June 2014 EOM Wrap Up

I have read 9 books this month. *These qualify for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
*City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, # 6) by Cassandra Clare
Tristan: Finding Hope (Nova, # 3.5) by Jessica Sorensen
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, # 1) by Jenny Han
Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy, # 1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills
The Immortal Crown (Age of X, # 2) by Richelle Mead
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, # 2) by Cassandra Clare (re-read)
The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, # 1) by Mary E Pearson
*Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassins, # 3) by Robin LaFevers
Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

I have reviewed 11 books this month. *These qualify for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Losing Control (Kerr Chronicles, # 1) by Jen Frederick
Jane’s Melody (Jane’s Melody, # 1) by Ryan Winfield
*Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths, # 4) by KA Tucker
*City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, # 6) by Cassandra Clare
*The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Millennium, # 3) by Stieg Larsson
Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy, # 1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Pivot Point (Pivot Point, # 1) by Kasie West
The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger
The Immortal Crown (Age of X, # 2) by Richelle Mead
On the Fence by Kasie West
Revived by Cat Patrick

Other Posts:
Sunday Post – 99 & Stacking the Shelves – 65
Sunday Post – 100 & Stacking the Shelves – 66
Sunday Post – 101 & Stacking the Shelves – 67
Sunday Post – 102 & Stacking the Shelves – 68
Sunday Post - 103 & Stacking the Shelves - 69
Top Ten Books in My Beach Bag
Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far in 2014
Top Ten Books on my Summer 2014 TBR List
Waiting on Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum, # 21) by Janet Evanovich
Waiting on Jane’s Harmony (Jane’s Melody, # 2) by Ryan Winfield
Waiting on Rowdy (Marked Men, # 5) by Jay Crownover
Waiting on Opposition (Lux, # 5) by Jennifer L Armentrout
The Fault in Our Stars – Movie Review
Delirium - Pilot Review
2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge – June Wrap Up

Since we're halfway through the year, I thought I'd do a quick update on where I am with my goals.
I'm up-to-date on my daily Bible reading.
I've read 71 out of 104 books (21 ahead of schedule).
I've read 7 out of 10-15 Series Enders.

Not to shabby! What about you guys? How was your month? And where are you on your goals? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 103 & Stacking the Shelves - 69

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Let's see...what happened this week? Tuesday we went to a wedding for my step-nephew (who's only a year younger than me). It was a beautiful day and I believe everything went smoothly. Friday night, Husband and I decided to go for our walk (we don't go daily, but pretty frequently). Well Husband said "I don't know. It looks like it's going to storm." And I said "Nah. It's just heat lightning." And then when we were literally at the halfway point (as far away from our house as our route takes us) it started sprinkling and was POURING by the time we got home. We got SOAKED. Saturday I spent some time cleaning the pool and testing out my new Kindle Paperwhite Waterproof Cover. It works--well I didn't dunk it under the water or anything, but it did get wet! Oh and Happy 4th of July later on this week to my US peeps.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday:Review of The Immortal Crown (Age of X, # 2) by Richelle Mead (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Review of the Delirium Pilot
Wednesday: Waiting on Opposition (Lux, # 5) by Jennifer L Armentrout & 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge - June Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of On the Fence by Kasie West (4 Stars)
Friday: Review of Revived by Cat Patrick (2.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: June 2014 EOM Wrap Up
Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Classics
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, # 1) by Mary E Pearson
Friday: Happy 4th of July - (I won't be posting the rest of this week.)

Don't forget to sign up for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge! Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with a BIG giveaway at the end of the year! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Left Drowning

By: Jessica Park

Published: July 16th 2013 by Skyscape

399

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from my sister

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?

Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

*This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content.

Note: due to mature content recommended for Ages 17+

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

By: Matthew Quick

Published: August 13th 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

273 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Free Audio Download from Sync

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

The Fall

By: Bethany Griffin

Expected Publication: October 7th 2014 by Greenwillow Books

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Madeline Usher is doomed.

She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.

Illusions of Fate

By: Kiersten White

Expected Publication: September 9th 2014 by HarperTeen

288 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Revived - Review

Revived

By: Cat Patrick

Published: May 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

352 pages

Genre: YA, Science Fiction

Source: Won in an Armchair BEA giveaway hosted by Andi's ABCs

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links for Amazon, The Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--It started with a bus crash.

Daisy Appleby was a little girl when it happened, and she barely remembers the accident or being brought back to life. At that moment, though, she became one of the first subjects in a covert government program that tests a drug called Revive.

Now fifteen, Daisy has died and been Revived five times. Each death means a new name, a new city, a new identity. The only constant in Daisy's life is constant change.

Then Daisy meets Matt and Audrey McKean, charismatic siblings who quickly become her first real friends. But if she's ever to have a normal life, Daisy must escape from an experiment that's much larger--and more sinister--than she ever imagined.

From its striking first chapter to its emotionally charged ending, Cat Patrick's Revived is a riveting story about what happens when life and death collide.

I won Revived as part of a giveaway last year. The giveaway was the option of two “packages.” Each package offered two books. And well, I wanted one of the books and Revived just happened to be the additional book in the package. I’d never heard of it before that, but having read the description I liked the concept. However, since I’d never heard of it before and didn’t know anyone else who’d read it or heard of it, Revived wasn’t making a high priority on my TBR list. It just so happened that I came across the audiobook version in my local library during a time when I needed an audiobook to listen to immediately and most of the ones on my radar had a waiting list. So I picked up Revived.

Revived is one of those books that I feel like the concept was better than the execution. I liked the idea of a drug that can bring people back to life. Revived bordered on the younger spectrum of YA which isn’t my favorite. And so overall the book just left me feeling “meh.”

Daisy, as the description says, has been revived five times. There’s the initial bus crash that landed her in the program to begin with, but then there are been other instances as well. Choking on a grape, being stung by bees—which she’s allergic to. Each time Daisy dies she has to be relocated because the rest of the world can’t know she’s been revived. Everyone from where she was before thinks she died. Daisy relocates with her handlers Mason and Cassie who play the role of her parents even though they’re not. Mason and Daisy have a fairly close relationship. He’s essentially been her father since she was five, but Cassie’s involvement never really made sense to me. She’s described as being a robot and I’m not sure if that’s accurate as in she’s truly a robot or as in she’s emotionally robotic. Cassie’s entire person, background, etc was a bit “muddy.”

Also as the description says, Daisy actually makes some legitimate friends outside of the program in her newest relocation. Audrey quickly becomes her best friend, and Matt slowly becomes her boyfriend. Daisy has to wonder how much of a true friend she can be to both Audrey and Matt when there’s so much about herself that she’s not supposed to share with them. Can you really be close to people you have to lie to? But Matt and Audrey have a secret too. Audrey’s sick and Daisy is in possession of a miracle drug that saves lives. Unfortunately, Revive won’t work on Audrey. Daisy, who has never really been faced with the finality of death since she’s been revived five times has to realize that not everyone gets to come back from the dead.

A peeve of mine concerning Revived was that the members of the revive program call the founder and creator of the program “God.” I get the idea behind that being because he essentially controls who lives and who dies and how everything works. He has everyone in the program’s lives in his hands. But I felt like this was disrespectful. In Revived, “God” isn’t good. His ways are not just. And he can’t be trusted. So to read about this character and give him the name “God” felt all kinds of wrong to me and left a bad taste in my mouth.

Revived was also the first book I’ve read that included a transgender character. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Overall Revived fell a little flat for me. The conflict felt rushed and unrealistic. The backstory of all the characters didn’t feel completely flushed out. It just ended up being an “okay” book. Give me a year or so and I’m not sure how much I’ll even remember about Revived. It wasn’t a “bad” book by any means, but there wasn’t anything overly “good” about it either. Revived gets 2.5 Stars from me. Have you read Revived? What did you think? Let me know!

On the Fence - Review

On the Fence

By: Kasie West

Expected Publication: July 1st 2014 by HarperTeen

320 pages

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

I picked up On the Fence because I needed a light and fun read. I just finished a really dark and heavy book at the time of writing this review (which is several months prior to the post date), and I needed a completely opposite feel for what I read next. Something that wouldn't be too taxing on my emotions and yet that I could get hooked on and read through quickly. On the Fence was just the book I needed. Aside from the description, which indicated that this book would meet my needs, I've also read Kasie West's The Distance Between Us and figured that if these two books were even remotely similar in tone then On the Fence would suffice.

I could really relate to Charlie. She's a bit of a tomboy because she's grown up surrounded by men. Her mother died when she was younger--like 10 I think. And so she was raised by her father and surrounded by 3 older brothers and the next door neighbor who might as well be another brother. Charlie plays sports with her brothers, she watches sports with them, she gets pulled into their typical boy pranks and bets, and she pretty much has no clue how to be a girl.

After being forced to get a job to pay off a speeding ticket, Charlie is thrown into multiple situations with other females. There's Linda, who owns the store where Charlie now works, there's Skye who works a door or two down in the same shopping center, and there's Amber who uses Charlie's makeup-free face as a canvas for teaching periodic classes on how to apply makeup. All of a sudden Charlie is immersed into the intricacies of being feminine.

At the same time, she's started meeting next door neighbor, Braden, at their shared fence where they begin a competition of who knows who best. Of course, you can't really know someone unless you've been paying attention to them, right? And so we quickly begin to root for the tomboy and the boy next door.

All of the main plot points of On the Fence were not particularly original, but as with The Distance Between Us, Kacie West's writing style is so smooth and fluid that you hardly care. She has a way of making you care about her characters and feel what they feel. As I said before, I really related to Charlie. Though I grew up with a mother and a sister, both of which I love dearly, I was still a bit of a tomboy and struggled to feel confident in my femininity until my later teen years and early twenties. And Charlie's feelings were so easy to understand.

My favorite quotes:

-"Never date a guy whose jeans don't cover his ankles," Gage said, pointing to the guy twenty yards ahead. He shuddered.
"But he'd be able to walk through puddles and stuff without even getting his jeans wet. He's a planner."

-"...we can't let boys define how we feel about ourselves. You have to know who you are before you should let any boy worth anything in."

-"Are people not allowed to feel sorry for your loss?"

On the Fence isn't a mind blowing book, but it's a solid read that I think anyone who picks it up will enjoy. The characters are all easily likeable, and I wouldn't begrudge Kacie West if she also wanted to write about some of Charlie's brothers that I was intrigued by throughout this book. On the Fence gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read On the Fence? What did you think? Let me know!

2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge - June Wrap Up

It's time for our sixth Monthly Wrap Up for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since posting the May Wrap Up, Holly and I both finished City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, # 6) by Cassandra Clare.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the June giveaway runs from June 25th - July 25th. On July 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

I realize the linky says January Wrap Up...please ignore that. This is the June Wrap Up.

Waiting on Opposition

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Opposition (Lux, # 5)

By: Jennifer L Armentrout

Expected Publication: August 5th 2014 by Entangled: Teen

400 pages

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Aliens, Science Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

I've enjoyed this series, and yet I'm also ready for it to wrap up too. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Delirium - Pilot Review

I was supposed to do a Top Ten Tuesday post today, but I didn't love the topic (cover trends I like/dislike). Instead, I felt like this would be a good opportunity to do a short review of the Delirium pilot that Hulu is featuring for a month (starting June 20th).

Delirium by Lauren Oliver was one of my favorite reads of 2013. The writing style was so beautiful. Lena, as a character, was so well written. She was passionate, terrified, and often times desperate. All of which made this such an enjoyable read.

Needless to say, when I saw that Hulu was airing the pilot developed for Fox (which Fox chose not to pick up) I was so excited. I think Delirium would be the perfect fit for a TV series instead of a movie. So June 20th, I sat down to check out this pilot and wanted to give you guys a mini review of what I thought.

