Fangirl

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Release Date: September 10, 2013
My Rating: 4.8/5

Hello there,
Today I have Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and may I say, wow. This book almost didn't feel like a book. It felt more real than that. The entire time I was reading it, I didn't really feel like I was reading. Rowell created such a realistic world and even more relatable characters, I felt like I knew each and every one of them.

Cath, our protagonist, reminded me so much of myself. Rowell creates the most relatable characters in all of her books. Cath is an avid reader and loves to write fanfiction. She spends her time in her dorm room, writing and reading. She is socially awkward and has anxiety, which I see in myself. Her reactions to other characters are almost exactly what I would do in the same situation.

This book is hilarious and dramatic and tear jerking. The only reason I give this book only a 4.8 is because I wish it was longer. It ends and I don't feel like I know enough of what is going to happen. I recommend it to everyone, especially introverted people like myself.

For those of you who haven't read it, this is the end of the line. See you next time!

(spoilers below the picture) 

**SPOILERS**

Here we go. 

First, I want to mention the Simon Snow aspect of this book. It sounded so much like Harry Potter, I was almost shocked when Levi mentions Harry Potter in the book. Throughout the entire book, it kind of bothered me how alike the two story lines were, but then when I found out they both exist in Caths' world, it almost made me mad. I didn't think they should be so alike. However, I loved the idea of having another hit series and having the fanfic portion of the book. It might have been my favorite aspect (other than the reality). The scene towards the end, when they are waiting for the release, just brought me back to 2007, waiting in line for the final Harry Potter book. The emotions I had experienced were the same as Cath and Wren's in this book. 

I also loved reading the Simon Snow  and Carry On chapters. I loved how Cath took the main character, kept them basically the same, but twisted their actions to how she would write it. Before this book I was never really aware of the fanfic universe, but now I'm a little bit interested. 

I love Cath. Now, normally I love the bad-ass leads that can kick and punch their way through everything, but this book was refreshing. I saw a character that reminded me so much of myself, I almost couldn't differentiate the two worlds. Cath is real, and awkward, and funny, and caring, and sarcastic. The best part of all that, however, is how she reacts. She doesn't say anything I wouldn't be able to think of myself and I love that. 

Another one of my favorite aspects, cheesy as it may seem, was the romance. It was so awkward and silly, but again, real (I keep using that word, but only because it's true). Levi is such a sweet guy, I only wish I could meet someone like him. One scene I didn't think was very realistic was the kitchen scene. I don't really know why Levi was kissing someone else because Rowell made it seem like he wasn't that kind of guy. I agree that something had to happen to make Cath not trust him, but I wish it would have been something else. 

When I first met Levi and Reagan, I thought they were siblings or something. I never really believed they were together, like Cath did. Also, I love Reagan. I wish I had a friend like her. She was so hilarious and drama-free.  

When I first met Levi and Nick, I thought Cath would be going between them. I was pleasantly surprised when she doesn't actually like Nick. However, I loved the writing scenes with Nick, and then how Levi came and walked Cath home every night. That's when I knew that Levi would be the one Cath chose. When Nick showed up at Cath's door at the end was when I actually didn't like Nick. The whole novel, I didn't mind him that much until this scene. I was so happy when Cath didn't take credit for the paper. I totally saw where she was coming from because it wasn't actually her story and she finally put her foot down. 

I wish I knew a teacher like Professor Piper. She was actually involved with her students and cared about all of them. She paid attention to their writing, and I loved how she could differentiate between Nick and Cath on paper. 

Thinking of the mother aspect, I loved how Cath and Wren had different views and were each strong enough to follow their own paths. I could also see the situation from both sides; Wren wanting to know their mother and Cath wanting nothing to do with her. Laura herself however, I was not a fan of. This was particularly in the hospital scene. It didn't make sense to me how Laura could wait all that time with Cath to see Wren, and then when it was finally time she bailed. I was a little confused, but it really showed Laura's true colors and made me sympathize with both of the twins more; Wren losing her mother again, and Cath realizing what Wren had been going through. 

I feel like there were too many medical emergencies, with Wren and alcohol, and Art with going crazy. It almost felt like too much, but when I think about it, I could not get rid of either. They do tie in to each other and make sense on both ends. 

By the way, I also love Art. He's pretty great. 

Anyways, I'm reaching the end of my review, and the last point I can think of is the end. I wanted more. I felt like the book just cut off. I didn't know it was going to end there and kept reading into the Snow portion in the back before I realized the actual novel had ended. I wish there were two to three more chapters to show what happened with the fanfiction, Simon Snow, Levi, Nick, and Reagan. 

Overall, this book was a happy read. It just made me feel good. I would recommend it to everyone on the face of the planet (well okay, maybe not everyone but most people). 

Until next time, Keep Reading! 

Delirium

Title: Delirium (Delirium #1)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 7th, 2012
My Rating: 3.5/5

Hey all,
Today, I have for you, a review of Delirium by Lauren Oliver. This is a dystopian novel, where love is considered a disease and must be wiped out. The government created a procedure that "cures" people of any feeling of love at all, weather it be romantic, familiar, or just enjoying something. Everyone gets matched to be married and assigned a college and major. This means that they have to control over their lives, but they don't care because they can't be passionate about anything without love. This carries over to their family lives as well. There is no true love in the family unit and because of this, if mothers get too annoyed with their children they will abandon them or worse, kill them. This book reminded me of a few books; Matched by Ally Condie, 1984 by George Orwell, and Divergent by Veronica Roth.

I absolutely loved Oliver's writing style. It was artistic, but not confusing, and delightfully descriptive. I have found that I can't stand it when books are over descriptive. This book was a happy medium, enticing me in the details of the world Oliver created, yet not boring me with nonsensical jabber. This book had many creative aspects that really made me think about issues in the world we have today, which was previously done by George Orwell in his book, 1984.

The characters in this book were not my favorite. Lena did not always think in a sensible way and often react in a non-realistic way. I did like seeing her point of view from wanting the procedure and believing in it, to not wanting it. Which brings me to Alex. I feel like I never really got to know this character. He always seemed secondary and I feel like Alex and Lena just fell in love because of one incident. They didn't actually fall. I did however, love the contrast between the cured people and the uncured. Oliver does a beautiful job making the cured seem like they have some emotion, like it's hidden.

Overall, I am glad that I read this book, however it was not my favorite. It seemed rather anti-climatic. It just kind of went on and finally got interesting the last 70 pages. I would recommend reading this book to anyone who asks, but I wouldn't say it is a "Oh-my-God-you-need-to-read-this-book!" book.

For those of you who have not read this book, this is the end of the line for you. There are spoilers below the picture!

**SPOILERS**

Alright, there isn't really much to say in this spoiler section that I haven't already said up above. There are only a few points I would like to hit on here. The first is the crypts. I thought that was a very interesting twist when we found out that Lena's mom had been there the whole time. However, I did not find it very believable that she could dig a tunnel through a concrete wall, and nobody noticed. I am glad that she is alive and escaped, I just found it unrealistic. I also thought the punishment for Thomas was too severe, even taking in the nature of this book. He had reported the hole in the wall, after all. I feel like the rest of the guards should have caught on to Thomas and Alex. That would have made it more interesting, at least. 

The second thing I would like to bring up is more of a question. Is Alex alive? It never specifically explained if he was actually killed. I mean, I can expect that the guards would have killed him, but these books are a trilogy, what can Lena really do after this? Half of me wants to keep reading the series to find out, and the other half of me doesn't feel like it is worth it. 

Please, please share your opinions on this one, since I'm on the edge. 

Until next time, Keep Reading! 

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1)
Author: Laini Taylor
Release Date: June 5th, 2012
My Rating: 5/5

Holy Crow.
If you have not picked up this book yet, you need to. I was introduced to it through the "booktube" community and am totally glad I fell on it. It is full of mystery, romance, adventure, and fantasy that interplay with each other into a beautiful concoction that is this book.

Laini Taylor has created a world I had never heard of before, which is hard to do considering the amount of books I have read. It is new and exciting and I can't wait to read more about it. However, this book is a little hard to get into. There are so many elements of this world that are not properly defined until about the last quarter of the book. But once you reach that half-way mark, this book blows the mind and you won't be able to put it down.

So, If you haven't read it, read it. Now. Then come back and see my spoiler filled review below the picture!

**SPOILERS**

Okay everyone, down to business. 

Oh man, this book. It had me laughing to angry and everything in-between. May I just say, this book may be on my favorites shelf. It was beautifully written, but not in a standard way. It made me think about how things from the past tie in to the present. I also liked the point of views. I'm normally a fan of single POV's, and generally hate having more than one, but in this book, they are split up in a way I like. Whenever it wasn't Karou's POV, it only lasted a couple pages, and I found it to be more interesting having another view of an event.

Karou is probably one of my favorite protagonists now. She is brave, smart, funny, and never weak. She does what she wants and is a total bad-ass. I loved seeing her discover who she is and what she can do. I also loved her relationship with Brimstone, who may also be one of my favorite characters.

Throughout most of the novel, I really didn't like Brimstone. He seemed brooding and scary and I actually thought he was a bad guy. Then, when we start seeing him through Madrigal, he totally changes. He becomes a hero of sorts, who I desperately hope we see again in the second novel.

Akiva. Ah, how I love thee. He's handsome, brave, and still has hope. I loved him and can't wait to see how his and Karou's relationship play out.

I was not a huge fan of how fast Karou and Akiva fall in love. It seemed too fast and cheesy for my taste. However, it makes perfect sense when we reach the last part of the novel. Now I actually understand that they fall in love so fast because they were already in love. Things like this make me love the novel that much more.

Another aspect I loved was when we got to see the story of Madrigal. She is now also one of my favorites, even though she and Karou could technically be compiled into the same character. I loved how Madrigal's events were placed out of order, but they made sense with what was going on in the present. It's hard to get into words, but the timing was simply beautiful.

Laini Taylor, hats off to you. She did a fantastic job with this book and I am now a fan. The plot and the characters were so intricate. She made a world with war in it, but we saw it from both sides. Even though there is a war going on, both sides may not be the bad guy, nor the soldiers fighting in it.

 This was a truly beautiful book, and I recommend it to everyone.

Until next time, Keep Reading!

Wait For You

Title: Wait For You (Wait For You #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout (writing as J. Lynn)
Release Date: February 26th, 2013
Rating: 4.3/5

Hey there,
As you all probably know, I am a huge fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout, so when I saw a SIGNED edition of one of her books at B&N I just had to pick it up. I had never heard of this book before and had no idea what it was about, that's how much I love her writing. This review is based off a re-read of Wait For You, so I did know what I was getting into for this review. I had fallen into a reading slump and felt like I needed a good contemporary to pull me out of it, and boy was I right in choosing this one.

I honestly have so much love for this book. It was very well written and hilariously funny. Like all of Armentrouts' characters, Cam and Avery are wittingly funny and always know the right (and realistic) things to say. This may be a love story, but unlike so many romance novels written today, it never reminded me of Twilight. It was very humorous but also had dark undertones that it touched in the plot. I really liked how it wasn't just a love story, we also dealt with issues Avery brought with her from the past.

On top of all that, this was also a very fast paced  book and a quick read. I'm serious. I picked it up yesterday and finished it this morning. I just could not put it down. It had me laughing and crying and wishing I could move to West Virginia.

This book is definitely one I would recommend to anyone, however, due to some graphic scenes, I suggest being over the age of 17. I only gave it a 4.3 because of the lack of adventure and the fact that nothing really happens unless Avery is with Cam (I like my strong female leads where I get to see their life without guys 24/7). It really is a fantastic book and worth the read.

Until next time, Keep Reading!

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE!

Title: City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Release Date: May 27th, 2014
My Rating: 5/5


Hello all,
It is official. I have finished. It is done. And I can't believe it. I started reading this series in seventh grade, and now, as a new college student, I have finished. It took me around two weeks, but I could not imagine a better ending to this series. Cassandra Clare is the master of successfully closing one series while simultaneously opening another (In this case, The Dark Artifices). I'm sad to see these characters and this story go, but I can't wait to continue on in Clare's world in her upcoming books.

This entire book was filled with excitement, humor, and plot twists. However, I didn't actually get into it until page 500, which sucked because there are only 725 pages. I also really fell in love with the Blackthorn children and Emma. They were meant to be a smaller part of the book, but I loved reading from their point of view(s). I can't wait to continue their story in The Dark Artifices.

I've always loved Jace, Clary, and Simon, but surprisingly, I've never liked Alec very much. Until this book. Before this installment, he always seemed weak and whiny to me. In this book however, he becomes brave and loving and caring. He really redeemed himself in my eyes.

Alright everyone, I don't think I can go on any longer without spoilers, so if you haven't read the books, it's time for you to log off and get to the bookstore. These books are great and I insist you read them (even though I will admit books four and five are a little hard to get through).

Spoilers below Picture:

**Spoilers**

Thank goodness, I can speak freely now. Honestly, I'm having a hard time getting all my feelings to type out and kind of wish I could do a video, but I don't know how. So I'm going to try to get everything out, stick with me here: 

First of all, I was surprisingly upset by the whole attack on the werewolves. But I was more upset with Maia. She kept telling herself to tell Jordan she was breaking up with him, and she never did. To me, that made her seem weak. But she totally made up for it with the whole Bat/Leader of the pack thing. I can't say I was surprised or upset about Jordan, however. It is true, he had somewhat grown on me while he was protecting Simon and helping Jace, but I totally saw that coming. ALL THE WEREWOLVES AROUND YOU ARE DEAD. WHO DO YOU THINK IS NEXT? Jeesh. Common sense would have been nice. On a twisted note however, I am glad he died because it helped out the rest of the novel with Maia and Bat. 

Speaking of which, I loved seeing inside the pack. In this novel, the pack mentality is really shown with Luke as missing leader, and Bat stepping up as Beta, and then the fight scene with Rufus. I really loved watching Maia kick his ass. I was totally unsurprised when Bat and Maia kinda-sorta ended up together. 

Alec and Magnus. What can I say about them? All throughout the series, I was never a fan of Alec. He was always the annoying one that was sensible, when everyone else didn't want to be sensible. In this book, I did grow to like him. He was more brave and confident, especially when looking for Magnus. I finally saw passion in him, and it made him more relate-able. And I've always been a fan of Magnus. His sass is not missing at all from this installment. I loved the scene when we find out who his father is. I think that made Magnus more human and seem apart of the entire group. 

I still love Jace and Clary. Nothing in that relationship has changed except they seem more serious about each other and I love it. I also love how Clary is no longer the uneducated shadowhunter who screws everything up. She now saves the day without any faults of her own. She is stronger and better, and will continue to be so. 

Simon. Ah, Simon. When his memories were taken away, I actually wondered why Clare would do such a thing to a loyal reader, such as I. I really don't know why his memories had to be taken away if Magnus was just going to find a way to give them back. Maybe I'm just upset because I didn't like it, but I don't think that really needed to happen. It was just more heartbreak and confusion in a book that already had enough of both. However, I did like Simon becoming mortal again. I look forward to (crackpot theory) seeing him become a shadowhunter in the next series. I also love Isabelle much more in this book than in the others. (I didn't know where to put that, so I put it here.)

I loved the Blackthorn children (I include Emma as one of them, even though she's a Carstairs). I can't wait to read more about them in The Dark Artifices. I also love how we meed Emma as a bad-ass from the beginning. She was never a weak girl who had to learn everything. It's almost like she's the Jace or Will in upcoming stories. 

In the end of the book, I could not believe the deal the consul made with the fair folk. It was horrendous and demeaning. If I were in that room, I would hope I had the guts to stand up like Magnus and tell Jia she is making a mistake. I definitely think that element will come back into play in the next series. As soon as the fairies went against the shadowhunters, I wondered what would happen to Helen and Mark because of it. And I am so angry at that one guy that stood up and refused to let Helen stay with the shadowhunters. He's definitely going on my kill list even if I don't know his name. 

There isn't much to say about Luke and Jocelyn. I still love them and their wedding was beautiful. 

I really enjoyed seeing Tessa and James (or Brother Zachariah). I loved The Infernal Devices, and am really glad to see them reappear in the upcoming series. 

Last but not least, Sebastian. I hated him. Absolutely hated him throughout the entire series. And then, in the blink of an eye, I loved him. Well not him. I loved Jonathan. It ripped my heart apart, seeing him, how he would have been if it weren't for Valentine. I wish he could have lived as Jonathan and Clary could have had her dream come true. However, like in any great novel, that can't happen, and Cassandra Clare continued to rip my hopes out of my chest. But the book wouldn't have been the same without it. 

Overall, this book was amazing. I give it 5/5. It was the perfect ending to a legendary series. I don't think I could be happier. 

Well, I think that's all I have to say for today. My brain is fried and I'm all typed out. I'll probably reread this and remember something important I forgot to discuss, but for now, thanks for sticking with me through that. I know it was messy, but that's how my brain is right now. 

Until next time, Keep Reading!

Fighting Destiny

Title: Fighting Destiny (The Fae Chronicles, #1)
Author: Amelia Hutchins
Release Date: June 4th, 2013
Rating: 3.5-4/5

Hey there!
As of one minute and 37 seconds ago, I finished reading Fighting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins. And holy-hot dang. A few weeks ago I was looking at the championship round to Mel, Erin & Regina's Book Boyfriend Battle Royale, and found that Ryder was one of the contestants. I dug a little deeper and found his novel and I was hooked. I ordered on amazon ASAP, and when it got here, I couldn't put it down. Now, with my emotions still boiling, I must share them through a review:

First there must be this warning: do not pick up this book unless you are . . . exposed . . . to more . . . sensual books. Seriously, in the first ten pages there were three very explicit . . . ahem experiences. At first it seems like that is all the book focuses around, (and in a way I guess it does, but not in the way you're probably thinking. You dirty reader you). You see, the mystical creatures in this novel are Fae, which feed off of emotion. And these Fae found the best way to get emotions out of people was from bringing out their more emotional side (if you know what I mean). This was not necessarily my favorite part of the book.

Another part of the overall writing of this book that bugged me was the way the author never explained anything. She would just state what was happening and expect the reader to know what it meant. This was difficult for me as I am not very attuned in the Fairy world, especially the one she came up with.

The characters. Ah how I love them. Syn, our main, is such a bad ass and I love it. She bottles her emotions up, which I relate to, but then when she lets them out, she explodes and I love it. Larissa is the sweetie that everyone can't help but love. And Adam. The other half to our Synthia. My thoughts are that Adam and Larissa are perfect for each other. Now, to the most important (in my perspective) character; Ryder. Honestly, Ryder is probably the only reason I was so enthralled by this book. I couldn't wait to see what happened next between Ryder and Syn, whether it be hate, love, violence, deception, or acceptance. He is what made this book complete and I can see how he finished second in the Battle Royale.

The plot, sadly, was not laid out very well. Don't get me wrong, dear reader, I loved the twists and turns. But I did notice that some of the details in the beginning were dropped, as if the author decided to go another path with the story and didn't edit out the mistakes in the beginning. This thoroughly bugged me. It probably didn't help that the company I ordered from delivered a book with a blurry cover, as if it was photocopied onto it. It just looks horrible, and was a turn off for me. Overall, this felt like it was the authors first novel, which it is. I just hope this means there is room for improvement.

Don't get me wrong! I am definitely entrapped in this story Ms. Hutchins has created and will definitely continue to read the series, I just hope to see the improvements to the books overall. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5, simply because of the few plot/clerical errors. This is definitely an enjoyable and fast paced read.

Until next time, Keep Reading!

Amber Earns Her Ears

Title: Amber Earns Her Ears
Author: Amber Michelle Sewell
Release Date: July 12, 2013
Rating: 5/5 (for Disney lovers!)

Hello, hello, hello!
For everyone who doesn't know, I am a very avid Disney fanatic, so I am very excited to share my thoughts on Amber Earns Her Ears by Amber Michelle Sewell. As a Disney fan, I plan on taking part in the Disney College Program (DCP) and this book is actually a secret journal Amber kept while she was a part of the DCP. It was witty, funny, and brutally honest. Amber was not afraid to spill the "dark side of Disney". However, this did not deplete my love for the Magical World of Disney in any way, shape, or form. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and cannot wait to spend my time in the most magical place on Earth. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the DCP.

Until next time, Keep Reading!