Jennifer @ Bookworm Coalition

Jennifer @ Bookworm Coalition

Taking over the world... One book at a time

Review
4 Stars
Blocked by Elise Faber
Blocked - Elise Faber

Ladies and Gents….I present to you a Hockey Romance done right!

I truly enjoyed Blocked. It was romantic but not overly in your face. It was sweet but not so much as to turn you off. There was action on and off the ice. Elise Faber did a fantastic job of making Blocked the perfect meld.

And again…HOCKEY

Mmmmm…Zetterberg

There’s nothing better than sexy hockey players in the morning to get your day started!

Want another?

Yeah, you do…

My absolute favorite thing about Blocked is that Stefan wasn’t some asshat alpha male with mommy issues, and that Brit wasn’t some god awful damsel in distress that let every male in the vicinity walk all over her, or fall on her back in an attempt to win Stefan over.

Brit was everything that the first female NHL star needed to be. Her determination was contagious. Brit had be rooting for her the whole book. She carved out a nice little spot for herself on the team and did everything in her power to stay there.

Stefan was a breath of fresh air. I’ve lost count on how many NA, YA, Romance (the list goes on) where the male lead is a total douchecanoe badass and you know as soon as you start, where the story is going. As soon as I read Stefan I immediately knew that Blocked was going to be like no other. I was right. Stefan is the captain of the team, and there is a reason. He’s got the patience of a saint and an attitude to match.

There was betrayal, and backstabbing but also hockey, love, hot guys, compassion, hot hockey guys.

(All these hockey players have me all distracted!)

I fell in love with both of them and I cannot wait to see where Elise takes the Gold from here.

And because this is a hockey book, and hockey is my all time favorite thing to watch…

Gawd, Hockey players are sexy!!

 

Thank you Elise Faber…I’m off to stalk my future husband!!

 

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Review
3.5 Stars
Dare To Dream by Carys Jones
Dare to Dream - Carys  Jones

3.75 out of 5

 

 

 

Dare To Dream was by far one of the most interesting takes on dystopia that I’ve read in a while. The reason I say this is because most dystopia novels kind of just dump you into the middle of the apocalypse and give you some half ass reason on why the world is the way it is. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stopped dead in my tracks wondering just what in the hell happened. Dare To Dream was unique in the sense that it starts before the apocalypse and ends at the beginning.

 

Maggie Trafford is a 14 year old girl growing up in England. She is one of just 5 children born to a sometimes alcoholic mother and whose father had abandoned then when Maggie was 5. To say that Maggie hasn’t had a remarkable childhood is an understatement. Because Maggie was always the quiet, shy, introvert she was essentially ignored by her mother.

 

Maggie starts having these dreams of red fire raining from the sky, engulfing everything in sight. The dreams are so vivid that she can’t concentrate, she starts to fall behind in class and has convinced herself that she’s crazy…until Stonehenge starts to fall. Now it’s up to Maggie to convince the ones she loves that she’s not crazy and that the world is going to end!

 

The concept for this book was fantastic. I loved the fact that I got to go on this journey with Maggie, to see first hand how the world was going to end. Just the simple little things that made me fall in love with this book, especially the ending. Being able to not know exactly what was going to happen, or by whom made me want to continue with Maggie’s story.

 

 

 

I only disliked one thing, and it’s the reason I feel like I can’t give it the full 4 out of 5. I’m not a huge fan of multiple POV. Multiple POV where it is clearly marked in the book or where the style of writing is changed just a little where I can differentiate the people doesn’t bother me. It’s the unmarked changes that drive me crazy. There were a few times that I had to re-read pages because it took me some time to figure out if it was the mother talking, or Dawn, or Maggie. Th only one I didn’t have a problem reading was Andy and that was because the tone of the book changed.

 

 

 

Thank you Carys Jones for this ARC, I am looking forward to the next installment. I have a feeling that Maggie’s story is only just beginning.

