The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa Review

"In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. 

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again. 

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all."

Can I kill Keirran yet? I mean, seriously, this guy is the worst character ever. He's an insult to Meghan and Ash. Heck, he's a crapload of crap to the entire Iron Kingdom. All he cares about is his love of his life. He's undenyablely selfish and can learn a lot from Ethan. Seriously, one day I will go into Nevernever and kill that guy. I really want to strangle him. He's terrible. Terrible, terrible, terrible. Someone tell me why he's still alive.

Let's move on. I don't want to talk about this loser. Let's talk about the winners. Ash and Puck are together in a scene, but not for long. It doesn't matter. It's an endearing event most readers are looking for. All we need is Meghan, Puck, and Ash in one scene, one place. It will be perfect. I wouldn't care if Ethan dies. Or even if Kenzie dies. Doesn't matter. Ash, Puck, and Meghan are gold! I miss the old books.

On the plus side, we have Puck and the cat together with the four (Ethan, Kenzie, Keirran, and that other girl). Well, Keirran's love is only with them for a short time. But the small insights in their relationship is adorable. The first time they met was a total LOL worthy moment. Along with all the Puck moments. Alone, he is gold, too. (Sorry, Puck. Forgot to talk about how awesome you are). Ash sometimes appears, but is only hounding them like the Big Bad Wolf. Anyway, any small mentions of him is great.

The storyline of The Iron Traitor isn't as good as before. I am referring to the previous problems like the Iron King, Ash's kryptonite, and the future of Meghan and Ash's child. Then there's the wonderful situation about the rising of the Forgotten. All of the sudden, there's a sick girl dying and the Iron Prince trying to save her. BOOO! Horrible storyline, compared to the other books. Ethan accepted the truth that Kenzie will eventually die. Kerrian hasn't accepted that yet. He still wants to save her. If all the signs are corrected, then Kenzie and Kerrian's girl (name is ridiculous to spell and type) will eventually die.

There's a parallel line between Ethan and Kerrian's relationship with their girlfriends. Both of their girlfriends are going to die (or at least most likely). Both of the boys don't want them to die. Both of the boys believe in different things. But at least, believe in something. 

Ethan is different. He's more accepting. He's the mature one of most of the characters. Ash, I would say is perhaps the most maturing of all, doesn't appear much in the book, so he doesn't really count, but you can count him if you like. Puck is the least mature of all characters, as usual. (Don't ever change, Puck!) What I hate about Ethan is that he lets other people's decisions affect his. Sometimes, he needs to man up and do things himself. That's what he fails to do. That's what Ash does. (Yep, I'm comparing Ethan, Puck, and Ash. Ash is unbeatable, so I shouldn't even talk about him. 'Nuff said).

Rating: Three out of Five (rating saved by Puck and Ash)

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder Review

"Keep Your Head Down.
Don't Get Noticed.
Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution."

Maria V. Snyder is really good, or at least the last time I can remember. Poison Study was amazing despite the guy being much older than Yelena. Anyway, Inside Out is just as good as Poison Study. But Poison Study is slightly a bit better. (Assassins will always be awesome. Same rule applies to James Bond). 

The beginning of Inside Out stumbled a bit. I was a bit confused for like the first few chapters. Snyder's try at a futuristic society with a ton of issues is somewhat different than the try at medieval times. She's smooth with Poison Study, but a little crooked in Inside Out. Still, it's entertaining to read. There are a few words you have to watch out for. Sometimes, Snyder doesn't even explain the terminology. It's almost as if she expects you to automatically know what it is. (Thanks to other books, I certainly do know what it is). Pop Cops means Population Control, by the way. That's the biggest, most frequently used word. The dialect isn't much different from our time, so it's not too difficult to understand. I shall mention that age is not by years, but instead by weeks. What a nightmare.

Trella is the main character and narrator or Inside Out. She's a scrub, basically a person not worth knowing, if you are in the upper class (rich). Trying to survive and live, she ignores everyone and hangs out with her, she, and herself. You got it, alone. Of course, no man is an island. She has some friends. (Okay, only one). Cog, a boy she's friendly with, is pretty much friends with everyone. He's the most influential guy in the lower class.

Of course, he isn't the love interest. He's the brother of Trella (I mean, mentally). She will probably never see him as something more. No, no, no. The love interest of Inside Out is Riley, who is thankfully near her age. He's an Upper, so it does make things slightly interesting. 

There is one villain who is for sure the villain. The second villain isn't as apparent. Along with the third. Trella herself is the third villain (you are your worst enemy). The second villain, well, that's a mystery to be read. Her name is Kaina. Or something like that. I hate these names. Bunch of weird spellings, letter usage, etc. Anyway, she plays a much bigger role than most readers might think. A much bigger role.

By the time I finish the book, all I can think about is this: I can't wait to read the next book! (Not at my library, unfortunately).

Rating: Four out of Five

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari Review

"A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her."

