Always and Forever, Lara Jean

                Hello happy readers!  I am excited for the weekend, mostly because I'm off and don't have to work.  I also no longer have to worry about mowing or vacuuming which were on my to-do list because my chiropractor said don't do it and I have to listen to his orders.  Which means he wants me to rest and relax so I hope to get some reading/listening down and that is always a win!  Last weekend was very fruitful as I was able to finish up two audiobooks.  One of which is the final book in a series I have read this year, Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han.  I reviewed the previous books here:  To All the Boys I've Loved Before  and P.S. I Still Love You. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                We left off Lara Jean and things are good.  She is in her senior year with everything going great from school, prom, trips, her father finally found someone who makes him happy again, and oh yeah her boyfriend Peter is amazing.  She has plans to go to her dream college which is close enough she'll be home on weekends never going far from the family.  She has everything planned out.  Until the unexpected happens and the girl who doesn't like change has to rethink her future plans that cause her head and her heart to go in different directions. 

                So Lara Jean and Peter found their way back to one another and now they are stronger than ever.  Peter is so amazing.  Seriously I had my doubts at one point but he gets Lara Jean in a way others don't.  He can tell when she needs an out or just needs some support.  He knows how much her family means to her and works to be there for them too and to me that just makes him for me.  They are so normal and sweet.  High school sweet hearts who have so much going for them and wanting to make it work but as life starts to pull them in different directions they have to work harder to keep to their plans.  So many couples in high school face the option of doing long distance or ending things and it felt so normal to have this struggle. 

                The struggle of course is only compounded by their own unique circumstances.  Lara Jean never saw herself leaving home.  She loved her family and wants to continue to be super close with them and be there for her youngest sisters firsts as she grows up.  I loved that the idea of going to a college further away was a struggle but not just over a boy.  While love can make it a tough decision it had more going for it.  She has her family to think about and her own levels of comfort.  She would be somewhere completely new all alone and that can be scary for anyone.  Lara Jean is a lover for sure but she has much more going for her and considers everything.

                The in and out of the sisters and how they are dealing as life continues on with Margo coming to visit and seeing all that has changed.  Family dynamics change as new people come and go from our lives.  I think this was a beautifully rounded story about the every changing moments of our lives and the choices we make giving the risks, struggles, and rewards of it all.  It was so full of love, heart break, friendship, excitement, and growth.  Lara Jean and Peter have come a long way.  He has really been a catalyst for her to grow into the woman she was meant to become.  Seeing the world through her eyes was so much fun and experiencing all the huge senior moments with her was icing on the cake!

                This was a wonderful heartfelt series I just adore.  I was so happy I could listen to all of them pretty quickly without waiting.  I was happy to connect with Lara Jean and her crazy passionate life!  I am even more thrilled that I finished them before the movie comes out as I keep seeing trailers for it pop up on all my social media!  Now I can sit back and enjoy in a different format!

                Until next time…

~Can't Wait Wednesday: War Storm (Red Queen #4)~

                Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings.  Waiting on Wednesday has been don for some time so I am switching it up for now!  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

War Storm (Red Queen #4) by Victoria Aveyard

Out: 5/15  

From Goodreads:

                Victory comes at a price.

                Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal’s betrayal nearly destroyed her.  Now determined to protect her heart—and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her—Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all…starting with the crown on Maven’s head.

                But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her.  Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force.  But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything—and everyone—in his path.

                War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance.  Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms?  Or will the little lightening girl be forever silenced?

                In this epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard’s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power…for all will be tested, but not all will survive.

Why I’m Waiting:

                 So I just finished King’s Cage last week and I held off on reading it because I knew there was a cliff hanger ending and I wanted to wait as long as possible.  Now here I am caught up and needing to know what happens next because that ending really ticked me off! 

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your CWW as well so I can check it out.

Succubus Revealed (Georgina Kincaid #6)

                Hello happy readers!  I finally finished reviewing the whole Georgina Kincaid series!  I literally finished books 5 and 6 in the same day forgoing sleep to finish.  Yes I was obsessed with finding out how it ended.  I'm excited to have them all up now and if you need a refresher here are my thoughts on Succubus Revealed the final book and overall thoughts on the series.  If you missed it I previously reviewed all the books:  SuccubusBlues, Succubus on Top, City of Demons & Succubus Dreams, Succubus Heat, and SuccubusShadows.

