Book Review: Burn for Burn - Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Title: Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1) - Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Release Date: September 18th 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pages: 356 (paperback, export edition)

Goodreads

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

THE COVER
I love this cover. The models are perfect for the images of Kat, Mary, and Lillia that I had in my mind. 

THE STORY
Like what the blurb says, Mary, Kat, and Lillia are three girls who all want revenge. First we get a taste of why they want it, then it's straight to the action, which I really liked. The ending was and was not what I guessed it would be, though. It was because I think everyone will agree with me that in stories like this, the protags almost always end up with their plans blown up on their faces; it wasn't because, holy crap, who could've guessed that part of the conclusion? 

Thank God it's going to be a trilogy - the titles of the next two books are: Fire with Fire, and Ashes to Ashes. I absolutely can't wait for the second book because I think I can smell a fight between Kat and Lillia.

THE CHARACTERS
The characters were well-executed. They were very diverse, and each was their own self. And just when I thought I had them figured out, the authors showed me something totally uncharacteristic about them. But I think there's no argument when I say the three girls - who kind of reminded me of the Furies - were the most memorable characters in here.  

First up, Kat. She was this fearless, no-nonsense girl who used to ignore the lies her ex-bestfriend tells everyone about... until the first day of senior year. She's the one who thought of the whole vengeance mission, and clearly she's the level-headed one, well, most of the time, that is. 

Next is Lillia, the Asian princess. No, she's not really a princess; she's just the purest of the Mean Girls and she's freaking rich, so yeah. At first I thought that she wants payback for that guy who went too far, but no. She loves her sister so much, it's like she's actually an older brother.

And last is innocent Mary. I guessed that she left Jar Island because a boy broke her heart, and he did, only in ways worse than I'd guessed. She's the one I rooted for the most, the one I wanted to gain the best revenge. She was also the one who transformed the most, but I wish she'll get tougher.

I loved how the girls were strangers to one another at first - except Kat and Lillia because they had history together - but something as bittersweet as vengeance brought them together. I really hope they'll get closer in the next book.

MY FAVORITE PARTS were when the girls were going after Alex. That was really funny, especially the "longest hallway" poem :))

RATING: 4.5/5 
I don't know, I just felt like something was lacking. But I really loved this book!
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com) 

Book Review: The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Title: The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Release Date: The edition I have was published in June 2012

Publisher: Anchor Books

Pages: 508 (mass market paperback)

Goodreads 

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

THE COVER 
One of the best things about this book is its cover. Even the covers of the other editions are magnificent, that's why I want to own all of them. In time, in time.  

THE STORY

The blurb was quite misleading, actually. I expected a fierce duel, as in hurling fire balls or conjuring wild animals to attack each other, but that wasn't what I got. This might get spoiler-y if I say more, so I'll leave it at that.

Also, the pace was slower than I would've liked. It took so long to set up the said competition. A hundred pages before the last, I was like "where is the freaking climax?!". Yep.

That said, the ending was beautiful. Tragic, yes, but beautiful. And realistic - though this story is far from reality. Think Mockingjay-kind of ending, but a bit happier. And Morgenstern's writing was like the dreamy atmosphere of Le Cirque des Reves turned to words. 

THE CHARACTERS

Oh my Lord. The main characters were really good. 

Celia was a confident, prideful - but far from arrogant - young woman. Her father, Hector Bowen, was the opposite, so I'm glad she knew what and what not to learn from him.

And Marco. Oh, Marco. Swoon-worthy, charming, though quite naive. But I loved him. I still do.

I didn't like the insta-love. One minute they're strangers, the next they're flirting? But to say that I hated it would be lying. I was too busy trying to slow down my heart rate to be irked.

The other characters were well-developed, too. They even provided a number of surprises. 

MY FAVORITE PARTS were when Celia finally discovered that Marco's her opponent, and their first kiss. 

RATING: 4/5

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Waiting on Wednesday {1}: Opal

First WoW post, yay!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

 Title: Opal (Lux #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: December 11th 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

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.

I've read - and loved - the first two books in this series, Obsidian and Onyx, and the prequel, Shadows, but I'm planning to re-read them before I get to this one once it's released, so no reviews for now. 