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down. Gosh, that's an old song. I hated doing that circle thing. It was terrible for my brain. I would have a headache for an hour before I can even attempt spinning around again.

Ashes, Ashes is a great book, but the author makes is hard to enjoy. I get it (the story). I don't get why the author has to make it hard to speak in our language. How she conveys the story to the readers is kind of annoying. Lucy is sort of emotionless and cold. I understand why Lucy is like that (third person POV book), but the author could had brought her voice down to the reader's level and not be like a god. To author: Bring down your notable knowledge of what happens and stop being so rude. 

First, the big mystery behind why Lucy is being hunted by Sweepers. I have no idea why they are being so stupid (they meaning Lucy's friend and Lucy herself). The answer is in Lucy's blood. Literally. Lucy is immune to the plague. She can protect herself (with her immune system) from all types of the plague. While the population mostly dies, Lucy lives. While the people around her die, she lives. Yes, I'm telling you this now. Because I have to and because I'm not amused by the author. 

Second of all, you don't have to read the book. I'm not jesting. You don't have to read the book. For those of you who dislike reading, you can watch I Am Legend (with Will Smith and the other people). Ashes, Ashes is relatively similar to it. All you need to do is replace Will Smith with Lucy. Add more surviving victims, because there's no such things as vampires. However, there are creepy surviving victims of the plague, so add those scarred and ugly people in. Oh! I can't forget this. Add in a love interest. BTW, the main character doesn't end with death. She ends up living (or at least for right now). 

What's great about the book is how stable the setting and conflict is. The characters on the other hand are a bit too crazy. Anyway, the setting is in New York City, or once was NYC. Now, it's sort of a messy place with a lot of creepers. The conflict is to survive (basically man vs. nature and man vs. man). 

There's some plot holes I hate. For example, I dislike the Del plot (Del is a girl). She weaves in and out, annoyingly. And also, Aidan is sort of an inconsistent character. He says one thing to Lucy. To other people, he says the opposite. He smells like a liar, but the author doesn't focus too much on him. Instead, she focuses most of her time on Lucy.

Please, please, please! More background and history. I hate it! The author refuses to tell us what truly happened to Lucy's family. Most of it is implied, but I have a very strange feeling that one of her family members might turn out to be alive after all these years. Also, how did NYC become creepy NYC. A hole in history books, I guess.

Rating: Three out of Five

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers Review

"Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard—falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be."

Believe me, it's easy to cry over this book. In fact, I cried over this book (while reading it, of course) twice. One was somewhere in the middle. The other was at the end, because the end is so perfect. 

Regina Afton deserves an award for being stupid. None of this could had happened if she had just reported attempted rape to the police. She has bruises and his DNA to prove that he tried to rape her. Of course, the author basically had to make it the hard way. Unfortunately, everyone has to suffer. Oh, the opportunity to tell someone about this abuse (bullying and cyberbullying) arises over and over again. Sometimes, I want to yell, "Dangit, woman!" but that's meaningless. Regina can't hear me. She's a character and she has to find her way out of the solution. I just want to point out an easy way out of the story/situation for all those kids who are being tortured by their peers. If you are being bullied (by anyone), please tell someone about it. It's never good to let anger be contained. Overtime, you become a ticking time bomb which will explode. 

Moving on from my advice. 

Some Girls Are needs an award. Oh, wait. It has many. Never mind, I have to continue on about this wonderful book. Some Girls Are is about Regina Afton going against her four former friends. As she falls down from the social pyramid, she finds all the things she has done wrong. Eventually, she will have to make the wrongs right. But of course, this is a book. So it's going to be much harder than that. "I'm sorry" won't cut it. There's no feeling behind those words. It's kind of the way you tell someone when you accidentally bumped into them. The words just slip out. Regina is going to have to do much better than those simple words. 

The ending of Some Girls Are is perhaps the most truthful words ever. There's more to life than high school. There's somethings after it. It's not just endless drama, fighting, war, and boyfriends. We have a long journey and high school? It's just the simple beginning. Even if you are forty years old, your story is not done it. It's not over. There's still more to come. That's pretty much the author's message to the readers. Other than "more to life," the message is "Don't be stupid, tell someone." Telling someone is awesome. Just make sure that you are far away from the crossfires. It's nasty.

Overall, I think Some Girls Are is a perfect combination of emotion, words, and tears (my tears). I just loved reading this book. 

Rating: Four out of Five (Regina is an idiot). 

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher Review

"Emily’s dad is accused of murdering a teenage girl. Emily is sure he is innocent, but what happened that night in the woods behind their house where she used to play as a child? Determined to find out, she seeks out Damon Hillary, the enigmatic boyfriend of the murdered girl. He also knows these woods. Maybe they could help each other. But he’s got secrets of his own about games that are played in the dark.

A new psychological thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of STOLEN and FLYAWAY."

So it's a murder mystery. Obviously Emily's dad isn't the killer. That would defeat the purpose of the book. Anyway, it will also be very cruel to Emily for her to suffer in this kind of way. No one really likes to suffer.

