Week 2 Review: A Perfect Obsession

From Goodreads:
Perfect suspense from New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham! The latest book in her New York Confidential series.

Someone is murdering beautiful young women in the New York area and displaying them in mausoleums and underground tombs. The FBI is handling the case, with Special Agent Craig Frasier as lead.

Kieran Finnegan, forensic psychologist and part owner of Finnegan's, her family's pub, is consulting on the case. Craig and Kieran are a couple who've worked together on more than one occasion. On this occasion, though, Craig fears for the safety of the woman he loves. Because the killer is too close. The body of a young model is found in a catacomb under a two-hundred-year-old church, now deconsecrated and turned into a nightclub. A church directly behind Finnegan's in lower Manhattan.

As more women are murdered, their bodies discovered in underground locations in New York, it's clear that the police and the FBI are dealing with a serial killer. Craig and Kieran are desperate to track down the murderer, a man obsessed with female perfection. Obsessed enough to want to "preserve" that beauty by destroying the women who embody it...

My Review:
Oh, this book was so fantastic! I really enjoyed being with these characters again! I had thought going in that this was going to star a different couple, but was pleasantly surprised that it starred Kieran and Craig again!

I've been meaning to read this book for a while. After all, I got an ARC of it, from before it came out. So I'm about a year late. But it means that I don't have to wait long to read the 3rd book, because I already have a copy, so it all works out!

This book, there's a death right away, and pretty quick confirmation that he's a serial killer, so a bit different from the diamond heist and subsequent crimes of the first book, at least, what I remember! I really enjoyed both of them investigating in their own ways-and how many not-supposed-to-be-there bodies she finds!

Who the bad guy could be, was automatically pretty limited. Well, until the tunnels came into play, but mostly, they had a set number of people, because there was also knowledge about the site. So yeah, when he was unmasked, it was so great, because while he was suspected, it wasn't serious, so that was a shock!

This book was really fantastic, and I can't wait to read more!

Author: Heather Graham
Series: New York Confidentials #2
Read: January 9th, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her books, and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book!
Publisher: Mira
Published: March 28th 2017

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Sweet Temptation

From Goodreads:
This swoonworthy, romantic companion novel to Wendy Higgins's New York Times bestselling Sweet Evil series is told from irresistible bad-boy Kaidan's point of view. Readers will love getting inside Kaidan's head, especially fans of the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, the Selection series by Kiera Cass, and Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire.

When bad-boy drummer Kaidan Rowe encounters good girl Anna Whitt, the girl chosen to vanquish the demons from earth, he can't stop thinking about her. The Nephilim son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan tries to help Anna embrace a life of sin, but she gradually helps him see that he's meant to do more with his life. Their relationship is as tortured as it is passionate, for Nephilim are forbidden to fall in love. But as hard as they may try to obey, Kai can't seem to stay away from Anna, nor Anna from Kai.

Full of chemistry and high-stakes drama, this companion book is darker, hotter, and completely satisfying.

My Review:
Yeah! It was so great to read this book, which is Kaidan's POV during the events of the first 3 books! And yeah, there were scenes where Anna wasn't there, so that was a big bonus! Plus, spending more time in this world. Yeah!

You have to feel bad for Kai, he's grown up in this pretty horrible world, of girls being trafficked and with him supposed to educate them. Of having a demon for a dad. Sure, if you didn't know about it, from the outside, it would be a pretty sweet life. But those elements were there, too.

Knowing what was going to happen, that didn't make the surprises and everything less. There was still the whole, what did Kai think while these things were going on! He does have a different frame of reference and knew more about this world. So yeah, that was great!

One thing I noticed, was the big fight scene at the end was slightly different then from Sweet Reckoning, just missing a few snippets of conversation, or maybe Kai wasn't paying attention? It was strange, but yeah, it could be because my copy of Sweet Reckoning was an ARC!

Loved this book, and I can't wait to read more by Wendy Higgins!

Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: The Sweet Series #4
Read: December 29th, 2017
Source: Bought
Reason Why: Love this series, and it's a End of series 2017 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: September 8th 2015

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: The Queen's Rising

From Goodreads:
When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna's greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

My Review:
Oh, wow, this book was absolutely fantastic! I loved reading it, I was hooked completely, and I read this book in as few sittings as I possibly could! I just had to read more! The whole book was just so original, and I loved all the twists and turns!

This whole world was just wonderful! From the Passions, and how that system all worked, to the politics, to the relationships between the characters, everything detailed at just the first amount for a first book, and I just was so enthralled by it all!