Onyx had a lot of action, but I'm expecting Opal to have loads more! ♥

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 Title: One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Release Date: The edition I have was first published February 21st 2006

Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics

Pages: 417 (paperback)

Goodreads 

One of the 20th century's enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world, and the ultimate achievement in a Nobel Prize-winning career.

The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.

Love and lust, war and revolution, riches and poverty, youth and senility -- the variety of life, the endlessness of death, the search for peace and truth -- these universal themes dominate the novel. Whether he is describing an affair of passion or the voracity of capitalism and the corruption of government, Gabriel Garcia Marquez always writes with the simplicity, ease, and purity that are the mark of a master.

Alternately reverential and comical, One Hundred Years of Solitude weaves the political, personal, and spiritual to bring a new consciousness to storytelling. Translated into dozens of languages, this stunning work is no less than an accounting of the history of the human race.

THE COVER

I love the cover for this edition. Actually, I google-d the covers of Harper Perennial Modern Classics and loved all of them, lol.

(Now to paste the review I wrote right after reading this.)

So I finally finished this lengthy baby.

My only expectation when I began reading this book was that, like other classics, it would be difficult to understand. But it wasn't. The writing was very simple despite the long paragraphs which sometimes spanned a few pages.

Unlike most of the people who have read this, I didn't find the magical realism aspects weird. I would've if Marquez claimed that this story happened in real life, but no, this is fiction. Unrealistic things should be expected in fiction. Also, the unending list of men named Jose Arcadio and Aureliano really irked me at first, but after a while I just found it really funny XD

This book's details surely won't stick with me for a long time (I just finished it, like, less than six hours ago and I already can't remember some minor parts) but I really loved this.

Especially the ending ♥ 

RATING: 4/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: Eragon - Christopher Paolini

 Title: Eragon (Inheritance #1) - Christopher Paolini

Release Date: The edition I have was first published June 12th 2007

Publisher: Laurel Leaf Literary

Pages: 754 (mass market paperback)

Goodreads 

One boy...
One dragon...
A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old story-teller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

THE COVER

I love dragons so, of course, I love this cover.

THE STORY

The story was good because of the dragons but I just didn't connect to it. With other books, I felt like I was in their worlds, running and fighting along with the characters, but with this one, I really was just reading a book. I'll probably continue with this series once I get intrigued enough with what happens next.

THE CHARACTERS

I didn't hate Eragon, but I also didn't like him. He was too flat - actually, I found most of the characters to be flat, with the exception of Murtagh.

 

MY FAVORITE PART was the battle towards the end.

RATING: 2.5/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: Bound to the Prince - Deborah Court

 Title: Bound to the Prince (Elven Warrior Trilogy #1) - Deborah Court

Release Date: The edition I have was first published August 19th 2011

Publisher: Smashwords

Pages: n/a (ebook)

Goodreads 

Some people believe that beneath our own world, separated only by a thin veil of human disbelief, there is another one—an ancient land of myths and legends, a place where magical creatures dwell. What would happen if one of them walked the streets of London at night?

Once a proud warrior, elven prince Elathan was living in exile, fallen from grace and separated from his own people. He wanted the mortal woman the moment he saw her standing on Blackfriars Bridge, staring down into the darkness with unbearable pain in her eyes. This strangely compelling female also happened to have luscious curves that made his body ache with desire. Naturally, he decided to hunt the woman down, drag her to his lair and command her to become his slave of pleasure. But would her frail human body survive a night of untamed passion in the arms of a Fae?

After a devastating breakup with her fiancé, Igraine Chandler was spending her honeymoon in England all by herself, her life utterly bereft of meaning. For who could ever love a plain, slightly overweight nurse from New Jersey with nothing left but a broken heart and her lost dreams of a home and a family? But she never imagined that she would soon set out into a world beyond her wildest dreams, and help a prince reclaim his throne...

Set in a medieval fantasy world of noble knights, monsters and magicians, honor, betrayal and revenge, Bound to the Prince is a romance influenced by Celtic mythology and Arthurian legends. But in its heart, it's a story of a woman's inner development to a new, strong, self; uninhibited desire, boundless love, loss and sacrifice.

THE COVER

My only problem with this cover is the model; I'm not a big fan of muscly guys. But all in all, it's really gorgeous and classy.