 

***Also, Carys…you have the patience of a saint!

 

Review
5 Stars
Breaking Measures by Emma Raveling
Breaking Measures  - Emma Raveling

The first time I ever read anything by Emma Raveling was while she was just at the beginning stages of her Ondine Quartet series (pretty sure it was book 1). Little did I know, Ondine Quartet would become one of my all time favorite series. You know, the ones where no matter what you’ll always come back to and re-read because the story is just that amazing! When Ondine Quartet ended, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was a wreck, an emotional hot mess…you name it, that was me.

When Emma decided to delve into something that didn’t hinge on YA fantasy dare I say…I was slightly skeptical.

Everything that I have known about Emma’s writing has been filled with fantasy. There was always some sort of magical element that held you in suspense.

Let me tell you, I had nothing to worry about.

Breaking Measures is one of those books that sucks you in and doesn’t want to let you out. Such brilliant writing from beginning to end. The magic was there, hidden beneath the suspenseful and amazingly intricate story line. Everything about Breaking Measures was in such perfect detail, with poor Leila and the life that she knew being ripped away from her and watching her stumble and find the courage to do what needs to be done. Quite honestly just the sheer amount of betrayal in this novella was staggering.

A Woven Silence is up next for Emma, and I can’t wait. I loved every second of Breaking Measures.

 

 

**Confession Time: I horded all my weekly emails from Emma that contained the chapters for Breaking Measures. I knew after I read the first chapter that there was NO FREAKING WAY I was going to be able to wait a whole week for another chapter…or in some cases only a half of a chapter! So this review probably should have been out a few days ago, but I was too busy trying to get my child to sit down for longer than 5 minutes so Mommy could read!**

Review
5 Stars
The Lunar Chronicles
Cinder - Marissa Meyer Scarlet - Marissa Meyer Cress - Marissa Meyer

You get 5 stars, you get 5 stars, you get five stars!

My name is Jennifer and I have a problem…. Here’s my story

 

My best friend, her other half, her daughter, my other half and I are enjoying an amazing vacation in a cabin off of a lake. This particular morning started almost like every other. Being the mother of a super active toddler, I’ve grown accustomed to waking up at the ass crack of dawn. Even without my daughter, I found myself up early.

No joke, I was up at 6:30, then 7:30 and finally at 8:00. At this point, the sun was blinding me. So I crept through the cabin, grab my phone and started my regular morning routine of laughing at people on facebook and just generally seeing if the sky is falling. As the morning progressed and still nobody was awake, I was growing restless. I had brought my kindle and a few books with me to keep myself entertained on the car ride up and to maybe read a few chapters before bed.

In my state of boredom I reached for Cinder. I tried to pick it up when I first bought it, but I was in an EPIC book slump and was just not at all interested in it.

I can’t say what happened, I don’t know how it happened. I broke my own reading record with Cinder. In less than 8 hours, I was finished. FINISHED I TELL YOU!

But that wasn’t good enough, was it? NO, because what happened next is just fucking ridiculous. I went on Amazon and ordered book 2. Here I am thinking that “Well, book 2 should last me until we leave, then I can just grab my copy of book 3 and read it at home”

Except by the time the third morning of vacation rolled around I was done with book 2!!!

Here I am jonesing for book 3 like a crack addict. Let me remind you that I already have a copy of book 3, at home….3 1/2 hours away. Don’t worry though, I didn’t deprive myself….What kind of human being would I be if I denied myself? LOL

By the time we woke up on day 4, packed up all of our belongings and started our journey home, I was 20 pages from being done with Cress. Here’s the thing, to you reading this, it almost sounds like I didn’t leave the cabin. I did leave the cabin, I went swimming, got sunburned, went canoeing and boating. I cooked breakfasts, and dinners. Played games with everyone. I didn’t spend my entire vacation hiding in a corner cracking out to Marissa Meyer.

 

Now here I am, awaiting Winter to come out… I still have to read the Queen’s book but I’m trying my hardest to wait. It’s not easy.

Once again, my name is Jennifer….

 

I Love My BFF!

So my favorite person threw my name out in the booklikes forums and garnered me all these new followers! Shes the best!

