Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Book: Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles #4)
Author: Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl
# of Pages: 290 (ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge, 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Rating: 1.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

My Thoughts:

The final installment of the Caster Chronicles series was underwhelming to say the least.

After the ending of Beautiful Chaos, I was expecting a interesting and suspenseful story. But alas, I'm surprised I even finished the book.

This book is different from the other thee in the series. Instead of Ethan narrating the whole thing, it's split up into three parts. Ethan narrates the first and third while Lena narrates the second.

Ethan, who at the beginning of the series was smart and strong, really disappointed me. Most of the time he just complained about not being able to be with Lena. Yes, I get that he is in a very frustrating situation, but it was impossible to sympathize with someone who wouldn't stop whining.

As for Lena, well, I stopped liking her after the first book in the series, and in this book, she did not do anything to redeem herself, not for me anyway. She was selfish and careless and really got on my nerves. It really should have been Link or John Breed narrating that part of the book.

The one character that really stood out for me in this book was Link. I've always liked him and was glad to see that he got to play a vital role in this book.

Once again we come close to discovering John Breed's parentage and identity, and once again we hit a dead end. I though John Breed was a fascinating character, and not getting a good background story about him really bothered me. It felt like the authors did not think he was important enough to get proper back stories like some of the other characters.

There were a few fighting scenes, but they were all so blah. A big deal was made about how "evil" the villains were, but to be honest I found them dull. Also, I wish more information about the Greats had been revealed. They play a key part in the series as a whole, but we only ever learn specifics about one of them. What about the others?

Overall, this book just did not do anything for me. It's the last book in the series, but there were just so many things that were not fully explained. 

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Book: Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
# of Pages: 379 (ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge, 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Summary:
Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What — or who — will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself — forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

My Thoughts:

Although Beautiful Chaos did have its ups and downs, I liked it more than Beautiful Darkness.

In this book, everything is falling apart because of what happened during Lena's Seventeenth Moon. Ethan and the others try to figure out what needs to be done to make things go back to normal. And although I liked the apocalypse aspect of the story, I could not help but feel that a couple things were pretty predictable.

We do learn about Sarafine's history. And though it is pretty interesting, I feel like it should have been revealed earlier in the series. We also get to know John Breed better. There are hints about what his is and his parentage, but they are never specified. At the beginning of the book, Macon and Liv have a theory about John and Lena, which I thought was pretty intriguing, but it is never brought up again. This frustrated me. Why was it brought up if it wasn't going to be incorporated into the story?

Also, the actual Caster Chronicles is finally introduced. But, it is given such a simple description and focused on for only a couple sentences, that had the series not been named after it, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. This too should have been brought up earlier in the series.

The pacing of the story was pretty stop and go. There was just too much description in some places, and it felt like it took me forever to get through it.

Overall, Beautiful Chaos was a good book, but there was nothing about it that really made it stand out and it left me with a lot of unanswered questions.

Lost and Found by Nicole Williams

Book: Lost and Found (Lost and Found #1)
Author: Nicole Williams
# of Pages: 348 (ebook)
Challenges: 2013 Contemporary Challenge, 2013 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.

After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.

Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.

Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.

When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself.

My Thoughts:

Lost and Found by Nicole Williams took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to smack the crap out of a couple of the characters.

Rowen is sarcastic and haunted by her past. Jesse is sweet and generous and absolutely lovable. Besides Rowen and Jesse, one of my favorite characters was Rose Walker, Jesse's mother. Funny, kind, and understanding, I think that she ranks just as high as Mrs. Weasley when it comes to literary mothers.

There was only one thing that I did not like about the book. There were a couple times when Rowen listed the things that she did, and I would have liked to see them played out. I also would have liked to see more of the ranch.

Overall, Lost and Found was an enjoyable read. I am really looking forward to the sequel, which will be out in July. And I will be checking out Nicole Williams's other books.

Recommended for ages 17+

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

Book: Suddenly Royal (Suddenly #1)
Author: Nichole Chase
# of Pages: 286 (ebook)
Challenges: 2013 Ebook Challenge, 2013 YA Contemporary Challenge
Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Summary:
Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

My Thoughts:

When I read the premise for this story, I just knew I'd like it, and for the most part, I really did.

Although Samantha's stubbornness got on my nerves at times, she was a strong and intelligent protagonist. Prince Alex aka Prince Yummy was smooth and suave and ultimately does live up to his nickname. I loved almost all of the secondary characters Chadwick, Jess, Bert, Cathy. They add some kick to the story, and I really enjoyed getting to know them.

When Samantha discovers the truth about her identity, she is faced with responsibilities and has to make some big decisions. I was very impressed with the way she handled everything that was thrown at her. The story was evenly paced, and even though there was not a cliffhanger ending, I can't wait for the next book to see what happens next in Samantha's story.

The one issue that I had with Suddenly Royal was the editing, or rather the lack of editing. I don't know if it was just the ebook edition or what, but it wasn't pretty. There were so many grammatical and punctuation errors, I was on the verge of pulling out my hair.

Overall, Suddenly Royal was a cute, funny, very steamy read. Full of great characters, humor, and romance, it will leave you wanting more. Warning: there is a point where you will probably cry. I did. Recommended for ages 18+.

Undone by Elizabeth Norris

Book: Undone (Unraveling #2)
Author: Elizabeth Norris
# of Pages: 103 (Ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
Before the accident. Before their universes collided. Before they fell in love.

