Picture drawn by Maggie Stiefvater, 2009. Header made by S.F. Robertson, 2010.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young

Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young
"Stay tonight. Stay forever.

When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.

Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn’t have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.

The more Audrey learns about the new people she’s met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between in a place that is so much more than it seems…

And the 13th chapter will only add to the mystery behind the 13th floor of Hotel Ruby...and ultimately, what it means for Audrey.

Welcome to the Ruby."- summary from Amazon

It's been a while since I've read a book by Young, though I've been following along on her journey since before her debut was out (I was lucky enough to read a manuscript copy of The Naughty List almost a year before it was published). It's so cool to see that she's branching out into so many different genres within YA. This was a really good, creepy, suspenseful read with a great emotional and satisfying climax. This was an awesome new book from Young, and it makes me wish to catch up on the rest of her back catalog.

FTC: Borrowed book from local library. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

See How They Run by Ally Carter

See How They Run by Ally Carter
"For the past three years, Grace Blakely has been desperate to find out the truth about her mother’s murder. She thought it would bring her peace. She thought it would lead her to answers. She thought she could put the past to rest.

But the truth has only made her a target.

And the past?

The only way to put the past to rest is for Grace to kill it once and for all.

On Embassy Row, power can make you a victor or a victim; love can turn you into a fool or a fugitive; and family can lead you forward or bury you deep. Trust is a luxury. Death is a very real threat. And a girl like Grace must be very careful about which secrets she brings to light."- summary from Amazon

I am so happy to be reading another Ally Carter series. Her books are so addictive and written so well; this series is definitely more darker than her previous two, but still full of humor and intrigue. Grace is a great main character- flawed but determined as well as smart and resourceful. Carter also has a knack for secondary characters and the other kids on Embassy Row make reading the books such page-turning fun. If you like fast-paced, humorous thrillers with a dark edge, this is the series for you. Please check it out!!

FTC: Received e-galley from Edelweiss. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Everything But the Truth by Mandy Hubbard

Everything but the Truth by Mandy Hubbard
"Holly Mathews' mom is the new manager of a ritzy retirement home, and they just moved in, which means Holly's neighbors are all super-rich retirees. Still, it's not a total bust, because gorgeous, notorious Hollywood playboy Malik Buchannan is the grandson of one of the residents. Just one problem: when they meet, Malik assumes Holly's there to visit her own rich relative. She doesn't correct him, and it probably doesn't matter, because their flirtation could never turn into more than a superficial fling . . . right? But the longer Holly lives in Malik's privileged world, the deeper she falls for him and the more difficult it becomes to tell the truth . . . because coming clean might mean losing Malik forever."- summary from Amazon

It's been a while since I've read a Hubbard book, but reading this reminded me how much I love her writing. This book was such a cute romance and I really enjoyed reading it! I liked seeing Holly and Malik together, growing closer even as the secret between them looms larger; the adventures the two of them go on were such fun to read. Also, the other relationships in the book between Holly and her "best friend" as well as the one with her mom were interesting to read about as well. Overall, a fun romantic comedy that's perfect for summer!

FTC: Received e-galley from Netgalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler

Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler
"Josh Chester loves being a Hollywood bad boy, coasting on his good looks, his parties, his parents' wealth, and the occasional modeling gig. But his laid-back lifestyle is about to change. To help out his best friend, Liam, he joins his hit teen TV show, Daylight Falls...opposite Vanessa Park, the one actor immune to his charms. (Not that he's trying to charm her, of course.) Meanwhile, his drama-queen mother blackmails him into a new family reality TV show, with Josh in the starring role. Now that he's in the spotlight--on everyone's terms but his own--Josh has to decide whether a life as a superstar is the one he really wants.

Vanessa Park has always been certain about her path as an actor, despite her parents' disapproval. But with all her relationships currently in upheaval, she's painfully uncertain about everything else. When she meets her new career handler, Brianna, Van is relieved to have found someone she can rely on, now that her BFF, Ally, is at college across the country. But as feelings unexpectedly evolve beyond friendship, Van's life reaches a whole new level of confusing. And she'll have to choose between the one thing she's always loved...and the person she never imagined she could."- summary from Amazon

I really enjoyed this book from Adler and though I didn't read the first book in this series, it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story. While the characters from the first book appear, the focus is on two other friends in their lives. I always love books dealing with the Hollywood lifestyle and Adler does a great job writing it. The story bounces back and forth between Josh and Vanessa and I loved reading from each of their perspectives and both are such realistic characters, and I enjoyed following them on their journey to figure their own lives out and realize their affection for each other. Overall, I really need to get my hands on other Adler titles!

FTC: Received e-galley from Netgalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Amity by Micol Ostow

Amity by Micol Ostow
"Here is a house of ruin and rage, of death and deliverance.
Here is where I live, not living.
Here is always mine.

When Connor's family moves to Amity, a secluded house on the peaceful banks of New England's Concord River, his nights are plagued with gore-filled dreams of demons. destruction, and revenge. Dreams he kind of likes. Dreams he could make real, with Amity's help.

Ten years later, Gwen's family moves to Amity for a fresh start. Instead, she's haunted by lurid visions, disturbing voices, and questions about her own sanity. But with her history, who would ever believe her? And what could be done if they did?

Because Amity isn't just a house. She is a living force, bent on manipulating her inhabitants to her twisted will. She will use Connor and Gwen to bring about a violent end as she's done before. As she'll do again. And again. And again."- summary from Amazon

A creepy, spine-tingling book from Ostow, who also did a wonderful job with her previous scary book Family. While that one focused on the Manson Family murders of 1969, this book focuses on the horror story of the Amityville house and Ostow writes beautifully and hauntingly about it and about these two fictional families that lived there.

