Phoenix Fire (Phoenix Cycle #1) by S.D. Grimm

4 Stars!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

"Some of us embrace the light, even when it shines bright on the darkness inside of us."

             This was honestly one of the hardest books I've ever had to rate. I considered giving it 3.5 stars, but ultimately gave it 4 because I really did like it anyway. The plot was just so cool and different. Imagine if Buffy had Sam and Dean as her brothers and you might just begin to grasp Ava, Nick, and Cade's family life. Then, you have to add on the fact that they're Phoenixes, a race of beings with supernatural powers reborn over and over again to hunt what goes bump in the night.

             Ava has spent most of her life bouncing from foster home to foster home, never feeling quite like she belongs. Until, one dark  night, Wyatt Wilcox comes crashing into her life. Suddenly, she starts getting flashes of memories from countless lives she has lived with only three constants: two brothers she doesn't know but feel like home and Wyatt and the deep, confusing feelings she has for him. She has questions, but the mysterious Wyatt tries to play things close to the vest; warning her to stay away while simultaneously pulling her closer. After her brothers, Nick and Cade, show up on the scene, she gets some answers and some training, but is still kept largely in the dark, which is the worst place to be. Because, not all Phoenixes are good and the Dark ones are out to get them.

             This has the potential to be a 5 star series, but this first book did have some problems. The story appeared to jump a little sometimes and important was sometimes only half given/explained or missed altogether. This was partly because it was narrated by Nick, Cade, and Ava, who were all at different information stages and experiencing different kinds of flashbacks. I really enjoyed Cade's parts, but I think he should of just had his own book or novella because they just added to my confusion. The flashbacks themselves were also sometimes problematic because they tended to blend in too much to the rest of the text and I had trouble separating the past from the present off and on. However, issues aside, this was a good book. I just adore the Phoenix angle and complexities Grimm has going. Also, I absolutely love Wyatt and really liked that the author was able to keep his secret a surprise (at least from me). I can't wait to find out what happens next! The battle isn't over and if they want to win, they'll have to fight fire with fire...Phoenix Fire that is!  

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Secret Heir (Dynasty #1) by M.J. Prince

4 Stars!

A big thank you goes out to M.J. Prince for the ARC in exchange for a free and honest review!

"You were born a god and made to live like a human."

             A solid start to what's bound to be an interesting series! Jazmine had a strong voice to match her character as a funny and capable heroine! Prince has done an excellent job balancing a boarding-school, star-crossed romance with otherworldly powers and experiences. I'm excited to see how she continues from here.

             After being spirited away by her long lost grandfather and finding out she's half Seraph, a race of god-like beings with elemental powers that inhabit a world called Eden, Jazmine is having a hard time adjusting. It doesn't help that she's apparently a Dynasty Heir (Seraph royalty) and her fellow royals can't stand her and aspire to make her life in heaven hell. Leading the pack is Raphael St. Tristan, the asinine hottie and future king. Forced into the same house and boarding school with the other heirs, Jazmine is constantly being reminded of her inadequacy. Not about to be stepped on, Jazmine has no problem fighting back and engages in a full out war. Until, one day, something changes and the attraction between her and Raph becomes more than either can deny. Still, it may not be enough. No one in this world wants them together, do they want each other enough to make it work anyway?

            While I found the premise interesting and the feud between Raph and Jaz extremely entertaining, there were times that some of the description got a bit repetitive and over the top. However, the shining star is the great chemistry Raph and Jaz have. It's a perfect mix of hot and exciting that never seems forced. But even though there's an immense fire between them, not everything is as it seems. When there's royalty and power involved, lies and deceit are never far behind. Life is hard when you're a Secret Heir.

Sea of Strangers (The Ryogan Chronicles #2) by Erica Cameron

4 Stars!

Thank you to Chapter by Chapter, Erica Cameron, and Entangled Teen for the ARC through NetGalley and the opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"We're fighting to get home... to keep the salvageable pieces."

               I've been so excited to read this book it wasn't even funny. I loved Island of Exiles and couldn't wait to see where Khya's adventure took her next. This has honestly been one of the most original and intricate series I've ever read. I adore the interesting dynamic Khya and Tessen have and welcome the refreshing break it gives readers from the old cliches.

               Khya and her people have been lied to their entire lives. Yorri is not dead. The Miriseh are not gods. Ryogo is not the heaven they get to go to if they serve them well and the Miriseh do not guard its gates. Each one of these lies has been shattered to leave one truth crystal clear: they must kill Varen. However, the one thing he didn't lie about was being immortal, so Khya and allies have traveled to the real Ryogo in search of the secrets Varen had hidden there before he was exiled five-hundred years ago. Many of the Ryogans still fear magic even if they don't believe the legend of the bobasu, so Khya and her friends are being hunted even in the land they're trying to help save. In order to save Shiara, Ryogo, and her brother, Khya will have to make sacrifices and learn to be the leader she always wanted to be.