Rating: 5 Stars

                This is what it all comes down to.  Georgina has been a succubus for a long time and lived many lives.  She finally has the man she loves and while there are complications things are on the up-swing.  Until she gets papers of transfer to what would normally be a desirable destination….Vegas.  While it might be a dream gig it pulls her away from her friends and life she has built, but most importantly Seth.  There is just something suspicious about everything and if there is every a snowballs chance in hell of getting out of this business she is going to try.

                This is it.  The culmination of all the other stories and what is to become of our favorite succubus and her favorite author.  We have been waiting for it through five previous books and I was glued in through it all.  I will say this one has more emotional action / drama rather than physical action but it was very rewarding for me.  I had a lot of the plot figured out early on, some I suspected from previous book and some hints but it became apparent to me very early in this book what took them much longer to figure out.  Still even when I knew watching them come up with it and then come to terms with what it meant was a roller coaster.  Ups and downs that had you unsure what way was up at points.  Georgina is always so strong and ready for anything but you see that there are times when even she is scared to face things.  I loved seeing the juxtaposition in her and how everything from the previous stories had been building to this moment.  Little bread crumbs along the way.  I love when a story is so well set up that you can look back to the first book and see certain things in a different light. 

                There is still the zanny and snazzy lines we love from our characters and their care free attitudes for many things to compliment the more emotional side of things.  I loved getting to see more with the Mortensen women because they were always so much fun.  The girls just touched your heart and I loved their interaction with Georgina.  I also enjoyed getting to see more with Peter, Cody, Hugh, Carter, and Roman.  Roman really turned a corner in the last book for me and I wasn’t sure if he was going to revert in this final installment or not but I am glad to see his character developed the way he did.  Of course Carter is amazing for me, I loved the idea of having an angel hanging out in the crew of hellish creatures.  We also got to meet some new lesser immortals in Vegas and the return of Bast, whom I was on the fence about. I really enjoyed the mystery of this story and how it has been building since book one and the payoff was everything to me in the end and I am happy.  That said I still have some questions about a few things that I would have liked more on just because I’m curious but overall the important things were there.  I think the book could have been a bit longer and the end had a bit of a rush to it for me mainly because I still have some questions.  None of this will detract any points because this story as a whole gave me so much more than I could have asked for I just wanted more.  But that seems to be the way with books we love.

                Now I have a few things I need to discuss that are total spoilers for the books and series.  So don’t continue on if you haven’t finished the series. 

SPOILERS

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Seriously this is you last warning!!!

                So he always thought they were connected.  Her past loves.  Seth and her first husband, the name I can’t spell since I listened to the audiobook.  But I knew from book one there was a connection stronger and as the series developed I saw hints all over the place.  When Seth got her a ring in style to her original wedding ring.  Him calling her his world.  The Maddie thing (she slept with his best friend in the first life and he slept with hers in this one) the parallel was real and while I hated it the parallel is what made me understand it better but more when he finally explained himself at the end of the last book in his note.  I just love it.  I love that they finally got to have their fresh start. 

                But now onto questions I still have.  I want to know what happened, for sure with Roman and Yasmine.  I want to wish for the best and until I hear otherwise they are okay.  Side note I loved that they brought Yasmine back.  What else…oh yeah what about Bast?  Did we ever find out if he was truly her friend who was lying under orders thinking it was no big deal or did he know the part he was playing?  What became of Jerome, did he get to keep his gig or did someone else take over Seattle?  If so who?  Also what about Niphon and his major screw up?  I hope he got blasted for all the torment, Jerome too.  And to think I liked him and she SAVED him.  Moving on, so she has leave Seattle which makes sense what Carter told her but the family is still there so they will make visits to see the girls and all so they could still be friends just on the down low right?  I am going with yes!  Because another big question is what about Kayla?  With them gone who is going to teach Kayla about her gift so she understands what she sees?  Also I would have LOVED a scene with them at the end with Georgina as a human and what difference Kayla sees in her.  I want to say that Carter keeps popping in and checking on them (and sending new pony toys for the stable) to keep his vow because what happens to him now.  He has been here this whole time to save her and that just made me feel amazing his final endearment “Daughter of man” just made my heart swell.  And last that I can think of at the moment:  Maddie and Doug.  I’m glad Georgina and Doug made up and we learned that Maddie ended up meeting someone which I’m happy about and it’s silly but we never find out if Doug got Georgina’s old job and I wanted to make sure the shop was in good hands!

END OF SPOILERS!!!