 

For everyone that has followed me in the past week or so, thank you! You may just make me like booklikes again. 

 

My name is Jennifer or Jen, and I am one half of Bookworm Coalition. I use sarcasm as a second language (some days it's the only form of english I know), I also use WAY TO MANY exclamation points!!! I swear like a sailor both out loud and in my head, and I have no problem telling anyone how it is. My mouth gets me in trouble, often.

 

My posts may be scattered for a little while. I have one busted ass computer and an obscene amount of work to do (I am guilty of posting reviews at work!) but I am determined to do more.

 

Thank you again, and I look forward to interacting with all of you! 

Review
4 Stars
Tick by Allison Rose
Tick - Allison Rose

Let me first start out with an apology to the author Allison Rose…She came to me months ago asking if I would like to read and review her book, never one to turn an opportunity down, I agreed. I agreed to do so at the worst possible time. When Tick showed up at my house, I was in the middle of an epic, EPIC book slump. Not even joking, I think I reread every book that I knew I loved. It seemed like anytime I wanted to start Tick, something else caught my eye. But slowly, like a snail, I started to read new books. All the while, I’ve been in the process of packing everything I own to get ready to move. This includes all my lovely books and Tick ended up in a box with the rest of them. Finally I had enough! I grabbed Tick out of the box and in 1 day (mind you I worked 8 hours and have a 1 1/2 year old, which if you have a toddler you know its damn near impossible to get anything done!) less than 24 hours I sat down and devoured Tick. So, Allison Rose…I apologize for taking so long to read this, for packing it away, for being in the worse book slump ever. Tick was amazing and I can’t wait to read the second one!

 

I love dystopian/sci-fi novels, even when they confuse the hell out of me and Tick did just that, but not in a way to make me not like it. I was a satisfied confused if that makes sense.

 

Jo wants nothing more than to be an artist in a world where brain “ticks” are “taken care of”. And boy does she have a whopper of a tick. Jo zones out and has visions of killing people, so many that shes completely numb to it. She has never acted on these visions, it’s just something that is part of her life.

 

The whole country is pretty much ruled by drones made by FutureTech, The government is made up of people who are basically the face of the country, they have no purpose, they don’t actually do anything. They leave everything in the hands of FutureTech. But where there is FutureTech there is also Alias-X, almost like a sworn enemy, hacking into their systems trying to take them out. One of the reasons that I love this battle of the computer/hacker giants is that you aren’t exactly sure who the bad guys are. Granted Alias-X does some horrendous things in this book, but FutureTech isn’t exactly a cuddly bunny, those people what to scan your brain, find your abnormalities and “fix” you. Not exactly trustworthy!

Then there is Felix, Lone Wolf…

 

I just don’t know about him, he’s hiding things BIG TIME, and I have an extremely hard time trusting him. I want to like him, I do but I don’t know if I can. He conveniently shows up to rescue Jo.

 

My favorite character of all was actually Evie, the 11 year old bad ass sniper with bigger balls than most men and has no problem standing up to everyone around her. I can’t wait to see her in the second book!

 

There is so much that happens in Tick, that it is hard for me to pick anything out without giving too much away.

 

The was only one reason that Tick didn’t get 5 out of 5, and that is because I felt like most of part one of the book felt off from the rest of it. I felt like part one was trying really hard to normalize Jo when she is anything but normal and I know that there has to be a build up to the rest of the book but it was lacking something, I can’t quite put my finger on it but something is missing. Once I hit the end of part one, I was a goner. Everything seemed to blow up (literally and figuratively) and I couldn’t put it down.

 

AND SHAME ON YOU ALLISON ROSE FOR THAT ENDING!! Lol, way to make me crave book 2 like a fat kid loves cake! I have my thought on what is going on, but knowing your writing style now I’m probably way off base.

 

Thank you Allison Rose for sending me a copy of Tick in exchange for an honest review!

