gallagher_my not soMy Not-So-Still Life revolves around an average teenager who is ready to grow up, move out, and do important things. Vanessa always wants to be different and stick out from the crowd. She wants to explore the person she really is, and she does this by dying her hair crazy colors, wearing bold makeup and dressing up like no one else.

Vanessa is at the point of her life where she feels that high school is completely useless. She doesn’t like going and doesn’t see the point of it. She knows she wants to work with art, so she doesn’t understand why she needs all these other things if she never plans on using them in the future.  When she applies to her favorite art store, and gets the job, Vanessa feels like it’s her dream come true, and just one step further into her future.

What could be better than working at your favorite store with cool people? And getting out of the house more often? Nothing!

As Vanessa is working one day, she spots a really cute older guy roaming the aisles and chatting with one of her co-workers. She can’t help but notice just how handsome he really is, even though he is much too old for her. But things quickly turn sour when Vanessa gets herself in a tough situation him, when she realizes she can’t handle a “relationship” with such an older partner. Vanessa finds herself taking half naked photos for his calendar, and completely regretting it by the next day.

As things start to get too hot and heavy for Vanessa, she tries to escape the entire situation. Her mom forces her to quit the job, and instead focus on school. Vanessa quickly learns that being yourself and sticking out, doesn’t mean dying your hair crazy colors, and wearing extremely bold makeup. But being unique can be done in subtle ways too.

My Not-So-Still Life is a short and light read that could be perfect for a sunny day off in the back yard or on the beach. Overall I thought the story was alright. I couldn’t really connect with the character besides her drive to want to do something important; but other than that she and I are completely different. I enjoy going to school and learning things, even if they might have nothing to do with what I’m “planning” for the future.

I probably won’t be re-reading this book, simply because I don’t feel the drive to. But I’m glad I got the opportunity to read it the first time. Have you read My Not-So-Still Life? Let me know what you think!



Harris_boysI’ll be the first to admit that because of this cover and because of this title, I assumed this book was going to be about a girl who likes “dating” bad boys. I was excited to see a YA book, where a teenage girl isn’t always perfect, smart and/or shy. I was ready for a girl who plays the field, and who couldn’t care any less what other people thought of her–who was smart, but also willing to have fun and just live life. I thought this book was going to be it.

…but I assumed all of this without ever reading the synopsis.

After finally cracking it open and giving it a read, I realized just how wrong I was. This book is about ZOMBIES!! How crazy?! From now on, I will always read the synopsis and will never just assume something from the title and the cover.

Bad Taste in Boys is about a kind of nerdy girl named Kate, who was invisible before she the football team’s assistant. She’s interested in medical sciences, so she enjoys working with the injured football players, and diagnosing their pains. The popularity aspect just came along with the job.

After a long losing streak, the football team has lost all of its hopes, and team member are losing their confidence in their skills. So the coach asks Kate to give each of the players an injection of an unlabelled drug. Kate knows better than to give anyone any unlabelled drugs, so she explains to the coach that she won’t do it. Why is the coach giving the team these drugs? What are they? Are they steroids?

Kate knows she has to do something about this. But who would believe her without any sort of evidence?

Doing more research, and snooping around, Kate soon discovers that the players are starting to act really strange. The colour of their skin is changing, some of them are getting aggressive, and some aren’t even speaking English any more, but are just groaning instead. …Kate thought steroids were bad…but zombies are much worse…

Obviously this story isn’t what I expected it to be. The characters weren’t memorable, the story was a little bit hard to believe (yes, I know it was about zombies…but still). Maybe it’s because I expected the book to be something completely different, or maybe because I’m too old. But I just didn’t enjoy this one as much as I hoped.

After reading the entire story, I still don’t understand how the cover or the title tie in with the story, or has anything to do with zombies.

 



Belinda_kisses_tnBel:

blake_Girl-of-NightmaresCover

We see Anna reaching back towards us in the black, white, and red picture of a rather daunting backdrop. It reflects the story really well.