                Okay so that was the does it for my thoughts on the whole series. I don’t know if there was one thing that got me so deeply involved in this series, more so than I have been in one for some time but I love it.  This series is one I will forever look back on with affection and love and will re-read in the future for sure.  I can’t wait to get a few of my friends to read these so we can discus though it will be a struggle to keep my lips sealed!  I highly recommend this series!

                Until next time…

Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker #3)

                Hello happy readers!  So today I have my thoughts on a series ender I have been meaning to read for a while and finally did.  I read the first book of the trilogy and loved it.  Same for book two until the end just broke me and left me nervous about continuing on.  Then my bestie wanted to borrow a book and saw the cover for book one and asked if I had read this series (because yes I have plenty of books on my shelves I haven’t read and thus not a huge fan of loaning out those until I have read them first) and I had the first couple so I let her borrow book one.  I had planned to read the final book this year anyways so this would give me incentive.  Mind you the last time she was reading a book it took forever and a day for me to be able to talk about it but this one she flew through in a couple days.  So I had to get on it and that weekend at work I finally read the amazing finale for the Worldwalker trilogy by Josephine Angelini, Witch’s Pyre.  I have previously reviewed the first books:  Trial by Fire & Firewalker.

 Rating:  5 Willstones

                Lily has come a long way from the sick girl she used to be in the world we know.  She has traveled worlds, gained power as a witch, become a leader, and faced dangerous travels and battles.  She has also lost a lot.  Her first crush and best friend and in a different way the man she loves after he betrayed her in the worst possible way.  Now Lily and her coven are introduced to a new society unlike anything they have ever seen.  A society that lives with the Woven but something isn’t right in the perfect utopia and Lily is determined to find the answer.  Along the way she begins to uncover a deeper truth.  There is still nuclear war to be prevented and many sides to fight on.  Can Lily find a way to victory that doesn’t turn her into the tyrannical other her, Lillian or cost the lives of all those she cares for?

                So when I went into this book I was nervous.  At the end of the last book Rowan did something horrible.  He betrayed her in the worst possible way to me.  He took her will stones from her and locked her in a cage.  Knowing that she was still haunted by her last similar encounter and promising to protect her from such a fate being the one to do it made him dead in my eyes.  So I was worried he’d show up and magically be forgiven and all is well.  I wasn’t near ready to forgive him.  Even waiting almost two years between books as soon as I saw his name my anger was right back at peak level for him.  But I was so thrilled that the story didn’t go that way.  There was so much happening and I loved the way things played out.

               

                This new city that has been thriving all these years.  The discovery of a whole world who knew they were there but didn’t try to help.  There is a lot going on and a lot of mystery and intrigue happening.  I liked getting to know more about the others and the coven bond as it grew stronger for some and weaker for others.  When Rowan did show up, because we knew he was, it was natural for me.  The way the story plays out is so much better than I could have imagined.  There is the conflict outside our little coven from all the challenges they face but also within as everyone in the coven has their own baggage and thus react differently to things. 

                I really enjoyed getting to see a wider aspect of the world in this book.  We see the west coast but we also learn about how the rest of the world is doing.  It is such a vast contract to how they were doing in the colonies.  We also got to learn more about the Woven and the different types and what makes them unique.  We traveled a ton and used up some serious magic as the plots were uncovered.  It was a thrill ride for me.  I got the character work I have come to love in this series but I also got the action we expect as the series comes to an end and so many irons are in the fire.  Battle is on the horizon and lines have been drawn. 

               

                I saw several things coming from the start but others caught me off guard in the best way.  There was death and tears but also life and joy.  I covered the emotional spectrum in this for sure.  The end was very fitting and really encompassed what we had been building towards.  There is a real payoff in the end and while I would love to go back into the world and continue to see the “after” and more from those who made it I am also completely at ease with the end.  There was nothing that was really left hanging everything was pretty much covered and I am so happy with how things happened.  So many characters got some great arcs overall with real depth.  It was amazing.  I highly recommend this series!!!

                Until next time…

~Can't Wait Wednesday~ The Emerald Sea (The Glittering Court #3)

                Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings.  Waiting on Wednesday has been don for some time so I am switching it up for now!  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

The EmeraldSea (The Glittering Court #3) by Richelle Mead

Out: 6/26 

From Goodreads:

                The dazzling conclusion to #1 New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead’s The Glittering Court series.

                Meet Tamsin, the Glittering Court’s hard-angled emerald.  Her outsized aspirations make her a fierce competitor, rising to the top of the ranks.  But when the ship she boards for the New World is tragically lost at sea, she is quite literally thrown off-course.

