Week 13 Review: Copycat

From Goodreads:
Everyone is dying to read the latest book in the popular Gap Lake mystery series, and Addison is no exception. As the novels biggest fan, Addison is flattered when the infamously reclusive author, R.J. Rosen, contacts her, granting her inside information others would kill for. 

But when the most popular girl in Addison's high school is murdered, Addison can't help but think that life may be imitating fiction. And as other terrifying events from the book start happening around her, Addison has to figure out how to write her own ending -and survive the story. 

My Review:
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the mystery that was taken out of the pages of a book, playing out in real life. I wouldn't want to be in it, but to read it, yeah, is really awesome! These characters, Addison, Maya, Spencer, Colton, they were all really great!

Addison's site sounds a lot more in depth then the blogging that I do. But it's pretty awesome when an author contacts you, and I can totally remember feeling/doing the same when it's happened to me, though not quite in the same way, especially not with murder following!

One line in a dream sequence that kinda pokes at mystery novels like this book is, which is pay attention to when a character shows up where they're unexpected. And that's pretty good advice, because there's a few scenes where this plays out. Loved that!

In the end, I have two complaints. One, that the information about the Gap Lake books-and the teasers that R.J. Rosen is sending-it feels like a lot is missing, and what's left is a bit disjointed.Two, that the ending was a bit short, like the reason why he was doing this to Addison specifically, there wasn't backstory there. There were so many things that I wanted clarification on, like was the bad guy who sent her the teasers the real author or not, and if not, why didn't the real one make contact with the police or something? The solution I wish for is that we could've had things more expanded. Bonus, then we would've had more book!

This book was really great, and I really enjoyed it!

Author: Hannah Jayne
Read: March 30th, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her books, and it's a SAC 2018 Book!
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Expected Publication: July 3rd 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Reviews: After the Ball, Three Nights, Twelve Princesses, One Curse

From Goodreads:
"After the Ball" is a short story set in Beau Rivage, a city where fairy tales come to life, and ancient stories are played out again and again. You can read more about the cursed fairy-tale characters of Beau Rivage in my novel Kill Me Softly.

From Goodreads:
Three Nights, Twelve Princesses, One Curse is a short story set in Beau Rivage, a city where fairy tales come to life, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

My first review of After the Ball
My Review:
I loved reading these stories! I'd read After the Ball before, but yeah, totally forgot what happened in it. And Three Nights, Twelve Princesses, Once Curse was great to read because it features the girls and curse from the 2nd book (but I think it happened before the 2nd book, because in the 2nd book, the curse is broken.) Yeah.

After the Ball, it shows off how dark these fairy tales are. It's a retelling of Cinderella, you know, with the step sisters mutilating their feet so they could fit into the left behind slipper. Only one stepsister in this story, but yeah, still dark!

And then even more so in the next story, in which the guy has 3 days to beat the curse, or he gets executed. Over and over. The poor girls! But the guy didn't have a plan, which wasn't very smart of him, especially given the potential ending!

With each day the tension mounted, as well as the connection between the one sister and the guy. And made things more daunting and feeling awful, because the deadline was looming. And then it ended and yeah, that ending was just killer! *wink, wink*

These stories were just so fantastic and I loved reading it!

Author: Sarah Cross
Series: Beau Rivage #1.5, 2.5
First Read: March 4th, 2015
Read:  March 30th, 30th, 2018
Source: Online
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're 2018 Retelling Reading Challenge Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books!
Published: 2012, 2015

After the Ball:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Three Nights, Twelve Princesses, One Curse:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Frat Girl

From Goodreads:
Sometimes the F–word can have more than one meaning…Cassandra Davis has one shot at a scholarship to continue at the university of her dreams. She's never been one to back down from a challenge, so it's go big or go home when she pitches her research project: pledge Delta Tau Chi and provide proof of their misogynistic behaviour. The brothers are already on probation and on the verge of being banned from campus, so exposing them should be a piece of cake. For Cassie, the F–Word is fraternity – she knows exactly what to expect in the DTC house.

