Monday, December 7, 2015

All I Want For Christmas Are These Books...And I Won't Get Them



All I want for Christmas are these books but unfortunately they aren't out till next year...so I thought it would be a great idea to show you some of the books (that have release dates, anyway) I'm looking forward to in 2016!

January 5, 2016
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January 26, 2016
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January 26, 2016
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February 2, 2016
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February 2, 2016
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February 2, 2016
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March 1, 2016
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March 8, 2016
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March 8, 2016
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March 8, 2016
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April 26, 2016
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April 26, 2016
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May 3, 2016
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May 3, 2016
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May 17, 2016
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May 31, 2016
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June 21, 2016
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These aren't all of the books on my list but they are the majority and the ones I'm looking forward to the most (so far). I'm also excited for Truthwitch but alas, I was one of the lucky ones to get a copy at San Diego Comic-Con and just finished it in November (SO GOOD, GUYS. SO. GOOD.). Let me know what books you're looking forward to in 2016 in the comments or on twitter (@jashodge13)! 

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

Sunday, November 22, 2015

99 Days by Katie Cotugno - Review

From the acclaimed author of How to Love comes another stunning contemporary novel, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen.

Molly Barlow is facing one long, hot summer—99 days—with the boy whose heart she broke and the boy she broke it for . . . his brother.

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that's how I know everyone still remembers everything. She has every right to hate me, of course: I broke Patrick Donnelly's heart the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. Now I'm serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn't finished. I'm expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it's just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. "For what it's worth, Molly Barlow," he says, "I'm really glad you're back."

Day 12: Gabe wouldn't quit till he got me to come to this party, and I'm surprised to find I'm actually having fun. I think he's about to kiss me—and that's when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who's supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who's never going to forgive me.

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I'm trying to think of a way to describe 99 Days succinctly and I can't seem to figure it out. It follows a girl who hates herself (even if she doesn't realize it) almost as much as the town hates her (which she understands just fine). The journey that Molly goes through in this novel is grueling and honest and ugly and real and I think that the way she emerges - not pristine, not renewed, but rather still bruised and hurt and working on her own forgiveness - is the reason why the book stuck with me so much. 

Molly is such a complicated character. Sometimes I loved her and sometimes she drove me crazy but I was always rooting for her, probably because she was so incredibly hard on herself, even if she wouldn't admit it. There is a wonderful balance between heartwarming moments in her past with Patrick and her current, not so ideal situation in the small town that hates her. I loved watching as she learned to forgive herself and work through her own feelings after everything that happened in the past. 

Patrick and Gabe were wonderful foils. I loved how the Patrick remembered in Molly's flashbacks was so different from the Patrick in the present - much like Molly is so different than the girl she was before. There seems to be a big disconnect for everyone, what happened to everyone in the space between the event in the past and the time of the story, and I liked that aspect - no one really knowing where anyone went (physically or otherwise). I also loved the witty banter between all the characters (particularly Gabe and Molly). 

The thing I loved most about this book, though, is the ending. I don't want to get too spoilery but I love books that don't end how I expect them, that end in ways that I don't usually see as ideal but that pulls me in and makes me believe in it anyway. 99 Days did that for me - it pulled me in, hinted at a happy ending in the way Molly thinks endings should be happy, and then ends happy in a way she, and the readers, didn't really expect. Girl Power baby *raises fist*

More on Katie Cotugno and her books here: http://katiecotugno.com/

Katie Cotugno went to Catholic school for thirteen years which makes her, as an adult, both extremely superstitious and prone to crushes on boys wearing blazers. She routinely finds herself talking about the romantic endeavors of characters on TV shows as if they actually exist in the world.

Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Broadkill Review, The Apalachee Review, and Argestes, as well as on Nerve.com. Her first novel, HOW TO LOVE, is due out from Balzer + Bray on October 1st, 2013.

The great loves of Katie's life include child's pose, her little sister, and mozzarella and honey sandwiches. She lives in Boston (and in sin) with her boyfriend, Tom.

**If you liked 99 Days, check out If I Lie by Corinne Jackson: Amazon, B&NGoodreads**


Happy Reading!

Jasmine

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas - Review

The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series contrinues Celaena's epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.


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Alright guys, all aboard the fangirl train.

This will be a long one. Ready? Okie dokie, let's go.

So Sarah J. Maas is my favorite author and Throne of Glass is my favorite series, so Queen of Shadows was my most anticipated read this year and will probably continue to be my favorite book until...well...Book 5. So let's just get right into it, shall we?

Also, this is not going to be an incredibly non-spoilery review. If you've read Heir of Fire, you should be set. Still on Book 1 or 2 (and somehow haven't been spoiled already?!?!), finish Book 3 first.

Aelin's character has gotten a lot of criticism from readers (especially from what I've seen on tumblr) for being inconsistent and also for regressing, for lack of a better term, from the Celaena we knew in previous books. I, however, could not disagree more. I think that the Aelin in QoS is stronger than any other version we have seen so far. She seems darker and many see her as more monstrous than the assassin Celaena, but I think that the character we experience in this book is the one that is the most true. In Heir of Fire, she finally accepted herself, and in doing so cast away the fear she had of taking the power that she knew could be hers (in the words of Elena). She doesn't revel in frivolities anymore, a sign that many take as losing the little heart and hope she had, but I think she's just realized what's important, that she was using those outlets much like she used Celaena Sardothien - they were a cover, a part of herself but not completely authentic, completely true to Aelin Galathynius. Even though I think she is more ruthless in many ways, not only to her enemies but also those who are friends and allies, I think that it takes so much strength and so much self-acceptance for her to act that way, to do those things, to ultimately, hopefully, do good and cause change.

But there are so many more characters than just Aelin. Quick runthrough - I thought that Chaol acted like a whiny baby for a lot of the book. I thought that it fit the story and his character - Chaol has always been incredibly stubborn and sees the world in black and white - but it was till annoying. Watching his, as well as Lysandra's (Lysandra, my new lady love!), character develop through the story was a joy and I can't wait to see where they go in the rest of the series. Dorian, whose POV I basically skipped in HoF, become so much more interesting. Much like Aelin, I feel like his time in the darkness, especially the kind of darkness that is literally inside you, has changed his character in a way that is so interesting and complex. Manon still needs to grow on me, though she came far from where she was in HoF, and I loved the addition of Nesryn, who has the potential of becoming another friend to Aelin, and Elide, whose story is so similar and yet so divergent from Aelin's.

I feel like I should have more critiques for Sarah, especially since this book more so than all the others seems to have sparked a lot of controversy over Sarah's writing and storytelling. However, I thought overall the book was great. There were times I thought the plot lagged a little and I found a lot of Manon's parts in the beginning to just be so much information and not much action. Like I said before, Chaol's character seemed a little stagnant at first but it makes his development towards the end of the book valid and interesting (as well as affecting his relationship with other characters). What many call character inconstancies I think are the consequences of the huge changes that happen in HoF - people change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst, and sometimes, for the worst before becoming better, which is what I think Sarah is trying to do.

And here's the kicker and probably the reason I love QoS while some might not. I am 100%, balls to the wall, all in, a supporter of Rowan and Aelin's growing relationship. I reread Heir of Fire in anticipation of QoS and I realized (assuming that their relationship would change in QoS from quotes and my own blind desire) that there were a lot of moments in the third book where Aelin and Rowan feel more than friendship for one another and IMMEDIATELY push it aside, especially Rowan. Just tiny, tiny word choices, descriptions, and actions caught my attention this time, and made me think that they started to develop feelings towards each other long before QoS. So the romance didn't shock me, it didn't weird me out, and it didn't seem sudden. And while I would love her to have a platonic relationship, who better to love than your best friend, than the person who knows all of you, good, bad, and ugly? And why would a platonic relationship with the other male characters be less valid, especially Dorian who now has so much in common with Aelin? It's just my opinion and you are free to disagree with it (which I know a lot of people do), but I think that this is the healthiest relationship, friendship or otherwise, for her. I firmly believe that Sarah knows Aelin better than any of us, so let us just see where the story, and this amazingly powerful, strong, complex character takes us, shall we?

Anyway, it's no surprise that I thought this book was fantastic. The world that Sarah has created just becomes more and more complex and broad (we get to finally see the Southern Continent YAY!), and I can't wait to see where the next two books take us. While this books isn't the end of the series, is does tie up a lot of questions and storylines, while making room for the increasing scope of not only Erilea but the story as a whole. I think that Sarah proved that sometimes you need to accept the darkest parts of yourself in order to be truly yourself, to reach your greatest potential, to do the most good. So Brava, Sarah, and I can't wait to see where you lead us.
Find out more about Queen of Shadows and Sarah here: http://sarahjmaas.com

Also, check out her Pinterest Board because it's awesome: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahjmaas/

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, will release worldwide on September 1st, 2015.