               Because it's apparent that this series is going to go on for a bit, it makes sense that a lot of this book would be a set up for the ones to follow, and it was, but a lot of really important things happened too and there are a couple of interesting plot twists. I like that Erica Cameron doesn't skip steps to get to where she's going, she takes her time to build her plot which makes the world she's shaping so much more rich and developed. The only problem I had was I feel like Khya and Tessen's relationship was a little more....muted than it was in the first book. I mean, it was there and they interacted often, but it just seemed to me that something was missing. Still, they're one of my favorite pairings. I'm usually a total sucker for a hot alpha male, but this relationship was just so different and interesting. It was the epitome of an equal relationship that is so rarely seen in writing. I love that, while Khya often takes control of the romantic interactions in their budding relationship, Tessen is in no way seen as meek or submissive; he is confident and capable of holding his own. And, while Tessen was originally the one constantly pursuing the prospect of a relationship, he respects her wishes and boundaries. So, I'd love to see more of that brought back in the next book. If they survive that long. Will they make it home to save Shiara or will they remain forever adrift, hunted in Ryogo amidst a Sea of Strangers?

Seize Today (Forget Tomorrow #3) by Pintip Dunn

4 Stars!

Thank you to Chapter by Chapter, Pintip Dunn, and Entangled Teen for the ARC through NetGalley and the opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"The future, after all, is yours to embrace or defy."

       I can't say that I ever expected this book to revolve around Olivia Dresden, but it was definately one of the most interesting POVs to conclude the series with. I think it turned out to be an excellent decision. While I'm sad to see this trilogy come to a close, I've certainly enjoyed this wild ride Pintip Dunn has taken us on.

       Olivia Dresden has always been a shadow of a person. She's never been the daughter her mother, the Chairwoman, wanted, nor is she brave or strong like Callie or Jessa; instead, as a precognitive, she sees a million pathways spread out before her, a world of possibilities at her feet, but is always unsure of what path to take. Not many people know, however, that her visions of the future come with an expiration date: May 4th, which is just a few weeks away. Faced with the looming fate of uncertainty, Olivia decides that it's time to finally act and rebel against her mother's genocidal scheme. She teams up with Ryder, an alluring boy from the Underground with a mountain of trust issues to try to help the people she's admired all her life to save the world she's only seen from the outside. Together, they face the biggest enemy of all--Fate--in a race to keep their timeline from unraveling for good.

       While I wasn't expecting this to be Olivia's book, I ended up being so glad it was! I felt like I gained such a deeper understanding of this rich and complex world that Dunn has created by getting to experience it through her eyes. The ending wasn't what I was expecting, nothing about this book was really, but it had substance and I have a feeling it will be staying with me for days to come. I do wish that there had been a little more romance between Ryder and Olivia like there was with characters in the first two books, but I understand that that wasn't the main priority while they were trying to save the human race. I also loved getting to watch Olivia getting to grow as a person; going from an unsure girl into a true heroine who can stand up for what's right no matter what it costs her. She did have to make some awful tough decisions along the way, though. When you see all the directions, all the possible moves on the board, it can be difficult to keep from getting distracted. So, will Olivia be too caught up in trying to predict the outcomes to remember to play the game, or will she challenge fate by just trying to Seize Today?

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Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel

4 Stars!

Thank you to Chapter by Chapter, Meg Kassel, and Entangled Teen for the ARC through NetGalley and the opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"This town is marked, making her marked. Both are fair game."

        I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. The synopsis is seriously vague. But, I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. Honestly, I would have loved this tale to be a series and am a little disappointed that it appears to just be a one off! Black Bird of the Gallows is a haunting mix of mysterious curses, creepy characters, risky romance, and dangerous adventure that will have you buzzing for more!

        Angie Dovage had a traumatic childhood that has left her with a need to go unnoticed. Though she is an extremely talented musician, she even shields herself behind a disguise when her colorful alter-ego Sparo when she takes the stage as a DJ at the local club. But, when the mysterious and magnetic Reece Fernandez moves in next door, he seems to notice everything about her and appears to like what he sees. However, wherever Reece goes, death and destruction are soon to follow. Angie's curious about the secrets the boy next-door is keeping. She wants to know why there's suddenly strange crows lining her street and weird bees that seem to be making people crazy, and she's cure Reece has the answers. Her town has been marked, but for what?