Brienna was an interesting character. She didn't know who her father was, her mother died, and she's been bouncing between the passions, not clicking with one of them, and not getting the full 7 years of training. Which sucks. But the girls around her were really great, and I hope we see more of them in future books!

I loved how and why Brienna was pulled into the politics, with her patron, and how she faced the challenges ahead of her! There were some pretty fascinating reveals, and those just took me by surprise!

The ending was just so perfect, and I can't wait for more, becauses I have no idea where the next two books will go and I want to know!

Author: Rebecca Ross
Series: The Queen's Rising #1
Read: December 29th, 2017
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a DAC Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Harper Teen
Expected Publication: February 6th 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Everless

From Goodreads:
In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one's own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings' palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she's caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she'd never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself. 

My Review:
Oh, wow, I absolutely loved this book! I devoured it and it was just amazing! From that beautiful cover, to the world of taking blood  and turning it into time coin things, to the amazing characters and writing, this book just had it all! So incredible to read!

There were a lot of moments where I just clenched my fists at the unfairness! I mean, in our history, we had a similar power structure, and kinda still do. But to use blood to get time and time as coin...yeah, that just adds another layer of horribleness to the whole system!

I loved the mysteries in this book! Of Jules and what her dad kept secret from her, why he wanted to get into the vault at Everless. And of the daughter of the Queen, who wanted to find her family, her history. And then there was what was going on with the elder Gerling brother and what he did to his brother, Jule's friend.

That ending was just full of twists and turns and discoveries! I absolutely loved it! That was very clever of the one lady, because she was right, nobody really looks at servants! And yeah, this ending was kinda cliffhanger-y, because Jules has to run, but she'll come back! And I can't wait! So excited for more!

This book was just so incredible, and I can't wait for the sequel!

Author: Sara Holland
Series: Everless #1
Read: December 27th, 2017
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Harper Teen
Expected Publication: January 2nd 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Endless

From Goodreads:
An unthinkable betrayal threatens everyone Rory loves in the third installment of our dark, thrilling Shadowlands series from New York Times best-selling author Kate Brian.

Rory Miller didn't just fall in love with Tristan Parrish. She fell in love with the idea of forever. He was the one who told her the truth about her existence in Juniper Landing: that her mortal life is over, and she will now spend eternity on the island, helping others in limbo move on.

But like Juniper Landing, a bright island with dark secrets, Tristan is too good to be true. The mysterious, heartbreakingly beautiful boy Rory thought she knew is responsible for unthinkable evil-sending good souls to the Shadowlands in order to get himself a second chance at life on Earth. He has already claimed Rory's friend Aaron and her own father, but when Tristan sends her sister, Darcy, to the Shadowlands, too, Rory decides to take matters into her own hands. She will do anything to save her family, even if it means going to hell and back. 

My Review:
Finally! I finally read this amazing, wonderful book! I loved the first two books, and I don't know why it took me so long to read this one! Maybe because I didn't want it to end, but yeah, it did, and it was a pretty glorious ending!

Now that they know that Tristan was the bad guy, well the pieces all came together. But the situation is deteriorating, with all the souls that ended up in the Shadowlands, the bad coins, and then the ferry crashes. Not good!

Then with a build up of souls on Juniper Landing, hijinks were bound to happen. And with that, they still have to find Tristan, so that there was a lot going on! And with the POV of the bad guy, well, we knew there was more then met the eye going on!

I really loved that ending! That Rory would be that selfless, that was very inspiring! And that it did its job and souls went where they were supposed to, that was so great! And that she had the choice of peace or going back, yeah. Loved that she went back to Tristan and the others!

This book was just absolutely fantastic, and I loved reading it!

Author: Kate Brian
Series: Shadowlands #3
Read: December 26th, 2017
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Loved the first two books, and it's a End of Series 2017 Book, RR Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: July 22nd 2014

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Wild Card

From Goodreads:
Kaci Dillon is a man-eater.

She's grown up on the fringes of shifter society, hearing the whispers. One desperate act as a starving, terrified child has made her the first tabby in history with no romantic prospects. But whatever. Eighteen is too young to get married anyway. Still, when she stumbles upon an opportunity to get away for a few days, who could blame her for seizing it?

Justus Alexander is screwed.

Confined to the South-Central territory, awaiting trial for crimes he committed as a traumatized, newly infected stray, Justus has discovered that the tribunal already intends to vote for the death penalty. He has no choice but to run. Too young to touch the trust fund that could finance his escape, he's betting on a big win at the poker tables—until Kaci, his secret crush, catches him sneaking out and demands that he take her with him to Las Vegas

After a wild night she can't remember, Kaci wakes up with a ring on her finger, next to a young billionaire who can't access his fortune until he turns twenty-five—or ties the knot. If she can keep her hands off her hot, charismatic new groom, she can have their unconsummated marriage annulled. But can she really abandon Justus to his death sentence, just to undo her own mistake?