Characters

We get to meet one of the major characters from Anna Dressed in Blood, and a new threat comes to the fore.

Favourite

Jestine, mainly because she kicked ass, and kept her word.

Least Favourite

The Order. Sometimes the hive mind isn’t the way to go.

Beginning

Months after the final scene in Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas and his friends are struggling to come to terms with how things played out.

Storyline

Cas makes moves to rectify the problem, and heads to England.

Ending

Nothing is quite what it seems.

Thoughts

I don’t know about the others, but I felt no real sense of dread. No heart stopping urgency. Perhaps this could have been rectified by covering Anna’s point of view for a part of the book.

I did like the male, female relationships and I’m glad Cas’s mum wasn’t as pointless as some other YA parental units.

I enjoyed the story, and as a sequel it was entertaining.

Quote

“For a professional ghost killer, you sure ask a lot of numb-nut questions.” ~Morfran talking to Cas.

 

Krista McKeeth_2_tnKrista:

Blake_anna dressed in blood

Cover

Very Manga cartoon-like imagery of Anna…in hell?

Characters

Our main character, Cas and his friends Thomas and Carmel are the major roll players in this series. Cas is a ghost hunter who, with his special knife, is able to send the spirits onto other worlds. He has a strict rule of only hunting those ghosts that are dangerous to humans and can cause harm.

Favourite

Tie between Anna and Cas; they both do very selfless acts, admirable.

Least Favourite

Well there is always the villain to hate, but I didn’t really dislike any of the characters in this story.

Beginning

Cas is obsessed with where Anna might have gone since the events in the first book. She has been calling to him.

Storyline

When his school work is done for the year, he convinces Thomas to travel to Ireland, to the group that made the Athame, and ask for their guidance on how to rescue Anna from Hell.

Ending

We see a much more determined Cas in this book than the first. When he really sets his heart on something, he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Thoughts

I like the idea that there are these powerful weapons that are made out of a metal not available on earth. I enjoyed the fact that Cas got to do some overseas travelling in this one. It brought a lot of atmosphere to the novel. There are some dangerous moments, a lot of world building; especially with the group and the history behind the weapons they use to banish the spirits. Plus more blood than we saw in the first book with very humorous dialogue and relationships between the characters.

Quote

“She crossed over death to call me. I crossed through Hell to find her.”

Lisa-Smith_tnLisa:

kendare blakeCover

I’m actually a big fan of the covers in this duology! I think they portray the story inside very well; it’s not too scary or brutal, just a bit creepy like the story.

Characters

Overall, I thought the characters were alright. We don’t meet too many new people, just a few random characters who take smaller roles. I don’t think I want to name the only new main character we are introduced to! Why? Because he makes the story what it is, and I don’t think he is mentioned in the first book; meaning, I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you!

Least Favourite

She wasn’t my least favourite in the first book, but in Girl of Nightmares she is. Carmel was the sweetest girl in Anna Dressed in Blood but completely changed in this second instalment. I loved her so much, so I was a little disappointed to see this kind of change in her. She spent the whole first book wanting to be a part of everything. In the second book, she leaves the two boys in the dust, without truly explaining why. Obviously, she does later in the story, but after she breaks Thomas’s heart.

Favourite

This is a hard one! I have a few favorite characters including Cas, Thomas, and the new character introduced in this book who I cannot name…he’s not from Harry Potter if that’s what you’re thinking! But both of these boys are interesting! Cas with his knife and the ghost killing thing and Thomas with his witch powers!

Beginning

Girl of Nightmares takes place a month or two after Anna Dressed In Blood ends. Anna has gone, Cas can’t help his feelings towards her and misses Anna, and Thomas and Carmel are still working out their entire “relationship”; if you can call it that.

Middle

Cas can’t deny the feelings he has for Anna, and has to get her back from the other side. He seems to see her everywhere he looks, and even starts to think that he might be going crazy. He finally tells Thomas and Carmel about this, and asks them to help bring her back. While they might not believe this is possible, both agree to help Cas in any way.