Why I’m Waiting:

                Auto-buy author.  I have enjoyed this series and I know where the tale starts and where it ends but there are so many questions about what happened between points A and B that need to be answered!  Plus another series ender and I'm feeling really confident with those right now!!!

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

Frost Like Night (Snow Like Ashes #3)

                Hello Happy Readers!  So I had been waiting for this book,  Frost Like Night (Snow Like Ashes #3) for a long time.  It is the final book by Sara Raasch is the final book in the series.  I had started reading this series (Snow Like Ashes / Ice Like Fire) and really enjoyed it but more than that I was nervous to see how they were going to wrap it all up.  I finished the series some time back but as I was going through and making my 2018 goals I realized there were several books I read in the last year or so that I never did review and I set to rectify that.  I had the pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of this book through No BS Book Reviews and the original review is posted there but this one was too good not to share on here as well. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                I read the first two books in this series earlier in the year and was blown away.  I could not wait for the final book to see how things would wrap up and if I would be right about a few things I had predicted.  OMG was I stoked to get my hands on this one! 

                So excited to dive in and see how it ends….and also not wanting to all at the same time.  I didn’t want it to end.       I managed to push though that last part clearly and now I know how things end and WOW! 

                We left our gang last time split up.  Angra is alive and the Decay is spreading.  Meira split off to go to Paisly to learn from the Order to use her magic and stop Angra while Mather is to free her people that he can, his Thaw.  Still given the past he is unable to not go after her again.  Half of their world is fighting to save their people while the other half seem to have given into Angra by will or force.  It’s a final battle for everything and no one is safe. 

                I LOVED IT! 

                Everything is happening very quickly in the book.  There is constantly something happening and it really adds the feel of imminent threat to the characters we love.  Even more with the dual POVs when one character is doing something that takes some time another character is handling something pressing.  It also manages to weave in the bits of happiness and romance amongst all the pain and tears we are faced with. The way Raasch manages to combine all the different emotions and make them feel natural is stellar work.  The bits of happiness that made me squeal weren’t out of place in the middle of war but written in such a way they are curtail and not just because I want to know if Meira and Mather will ever have their moment or if Ceridwen will find happiness but because like life there is always bits of everything mixed in.  Hope in the dark.

                Magic takes on a larger role in this one.  Meira really begins to understand.  We begin to see magic for what it truly is and I enjoyed the way it was further explained both good and bad.  The way the Decay worked was really rather fascinating, never knowing 100% if it’s the person's true desires being amplified or simply being weaker willed and easily controlled.  With the Decay it's hard to know who can be trusted, even yourself.  I loved that no one was really truly immune.  Also as Meira learns more about her own magic it really moved things along, not just in giving her a real show against Angra but in how it was centered around her emotions.  It was really empowering seeing her go from shut off and somewhat broken to facing what is on the other side of her mental walls and accepting it good and bad. 

                We also talk a lot about sacrifice.  It's been a theme for sure but now we come to what it will truly take.  I enjoyed how it was huge and important but it also wasn’t beaten into the ground.  It's discussed and thought about often but in small parts, as one might assume it would be.  Sacrifice is also seen in other ways as well and I enjoyed the other aspects of it, how it's about letting yourself be open even if it makes you vulnerable and may hurt you in the end. 

                Now I have to talk a moment about Mather.  So I was always a Mather fan.  I was a bit mad at him at times, like when he went to go marry her off and all that when he was king to name one but while I had moments and enjoyed Theron in parts I always had a bit of me rooting for Mather.  It was so nice to see them spend time together in this book where they spent most of the other book apart.  I enjoyed that reconnecting and seeing the connection they shared from growing up together and knowing one another so well.  He is devoted to her not just as her warrior but as her friend.  I also loved that while he would defend her with his life he also knows she is a warrior herself and wouldn't try to see her as anything less. 

                There is just so much happening in this book. It's the end.  Things wrap up and for me I was happy.  Some things broke my heart and I hated the book for those moments but then after I had a few tissues I had to keep going to know, what next?  It has it all, a real roller coaster of emotion.  We got to know some characters more fully flushed out, Ceridwen for one might be my favorite addition to book two and having so much from her perspective wonderful. 

                I was sad to see it end but I'm so fulfilled it's all good.             