For the DTC brothers, the F–Word is feminist – the type of girl who hates them to the core and is determined to make them lose their home. But when Cassie and the boys get together, each with their own agenda, they're all in for a shock. The boys never thought a girl could be their newest brother, and Cassie's fellow pledge Jordan Louis is definitely not the tank–top–wearing bro she thought she'd find.With her heart and her future tangled in a web of her own making, Cassie is forced to realise that the F–word might not be as simple as she thought after all.

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book! I did have some points where I was like, no, I can't read on, the conflict will push my buttons, but in a good way. Plus this book dealt with a pretty interesting topic, the way girls are treated by frats. And the fact that there was growth and change, well, that was really great!

This book was more NA, because they're college age students, as well as more mature situations and more explicit romance scenes. But you're told that in the title, because frats are a college thing. I don't read as much NA as YA, so it was a nice change to read this book!

On one hand, yeah, a lot of the guys in frats can be really bad regarding their treatment/thoughts of the females of the species. On the other, some of these guys just didn't know better and could be taught better, which was really great!

This book was really thought provoking, because as the guys are learning how to have a bro friend who's a girl, Cassie is learning that there's more to these guys then the stereotypes, and again, that the can grow and change. So when her article comes out, yeah, there were a lot of different reactions! I loved it, and how it all worked out! Such a great read!

I loved this book, it was so fantastic, I just devoured it, and I'm so glad that I read it!

Author: Kiley Roache
Read: March 29th, 2018
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a RR Book and a SAC 2018 Book!
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: March 27th 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Not If I Save You First

From Goodreads:
Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when your dad is a Secret Service agent and your best friend is the president's son, sometimes life has other plans. Before she knows it, Maddie's dad is dragging her to a cabin in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

No phone.
No Iinternet.
And not a single word from Logan.

Maddie tells herself it's okay. After all, she's the most popular girl for twenty miles in any direction. She has wood to cut and weapons to bedazzle. Her life is full.
Until Logan shows up six years later . . .
And Maddie wants to kill him. 

But before that can happen, an assailant appears out of nowhere, knocking Maddie off a cliff and dragging Logan to some unknown fate. Maddie knows she could turn back- and get help. But the weather is turning and the terrain will only get more treacherous, the animals more deadly. 

Maddie still really wants to kill Logan. 
But she has to save him first. 

My Review:
I loved reading this book! A lot of it was about survival, but there was also mystery in discovering why this was happening, and there were so many twists sand turns! There was also a bit of romance, because these two, yeah, they had a pretty strong connection from when they were kids!

One thing that I loved, was the mention that Logan, if his dad hadn't been president, would've been a good fit for the Blackthorne Institute, which I'm pretty sure is the boys only school in the Gallagher series!

Maddie has learned a lot about living in Alaska, and how to survive it. And she has to put it all to use when she's shot and Logan is kidnapped. I loved reading that, it was just so well paced, there was always something going on, and made for such a great read!

I loved how that ending all came together! There were a number of twists, and of course there was a ton of concerns for their safety. And then it was over, and there was that sweet epilogue that I just loved reading this book!

This book was so fantastic and I just devoured it, it was just so great!

Author: Ally Carter
Read: March 29th, 2018
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounds really good! And it's a SAC 2018 Book!
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: March 27th 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Review: Shadow Keeper

From Goodreads:
One family brings its own brand of justice to the streets of Chicago's shadowy underworld as #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan returns to a series hot enough to burn...

The paparazzi can't get enough of infamous bad boy Giovanni Ferraro. But unknown to them--and the women he beds--he's just playing a role. Keeping the spotlight on himself keeps it off the family business. And if this lethal shadow rider can't hunt in the dark, he'll find his pleasure elsewhere...

Sasha Provis grew up on a Wyoming ranch and thought she knew how to protect herself from predators. But in the nightclub where she works, she's fair game--until one of the owners steps in to protect her. Giovanni is gorgeous. He's dangerous. And his every touch takes her breath away.

