Title: Contact
Author: Laurisa White Reyes
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads Link:
Summary
It takes only half a second……Like those commercials where a crash test dummy rockets forward at high speed and slams into a wall.…In that instant, every thought in Emma Lynn Walsh’s head collides with mine—every thought, memory, hope, disappointment and dream.…I open my eyes to see Dr. Walsh peering at me, a puzzled expression on her face.“Let—go—of—me,” I order though clenched teeth.Mira wants to die. She’s attempted suicide twice already, and failed. Every time she comes in contact with another person, skin to skin, that person’s psyche uploads into hers. While her psychologist considers this a gift, for Mira, it’s a curse from which she cannot escape.To make matters worse, Mira’s father is being investigated in the deaths of several volunteer test subjects of a miracle drug. Shortly after Mira’s mother starts asking questions, she ends up in a coma. Although her father claims it was an accident, thanks to her “condition” Mira knows the truth…but proving it just might get her killed!
My Review
I got a complimentary copy of this book via netgalley as part of a blog tour.
I raced through this book it was a very quick read and I think that is due in large part to the very mysterious plot that kept me reading on wanting to find answers as bad as Mira did. I enjoyed the writing cause as I said the pace was fast and it stayed that way from start to finish, my only issue is that I wish there was a little bit more of an explanation on Mira's power of course it is touched on a talked about a little but I guess I was just wishing for more on the topic.I found this story and concept very neat and entertaining.
I found this was a lot more murder mystery than Urban Fantasy, my biggest reason being that a lot of the time I forgot Mira even had a power because they spent a lot of time talking about her Dad and his company issues and political career, now I am not complaining as it was all very interesting and dramatic, I'm just putting it out there.
There were a couple of things that I had kinda predicted and saw coming but there was a HUGE twist at the end that I did not see coming at all and I love when that happens, so props to the author on that one.
I really enjoyed Mira and I felt sorry for all she suffered but I was impressed with her growth throughout the story and David was great for her and her growth and I am very glad he was around, they were very cute together and I would like to see more of them I am not sure if this is a series or not but I really think it should be because with the way things ended I feel I have a few more questions and I would like to see Mira on a journey of self discovery and the search for answers, I want to say more but I don't want to spoil it for anyone one so all I will say is get your hands on this new book cause it's a thrill and a half.
About The Author
After earning her B.A. in English in 1995, Laurisa White Reyes spent many years writing for newspapers and magazines before gathering enough courage to live her dream of writing novels. Contact is her third published book. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in creative writing, is a book editor for Hamilton Springs/Xchyler Press, and is the Editor-in-chief of Middle Shelf Magazine. She lives in Southern California with her Husband and five children.
Title: The Elite
Author: Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection book 2
Rating: 4/5
Summary
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Timesbestseller The Selection.
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.
Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.
My Review
It was a long time ago that I read book one and all I remembered was liking it but not much more, well now I know I liked it a bit more than this one, of course I very much enjoyed this book but I was so much more annoyed with America and her inability to decide but most of all I was annoyed with her rashness to terrible decisions because she was "mad" or "betrayed". I am not a fan of love triangles really but in book one I was not really bothered by it, but in this book America spent was to much time worrying if Maxon loved her or not when he chased her for so long and then she made him wait cause she needed "time" and just when I thought she had decided she let small problems sway her so quickly. There was also a lot more to this book, it had a bit more on the rebels but I really really want more and I am hoping that book three "The One" tells me all I want to know. The focus is of course America, Maxon and Aspen but there are other characters that grabbed my heart and attention. The Marlee thing was very unexpected and it shook my faith in Maxon, but don't worry he recovered it and maybe I was jsut in shock, the King was also a big shock I was not ready for Maxons big reveal and it again changed the way I looked at and felt about Maxon which happened a lot in this book, I felt as uncertain about Maxon as America did at times but I did not jump to conclusions like she did.
I hope that the ending means that America has made a choice and I hope she will stick to her word and her promises. I really want to read the next book and find out if she will stand her ground and prove the King and the country she is worth it.
Good sequel to a great series.
Title: City of Heavenly Fire
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments 6
Rating: 4/5
Summary
In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.
The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?
When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...
Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!
My Review
Well another Cassandra Clare series comes to a close and although I was not in love with this book as I was a few of the others, I do feel that the ending left me satisfied and that makes me very glad. I did my research before reading this book and I`m glad I did because I got reminders of why I loved this world and the people in it, and when I started reading I was happy to be back. I really do love Cassandra Clare`s writing and I admire the wit she gives each of her characters, each with their own way and their own voice and it is the best part of all the books it makes me that much more attached and makes them that more real for me.