THE STORY

This is another "abducted girl" story so some female readers might not like it, but I think Elathan actually saved Igraine from her terrible life. 

I don't know if it's because it's an ebook (and I just can't stare at a screen for too long), but I felt like this was an overwhelmingly long read. I read it for almost a month. The pacing was good, the steamy scenes were written well, and the world-building was fantastic. 

Bound to the Prince is actually an erotica, but it's so good that I believe if the author cut out those scenes, this would still be an extraordinary book. The adventure and fantasy world alone was a story in itself.

THE CHARACTERS

I really pitied Igraine in the beginning of this book. Her king of douchebags fiance just left her, she had no family, and she had even sacrificed her education for the love she thought she'd had. Her hopelessness struck me straight from the pages. So I really loved it when she became stronger - physically and emotionally - during the training that Elathan gave her so she'd be ready for... him.

Elathan was this super cool, ultra bad-ass elven prince with a sad past. At first, he only thought of Igraine as a slave, but we could all guess where the story went.

 

MY FAVORITE PART was the ending. I read it during a programming lab class (sneakily, of course), and it was so gripping, I didn't realize my professor called on me until my seatmate kicked my chair, lol.

RATING: 3.5/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: The Vincent Boys - Abbi Glines

 Title: The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys #1) - Abbi Glines

Release Date: October 12th 2011

Publisher: Self-published

Pages: 464 (ebook)

Goodreads 

There was something wicked about Beau that drew me to him. What was wrong with me? Why did I want to sin so badly?

Ashton is getting tired of being good, of impressing her parents and playing ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is perfect, a regular Prince Charming, but when he leaves town for the summer, it’s his cousin Beau who catches Ashton’s eye. Beau is the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, and even though he’s dangerous, Ashton is drawn to him.

Beau loves his cousin like a brother, so the last thing he wants to do is make a move on Sawyer’s girl. Ashton is off-limits, absolutely. That’s why he does his best to keep his distance, even though he’s been in love with her forever. When Ashton wants to rekindle their childhood friendship in Sawyer’s absence, Beau knows he should say no.

Ashton and Beau don’t want to hurt Sawyer. But the more they try to stay away from each other, the more intense their urges become. It’s getting way too hard to resist....

THE COVER  

I love the colors, even that green which I usually hate. My only problem with this cover is that I don't see any connection to the story.

THE STORY

The storyline's kind of cliche, actually, but I just have a thing for bad boys as main characters. The pacing was okay, too. 

I don't find Glines' books spectacular or anything, but I can't stop myself from reading them because they're stories I want to read. I guess the story does beat out the writing.

THE CHARACTERS

It's really a struggle to read a book when you dislike the main character so much, and, man, did I hate Ashton with a burning passion. She should've broken up with Sawyer a long time ago. Heck, she shouldn't even have gotten into a relationship with him. And she had the nerves to hate him when he didn't save her from the bullying? Wow.

The only characters I liked were the Vincent boys - I don't know whom I loved more! - and Ashton's cousin.

MY FAVORITE PART was the ending. Nicely done.

RATING: 3/5

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne

 Title: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne

Release Date: The edition I have was first published August 30th 2007

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 384 (paperback)

Goodreads 

An American frigate, tracking down a ship-sinking monster, faces not a living creature but an incredible invention - a fantastic submarine commanded by the mysterious Captain Nemo. Suddenly a devastating explosion leaves just three survivors, who find themselves prisoners inside Nemo's death ship on an underwater odyssey around the world from the pearl-laden waters of Ceylon to the icy dangers of the South Pole, as Captain Nemo, one of the greatest villains ever created, takes his revenge on all society.

More than a marvelously thrilling drama, this classic novel, written in 1870, foretells with uncanny accuracy the inventions and advanced technology of the twentieth century and has become a literary stepping-stone for generations of science fiction writers.

(I actually wrote a quite decent review of this book because it holds a special place in my heart, hehe.) 
I first read this book when I was eight. While my classmates were rushing against one another to bring home Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, I was devouring our library's collection of Verne and Sherlock Holmes books. They were thick, with huge prints and illustrations - clearly intended for kids. One time, I took out a book in the morning, read it during breaktimes, then returned it in the afternoon of that same day before I went home.