Riveting and romantic, Undone: An Unraveling Novella contains three short stories set in the world of Unraveling, the first book in the gripping sci-fi duology by Elizabeth Norris.

Before Ben Michaels saved Janelle Tenner’s life, Janelle saved Ben when he stumbled through an interuniverse portal into a completely new world. That day, he fell in love with the girl of his dreams. And he never forgot her.

Through three stories told from Ben’s point of view, learn how Ben and his friends discovered their ability to travel between worlds, how Ben first met Janelle, and how he pined for her for years before he actually got the chance to meet her, save her life, and capture her heart. And find out what happens to Ben between the cliff-hanger conclusion to Unraveling and the beginning of its heart-stopping sequel, Unbreakable.

My Thoughts:

I loved getting to see things from Ben's point of view. I feel like I got to know him a little better. We get to see more of Elijah as well. I thought he was obnoxious in Unraveling, but getting to see him from Ben's perspective helped me to understand their friendship better. 

This story is broken into three parts: before the beginning of Unraveling, during Unraveling, and after the ending of Unraveling. The third part is dark and suspenseful and sent shivers down my spine. And even though it's just a novella, it is so worth the read.

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Book: The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter #1)
Author: Megan Shepherd
# of Pages: 309 (Ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 1.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

My Thoughts

The Madman's Daughter had a very promising beginning. I was hooked within the first few pages and could not read it fast enough. Unfortunately, the remainder of the story went steadily downhill.

I really enjoyed the first seven chapters. We meet Juliet and find that she is smart and tough. And I was just as curious as she was to know what her father had done to cause such rumors to be spread. I instantly liked Montgomery despite his secretive nature. I was eager to know more about him, and hoped he and Juliet would get together.

Cue Edward and the unwelcome turn of the story.

I did not like Edward at all. I felt that the whole love triangle thing was unnecessary and ruined the story. Once Edward made his appearance, Juliet seemed to change. She constantly debated who she liked more, and never settled on a decision longer than a few seconds. Her inability to make a solid decision was frustrating. The focal point of the story became more about which guy she wanted to be with more rather than what her father was up to.

I felt the horror aspect of the book was lacking.  We get brief glimpses of Dr. Moreau's experiments and the monster roaming the jungle, but it's never really enough to be considered "horror." Not to me anyway. I wanted to know more about what Dr. Moreau was doing. I wanted to know more about his experiments. But he and his crazy experimentations took a backseat to that damn love triangle.

I wish the story had been told from Montgomery's perspective. I think it would have been more interesting and a lot more successful.

Overall, The Madman's Daughter, was disappointing. Although Shepherd's writing was really good, I got bored and annoyed after the first few chapters. There was so much potential for this story, and I wanted to like it, but it did not live up to my expectations. I will not be reading the sequel.

With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

Book: With All My Soul (Soul Screamers #7)
Author: Rachel Vincent
# of Pages: 294 (ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America? It's time to kick some hellion butt...

After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.

But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has....

My Thoughts:
I only started reading this series last year and I have enjoyed every single page of it.

In the final book of the Soul Screamers series, tension is high as Kaylee and her friends try to figure out how to stop the Hellions from interfering in their lives. It was dark, especially with the Hellion of Wrath who is introduced. He is unlike the rest of the Hellions. I found him to be very interesting, yet extremely creepy. As for the ending, I absolutely loved it, but it is sad that the series is over.

I did question some of Kaylee's actions at first, but overall she impressed me with her display of bravery and cleverness. As always I thought Tod was beyond awesome. And though I have had mixed feelings about Nash throughout the series, I can say now after reading With All My Soul, that I have come to really like him.

Overall, this was a fantastic ending to one of my favorite series. Although I'm sad that it's over, I will definitely be going back to read it again. I will also be checking out Rachel Vincent's other series. If you haven't read this series yet, then I highly recommend that you do so.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Book: Beautiful Creatures (Castor Chronicles #1)
Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
# of Pages: 387 (ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge, 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Rating: 5 stars

From Goodreads:
This edition features exclusive movie cover art!
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My Thoughts:
What a fantastic book! I was not sure if I would like this book. But as the movie is coming out soon and I have had it on my nook for over a year now, I could not put it off any longer. And, I have to say that I was very impressed.

I really like that Beautiful Creatures was set in a southern town. More YA books need to be set in the South! Apart from that, I loved the characters. Ethan is kind and daring. Lena is stronger than she gives herself credit for. And Link is funny and such a good friend to both of them.

This book was full of mystery, humor, and romance. I also enjoyed the historical aspect of it. There were a few unexpected twists that left me wanting to read more.

Overall, Beautiful Creatures was an addictive, enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Tomorrow is Today by Julie Cross

Book: Tomorrow is Today (Tempest #0.5)
Author: Julie Cross
# of Pages: 34 (ebook)
Challenge: 2013 Ebook Challenge
Rating: 4 stars

From Goodreads: The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, throws lots of parties, is interested in a girl he can’t have, and oh yeah, he can travel back through time.

But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

My Thoughts:
I loved how this story was told from a guy's point of view. Jackson is in college and can travel back in time. I was surprised by how much I liked Jackson. He was interesting and witty and I really want to know more about his time travelling ability. Holly, Jackson's love interest, has a mysterious element about her. Though she does not stand out as much as Jackson, I am just as curious to know more about her.

Overall, Tomorrow is Today was a very enjoyable read and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Tempest.