The Killing Woods is one deadly story. A mystery, with Emily and Damon at the lead of trying to find the death of Damon's girlfriend. Emily's father is the number one suspect and therefore, in the public's eyes, definitely guilty.

When I read mystery books, I love to guess who is the killer. Here's my list: 1. Damon, 2. Mach (Damon's best friend), 3. Joe (Emily's friend), 4. Emily herself. The fourth suspect is because I think Emily is possibly an unreliable narrator. The second suspect is because Mach has a lot of unusual behavior. The first suspect is because Damon has these strange urges and black holes in his mind. Joe is suspicious because he has strange pictures and spends a lot of time in the woods. And I would never point a finger at Emily's father. He suffered enough.

Wow! I totally loved the mystery. (I'm not going to tell you what happens in the end, of course. I can say that the reporters and liars sure got owned by the end. Well, implied owned). But, anyway, The Killing Woods is one killing story. I love how crazy the mystery got as Emily finds more hidden secrets and habits.

Emily is a believer. She has always believed in her father's innocence despite her father not knowing what happened on that fateful night. She tried to protect and defend him from her friends and eventually, her own mother. As she digs deeper, she realizes that Damon might have a few secrets of his own. She reminds me of Emily Thorn from Revenge, without the need for revenge and the coldness.

Damon has a few black holes in his memories, as I mentioned before. That puts him on the killer list. Anyway, he does actually seems to care for Ashley (the murdered girl), but he doesn't remember what happens on that night. He's utterly paranoid and confused for most of the book. It's a shame the author doesn't go into his character very frequently. But I guess, it would have to do since this is only a novel.

Best part of The Killing Woods: When Emily tries to find out if Joe is guilty. It was a total moment which changed everything.

Rating: Four out of Five

Unhinged by A.G. Howard Review

"Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head."

I have a very favorite part in Unhinged. It ends with this: "The Red King. My king." Of course, I wouldn't include every word, because it's a major spoiler alert. BTW, it's also part of Queen Ivory's prediction for the future of Alyssa and Morpheus (and someone else, of course; someone very special). 

Morpheus is increasingly using his loopholes to manipulate Alyssa. As much as I hate seeing people manipulate people, Morpheus' ability to manipulate Alyssa is pretty much essential to the future of Wonderland. I can get why Morpheus is doing all of this, but I'm like...really? Seriously, manipulation and games? Gosh, he's a nasty fellow. But I can't help but sympathize with him. He's doing all of this to make his future with Alyssa come true (isn't that adorable? I think so too). Now, I'm totally on Morpheus' side (despite his really ugly games and terrible skills at fooling other people). 

Jeb is more truthful and honorable than the other guy. He's the white knight, the mortal knight. Morpheus is the dark knight (I'm Batman; just kidding, but it's a funny joke), and the trickster knight. Of course, for most of the book, it feels as if he's losing his attention on Alyssa. He's more focused on his art rather than Alyssa. I don't blame Alyssa for going to Morpheus instead of Jeb because of his busy hours with some woman.

And Alyssa. She's becoming much more cruel and nasty. A deadly creature, she's more netherling than human. I have to admit that she's becoming a good Red Queen. By the end of the book, you can totally see which side she's on. (I mean, Wonderland side or human world). 

After a terrible reading experience of the first book, I'm so thrilled once I finished the second book, Unhinged. It's crazy and totally nonsense. I just love it. I'm not so happy about the start of the first book, but the second? It's OMG moment. I can't wait for the next book. 2015 is too far away. Ah! I will have to read other books in order to wait for it!

What totally improved is the plot. I can understand it! The author must had gotten a better translator because somehow my mind is actually able to read it! I love how Morpheus takes Alyssa on a wild ride. Oh, Alyssa, you are going to be insane by the end of this trilogy (yes, trilogy; one more book to go!)

Please published even earlier than 2015! Early Christmas gift! I'm, of course, talking about the last installment of the series! I'm stuck on the cliff! With Alyssa's dad! And Alyssa! Ahhhh! #Somanyfeelings

Rating: Four out of Five (with a touch of madness) 

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Review

"It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it."

The cover of These Broken Stars is so pretty, right? I totally agree. It's absolutely gorgeous with colors of blue, green, and black. The stars are so perfect. And that green dress is to die for! I wish I look good in green. Alas, the only colors I seem to be good in is red, black, white, purple, and blue. Oh, not to mention gray. Actually, that's a lot of colors. Okay, I'll stop talking about myself. I don't look very modest or humble right now.

These Broken Stars make me so...aye! I can't stop laughing. Ah, I just can't stop laughing. Lilac and Tarver are the terrible twos. They are an awesome pair/couple. I have to admit, Lilac and Tarver are perfect for each other. Lilac is the rich girl. Tarver, to sum it up, is the scholarship boy, who had to work so hard to get where he is right now. And boy, he has a such terrible past. I'm quite surprised he could keep all of his bright personality together.

