Waiting on Wednesday

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you love most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantments.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy. 

I think it's safe to say most people are pretty excited about this one. While I love this series, for me, it's not as good as 'The Mortal Instruments'- but almost. I know there's all kinds of drama about Cassandra Clare and plagiarism and whatnot but I still love her and love these books! 

In a wasteland born of rage and fear, populated by monstrous creatures and marauding armies, earth's last survivors have been drawn into the final battle between good and evil, that will decide the fate of humanity: Sister, who discovers a strange and transformative glass artifact in the destroyed Manhattan streets, Joshua Hutchins, the pro wrestler who takes refuge from the nuclear fallout at a Nebraska gas station; and Swan, a young girl possessing special powers, who travels alongside Josh to a Missouri town where healing and recover can begin with Swan's gifts. But the ancient force behind Earth's devastation is scouring the walking wounded for recruits for its relentless army, beginning with Swan herself.

I completely loved this! It's a huge, huge book, probably one of the longest I've ever read but it didn't feel that way. The writing was beautiful and descriptive and vivid. The characters had depth and real connections to each other. However, I'll admit it was a little slow to start off and there wasn't a lot of explanation regarding some of the characters and their backgrounds but that did come along about a quarter of the way through and it didn't stop or slow down once after that. If you love apocalyptic novels with great characters that stay with you long after you finish, this is the book for you.

4 bookmarks out of 5

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...

So here's the thing, I LOVE alien stuff. I'd probably never admit that to anyone but the thought of other life out there in the great unknown, is just so cool to me. Now, I don't think there are actual people living on Mars or Pluto but I don't think we're the only living THINGS out there. But that's not what this is about. I read 'Obsidian' a while back and as creepy as these covers are, I fell totally in love with every single person in them! The banter between Daemon and Kat (or Kitten as he loves to call her) is so, so, so good! They're quick and smart and sharp with each other- enough to just sting. Which makes the attraction between them that much hotter! Like, you can feel it coming off the pages it's that hot. And that's just book one!

'Onyx' starts off right where 'Obsidian' left off and you really need to read it first since Armentrout doesn't take the first three chapters to fill the reader in- I secretly love when writers do that. I read this in two sittings (hey, a girl's gotta work in order to buy these books) and it was just as great as the first one- better even! A few twists, a few surprises and oodles and oodles of chemistry! Ugh! So good! Even if you're not a fan of sci-fi or you're having an issue getting past these totally weird and unworthy book covers, PLEASE pick this up and read it. Well worth the few bucks you'd have to spend.

5 bookmarks out of 5

When Marshall King and Elyse Alton suddenly wake up tangled in each other's arms with zero memory of how they got there or even who they are, it's the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future. Terrified by their amnesia, Marshall and Elyse make a pact to work together to find the answers that could restore their missing memories. As they piece together clues about their lives, they discover that they're in the idyllic mountain resort town of  Summer Falls. Everyone seems happy there, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town's perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything- not the death of Marshall's mom, not the hidden violence in Elye's family, not even the day-to-day anguish of being a high schooler. Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marshall and Elyse fall into an intense relationship founded on their mutual quest for truth. But the secrets they're trying to uncover could be the death of this budding love affair- and of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

Alright, here's the thing. This cover is beautiful and I love it. A lot. Buuuut this was no good. I didn't really know what to expect from this by the little blurb but what I got was not even in the realm of what I thought it could be about. With that said, the story line felt super rushed, like Kitanidis tried to cram as much stuff as she could into 347 pages and as much as I hate to say it, it didn't work. There was no real smoothness that you find in really great stories.

As for Elyse and Marshall and their intense and budding love affair, it felt far from real. Even during their really hot hook up scenes. It's clear there was some sort of physical connection but that's as far as it went. It sort of felt like they were banded together because they were both utterly clueless about everything. 

I guess it's true what they say, you can't  judge a book by it's cover.

2 bookmarks out of 5

Camden Pike has been grief stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He'd give anything to have just one more glimpse of her. But when Cam visits the site of Viv's deadly accident, he sees an apparition. Her name is Nina and she's a girl from a parallel world. When Cam follows her there and makes an unbelievable discovery, it's as if all his wildest dreams have come true. But things are very different in this other world. Nina is hiding a secret and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with the truth, he's forced to make a choice that will change his life forever.

I'm drawn to a great cover and this might be one of my favorite ones this year. It was on my list before I even knew what it was about. Poor Cam. I really felt for the guy and it only made me like him more. Which is good since this whole book takes place with him front and center (YAY FOR BOYS!!). Still recovering from his father walking out on him after a career ending football injury, he seems unable to get over Viv's death. While visiting the accident site there's a weird green light then a girl coming through said weird green light. I'll admit, this bit was sort out there for me but I thought 'what the hell? i'll see where this goes.' I enjoyed the love story aspect of it but there was really no real depth apart from Cam's depression. And even that was almost forced down my throat. But again, a cute story with a slight twist so I didn't hate it.