Review
4 Stars
ARC of Glitch by Brenda Pandos
Glitch - Brenda Pandos

When a mysterious guy from the forbidden zone sneaks an illegal slip of paper to a beautiful young girl from Brighton, she must decide if she should turn him in or follow what the note says.

 

Eighteen-year-old Abigail has no trouble following Brighton’s rules. For one, she’s OCD about checking her Date of Death clock latched to her wrist, making sure her decisions never shorten her timeline, and two, she enjoys the peace Brighton has to offer. In no way would she bring on another attack that destroyed earth’s inhabitants. But when her best friend returns from her Advice Meeting–a glimpse into the future–shocked and won’t tell Abby what’s happened, Abby is worried what awaits her glimpse. The stranger with blue eyes knows something, but does Abby dare enter the forbidden zone to get answers? Or is she doomed to live the life set in her glimpse?

 

 

Let me start by saying…. I definitely want expecting that to happen!!

 

Glitch was a fantastic blend of dystopia, science fiction, and zombie apocalypse with some teen angst mixed in.

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Finding a book that does the zombie thing well is a hard find and the concept of how the zombies start is pretty awesome. Think the movie Jumper and add in oppressive government, Glitch is what you get.

 

Abby is the model citizen of Brighton, she’s read the rule book more times then you can count. While playing a game of softball she runs into a boy who tells her not to go to her Advice Meeting (a meeting set with ones future self). But this boy is no ordinary boy, he doesn’t belong in Brighton with his blue eyes and illegal pieces of paper. Eventually things happen that lead her to be kidnapped by the boy Kaden for her own safety. On the other side of the wall that is protecting Brighton Abby learns that not everything is as it seems and that she’s been told lies her entire life.

 

The science fiction part of Glitch is what really held my attention. It took some time to get there (yes, I understand you need backstory) so I did grow impatient but I’m glad I stuck it out. Being able to jump through timelines to the future and the past is really what made this story. I can’t wait to see how this progresses into the next book. Zombies are so much fun!

 

I HATE CLIFFHANGERS!!!

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(One more just for fun!)

 

This ARC was provided by All Night Reads via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Review
4 Stars
ARC of Queen & Commander by Janine A. Southard
Queen & Commander (Hive Queen Saga #1) - Janine A. Southard

4 out of 5

 

On a world where high school test scores determine your future, six students rebel. They’ll outrun society as fast as their questionably obtained spaceship will take them.

 

Rhiannon doesn’t technically cheat the Test. She’s smarter than the computers that administer it, and she uses that to her advantage. She emerges from Test Day with the most prestigious future career possible: Hive Queen.

 

Gwyn & Victor are madly in love, but their Test results will tear them apart. Good thing Rhiannon is Gwyn’s best friend. Rhiannon can fix this. Queens can do anything.

 

Gavin is the wild card. Raised off-planet, he can’t wait to leave again… and he’s heard of an empty ship in orbit. The Ceridwen’s Cauldron.

 

Both Luciano and Alan fit in the system. They don’t need to leave. Only their devotion to Rhiannon spurs them to join the Cauldron’s crew.

 

Spaceships. Blackmail. Anywhere but here.

 

 

Queen and Commander was a fantastic read. It’s all about friendship in a dystopian world and the toll it takes on everyone to keep things the same. It’s about friendship, and doing what needs to be done in an almost impossible situation.

 

Rhiannon has outsmarted her test, and made her future for herself. Instead of taking what she was suppose to have, she worked her ass off to get to where she wanted to be. Commander and Hive Queen. She has an unhealthy, and I mean unhealthy just because it’s awkward friendship with Gwyn. In her mind, because Gwyn has graced Rhiannon with her friendship that means that Rhiannon should do everything in her power to make all of Gwyn’s wishes become reality. Because of this, instead of going to college and learning how to become a commander to her future ship, and a suitable Queen for her shipmates, Rhiannon puts in a bid to get a ship right away for missions to other planets. All because she feels that Gwyn and Victor should have the chance to stay together.