Lilac is a seemingly coldhearted at first sight. I thought that too. But anyway, she was actually a bit sweet (and overheated/angry). Her jabs at Tarver reminds me of Kate Moseley from The Cutting Edge (very old film, BTW). She's downright hilarious, the perfect ice princess (or Snow Queen) with breathtaking anger issues. Just awesome.

And don't forget about Tarver. He's the no-trash talk major who is better at war than peace. He thrives in the game of life or death. Like Doug, he pokes fun at Lilac. Unlike Doug (from The Cutting Edge, same film I was talking about earlier), he's more compassionate and sincere. He doesn't have a blind eye either. Like Doug, he's good at what he's born (or trained) to do. He fights, lives, and fights again, whether verbally or physically. It's just the perfect match, don't you think?

The plot of the book goes by quickly. I'm quite surprised when it was all over. When I checked Goodreads for any sequels, I'm surprised that these starcrossed lovers don't take the front seats in the next books. It's such a shame. I enjoyed reading those two. The flirty banter is to die for. Not kidding, people. It is to die for.

Honestly, I loved reading these two authors. I might read the next book, just to read their addicting lines and paragraphs. They are good at drawing in readers.

The horrible twist: Why did they have to do that? I'm only giving you one hint of what the authors did. They killed someone, a major character in the book. However, I have no idea how that character came back to life. I'm confused. How did she/he die? Then come back? That part (no matter how many times I read it) always gets me. Points will be docked because of that little confusion.

Rating: Four out of Five

Enders by Lissa Price Review

"Someone is after Starters like Callie and Michael—teens with chips in their brains. They want to experiment on anyone left over from Prime Destinations—Starters who can be controlled and manipulated. With the body bank destroyed, Callie no longer has to rent herself out to creepy Enders. But Enders can still get inside her mind and make her do things she doesn't want to do. Like hurt someone she loves. Having the chip removed could save her life—but it could also silence the voice in her head that might belong to her father. Callie has flashes of her ex-renter Helena's memories, too . . . and the Old Man is back, filling her with fear. Who is real and who is masquerading in a teen body?

No one is ever who they appear to be, not even the Old Man. Determined to find out who he really is and grasping at the hope of a normal life for herself and her younger brother, Callie is ready to fight for the truth. Even if it kills her."

Lissa Price is just good. Enders is even better than Starters, which is her first book. I simply hope that Price wouldn't there. (There better be a sequel! I will be very angsty if that ever happens. Please be a sequel!) 

Let's start with the new love interest. Let me make a point. Old Man is an Ender, right? Old Man was inhibiting Blake's body (Blake is a Starter, like Callie). So that means that Callie (a Starter) was being romanced by Old Man (an Ender, basically an old man in his hundreds or something like that). Yeah, that obviously gets very creepy. Let me simply say that Price (the author) takes that fact and turns it into a very disturbing twist. 

But I haven't mentioned the new love interest (or did I? And perhaps he isn't so new). It's a guy named Hyden. He's a Starter, like Callie. Thankfully, he's the same age as Callie. The only problem? His dad is Old Man. 

Now that's where you start thinking about how cruel Price is. I mean, seriously? Old Man was flirting with Callie. Now his son, who is a very brilliant genius and Starter and kid, is. Whoa...now that I see it, it's very creepy. So creepy...

Of course, Price already pulled a bunch of twists. So I'm going to say that the last paragraph (the ones before it, also) are packed with twists. Well, majorly one twist.

Okay, I have to pull my attentions off of guys and love interest. I know they are very hot (not to mention adorable), but I already written half of my review on them. Oh my goodness, I hope I wouldn't be like this in the future. Gasp!

I love this story. It's so amazing. I mean, my teacher (a book lover like me) was the one to introduce this series to me, when I was horribly sick. (Long story, but I will continue). At first, I was slightly reluctant because of the cover (kind of weird and strange, right?). After I read the first book (and the second), I am gushing these words: "SO AWESOME!" I have to reread all my favorite parts (so many parts). There wasn't enough time for me to reread the entire book because there were some people who wanted to read after me (hello? Frequent library user? That would be me). And I'm taking about both books. (The teacher part is only for the first book, Starters). 

I just love Callie. Wherever she goes, I simply hope she has a good life in the end. She's so strong and amazing. Kind of like Katniss Everdeen, but with less depression and terrible memories and with more daddy issues. Yeah, that sounds about right. More daddy issues. Barney Stinson would totally hit that (sorry! So crazy about HIMYM. Hopefully that sickness will disappear eventually).

Rating: Five out of Five (I have nothing to hate. I'm simply very satisfied with this book).