        I loved how original this story was! Cursed crows, harbingers of death, and Beekeepers are certainly all new ones for me. On the down side, it did feel a little rushed. I would have liked it to be a little more spread out and some more explanation about aspects like what it being a "marked" town really means and how the magic of their curses came to be and functions. Still, I really enjoyed this cast of characters and their wild adventure. Angie and Reece are drawn to each other like moths to a flame, but will they be strong enough to weather the storm that's coming? Because the Black Bird of the Gallows is in town and not everyone will be alive by the time it moves on.

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Zero Repeat Forever (The Nahx Invasions #1) by Gabrielle Prendergast

4 Stars!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!

"Maybe the world will end, he signs. Maybe the sky will fall... Maybe snowflakes will rise and time will stop moving."

               I have mixed emotions on this one, probably would've only given it 3 stars if the last 1/4 hadn't made me want to read the next one. I was expecting Defy the Stars meets the post-apocalyptic setting of Angelfall, something along the lines of "alien/other boy no one thinks could possibly be capable of human emotion is teamed up with supposed enemy who is a badass girl trying to save everyone"... But that's not what I got. I partially blame the misleading synopsis for my disappointment on that front.

               Okay, to be fair, the synopsis was accurate on a bare-bones level, but perhaps what really threw me off was all the ways this book defied the norms of others like it; in ways that were both good and bad. My main grievance was that I'm pretty sure I wasn't even a big fan of the "heroine" Raven most of the time. Instead of the badass hero of the apocalypse I was expecting,  she was just a kinda mean and selfish problem child with anger issues, who just "happened" to know martial arts. I wanted someone a bit more noble, but perhaps thisis a more realistic representation and that's why I was unnerved. I have mixed feelings about how the Nahx were described as well, mostly because they weren't actually described very much at all. It mentions the full body armor that obscures their face briefly, but not in depth. On one hand, I like that it gives readers a bit of freedom of imagination, but on the other I really wanted answers and waiting until the end to "see" Eighth's face nearly killed me. But, I really liked the incorporation of their own sign language and the intricacy of the of world Prendergast has created.

               If anything, there were several parts of this book that reminded me of the movie Warm Bodies most of all. One of the shining aspects of this piece is that is the farthest thing from insta-love that I've ever read. It's definitely a slow burn "romance" whose flames were almost snuffed out on several occasions. I love this because it let the main focus be what it should be: survival. It was very refreshing to see a "relationship" go at a normal pace for the situation it was in, instead of immediately jumping on the "star-crossed lovers" bullshit bandwagon or looking like a case of Stockholm Syndrome. I'm very curious to see how the next one continues to play out! Personally, I'd love to see things move a little faster in different areas now that the stage is set!

It Had to Be You by Lizzy Charles

4 Stars!

"You are braver than anyone I know, and you challenge me to be myself."

                  This one was pretty cute. Very lighthearted with a sprinkling of humor, a great pick for when you just want to kick back and relax without the added stress of an overly emotional read. I'm not saying that everything in the book is sunshine and roses all the time, because it's not, there is a good amount of teen angst and some drama, but the presentation keeps it from going too deep. 

                  Edelweiss sure knows how to make an impression and her first day trading being home-schooled for a posh, private education was certainly unforgettable, starting with making a tardy assembly entrance, covered in pizza sauce with prairie dogs going at it on the TV screens, and ending with having to use the window ledge to make a graceful climb into the common room wearing nothing but her bra and panties. Needless to say, navigating these new social minefields is proving to be highly stressful for Edel. Thankfully, James Parson, resident prankster and ladies man, always seems to help her out of increasingly sticky situations. Together, they decide that a fake relationship would benefit the both of them: Edel would have some much needed protection from being on the arm of one of the most popular guys at school while pleasing her parents at the same time and James will get to stay at school by convincing his father and teachers that he has changed. But what happens if there relationship doesn't turn out to be as fake as they think it is? 

                  I didn't really have any problems with this one. It was lacking a bit of depth, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Not every book has to break you emotionally to make it good. Sometimes it's nice to just read something cute and fun, which this has in spades. With a bright cast of characters and a sweet cast of characters, follow Edel and James as they figure things out and finally realize they're fooling no one but themselves because It Had to Be You.

Sin and Cider by K. Reese

4 Stars!

Thank you to K. Reese and What the Book?! Promotions for the ARC and opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"You make it so easy to fall for you, but you make it so hard to do anything about it."

                This was a nice mix of cute and sexy! There were a couple of aspects that frustrated me, but they were mostly either the result of my personal preferences/opinions or were moderately corrected by the end of the book. Overall, I would definitely recommend it for a quick summer read when you're in the mood took kick back with a little southern spice!