The devil at her heels may have finally met its match...

My Review:
Oh, I enjoyed reading this book so much! This is the first story where shadow riders and their politics aren't really a part of the book, more it's on the relationships and the mystery of who Sasha's stalker is. And some backlash about Sasha and Giovanni's relationship. Boo!

One thing that always gets me, is that there's this huge pressure about finding good matches to continue on the shadow rider lineage. At the same time, they treat this current generation pretty harshly. There's more to it, but I can't find the words to finesse out the layers! Just that it's pretty hypocritical, and raises the question, why would they do that, when their kids would be treated just as badly? Well, these characters wouldn't, but the point stands.

I loved that we got updates on the couples, from the previous 2 books, and for future couples of future books! That's something to look forward to! Family is a really important part of this series, and I just really enjoyed reading about all of them!

The ending was really awesome! I do wish we could've had more of it, and a bit more of an explanation. But the mystery was just great and worked out, and there was a pretty happy ending! Though it wasn't perfect, there was the one thing that they couldn't fix. So I'm satisfied!

I loved this book, and I can't wait for more of this amazing series!

Author: Christine Feehan
Series: Shadow #3
Read: March 29th, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love this series and her writing! And it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Berkley Books
Expected Publication: May 29th 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Reviews: Princess of Tyrone, Myths of Mish

From Goodreads:
Apolline is happy hunting magical creatures on her pirate infested outer-perimeter planet. She is a fantastic shot, and doesn't flinch at the blood and guts of her kills. Never once did she consider she could be the missing Princess of Tyrone. 

All her life, she has heard the story of the Princess, cursed to sleep for eternity, unless her betrothed, the Prince of Oran, gave her true love's kiss. Although Apolline knows she is betrothed, she thinks her fairy guardians arranged it out of ignorance of human ways. The thought she could be a princess is inconceivable.

Then Allard appears. Handsome, charming—but he's not hers to have. He's betrothed, too. Her guardians warn her against her new found friendship, but she and Allard meet in secret anyway. Despite her rough exterior, he sees beyond her gun-slinging bravado, and their love blossoms.

But the deadline for the sleeping curse is approaching. If Apolline falls in love with the wrong person, she could end up sleeping forever. 

A quirky, adventurous retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with a less than princess-ly princess!

From Goodreads:
Hansel and Gretel Herrscher survived the witch in the woods, but the experience has made Hansel paranoid for the past ten years. He sees dark magic at every turn. When Gretel has a marriage arranged to a much older man, and Hansel discovers he's about to be sent halfway across the galaxy, he knows something sinister is afoot. 

Wilhelmine Nordon has plenty of experience with Hansel's quirkier side. So when she catches him and Gretel running away in the middle of the night, she follows to keep them from getting killed. The siblings have never left the capital of Mish on their own, so they need a babysitter. Except when she's discovered, Hansel gives her his usual cold shoulder, and Gretel secretly begs her to take them back. 


The problem is, Hansel's paranoia turns out to be well founded, and they're all being hunted.

My Review:
I loved reading these books! I loved this fair-tale retelling with a whole galaxy to play with, and much more advanced. Fairy tales are usually either modern or medieval, so that with this being sci fi, that was an amazing take! Loved it!

I did kinda read book 3 in between books 1 and 2, because yeah, it was reverse chronological. Princess of Tyrone mentioned Snow White and her grand kids were a part of Apolline and Allard's story. And then Princess of Tyrone also mentioned that Hansel and Gretal's graves were there, so Myths of Mish, so far, is the earliest book in the time line thus far!

I loved Princess of Tyrone, so far it's my favourite book in the series, because it's funny, that they were meant to be together, but they totally didn't know that! So great! I do have some confusion, because she was told the story of her parents (not knowing they were her parents) and didn't make the connection once she was told, of the evil witch in her parent's story, and the evil who is why they're in this situation. Yeah.