 

Besides all the creepy friendship drama, Queen and Commander had a great group of characters. I’m pretty sure Sheldon Cooper was the inspiration for Alan, seriously. With Alan, everything was sooo literal, and all he did was work on projects for the ship and heaven forbid you didn’t know anything because Alan was going to tell you, and then tell you what you did wrong. He was my favorite character.

 

Victor was probably my least favorite character, his main motivation for Rhiannon getting a ship was for selfish reasons, and the fact that he refused to pledge his life to Rhiannon even though she really didn’t care. Victor’s past issues involving his father, is what prevented him from doing it. BUT when everything mattered most, and when lives were on the line, he realized his wrong doing and realized that just because his father abandoned him and his mother for his Queen, it didn’t mean that Rhiannon was the same.

 

There was great drama, suspense and spaceships. Whats not to love. A dystopian type book about space involving Sheldon Cooper, like a warm fuzzy sci-fi blanket!

 

I really did enjoy this book, so much that I already purchased the second one, that I eventually will read… one day, hopefully sooner rather than later.

 

This ARC was provided by Janine A Southard via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review
4 Stars
ARC of This is Falling by Ginger Scott
This is Falling - Ginger Scott

4 out of 5

 

First, I had to remember how to breathe. Then, I had to learn how to survive. Two years, three months and sixteen days had passed since I was the Rowe Stanton from before, since tragedy stole my youth and my heart went along with it.

 

When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.

 

And then I met Nate Preeter.

 

An All-American baseball player, Nate wasn’t supposed to notice a ghost-of-a-girl like me. But he did. He shouldn’t want to know my name. But he did. And when he learned my secret and saw the scars it left behind, he was supposed to run. But he didn’t.

 

My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.

And then he showed me how to fall.

 

*This is a standalone in a three-part series that will focus on different characters. Each book can be read on its own.

 

 

 

This Is Falling was so cute. There are only 2 reasons why I liked it so much.

 

 

#1 Nate is not a dick.

 

#2 Practical jokes, and challenges accepted.

 

You heard right, NATE IS NOT A DICK, and he only had one jealousy outburst. That my book loving friends is a record in any new adult book ever!

 

He was sweet, he took everything slow. When Rowe needed space, Nate gave it to her. When she needed a laugh, he was there. I really don’t feel like I have to expand.

 

And the practical jokes, snarky banter, and challenges accepted made everything so much better.

 

“He farted”… “Oooooh, yeah. Sorry ladies. I think I may have sharted.”

 

“Hey, guys. Sorry we’re late. Rowe got a phone call that her ointment was ready. We had to pick it up. That’s the one that helps with the…burning…right?” Nate fake-whispers…. “Yeah, it’s way better now. That stuff works really fast.”…”Too bad about your pants, though.”

 

“What happened to your pants?” Paige asks. “Oh, I thought everyone knew. Nate’s incontinent. He pissed himself on the way over here.”

 

There is sooo much more banter, but I can’t give all of them away. There may or may not be a barbie pillow and a pink dorm room… just saying!

 

Rowe definitely has some issues, not necessarily trust issues more like a huge traumatizing event that happened to her, that left her with physical and emotional scars. The way that Nate helps her overcome them will have your heart melting, and wishing for someone just like him!

 

Read this book, I for sure will be picking up the others that go along with This Is Falling!

 

This Arc was provided by Ginger Scott via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Review
4 Stars
ARC of Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter
Every Ugly Word - Aimee L. Salter

When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson walks through the halls of her high school bullies taunt and shove her. She can’t go a day without fighting with her mother. And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t make her best friend, Matt, fall in love with her. But Ashley also has something no one else does: a literal glimpse into the future. When Ashley looks into the mirror, she can see her twenty-three-year-old self.

 

Her older self has been through it all already—she endured the bullying, survived the heartbreak, and heard every ugly word her classmates threw at her. But her older self is also keeping a dark secret: Something terrible is about to happen to Ashley. Something that will change her life forever. Something even her older self is powerless to stop.

 

 

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This book was incredible. Absolutely incredible, this book makes you stop dead in your tracks, it makes you feel helpless but at the same time you are trying to give this girl in the book every ounce of courage you have in you.

 

I loved the way Every Ugly Word was delivered, Ashley has the ability to talk to her future self. Older Ashley is trying to guide younger Ashley to not make the same mistakes that she had, to not end up where she is.

 

I swear, when you’re in high school, you feel as though it’s just never going to end. And that who you are there will define every aspect of your life. You think high school is the end all be all, is not though but you don’t realize that until you are well out. And this is what older Ashley is trying to help younger Ashley realize.

 

I’m not going to make this a long review, because quite honestly I don’t think it needs it. Every Ugly Word reminded me a lot of Speechless by Hannah Harrington and I loved that book. I think this is a book that every teenager should read, it’s a book that shows actions have consequences, that hurtful words do harm and that one act of kindness could save someone. It also shows that something beautiful can come out of something hateful.

 

 

This ARC was provided by Alloy Entertainment via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

So Far Behind!!

Ever since Booklikes took away the ability to copy and paste reviews (you suck for this, my laptop is a piece so I usually use my tablet) I've gotten so far behind on putting reviews up here. So I apologize in advance if your feed gets all clogged up by me!!

Review
2 Stars
ARC of The Possibility of Us by Lisa Burstein
The Possibility of Us - Lisa Burstein

2 out of 5

 

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So I guess I have a thing with words lately. For instance, how many times can you say the title of your book in the book. In this instance, how many times can you put the word fuck/fucking/fucked in a book and the answer to that is 171. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE. I am all for swearing, me personally, I swear like a drunken sailor. But for the love of all that is holy, FIND A NEW WORD, there are several to choose from.

 

I really didn’t enjoy this, there was too much back and forth and stuff that made no sense. It was basically about a couple who split because they had no money to keep living the good life and a friend who goes behind her best friend back to try to get them back together while attending a funeral. In fact, I’m surprised I even finished this. I pretty much powered through the last half for the greater good.

 

This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review

Review
3 Stars
ARC of Starstruck by Nicole Ciacchella
Starstruck - 'Nicole Ciacchella',  'Elizabeth Darcy'

Le sigh…

 

This is your typical boy has been in love with girl since forever. Girl is dumb and blind. Boy becomes successful actor, girl becomes a single mom.

 

Don’t believe me? Check out the description…

 

Lex Harrington is living a stranger’s life. After high school, she and her boyfriend, superstar quarterback Brad Wakefield, headed off to college, secure in the knowledge of their brilliant future. Then an injury ended Brad’s football career, and he convinced Lex to drop out of school and return home with him, where everything fell apart.

 

Because the glossy surface of their relationship concealed a dark truth: years of emotional abuse culminating in Brad’s walking out on Lex and their infant son. At twenty-three, she’s a single mother with no future prospects, struggling to make ends meet while dealing with the aftermath of her destructive marriage.

 

When Jaron Richards left for college, he vowed he’d never look back. Brad laid waste to his friendship with Lex, leaving nothing to bind Jaron to his hometown. But his unrequited love for Lex has never faded, even as his star has begun to rise, making him Hollywood’s hottest new actor.

 

Now Jaron is back in town to film his latest movie, and his presence stirs up everything Lex would rather forget. Can they find a way to pick up the pieces and build a future together?

 

 

Starstruck held me enough to finish the book but not much else. I picked it up and put it down half a dozen times. I liked Jaron, he had the patience of a freaking saint… Me, I would have given up. I understood Lex’s apprehension in getting involved with someone, but for the love of all that is holy, she has known Jaron for years. They were best friends at one point. Hence the reason I couldn’t sit there and read it consistently, emotional whiplash at its finest.

 

I could have taken Starstruck or left it. It was meh for me.

 

 

This ARC was provided by Sweenix Rising Books via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review

Review
4 Stars
Priceless by Shannon Mayer
Priceless (A Sexy Urban Fantasy Mystery) - Shannon Mayer

When I came across Priceless I was intrigued. So as usual (because heaven forbid I be able to buy a book on the spot without looking it up first on Goodreads) I go on to Goodreads with prior experience, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that one of my friends or one of the many people I follow would have a fantastic review up.