Double Digit by Annabel Monaghan Review

"To say eighteen-year-old Farrah Higgins—or Digit—is good at math is a laughable understatement. She’s been cracking codes since childhood, and is finally at home with “her people” at MIT in Cambridge. Her talents are so off the charts that her laptop is under surveillance by both the CIA and an ecoterrorist named Jonas Furnis. So when she thoughtlessly hacks into the Department of Defense’s database, she lands in serious hot water inside and outside the law. Readers will be sad to turn the last page of this suspenseful, sassy, super smart thriller, the sequel to A Girl Named Digit."

OMG! I want the sequel to this book! I want the sequel! But even if there's a sequel, I will probably have to wait two years of eating ice cream to finally get my hands on the book. Errr! Why did I read this book? Oh yes. I have to keep my out for Digit. She's simply amazing and truly one of the kind. She didn't make me feel dumb, like what Independent Study reduce me to being. I'm not kidding. Just read my rants on that part. Actually, I have a better idea. Don't read my rants. I don't want you to see how bad I've become. (No cuss words, as usual. At least I don't include profanity in most of my reviews. Sorry can't remember if I did write profanity or not).

A Girl Named Digit started off with a bang. I totally wanted to see where this go. I was so excited when I saw a copy of Double Digit at my local library (sorry, don't buy stuff because I'm cheap). I came home as fast as I could (Hate reading books in public; especially that awkward moment when you start crying in the middle of a classroom. Did that once! Never trying that again, if I could). Anyway, when I read the first page of foreshadowing, I couldn't wait to start reading this book. Ahh! Digit has gotten me Digfanatic. (Get it?)

Part of it was because of John. All I know is that he's a keeper, other than that slight fact about his father (sounds like Draco Malfoy, huh?). Anyway, it's nice to see him take a step away from dependent. He's becoming his own person.

Digit is really sane, for most of the book, despite being kidnapped, threatened, and nearly killed. She acted better than I thought she would. Overall, I think her mind has adapted to the situation since the last "kidnapping." Surprisingly, I may add. Perhaps, it's because Jonas Furnis is evenly balanced? 

Oooo! The ending is so good! I really, really want to get ahold of the sequel (It looks like there's a sequel). That is the best twist yet! I can't wait for Annabel Monaghan to announce something about the third book. I need the third book! I need it! Someone check my pulse!

What's the most undeniably irresistible part of Double Digit is the humor. Oh my goodness! I have so many feelings. So many quotes I would love to share. So much humor! I admit that this is even better than A Girl Named Digit.

Fine! One quote: (Or maybe two).

"Not only did I not want to think about John; I also did not want to rehash the ins and outs of why he may have broken up with me. Or whatever. 'These days the only guy I'm interested in is Professor Halsey.'
'That's unsettling.'
'He's all I think about.'
'He's eighty.'" -Digit and Bass, talking about the guys Digit is interested in.

Second quote: 

"'I'm calling my dad." John got up and resumed his pacing as soon as Mr. Bennett answered. "Dad, I need help. They came after Digit—she barely got away. No. Not the National Security Agency. Jonas Furnis. Wait. Why?' His head came up slowly and his eye met mine. 'She's a college student, a kid. Sorry, not a kid, but come on. She's never...Fine. Hang on.' John put the phone to his chest. 'Digit, can you give me any reason in the world why the NSA may want you for questioning about espionage?'" -John, on the phone with his dad.

I love the first quote. Digit is only interested in one guy and that's Professor Halsey, who's eighty years old. Total LOL moment. 

Rating: Five out of Five

Taken by Erin Bowman Review

"There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?"

Remember Gone by Michael Grant? Well, Taken is similar to it. Only this time, it's eighteen year old boys disappearing, not boys and girls at fifteen (or sixteen? I can't remember) years old. 

Anyway, I have so many feelings for Taken. So many feelings! Ahh! I can't do this! Okay, breathe, breathe. Alright. Oooo! I have to do this with a straight face. Straight face on. Damn it! I can't do it. Alright, prepare yourself for a heavily opinionated review.

Gray Weathersbly questions everything. He's a great guy (I approve him). Anyway, he basically questions everything about Claysoot. They live in a mysterious place where no answers are given and questions leave you dead. (Claysoot is definitely a place I don't want to live. I'm so glad it was the setting for the first hundred pages or so). Gray is sort of like an "act now, questions later" person. No, the quote's wrong. Oh, it's "shoot now, ask questions later." (Thank you my brain for remembering the correct quote). Gray is seventeen years old, one year away from being eighteen or so he thought. 

It's one of the most sinister things of Taken. Claysoot is a strange place to be. There's a lot of woman, but no men. There's boys, but girls are the only one growing up into woman. Why? That's the question of the book. Why are the boys disappearing at eighteen? Why? Why? Why? I just love how this author slowly gives readers the answer. Each lie revealed uncovers even more questions until Gray meets the one person who knows everything. The one person who gave Gray half of his DNA. Guess who? It's not his brother, that's what I'm going to say. Besides, brothers don't give each other half their DNA.

Let's climb the Wall. It's another setting, another place. Like I said before, I love on the author didn't make this book stay all in one place.