The pilot was both exciting and disappointing at the same time. It essentially goes through the entire book in one episode. Aspects of Pandemonium (book 2) were even brought into the pilot as well. From what I've seen this pilot was created for Fox as I've already said, and Fox decided not to pick up the series. That being said, I think had Fox decided to pick it up the pilot might have been revamped before airing to the public. At least, I hope that's the case. They could have spent an entire season on book 1 alone.

The pilot and the book had differences of course. Even more than a movie that typically spans about 2 hours, cramming an entire book into 43 minutes will require elements to be cut, multiple characters to get merged into one, and changes to be made all-around, etc. Emma Roberts did a really good job jumping into the character of Lena. With only 43 minutes to see what these actors can do with the characters given, Daren Kagasoff, Jeanine Mason, and the other cast members were great choices.

All of that being said, I'd like Hulu to see that there's much interest in Delirium. My hopes would be that they pick up the series and revamp the pilot. So...while I didn't LOVE this pilot, I can see potential with the actors and such for this to be a really successful TV series.

In case you missed the trailer, here it is...

Have you seen the Delirium pilot? What did you think? Let me know!

The Immortal Crown - Review

The Immortal Rules (Age of X, # 2)

By: Richelle Mead

Published: May 29th 2014 by Dutton Adult

432 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Paranormal

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Booksamillion.com | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Booksamillion.com, and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Vampire Academy and Bloodline series returns with the second installment in her acclaimed Age of X series.

Gameboard of the Gods introduced religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen, the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him. Together they have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: Not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect—special humans marked by the divine—are turning against one another in bloody fashion.

Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin’s old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA’s dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity.

Meanwhile, Mae—grudgingly posing as Justin’s concubine—has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter’s connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission—and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret.

I didn’t love Gameboard of the Gods. It wasn’t bad. There was just a lot to learn about the world, and overall the book felt very slow to me. That being said, I requested The Immortal Crown because I had faith that Richelle Mead would pick things up and once the story got moving then I’d be hooked. However, that didn’t mean I was dying to pick up The Immortal Crown immediately when I got it.

The Immortal Crown was STILL really slow for me. It wasn’t until the 50% mark that I started really getting interested in what was going on, and truly not until the 60% mark when I actually felt hooked. This is so odd to me because I’m usually sucked into Richelle Mead’s books fairly quickly. Maybe it was because work has been really stressful lately, but I literally found myself dozing off every single time I picked up this book until I hit 50%. It took me 9 days to finish The Immortal Crown and while the book itself isn’t exactly small, I also can’t really remember the last time it took me 9 days to finish a fiction book (aside from one of the A Song of Ice and Fire books). Despite the slow beginning, The Immortal Crown packed a lot of action in the last 40%.

Richelle Mead writes from multiple POVs in this series, but it often feels like none of the characters are actually narrating. Sometimes, I feel like some ambiguous third party is the one describing the events. Maybe that’s because the POV wasn’t always clear as it was supposed to be. The Immortal Crown isn’t a first person narrative even when the focus is on a particular character. Maybe this is what keeps me from connecting as much to this series. I'm just not sure.

The characters really grew on me from how I felt about them after reading Gameboard of the Gods. Justin started out in a place where I wasn’t loving his character. He reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. While being utterly brilliant and a master at deduction and manipulation, he also relies on vices to get him through the day to day. Justin grew on me in The Immortal Crown. I couldn’t agree with all of his decisions, but he had Mae’s back explicitly. He jumped in and protected her when she needed it.

Mae has always been likable to me. She fits the strong female leads that Richelle Mead is known for. She’s smart and strong. She’s capable of taking care of herself and others. She’s a protector at heart. And she’s even a warrior. I was happy that Mae was able to evaluate that if Justin can misinterpret her at times then it’s possible that she’s misinterpreted him in the past as well. I was afraid she’d be angry and bitter toward him for too long, but that wasn’t the case. Mae learns that she can trust Justin to have her back when she needs it the most. And yet everything isn’t quite the way she’d like with him either. They make a good team, but in the end Mae might be a little hasty in jumping in out to protect Justin. I’m a little fearful of where things left off with Mae. While she might be smart, she doesn’t have the knowledge that Justin has about the different gods and the mythology surrounding them.