Myths of Mish, it was so great to read, and knowing what's going to happen in Dwaves of Calcus, that the sirens are the ancestor(s) of the bad witches that these various good guys have to face, yeah, added some extra oomph to this story!

Loved reading these books, and I can't wait for more from this series!

Author: Katie Hemstead
Series: Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #1, 2
Read: March 27th, 28th, 2018
Source: YA Bound Copies for the Tour of Book 3
Reason Why: Sounded really good and I'm a part of review tour for book 3, and they're 2018 Retelling Reading Challenge Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books!
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Published: March 31st 2016, March 28th 2017

Princess of Tyrone:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Myths of Mish:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Reviews: Acheron, Styxx

From Goodreads:
Eleven thousand years ago a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. However, his human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, Acheron became the sole defender of mankind.

Only it was never that simple. For centuries, he has fought for our survival and hidden a past he’ll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence.

Now his survival, and ours, hinges on hers and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both.

War has never been more deadly... or more fun.

From Goodreads: 
Just when you thought doomsday was over...

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn't always been on his brother’s side. They've spent more centuries going at each other's throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron's.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.

But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it's hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

My first review of Acheron, Styxx
My second review of Acheron 
My Review:


I have three question/comments having read these two books back to back. One, with the timing of everything in Styxx, how could he have been a groomsman at Acheron's wedding? He was poisoned by the dagger for over a month, and then he left for the desert. And it's said that Acheron didn't see Styxx for 3 1/2 years after he helped save Tory to this point where he was looking for Styxx. So that doesn't quite line up! Next, when did Acheron get Styxx's memories? He just mentioned that he had them, and I would like to know when he got him and Acheron's reactions to them! Also, why wasn't Bethany's mom mentioned or woken up? I mean, she wasn't one of the ones that woke up with Archon, but does that mean that there's still a bunch of statues? Otherwise, you'd think she'd be there while her daughter's giving birth! I'm confused! I wish there was a little clarity here, but maybe in Stygian, given that she's Urian's grandmother!

These books are just so fantastic and long, and I loved reading them! Can't wait for Urian's book!

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Dark Hunter #15th
First Read: May 24th, 2011, September 7th, 2013
Second Read: July 27th, 2013
Read: March 26th, 26th, 2018
Source: Own
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're Historical Fiction 2018 Books and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books!
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: August 5th 2008, September 3rd 2013

Acheron:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Styxx:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Reviews: Proposal, Remembrance

From Goodreads:
The last place Suze Simon expects to find herself during Valentine's Day is a cemetery. But that's what happens when you're a mediator – cursed with the "gift" of communicating with the dead.

That's how Suze has ended up at the graves of a pair of NCDPs - Non-Compliant Deceased Persons – whose drama didn’t end with death. It's Suze's job to make sure they move on—for good.

But the NCDPs aren't the only ones with problems. The reason Suze is spending her Valentine's Day with the undead instead of her boyfriend, Jesse, is because he's having so much trouble adjusting to life after death . . . not surprising, considering the fact that he used to be an NCDP himself, and now his girlfriend busts his former kind for a living, while he tries to cure his kind of what used to ail him.

Can Suze use her mediating skills to propose a mutual resolution, and bring all these young lovers together - including Jesse and herself - especially on the night Saint Valentine declared sacred to romance? 

Or will she end up alone—and possibly undead—herself?

From Goodreads:
Fifteen years after the release of the first Mediator novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot returns with a deliciously sexy new entry to a fan-favorite series. Suze Simon—all grown up and engaged to her once-ghostly soulmate—faces a vengeful spirit and an old enemy bent on ending Suze's wedded bliss before it begins.

You can take the boy out of the darkness.

But you can't take the darkness out of the boy.

All Susannah Simon wants is to make a good impression at her first job since graduating from college (and since becoming engaged to Dr. Jesse de Silva).

But when she's hired as a guidance counselor at her alma mater, she stumbles across a decade-old murder, and soon ancient history isn't all that's coming back to haunt her. Old ghosts as well as new ones are coming out of the woodwork, some to test her, some to vex her, and it isn't only because she's a mediator, gifted with second sight. 

From a sophomore haunted by the murderous specter of a child, to ghosts of a very different kind—including Paul Slater, Suze's ex, who shows up to make a bargain Suze is certain must have come from the Devil himself—Suze isn't sure she'll make it through the semester, let alone to her wedding night.

Suze is used to striking first and asking questions later. But what happens when ghosts from her past—including one she found nearly impossible to resist—strike first?

What happens when old ghosts come back to haunt you?

If you're a mediator, you might have to kick a little ass.

My Review:
Yeah, I loved reading these! It's the first time I'd read Proposal, but the 2nd time I'd read Remembrance. And yeah, it was great to read them back to back, because yeah, the proposal that happens in the former is why they're engaged in the later. They just go so well together!

I loved the case in the first one, of a ghost disrupting a grave that belonged to his girlfriend because they think he killed her. Which is not cool! That there was more to the story, and on Valentine's Day, no less, made for such a great read!

The whole idea that Jesse would become a demon or something because the house where he was killed was destroyed is a little out of there, even for this series. I didn't even think that I would happen, but yeah, Suze is in love with him and that's a good reason to be totally irrational about your loved ones well being!

I really enjoyed how everything turned out, with the house, with the wedding, and with the guests and loose ends there were! I wouldn't mind another book in this series, but it doesn't have to happen, Remembrance has a great ending!

This series was so great and I just loved reading these books!

Author: Meg Cabot
Series: The Mediator #6.5, 7
First Read: December 11th, 2015
Read: March 25th, 25th, 2018
Source: Ebook.bike, Own
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books, and Remembrance is a End of Series 2018 Book!
Publisher: Avon Impulse, William Morrow
Published: January 19th 2016, February 2nd 2016

Proposal:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Remembrance:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 13 Reviews: His Majesty's Dragon, Throne of Jade

From Goodreads:
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain's defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France's own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte's boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

From Goodreads:
When Britain intercepted a French ship and its precious cargo–an unhatched dragon's egg–Capt. Will Laurence of HMS Reliant unexpectedly became master and commander of the noble dragon he named Temeraire. As new recruits in Britain's Aerial Corps, man and dragon soon proved their mettle in daring combat against Bonaparte's invading forces. 


Now China has discovered that its rare gift, intended for Napoleon, has fallen into British hands–and an angry Chinese delegation vows to reclaim the remarkable beast. But Laurence refuses to cooperate. Facing the gallows for his defiance, Laurence has no choice but to accompany Temeraire back to the Far East–a long voyage fraught with peril, intrigue, and the untold terrors of the deep. Yet once the pair reaches the court of the Chinese emperor, even more shocking discoveries and darker dangers await.

My Review:
Oh, wow, I wasn't expecting to read these books! They were so utterly amazing, and funny, and so unique! I totally devoured them, they were so interesting and I just had to devour the pages! I loved getting to know these characters and explore their world!

This world of dragon Riders with whole crews is so unique and so entertaining! The idea of dragon riders isn't new, but the crews are. It meant that there could be people manning guns, which means they could have a lot of action scenes! And since there's a war going on, well, there's a lot of opportunity for that!

One of the things that I loved most about these books was the relationship between Laurence and Tremeraire. It was so deep and loving, and I just enjoyed the deep bond that they developed and shared! It was a pretty instantaneous connection and I think the backbone of this series!

The first book is focused on training, but the second is on China, of Tremerarie's country of origin. Because they gave his egg to Napoleon, because only an Emperor and his family could have imperial dragons. So that was a really big deal, and Tremeraire bonded with Lawrence. Yeah.

These books were so incredible, I loved reading them, and I can't wait to read more! 

Author: Naomi Novik
Series: Tremeraire #1, 2
Read: March 24th, 25th, 2018
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded really good and I really enjoy her writing, and they're Historical Fiction 2018 Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books!
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: March 28th 2006, April 25th 2006

His Majesty's Dragon:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Throne of Jade:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars