Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ruin and Rising

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 19, 2014

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

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

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

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

This book literally tore my heart in half,  no actually in pieces. So much happiness, and despair all squeezed into the final chapters of this series.. and all I can say about it is that it was a insane ride but an utterly amazing ending to the last book of the series. Ruin and Rising has got to be my favorite book of the Grisha series, and it totally has the qualifications to be. Though I am upset about how some relationships ended up. Ruin and Rising also showed us what we've all been waiting and preparing for. WAR, DEATHS, AND A LOT OF CRYING.

I gotta say that there was a lot of good character development in this book. Everyone, including Zoya, helped out and ultimately, with everyone's efforts they were able to defeat the Darkling. Though with the hefty cost of foes and allies alike. The bonds that everyone showed in this book was really great, which is why the loss of allies in this book really affected me. This book literally had me either on the tips of my toes, or being shocked at how they managed to mash so many heartbreaking things into it without it being too much. The deaths and devestation that came with this book truly hit me hard though. There noble sacrifices will never be forgotten. & May Oncat have a happy life without Harshaw.

One thing that has changed is my opinion of Mal. I mean *begrudgingly* I still don't approve of him and Alina, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve her. All of his actions truly prove that he loves her, and I simply can't hate him just because I don't ship him with Alina. He has certainly matured a lot. He doesn't care that she's not the same girl he grew up with, all he cares about is that she's safe. So gotta say he's gotten better and isn't such a jerk in my opinion anymore.

Nikolai, oh Nikolai you are always a joy to have in the books. You gone through hardships just like the rest, and you along with everyone experienced things that should never happen to anybody. But still what happened to you was tragic and you'll never be the same. I still had hope that you would end up with Alina in the book but the moment this was said I realized that it wasn't gonna happen. .-.

The stars looked like they were close together, when really they were millions of miles apart. In the end, maybe love just meant longing for something impossibly bright and forever out of reach. 

Its ironic how this quote literally ended my hopes when I read it. Nikolai fell in love with her, but he couldn't reach her because she already had someone she loved and because of that she would always remain out of his reach forever. Something so close yet, unattainable. That broke my heart. -sigh- 

Now onto the Darkling. I've honestly could never hate him. Aleksander... such a common name indeed. He always leaves me so conflicted. Who is he truly?! The boy who said "I've lived a long life rich in grief", the boy who was so desperately lonely that he turned into a tyrant just to run away from it, or the grief stricken one who chased after his own mother when she jumped off the railing.. was he truly a villain at all? How could someone so wrong be so right!?! He wanted Alina to see him as a villain, yet he never harmed the students from the school. He just wanted to see her. The light that would balance out his darkness. He wanted her to change him. He wanted redemption. 

God if I could change anything about this book, it would be how she played out some of the characters. I truly wish that the Darkling ended up with Alina *yes, this ship in my mind overcomes Nikolai.. sorry guys*. Because this isn't right. It kills me every time the Darkling and Alina encounter each other. I go crazy since they both have this chemistry that undeniably attracts both of them to each other. Since that senerio can't happen. I just really want a side book showing the Darkling's *ahem* Aleksander's point of view. I need to know what drove him to do all of this! 

Well I'm done with my rant. Ultimately this earned 4.5/5 stars cause of the ending. Even though I would've liked a different outcome, in the end I felt really satisfied yet unsatisfied at the same time.. as strange as that sounds. How did you guys feel about Ruin and Rising? Did it also break your heart to pieces? 

Until then, Cindy 

~Book Haul of June-July~

Hi guys, summer has pasted by so quick and now its already July now! One more month of fun till school starts again. So I hope you guys are enjoying your summer to the fullest!! ^^ Here's my massive book haul of the month

1. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

I actually finished this a couple days after borrowing it from the library and it was pretty good. This book was so unique especially with all the pictures in the book itself plus have you seen the cover? It's amazing isn't it?  The whole story is real cute, and it has such a major twist in the end that you won't even see it coming!!