Unlike Mae, Tessa is a character that I’ve struggled with for a bit. For her to be so bright, even at times being referred to as a mini-Justin, she sure seemed to miss the obvious to me in this installment. How she couldn’t see from early on that Daphne wouldn’t be any friend to her or would have ulterior motives is beyond me. Any reader would be able to spot that within seconds. Tessa’s sections weren’t as interesting to me, and when the narration would swap to her I always found myself sighing a bit. I knew Richelle Mead would weave Tessa’s storyline into the overall plot, but it just wasn’t as interesting to me. Overall, by the end of the book I found myself thinking that her part was a lot of work for a small—at least at this point—piece of the puzzle.

As the description says, the elect have really stepped up their game. For the longest time, I was wondering where this big war was going to come in, but then it seemed like four others were revealed within the last 40% or so of the book. I’d love to tell you who they are, but that’s part of the process and you just have to read the book to find out for yourselves.

I feel like I really haven’t even touched on the events of the book itself, but the description really does do a good job of telling you what you need to know there. All in all, I ended up enjoying The Immortal Crown even though it took me a really long time to get hooked into the story. The characters and plot are set up just perfectly for the next (and last????) book in the series. I can see Richelle Mead putting the pieces of the puzzle in their proper places and even though I wasn’t hooked early on like I would like to be, Richelle Mead is the master at setting up and executing a series. The Immortal Crown gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read The Immortal Crown? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 102 & Stacking the Shelves - 68

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Oh my goodness you guys! Husband and I took off work on Friday to clean house and get things ready for birthday celebrations. It was a good thing we did. I got up around 7:00 am. We really got working around 11:00 am and didn't sit down again until about 10:30 pm. There was much that needed to be done. Saturday, my family came over to celebrate Father's Day (from last week), my brother's birthday (which was Thursday) and then my birthday (which was Saturday). It was a great day. We had pizza and cake and ice cream cake. We swam until around almost 6:00 pm. And the rain held off until right as we were getting out anyway. It was a really good day, and a really good week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy, # 1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Summer 2014 TBR List
Wednesday: Waiting on Rowdy (Marked Men, # 5) by Jay Crownover & 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge June Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of Pivot Point (Pivot Point, # 1) by Kasie West (4 Stars)
Friday: Review of The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Immortal Crown (Age of X, # 2) by Richelle Mead
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of On the Fence by Kasie West
Friday: Review of Revived by Cat Patrick

Don't forget to sign up for the 2014 Series Enders Reading Challenge! Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with a BIG giveaway at the end of the year! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner, # 2)

By: James Dashner

Published: October 12th 2010 by Delacorte Press

360 pages

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic

Source: Borrowed from the library

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Goodreads description--Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, # 3)

By: Laini Taylor

Published: April 8, 2014 by Hodder & Stoughton

613 pages

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal

Sourece: Birthday Present

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Goodreads description--By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Breakable (Contours of the Heart, # 2)

By: Tammara Webber

Published: May 6th 2014 by Penguin Berkley

368 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Birthday Present

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Goodreads description--He was lost and alone. Then he found her.
And the future seemed more fragile than ever.

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.

Torn Away

By: Jennifer Brown

Published: May 6th 2014 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

288 pages

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

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Goodreads description--Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives -- but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she's never considered before -- one in which her mother wasn't perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that's something no tornado can touch.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls, # 1)

By: Ally Carter

Published: May 1st 2006 by Disney-Hyperion (first published April 1st 2006)

284 pages

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mystery

Source: Audiobook Sync Free Download

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Goodreads description--Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love.

Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, # 1)

By: LM Montgomery

Published: first published 1908

320 pages

Genre: Classics, YA, Historical Fiction,

Source: Audiobook Sync Free Download

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Goodreads description--Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!