The plot is great. There's so many twists and turns, especially in Gray's love life. Ahh! His life is going to be greatly complicated. Two girls are fighting over him. One cheated. The other never committed, but clearly likes him. Anyone up for a shipping game? I never tire of these games and bets.

The writing is so wonderful. I could cuddle up with these words in my mind. I loved reading this book (the plot, the characters, the writing, the lesson). I finished it before I went to bed. A little late night reading.

I want the sequel! Can't wait!

Rating: Four out of Five

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau Review

"In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her."

Independent Study is sort of better and worse than The Testing. It's better in some ways. Worse in others. It's sort of hard to explain. 

The problem with the characters, especially Cia, is that they are quite difficult to understand. Needless to say, all of them (well, most of them) make me feel utterly stupid. They are just so good at solving problems which doesn't even seem to exist. I don't even know how they are so smart. I don't even see the problems. Cia, especially, is the smartest of all. She may have doubts about her ability, but don't let that fool you. She has killed people. She has destroyed people. She has done a lot of things to be in the University in Tosu City. And to be alive, I may add.

The plot holes are driving me crazy. Some characters are just there only to move the plot forward. Then they disappear when they aren't needed. For example, Cia's sort of mentor guy (the connection between the rebellion and her; just can't remember his name) is promoted to a new job. So where's his replacement? Shouldn't he be more focus on his new job than Cia? And Cia should had gotten his replacement instead of him looking over his shoulder... Hello! He has a freaking new job with the President!

Anyway, other than the plot holes and weird character appearances/disappearances, I think Independent Study's plot is good. Of course, everything is in the University, but it isn't without death. There's about three or four or five characters who are going to die. I bet Graduation Day (the sequel to this book) will have a lot more deaths and "redirection." 

Hmm...Tomas' secret about that girl isn't that big of a shocker. (Want to know the spoilers? Keep on reading). He did kill her, so yes, I guess our suspicions are confirmed. But according to him, it's accidental. Apparently, Will pulled a gun and was waving it around. Hmm...Tomas isn't so bad, after all. I just hope he won't be in the crossfire for the next book.

Cheating. The teachers and staff behind the University thinks Cia is cheating. Apparently, her scores are off the chart. So much, they think she's cheating. Of course, we know she isn't cheating. However, that simply confirmed my thoughts for her. She is too smart for us. Oh! We are poor mortals compared to that Athena! Be still my heart, one day I will never catch up to her Pallas! (Sorry, trying to make fun of someone's poetry. Didn't work, I think). 

Joelle Charbonneau (more like Charisousjosdij; Too many letters in her last name) is as good as ever. I love how she writes. Keep it up!

Rating: Three out of Five

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger Review

"Sophronia, second year at Miss Geraldine's Finishing Academy, helps Dimity avoid London kidnappers and Vieve 10 attend Bunson boys' school. Someone kills for malfunctioning guidance valves that can control 'aether' atmosphere level. Again, she flirts with 'sootie' coal-worker Soap from the boiler room, and cuts Felix, son of Duke Golborne, at come-out ball. Teacher Captain Niall turns werewolf; vampire Prof Braithwope braves 'tether'; mechanimal Bumbersnoot plays essential role."

Alright, this Curties & Conspiracies, the latest installment of this series, is hilarious. I can't help but feel so silly whenever I read this four hundred pages of greatness and humor. I simply adore this book. It's even better than its first book.

Cute part #1: The possibility of Sophronia having a love interest. Felix, son of Duke Golborne, is the new boy of this book. He's sort of charming, yet humorously doesn't know how to deal with girls. He is sort of frustrated all the time because Sophronia wouldn't admit she likes him. Ah! Their chemistry is great! I love how Felix was about how great this thing was and Sophronia called it "dung." It's just downright hilarious. 

Cute part #2: Soap's the other love interest. However, Sophronia keeps on friendzoning him, so I don't think he will be one for long. Anyway, whenever he kisses her (yes, he did!), no sparks appeared. Sophronia was kind of like, eh... She really doesn't feel it. She's sort of like a robot when she talks about kissing Soap. All she wants to maintain her friendship with Soap. That's pretty much it.

The conspiracy: There's something very dark and supernatural going on with Dimity and her brother. Also, there's something very wrong with her vampire teacher. That's all I'm going to give you, for right now.

Sophronia is as awesome as usual. She's very likable and calm. Her mind goes a thousand miles a minute. I sometimes hope she would struggle, just a little bit. It's kind of like the tv show Agents of Shield. They have a challenge, then they get over it in an hour (or in a minute, to the viewers). Sometimes, it's too similar to a video game. Sometimes, there should be no answers to the solution. I guess the darker things of this series won't appear until much later.

The storyline, overall, is great. I enjoyed every bit of it. My favorite parts is the flirty banter with Felix. They (Sophronia and Felix) are so adorable. Everytime Sophronia does something Felix doesn't expect, Felix is stunned. Especially the part Sophronia dresses up as dandy. Anyway, his nickname for her is so adorable. It makes Aphrodite want to cry with joy. Those two better be... Okay, I'll stop shipping.

