Book Review: Unrivaled by Alyson Noel

My Rating: 1/5 Stars

Author: Alyson Noel

Genre: Contemporary, Mystery

Published: 2016

How do I even go about giving this book a review. It's been awhile since I've read such a horrible book. Nothing about this story appealed to me. Not the characters, not the plot, nothing.

Goodreads Review: 

Everyone wants to be someone.

Layla Harrison wants to leave her beach-bum days for digs behind a reporter’s desk. Aster Amirpour wants to scream at the next casting director who tells her “we need ethnic but not your kind of ethnic.” Tommy Phillips dreams of buying a twelve-string guitar and using it to shred his way back into his famous absentee dad’s life.

But Madison Brooks took destiny and made it her bitch a long time ago.

She’s Hollywood’s hottest starlet, and the things she did to become the name on everyone’s lips are merely a stain on the pavement, ground beneath her Louboutin heel.

That is, until Layla, Aster, and Tommy find themselves with a VIP invite to the glamorous and gritty world of Los Angeles’s nightlife and lured into a high-stakes competition where Madison Brooks is the target. Just as their hopes begin to gleam like stars through the California smog, Madison Brooks goes missing. . . . And all of their hopes are blacked out in the haze of their lies.

My Review:

Let's just start with the characters. 

The four main characters are Layla, Aster, Tommy, and Madison. None of the characters have any real depth. There's not much to them. Like if you really poked at them you'd go right through them. They all lie, cheat, and couldn't care a thing for anybody around them. I found it kind of hard that we had these four characters and there wasn't one redeeming quality about them. And it wasn't like a good thing either. No the characters were so annoying. Whinnying and moaning and very hard to read about. They all three had okay lives before the whole club thing and their need for money and fame so wrecked them that whatever few good qualities they had at the beginning of the story quickly disappeared. I found it hard to read about any of them. 

The actual story was terrible. We started at point A... Oh wait what was point A? We didn't seem to get anywhere. At all. There was no character growth, no build up, no real point to this story and that made it hard to read. Like here are three characters fighting over money. We get a few club scenes were nothing very exciting happens, we get a few scenes of them in their every day life and nothing to great happens. We see them at their  meeting over their clubs and some random character that you know just showed up to get knocked out of the game came up. 

We get no side characters, no suspense. This is under the mystery genre on goodreads but I couldn't really see much of  mystery. Madison had a bunch of vague stuff in her chapters were she met with this 'beige' man. How is a man beige?? And don't even get me started on the suspense. What suspense? Maybe like the last page something simi exciting happened but then again you could see everything coming from a mile away. 

This may sound harsh but this is my fourth book by Alyson Noel and I haven't enjoyed any of them. I was hoping that I'd at least like this one but pretty covers can be deceiving. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone but if you wanna try it be my guest. 

ARC Book Review: The Female of The Species by Mindy McGinnis

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Author: Jennifer Gilmore

Genre: Contemporary

Published: 2016

This story knocked me over. I came into expecting a story about a feminist and got bombarded with rape, sexism, and just overall the issues in today's society. Mindy McGinnis wove a story of pain and redemption and once you've read it there's no going back.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.

While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.

But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.

So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.

Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

I'm not going to say a lot about this book. In my opinion you have to read it to fully understand it and I feel like if I were to write too much about it you'll decide not to read it. So just a few quick things. 

This story points out a lot of issues. The biggest being rape.  I applaud Mindy McGinnis for taking on such a sensitive subject. The word rape makes a lot of people uncomfortable. But in today's world it happens a lot more than you think. And it's something that people should be more aware of.

In the story our main character, Alex, is very careful with her words. The way you talk about someone or to someone can do a lot of damage. If you call someone something enough times they start to believe it. Actions speak louder than words but words stick around a lot longer than a bruise. 

I loved the part of the story where Alex tells Peekay that imagining something is much different from actually dong it. Like you can think about yelling and cussing that person out or pointing out all their faults or hitting them till they black out but if you were too actually do that the damage would be irreversible.


This is  a short review because to fully experience this book you have to read it. Slowly. This book opens your eyes to a lot of things that are commonly accepted today so I'm going to recommend it to everyone. I feel like it has something for everyone. 

Book Review: We Were Never Here by Jennifer Gilmore

My Rating: 2/5 Stars

Author: Jennifer Gilmore

Genre: Contemporary

Published: 2016

This book was okay. I mainly read fantasy and I'm not a huge contemporary fan so every time I read that genre it's like a bucket of ice water being dumped on me. The shock of the real life situations, no magic, or crazy solutions to problems. Despite this not being a fantasy, and the half baked writing there was enough to the story to leave me hoping for better books by this author. 

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Did you know your entire life can change in an instant? 

For sixteen-year-old Lizzie Stoller that moment is when she collapses, out of the blue. The next thing she knows she’s in a hospital with an illness she’s never heard of. 

But that isn’t the only life-changing moment for Lizzie. The other is when Connor and his dog, Verlaine, walk into her hospital room. Lizzie has never connected with anyone the way she does with the handsome, teenage volunteer. However, the more time she spends with him, and the deeper in love she falls, the more she realizes that Connor has secrets and a deep pain of his own . . . and that while being with him has the power to make Lizzie forget about her illness, being with her might tear Connor apart.

My Review:

Our main character is Lizzie. She's a normal girl with a normal sister, normal parents, a couple half-time friends, and a dog. She's all set to finish her summer with a bang when her life changing instant hits. All of a sudden she's in a hospital, her parents are giving her worried looks, and she can't move, start school, or see her friends. Lizzie was an odd character to me. She didn't seem to have much of a personality. When she got sick she had all these angry thoughts and feelings and instead of telling her parents she just let it sit there. It was sort of frustrating for me, the reader, to know she had all the issues with her friends, her parents, and her sister and never see them work out. 

Connor and his dog were sweet. Though just like Lizzie, Connnor lacked personality. I didn't notice anything off about his character until all of a sudden he was telling Lizzie this terrible thing that happened to him. It was like he'd either be consumed by this thing or have completely forgotten about it. He always seemed to leave Lizzie hanging and always expected her to share her thoughts and opinions but would never share his. 

I went to set this book down  but something would always happen to keep me reading. The writing as I said earlier was half baked. I had to look up Lizzie's sickness because the author was so vague and I couldn't figure out what exactly it meant for the character. The whole 'life changing instant' didn't really seem to change her already crappy life. I didn't feel much sympathy for Connors's issue because he almost acted like 'oh poor me' instead of talking about it and trying to get help. Their relationship felt off. There was nothing there to make me think they actually loved each other. It was like they were two people throwing a pity party together. It was slightly depressing. 

I felt like this book had a lot of potential. The story line itself was good. The characters just lacked personality. The story didn't jump at you and leave you wanting more. I'm keeping in mind that it's the author's debut. I'll probably pick up future books by this author and hope for better results. 

Book Review: A Gathering of Shadows by Victoria Schwab

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Author: Victoria Schwab

Genre: Fantasy

Published: 2016

As soon as I finished A Darker Shade of Magic I grabbed this book and started it. I'm sorry but I think I'm just going to buy all of Victoria's books and read them and cry as I wait for book three of this series. This has go to be some of the best fantasy I have ever read.

Goodreads Review:

It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift – back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games – an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries – a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

My Review:

In this book we get all our favorite characters back plus some. We get more of Rhy, a dashing sea captain, a charming guard, and a cat.  Give or take some other characters. Lila still remains my favorite. She only managed to get better in this book. I loved seeing her without Kell. Her development since we first met her on he streets of Grey London is one of my favorite things. I love the way she presents herself, her obsession with daggers, and her mask. I love how she tries to act nonchalant over seeing new things but it but sometimes it shows through. Lila is just one of my favorite characters ever. 

I love Lila on her own but I may love Kell and her together just as much. In A Darker Shade of Magic we get a hint of romance but we get a little more to go on here. Though Lila is my favorite Kell is a close second. He's so loyal to his brother and seeing the way the royal family treats him hurts my heart so much. I hate that Kell feels he doesn't belong. I love seeing him open up with Lila though. Like he feels a little more like he belongs with the girl from a different world. I really want a short story of them on a pirate ship fighting against, ya know pirates, with magic and daggers and a coat with multiple sides and a dark mask.Can we get a graphic novel of this please?

The story started out a little slow for me but it didn't take long for it to pick up. We get so much more magic in this book! The tournament is absolutely brilliant and it kept me on my toes the entire book!!! I loved the parts where we got to see what was going on in white London. That place gives me that creeps. But like the first book everything flows together. Holes that were left open in the first story start to fill in this one, we get to see more of the characters every day lives, and lots of sword fights. The swords and daggers have got to be my favorite part of this series. 

I loved this book. If you haven't read this series than I suggest you go pick them up. Victoria Schwab's writing is amazing and the characters in this story are so lovable. Also did I mention sword fights and magic?

Book Review: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

Author: Morgan Matson

Genre: Contemporary

Published: 2016

This book came highly recommended and I ended up reading it with my book club - The  Readers Guild. Though I enjoyed the characters I felt that there were parts of the story that were unnecessary. Like the author was just fulfilling a page count.

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Andie had it all planned out. 

When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. 

And where’s the fun in that?

My Review:

Our main character is Andie. She has everything planned down to the last minute. She kind of reminded me of me and my tendencies to worry about things four years in the future. I liked Andie. I liked her character development, the way she forgives her dad without holding a grudge, the way she loves her friends. I liked her. I didn't like her type A personality (sorry to all type A people out there). It ruined a lot of things for her that I felt were obvious mistakes. I struggled connecting with that part of her character. 

Okay so Clark. First off THE NAME!! I don't know about you but my future child will be named Clark. Also HE WRITES FANTASY BOOKS!! I mean come on that has got to be the greatest things about this book. We see a writer with  a main character that doesn't read with a boyfriend on the bestseller list. Andie's reactions to Clark's nerdy shirts, references, and movies. Her walking into a book signing. I thought it was hilarious because I 'm sure half the time that's how people see me. Clark was nerdy and sweet and definitely my favorite character in the story.