 

Imagine my face when I finally realize that no one, not one person I knew of, had reviewed this book.

 

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I went in blind. I couldn’t trust those other reviews. The people I am friends with and follow have gained my trust, have been with me through thick and thin. Through good and god awful. These other reviewers have yet to earn that… so, with my head held high and free money at my finger tips, I took the plunge.

 

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All I have to say is YAY ME!!

 

I’m so happy I read this. Priceless was a lot of fun to read, after I got through the first ten percent.

 

FBI Agent Liam O’Shea has been trying to pin the disappearance of Rilee Adamson’s sister on her for the past ten years. It becomes painfully obvious that Rilee had nothing to do with it when another girl disappears on the same date, same park, same time as her sister but 10 years later.

 

Rilee has a gift, she is a Tracker. Give her a photo she and can find anyone. The girls missing parents come to Rilee and hire her to find their daughter before it too late.

An unexpected turn of events happen which lead Agent O’Shea to help in the hunt for the missing girl and to put aside his vengeful feelings towards Rilee.

 

There really is everything in this book. Vampires, daywalkers, nightwalkers, werewolves, witches, covens, harpies, unicorns and of course magic.

 

I really did enjoy this book, the second one is already on my to be read pile.

Review
4 Stars
ARC of Very Bad Things by Isla Madden-Mills
Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy) - Little Dove Publishing

New Adult books are very either here or there for me. I have a love hate relationship with them, and this one is no exception.

 

Here’s the description of Very Bad Things…

 

Born into a life of privilege and secrets, Nora Blakely has everything any nineteen-year-old girl could desire. She’s an accomplished pianist, a Texas beauty queen, and on her way to Princeton after high school. She’s perfect…

 

Leaving behind her million-dollar mansion and Jimmy Choos, she becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.

 

Then she meets her soulmate. But he doesn’t want her.

 

When it comes to girls, twenty-five-year-old Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love. His gym and his brother are all he cares about… until he meets Nora. He resists the pull of their attraction, hung up on their six year age difference.

 

As they struggle to stay away from each other, secrets will be revealed, tempers will flare, and hearts will be broken.

 

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy… where sometimes, the best things in life are Very Bad Things

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Nora is hell bent on feeling something, even if it is self destruction. In my opinion it was easy to relate to Nora, every single person has gone down the path of self destruction, where you get off is what matters. Given Nora’s circumstances, and her raging neglectful bitch of a mother… it was easy to see why Nora snapped.

 

“Clearing my throat, I leaned over the podium until my lips were right on the microphone and delivered my new opening remarks, “Fuck Briarcrest Academy, and fuck you all.”
Finally, some of the pain and darkness that had been wrapped around my soul fell away.
I smiled for real this time without even trying.
It felt good to be bad.”

 

Leo Tate built his chain of gyms from the run down one that his parents owned before they were murdered. Leo is afraid to love again, and he’s been taking care of his brother Sebastian for the past several years. A chance vandalism by Nora has them finally meeting face to face and of course the rest is history.

 

“Oh baby, those pretty hearts and flowers are rocking your ride, Leo.”

 

Mila, Nora’s best friend and Sebastian, Leo’s little brother were fantastic. They definitely made the book better for their presence. I loved the brotherly/sisterly banter between Nora and Sebastian.

 

As per usual, the only person that pissed me off was the male lead, Leo. His inability to make a decision regarding Nora had me repeatedly rolling my eyes. Luckily Nora was persistent in knowing what she wanted and tried not to let Leo’s dumbassery get in the way.

 

Now I’m of to read book 2…. I would of preferred maybe Mila’s story or even Sebastian’s story but Cuba will do… for now!!

 

This ARC was provided by Little Dove via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!”