My Review:
Yeah, another book in this series! I'm really enjoying this spin off series, and all these new characters and developments in the world! That this book stars Kaci, the first who had both parents who were descended from shifters and became one herself, and then Justus who got dragged into this world and doesn't have much hope given his actions in the previous book which have a good explanation!

Unlike the previous books, there's not so much explicit romance. There is romance, but it's more behind closed doors. Which works for this book, because yeah, they are on the younger side, compared to the other stars of the previous books!

A lot of moments in this book, really had my blood pressure up! Like, how could they be treated like that? It was just so awful and unfair and I just wanted to rage against all the wrongs that were committed against them! But that just shows a well written book! And one that was so great to read!

There was a lot of politics in this book! Like, deals to keep Justus alive. And yeah, there was a lot of plotting! That they were being used to exact revenge on the one leader, yeah, that was pretty awful! But they turned the tables on him, so that was really great!

I absolutely loved this book, and I can't wait for more!

Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Wildcats #3
Read: December 25th, 2017
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Book!
Published: December 25th, 2017

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Reviews: Undead, Unfed

From Goodreads:
Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.

The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smitty.

Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back.

But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.

From Goodreads:
Fresh meat! From a hospital of horrors to a runaway zombie train, it's an all-new onslaught of the slavering undead in the sequel to Kirsty McKay's killer debut!

Just when you think you're out...it's the morning after the night of the return of the living dead. Or something like that. After running/bus-driving/snowboarding for her life alongside rebel Smitty, geeky Pete, and popular Alice, Bobby thought she'd found the antidote to the Carrot Man Veggie Juice that had turned the rest of their classmates into zombies. When Smitty (mmm...nom, nom) got chomped, Bobby pumped a syringe full of it into him herself.

But now Bobby's a prisoner in some hospital of horrors, with no clue how she got there. And Smitty is missing. What if he isn't cured after all? Bobby knows she's got to find him, even if it means facing Scotland's hungry hordes -- plus Alice's buckets of snark -- again. And this time, zombies aren't the only evil stressing her out. The brain-dead are bad enough, but how can Bobby stop the big pharma business behind the epidemic? Especially when her own mom works for the company?

My Review:
I loved reading these books! I loved Undead the first time I read it, it was just so epic, and to have a sequel, yeah, I just had to read them both together! Bobby and Smitty are awesome, and I loved reading their adventures!

I had forgotten a lot about Undead, but I remembered the bus and Carrot Man. While these books are horror what with the zombies and the collapse of civilization, there was a lot of humour, in the situation, and in the snarking, especially with Bobby, Smitty, and Alice!

It was weird, in a way, to read Unfed. Undead took place in a pretty small area and in not a lot of time. And Unfed was in a different place. So yeah, that was weird! That doesn't mean it wasn't an awesome book, it was. It was just so strange!

It was interesting to watch them deal with a bit of civilization and then to deal with more zombies. Because of course the bad guys are trying to make the zombies into a money maker! There was a lot of antics and twists and surprises, and I loved how it all turned out! That was slightly unexpected, but it was a great ending!

Loved reading these books, they were just so fantastic!

Author: Kirsty McKay
Series: Undead #1, 2
First Read: June 5th, 2013
Read: December 24th, 24th, 2017
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Books, and Unfed is a End of Series 2017 Book!
Publisher: Chicken House
Published: September 1st 2012, August 27th 2013

Undead:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Unfed:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 51 Reviews: You Are So Undead to Me, Undead Much, Valentine's Day of the Undead

From Goodreads:
Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.

All Megan wants is to be normal and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.

Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party the bloody kind.

Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life and more importantly, homecoming depends on it.

From Goodreads:
Megan Berry-Zombie Settler extraordinaire-just wants Pom Squad to trounce Cheer Team in this freakishly funny follow-up to You Are So Undead to Me. But someone's turning coma victims into settler-resistant über-zombies-and everyone thinks it's Megan's fault! Well, except for super-creepy male cheerleader Aaron. (Ew!) 

Meg's also being stalked by a hot-albeit undead-seer named Cliff. Can Cliff's premonitions help Megan stop a zombies-on-ice deathscapade and discover who's really behind the coma-killer crusade before an entire army of undead rise up? And when Megan's boyfriend Ethan grows jealous of Cliff, will it end their intra-settler romance?

Stacey Jay's snarky teen-speak is dead-on and hysterical! Ally Carter better get used to the smell of grave dirt . . .