2. Unmarked by Kami Garcia

He is here... and he could be anyone.

Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free. 

Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked? 

This is the second book in the series and the first book really got me hooked as since I really love paranormal books. So if you paranormal fans are looking for a book, this is one great series to start. This is also written by Kami Garcia, who was the co-author to the Beautiful Creatures series, which is yet another paranormal book series that is utterly amazing and that I would recommend to anybody. 

3. Tarnish by Katherine Longshore 

Anne Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt offers to coach her on how to shine at court—and to convince the whole court they’re lovers—she accepts. Before long, Anne’s popularity has soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice. More than popularity, Anne wants a voice—but she also wants love. What began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between her heart’s desire and the chance to make history.

I really wanted to try some historical fiction and when I saw this, it was perfect. I just learned about the infamous King Henry VIII in history class this year, and the absolutely hooked me when I first saw it. 

4. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

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

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

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

This is the last book in the Grisha series and I cannot wait to read it and find out how they defeat the Darkling. I'm really hoping that Alina finally gives Nikolai a chance and leaves Mal. Because seriously in my opinion Mal and Alina have no chemistry. To be honest though, I don't think that will happen considering the course the book was taking in Siege and Storm.

5. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

6. An Ember In the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

7. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him... or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

8. Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown 

Samantha Donaldson’s family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a Girl Guide and messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, high-level mathematics, and complex puzzles and codes, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women’s spy group La Dame Blanche she’s torn—this could be the adventure she’s dreamed of, but how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband to the war? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes there’s no way she can refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known to the members of LDB only as Velvet. Deep undercover within the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Samantha must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she finds herself forming a forbidden attraction to the enemy-a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Samantha discover the truth and find Velvet before it’s too late…for them both?

9. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

I've been obsessed with Rainbow Rowell since I read Fangirl. Her writing is so heartwarming and I just love it!! So like any other book fanatic, I searched up Rainbow Rowell immeadiately and got another one of her books. xD There I found out she actually had a book about Simon Snow! :O I was really surprised and happy so I got it and I really can't wait to read it. 

Until then, Cindy ;)

Emmy & Oliver Review

By: Robin Benway

Published: June 23, 2015

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Emmy & Oliver was such a great book to read and I would recommend this to anybody. & I gotta give this props for being the next best thing after I read Fangirl. This story tells two sides of the same story. Though Emmy is Oliver's best friend, he's been gone for 10 years and now that he's finally back she's ready to start off from where they left off, but it might be harder than she thought as she realizes he has changed and he isn't the same boy she knew when they were kids. In Oliver's case, it feels like he was never kidnapped by his father. So returning home for him isn't exactly what he imagined it would be. He feels suffocated, isolated, and lonely. All his life, he thought he was living a normal life. His dad taught him how to ride a bike, took him hiking, and on a lot of trips. He'd spent all his life thinking his mom was the bad guy, while the world thought the opposite.. that his dad was the bad guy. 

This book explores how one teenager's life is affected by the lost of a friend, and how another's is trying to find his way around a new environment without feeling suffocated. Emmy is always finding ways to go to the beach so she can surf, one the ways is even lying to her parents about where she's going since her parents are fiercely overprotective. Ever since Oliver's disappearance everything change. Parents became more protective, kids had to play in groups. That's how Emmy, Caro, and Drew become such close friends. So when Oliver finally came back after 10 year's, it was shock to everybody. 

When Oliver returned he was lonely, he didn't know what to do when he returned to see that his mom was never the bad guy, but she did remarry and he had two little sisters. He didn't know how to respond to this, and he shut himself in his room not talking to anybody much expect for Emmy. Thanks to Emmy, even though it was a little bit he was able to adjust to his new life. Sometimes he wishes he'd never returned but by the end he's happy that he did. Even though he didn't really remember much about his hometown, along the way Emmy, Drew, and Caro were there to help him. 