         

Crowned (Beholder #4)

                Hello happy readers!  Life around the holidays has been kind of crazy, go figure.  That said I was able to curl up and cuddle with my cat and finish a new release that has been on my anticipated release list for some time.  It is the final book in the Beholder series by Christina Bauer, Crowned.  I previously reviewed all of the books: Cursed, Concealed, and  Cherished 

Rating:  5 Stars

                So when we left off Elea and Rowan are together with a goal to save the world by preventing Viktor’s invasion.  That means finding the Sword of Theodora, the only weapon that will kill Viktor without killing herself.  Though on the eve of battle Elea begins to realize that her enemies may be far more powerful than him, but the Sire and the Lady as well.  With the battle coming at her on all sides she must fight and with her mate and others she loves she is ready to give it her all.

                This is what it has all been building towards.  We know the gateways need power and everyone seems to think that means Elea.  Petra sure is determined that she will be the one to die for the recharging and is willing to do anything to convince her of this.  So what do you do when you have many questions and a limited amount of time to figure things out?  You use what you got.  In this case you ask the trickster gods for help during a celebration and hope they grant your boon.  Still even if they do, they are tricksters and they don’t do anything for free.

                I was nervous going in worried how things would end for my Elea and Rowan because something always seems to come between them and their happy ending.  I also on principle never trust deals made as there are always loopholes.  So dealing with tricksters I knew something would go wrong and I was right.  I was even so proud of her for her attention to detail but sigh the tricksters are good at tricks.  Their tricks though about broke my heart many times over.  As I read I just couldn’t believe it and kept reading until I got to the next page.

                Things happen real fast and you never lose the momentum.  It is a constant rollercoaster of action and suspense as you unravel the secrets and mysteries surrounding this comment and the gates.  Nothing is easy and hard decisions are plentiful.  Everyone has really come a long way in the series and I am sad to see it end.  We got to meet new characters, learn about a whole new people and of course work to save the world.  Crowned worked to resolve many open storylines as well as giving up more to feast on.  I was very happy with the end of this book and this series, if only that I was sad to see the end.  I also wish there was a bit more to the end as I am sure some of the after effects would have been interesting to watch.  That said I have recently seen there is going to be an epilogue novella so yay!  That said even with the upcoming epilogue these four books are very satisfying and I would highly recommend them for a marathon they are set up perfectly for that! 

                Until next time…

~Can't Wait Wednesday~ The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3)

                Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings.  Waiting on Wednesday has been don for some time so I am switching it up for now!  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3) by Elise Kova

Out:  12/5

From Goodreads:

                A new rebellion rises from the still-smoldering remnants of the five guilds of Loom to stand against Dragon tyranny.  Meanwhile, on Nova, those same Dragons fight amongst themselves, as age-old power struggles shift the political landscape in fateful and unexpected ways  Unlikely leaders vie for the opportunity to shape a new world order from the perfect clockwork designs of one temperamental engineer.

                This is the final installment of USA Today bestselling author Elise Kova's Loom Saga, THE REBELS OF GOLD will reveal the fate of Loom's brilliantly contrasting world and its beloved inhabitants.

Why I’m Waiting:

                I LOVE this series!  I am so ready for this to hit audible so I can finish this series up and find out what is happening to my characters.  Last book left several characters in bad places so this is making me anxious!!! Already have it pre-ordered and ready to go!

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.  Also as tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the states I will not be posting Friday but did want to take a moment to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday.  

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands #3)

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands #3) by Alwyn Hamilton

Out:  3/6             

From Goodreads:

                The breathless finale to the New York Times bestselling Rebel of the Sands series will have you on the edge of your seat until the dust from the final battle clears!

                When gunslinging Amani Al’Hiza escaped her dead-end town, she never imagined she’d join a revolution, let alone lead one.  But after the bloodthirsty Sultan of Miraji imprisoned the Rebel Prince Ahmed in the mythical city of Eremot, she doesn’t have a choice.  Armed with only her revolver, her wits, and her untamable Demdji powers, Amani must rally her skeleton crew of rebels for a rescue mission through the unforgiving desert to a place that, according to maps, doesn’t exist.  As she watches those she loves most lay their lives on the line against ghouls and enemy soldiers, Amani questions whether she can be the leader they need or if she is leading them all to their deaths.

Why I’m Waiting:

                I read the other books in the series back to back a couple months back and really enjoyed them.  I am invested in the characters and the story.  I’m excited to see what happens next. 

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

Cover Reveal: The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3)

                Hello happy readers!  So with Irma making my town go crazy and the back and forth on what path and the impact my area will suffer is making normal life difficult.  I am hoping for the best in my area and living life as normal as possible until I have more information.  That said today I am happy to share the cover release of a highly anticipated book for me, The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3) by Elise Kova.  That’s right I loved and reviewed TheAlchemists of Loom and The Dragons ofNova here this year and can’t believe I will be getting the final book in the trilogy The Rebels of Gold this year as well!