2.75 bookmarks out of 5

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising- and each other- Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within the Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

I was so, so, so excited for this! I looooved 'Matched' and 'Crossed' so much but if I'm being honest, this was a little bit of a let down. It was good and it did tie up all the loose ends from 'Crossed' but that's the most enjoyment I got out it. One of my favorite things was the way Xander stepped out from Ky's shadow and really become a man that Cassia or anyone else would want to be with. Now I'm not saying that's how the "love triangle" ended but I will tell you that I was satisfied with the trilogy's ending.

3 bookmarks out of 5

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna's life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility. As their relationship deepens,  the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear  in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.

First off, I loved this cover! The colors are just so pretty and that was the thing that really drew me to this one. I'm not going to lie, I did enjoy this but when it ended (again, not a series as far as I know) it left me with me questions than answers and that frustrates me to no end. But I was happy with the ending, despite all the questions I have now. Maybe one day I can let it go but for now it's floating around in my brain. 

Anna was a lot of fun. She was smart and full of life. Unlike a lot of other YA novels out, she has a great relationship with both her parents (nice to read a book where mom and dad are still alive). Her best friend, Emma, was this super vibrant British girl that I wanted to know so much more about! I hate when we meet a supporting character and end up almost loving them more than the actual main character. But my favorite character was Bennett. He actually felt like a real person with real emotions. I probably shouldn't like the parts where he and Anna have fights but reading his reactions only made it feel more alive.

All in all, a good read. If you can stand to possibly have more questions when you're done.

3.5 bookmarks out of 5

Ink

I think putting people's names on your body is insane but still wanted to get something meaningful towards how I feel about my husband, this was it.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past. She can't. She used to think her problems were all in her head. They aren't. She couldn't imagine that after everything she's been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets. She's wrong. In this gripping sequel to 'The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer', the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this series is one of my favorites this year. In the past few years even. I love Mara and Noah. I love her family and all the crazy characters we meet throughout the story. I'm so glad that Hodkin didn't lose any of the wit and sarcasm that book one had. A lot of the questions that book one left were answered in this. But in turn,  there are more questions and the cliffhanger left me yelling 'what the hell??' It's going to be a looooooong wait til next fall before this can wrap up all my questions.

I love all the mystery and spooky aspects but the best part is the relationship between Mara and Noah. This poor girl has the whole world questioning her sanity and he stands by her side and has her back through everything. Noah is the kind of guy that any girl would want- he's cocky and a smartass with the brains to back it up. Yet there's a soft side to him that he keeps to himself but it's clear that Mara has a special hold on him. If you have not read this, you need to. It's truly an amazing story and one like I have not read in a long, long time.

4.5 bookmarks out of 5

Waiting on Wednesday: Reached

Doing something new that I stole from http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/ and since I'm counting down the day til next Tuesday, I thought why the heck not?

The final thrilling part of the "New York Times" bestselling trilogy, "Reached" is the sequel to "Matched" and "Crossed" by Ally Condie. After leaving the Society and desperately searching for each other - and the Rising - Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again...In the gripping conclusion to the bestselling "Matched" trilogy Cassia, Ky, and Xander return to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long: the power to choose.

Words cannot express how excited I am about this! Ally Condie's series about Cassia and Ky has been so loved by me. If you haven't read any of them, I suggest you start. Like, yesterday.

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It Can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong.

First let me say, this cover is hands down one of the best of the year. It's beautiful and haunting and literally made me stop in my tracks while roaming Barnes & Noble.  So, anyways, I've read some other reviews on this and it was really mixed. Some peopled loved it and some people just thought it was a little weird or to far out there. Sure, the alligators was a little weird but, for me, it all made sense. The idea of the story was original and new and fresh.

Mara is my kind of girl. She's smart and sassy and if she were a real person, I'd want to be friends with her. I love that when she met Noah, she held her own against him. Their relationship from the very beginning was full of tension- the good kind. The obvious physical attraction was there from the start but the back and forth quick dialog they shared is the thing I love most about them. It made the relationship feel real and allowed it to build. None of that love at first sight, forever til death do us part from the first meeting crap here. The fact that she hated him so much from the start makes me want to high five her. 

But be aware, this was one of those stories that I read with the lights on. All night. The strange and completely scary things that happen to poor Mara were totally frightening and if they were to ever happen to me, I doubt I'd ever come out of hiding.  

All in all, I loved, loved, loved this. It was well written and perfectly paced with just enough questions left unanswered to keep me coming back. I finished the second in the trilogy, "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" last night so if I can find the time tonight, I'll get that review up.

4.5 bookmarks out of 5

Ashes, Ashes

A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts- for sixteen year old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wild's of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

When I read this blurb, I knew I had to get my hands on this book. It fits in perfectly in what I look for in a great end of the world story. It started off a little choppy and slow for me but I really feel that's because there's no back story provided. Even though the course of the story, there's hardly any explanation of what happened to Lucy's family or how she ended up in Central Park. Not to say I didn't enjoy it, cause I did. Lucy was a really great female character who came across as a normal teenage girl who feels things that normal teenage girls feel. I loved the slow tension that built between her and Aidan. The minor characters added just as much to the story as Lucy and Aidan did which made me want to know more about them. 