Emmy & Oliver is such a emotional read, its so meaningful and its definitely not a light read. I liked that it didn't just show Emmy and Oliver's problems, but also Drew's and Caro's. This story shows us how everybody's life is not as perfect as you think. Like Drew, he may be rich but it doesn't mean he has a happy life. He's gay, but his parents don't except that at all. His parents won't even let him bring his boyfriend to a family event because they think his grandmother won't like that and won't lend his parents any more money. 

I loved his book, and how it explored so many realistic different problems. Whether it was about Emmy having the courage following her dreams, Oliver coming to terms that his dad did kidnap him, Drew defying his parents, & Caro excepting that not everybody will be together when college finally comes. Robin Benway really ties up all the loose ends by the end of the book, and I'm really looking forward to reading all of her future/past books!!

Until then, Cindy :)

Fangirl Review

First of all guys I'm so sorry for not posting for so long. I'm not even gonna lie, the reason was because I was way behind on my gigantic pile of books, and because.. I honestly didn't feel like blogging during May and June. I was just so busy with Finals and then it was suddenly summer and i'm now officially a Junior in High school!! :O That's some scary shiz. And the last reason was because I was thinking of not blogging anymore, but once I gave it some thought I decided to keep going. I mean blogging is fun, especially since you get to meet fellow crazy book lovers xD Well anyways finally after this long rant is the review! ;)

By: Rainbow Rowell

Published: September 10, 2013

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

This book totally wowed me. & It totally also made me an official fan of Rainbow Rowell's writing! I mean I absolutely loved how her writing had so much depth and emotion behind it. It was as if we, the readers, were experiencing what Cath was going through ourselves. This story tells about Cath and her twin sister Wren, who has loved Simon Snow since they were kids. But as they're starting college her twin who's always loved the same thing as her decides that she needs to take a break from Cath and also that she doesn't want to room with Cath which devastates her. After Cath finds out, she also unknowingly takes a step into the big world that is college and meets her bi-polar roomate Reagan and her *boyfriend?* Levi. You can say that Fate *ahem Rowell in this case* has a weird way of putting people together. 

The thing with this book is that almost all the characters are relatable and everything is not as predictable as you thought. This book seriously has a crazy way of growing on you, because the characters aren't perfect and the events are really realistic. Cath goes through so many struggles in this book, and it really feels like your right there beside her ready to punch those jerks  *the supposed good library buddy*. Fangirl isn't your typical Ya novel, its something different and I liked that. There was no love triangle, Levi is certainly handsome but he isn't some perfect light/dark haired, brooding, strong, guy. For heaven's sake he has a receding hairline. is on the scrawny side a bit, and is always smiling!! & For that I love him anyways. 

“I feel sorry for you, and I'm going to be your friend."

"I don't want to be your friend," Cath said as sternly as she could. "I like that we're not friends."

"Me, too. I'm sorry you ruined it by being so pathetic.”

Now onto Reagan. She's one badass roommate. Although Cath initially thought Reagan hated her, she didn't. She just didn't talk to Cath, since Cath never talked to her. Eventually Reagan started talking to her saying that she would become her friend whether or not she liked it, and that is what began a life long friendship that included roasting people in the cafeteria!!  

Once again, I'm so happy that a love triangle did not happen between Levi, Cath & Reagan because to be honest Cath is too much of a cinnamon roll to take on Reagan lol. So you guys should read this book because it'll give you cavities because of how sweet it is!! ^^ *Yes I know you guys can thank me for this later*

Until then, Cindy ^^

A Simple Post About Books

I couldn't think of a title for this post so it came to this. >.< But anyways I feel like I've really been behind on great old and new books. So here's a list of the books I hope to read in the future and hopefully get great responses about when I post reviews about them! Oh and tell me if you guys like the way I positioned the books or not. ;)

Title: The Love That Split The World

By: Emily Henry

Published: March 26, 2016

Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves. 

