Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

5 Stars!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

“I am no flower to be ravaged at your whim, angry wolf—I am your hunter, bow cocked and ready.”

              Wow this was so much more than I was expecting! It was so original, dark, and yet still incredibly fun and humorous. I loved how Zera’s internal struggles were showcased, making her connection to the reader in me practically instantaneous. The plot continued to surprise me and I loved it!

              Zera is Heartless--literally. Her heart was removed and placed in a jar by a witch, making her an immortal slave with a dark hunger for flesh. Finally, after three years of being a monster, the witch offers her a chance at freedom, not only for herself but also for the two younger children enslaved with her. All she has to do is win the heart of the Crown Prince... and then take it from his chest and put it in a jar to replace hers on the witch's shelf. Zera thinks this will be easy, what's the life of one arrogant and selfish noble in exchange for three lives regained? Then she meets Prince Lucian and finds he is so much more than she first thought. He may appear cold and harsh, but he's also brave, wise, dedicated to his people, and devastatingly handsome to boot. With only two weeks to complete her task without getting caught, it turns out navigating the ridiculous customs of court will be the least of her troubles.

              One thing’s for sure, Sara Wolf sure knows how to construct a strong and witty heroine! I couldn’t get enough of her verbal (and literal) sparring with Prince Lucian. They work well together, and I really liked how their relationship developed. One of the other aspects I loved is how “secondary” characters such as Lady Y’shennria and Malachite weren’t just there to help move the plot, they also had complex backstories and really added something great to the story. Don’t just Bring Me Their Hearts, bring me the sequel!

Defy the Stars (Constellation #1) by Claudia Gray

5 Stars!

Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre and Hot Key Books for the e-ARC through NetGalley!

*Received in exchange for an honest review*

"Your soul is bigger than your programming."

               I. AM. OBSESSED! This is one of the best books I've read this year, if not ever. Seriously, I thought the Firebird trilogy was great, but this blows them right out of the water and defied all expectations! The level of brilliance and thought that so obviously wen into every single character and plot point is astounding. It's just the right balance of sci-fi adventure, thought provoking commentary, and humor that's bound to make you addicted!

               When Noemi, a Genesis soldier, boards the spaceship she thought was abandoned in order to try to help her critically injured friend she is surprised to encounter Abel, a type of high-tech robot made to look like a human and known as a "mech", who had been stranded there for the past thirty years. When he announces that Noemi now his commander, she is more than a little wary, but the knowledge he possesses may help her save her home, so she has no choice but to bring him on a journey across space. On their travels, Noemi realizes that Abel isn't anything like the twenty-five other types of ruthless mechs developed by the people of Earth, he's smarter, faster, and so self-aware aware that she is constantly surprised by his behavior. Is it possible for a machine to have a soul? Meanwhile, getting to know Noemi causes Abel to question everything he thought he knew about humans, machines, and his place between them. Is it possible that he has been on the wrong side of this war between Earth and Genesis? Does he possess the power to change his mind and, therefore, the future of both their worlds?

               I love that Abel doesn't fully realize how human he really is at first. He just thinks he's malfunctioning. Also, the slow-burn romance between him and Noemi that develops as his more human traits emerge is so fitting. The universe it's set in, the way it came to be and functions, is so believable too. It's a future I can see happening if the way we take care of our planet doesn't change. Knowing that is chilling, but the thrill I get from the realistic aspect to a sci-fi piece is absolutely worth it. It's a truly gripping and unforgettable tale; I can't wait to see where their paths take them next! Are Abel and Noemi's fates set in stone or can they Defy the Stars?

Riveted (Saints of Denver #3) by Jay Crownover

5 Stars!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the ARC through NetGalley

in exchange for an honest review!

"...this is going to be the biggest battle you've ever fought and you'll never have been so happy to lose when you finally surrender."

                Finally! Full of sagely advice, guilt over the past, fear of the future, and the search for love, Riveted brings us back to the astounding quality and overall level of captivating brilliance that I haven't felt since the glory days of the Marked Men series. Of course, I still like the early installments of Saints of Denver, but I often found myself feeling like they were just missing something. This was not the case with Riveted.

                Dixie Carmichael has always believed in that forever, fairytale kind of love. He parents have it, her sister had it, and she will settle for nothing less than having that for herself. As far as Dixie's concerned, she'll know her perfect guy when she sees him and thinks she's on the right track the second a tall, dark, and silent ex-soldier becomes her new coworker. Too bad he's decided he wants no part in her starry-eyed bedtime story. 

                Dash Churchill has been on the run for the past decade. First he ran to the army and became just Church, then he hid away in Denver for a while after that. He's been running from everyone he loves and anyone who could ever love him for so long, that when an accident forces him to return to his hometown, he panics. By convincing Dixie to go back to Lowry with him in order to help cover the lie he told his family, Church knows he's playing with fire. He's wanted her from the start, but since every woman he gets to close to always seems to meet a tragic end, he knows it only ends in disaster. Still, Dixie's determined to get under his skin, worm her way into his heart, and stay there. Unfortunately, temptation isn't the only one that's followed them back to the Delta and is threatening to flip their lives upside down. The question is, is this darger after Church, who has plenty of enemies, or his little ray of sunshine?

                I absolutely loved it! Dixie was so lovable and Church-- HOT DAMN! Also, all the little extra parts with Poppy and Wheeler have made me even more excited to read Salvaged. Hold on tight people, and clear your schedules, because this one is packed with just the right amount of love, humor, and close calls that's bound to leave you Riveted.

The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh

5 Stars!

"The peace you seek is here... Fight for it. I'll fight with you. I'll do anything it takes."

              I find it's rare that a second installment is anywhere near as good as the first, but The Rose and the Dagger was everything I wanted in a sequel and more! The changes in POV where smoother and less frequent, which fixed one of my only complaints about The Wrath and the Dawn and the book itself was just so beautifully written! I absolutely loved getting to read more about the story of Shazi, Khalid, and those closest to them in a perfect ending to a perfect tale; the only other thing I could wish for is more!

              Shazi has been through a lot recently: she became a queen with a fast approaching expiration date and fell in love with her long believed monster of a husband who she had sworn to kill only to be ripped from his arms and spirited off to an enemy camp ran by her ex-almost boyfriend. Now she has to find a way to convince everyone that Khalid is not the crazy serial killer everyone thinks he is and break his curse before these misguided "revolutionaries" get their way and kill him. Things won't be easy however, especially with Shazi having to question the motives of those closest to her at every turn.

              One of my favorite things about this duology is that the characters are so wonderfully flawed. Shazi knows she is selfish and spiteful, just as Khalid knows he is vengeful. They are conscious of their shortcomings and continuously strive to be better and will go to the ends of the earth to keep each other and their kingdom together. Though there are a couple plot twists that totally come out of left field, one of which nearly gave me a coronary, everything turns out amazing and this is by far one of the best books I've read this year!

Check it out on Goodreads

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

5 Stars!

"I promised I'd keep you safe forever. Just don't make a sound."

           Wow, this is unlike anything Jennifer Armentrout has ever written before! The story somehow reminded me of something Colleen Hoover would write but still possessed Armentrout's unique voice in a way that has nearly rendered me speechless! The Problem With Forever navigates the life-altering reunion of two teens who share a heartbreaking past as they deal with love and loss and discover just what real life can be like.

           Mallory Dodge has spent the last four years trying to recover from a childhood spent hiding in a closet from the monsters that roamed the halls of her house, but never for a second did she forget Rider Stark. He was her protector and her best friend before they were torn from each other after things literally went up in flames and she hasn't seen him since. But, by some miraculous twist of fate, Mallory steps foot into her much dreaded speech class only to discover she's sitting next to the boy she never thought she'd see again. Except, now they're not little kids anymore and the feelings that surface turn out to be larger than life.

           However, neither of them left that house unscathed; both have deep physical and emotional scars that affect them in different ways. Mallory's often try to steal her voice, leaving her struggling to get all the words in her head to sneak past her lips, and even though Rider's better at hiding what's going on with him, it's his baggage that could be what tears them apart again. If they really want a future together, they'll have to come to terms with their pasts and try to figure out how to fix The Problem With Forever.

Check it out on Goodreads!

Full Measures (Flight & Glory #1) by Rebecca Yarros

5 Stars!

"Live, baby. Laugh, cry, scream, and love. Realize that every moment you have is worth ever drop of sweat and tears you can give it.”

            New favorite! Full Measures beautifully describes exactly what it’s like to cope with the aftermath of love and loss and how hard it can be to move on. Ember and Josh’s story is definitely one that will make you feel practically everything on the human spectrum of emotion! December Howard opens the front door on her birthday and is greeted with news that will change her life forever, but she has no idea just how much. In the wake of her father’s death in Afghanistan, Ember struggles to hold her family together even when she’s barely hanging on by a thread. Thankfully, Josh Walker, her little brother’s hockey coach (not to mention her ex-bad-boy high school crush), is more than willing to help her with “whatever” she needs. Josh has secretly had a thing for Ember since he was eighteen, but kept it to himself because he knew he wasn’t good enough for her… yet. Now he’s ready to have what he’s always wanted if he can just convince Ember to take a chance.

            Love isn’t exactly what Ember has in mind at the moment. She has enough on her plate trying to keep her little sister from going off the deep end, dealing with the fallout from her asshole ex, and keeping the grief left by her father’s passing from swallowing her whole. Not to mention she never wants to see herself fall apart like her mother did when those two officers knocked on their door. Still, she can’t seem to stay away from a very persistant Josh. And just when she thinks they might be able to make things work, Ember finds out a secret that could shatter everything they’ve built. When it comes to experiencing the Full Measures of love, life, and loss, just how much can they handle?

Songs it makes me think of:

Battleships – Daughtry

Beside You – Marianas Trench

My Girl’s Ex-Boyfriend – Relient K

Still Worth Fighting For – My Darkest Days

Where We Left Off – Hunter Hayes

Check it out on Goodreads!

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1) by Kresley Cole

5 stars!

“Come, touch, but you’ll pay a price.”

          Throw together a Louisiana cheerleader who spent her summer vacation in a nuthouse, a handsome yet juvenile delinquent Cajun boy, a hoard of fluid-hungry zombies, and wrap it all up in a bow made of ancient, super-human secrets, and you’ve got a book that’s hotter than hell! Poison Princess brought an arsenal of new ideas to the table! It’s great to finally see a refreshing take on the end of the world-- think Tarot meets the Hunger Games during the zombie apocalypse!

Though I’ve never been a fan of spoiled cheerleaders, I was always in Evie’s corner, she won me over at the very beginning as she struggled to keep a grip on her sanity and kept me rooting for her in her fight to stay alive. Then there’s Jackson Deveaux, YUM! Seriously, this badass bayou boy? Sign me up! Even though he’s moody and a serious asshole, he’s the guy I’d want on my side when the shit hits the fan!

           When everyone’s out to get you, who can you really trust to have your back when it counts? Immerse yourself in a world where regular people can be just as monstrous as the zombies and the super-human ones, and everything you thought you knew couldn’t be farther from the truth. When surviving means going against everything she said, Evie’s forced to decide how much she’s willing to risk to save the ones she loves, even if it means becoming the Poison Princess.


Songs it makes me think of:

Radioactive – Imagine Dragons

The Swarm – You Me At Six

Strike Back – We As Human

Nightmare – Set it Off

Love the Way You Hate Me – Like a Storm

Check it out on Goodreads!

Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire (Maddox Brothers #1)

5 Stars!

“I've had a lifetime of wrong. You're the only thing that’s right.”

            Hot-damn! Are all the Maddox brothers this mind-numbingly perfect? Sign me up! When I first read Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster I thought there was no way in hell anybody could top Travis Maddox, then I read Beautiful Oblivion and Trent leaves me on the verge of indecision (But Travis still wins out as my personal favorite). Cami is spunky and Trent is absolutely adorable; together they’re perfect!

            Trenton Maddox has been in love with Cami Camlin since kindergarten but that’s always been his well-protected secret because it scares the ever-loving crap out of him. One day, he decides to finally make his move and strikes up a conversation with Cami at the Red Door and they hit it off. Unfortunately, not only does Cami have a mysterious boyfriend in California, but she seems to be harboring a secret of her own. As the two grow closer, Cami is faced with some rough decisions to make as her troubled past rears its ugly head and secrets start slithering to the surface.

            

            Cami’s elusive secret regarding her boyfriend kept me on edge thought the entire book. I thought it was something more serious than what it was—maybe he was a criminal or he had something to do with Mackenzie’s death. When I did find out what it really was, on, literally, the last freaking page, I felt like an idiot. I mean, seriously, it was right in front of my face the entire time! 

             I loved Trent and Cami’s story very much and I would like to see the next Maddox Brother’s installment continue their story before moving on to the next brother! Unfortunately, I have heard absolutely nothing about the next book in the series! 

Check it out on Goodreads!

The Edge of Never (The Edge of Never #1) by J.A. Redmerski

5 Stars!

“Everybody starts out as strangers…"

            The Edge of Never has easily become one of my favorite stories of all time! Let it be said, I almost never, and I mean never, re-read a book. I read this twice! I’ve also read my fair share of romances (yeah, yeah, I’m a closet romantic) but this one takes the cake! I loved this book; it’s amazing and broke my heart in all the right ways! Camryn is witty and lovable but she’s more than that—she’s real. Andrew is absolutely imperfect and that’s what makes him so wonderful! 

            Camryn Bennett has had a really rough couple of years- her boyfriend died, her brother went to prison, her parents divorced- and all the while she’s been wishing for a life that’s more. One day after a fight with her best friend, she finally decides she’s had enough. She packs light, buys a ticket, and boards a bus to nowhere. Along the way, she meets Andrew Parrish, a guy on his way to Wyoming dealing with some hardships of his own. Together, they decided to set out on a road trip with no plan in mind; leaving everything behind to do what they’ve always wanted. They bring up issues that are often ignored in everyday life—especially the need everyone feels, at least once in a while, to get away from the burden of “normal” expectations and go on an unforgettable adventure that teaches them so many things about life—and love. When you’re standing on The Edge of Never sometimes you have to take that unexpected leap to find what you’ve always been dreaming of—a new life and a love that’s infinitely better than ever thought possible!

Check it out on Goodreads!

Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover

5 stars!

“…not everyone gets a happily ever after. Life is real and sometimes it’s ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.”

            I loved this book! It combined secrets and romance with a real life struggle! Colleen Hoover spins an inspiring tale full of guilt, forgiveness, and the power of love.

Skye has always had a little but different life tan other girls her age. Her adoptive mother is weirdly against technology to the point where she is not allowed to have a TV, a cell phone, or even attend public school. She knows little to nothing about her past. And, to top it off, she has horrific nightmares that she doesn't understand. But, strangely, she’s okay with it. Until she meets Dean Holder.
                         

            He’s an enigma, a stranger with mood swings that give her whiplash, and an unnerving interest in her. Even though it’s impossible, Skye feels like she knows him. Though she’s warned to stay away from Holder and his temper, a boy so “Hopeless” that he had it branded on his arm, she finds reasons to be near him. He makes her challenge everything she thinks she knows about herself and her life, past and present.

            As the two grow closer, secrets start to surface and the past comes back to haunt them, leaving them to cope with the truth that threatens to shatter them completely. Full of blindsides and curve balls that will leave you spinning, Skye and Holder are in for the ride of their lives. Together they will discover what it really means to be Hopeless.

Check it out on Goodreads!

Wait for You by J. Lynn

5 stars!

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Review:

“There’s a lot I don’t know about you and I hope we fix that. I’m not going to push you, but you can’t shut me out. Okay. You have to trust me.”

            I’ve always been a huge fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout (J. Lynn), so I was excited for her to try her hand at a contemporary romance instead of her regular supernatural stuff. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. With funny and realistic characters, Wait for You is a loveable story that goes to show that you can’t keep running from your past, sometimes, you have to learn to trust someone else and let go.

           
           Avery Morgansten did everything in her power to put distance between herself and everything that happened in her hometown since that Halloween from hell five years ago. She moved from Texas to go to college in small town West Virginia and refused almost all contact from her old life, but the demons that haunt her just won’t seem to die.

          
           Enter Cameron Hamilton, the funny flirt that is fascinated with Avery from the first time they run into each other, who has a few secret troubles of his own. Just as a relationship begins to form between the two, Avery’s past rears its ugly head as she begins to get threatening phone calls and emails.  Things grow more serious, forcing Avery and Cam to decide if what they have is worth risking it all to trust someone again. Will they take a chance? Can true love really Wait For You?