I loved the character development throughout the story. How Andie started to mellow out and you got to see her discover a new part of herself. And Clark with his writers block and seeing him share that part of him with Andie. I love Tom, Bri, Toby, and Palmer. Their friendship throughout the story was awesome and made me slightly jealous. This book had a lot to give with it's characters and I really liked that. 

Why I took away two stars - As I said I loved the characters, but the story line not so much. This book started slow for me. It took me a good fifty pages (if not more) to get into Andie's story. It felt like there were parts of the story that were just fill ins like Morgan Matson had a beginning and an end planned and just winged it for the middle. 

I also didn't like the six chapters before the last two. I know that's confusing but I did like how it ended  I just didn't like how we got there. I felt like you could see exactly how this was going to go before it got there. I didn't like seeing Andie grow so much  through the book and then having a freak out right before the end. It just didn't seem to fit and I felt like it was just to make the story longer.

This was my first Morgan Matson book and contemporary is my least favorite genre but I'd definitely read more of her books. If you enjoy contemporary than I recommend you try this one. 

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Author: Victoria Schwab

Genre: Fantasy

Published: 2015

In the year and a half I've been on Instagram I've heard so many things about Victoria Schwab's writing. I never really thought to pick up the book or check out the synopsis. I just thought 'that's a nice cover'. I got an ARC of the second book last fall and it had been sitting on my shelf since. This summer I wanted to kill some of the books on my TBR shelf so I picked up the first book, A Darker Shade of Magic. My life will never be the same.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.

Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to take her with him for her proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save both his London and the others, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — a feat trickier than they hoped.

My Review:

First off the setting. I love London. I've never been but in every story I've ever read with London it has been perfect. In this story there are not one BUT three (technically four) London's. Grey, Red, White, (and black) London. I loved all of them. I loved how each London had it's own feel. It's own set of rules. You would think having Four London's in a story would be confusing but it worked so well. Each place was cutthroat and amazing in it's own way. Except grey London. It was just cutthroat. 

The magic. This story has got such a unique take on magic. In this book magic is not something that is in everyone. It's a living thing. There is no language for magic it is a give and take relationship. It's like a person and it must be commanded or you will be consumed by it. In red London magic is like breathing. In Grey it simply doesn't exist. In White the people fight it. In Black the magic has consumed everything. Now there's magic and then there's Antari. Kell is one of the last two Antari's to exist. Antari's can perform all the forms of magic including blood magic which allows you to travel between worlds. 

Let me just take a moment to fangirl over my new favorite female character. OH MY GOSH! LILA WAS AMAZING! She was so tough and didn't need anyone but at the same time she could be vulnerable. Her character development throughout the story was perfect. She went from someone who felt nothing for anyone to someone who would fight for her friends. So in some stories your female dresses in pants and acts all weird and strong and it just feels so unnatural. Not this story. Lila may not wear a dress and she may be able  to handle a knife like no one else but she's also got style. She's sleek and graceful, smart and quick on her feet. She knows when to give in and when it's time to push back. She's now one of my top five female characters. Victoria Schwab did an amazing job writing her. 

Everything in this story just flowed together so well. Kell and Lila's friendship. The way the magic worked as more of a living thing than a spell you cast.  The way the story builds up and leaves you with so much anticipation. Victoria Schwab writes so well. She can drop hints and clues like Marvel: you don't get it till after it happens. There's no holes in this story. No moments of utter confusion as you try to keep up with all the information and different worlds. Everything just works together so perfectly and *cries*

I LOVED this story. I was left with this perfect contentment and a craving for more (as contradictory as that sounds). I'm recommending this story to anyone who loves magic, quirky characters, and lots of sword fights. Now excuse me while I go start the second book. 

A GIF Review: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

I've never tried to write a review for The Lunar Chronicles because all it would be is a very long post that was full of: OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK! YOU HAVE TO READ IT! IT'S SO GOOD!!!! But since this is the last book (brush away tears) I thought I'd do a post to say goodbye. So here is a few Gif's for every story in this 369 page goodbye to The Lunar Chronicles.


The Keeper

A story about Michelle Benoit and all she did to save the Lunar princess.

Glitches

A short story about Cinder as a child

pretty much it was all

The Queen's Army

Little Wolf I'm sorry

Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky 

I mean seriously how could this part not make you feel so happy and proud and slightly sad. Yeah lots of sadness in this book

After Sunshine Passes By

Little Cress with her anxiety and insecurities 

                                         

The Princess and The Guard

Winter is so strong and Jacin is always there for her

                      

The Little Android

A little Mermaid retelling?!? Bonus! And the writing was so beautiful 

                                       

The Mechanic 

Cinder and Kai's meeting from the Prince's perspective? Yes please

                                           

Something Old, Something New

I just... I'm sorry but on a scale of one to even I can't 

                                        

                                          

                                          

                                          

                                          

And there you have it. 

All my feels over the last book in The Lunar Chronicles. 

I'm just gonna sit here and wait for the graphic novels now.