                MacIntosh Layne (Yes, REALLY!) needs to reevaluate her life and decides there's no better place than her hometown in Tennessee, so she packs a bag and moves home for the summer. Once she's there, she questions the snap decision she made to move to Chicago after high school in order to escape the humiliating revelation that her crush had absolutely no interest in her whatsoever. Determined to get back to her roots, she takes over the renovation and reopening of the cider barn in her family's orchard, despite any awkwardness her unexpected helping hand may cause.

                Lawson Westbrook had never given his best friend's kid sister a second glance all those years ago, but now she's certainly captured his eye. He almost can't believe who he's looking at. Even though he doesn't do real relationships and even the word "commitment" makes him nauseous, he's hell bent on getting Mac in his bed, at least for a little while, with a little proposition he's cooked up. Since she's heading back to Chicago in the fall anyway, they can surely handle a no-strings summer fling, right? 

                I've never really been into the whole "stick it out and maybe he'll change his mind" thing when it comes to commitment, but Mac's vulnerability when it comes to Lawson is a human trait and makes her feel more real, if a bit naive at times. I guess my biggest problem was with the first couple of chapters, where there were a lot of sentences directed at the reader. Personally, I feel that speaking to the audience is fine every once in awhile, but doing it too often can cause the story/narration to feel forced. Those initial chapters were toeing the line for me, but the rest managed to find a rhythm and get back on track, making sure it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book. Also, the additional meddling of the sister, parents, and best friends was a really nice touch that made me smile and giggle a bit. So, the question is, will all the emotions threatening to overflow be too much? Or will Mac and Lawson figure out that the recipe for love involves a little Sin and Cider?

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Broken Rules by Hanleigh Bradley

4 Stars!

Thanks to Hanleigh Bradley for the ebook!

"It's bizarre how she finds her rules limit her whilst I think my rules give me freedom."

              I was really excited to read this one. It didn't go exactly as I expected, but was still good. The fast pace would make it great for entertaining readers on a trip. It's got drama and a bit of emotion, but not so much that it would be too heavy; perfect for a nice, vacation read. 

              Aurora Stone is fed up with being the "perfect" daughter and following the seemingly endless set stifling rules her proper parents have given her. She's never broken a rule before, but now she's out to see just how many she can break in a night. Well on her way to being drunk for the first time in her life, Aurora meets Landon Peters, a wickedly handsome man with his own set of rules. Unlike Aurora, all of Landon's rules are self-inflicted. He believes that his rules about never sleeping with the same woman twice, never letting them stay the night, and never giving the impression that he's open to a relationship ensures his freedom. After deciding he wants to be the one to help Aurora break her rules, Landon quickly finds himself breaking his own. What's more, the more time he spends with her, the less he cares. 

              When said that this was fast paced, I wasn't kidding. The whole thing takes place during the span of barely 48 hours, and the ending came off as a bit abrupt. Still, it was fun to watch all their different family drama and secrets unfold. Also, Aurora's friends Cameron and Tallulah are fabulous! Even better, see for yourself as Aurora and Landon discover that the best rules are Broken Rules.

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

4 Stars!

A special thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review!

"Pain flares in every word…The kind of pain that isolates. The kind of pain you’re certain no one else has felt, ever.”

             This was not exactly what I was expecting, but still a good story. Jules and Declan are easy to like and makes you root for them to figure out a way to heal. In a mix of tragic and hopeful, Letters to the Lost has a lot to say about loss, grief, and guilt, and how sometimes you need someone going through the same thing to help pull you out of the dark.

             Juliet doesn't expect a response to any of the letters she leaves at the Cemetery. Her mother's dead, but somehow writing to her makes Jules feel closer to her, even though everyone else in her life seems to think it's time for her to start moving on. Yet, she sees a scribbled reply to one she left on her mother's grave, she's blindsided with a rush of emotions ranging from anger at the invasion of her privacy to a glimmer of hope that maybe there's someone out there that understands what she's going through.

            Declan knows he probably shouldn't have replied to that letter he came across while mowing the cemetery lawn as part of his community service, but it was like that girl knew exactly how he felt. Now neither of them can stop writing to the other under the protective anonymity, telling more to each other than they've ever thought of saying to someone in real life. And it seems to be working, slowly they seem to be bringing each other back to life. But do they really want to stay in that protective bubble forever? Or do they take a chance and see if they're able to make that same connection in the real world? What if they're not the strangers they think they are?

            I'm torn here. On one hand, I like that the book made it more about working through grief and finding the strength to open yourself up again instead of about the potential relationship between Declan and Juliet. Yet, my inner romantic was screaming for a little bit more to happen between the two. But, I get why things happened the way they did. It was a little dramatic and angsty at points, but was understandable considering everything they had had thrown at them. Follow their journey for yourself and see if Juliet and Declan can manage to lead each other away from their grief and out into the light, or if they're just writing Letters to the Lost.

P.S.: I can't wait for Rev's book! He was my favorite character!