Review
5 Stars
ARC of Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon
Going Down in Flames (Entangled Teen) - Chris Cannon

As I sat on my couch last night to ponder what book I wanted to read next in my ever growing list, I came across Going Down In Flames. It sat in my kindle gathering imaginary dust, and I thought to myself “ugh, here we go, another YA that I won’t enjoy. Maybe I’m getting to old for this crap.” So I put my literary big girl pants on and settled in to be disappointed (I know, optimistic right?), mind you, I was only going to read for a little bit since I started at 9:30 p.m.

 

6 hours and 400 pages later…

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Here’s the book description.

 

Finding out on your sixteenth birthday you’re a shape-shifting dragon is tough to swallow. Being hauled off to an elite boarding school is enough to choke on.

 

Since Bryn is the only crossbreed at the Institute for Excellence, all eyes are on her, but it’s a particular black dragon, Zavien, who catches her attention.

 

Zavien is tired of the Council’s rules. Segregated clans, being told who to love, and close-minded leaders make freedom of choice almost impossible. The new girl with the striped hair is a breath of fresh air, and with Bryn’s help, they may be able to change the rules.

 

At the Institute, old grudges, new crushes, and death threats are all part of a normal day for Bryn. She’ll need to learn to control her dragon powers if she wants to make it through her first year at school. But even focusing on staying alive is difficult when you’re falling for someone you can’t have.

 

 

 

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Gotta love Dragons!!

 

In the world of Going Down In Flames there are 5 different clans of dragons. Blue, Red, Black, Green and Orange. There are no marriages between clan, no offspring outside of the clans, of course until Bryn. Bryn’s father is a Red dragon and her mother is a Blue (no it does not make Bryn purple). At one point Bryn’s mother had an intended who was a fellow Blue dragon. Her parents fell in love, ran away and were shunned and outcast by the other dragons. Since the Directorate (ruling body to keep dragons under their thumb) has been preaching forever that two clans couldn’t reproduce, imagine their shock when it happened.

 

Days before Bryn’s 16th birthday, she has a run in with a stranger that knows all about her. At this point Bryn is completely clueless to what she is. The stranger sets of a chain of events that awaken Bryn’s powers. Since her parents had always been taught that different clans couldn’t cross breed, they were unsure if Bryn would ever show signs of turning. They kept being dragons a secret from her.

 

“What’s going on?” Bryn croaked.
Flames shot towards her father’s head. He laughed and dodged to the side.
“It’s simple. We’re dragons.”

“What’s going on?”
“You can breath fire.” Her dad smiled like this was a fabulous discovery.
Her mother’s expression became hopeful. “Do you feel a cold sensation in your stomach?”
“I just ate a half cartoon of ice cream.”
Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.
Clapping her hands like an excited toddler, her mom said, “Concentrate on the cold. Take a deep breath and aim for the sink.”
“She’s a Red.” Her dad puffed his chest out with pride. “We don’t know that.” Her mom leaned in and touched her cheek. “Try it for me. Just once.”
“What am I trying to do?”
“You’re trying to shoot ice out of your throat like a Blue dragon.”
“Right. How silly of me for asking.”

 

Since Bryn is an untrained dragon, she’s shipped off to a boarding school for dragons where she meets other dragons. Some that absolutely hate her existence and tell her that, some that are indifferent to her and a small few who are willing to take their chances befriending an “abomination”.

 

I loved everything about this book, the concept reminded me of Eon without the emperor undertones. Bryn was a fantastic lead, she was smart, witty, proud but also had her faults. Like every other YA, there’s a love story, you could say she’s also naive and you would be correct. She took shit from people, but wasn’t afraid to dish it out. She was a refreshing change in that she wasn’t a fucking doormat the entire book. She had doormat moments.

 

I can’t praise this book enough, and have recommended it to so many. I can’t wait for the sequel, so chop chop Chris Cannon… I need me some more dragons!!!

 

FYI, this review took me over a week to write, I couldn’t find the words to express my love for this. Every time I started to write again, I sounded like a first grader incapable of compound sentences. So hopefully this jibberish makes sense.
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This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing LLC via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review