Scars of Bifrost Review

Title: Scars of Bifrost
Author: A.J.M. Mousseau
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Paranormal, Romance
Series: Scars Saga #1
Rating: 

THE PREMISE

Freya Catten has lived on the fringes of society her entire life, growing up in hiding with her mother in the deepest, wildest places left in North America—the national parks and forests. Freya's mother taught her how to live off the land, away from civilization—mysteriously warning her of the dangers of getting involved with society and leaving traces of her DNA behind. But five years ago Freya's mother abandoned her, leaving Freya to survive on her own. 


Freya knows how to stay alive, whether she's hiding in the forest or running on the city streets. She changes her appearance often and owns nothing but her backpack filled with survival gear and a necklace that had been her mother’s. 


But, keeping one step ahead of Social Services isn't her biggest fear. Freya's true terror lies with The Takers—strange men who rappel from silver cords out of the deep blue sky from nowhere. They snatch up their victims then evaporate without a trace. Freya holds a dark suspicion—that the Takers are really after her, and they are closing in.


Freya realizes that if she is to ever have a normal life she must first find her mother and answer the questions that have kept her in hiding. Along the way, she meets Theron Hawk—a rugged teenage soldier from a war-torn country—and finds herself truly trusting someone for the first time in her life.


As secrets are uncovered, and Freya comes closer to solving the mysteries surrounding her life, her blood and the priceless necklace that lays at her throat, the scars of the Bifrost will threaten to rip apart Freya's very existence.



SCARS OF THE BIFROST is the first story in The Scars Saga and is a Young Adult science-fiction/fantasy/paranormal romance novel infused with wilderness survival, urban fantasy, dystopian elements and mythological realism.

MY THOUGHTS

Scars of the Bifrost has on of the most intriguing titles ever. 

I mean doesn't reading the title make you curious... Or maybe that's just me. 

And well after reading the summary I was even more intrigued! 

Not only did it sound fast paced there was also a wilderness survival aspect to it! 

For those of you who don't know I love the outdoors and I love reading about wilderness survival! That entire topic just fascinates me! 

So I was definitely interested to see how well the author could incorporate that aspect into her book! 

And I have to say that I was pretty impressed. 

I mean some of it was completely unrealistic and something you could never do in the wilderness but a lot was also interesting and engaging! 

I loved the idea of The Takers and really thought it added a nice element to the story! 

I so rally enjoyed reading about Freya! She was a strong independent main character that was determined to depend only on herself! Watching her relationships progress was definitely interesting! 

I have to say though that there were points where the writing just didn't seem to flow. It felt like the writing style became too forced which was definitely something that hindered my enjoyment of the story. 

In all I think I would have to give this book a solid four stars! 

Although it was an engaging read there were definitely some things that could have used a bit more work!

VIEW THE TRAILER

I am an author and university student. I live in a recreational vehicle -- by choice -- with my awesome husband, four amazing kids, and huge, fluffy, 85 pound golden retriever named Titan. I write and do school on line as we travel throughout the U.S. and Canada. It is incredible to live in a new place every few months (sometimes weeks) and to see everything! We have lived this clan and tribal lifestyle for two years now and have been to over twenty national parks and forests. They gave me a lot of inspiration for Freya's story. 

Unlocking Brísingamen, the next book in the Scars Saga, will be released very soon!

***Author Links***

Prizes (open internationally):

--One $25 Amazon Gift Card

--One ebook copy of Scars of the Bifrost and an ebook copy of Unlocking Brisingamen (as soon as it is released)

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Spies and Prejudice

Title: Spies and Prejudice

Author: Talia Vance

Genre: YA, Mystery, Contemporary, Romance, Retelling

Series: I think it's a stand alone, but I wish there was another!!!

Rating: Owl

Received in a giveaway from Reflections of a Book Addict!!!!

THE PREMISE

Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She’s busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she’s sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either. 

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her “nothing amazing,” it’s no loss for Berry. She’ll forget him in no time. She’s more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother’s death. 

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can’t Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide

(Summary via Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS

So the truth is I have never read Pride and Prejudice. Is this one of my major faults??? I prefer to think not. And looking at several other reviews for this book on goodreads it seems that those who were comparing it to P&P that they were extremely disappointed. Thankfully I enjoyed this book.... A LOT.

So let me get the negative out of the way.

The names Strawberry Fields, Mary Chris Moss, (do you get it? It took me a minute.) the cheerleaders who all had presidential names (did their moms get together and plan it out?) and there were some others, but off the top of my head I can't think of them. I have a big thing about names. I don't like it when they are kind of childish and cutesy because let's face it, how many people do you know in real life actually have those names. I mean you have celebrities who have those crazy names but normal people? Nope.

Also the cover.... Not a big fan of it.... At all.... It just just capture the mysterious intrigue that the book is full of.

Now onto the the total and complete amazingness of this book.

Berry.

I absolutely loved her! She's so funny. I loved her sense of humor and her determination. Sure, she made some mistakes along the way and personally I can't blame her for making the choices she did. Watching her attempt to figure out the mystery behind her mom's death was great. The determination she felt towards finding out the truth was something that I could easily sympathize with.  Yes, at points she did make some decisions that could be questioned as being a bad friend, but I still loved her for it.

Mary Chris Moss who from this point forward will be called only Mare. Mare was such a great friend to Berry. She stayed with her through thick and thin. Her friendship was something that helped Berry along the way. Although they went through some rocky times, at the end of the book their friendship was still as strong as ever. I thought it was great that she also got a great relationship with a guy instead of just Berry. I mean I know that's what happened in P&P, but so many times in YA books only the main character (in this case Berry) gets there happily ever after. With this book Mare got her ending far before Berry did!

Tanner. He was a great character and a very sweet love interest to Berry. I loved the two of them together and I loved the added mystery that Tanner presented. I thought that the twist with him was so well written and super good!!

The actual mystery was amazing. I had already had a good idea of what would really happen and who were the bad and good guys, but I loved being able to see everything unfold through Berry's eyes! The mystery was so interesting that it just kept me reading.

The ending was epic. Seriously epic. There was action and there was heartbreak, but there was also the sweet hope that Berry felt. It was sooo sweet and I just adored it!!

I am curious as whether or not there will be a sequel. There were definitely some loose ends that I would love to be tied up, but I don't think a sequel is necessary! This is more of just me being greedy.

This review was so hard to write and make sure it remained spoiler free. There are so many things that I just want to shout from the rooftops in order to better appreciate this book, but I can't because them I would spoiler everything and that would just suck if you ever decided to read this book!
I think that as far as P&P retellings go this is definitely my favorite. (I know it's weird I've read other retellings but not the actual thing... I'm fun like that.) Instead of following the original to the dot there are fun twists and turns that kept me on my toes. This was more of a fun "nod" to Jane Austen rather than something that followed the book more.

So on that note I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of spy novels and fun, light reads! This book was a ton of fun and something that I will definitely reread!!

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK" YES!!!!!!
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: YUP!!!!
WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: OF COURSE
WILL I READ THE NEXT ONE: IF there is another...I WANT IT!!!
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: PLANNING ON IT!!!

OWL=FIVE STARS

Unspoken

Title: Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Magic

Series: The Lynburn Legacy #1

Rating: Butterfly

THE PREMISE

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

(Summary via goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS

I just don't know how I should feel about this book. On one hand it was a good exciting mystery but at the same time I found it incredibly slow paced and boring..... I found the writing to be..... How do I say this.... Jerky, funny sounding, something totally wrong with it. I can't describe it but I really disliked the writing style.
Reading this book I've learned a lot about myself. The biggest thing being is that I really don't like third person nearly as much as first person. It took me practically the whole book to get used to the third person. A sits not like I haven't read and love books with third person in them, but I just found it so out of place in this book.
Another problem I had with the writing style was the contractions.... Or rather the lack of them. It felt formal and unlike something that I, as a teen, would ever talk like.

My next major problem was with Kami's best friend Angela. The main and one of the only things I know about her is how much she likes to sleep, nap, or just lay there.  Half the book is spent talking about how much she likes to sleep. Jokes are wven cracked a out it.

"Even you could not nap on this floor," Kami told Angela.
"I don't know, a dust mattress might be very comfortable," saidAngela. "And possible orthopedic."

OR

"Oh Rusty, why did you let her in?" Angela said. "We could have just lain down on the floor until she went away. We could've had a nice floor nap."

She was one of the weirdest and boringest characters I've ever read. She also hated all people. Something of which I can totally sympathize with.... Yet she hated LITERALLY all people.... *sigh* I get hating a lot of people but seriously ONE friend you don't hate.... That is an extreme. Overall Angela's character was just not one that I found extremely enjoyable. She was a character that annoyed me to no end.

Then of course I have to touch upon Angela's brother, Rusty. Rusty was also a very lazy person. In fact he was the masculine version of his sister as stated in the book.

"At first glance Rusty was a masculine version of his sister- tall, dark, and incurably lazy. He had the same athletic frame, which he draped on walls and furniture as if simply to week to support himself."

Yes he drapes himself on furniture.... I don't even know.....
And I was also curious as to where Angela and Rusty's parents were. They were mentioned by Rusty, but where were they? Did I miss this part? (More likely did I forget this part?)

So then there is the fact that Kami has a gazillion ex-besties who all know the ex-best friend nod. Is there seriously an ex best friend nod? I need to learn it now!!! Why has no one mentioned this before? But seriously Kami has a lot of ex best friends. Every time a random girl approached her, she would be like hey that's my ex best friend from third grade! *insert awkward ex best friend nod* we are no longer friends because they think I'm weird... Is Kami really that unlikable?

"Mum had known Kami since Kami was born, so she just sighed at this brilliant logic."
And I laughed at this brilliant logic. I mean come on. Of course Kami's mom had known her since birth for the simple reason that SHE GAVE BIRTH TO HER!!!! Is this an attempt to clarify that Kami was not adopted. It felt so out of place and so funny!!

"I'm ignoring that," Ms. Dollard said. "And I'm shutting everything up at five sharp. Do me a favor and go out and perform one of the activities I hear the youth enjoy this Friday, like defacing public property."

Don't even get me started. I hate reading about teachers who are evil, because really how many evil teachers are out there? Surprise me and write about a sweet innocent nice one! Also, the youth enjoys defacing public property? I take extreme offense to that.

There were also several random POV switched. Like normally you're in Kami's head but suddenly you're in Jared's or even briefly in Tomo's. (Kami's brother...) this wasn't clear and then it would go back to Kami and I was like, huh?

"How's it going?" Kami asked.
"Fine," said (the person who's name I'm taking out). She had the same coloring as Ash. Kami wondered how ugh more likely it was to be a sorcerer if you had a few drops of Lynburn blood in you. "How are you?"
Why was (blank) turning Kami's questions back on her? Kami thought wildly. Then she told herself to get a grip. "Also fine!" She answered. "Thank you for asking!"

At one point Kami was going around and suspecting everyone of being a bad guy so she goes up to one of her suspects and asks how they are. The suspect says fine and then asks how Kami is doing.... Kami proceeds to freak out because the suspect was doing something considered a common courtesy by many.... I get that Kami is feeling paranoid and trapped. But to suspect someone based on them asking if you were alright? I just don't understand it!

And then there is the mystery. I liked it...but I didn't find it hard to guess who was doing it. I had a good idea and I was pretty close. But I still enjoyed Kami trying to find out who it was. Definitely one of the better parts of the book.

And then there is perhaps the most important relationship in the book. Kami and Jared's.....

These two....
They drove me nuts and on multiple occasions I wanted to slap them.... And the truth is I don't even know why. Kami was constantly thinking that she didn't trust him..... Kami you can read his thoughts. You have known him since birth. If you can't trust him then there is no one in the world you can trust.

It was kind of a love triangle between Ash and Jared. But when I say kind if I really mean it. There was little interaction between Ash and Kami for most of the book. And when there was he was asking her out or kissing her or just blabbing on about life. Jared was constantly in Kami's head and get refused to touch her. So I liked Jared over Ash but feel that the world could be better without either of them.

But the biggest let down of the entire book was the ending. I don't know if you've heard but the ending is supposed to be killer. I mean tear inducing rip your heart out awful. I fully expected massive character death and major tears. And perhaps I would have gotten that if I was more connected to the characters.... But I wasn't. I was indifferent to the ending. I mean it was good but it was something I've read before. Something that will most likely be proven untrue in the next book. So for me I felt it was kind of blah.....

So it's not like this book was awful because it wasn't. But it just wasn't my thing. I am and always will be the reader who can ignore the flaws of book IF I love it. And I am sad to say that I just wasn't feeling it with this book. Not only did I find the characters boring but the execution of the entire story as well. I had heard a lot about this book. I had read the summary and immediately wanted to read this book. But it did not stand up to the high expectations I had. So on that note this is a book that I think many will love and enjoy, but it just wasn't for me.

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: NO
WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: NO
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: NO
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: PROBABLY NOT
WILL I READ THE NEXT BOOK: DOUBTFUL

BUTTERFLY=2.5 STARS

A Tale of Two Centuries

Title: A Tale of Two Centuries

Author: Rachel Harris

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Time Travel,Romance, Historical Fiction

Series: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #2 (You don't have to read the first book to enjoy the second.)

Rating: Bison

I received this e-ARC from the publisher which in no way shape or form effected my review!!!!

THE PREMISE

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

(Summary via Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS

I have to say that I was not expecting that much from this book. I mean it sounded so good, but how could the author pull it off and make it sound so humorous at the same time. The good news is she pulled it off so well that it leads me to the bad news. I want more!!!

So first things first: the writing style.
This is perhaps on of the most important things to me when reading. And I love Rachel Harris' style.  She writes everything so clearly and it really does have such a great flow. It easily captivated me and kept me reading until the end.

Now for the second most important thing. The characters. The characters were so well written and hilarious. I loved Alessandra! She was so much fun to read about. She was so clueless about everything but I loved watching her character grow and change as the story progressed. At first I was unsure of whether or not I would like her. She didn't seem very strong or even fun to read about, but her character growth was phenomenal and I quickly grew to adore her!

Cat was such a great character. She still cared so much for Less and truly wanted her to be happy. I loved how she was getting her happy ending at the same time as Less. It was also so sweet that she always was trying to take care of Less as though she was still little and watching her grow out of that tendency was fun!

Austin was a great character as he taught Less to live a little on the wild side. I loved all the different things that he encouraged her to do in order to have a little fun. They made such a sweet pair and I loved their relationship!

And then of course there is the ending! Which was obviously fantastic!! It was such a great end to the book!

So now the question is will there be another book? With any luck there will be.....

I truly enjoyed this book! It was such a fun read! And the characters were fantastic!!! I can't wait to read more!!!!

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: YES!!!!
WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: YUP!
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: TO those looking for a quick, light, but at the same time amazingly sweet and funny read!

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: OF COURSE
WILL I READ THE NEXT BOOK IN THIS SERIES: If there is another, I'll be the first in line!!

BISON=FOUR STARS

The Hunt

Title: The Hunt 

Author: Andrew Fukuda

Genre: YA, vampires, Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Romance

Series: The Hunt #1

Rating: Whale

THE PREMISE

Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

(Summary via Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS

The following review is based solely upon vampire books that are full blown blood sucking vampire books. Not books where the vampires are side characters. Like Harry Potter or Hex Hall. Do you get what I'm trying to say?

Vampires 

Vampires 

Vampires. 

Fact: I hate vampires. 

Fact: I never read Twilight because there were vampires in it.

Fact: The only vampire I've ever loved is Jenna from Hex Hall. 

Fact: Jenna is awesome. 

Fact: I'm not sure why I bought this book. 

Fact: I'm out of facts.....

Opinion: This book was one of he more surprising books I've read. 

Opinion: I was definitely surprised by it. 

Opinion: vampires are gross. 

Opinion: this book was no exception. 

So if you can't tell I'm not a big fan of vampires. They've always reminded me of giant leeches. And to me that is more gross than scary. So I have absolutely no clue as to why I chose to read this book. Part of it probably was because it was the kindle daily deal and I really like cheap books. The other part was the sample I had read. 

Fact: The sample was extremely compelling. 

I think what drew me in was the author's writing style. It was blunt and to the point and yet at the same time I found it to be haunting and mysterious. Throughout the book that was what kept me going. 

So one of my biggest problems with the book is that it was not what I was expecting. I was expecting Gene (whose name I didn't even know until over half way through the book) and his vampire buddies (they will always leeches in my mind) to go off hunting humans. I thought they were going to be out there and that Gene was going to keep doing things to protect them. 

I was soooo wrong. 

For most of the book the wandered around muttering about how that wanted to eat the "hepers" there word for human. And also that Gene was one smelly boy. Can you say yuck? So for me that was a let down. 

Also it felt so Hungergamish.... Just with vampires...... Seriously whole book I felt like it was so similar to hunger games. Like whoever eats the most humans wins, and then how they wanted to form strong alliances. They were the stars of their world and EVERYONE wanted a piece of them. Sound similar? I'm not saying it was a rip off because it was totally original.... It just made me wonder.  

So next complaint. 

Gene was so full o self loathing. He kept going on about how shameful it felt being a human. Blah blah blah. I take offends to this! 

I mean sure sometimes people may doubt me. They may think that I'm from mars. (Which I have claimed that is where I originated from) but no matter where I'm from I am human at heart and I take offense. Several times I was so close to yelling at my kindle: Gene, humans are good! I love my species. Screw you if you want to be a vampire. 

Thankfully I did restrain myself. But really Gene's, it sucks to be human! It's so hard. Blah blah blah... 

I get that in Gene's world being human is hard. But seriously there is no need to go into self loathing and state you hate humanity. 

The other thing was that Gene assumed that the humans in the dome were stupid and couldn't even communicate. Why? Where did he get these assumptions. As the reader I have no clue. Thinking logically perhaps he thought that no one had bothered to teach them, but still.....

Lets talk about love. 

I wasn't feeling it. At all. 

This is hard to write without putting in spoilers but he whole book I kept thinking, dude she is going to get you. She is going to kill you.  You might end up crying. And Ben all of a sudden they were like I LOVE YOU!! You are the only thing in this world worth living for. 

Yeah, okay, sure. 

Fact: Gene knew where to find apples. 

Fact: I personally think apples are a far better reason to live. 

Fact: Gene=Not quite thinking. 

Do you see what I'm saying? It was insta-love. Some may argue this and tell me. No there relationship developed over time. Then they fell in love. 

Fact: They knew each other at school and had the vampire equivalent of a kiss. They enjoyed watching each other. Then the next day they admit their love for each other. 

Fact: My brain does not compute....

Then there is the whole thing where the lovely humans that were being help captive by the vampire had no idea they were going to be hunted. And Gene being he nice kind considerate person he is did not even try to help save them..... Thankfully I don't know this boy as he would most likely betray me.... 

So for the whole book I really thought it was okay, I was going to give it a solid three stars. 

But then there was the ending... And wow. It was action packed fun and surprising. 

I seriously feel clueless. I mean how did I not see that last sentence coming. I always see the twists and the turns. They are normally fairly obvious. But I was totally clueless when it came to that ending. I was wowed. Making me give the book an extra half star because yes, I was that impressed! 

OVERALL

Did I love this book? No. Did I hate it? No. Was I basically just indifferent? Yes. I think that this book has helped me to establish that me and vampire books just don't click. I also think that there were several flaws in the book that hindered my enjoyment. 

FACT: I MIGHT BUY THIS BOOK.... IF IT IS SEMI CHEAP. 

FACT:I PROBABLY WOULD NOT CHOSE TO PICK UP THIS BOOK AGAIN. 

FACT: I PROBABLY WOULD NOT  RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO MANY. UNLESS THEY LOVE VAMPIRES.. A LOT. 

FACT: I DON'T THINK I WILL BE PICKIG UP THE NEXT BOOK. 

FACT: BECAUSE I LOVED THE AUTHORS WRITING STYLE, I WILL READ MORE FROM HIM. 

The Defiance

Title: The Defiance
Author: A.G.Henley
Genre: YA, Dystopia, Zombies, Romance

Series: Brilliant Darkness #2
RATING: Owl

THE PREMISE
It hasn't been long since Fennel, a Sightless Groundling, and Peree, her Lofty Keeper, fell in love and learned the truth: the Scourge, and their world, are not what they seem.

Fenn and Peree are determined to guide their people to the protected village of Koolkuna, but first they must convince them that everything they believe is a lie. An impossible task, especially when someone seems hell-bent on trying anything--even animal sacrifice and arson--to destroy the couple's new bond and crush the frail truce between the Groundlings and the Lofties. Not everyone wants to uproot their lives in the forest, and those who stay behind will be left terribly vulnerable.

Fenn and Peree's resolve to be together, and the constant threat of the Scourge's return, push both groups to the breaking point. Unable to tell friend from foe, Fenn must again decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to ensure the future of the people of the forest.

Only this time, the price of peace may be too high to bear.
(Summary via Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS

So this book.....

I'm not a sequel/second book person, something about it just puts me off.... For no apparent reason. 

So going into The Defiance I have to admit that I was scared that it would live up to my expectations of what the second book in this series should be. 

Here's the thing, I really should have just trusted the author that this book would be fantastic, because it really truly was. 

So first of all, I'm not normally a crier, I mean sure there are some books that can easily reduce me to a sobbing mess, but those books are rare. And I have to say that this book had a huge emotional impact on me! These were characters I loved from a book that I have reread countless times. (Talking about the Scourge here). And several things that happened in this book carried such a huge emotional impact. And I was supremely impressed with A.G. Henley for now only being able to deliver such a profound emotional blow, but also doing it with her amazingly vivid descriptions. 

Throughout the book I connected to Fenn. With the amazing writing style I was able to understand all of the pain she was going through and the decisions she was having to make. It was brilliantly done. 

The main character Fenn is blind. So you would think that, that fact would hinder the author's ability to create a world completely different from our own, right? WRONG. Fenn's descriptions using her other senses as well as the other character's verbal descriptions help to establish exactly how Fenn's world looks.

And onto Peree. 

Several thoughts: he remains awesome. He and Fenn are perfect for each other. And if I ever have to gush over how cute a fictional relationship, I would chose this one. =D 

Enough said. 

And have I mentioned the extreme epicness of EVERY single other character on this book? (Yes, even the evil ones!) 

And the ending..... Does no one realize that the next book doesn't come out to 2014? Fact it says it right on one of the last pages where it lists off the information. (Don't worry it does give a small summary for the next book.... I know what I'll be repeatedly reading until then!) And the ending was insane. At first I was like awwww, this is so cute. I needed to run around my house doing fangirly screams. (Note: This idea would not have been good.... I was finishing it up at like one in the morning.... Grumpy family from lack of sleep=not good) But then I continued to read and in the last couple of pages.... I couldn't even function enough to stand up, let alone run around screaming. That ending was killer and I mean it in a OMG I totally respect this author for her magnificent ideas and ability to stun me killer. (I was so not expecting any of that!!) and then the summary of the next one just threw me for a loop. It also made me want to cry.. Just a bit anyways! Why are authors so cruel but at the same time so amazing? Life should not work this way! 

And lets take a moment to hush over the cover. It is so pretty is it not? And it really fits with the series! Although personally I don't think that anything will be able to outdo the first cover (or book for that matter!) 

Hmmm..... What else should I say... 

Well if you liked The Scourge prepare to love this just as much!!! Ummm... Have I mentioned how heart breaking this is??? Seriously.....My heart=completely broken.

Somehow A.G. Henley was able to artfully continue Fenn's journey to saving her people with ease that not many other authors could manage to do. I must impress upon you how truly AMAZING this book was! So claps for the author for managing to wow me to such an extreme level! So I guess what I'm really trying to say is that without a doubt, The Defiance is a (very) worthy follow up to one of my all time favorite books!

YOUR MISSION

Moving on..... So wait, do I hear a voice in the crowd? Is someone telling me that they have yet to read The Scourge? *Gasp* whoever you may be, I am shocked, I am dismayed, I am thoroughly disgusted with you....(kidding...not really) 

BUT, lucky for you The Scourge is on sale for the low low price of 99 cents. *Grins evilly* So I believe you have, but one option, GO BUY IT!! And while you're at it, you might want to go pick up The Keeper for the same low price. And if you didn't know, The Keeper is a short novella told from Peree's POV describing the events that occurred at the beginning of The Scourge!

In case you're more likely to cave into my peer pressure than my skills of persuasion, I'll leave you on this note with the mantra

DO IT AND YOU'RE COOL

Repeating in your head.
(Man, I am a really good salesperson.....not)

SO My merry friend go off in the the brilliant darkness to buy these books!!!

WAIT ONE MORE THING!
Do me a favor and if you have read this book, TALK TO ME!! I really need a person to share in my heartbreak, PLEASE!! I AM BEGGING YOU!!!

Yet another NOTE: There were no eardrums harmed in the making of this review or the reading of the book. But my own heart was shattered several times. I will update you on my road to healing as the day progresses....


WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: YES!!! Is there even another possible answer?
WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: I REPEAT: There is no way I could restrain myself from reading this!
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: YES, YES, YES!!!! It shall take the world by storm!!!
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: YEP!!!!
WILL I READ THE NEXT BOOK: I have already begun stalking A.G. Henley's blog.....**cackles evilly to self**

OWL=FIVE STARS!!!!!

Have I mentioned I love this book???

Pivot Point

Title: Pivot Point

Author: Kasie West

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Sci-Fi, Mystery

Series: Pivot Point #1

Rating: Owl

Recommended to me by Benedicte over at Bimsebamse's Book Blog!

Going into Pivot Point I was positive that no author could pull off such a complicated story line. I mean sure, I've read books with alternate universes (Unraveling) even watched T.V. shows (Fringe) and yet I've never read anything like this book! This isn't alternate universes....this is POSSIBILITIES!!

THE PREMISE

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

(Summary via Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS

I can't even.....This book....
You know that feeling when you are blown away, stunned by something completely and irrefutably amazing?

There are two words that can name that feeling.

PIVOT POINT

So what is Pivot Point exactly. Well mind blowingly stupendous are a couple that could be an apt description, but that is probably not what you want to hear.
So Pivot Point, to start off relatively simple, is well written. (Obviously or no one would want to read or love it) but still, Pivot Point goes beyond what good writing is. Why would I say that, well not only is the writing style phenomenal, the way the author wrote it, keeping each scenario clear from the other is what really knocked my socks off.
Addie is looking into the future, deciding a fate that very well may change her life. Each scenario is similar, different characters, but the same mysteries. This could have easily confused me. (Trust me when I say that it's really not hard to send my head spinning...) But the author handled it perfectly. Each of Addie's POV where clear within the first page of the chapter. There was also a pattern and it sure wasn't erratic! (Again that is always a good thing!) Moving past the magnificent POV and writing style, there is Addie.
Oh Addie, how I loved you. Addie is a strong character and she is DETERMINED to find out the truth. Her gift in the long run can definitely help her, but in the short run causes her a whole bunch of pain. Still she remained strong throughout the entire book.
My one complaint about Addie is that in the scenario she stayed with her mom, she was so focused on teenage rebellion. I get that. But she was basing all of this one things from books she has read. (She is a major reader. YAY!!!) She didn't even seem that into the teenage rebellion....
So it's a love triangle..... but even the love triangle makes sense, because now, not only is Addie picking whether she wants to move with her dad or stay with her mom, she is also picking between two guys.... Although there are to potential guys there is obviously only one that she will ever end up picking.... (Trevor, Duke is a jerk...)
I loved being able to view both scenarios as the big WHAT IF? Constantly you're trying to figure out which life she'll choose, which was really fun!
So about Addie's friend Laila..... I liked her...most of the time.... but she came off as a bit of, how do I put this, an idiot..... She was always trusting the wrong people and pushing Addie towards the wrong people. And sometimes she didn't feel very sympathetic to what Addie had to go through with her gift. I'm not saying that she wasn't a good friend, because she was...I just at times didn't like her....
So I also loved watching Addie adjust to the "Norm" life. She was such a funny and clueless character when it came to simple things like the DVD player.
And, I can't believe this happened, but I almost forgot to mention Rowan! I loved his and Laila's interaction, but I also love him as a character! He was super funny and a great supporting character!

OVERALL
I really loved this book! Not only was it extremely well written it was super fun to read! Addie was a great character as were the other characters! I was definitely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I absolutely can't wait to read the next book! IT LOOKS FANTASTIC!!!

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: YES!
WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: YEP!
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: TO THOSE FAR AND WIDE!
WILL I READ THE NEXT BOOK: YES!!! SPLIT SECOND HERE I COME!!!
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: YES! I also loved The Distance Between Us, which I read a few days before picking up Pivot Point!

OWL=FIVE STARS!!!!