it was great to see her grow as a character from the shy, scared girl at the beginning to the strong, sure woman she is by the end. Though I might not agree with her decision at the end (and judging by the prologue, neither does she), I definitely respect it. I think there could have been a better way to handle things, and that that was a piss-poor reason to make the decision she did, but the girl has guts, and I respect her wanting to be there like someone who was there for her when she needed it.
Rainer... what to say? He starts out like a dream, but I don't know. There's this one line that he says even before Jordan shows up that niggles at me. I think he really likes Paige, and I could see them being a great couple, but I just don't know...
And then there's Jordan. At first he was such a haughty prick, I kept wondering whether Paige was attracted to him, or if he just made her really nervous because he was so closed off. But then his whole backstory came up, and... ah, I don't know a thing anymore. He's fiercely loyal, and yet some things he said to Paige about Rainer don't seem to fit. It makes me wonder.
It also doesn't help that, even though I know who Paige wishes she had picked, I'm not certain on August. I think I know, but it was quite vague, since they're intrinsically different characters, even though Paige said whatever happened to one did to the other.

So, anyway. You should read this, you really should. It's funny, it's cute, and it's hot. It's also sad, tugs at your heart and can get quite serious at times. Basically, it's amazing. And, even better, to tide you over once you're done, there's two little extra tidbits already out there. Serle actually wrote Locked and has published it as an e-novella under the pseudonym of Parker Witter, so guess what I'm off to read next! But even before that, there's a free story on Wattpad, The Three of Us, that tells the story of August, Ed and Noah before the crash. So. If you're in any way unsure, and my ramblings haven't convinced you, here's the link to The Three of Us, and here's the link to Locked. And if you like those, then definitely give Famous in Love a chance - you won't regret it! (and if you want, you can come cry with me about the ending on twitter. Please do.)

Black Ice

Title: Black Ice
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10

I was sent an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to risk sounding like Janice from FRIENDS during this review, but OH. MY. GOD.

I just... I don't even know where to begin properly. I literally just finished it, and my mind is a jumble of images. What a ride! Becca Fitzpatrick, I'm not sure what I was expecting after Hush, Hush, but it wasn't this. I think what surprised me the most was the darkness of the book. It's everywhere, and by the time you get to the end, the one character who actually says he's 'not good' (I'm not naming names, because spoilers) actually turns out to be the best. Seriously, trying to sort out the goodies from the baddies was like trying to run through a maze with no concept of north and south. Every new character that was introduced, I had to stop reading, assess them, their words, their body language and try to figure out their intentions before going on. It was awesome! It kept me on my toes, and I think I figured it out about the same time that Jude did.
On that note, OH MY GOD. JUDE. I don't want to say too much about anyone, because this books' brilliance relies so heavily on surprises, and not knowing who to trust, but... JUDE. I seriously will not be able to listen to the Beatles song ever again without thinking of this book. Funnily enough, the lyrics actually fit them in the mountains to a T. But I digress.

It's annoying that I can't say much without spoiling it all, but basically, you want to read this. You really, really want to read this. And Patch Cipriano better look out, because Ms Fitzpatrick is upping the ante here, and he's got serious competition. The level of sass if those two ever met... but I'm digressing again. Also, I was meant to be catching up on Sleepy Hollow, but am instead up way too late again. I really should know better by now.

My one question is, what on earth happened to Korbie? I hope she found herself a new friend, too. She deserves a Caz after everything; I can't really hold what she did against her, after all...

*mock glares at you all* go read it when it's out (That's October 7th, if you're wondering)! And watch out for a GIF review for this one at some point this week!
Here's the promised GIF review - full of spoilers, as usual ;)

The Temp

Title: The Temp
Author: Emily Benet
Genre: Contemporary adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first word that springs to mind is fresh. Amber is quirky and funny, and her story was an absolute delight to follow. What really struck me about this book was just how utterly, unabashedly British it was. You don't get many books who are so unapologetically Brit, in a world of American authors, so that alone was enough to make me pause and take notice. But then Amber comes along, and starts going on about all these crazy ideas of how to become an artist and famous at that.

In a style almost reminiscent of the blunders of Princess Mia from The Princess Diaries (the grown up, British version, of course!), the book follows Amber as she chases her dream around London with a lot of determination and a stack of... bananas.
It probably didn't help that the first image that pops into my head when I think of a banana is a minion from Despicable Me, which just made the entire book that much funnier, I think.