***spoilers ahead***
There was a lot to take in at this point, I mean we are at book six and each book contains so much, and at first I must admit I felt a little overwhelmed by it all, plus it jumps back from person to person so many story lines weaving together, but I found myself very curious and very hooked by about page 200 (it`s 725 pages so I had a lot left to enjoy), but I have to say with it being so long there were a few parts that felt a little dragged out, I won`t say which ones as not to offend anyone but there were a couple. I was pleased to see so many people get what they wanted, of course there was much loss and a lot of hard times to come but to see so many of the relationships end in a fragile peace just like life itself was great, things may be uncertain but they have this victory and this moment, small as it may be but worth it all the same. When Simon was the price they paid to get home from the demon realm, I was so heartbroken for them all Isabell most of all, but I should have known they would never give up and after all that Simon has been through and survived I am now not surprised that this is just another one for the list of ``Simon for the win!``
I am a little sad the series is over but at the same time I feel like it ran it`s course and we all got a little bit of closure.
I have so many thoughts and feelings on this book and this series and it`s combination to the Infernal Devices and I don`t think they will all fit on here but I do hope every one enjoys or enjoyed this book and I can`t wait for the discussions to begin.
Title: Persistence of memory
Author: Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Series: Den of Shadows book 5
Rating: 4/5
Summary
Sixteen-year-old Erin Misrahe just wants to be like everyone else in her new school. But Erin has more to worry about than passing AP Chemistry or making friends. In times of stress, she has always been overcome by her alter ego, Shevaun, whose violent behavior wreaks havoc on those around her. Erin can never remember anything about these episodes, and she’s grateful to have been spared them for a while.
But when a protective friend comes back into Erin’s life, he insists that Shevaun is a vampire who actually exists apart from Erin. Shevaun has dangerous allies, like the handsome witch Adjila—and they’re determined to sever Shevaun’s connection to Erin once and for all.
My Review
First of all I want to say this is number five in Den of Shadows series and I have not read any of the others but that does not matter, they are more companion Novels set in the same world, and I have been told some characters show up in different ones so that's neat, but this book on it's own gave me all the information I needed and it read like a book one not a book five and I am really glad for that since this book caught my eye and I got it cheap and really wanted to read it before having to buy and read four others lol. The story definitely held my attention first because I wanted to know if Shevaun was real and then because I wanted to know how it was possible that she could be real.
The world contained Witches, Vampires and Shape shifters but I really liked the little twist each of them have in this book and I was glad to see new ideas on an old concept. I raced through this book and I enjoyed how things were wrapped up, I am a sucker for a happy ending and this book delivered a cute one. I would really like to read others in this series as I really enjoyed the writing and the world the characters live in and I think it would be fun to see more of it.
Title: Reckoning
Author: Kerry Wilkinson
Series: Silver Blackthorn book 1
Rating: 5/5
Summary
In the village of Martindale, hundreds of miles north of the new English capital of Windsor, sixteen-year-old Silver Blackthorn takes the Reckoning. This coming-of-age test not only decides her place in society - Elite, Member, Inter or Trog - but also determines that Silver is to become an Offering for King Victor.
But these are uncertain times and no one really knows what happens to the teenagers who disappear into Windsor Castle. Is being an Offering the privilege everyone assumes it to be, or do the walls of the castle have something to hide?
Trapped in a maze of ancient corridors, Silver finds herself in a warped world of suspicion where it is difficult to know who to trust and who to fear. The one thing Silver does know is that she must find a way out . . .
My Review
* I won a paperback copy of this book on Goodreads First Reads*
"It is a reckoning in every sense of the word"
I was instantly in love with this book, it's adventurous, thrilling and twisted (in the best possible way) The Afterward in the book was fun and a wonderful addition, like bonus features on a DVD, the author said in it that she wanted a mix of mid evil Castle and future tech...well that is exactly what she did, as a lover of the mid evil era I loved how it applied in this dystopian world and who knows maybe this is our future as the downfall of this world started with the loss of all the Oil in the world, causing war and the division of all the countries, and we all know the fight for Oil is always on. The fact that the King was so sick and twisted and yet still so beloved by the people was an interesting notion, making me think about Propaganda and fear, those who knew the truth were to afraid to speak out and everyone else just chose to believe what they were told, that a good an just king reigns over them, but Silver discovers that rebel forces still exist and not everyone is blind to the terrible condition of the country and although they were not that present in this book I assume they will have their part to play soon.
I loved Silver she was the perfect Hero, flaws and all and through the power of togetherness she found a way to prove that people are strong and they deserve equal rights and freedoms. Watching the offerings forced to fight each other to the death, forced to work hard without much food or water, and pinned against each other with false promises and fear made my stomach turn and I don`t know how it went on for so long, but I do know that Silver saw the wrong being done and made the choice not only to save herself and Imrin, but as many as she could in hopes to prove a point and make the suffering stop. I can`t wait to watch Silver lead a rebellion against the terrible King and his equally sadistic Minister Prime.
This book was so much better than I expected and that`s saying a lot cause I had high expectations after reading the summary and seeing the beautiful cover that drew me in to begin with. I am so glad I got this book and got to experience this world and I can`t wait to experience more.
