Defiance by C.J Redwine

While most girls within the walled city of Baalboden were learning the importance of how to cook, sew and behave properly in public, sixteen year old Rachel Adams was also learning how to take care of herself with sharp objects. Her father Jared, Baalboden's top courier made sure she knew how to wield a sword and what to do in order to survive the Wastelands. He taught her well, so well in fact, that when he fails to return home after his most recent courier mission and is declared dead, Rachel decides to go looking for him. Danger lies beyond the wall but it could be more dangerous for Rachel to stay. In order to escape, she'll have to defy The Commander, Baalboden's tyrant leader.

Nineteen year old Logan McEntire is the orphaned outcast who Jared took on as his apprentice and he's also the boy who broke Rachel's heart two years ago. To make things even more awkward, he's just been appointed Rachel's new Protector. Logan is good looking, uber intelligent, and his inventions are nothing short of amazing! He also has a knack for weighing all the options in every situation which Rachel finds a strange mix of annoyance and comfort. Logan is also not afraid to stand up for what's right even if it means risking his own life.

Rachel is smart, beautiful, courageous and incredibly loyal, but her impulsiveness is what gets her into trouble and drives Logan insane. You can't really blame her though, she acts on her emotions, whereas Logan doesn't act until he has thoroughly thought through every scenario! Rachels journey through the Wastelands will test her in ways she never imagined and will threaten to destroy all thats important to her, as well as who she is. She'll have to fight with everything she has in order to save those she loves and try to not lose herself in the process. 

As Rachel and Logan make their way through the Wastelands, they'll have to fight an army, a dragon-monster who can't be killed, that The Commander controls and uncover a secret so powerful, it has the potential to start a war. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating POV's between Rachel and Logan! Their relationship is strained at times but I enjoyed following along on how each situation affected them both... Overall this was one really GREAT book!

Arise by Tara Hudson

Amelia—still caught between life and death—must fight for every moment of her relationship with the human boy Joshua. They can hardly even kiss without Amelia accidentally dematerializing. Looking for answers, they go to visit some of Joshua’s Seer relatives in New Orleans. But even in a city so famously steeped in the supernatural, Amelia ends up with more questions than answers…and becomes increasingly convinced that she and Joshua can never have a future together. Wandering through the French Quarter, Amelia meets other in-between ghosts, and begins to seriously consider joining them. And then she meets Gabrielle. Somehow, against impossible odds, Gaby has found a way to live a sort of half-life...a half-life for which Amelia would pay any price. 

I really liked Hereafter and was excited to read Arise. I wanted to see what would happen in Amelia and Joshua’s relationship. How it was going to work out between a human and a ghost was my biggest concern; because I mean really I just didnt think it would be possible. I felt so bad for Amelia, she didn’t ask to be a ghost but some of the choices she made; I just didnt get at all. I know she was trying to protect the people she loves but, when her choices turned out wrong she should have asked for help.

I love Tara’s writing and her storytelling is absolutely beautiful, if you’re looking for a lot of action you won’t get it here; there’s some but not much. I almost didn’t need it though because I was so invested in the characters. Also I wouldn’t say that this is one of those love stories that rips at your gut or tears your heart out, it is a sweet story with a lot of “awww” moments I just wanted to hug both Amelia and Joshua! 

 HEMLOCK by Kathleen Peacock

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

Right from the beginning, I was hit with plenty of shocking information that completely convinced me that this book would be nothing like what I thought it would be. Amy, the main character’s best friend has been killed. Her other friends, Jason and Kyle, have been overcome with guilt and feel entirely responsible for her death. In a town where werewolf attacks have been on the rise, everyone becomes a suspect. When Mac (short for Mackenzie) sets out to find the person (or werewolf) responsible for the death of her best friend, she uncovers a whole lot of secrets that everyone had been keeping from her.

I really liked Mac as the main character. Yes, she was emotional and “girly”, but it made her seem like a real girl. Her best friend had just died, her other friends were drawing away from her, so her emotions were definitely justified. I was impressed with the way that the story was told, it kept me guessing. Similarly to the book Envy by Gregg Olsen, every time that I thought I knew who had killed Amy, Mac discovered something new. It was great! It kept me intrigued and it held my undivided attention.

I was able to put myself in Mac’s place and live the story through her words. I came away from the book really understanding the characters and in the end, I just wanted to continue reading about them. I loved that the characters sounded like real people. Kathleen Peacock really succeeded in this aspect and the book as a whole was very entertaining!

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini 

Can true love be forgotten? As the only Scion who an descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.

I love this series/author so much. The books just keep getting better. Starcrossed was amazing. I didn't think it could get any better and I was wrong.  After I got finished it my first thought was I could reread this a million times.

Helen is an amazing heroine. She was going through so much and yet never gave up. She didn't give up on herself or anyone else. She always had faith that they could figure it out. The Delos family bothered me. They were being really mean and pushy. I'm gonna miss these characters while I wait for the next book. I'll have to reread this soon.

I love Greek mythology and the plot to this series is addicting and impossible to put down. It never slowed down. Something exciting was always going on. Overall I loved this. I plan on rereading as soon as possible. If you haven't read this series you need to. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good YA book!

City of Lost Souls is finally out!

                                                                                                                                                         

City of Lost Souls finds Jace freed from the demon Lilith’s captivity but horribly changed by her dark magic. Jace is now bound to the evil Sebastian, and the Clave must band together to break the impenetrable bond between them. Clary still believes that Jace, the boy she loves, can be saved — but she and her Shadowhunter allies in for a fight that will challenge both heaven and hell, and Clary must venture into the heart of darkness herself to save him. The new trailer focuses on Sebastian, and wow, we have every reason to fear his wrath.

This trailer has some definite high-level production qualities unlike most of your book trailers. But it’s been well-worth the high dollars to please the legion of fans who have waited in eager anticipation for the fifth installment in Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. The film version of the first book in the series,City of Bones, will star Lily Collins as Clary and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace. Release date is August 23, 2013!

                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Fated will be the next one reviewed!!

   My next review will be on:                                                        

Fated (The Soul Seekers #1)

by Alyson Noel 

The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

Come back soon for my review of this new series from Alyson Noel!

Underworld by Meg Cabot

After reading Abandon, I simply couldn't wait to read Underworld! I am happy to share that Underworld was basically everything I was looking for in a sequel. It was enticing, quick paced, and one heck of a read. .

Quite literally, by about page 3 I was completely sucked in and didn't put Underworld down until I had finished. Meg Cabot has taken the myth of Persephone and Hades and modernized and changed it, which makes this series so much fun to read. Everything is new and exciting, since I never know what changes Meg Cabot is going to have made. The plot is always intense, and the scenes between Pierce and John are just adorable. I love the banter between them.

I love John. He is such a complex character and has such charm - I can't help but to love him. Readers learn so much more about his character and background in Underworld, which was neat. Pierce really grows as a character in Underworld, which made me like her even more. She is just such a great main character. In Underworld, a lot of new characters are introduced, and I really loved them all. They all brought something different to the story. 

The ending was an absolute killer! The wait for Awaken is going to be intense indeed. The way Meg Cabot has built the story, Awaken is going to just blow the tops off of both Abandon and Underworld, which I am super excited about. Is it next year yet?

This series is one of my favorites. I just love how Meg Cabot has really made the myth her own and went with it. It is so wonderful, and I could just reread it over and over. Underworld by Meg Cabot is a book you will be sad to have missed.

Thank you SOOOOOO much to the people at Scholastic for my ARC!