Ending

Bringing back Anna turned into something WAY bigger than the three could have imagined. It affected the entire witch and ghost hunting community, and it even stretched across the world! Who knew getting back the girl you love could start an entire war?

Overall

Before I started this duology, I was told many times how creepy it was. So when I finally got around to reading Anna Dressed In Blood I was a little disappointed at first. The story wasn’t horrifying or scary. Anna wasn’t as bad as she was made out to be in all of the reviews I’d read, but, nonetheless, I enjoyed the story.

When I started reading Girl of Nightmares, I didn’t read any reviews, and decided to just jump in right after finishing Anna Dressed In Blood. Again, I enjoyed this one as well. The entire story was a crazy roller coaster ride, dragging the group from one place, and one person, to another. I was strapped in and ready for the ride! I do have to say that the ending wasn’t very satisfying, but realistic, which I liked. Obviously, I spent the whole time cheering one the three best friends, and hoped the best for them, but things don’t always end up that way.

If you haven’t picked up these books, I recommend you do. I don’t promise that Anna is absolutely terrifying, but you will experience an entirely new perspective on the paranormal!

Joelene_tnJoelene

blae-ungodlyCover

The cover was what made me buy Anna Dressed in Blood, the first book in this series. I like the second cover even more. With Anna standing on the precipice of Hell, it’s more dynamic and the colour scheme is amazing.

Characters

All of the characters that I loved in Anna Dressed in Blood are back in Girl of Nightmares. They’re still amazing, but what they’ve been through has changed them.

Favourite

Cas maybe? Or Carmel? Possibly Thomas? I don’t know. I love how the characters interact with each other more than loving each of them on their own. They’re such a good team that I couldn’t imagine how things would work without one of them.

Least Favourite

This is even harder. The easy answer would be Colin Burke; not because I hated him, but because he was a bit of a non-entity.

Beginning

Anna has sacrificed herself to save Cas and his friends. He is trying to come to terms with life without her. He might even manage it, if she wasn’t coming back to haunt him at the most inopportune times.

Storyline

When Cas becomes convinced that Anna’s soul is not at peace, but being tormented in some hellish alternate plane, he is determined to find her and bring her back. Not everyone thinks that the dead belong in the world of the living, and there are some who would enforce those convictions to the bitter end.

Ending

Bitter and sweet? At some point when reading about a romance between one person who’s living and one who’s dead, there is the realisation that however this ends, it’s not going to be rainbows and unicorns.

Thoughts

I loved the direction that Blake took Carmel’s and Thomas’s characters. They don’t stagnate and they’re not just silently there to have Cas’s back whenever he needs it. Thomas’s power has grown considerably since the first book, and he has more confidence in it – though he still manages to be awkward around the cooler kids at school. Carmel refuses to compromise her social life to support Cas and Thomas – she’s as independent as she ever was. She’s also more prone to question the things that Thomas will accept.

I wasn’t dissatisfied with the ending, but Anna came into the book far too late and played too small of a role. I liked Jestine, but I would have traded her for Anna in a fraction of a heart-beat.

Quote

There’s smoke, and wind, and screaming, and it’s impossible to tell which side it’s all coming from. I lower my voice. “Anna. What do you want me to do?”

For a second I think she’ll stonewall. She takes quaking, deep breaths and with every exhale bites down on her words. But then she looks at me, straight at me, into my eyes, and I don’t care what she said earlier. She sees me. I know she does.

“Cassio,” she whispers. “Get me out of here.”

 

Discussion Topic:

Question: Would you give up your way of life to fight against demons who cause danger to human lives?

Take your discussion to our GoodReads page!



cass_the-oneI don’t know about you guys, but I hate reviews that ruin things for me. We bloggers should really diversify into writing reviews, rants, and raves. Reviews can give people an idea of what the story is about, in case they were considering giving it a read. Rants can complain to others who have already read the book about what bothered them. And, finally, raves can fangirl with readers who loved the book just as much as they did.

This is going to be a review/rave of The One. Why? Because I loved this book SO MUCH, but don’t want to give too much away. I want to allow you to have the same experience I did reading The One, instead of stealing that pleasure from you.

I loved The Selection and I loved The Elite, so there was no way I wasn’t going to start reading The One right after I finished the second installment. Nothing and no one could keep me from it!

The One continues on with America and the competition for Maxon’s heart. If you don’t know by now, which I don’t know how you wouldn’t, once the prince comes of age, he hosts the selection. Thirty or so girls from the kingdom in a certain age range are chosen to compete in this selection. From those girls, Maxon chooses his wife.

Sound familiar? Yes, because it was compared to The Bachelor

Even if you don’t like the show (I don’t either), I still recommend picking these books up. They are SO MUCH better! I promise!

Besides having the tough decision of picking his future wife, Maxon also has to learn how to rule his kingdom and lead his army. This is why he hosts the selection. I guess he doesn’t have enough free time to get out. What a shame!

The rebellion is still going on, and it’s getting worse. America is taking any chance she can get to speak to the public and ask them to fight, to protect themselves, and to not give up. America does this against the King’s wishes, knowing it will put a target on her back.

She wants Maxon and the girls to do the same. But the girls think America is out to get them, and Maxon is afraid of what his father might do.

The ending was crazy. It was an emotional roller coaster that I wasn’t prepared for. It was intense and amazing as well. I will tell you that America made her choice between Maxon and Aspen, but I won’t tell you who!

Overall, The One was an amazing end to the ‘trilogy’, and I was sad to see it ‘end’.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Let me know if you’ve read these books!



Cass_The EliteSome of you may know just how stressful the ending of 2014 was for me. If you don’t…well, now you do. I’m attending school, working, and doing everything else under the sun. Blogging and reading is my getaway, but it was hard to get away when there was no time to do so.

I needed a book that would distract me from everything going on around me. I needed something that would capture my attention entirely and consume my mind.

When I picked up The Selection, I didn’t know that it would do that and more.

I wasn’t too happy when I heard that this trilogy was comparable to the show The Bachelor. I absolutely hate that show; I just don’t understand why people would go on national television to compete and embarrass themselves for a person who probably won’t give you a rose at the end of the day.

But I had already purchased the entire trilogy, the covers were beautiful, and the ratings on Goodreads were amazing, so I couldn’t turn it down. I loved The Selection more than I ever thought I would, and picked up The Elite within five minutes of finishing it.

The Selection started with 30-35 girls, but The Elite takes off from when there are only six left! America is the lowest caste still in the running, competing against twos, threes, and fours. Time is running out and the girls know that Maxon has to make his decision very soon!

Besides taking part in this competition, at first against her will, and then for the delicious food and comfortable bed, America is still struggling with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make; Maxon or Aspen?

If things weren’t tough enough in the castle, Aspen is now a guard, Maxon is confessing his love, promising to end the competition as soon as she gives him permission, and things between the girls are getting ugly. Think that’s it? No! To top it all off, the castle is being attacked by rebels.

Whew. I thought The Selection had a lot going on, that was nothing compared to The Elite.

Overall, I loved The Elite, as well as the rest of the trilogy! I couldn’t get enough of America and the world she struggled to live in. What I loved the most about her was that she was blunt. She didn’t change. She remained the same person, with the same thoughts and beliefs, no matter how much glitter and glamour was thrown at her. She was the girl I came to know in the first book, but so much stronger.

Beside that, I spent the entire first book wondering what it would be like for Maxon and Aspen to meet. I wanted to see how they would act towards one another, and how comparable they would be. Obviously Maxon didn’t know Aspen was the boy America told him stories about, but it was interesting to see how similar and different these two were.

Again, I LOVED The Elite, and I wish I could go into more detail and completely fan girl, but I don’t want to ruin the story for you all!

Thank you so much for reading!



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