Minions aside, however, Benet tells a great story about following our dreams, and finding love in the places we sometimes least expect - another very refreshing part. Not being sure which way Amber was going to go in the man department until well past the 50% mark is always a bonus, as it kept me guessing and wondering, making sure I was always thinking about the characters as I went about my day.

It probably goes without saying, since I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish this, but I definitely recommend this book to anyone in search of an easy, funny and light-hearted book. The characters are compelling, the plot is believable - what's not to love?

Note: no sexually explicit scenes in this one, but marked as adult for the swearwords that come naturally to the Brits, but might shock an American ;)

The Temp is out October 23rd.

Arcana

Title: Arcana
Author: Jessica Leake
Genre: YA/New Adult historical
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 9/10

I received an e-galley from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to say about 'Arcana'. In truth, the story and the characters (*sighs*, Colin Thornewood, you gorgeous specimen you!) were extremely likeable and compelling, but I felt like sometimes the author was trying maybe a little too hard. Although Wren was a delight as a narrator, there were instances of telling, not showing, that jarred from the rest of the story, stopping the flow of the narrative.
Most specifically, I felt like the matter of her mother could have been handled differently to make it more mysterious and less... well, cringe-worthy really.
But other than that, the plot was well-thought out and developed, so much so that I find myself wondering if there will be a second book. Even if it was about Lucy (and James...), with Wren and Colin only coming in as secondaries, or even just exploring more about the Order - either way, I would be very excited for a continuation, especially as I haven't had anywhere near my fill of Thornewood men.

A definite must-read for all lovers of magic/historical romances!

Fair warning to those of you considering getting this: I marked it as YA/New Adult (I hate that label, to me it's either YA or adult, but oh well) because it gets to the steamier side of YA, though it is in no way explicit, and there is no swearing. Just be warned, in case you plan on letting a 9 year-old read it ;)

Publication is due for November 4th, so keep your eyes open for this beauty!

The Fiery Heart

Title: The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 7/10

This is a spoiler-free review. I'd like to thank Penguin UK for providing me with an ARC for review.

So much to say, and so little ways to say it without being murdered at the pike for spoiling the book!

I will endeavour to do my best, though.

Let’s just say that, on the worst-case scenario, you will at least be happy with all the lovin’ going on in this book. Seriously, there is stuff for everyone. Sydrian fans especially, obviously, will have the time of their lives, and should listen to Loving You before reading the book, to set the mood. But there’s stuff for us starved Romitri loons, there’s so Angeline action, some Eddie action, some Jill action, and even some Dragozera action. Hell, Richelle even added a British lad to spice things up even more. Trust me, the title of the book is definitely fitting for the goings-on. I honestly think the only one who didn’t get some lovin’ was Zoe – even Mrs Terwilliger did!

Aside from that, the biggest concern here is the ending. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to connect to Syd so well as a narrator as well as I did with Rose, but the ending didn’t hurt as much as expected. It got to a point where frankly, it became glaringly obvious something was going to go to s***. And so when it did, it was kind of expected. As usual though, props to Mrs Mead for suspense. The woman sure knows what she’s doing.

Bottom line, little dhampirs, is: take a deep breath, relax, grab that kleenex box and dive in. You can blame me later on if you need therapy.

The Mayan Prophecy

Title: The Mayan Prophecy (TimeRiders #8)
Author: Alex Scarrow
Genre: Sci-fi
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 7/10

A little bit of a confusing start (my own fault for insisting on starting a series on book 8), but all that was quickly forgotten when the story took off. And boy, did it take off.

Hidden messages in the holy grail are only the tip of the iceberg of awesome that was this book. The whole 'Windrunners' thing created such a knot in my head, that I didn't even see the next twist coming. The switching between narrators, far from making it even more complicated, only added to the book, and allowed me to understand a bit more of what was going on, and why.

Adam's character intrigued me, and I have a feeling, considering his involvement, that this isn't the last we'll hear of him, which I'm happy about. Maybe it's just because he was the newest character to the series, but I really liked him and his personality.

And wow... that ending! Chilling (in the best way possible).

Definitely worth a read! (though I'd start with book 1, which I have already bought...)

Delirium

Title: Delirium (Parallon #2)
Author: Dee Shulman
Genre: scy-fy
Rating: 2.5/5
Cover: 4/10

The premise was so good. So, so good. There was real potential here. So what happened along the way that bumped Delirium down from a potentially 4-star review to a low 2.5-star? Well...

Okay, here's the thing. I love time-travel. It's confusing and complicated and it messes with my head just when I think I have a handle of how it works. I've loved it since it first showed up in Harry Potter, and I love it still. So, I was excited about reading a story all about time-travel. Except... it's not really about time-travel. It's more about life after death, and soul mates, and purgatory than it is about time-travel. Disappointing, but not the end of the world. But then physics was added to the equation. And not just any physics (and let's be honest, physics of any kind, shape or form is already mind-boggling enough), but quantum physics. I really liked Zack's character, but half the time he was around, I spaced out and skim-read, because the first time I tried following what he was saying, I got so lost, I had to go back one page and try again. Twice. And don't get me wrong, I love a book that is factually correct, and based on solid research. But sometimes, in fiction, it's ok to just say 'this is possible... because of reasons', no more added. It's fiction. It's acceptable.

Also, Matthias was a highly hateable character, and I found myself thoroughly bored during his chapters. In other words, only about half the book managed to have my full, undivided attention and comprehension. Which, out of a 400-page book is really quite sad.

I don't know. I'm not a scientist. I'm sure that, to those more scientifically inclined, Zack's ramblings about quantum physics would make absolute sense. Overall, an enjoyable book. Stick through the confusing and boring, cause the ending is actually pretty darn good ;)

Billy and Me

Title: Billy and Me
Author: Giovanna Fletcher
Genre: YA
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 6/10

I got this book as an ARC, and would like to thank Penguin for the chance to read it.

I’ve read quite a few books about the girl who falls in love with the rich, super-hot guy, and then their struggle to make their relationship work. My favourite famous-guy will always be Kellan Kyle, but Billy was great (despite his rather unfortunate name… which grew on me as the book went on), as far as egotistically inclined super-famous and ridiculously rich men go.

I really enjoyed the book, and it was an easy read throughout. Sophie was like a breath of fresh air after so many weak-willed, simpering heroines, who, after a little sweet-talking and puppy-dog eyes, always end up doing what the love interest wants. But not Sophie. She stood her ground, and battled her way through a situation no one is ever prepared for. She never lost herself and her feisty, independent nature, and I really liked reading about a girl who isn’t badass, can’t kick everyone’s ass with her eyes closed, but is still incredibly strong and powerful in her own, natural way. Most of the strong females in books are girls who are good at fighting, and while I appreciate how they show that girls can be just as physically adept as boys, it was lovely to see a girl show strength simply by standing by her own values, and refusing to take crap from life.

The only thing I felt was missing, was this big “secret” of Sophie’s. With all the buildup, I expected something a little more explosive, not grieving. Still, a nice, easy read that is both heartwarming and refreshing.

Warning to younger readers: although the book is tame, there are a few slightly racy scenes that might make you uncomfortable if you’re not used to reading more adult books.

Review: Reign Fall

Title: Reign Fall (Demon Princess #3)
Author: Michelle Rowen
Genre: YA, supernatural
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/10

First of all, I want to thank the lovely Michelle Rowen for sending me the e-ARC of this book.

I will admit - I had to go back and re-read the first two, because it's just been so long, and with so many other books in between, I was a bit confused about Nikki's story, but once I was finished with those two, I remembered just how great this story is.

Reign Fall continues Nikki, the half-demon princess's story. One of the things that's so great about the Demon Princess books is that while the supernatural is (obviously) a huge part of the plot and story, the problems Nikki faces - psychological problems concerning people around her, troubles accepting our bodies' change during adolescent years, conflicts between friends, etc - are all very much real, even if the spark behind those problems are a little less conventional.
The whole side story with Clara was something I had never, not in a thousand years anticipated, and I loved that. It's always great when an author can take a character and totally surprise you with it.
Nikki herself made me laugh. She gets annoyed almost as quickly as I do, and she deals with it in pretty much the same way as me - venting to any and everyone who happens to be around.
Michael... I can't say I've ever been a big fan of his (I have a huge, gaping, obsolutely ridiculously big weak point for feary kings), but in this book, he just plain-out bothered me. Keeping secrets is never a good thing in a relationship, and he could have at least told Nikki why he refused to kiss her. Instead, he gets all angtsy and jealous and throws a fit, then screws up.
Rhys, on the other hand, was amazing (although, as mentioned above, I'm probably a tad biased here lol). I love his sense of humor and his sarcasm. I love that he hides his true, broken and young self behind this tougher-than-thou facade. He's a very complex character, and I was sad there wasn't as much of him in the book as I wanted there to be.
Melinda surprised me. I never expected her to do the things she did, but I was glad she did them (well,except for one thing, but she did redeem herself later on, so no harm done).

On the whole, a great book. An excellent sequel to the first two which I'm sure Nikki fans will love. Can't wait for Reign Storm; that ending was just mean, and the fourth one promises great things to come!