                This is awesome!!!  Seriously one of my most anticipated reads!  Well sort of I listed to the first two audiobooks and I kind of want to finish off the series in audiobook form just because they were so enjoyable! 

Title:  The Rebels of Gold

Series:  The Loom Saga (Book 3 / Final book)

Release Date:  December 5, 2017

                A new rebellion rises from the still-smoldering remnants of the five guilds of Loom to stand against Dragon tyranny.  Meanwhile, on Nova, those same Dragons fight amongst themselves, as age-old power struggles shift the political landscape in fateful and unexpected ways.  Unlikely leaders vie for the opportunity to shape a new world order from the perfect clockwork designs of one temperamental engineer. 

                This is the final installment of USA Today bestselling author Elise Kova’s Loom Saga, The Rebels of Gold will reveal the fate of Loom’s brilliantly contrasting world and its beloved inhabitants.

***** 

               To celebrate the final book in the Loom Saga, the first book, The Alchemists of Loom, is on sale!  The ebook is on sale for $3.99! 

               Now for those of you who love book swag, there is some pretty cool pre-order swag available as well.  For those who preorder The Rebels of Gold, they can get exclusive swag.  All the details can be found here.  I’d love to hear your thoughts on the gorgeous cover, your thoughts on the series thus far, or even theories for the final book and how things will wrap up.  Share in the comments below so we can discuss! 

Pre-order THE REBELS OF GOLD from:

| AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY |
| BOOKS A MILLION |
(more pre-order locations to come)

Wayfarer (Passenger #2)

                Hello happy readers!  It was a very long weekend for me at work and before I retire for to my bed for the day (night shift vampire) I wanted to share my thoughts on a new release and series ender I finished, Wayfarer (Passenger #2) by Alexandra Bracken.  This is the second and final book in the Passenger duology and picks up where we left off in Passenger (review).  Spoilers ahead for book one, if you don't know the easiest way to describe it is a scavenger hunt across the globe and time. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                So in Passenger we left off in a bit of a mess.  Etta had been gravely injured and thrown through time and away from the man she loves, Nicholas.  Etta finds herself with Julian Ironwood, the last person she expected to ever find alive.  She is unsure whom to trust in this world where warring families have been having it out through time for power and she is still so new to everything it's hard to know who she can trust besides Nicholas.  Nicholas had tracked down the treacherous Sophia and finding her in bad shape demanded she live to fight on and help him find the missing astrolabe and with it Etta.  He doesn't believe he will ever trust her but the enemy of my enemy is my friend and all.  They both must make their way through time in search of each other and so much more.

                In Passenger we spend so much time building this amazing world with the rules of the traveling game and getting to know the different characters on the ride of a lifetime.  We get to watch Etta and Nicholas grow close and fall in love and just adore them!  Then they are ripped apart and all you want is for them to magically get back to one another ASAP and then worry about the rest of the major issues in the world.  So when they don't get back together after the first few chapters I knew I would more than likely be suffering for some time as they journeyed towards one another.  It was both beautiful and painful.  It was so beautiful to see how they were separately, to see how they thought of the other no matter the distance, how the other stuck with them through it all in some small part.  Remembering things taught to you by the other and using that knowledge to hold onto…well it just made me so so happy but also so sad because OMG did I want them to get back together all the time!

                 Aside from trying to find one another we are trying to reclaim the astrolabe.  Keeping it out of Ironwoods hands seems to be the only thing most everyone agrees on.  What to do with it after is up for debate.  We see much more of the Thorns and what they stand for and aim to do.  The different timelines and the whole chaos of trying to fix timelines and such is so incredible and complex yet it still manages to make sense.  I was floored.  To be able to write this world and keep everything straight is an impressive feat so huge kudos to Bracken for managing this.   

                We have some new characters, and some old ones we just got to know more about.  Favorite new addition was Li Min.  She is pretty awesome, I love her crafty side.  I liked getting to see a deeper and more real side of Sophia as well.  She was just this teachers pet for most of the previous book trying to impress grandfather and a thorn in my side.  Now she has depth and purpose.  Julian, previously thought dead, was nice as well.  He was what I expected of him.  He wasn't evil or even horrible more that he was caught up in himself to much to see things in front of him.  Though seeing him learn and grow was rewarding.  I also loved the moments with Etta and her father.  Those, while I didn't trust them at first, were so precious.  The duet moment.  Sigh.

                 I liked the combo of Nicholas and Sophia as it went on and she grew on me.  She is fierce and determined and balances things out.  She's the more vicious and blood thirsty of the two which was funny.  Then when Li Min was added the trio became amazing to read.  I loved the interactions and banter between them.  On the flip side I liked how Etta interacted with everyone, experiencing so many new wonders in traveling.  The time with her dad was great reading but seeing her mom again.  That first scene felt so legit.  All the raging emotions fighting for dominance for her and for the reader as we try to figure out how we feel.  I loved it. 

                This book had a lot of ground to cover.  It managed to close out the series so beautifully.  I was biting my nails until the very end.  I had so many emotions I was texting my friend who had finished it a few days before my thoughts as I read.  Wayfarer was a huge success in my book.  I had so many of my questions answered and so so much more.  This book took the beautiful world we came to love in Passenger and made it more vivid and flushed out before ending the main storyline in a way that really left me happy.  It left me feeling hopeful.  I loved it and highly recommend this series! 

                Until next time…

Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bones #3)

                Hello happy readers!  Another series I finished at the end of 2016 and also something that really got me into audiobook as more than just in the car type of things is Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.  Now I enjoyed reading the first book but when I went to the audiobook for the sequel having trips and lots of hours in a car planned I think I enjoyed it a bit more.  So when it came time to finish out the series with Dreams of Gods and Monsters, you know I had to audiobook it.  So I’m happy to share my thoughts and feels on the last book I finished in 2016.  I previously reviewed Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight. 

Rating:  5 Bruxis

                So when we left off in Days of Blood & Starlight Karou had just ended the evil and horrid Thiago and worked the best out of it placing sweet Ziri inside the body to help steer the course into something that will not destroy everyone.  The deception is hard, maintaining expectations while trying to be different is a delicate line.  Enemies must work together to fight a larger threat with Jael with his Razgut helper and his army have made it into the human world causing a large amount of trouble.  So much is happening you need to buckle up.

                Like the first two books there is just something beautiful about the writing.  It's lyrical almost.  I love it.  High props to that and the audiobook was on point I loved the different accents and voices used for the characters and given that characters are from different worlds and places I thought it was well done.  My favorite voice was Zuzana though!  OMG I loved when she came on, not just because she might be my favorite character but the voice used for her just made me want to keep hearing more.  Seriously as Zuzana and Mik were the resident humans I connected with them, well that and they were just so darn cute.  Even when things got super bad and intense they stood by Karou!  That is serious friendship.  They also offer great comedic relief, they know they aren't warriors like everyone surrounding them but they are not easily dissuaded and speak their mind.  Plus the tasks Mik is set to complete, awe! 

                We also get to meet a new character in this, Eliza.  She has a secretive back story from the start and you want to know more and see how she will play in and interact with the story as a whole.  We also see more of others we only heard about, the Stelians.  With them comes so much more information about the world as a whole things are not just Eretz and human world but much much larger.  Added more depth to the story and for the most part I enjoyed them, though I did have some lingering questions. 

               Ziri was a huge favorite as well last book and in this, finally having lost his original form, to give it up the last of his kind to become someone so evil and hateful.  It was so bittersweet to see Ziri as Thiago.  His personality is just so much different from his and to be stuck without wings when you long to fly would be hardest of all.  Ziri is doing the best he can for his people no matter the cost.  Liraz also grew on me.  I enjoyed her well enough in the last book but she was still a bit too standoffish to really get to know and while she is still her, we see so much more of her.  Losing Hazael in the last book really hit her hard.  Seeing more from her perspective and her interactions with some of the characters really made me ache for her as well.  Towards the end though….just wow.

                This all started and I fell in love with the quote.  So of course Karou and Akiva are front and center.  Both are leaders of their own people.  Karou, secretly anyways, leading the chimaera and Akiva with the Misbegotten.  Things between them are so difficult.  So much in the way but yet you see the yearning on both sides.  Seeing from both POVs and seeing what the other wants and thinks and how actions are perceived you just want to reach into the book and push them together to talk!  Their moments are so heartbreakingly sweet.  I love their story and how no matter the challenges and hardships they still have hope. 

                This series was amazing.  I had a few unanswered questions at the end which I would like to have more clarification on.  Especially some of the newer information we were given into the world as a whole I wish we had more time to learn more but I'm not unhappy.  Just questions I would like to know like what ever happened to the ill fated Kaz from book one did her get his?  What about Eliza's so called family, we learned about them and their desires but what happened to them.  Plus the ending left in a way that there could have been so many more stories told.  Still while it gave us something to imagine in the future it also gave us a sense of closure. 