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start... until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

Looking at this foreword, I'm totally know that this will be a roller coaster of feels. I really want to read this book, but I'm afraid that the book might be too hyped up. *which I hope its not*

Title: Falling Kingdoms

By: Morgan Rhodes

Published: December 11, 2012

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword.... 

Title: Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

By: April Tucholke

Published: August 15, 2013

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. 

Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back. 

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Title: The Trials of Apollo

By: Rick Riordan

Published: May 3, 2016

How do you punish an immortal?

By making him human.

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favor.

But Apollo has many enemies - gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.

First of all, omg I cannot contain my feels and excitement about another Greek mythology book that might have Percy and the gang in it!!! :D It comes out literally tomorrow and I cannot wait!!!! I know that some people feel that Rick is just trying to get more money, but seriously if you have time to be hating/complaining about the book why are you even there?! I don't mean to start anything but like seriously some of us don't care if Rick is doing this to get more money or not, cause we absolutely would love to see more of the old gang even if they aren't the main characters!

Title: Summerlost

By: Ally Condie

Published: March 29, 2016

It's the first real summer since the devastating accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. But now Cedar and what’s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theater festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar. 

Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching middle grade debut from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series, that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy.

I'm really looking forward to reading this book, as I did read the Matched series and thoroughly loved the author's writing style. This book to me gives a feeling of nostalgic, and wanderlust. 

Title: Panic

By: Lauren Oliver

Published: March 4, 2014

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most. 

Title: For Darkness Shows the Star

By: Diana Peterfreund

Published: June 12, 2012

It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society... or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.

Title: Passenger

By: Alexandra Bracken

Published: January 5, 2016

Passage, n.

i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.

ii. A journey by water; a voyage.

iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home... forever.

Wow I didn't know that this was by the same author that wrote the Darkest Minds! :O But anyways whoa the plot of this book sounds really unique and a lot different from any of the books I have ever read.

Title: I'll Give You The Sun

By: Jandy Nelson 

Published: September 16, 2014

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

I'm really taking a liking to contemporary books, and well this book is something that I've heard a lot of good things about so I'm gonna give it a try. The situation in this book sounds really interesting as we see how two kids who were so much a like find themselves repairing their lost relationship even with their seemingly clashing personalities.

Title: The Next Together

By: Lauren James

Published: September 3, 2015

How many times can you lose the person you love? 

Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated. 

Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselves sacrificing their lives to save the world. But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace? 

Maybe the next together will be different...

Well honestly just looking at the plot of this book, I think I'm either gonna be crying or smiling the whole way through it. Cause "How many times can you lose the person you love?", phew that's already making me feel sad. So this is definitely a must read for me because as strange as this is, I think I'm in need of a book that will make me cry. 

This is my daily rant about books! So have any of you guys read these books? If you have feel free to discuss it with me by commenting! ♥

Until then, Cindy :)

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Phew, first off all I'm so sorry that I've been inactive for so long. ⊙▃⊙ 

Title: Siege and Storm

By: Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 4, 2013

“The Darkling will hunt you for the rest of your days."

"Then you and I will have something in common, won't we? Besides, I like to have powerful enemies. Makes me feel important."

Mal crossed his arms and considered the privateer. "I can't decide if you're crazy or stupid."

"I have so many good qualities," Sturmhond said. "It can be hard to choose.” 

True to my review of the previous book, I still don't really like the characters. Though, I do have to admit they did make some progression. The character I loved the most was Sturmhond, A.K.A Nikolai!!! ♥_♥ I don't know why I just have this disease where I'm attracted to sarcastic, funny, and well guys like Will Herondale!! I guess this can be called The Will Herondale Syndrome? xD But seriously, he's such a unique character. I get that he can be rash or ecentric at times but that is what makes him that more enjoyable. He is one of those characters that is brutally honest. He gets straight to the point. He knows that it takes sacrifices and ruthlessness to get what you want. Which made Alina think he's like the Darkling, but the one distinguishing fact that makes him different from the Darkling is that he has a heart, he's human. As the Darkling surrounded himself in the dark, Nikolai bathed in light by making lifetime friends.

Rather than Mal, I think Nikolai is the perfect match for Alina. Well if she ever gave him the chance. He may well be the one that relates to her the most. Because you gotta remember he has two names; Sturmhond and Nikolai. His personality isn't any different under those names, just his face. All his life he's been the prince, rumored to be a bastard. So he ventured out to escape the palace, he explored the world with a new identity where he explored and made a name for himself. Which changed his life. Being a privateer allowed him to encounter many things, so I don't care if Nikolai is a bastard or not cause he is fit to be the King. Like seriously Vasily deserves nothing, NOTHING.

I am tired of Mal and Alina. Their relationship is dull, unconventional, and simply pointless. He wants her to be the girl he grew up with. The girl who didn't know she was Grisha.  But that can't happen at all because now Alina has the weight of the world on her shoulders as she is the only one who can potentially destroy the fold.  She can never return to the girl who needed his protection. He wants her to be the someone who she can never be anymore. Do you see the problem there? They are both plagued by how one can move forward and how one cannot because he has one foot stuck in the past. Plus Mal is always constantly jealous when it comes to Alina and Nikolai. *I mean who wouldn't be?* He seemingly cannot trust her and that doesn't really spell OKAY. Cause in a relationship you should be able to trust that your significant other will always still true to you. So right now I'm just not seeing any future for them. 

“Why won’t you leave me alone?” I whispered one night as he hovered behind me while I tried to work at my desk.

Long minutes passed. I didn’t think he would answer. I even had time to hope he might have gone, until I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"Then I'd be alone, too," he said, and he stayed the whole night through, till the lamps burned down to anything."

Now to the Darkling. Heh, I have so many confused feelings towards him. Who exactly is the Darkling? The kind, aloof, handsome guy Alina first met, or evil, manipulative guy she now hates? When we first met the Darkling I really liked his character.This might be a bit weird but I still somewhat love him, even if he's evil. Honestly if there was any way of redeeming his character or like a backstory about why he became the black heretic I would be happy. The Darkling is in my opinion a very misunderstood guy. He seems lonely, and the only way he knows how to keep himself from feeling that way is being a tyrant. Plus those visits he made to Alina's bedroom..  Alina thought they were a figment of her imagination, but apparently they weren't. He was there because she wanted him to be there.. That's kind of confusing, but that's what he said. Personally if he wasn't so evil.. I would ship him with Alina way more than Sturmhond or Mal.

Well this is how I feel about Siege and Storm, how do you guys feel about it? :D
Until then, Cindy :)

Book Haul of March

1. The Keeper of the Mist by Rachel Neumeier

Keri has been struggling to run her family bakery since her mother passed away.  Now the father she barely knew—the Lord of Nimmira—has died, and ancient magic has decreed that she will take his place as the new Lady. The position has never been so dangerous: the mists that hide Nimmira from its vicious, land-hungry neighbors have failed, and Keri's people are visible to strangers for the first time since the mists were put in place generations ago.

At the same time, three half-brothers with their own eyes on the crown make life within the House just as dangerous as the world outside. But Keri has three people to guide her: her mysterious Timekeeper, clever Bookkeeper, and steadfast Doorkeeper. Together they must find a way to repair the boundary before her neighbors realize just how vulnerable Nimmira is. 

2.  Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying-- and some deaths are more mysterious than others. In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty . . . who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

3. Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the carnival, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures—if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father—and every other witch there—fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable.While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the carnival.

4.  The Raging Light by Estelle Laure

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure's soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

5. Unbreakable by Kami Garcia 

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

My favorite cover from my haul has got to be The Keeper of the Mist, its so beautiful and I just love the plot. & If you guys have read any of these books, you guys can comment about it but do not give out any spoilers. Also I'm actually starting to get more into contemporary books, so if you guys have any suggestions please do recommend them to me! It would make my day :P

Until then, Cindy x)