Rating: Four out of Five

Love Reborn by Yvonne Woon Review

"Renée and Dante are dying. The soul they share cannot sustain them both, and they're quickly running out of time. 

But Renée has in her possession a legendary chest said to contain the secret to eternal life-if only they could solve the clues that lie within it. With both the Liberum, a Brotherhood of the Undead, and a team of Monitors, led by Renée's own grandfather, in hot pursuit, Renée and Dante must keep the chest safe or risk having it fall into the wrong hands. 

With the help of a mysterious letter-writer called only Monsieur, Renée and Dante follow a series of clues that lead them on a treacherous journey across Europe. They seek the Netherworld, a legendary chasm where souls go to be cleansed. It's their only chance at a fresh start, but with it comes a terrible choice, one they never imagined they would be forced to make. 

The third novel in the acclaimed Dead Beautiful series is a haunting story of sacrifice, loyalty, and a love that can never die."

For Yvonne Woon, Love Reborn is terrible. I won't joke about this. Love Reborn is worse than the two books before it. Actually, the second book is probably the best. The first is the worst. The last installment wasn't the best of Woon's works. 

There's dead people, of course. Dante is dead. Or undead, whatever you call it. Noah is dead/undead. Really, most of the dead are undeads. Zombies, for those of you who never read this trilogy. The undead of this book is zombies. But they are fairly close to human beings. They were human before they died. 

Anyway, Love Reborn is a fast-paced book, which is a point towards Woon. (Sorry, if I make a mistake in the author's name). Everything turns out very nicely in the end, so Love Reborn is basically a happy ending book. But that isn't the subject of my concern over this zombie/soul/paranormal/supernatural book. It's the Monsieur plotline.

Monsieur is a man who is sending Renee and Dante, among several other people like Renee's grandfather, secret notes. He tells them of the undead's movements and the Monitors' movements. He's the one who is warning them before danger arrives. It's very strange, I'll admit. I won't tell you who Monsieur is, but I will say that the true identity of Monsieur doesn't fit very nicely with the rest of the story. I keep on turning that idea in my head, but that person doesn't fit the image of Monsieur. I just don't see it. I feel like it's more of a random snip and paste made by the author. It was as if the author was simply trying to cover that boo-boo up.

It's sure is a haunting story of sacrifice, loyalty, and a love that can never die (synopsis' words). The sacrifice was the senses. The loyalty was between friends and lovers. The love that can never die is much more general. You can say it was the love between Renee and her parents. Or Renee and her grandfather. The love between her boyfriend and Renee. There's tons of it. So many possibilities the author is pointing to. 

Character development wasn't part of the story. It was more of an action story. Sort of like James Bond and his not so three-dimensional character. Unless you consider love part of character development. I guess you do.

Overall, I think this series was great. Read first and second book, screw the third.

Rating: Three out of Five

Anything to Have You by Paige Harbison Review

I won a copy from Goodreads First Reads.

"Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys.

Natalie and Brooke have had each other's backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie—the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be.

Then it happens—one crazy night that Natalie can't remember and Brooke's boyfriend, Aiden, can't forget. Suddenly there's a question mark in Natalie and Brooke's friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means."

There's an easy and good way of describing this book. It's a Happily Ever After book, in summary. Both of the main characters (Natalie and Brooke) get happy endings. So if you are the one to read very happy endings, then this book is for you. Otherwise, I would say that this book is unrealistic and totally fake. What do you expect? It's fiction. Girls, just know that teen pregnancy never ends well for most people. Especially not the parents of the teen. They will be asking themselves what went wrong. I highly doubt most parents want to be grandparents at age forty something. Or even thirty (some parents gave birth to their kids at a much younger age; aka: teen pregnancy runs in the family). 

Natalie is the quiet and shy one. She is seemingly the smartest of the two, until she got pregnant. For most of the book, she tries to figure out who is the dad. Of course, she guesses wrong at the first guess. The second guess is made by Brooke. And of course, we all know who's the true culprit behind the mystery of the baby's true father.

Brooke is the loud party girl. Let's face it. It's more likely that Brooke will be a teen mother because of her crazy party animal behavior. She's the immature one. She's the lousy, jealous, green one. Every time the book moves on to her POV, the author makes Brooke sound very rude and annoying. I'm not kidding about that.

The book goes by pretty fast. I really enjoyed. No, I was addicted to it. I couldn't stop reading it. It was really good for my eyes. Eye candy, I guess. Anyway, the plot is quickly paced. Each chapter of the book brings more details of Natalie's and Brooke's relationship over the years. I have just one question: Why are they still friends? I mean, Brooke treats Natalie like trash while Natalie keeps secrets from Brooke.