Of all the titles in that collection, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ended up being my favorite. So, more than ten years later, when I saw it again in the bookstore, I knew I just had to relive the adventure again. It had been a light and fast read in that small, thick book from third grade, so I certainly didn't expect it to be long and, frankly speaking, quite dragging in its unabridged form. That said, it was still a better adventure than before. If Verne didn't expound too much on the sea creature naming, this book would've been paced faster, but less believable too since he wrote it in a professor's point of view.

In all, I still loved it and I look forward to re-reading his two other books that I first read a decade ago: Around The World In 80 Days, and A Journey to the Center of the Earth.

RATING: 3.5/5

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: A Storm of Swords - George R.R. Martin

 Title: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) - George R.R. Martin

Release Date: The edition I have was first published March 4th 2011

Publisher: Bantam

Pages: 1177 (mass market paperback)

Goodreads 

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world...

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

THE COVER  

I've always loved the covers for the new editions of A Song of Ice and Fire. Simple but pretty.

THE STORY

HOLY SEVEN GODS, WAS THIS BOOK AMAZING. It was better than the first two, and in almost every chapter, an event occurred that made my jaw drop. There were a lot of happenings - unexpected ones, delivered in GRRM's trademark style. Numerous deaths, of course. By now, I've learned not to get too attached to most of the characters in this series because evil author is evil.

THE CHARACTERS

I'll start with the two characters who were added to my list of favorites in the course of this book: Sansa, because she's learning how to play the game of thrones - albeit really slowly, but all learning is learning - and Jaime, because he kept that snarky, smart egotistical attitude of his despite everything.

In the beginning of ASoS, Tyrion was faced with the problem of no I will not say his face lol being relieved of his Hand of the King position. Then towards the end, an even bigger problem was thrown his way. I really want to read AFfC soon but I'm afraid I would've forgotten everything that happened in it by the time the fourth season of the TV series begins airing.

Daenerys just keeps getting fiercer as her dragons grow, and I actually call her the "nomad queen". I can't wait for when she's finally able to go to the Seven Kingdoms- if GRRM lets her, lol.

And oh my dear Arya. You're too young to be living the life you have, but that'll only make you stronger.

MY FAVORITE PART was The Purple Wedding. One less villain in Westeros.

RATING: 78236427283/5 (Sorry, but five doesn't give this book enough justice.)

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: Predestined - Abbi Glines

 Title: Predestined (Existence Trilogy #2) - Abbi Glines

Release Date: The edition I have was first published March 30th 2012

Publisher: Self-published

Pages: 300 (ebook)

Goodreads 

You would think after helping save her boyfriend from an eternity in Hell that things would go back to normal. Well, as normal as life can be when you can see souls and your boyfriend is Death. But for Pagan Moore, things are just getting weirder.

The high school quarterback and reigning heartthrob, Leif Montgomery, is missing. While the town is in a frenzy of worry, Pagan is a nervous wreck for other reasons. Apparently good ‘ol Leif isn’t your average teenage boy. He isn’t even human. According to Death, Leif doesn’t have a soul. The quarterback may have skipped town but he’s still showing up in Pagan’s dreams... uninvited.

Dank has known from the beginning Leif wasn’t human. But he hadn’t worried about a simple soulless creature. Now, he realizes he made a grave mistake. Pagan’s soul has been marked since birth as a restitution, to a spirit so dark not even Death walks near it. Dank knows saving Pagan’s soul won’t be easy but Pagan is his. And he’s already proven he’ll defy Heaven to keep her. If Hell wants a piece of him too, then bring it on.

THE COVER  

I have mixed feelings for this one. I love the picture of the girl with those fiery eyes of hers, but the font's not doing it for me.

THE STORY

Let me get it out: I liked Predestined more than Existence. The story flow was way better, and the other characters were expounded. Glines explained the reason why Pagan could see souls, and also Dank's last words in the first book. 

One thing I didn't get was the voodoo world. Was it supposed to be hell, or just an evil dimension?

THE CHARACTERS

Pagan showed some attitudinal improvements; she's tougher and more determined. Unfortunately, she still had to be saved. Why can't Glines make her more able?

As for Dank, he was quite the disappointment in this. He did either of these two things: take souls or save Pagan. Yes, that was it. But he's still swoon-worthy.

And Leif is back! Honestly, if I were Pagan, I would've gone with Leif just to get everything over with.

MY FAVORITE PART was Pagan in the voodoo world. I loved the idea of that place.

RATING: 3/5

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: The Finding - Nicky Charles

Title: The Finding (Law of the Lycans #3) - Nicky Charles

Release Date: February 11th 2011

Publisher: Smashwords

Pages: 442 (ebook)

Goodreads

She discovered a dark secret, witnessed a murder and fled into the night fearing for her life. Three years later, Cassie is still hiding from her past, haunted by a dream lover and fighting to control a terrifying beast that seems to grow stronger each day. When Bryan, pack Beta, appears to claim her, Cassie is forced to face the truth of her existence. Innocence, betrayal, greed and love collide with ancient werewolf laws in... The Finding. Third book in The Law of the Lycans series by Nicky Charles.

THE COVER

I actually like this cover! The red sky and that big, fluffy dog (that's not a wolf, is it?) does it for me.

THE STORY

It's Bryan's turn. And wow, did he get the best female out there, haha!

The Finding starts with a lot of action, slows down too much for my liking in the middle - probably why I read this for almost a month - then picks up again for the amazing ending.  

THE CHARACTERS

For the most part, I disliked Cassie. She was - there's no other way to put it - stupid and impulsive. I admired Bryan for putting up with her. And I loved how the main characters from the two previous books came together in this one's ending.

 

MY FAVORITE PARTS were the Kane and Ryne brotherly banters that never failed to have me grinning like crazy.

RATING: 4/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: The Keeping - Nicky Charles

Title: The Keeping (Law of the Lycans #2) - Nicky Charles

Release Date: July 1st 2010

Publisher: Smashwords

Pages: 1048 (ebook)

Goodreads 

Ryne Taylor was a sexy bad-ass Alpha set on establishing a new pack. Melody Greene was a journalism student researching his work as a photographer or so she said. But could Mel really be trusted or had she stumbled upon his secret? And if she knew, could Ryne save himself and the pack he'd left behind without enacting a deadly ancient law known as The Keeping? Sequel to The Mating.

THE COVER

Again, this is a free ebook, so no complaints!

THE STORY

The Keeping was a great sequel; Nicky Charles enriched her already elaborate world of Lycans. That said, it kind of dragged in the middle - or maybe that's just me being impatient. I also had some really good laughs with this one, particularly when I read "were-bear", lol. The ending was a cliffhanger, but I didn't have a problem with it because I had The Finding all set.

THE CHARACTERS

I loved the tension between Mel and Ryne, whether it be sexual, or the fact that Ryne has to keep their secret from Mel without wanting to push her away (though he denies it at first).

 

MY FAVORITE PART was Mel getting drunk XD

RATING: 5/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: The Mating - Nicky Charles

Title: The Mating (Law of the Lycans #1) - Nicky Charles

Release Date: The edition I have was first published in February 23rd 2010

Publisher: Smashwords

Pages: 897 (ebook)

Goodreads 

Elise had no idea when she came home that day that she'd end up mated to a complete stranger. A new Alpha and the need for an alliance between packs have made her a pawn.

THE COVER

It's a free ebook, so I won't complain.

THE STORY

The plot was very good, and in my opinion, The Mating had the best pacing out of all the books in the series. There was a lot of suspense; I was guessing the whole time. I thought I had the villains figured out, but oh no, not even close. I also appreciated the fact that the author knows the difference between werewolves and Lycans. 

The "ummm" scenes erased all the innocence I had left, but no regrets!

THE CHARACTERS

I loved the characters in this. Elise was no weakling and because she was the Alpha's mate, she simply didn't have the right to be one. I also loved when she insisted to get a job because she didn't want to rely on the pack's fund even if she could've lived like a queen.

And, oh, Kane. I liked how he's a mighty Alpha with a soft side.

The other characters were also very developed, and they added to the richness of the story.

 

MY FAVORITE PART was the climax, the confrontation scene. Action ♥  

RATING: 5/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: Existence - Abbi Glines

Title: Existence (Existence Trilogy #1) - Abbi Glines

Release Date: December 12th 2011

Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

Pages: n/a (ebook)

Goodreads 

What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course.

Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead.

Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all.

He is Death and he's about to break all the rules.

THE COVER  

OOOOOOOOOOH THAT COVER. YES GOOD JOB YES. Pepe Toth is glory personified. And Sztella too, but all we can see here is her back, but hey, it's glorious too, lol. Oh God those eyes. Moving on!

THE STORY

When I read the synopsis, the story intrigued me. Death falling in love? Yes, please. And the fact that the female lead also had a power made it more interesting. There were a lot of surprises in the end, but I felt like a lot of parts could have been cut out to make the pace better. 

THE CHARACTERS

Unfortunately, Pagan's ability to see souls was the only significant thing about her (until we get to book two, but that's got to wait for now). Like most female main characters in YA, she had to be saved several times. I'm all for butt-kicking girls so that weakness always irks me.

Also, even though I swoon every time Dank's in the page, there really wasn't much back-up for their attraction. I won't call it insta-love, though, because Pagan certainly wanted Dank gone at first, thinking he's just another ghost. But I can't blame Pagan because if I were her, I'd fall in love with Dank, too... especially if he looked like Pepe Toth. Moving on!

MY FAVORITE PART was every time Dank sung. I'm a sucker for guys who sing and play the guitar. And the author's friend (I think?) recorded Dank's songs. Here are links to Closer and, my personal favorite, Yet You Stay.

RATING: 3/5

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Book Review: Screaming in the Silence - Lydia Kelly

Title: Screaming in the Silence - Lydia Kelly

Release Date: The edition I have was first published October 27th 2010

Publisher: WorldMaker Media

Pages: 194 (ebook)

Goodreads 

Could you fall in love with the man who kidnapped and raped you?

After being struck by a car, Raleigh finds herself taken captive by three men who live in a remote cottage by a lake. Locked in the basement and raped, she soon discovers that her desperation is leading her to believe in and trust one of her captors. Kaden is handsome and at times protective, but will he save her from his partner, who wants her dead? And can she have feelings and fall in love with a man who kidnapped and raped her?

Screaming in the Silence is the harrowing and erotic tale of a woman's kidnapping ordeal. Edited and updated with a new ending, Screaming in the Silence is the official published version of an Internet hit that has been read over 20,000 times.

THE COVER

I'm not a big fan of this cover, but I think it really embodies the story, with the crying girl - who is, obviously, Raleigh - and the lake which is quite a big part of the main characters' relationship.

THE STORY

This is the first "girl gets kidnapped" book that I've ever read, so I was really curious when I began reading it. The pacing was really good; I just couldn't stop reading. And it took an unexpected twist towards the conclusion, and that ending has permanently taken a piece of my heart.

THE CHARACTERS

The story started off with Raleigh running away from a life she didn't want to live. It's good that her kidnapping changed her for the better, gave her the courage to voice out what she really wanted.

A surprise came in the form of my love for Kaden; he's one of the kidnappers, for heaven's sake! But how could I not? He's a French-to-English manuscript translator, and in the book - if my memory serves me right - he's working on Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Raleigh asked him why he's translating it when it's already been translated, but unfortunately, since I read this book last March, I can't remember his answer. My apologies.  

I just have a thing for broken, complicated characters.
 

MY FAVORITE PART was the last scene with Raleigh. So much hope. In my head, I love continuing the story from there.

RATING: 5/5
(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)

Guess who's posting again.

I started this blog earlier this year when I regained my love for books. It was fun, but the amount of time it took overwhelmed me; to think that back then, I wasn't taking college as seriously as I do now.

But I'm happy to say that I'm back! This time, I'll try to be better at sticking with schedules and whatnot. Self-discipline, yes.

Unfortunately, I didn't write reviews for anything I read after L.J. Smith's The Forbidden Game. I'll work on most of those books' reviews except for the ones I'll be re-reading (i.e. part of an unfinished series, or those I really loved). I will also be using a new format for my reviews because I seem to have lost my ability to string cohesive paragraphs together, lol.

Here's to My Library in the Making 2.0! ♥