From Goodreads:
Q: What could be worse than spending Valentine's Day alone?
A: Spending it with evil zombies!!

Megan Berry is no stranger to heartbreak, but spending Valentine's Day serving other happy couples hot dogs while mourning the loss of her one true love is almost more than even a highly trained Zombie Settler can handle. So when her recently estranged boyfriend, Ethan, texts her asking her to be his Valentine, she ditches her bodyguard and rushes to his side.

But soon, Megan's dreams of chocolates, flowers, and lingering make-up kisses take a turn of the rotted-corpse-and-maggot variety, and Megan fears that her first Valentine's Day with Ethan may be her last.

My Review:
It was so great to reread the first book, and then read the rest of the series! I just wish that I'd known going in that the first book had been republished and split into novellas and updated. Then I could've read the most up to date. Apparently there could've been more, but there was a bad situation. Boo.

You Are So Undead to Me just introduced us to an amazing world, I loved the idea of Settlers, and how that all works! I wouldn't want to be Megan, because yeah, it doesn't sound pleasant, but it's such an interesting concept!

There was a lot going on in Undead Much! Given that her best friend was locked up for what she did in the previous book, you'd think that would be it. But there's the dead guy seer who won't go down and seems connected to her. Plus the settler-resistant zombies! Yeah! So great to read!

So Valentine's Day of the Undead, yeah, it was so great to read! It added a whole bunch to the world with the magic and being part witch, and with the bad guy and all! And I wish we could've gotten more, but alas, it's unlikely to happen! Too bad because it could've been so great!

Loved reading this series, because it was just so freaking great!

Author: Stacey Jay
Series: Megan Berry #1, 2, 2.5
First Read: May 12th, 2012
Read: December 20th, 20th, 21st, 2017
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Books! And Undead Much is a End of Series 2017 Book and a LLFL Book!
Publisher: Razorbill, Stacey Jay
Published: January 22nd 2009, January 21st 2010, November 9th 2011

You Are So Undead to Me:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Undead Much:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Valentine's Day of the Undead:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 51 Reviews: Blades of Magic, Blades of Illusion

From Goodreads:
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.

She just doesn't know it yet.

Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family's shame but when challenged about her family's honor, her opponent inevitably loses.

On the night she finds out her father's true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds' vows to serve in the emperor's army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division. 

There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it's not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.

While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she's never had before - passion. The question is - can she fight for her empress against a mage who might unwittingly claim her heart?

This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn't become the year she dies. 

From Goodreads:
Sara Fairchild, duelist and combatant, is out for vengeance. Her father was betrayed. Her mother is dead. All she has left is her desire for revenge and a quest for answers.

Now a member of the Mercenary Guilds' elite guard, she fights on the front lines of her empire's first civil war. But Sara’s priority isn't winning the war for the crown or empire. It's finding out the true circumstances of her family's downfall while keeping one mild-mannered scholar alive.

As emotionally detached as she is from everyone around her, Sara can't seem to shake the stubborn affection of her one friend. When she stumbles upon the secrets of the leadership of the Empress's highest command in the field, Sara will be forced to decide how deep her loyalty is to the crown…before they kill her off and everyone else standing in their way.


Secrets aside everyday on the warfront is a life under threat from the ultimate enemy and yet as Sara quickly finds out, darkness resides on both sides of the war lines.

My Review:
Oh, it was so great to read these books! While I desperately want the last book in the Courtlight series, it was so great to be introduced to Sara and her world! She's a warrior, and her family's been beaten down, but they're not out yet! Very different from Ciardis!

Sara was pretty bad ass, she's been training as a warrior for basically her whole life. And then tragedy strikes and her father is killed as a traitor and Sara's life is turned upside down, though this book starts after the fact.

She has a justifiable anger towards the world, and it fuels her. Her journey is in no way easy, and it's just beginning-at first, survival. And then her mom is killed and then it's justice/revenge. It wasn't easy to read because it was hard for Sara, but it just pulled me in to read!

The beginning of Illusion, I was right there with Sara, of the unfairness of what had happened. Given her mission, it would've been better to let that simmer below the surface, especially since it weakened her position. But yeah, Sara has integrity like that!

Loved these books, and I can't wait to see where Sara's journey will take her next!

Author: Terah Edun
Series: Crown Service #1, 2, Algardis Universe #1, 2
Read: December 18th, 18th, 2017
Source: Ebook.bike, Author for Review
Reason Why: Love her books, and they're Historical Fiction 2017 Books and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2017 Books!
Publisher: Terah Edun
Published: March 31st 2014, December 17th 2017

Blades of Magic:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Blades of Illusion:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars