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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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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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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Remember Me Forever (Lovely Vicious #3) by Sara Wolf

4.5 Stars!

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

"You try to stop all these injustices and save people from them. But you never try to save yourself."

       Wow, I can't believe it's really over. This trilogy snagged me from the get go; I loved the originality and the character's crazy antics that were often ridiculous beyond belief, but endearing all the same. It's not often you can find a book that will make you laugh out loud with one line and absolutely rip your heart to shreds with the next, but this can. I'm so grateful to have been able to follow Isis and Jack on their funny, action packed, and heart-shattering adventure.

       Isis Blake hasn't been the same since Sophia's suicide. She blames her self, just like she always does. Still, she does her best to put on a brave face and avoid thinking about Jack Hunter, who disappeared after the funeral and hasn't been seen since. Instead of going to Stanford, she decides to stay close to her mother by attending good old Ohio State, but she can't seem to catch a break. Her ex-boyfriend, rapist, and overall embodiment of her own personal hell, Will Cavanaugh, has left Florida for Ohio and is intent of continuing his torture of Isis.

       Meanwhile, a previously guilty and self-destructive Jack Hunter has been recruited by Vortex. The private company has sent him undercover as a college student to help bring down a malicious hacker wanted by the government. His target: Will Cavanaugh. Isis and Jack had never expected to see each other again, but they're thrown together anyway and their feelings are more intense than ever. They'll have to work together to bring down the demons that haunt them, both the physical ones and those harder to reach that inhabit their very memories. Even if they succeed, do they have a chance together or is there simply too much between them?

       I really felt that this was a perfect ending to Isis and Jack's story. Other than the last few chapters feeling a little rushed, I have absolutely no complaints other than that I wish it could have went on forever. I know that this series will stay with me for a long time. Isis, Jack, and all their friends have a way of getting under your skin in a way that practically screams, "You'll Remember Me Forever."

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Off the Ice (Juniper Falls #1) by Julie Cross

3.5 Stars!

A big 'thank you' goes out to Chapter by Chapter, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-book and opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"...There are some gifts you just don't turn down. There are some threads that you hold on to as tightly as possible."

          Anyone who knows me at all is aware that I am usually a sucker for a hockey story! Off the Ice does an good job of illustrating how corrupt and dysfunctional small town life can be at times and couples it with the stress of having to make tough decisions when the best option isn't always clear. Plus, Tate and Claire are cute.

          Before Claire O'Connor ran away from Juniper Falls to early admission at Northwestern last fall, she and Tate had a night that neither of them will ever forget, and not in the good way. Now that's she's back to help out at the family bar while her dad recovers from the removal of a brain tumor, Tate thinks that he might finally have his chance. See, Claire is his older sister's best friend and he's had a crush on her for years and she's never looked at him twice, until now. Maybe it's because they saw parts of each other that night that they had hidden from everyone else, or maybe it's because "Little Tate Tanley" seemingly went from her friend's skinny, kid brother to a grown-up hockey star overnight, who knows? Either way, it's time for tate to make his move. Unfortunately, he already has enough on his plate between being expected to suddenly become the town's hockey god a year early and his dad breathing down his neck and threatening to destroy everything he's worked for. It's time to get on the ice and see what he's made of!

          The portrayal of a small town's obsession with their sport of choice is surprisingly realistic, but not in a pleasant or comforting way. As someone who grew up in one, I can say that is definitely dramatic, but accurate. Also, I loved that it was the little brother into the older sister's best friend, instead of the tired "girl hopelessly in love with her older brother's best friend" cliche. No matter how you look at it, Tate and Claire's world's have been flipped upside down, but can they sort their lives out enough to make things work Off the Ice?

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Forget Me Always (Lovely Vicious #2) by Sara Wolf

4.5 Stars!

A big 'thank you' goes out to Chapter by Chapter, Entangled Teen, Sara Wolf, and NetGalley for the e-book and opportunity to participate in the blog tour!

"For the first time in a long time, I felt something. My life wasn't still and silent anymore. It moved. You made it move."

      After that surprise ending in Love Me Never, it was obvious that Sara Wolf certainly has a flair for the dramatic, which I have to say made me a bit nervous to see what she had in store for us next. Thankfully, Forget Me Always is just as hilarious and heartbreaking as the first! Bravo! Perfectly paced, and shows that overcoming the heartbreak of the past is a slow process filled with setbacks, but still a journey everyone must take if they ever to move forward.

      Dissociative amnesia or no, Isis Blake is as sassy as ever and still completely steadfast in her belief that she will never be the princess with the fairytale ending. In her mind, she's the dragon. Badass, yes, but still fated to remain alone in the darkness of her heart's fortress. But how will her sickly fire fair against the ice-prince himself? She may have forgotten him for the time being, but there's no way Jack Hunter will ever forget Isis and the way she burst into his life and knocked it upside down. Before she can even begin to make sense of her present, she will have to come to terms with the past she wished she could forget. Yet when her memories start to return, Isis is left with more questions than answers, not only about Jack and their relationship, but about his past and how it involves her new, hospital bound friend Sophia. Tired of kept in the dark, Isis is determined to find out the truth once and for all, but it may end up being more than she bargained for.

      Be warned, you're in for another cliffhanger with this one and a few curveballs as well! I loved seeing Isis and Jack "reconnect" and develop more throughout the story and having Sofia in it made everything even better. After an ending like that, I can't wait to see what happens next. With their pasts coming back to haunt them, will Isis and Jack be brave enough to finally risk it all and open their hearts? Or will their demons win and and cause them to just walk away and try to Forget Me Always?

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Remember Yesterday (Forget Tomorrow #2) by Pintip Dunn

4.5 Stars!

A big 'Thank you' goes out to Entangled Teen, Pintip Dunn, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an E-ARC as well as Chapter by Chapter for allowing my participation in the blog tour!

"You can change your future all you want, but you will never get away from walking certain paths."

          It's rare to find a sequel that's just as addicting as the first, but here it is! Remember Yesterday is every sci-fi lover's dream and fans of Forget Tomorrow will not be disappointed! Jessa's story is filled with twists and turns that will get your adrenaline pumping and mess with your sleep patterns because it's near impossible to put down!

          Callie's sister Jessa isn't the sweet, innocent little girl she used to be. That girl died the minute her sister killed herself in front of her very eyes just over ten years ago. Now seventeen, Jessa isn't sure if Callie's sacrifice was worth it and feels tremendous guilt over the hole her absence has left in everyone's lives.  That guilt and desire to be worthy of her sister's unconditional love makes Jessa a risk taker, devoted to making sure that the future Callie tried to stop doesn't become the present.

          When a rat rescue goes awry, Jessa is forced to get close to the arrogant and annoyingly attractive boy-genius Tanner Callahan, the embodiment of everything she despises. He's a scientist determined to discover the secret of Future Memory, the very thing young Jessa was tortured to obtain and Callie died to destroy. But is there more to him than meets the eye? Is he really just a mislead pawn in Chairwoman Dresden's evil plan? Unsure, Jessa must make the choice to team up with him anyway because Tanner has access the thing she wants most in the world: her sister Callie-- alive.

          Jessa and her family have been being lied to for the past ten years, Callie didn't die after injecting herself, but it was close and she's been in a coma all this time with her body hidden deep within the floors under TechRA. Now she's fading fast; her mind, unable to find hold of the present, is threatening to give out and her only hope at survival lies with her sister and the connection they share. On her mission to save Callie, Jessa will come face to face with her worst fears and find out that she plays a greater part in the events of the past and future than she ever thought possible. Will she succeed or is this fate already Fixed?

          The world Pintip Dunn has constructed is so rich and ingeniously built! I absolutely loved the way fate and time are explained, it's easily understandable and makes sense without the headache that normally surrounds issues and complexities of time travel. It's also great that almost all characters from Forget Tomorrow were present and that we get to see how there lives change and if/how their future memories change and play out. There are a few plot twists and surprises that I totally should have seen coming, but still managed to jump out of the bushes and smack me upside the head anyway. Keep in mind, when you're out to change the course of the world, it's important to Remember Yesterday!

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