FTC: Borrowed book from local library. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
"It's been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring's king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria's lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm's secrets, Meira plans on using the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Jannuari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell's growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter's security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken Kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception is woven tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter but for the world."- summary from Amazon

Raasch's debut novel Snow Like Ashes was one of my favorite books of 2014, and one of my favorite fantasies in general. I was so excited to get my hands on the sequel and it absolutely blew me away. It was a fantastically amazing follow-up and was such a compelling and suspenseful read. It was fun to follow along on Mather, Theron and Meira's journey as they each work to do what they feel is best for the kingdoms. And I need Book 3 now!!!

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean
"Murder.

Fire.

Revenge.

That’s all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths. Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story?"- summary from Amazon

I really enjoyed this book- it was a quick read for me with all the suspense and reveals that happen throughout the story. Alice seems like a reliable narrator but as the book goes on, Jean shows little cracks and doubts in the story, making readers wonder what is really going on. The big reveal was a surprise to me, but I tend to not think too much about the books I'm reading as I read them. And it's interesting to see how the story ends too; it makes me want to read more from Jean.

FTC: Received e-galley from Netgalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Willowgrove by Kathleen Peacock

Willowgrove by Kathleen Peacock
"Ever since Mac’s best friend, Amy, was murdered, Hemlock has been a dangerous place. But now that Mac, her boyfriend, Kyle, and Amy’s ex, Jason, instigated a mass breakout from Thornhill, a werewolf “rehabilitation” camp, the danger has only grown. Fear of the infection spreading is now at an all-time high and anyone with a scar is suspected of being a wolf.

What makes Mac even more afraid, though, are the dark experiments that the warden of Thornhill was performing on wolves in a secret asylum called Willowgrove. Uncovering the truth about what happened may be the only way for Mac to save everyone she loves and end her nightmares for good."- summary from Amazon

I really enjoyed this trilogy by Peacock, though it did take me longer to finally read the last book as it seems I'm horrible about finishing trilogies (examples include only just finishing Allegiant and Champion about a month ago). I absolutely loved this final book in this amazing trilogy- it was full of suspense, action, twists and turns, and some crazy reveals! Every book in this trilogy features characters you want to root for, plots that propel you through the story, as well as some great humor and heart.

Overall, a fantastic and fitting end to a wonderful trilogy. I highly recommend it to fans of paranormal fiction.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Is He or Isn't He? by John Hall

Is He or Isn't He? by John Hall
"In the glittering world of New York City's richest and most famous prep school, best friends Paige and Anthony become equally entranced by the enigmatic, ever–so–cute new guy Max, but in order to snag him, they must first use their charms and wit to discover the truth–is he or isn't he?"- summary from Amazon

I've had this book for ages and last year, I had it listed as part of the TBR Challenge I attempted to do and then failed at (I'm pretty sure this was the only book on that list I actually read). But the summary had intrigued me when I first bought it many moons ago, and it still did when I was trying to look through books to add to that list (and honestly, I'm doing a much better job of reading older books this year than I was last year when I was actually doing a challenge, lol).

The book was very funny and it was interesting to see both Paige and Anthony's perspectives as they worked together (and sometimes separately) to figure out which way the cute new guy Max swung. My original review when I finished the book was: "Not how I would have liked it to end but it was still a good, fitting (and sweet) ending." It's been a few months since finishing this book and I think my thoughts on it have changed a little bit. I don't want to go too much into spoilers but my main quibble (the "Not how I would have liked it to end") only applied to such a small part of Max's character; I didn't care if he necessarily ended up with either main character, but it would have been nice to have him be bisexual, that it's not always a "Is he or isn't he?" question anymore. But alas, that was not the case. However, that didn't really affect my reading of the book that much, and I still enjoyed it a lot. The ending too is also very sweet and makes sense in the overall scheme of the book. Ultimately, the main message of the book is to never let a romantic interest get in the way of your friendships (esp. with your best friend!), and that's a great message to impart!

FTC: Bought book from Borders when they were still open many years ago. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Evertrue by Brodi Ashton
"Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But after being tricked by Cole, she's begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself . . . which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon—or die. Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process, using everything they can think of. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally—but for how long? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him—and, together, they must travel back to the underworld to undo Nikki's fate and make her mortal once more.

Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the underworld—or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?"- summary from Amazon

It took me way too long to get around to this final book in the Everneath trilogy; I probably had it close to a year before finally reading it. And of course, I loved it! It was such a compelling, interesting read and Ashton provided a clever and thrilling way to conclude everything. Nikki and Jack were still absolutely adorable together, and I really enjoy them as a couple beating all these paranormal obstacles put in front of them.

Overall, if you have not read this amazing take on the tale of Persephone, do so now!

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu

Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu
"Rachel Walker is devoted to God. She prays every day, attends Calvary Christian Church with her family, helps care for her five younger siblings, dresses modestly, and prepares herself to be a wife and mother who serves the Lord with joy. But Rachel is curious about the world her family has turned away from, and increasingly finds that neither the church nor her homeschool education has the answers she craves. Rachel has always found solace in her beliefs, but now she can't shake the feeling that her devotion might destroy her soul."- summary from Amazon

This was such a thoughtful, carefully crafted look at patriarchal religious towns and families, and the idea of being able to find the right balance between secular and faithful thinking. It was difficult at times reading this book, seeing all that Rachel goes through while living with her family (and knowing that there are young girls and boys in the real world subjected to this kind of fanatical thinking); I would occasionally have to take a step back to calm down before continuing to read. Mathieu dexterously shows the conflict between family, faith, and creating your own path, as well as all the different perspectives. We see the family's perspective and Rachel's of course, but we also get to see an ex-member of this town in the character of Lauren and how growing up there affected her.

Overall, this is a beautifully written book and I highly recommend it.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.