But with all the great this book had, there were some things that were lacking of me. Like I said before, there was almost no back story about any of the characters. Sure, there was a mention of 'this person died or that person died' but that was it. It made me feel like the connections between Lucy and her family/friends or Aidan and his family/friends wasn't real. Like they were just strangers they knew at one point in time. Also, there was no real ending. It came up quick and felt very rushed to me (like 'Water Wars' did). I think if the last quarter of the book had been slowed down and there was some explanation was given as to why the Sweepers were looking for Lucy and how they actually found out about her would have added to the 'omg what is happening?' feeling. This could have been one of those really awesome grab-you-by-the-throat stories that you can't put down but it was a bit of a let down at the end. I would really like a follow up or a sequel to 'Ashes, Ashes' but after searching all over Jo Treggiari's website the only thing I found was that she's writing a companion book, 'Pocketful of Posies', to give more of the back story for Del, Aidan and Sammy. She says that it'll cover the time from the first case of the plague. So there's still hope I'll get my answers.

3.5 bookmarks out of 5

A wait worth wild

I loved loved loved 'The Passage'. Hands down one of my favorite books of all time. A year is a long time to wait when I dont do well with the word "wait" but it's in my hands & all I need is a mental health day from work & the world to devour this.

A little lace goes a long way

I could not be more excited about a pair of shoes! I saw them in Elle this month & knew I HAD to have them. I special ordered them last week & they sat waiting at my front door when I got home! Thank you Aldo!!

I told you I wouldn't be waiting long to read these two. I actually devoured them about two weeks ago but life got in the way so I'm a little behind.

When an apocalyptic disaster strikes New York City, Alex Morales suddenly finds himself fighting to stay alive...

This is the second book in this series by Susan Beth Pfeffer and I absolutely loved the first one but this one scared the crap out of me. In the very best way! It's the same story as Miranda's only it takes place in New York City and between the dead bodies, the rats and all the other terrifying things that happen to Alex and his two sisters, it really had me on the edge of my seat (or bed depending on where I was) to get to the end. I couldn't wait to finish it but at the same time it came all too soon.

It's been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth's climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.

The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda's father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda's complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.

This was the PERFECT ending to the series. It brought all the characters that I've grown to love and worry about together in one place. Needless to say, the meeting of the two groups brings out some tension but there were some very heartfelt moments and surprisingly ones that made me laugh. We meet some new characters that had me on the fence (I'm talking to you Syl) but as the world around them comes to even more dire needs, I grew to really love them. The ending had me in tears (and I do mean literally the ending since it was the last 5 or so pages) and when it ended I felt oddly happy. It wasn't the happy ending many readers probably want but it was satisfying. Even if it did make me want more! 

TGIF

Happy weekend everyone! Jeans: Forever 21, top: Forever 21, blazer: thrifted, boots: Aldo

Romance with a twist

Work all day, class all night. Thank goodness it's almost Friday! Jeans: Forever 21, top: Forever 21, boots: Aldo.

Shade of gray

Long day of work ahead of me. Blah. Top: Forever 21, pants: thrifted, shoes: Aldo.

Casual Tuesday

It's cooling down outside (YAY FALL) so dressing for the day is weird and usually a good mix of whatever I can find. Jeans: Forever 21, top: Ralph Lauren (thrifted), belt: vintage from my mom, boots: Charlotte Russe.

First book review!! *does happy dance* First thing to know about my choice in books, they usually tend to be young adult because to be honest, I'm a little lazy. Between a full time job, full time school, full time personal life, I can just breeze through them and be done. That does not mean I won't read an "adult" book- I'll read just about anything you put in front of my face. With that said.....

When a meteor hits the moon and knocks it closer in orbit to the earth, nothing will ever be the same. Worldwide tidal waves. Earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions. And that's just the beginning.

About a week ago I finished 'Life as we knew it' by Susan Beth Pfeffer and it was really, really great. It's about a teenage girl and her family and what happens to them after a meteor collides with the moon, knocking it closer to earth and screwing up everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING! The tides, the weather, tectonic plates. Told from Miranda's point of view in the form of a diary, it felt so real which made it scarier. To be honest, it started a little slow and because it's her diary, there's not much background in regards to some people and events that have already happened but when it picks up, it was literally almost impossible to put down. The ending came quick (probably because I was so enamored by it) and it left me wanting more, in an almost breathless sort of way.

There are two companion books to go along with this, 'The dead and the gone' and 'This world we live in'. 'The dead and the gone' is told from a guy in New York's point of view, same time frame as Miranda's story but 'This world we live in' takes place after both of the other two books. I've not read either one of them yet but I fully plan on it. And soon.

What's black & white & me all over?

Love a great thrift store find!

Things I love

Thrifting.

Welcome!

Hi everyone! I've been debating doing this for a long, long time but never kept up with any other blogs but maybe I'll do better at this. Or maybe I'm in denial and just want to pretend I'll keep up with it. Either way, this is my new place give my thoughts on books or movies or whatever else tickles my fancy. So, fingers crossed I can keep up with this.