A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway - Review

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.

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I didn't know quite what I was getting into with Emmy and Oliver - the aspect of kidnapping caused me to expect some kind of thriller or mystery aspect to the story that I wasn't so sure about. However, Emmy and Oliver was such an incredibly pleasant surprise.

Emmy and Oliver is beautifully written, exploring the complexities of familial relationships and in particular, the love between a parent and their child. Robin played with the extremes of what a person will do for love, from sacrificing the happiness of others to preserve their own to giving someone pieces of themselves in order to help them heal. The overprotectiveness and misunderstandings that arise between all the young characters and their parents are real and authentic and gives a lot of credit to the maturity of young people who have been touched by trauma or hard experiences (like being gay in a small town). I loved that Robin didn't shy away from so many subjects and that the narration and the characters, even the young ones, were ready to take the helm and approach them fearlessly.

The other relationship, of course is between our title characters. The romance between Emmy and Oliver is perfect, in my opinion, because it is adorable but more than that, and more often, it is rough and heartbreaking and awkward and hilarious. They are finding out so much about themselves while also trying to rediscover one another and they decide to give so much of themselves to each other, despite not knowing what those pieces even include. All of the feelings in this novel (and there are a lot of them) feel so authentic and I praise Robin for creating all the feels without making it feel overwrought or overdramatic.

Along with all the above, this book holds a special place in my heart because it explores the idea of having to experience and overcome change. Not everyone is kidnapped and then brought home after ten years, but the way that Emmy and Oliver have to rediscover their friendship and themselves after so many years is something that is, at least for me, very relatable. Whether it's four years of college or years after moving, coming back to a place that used to be home to people that used to be part of your life is a humbling experience, both for the person who left and those left behind. Robin weaves through these moments with such grace and humor and I loved watching not just Emmy and Oliver, but their friends and family, navigate through it all to find comfort and happiness.

Stunning writing, authentic love, and teens who fearlessly analyze the changes in themselves and those around them with a beautifully complicated critical lens, Emmy and Oliver is a story about finding love - not with your childhood crush, but with the person he has become, with your parents whose love has become stifling, and with yourself, whose change, I think, is sometimes the hardest to see.

Find out more about Robin and her other works here: http://www.robinbenway.com/index.php

I'm the author of "Audrey, Wait!", "The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June", and the AKA series. My latest book "Emmy & Oliver" will be released on June 23, 2015. I live in Los Angeles with my extremely stubborn shih tzu, Hudson. I like cooking, puppies, and coffee, but not in that order. We should be friends.

Happy Reading! 

Jasmine

Friday, September 25, 2015

My Outrageous TBR List

Guys, it's out of control. I need to go to TBR Anonymous. I've gotten so many books lately and have been in sort of a slump so they've just accumulated. In no particular order, here is my shamefully long TBR list. 

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Arcs
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So I have a lot of reading to do. My hope is to get this list done before November but I got to get out of this slump first. Any other readers feel me? Until then I guess the list will just keep growing (not the worst problem I've ever had).

And I know, all of you are screaming at me - YOU HAVE TRUTHWITCH AND YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET?!?!?!?1! But I'm in a book hangover from Queen of Shadows and I have to recover a little before really delving into her best friend's guaranteed-to-be-awesome new series. But SOON. 

Happy Reading (or at least, book collecting in anticipation of reading)!

Jasmine

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Review

Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

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I love Jennifer L. Armentrout, and although I was slow to hop onto The Dark Elements bandwagon (only by a few months), I really enjoyed this series and was anxious for the last book.

Every Last Breath is a high action, high romance, high stakes finale. I really enjoyed watching Layla take control (what little she can, anyway) of her life and those who want to protect it. She's done being in the background and let's just say there's a choice in this book that I was SO HAPPY SHE FINALLY MADE GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

While the pacing was good and the character motivation really driving the plot, I found the story and ending a little predictable. I didn't really mind because it ended the way I wanted (and expected) but I harks a little to another one of her series. It would have been interesting to see a real surprising twist or something, considering the idea is so original.

Even though I was expecting most of the things that happened in this story, it was still incredibly enjoyable. I loved watching Layla with the man in her life and take control of how people perceive her. I love the world and the lore that Jennifer has created with demons and gargoyles. I loved watching the story that's been unfolding through the series come to a satisfying close.

Thanks, Jennifer, for another great series!

Find out more about Jennifer and her books here: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com

# 1 New York Times and International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Finding Center by Katherine Locke - Review

Release Date: August 17, 2015

Zed and ballet are my two greatest loves

It took all of Aly's strength to get them back after a tragic accident ripped them from her six years ago. A long road to recovery led to her return, dancing full-time for the District Ballet Company and carrying Zed's child. But Aly is slipping. Each day becomes a fight to keep her career from crumbling under the weight of younger talent, the scrutiny of the public eye and the limitations of her ever-changing body. A fight she fears she's losing.

I'm scared Aly is broken to her core

Zed recognizes the signs, but he doesn't know how to fix her. The accident left him with his own demons, and while he wants nothing more than to take care of the woman he loves, it's getting harder the farther downward she spirals. When Aly's life is threatened and Zed's injuries prevent him from saving her, he's never felt so useless, so afraid he's not capable of being the man Aly and their child needs.

With new life comes new hope. And with their fractured lives already hanging by a thread, Aly and Zed must discover if they have what it takes—both together and apart—to rebuild and carry on.

Book Two of the District Ballet Company

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I fell absolutely, headfirst in love with Zed and Aly in the first book and prequel in The District Ballet Company series. Zed and Aly are such complicated, scarred, strong characters, and the way they deal with what life has given them is inspiring and interesting. I was so happy when NetGalley approved me to review the second book in the series. 

The machinations and inner workings of a ballet company and the careers of professional artists is interesting in and of itself, especially as a person who used to dance (tap) and loved dancing and ballet. The world of ballet and the love and drive the characters have for such a demanding art is fascinating and genuine and I love experiencing that world. However, I think the real reason I fell in love with this series is the complexity of the characters. 

Both Aly and Zed have gone through more than any person should ever have to, and the way they have grown and dealt with it all is a wonder to read. I love seeing how they support one another, strengthen one another, and push one another when need be. The love that Locke has created in her characters not only for ballet but for one another (a threesome that I see as being intertwined) is authentic and complicated and difficult and beautiful. 

It's hard to explain how I felt after finishing a book that has so many intense subjects - depression, eating disorders, pressure with your career, amputations, alcoholism, healthy relationships - except that I read the last page with a huge smile on my face and a feeling of joy (probably the same joy Aly felt after dancing with Zed all those years ago).  

I'm not sure if this is the last of District Ballet but I hope that I get to see Aly and Zed again. Their love for ballet, their family, for one other - for life - is contagious. 
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Learn more about Katherine and her books here: http://katherinelockebooks.com

Katherine Locke lives and writes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she’s ruled by her feline overlords and her addiction to chai lattes. Her dayjobs always vary, but in the past she’s worked in nuclear weapons abolition activism, lead poisoning education and prevention, and food safety at a mushroom farm. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, and when she’s not reading, she’s tweeting about reading and writing. She likes her heroes with boyish charm and her heroines with dirty mouths.

Her debut novel, SECOND POSITION, arrives in early 2015 from Carina Press.

You can find her online at @bibliogato on Twitter, bibliogato on Tumblr, and KatherineLockeBooks.com.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Riot of Storm and Smoke by Jennifer Ellision - Review

Release Date: August 18, 2015*

War draws closer, like a tide to the shore.

Bree and her friends have escaped the clutches of the Egrian King, but their troubles are far from over. Still reeling from the secrets that drew new breath when her father took his last, Bree sets off for the safety of Nereidium-- the kingdom she's just learned is hers.

But with the King's ire at its peak and war a certainty, Nereidium is no longer safe. As Prince Caden rallies the Egrian people against his tyrant father, Bree, Princess Aleta, and Tregle race to the Nereid shore to warn them of the incoming danger—and to put the Nereid Princess on the throne.

The only trouble there: Bree can’t bring herself to reveal that the Princess is her.

It’s not a dilemma she can waste time pondering. With a new weapon in his arsenal, the King's strikes are sure to be bolder than ever before. And Bree may not be ready to wear a crown… but she won't let her kingdom down without a fight.

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I was so excited with Jennifer offered Riot of Storm and Smoke, the sequel to Threats of Sky and Sea, to bloggers. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I was anxiously waiting for Riot, which starts right where Threats left off.

I am a huge fan of fantasy and characters that are more than they appear, and when it comes to magic,  battles, politics, and hidden identities, Riot has it all. I enjoyed seeing Bree continue to develop and grow, especially after the events that happened at the end of the first book. The rest of the cast are also present and always developing, especially Caden. New characters and ghosts of old ones work well in the story, never crowding too much despite the growing number. I loved the fantastical and magical elements -  the worlds seems developed and interesting and Bree's movements within the world are what really drove the story for me.

I cannot wait until the third book. The story ends on a cliff hanger and while I thought certain moments seemed a little slow, I really enjoyed the trajectory of the story and the overall pace. Perfect for fans of the Throne of Glass series and other fantasy adventure stories with strong heroines.
*It's available on Barnes and Noble RIGHT NOW! GO BUY IT A WEEK EARLY WOOOO!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Find out more about Jennifer and her books here: https://speakingjenerally.wordpress.com

Jennifer Ellision spent a great deal of her childhood staying up past her bedtime with a book and a flashlight. When she couldn’t find the stories she wanted to read, she started writing them. She loves words, has a soft spot for fanfiction, and is a master of the fangirl flail. She resides in South Florida with her family, where she lives in fear of temperatures below 60 Fahrenheit. She’s also one of the bloggers behind the book blog The Bevy Bibliotheque.

Her debut YA epic fantasy, Threats of Sky and Sea, is available now, as well as a short prequel entitled Sisters of Wind and Flame.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

Monday, August 10, 2015

The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak - Review




"When I met Oliver Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers. And he had no idea that I was the only girl in the world who hated his music."
Stella will do anything for her sick sister, Cara—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD...for four hours. She's totally winning best birthday gift this year. At least she met a cute boy with soft brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes while getting her caffeine fix. Too bad she'll never see him again.
Except, Stella's life has suddenly turned into a cheesy love song. Because Starbucks Boy is Oliver Perry – lead singer for the Heartbreakers. And even after she calls his music crap, Oliver still gives Stella his phone number. And whispers quotes from her favorite Disney movie in her ear. OMG, what is her life?
But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver — dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band — when her sister could be dying of cancer? 
Ali Novak wrote her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was just 15 years old, and has since penned her next book, The Heartbreakers. First a hit on the online community Wattpad, her second novel has over 38 million reads and is loved by readers around the world.
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The Heartbreakers is filled with pranks, music, and heart. Strong characters and a plot made to rip at the heartstrings, Novak has written a hilarious, touching story of a girl, her sick sister, and the fear of letting go and growing up.
I loved Stella's voice. Much like Novak's other leading lady in My Life With the Walter Boys, sometimes she gets a little too stubborn and aggressive with encountering things she doesn't like. However, I think that the environment and driving worries/motivation makes for developed, complex characters. Stella is headstrong and her narrative is a wonderful balance of her present worry about her sister's health and her memories of what life was like before. I loved the triplets (triplets! Such a little touch that makes the story so different!) and thought their relationship was wonderful. 
The story was well-paced and was chalk full of eccentric characters. I loved the boys in the band and how they are family - family as close as they are different, much like Stella and her siblings. I thought that Stella and Oliver's relationship was well developed, if not a little love-at-first-sight-y, and their banter and growth is wonderful to read. Likewise, I thought that the growing friendship between Stella and the rest of the Heartbreakers, as well as her coming to terms with her (necessary) separation from her sister, Cara, were artfully placed and written. I wished that we got a little more tension between Cara and Stella, face to face. I loved the complexity of their situation, and I wanted just a little more from Stella's fear of letting go and Cara's fragility. 
A Cinderella-esque story, The Heartbreakers has all kinds of struggles of the heart - struggling to do what you love and follow your own heart while being mindful of those you love and being faced with someone who could possibly romantically love you. This story has a lot of heart and I can't wait to read the next installment.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out her Wattpad (where this all began!) here: http://www.wattpad.com/user/Fallzswimmer
Ali Novak is a twenty-three-year-old Wisconsin native and recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s creative writing program. She started writing her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was only fifteen, and since then, her work has received more than 100 million hits online. When she isn’t writing, Ali enjoys Netflix marathons and traveling with her husband Jared. You can follow Ali on Twitter @Fallzswimmer and Instagram @alinovak.
Happy Reading! 
Jasmine