                I am so glad to have finally read this series last year.  I had been meaning to for so long but the size intimidated me.  Now having read them I wish I could re-read/listen to them again for the first time all over.  I'm sure when I re-read in the future I'll pick up even more of the tiny details that I didn't quite notice the first time, and I can't wait.  I enjoyed the characters, the world, the story.  No matter what is going on it always seemed that hope was a resounding point of the story and that is beautiful.  I'd love to hear your thoughts and feels below. 

                Until next time…

The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4)

                Hello happy readers!  My first review of 2017 was Blue Lily, Lily Blue where I admit I had almost skipped over it and went right for the finale, The Raven King but had to back track a bit.  Now a little while later I am happy to finally get to post that review of the fourth and final book in the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven King.  Spoilers ahead for the series thus far, duh. 

Rating:  5 Ravens

                So I dove into this audiobook ready and nervous.  I wanted to see where all these books and stories and events would lead my friends.  Because they had become my friends through it all.  I cared for each of them deeply and I worried if what I knew from book one was to truly come to pass or if there was a way around it.  I had hope but I also had this leery sense not everyone would make it out happy and unscathed.  So I listened carefully and dreamed this world as Stiefvater painted it before my eyes.

                I loved this book.  This series.  Basically everything I said last week about Blue Lily, Lily Blue here is still true.  The characters are a real strong point.  You are so deeply invested in your core you feel everything with them.  I loved getting to know more of Henry Cheng, he was just entertaining and the way he talked and thought.  So very much like one of our group.  Artemus, Blue's daddy, is interesting to say the least.  He's a bit off.  I am glad though that Maura didn't go searching for him to be with him, I much prefer her assassin boyfriend but still it was nice for Blue to get to meet him and for her mother to have a sense of closure.  Plus Orphan Girl whom we’ve seen bits and pieces of since book two   We also got to see more of the world of Ronan's father and in part more of Declan. 

                Relationships.  That is how I would describe this book.  Magical.  Unique. Amazing.  Beautiful.  So many things encompass this series but I feel it was the relationships.  Between friends.  Between lovers.  Between family.  Between you and your past.  Between you and a place, it all comes down to relationships.  I could talk about the group: Blue, Gansey, Ronan, and Adam for hours and never fully grasp the depth of it.  It just is.  Now I was sad to see less of Noah with him fading away but he was still there in their hearts.  Still no matter the romantic relationships of our core they were best friends and all loved one another.  That was beautiful.  Blue and Gansey just meat your heart even they were nearly outshined.

                The world of this book is so well balanced between reality and magical that you feel like they are real.  That 300 Fox Way really exists full of astounding women with abilities and sharp wits.  That you could swing by Monmouth Manufacturing and see Gansey’s model of the town and the mess that is their rooms.  The Barns full of sleeping dream objects in a variety of different shapes, sizes, and purposes.  And most of all Cabeswater, where time is lost and thoughts can be made real.  It was both beautiful and scary at times but I'd still give anything to visit.

                These books were really something different.  They don’t try to be something they aren’t.  They just are.  I can honestly say I can't think of another story similar to these.  Things are dark in points.  Death and possession on the rise.  It just breaks your heart each time though to see these character suffering.  To see the turmoil in those being possessed, forced to do things against their core self to hurt those they love and those attacked forced to defend themselves and risk hurting someone they care about.  The feels!  And the demon trying to unmake Cabeswater, to unmake our dreamer Ronan Lynch.  So many feels were happening in this book I'm thankful for the audiobook that I could listen through the shock and tears. 

                The Raven King was a conclusion. The journey started back when Blue first saw Gansey on the corpse road then met her raven boys searching for their sleeping king.  The story is wrapped up.  It was fitting.  The journeys end fit.  I loved how it wrapped up.  At first it took  me a moment and I rewound some to make sure I had heard it properly but once I was sure I was correct and took a second to think on it, it did fit.  The story is not what I expected but still all that I hoped for.  It was beautiful and I'm happy to have been on the journey. 

                Overall I have to say I loved this book and this series as a whole.  I'd love to hear what everyone thought about it especially the end.  So many feels.  I cried at several points throughout.  Just so many things happening and concluding.  I love this world and I'm sorry to see it end no matter how wonderfully and faithful it was to the journey. 

                Until next time..