Speaking of their relationship, the relationship takes the front seat of this book. Actually, no. Aidan and Natalie's relationship takes the front seat for most of the book. It's only until the last chapters when Brooke's and Natalie's relationship takes a very sharp turn. Anything to Have You fails to deliver its promise.

The greatest part of this book is the ending. Undeniably the ending. I should tell you something. The last chapter of the book made me think this: Brooke's last words should had been "And that's how I met your father." Sorry, I'm just so excited for the ending of How I Met Your Mother. 

Rating: Three out of Five (Good fiction, just trashy fantasy)

The Violet Hour by Whitney A. Miller Review

I won a copy from Goodreads First Reads.

"The voice inside me is breaking free. I can't stop it.

Some call VisionCrest the pinnacle of religious enlightenment. Others call it a powerful cult. For seventeen years, Harlow Wintergreen has called it her life.

As the daughter of VisionCrest's patriarch, Harlow is expected to be perfect at all times. She must be considered a paragon of integrity by the other Ministry teens and a future leader in the eyes of the world.

Despite the constant scrutiny Harlow is keeping a dark and dangerous secret, even from her best friend and the boy she loves. She hears a voice in her head that seems to have a mind of its own, plaguing her with violent and bloody visions. It commands her to kill. And the urge to obey is getting harder and harder to control...."

Oh, my goodness. This book is great. I love it. 

I know, I know. I haven't been writing reviews for awhile, so yell at me now. Or laugh at me, if you are tired of them. In that case, you should unfollow me. Anyway, I will go on and talk about The Violet Hour as if you are still there (if you left me talking). 

The Violet Hour should be named The Violent Hour. Harlow is pretty much a sociopath with a lot bad voices in her head. They tell her to kill, to torture, to bleed. It's pretty nasty and descriptive. The visions especially are not for the weak hearted. It's really troublesome that a seventeen (or eighteen) year old girl keeps on having these urges to reap, kill, torture, and whatever. It's nasty and disturbing. And I like it.

The love interest is a donkey's butt. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He has been kidnapped. But you do not betray your best friend without telling them you are going to betray them. A blow from an enemy is easier than a blow from a friend.

The villain is the best of all characters. Of all the characters, she's probably the one who was explored the most. She's the voice in Harlow's head. She is the deadliest villain of Harlow's world. She looks like Harlow. She is part of Harlow. She is Harlow's reflection. Whoa...wasn't that creepy? Yeah, that's creepy.

The Violet Hour goes by pretty fast. The plot centers around Harlow, who is this new society's leader's daughter. Wow, that's a mouthful. Anyway, the plot goes by pretty fast. The story will fly by in an hour, if you are a fast reader. The book itself is only about two hundred and fifty pages. I'm not joking.

The ending of the book is a cliffhanger. When I first read that cliffhanger, I immediately thought: OMG, that's a sexy cliffhanger. I'm not joking (seriously). I actually thought that cliffhanger was pretty hot. Of course, it only makes me want to read the next book (please let there be a next book!). But still! It's pretty hot. And of course, I'm not going to reveal anything. I'm only going to say, it's perhaps worth it to wait for the next book to come out.

Rating: Five out of Five

The Joshua Effect by P.S. Meronek Review

I won a copy from Goodreads First Reads.

"The rooftop reception on the skyscraper in lower Manhattan is an elegant affair right up until the moment the murders occur. With the lives of sixty-three of his friends and business associates snuffed out in one horrifying blink of an eye, the wealthy and enigmatic Jonathan Strickland boards a dangerous roller coaster ride of a lifetime in this clever, nail biting who-done-it.
Following the nebulous clues left behind at the scene of the crime, Strickland finds himself kidnapped and taken to a clandestine meeting in the middle of the Syrian dessert beneath the ancient ruins of one of the oldest civilizations known to man. The lines between good and evil blur as the suspect list narrows. Strickland races against time to find the invisible killers who have even more carnage in mind; they call their sinister plan the Joshua Effect.
Strickland also struggles with the essence of a life thrown into question by the gnawing epiphany that he is losing the one thing which actually gives his existence meaning. All of his fantastic achievements pale when compared with the desire to possess the love of the one woman who can understand him - but who can never be with the man he is.
As the clock ticks relentlessly forward to a catastrophe of truly Biblical proportions, the hunt for those responsible nears its climax. From a brazen gun battle among the rich and famous in the exotic streets of glamorous Miami Beach to the discovery of the secretive Catskills hideaway of a reclusive scientist in upstate New York, the thrilling ride never lets up.
All the while the personal war inside Strickland rages on. Who is he? More importantly, who will he end up becoming? For a man who thought he had everything, why does he suddenly find his life so empty?
For Jonathan, the revelation that a life with nothing in it worth dying for isn't much worth living shakes the very core of his being. Then why does it feel so right? The Joshua Effect is a taut, suspense filled page turner with a stunner around every corner."

The Joshua Effect is actually pretty good. It's no Alex Rider or James Bond, but there's some characters who are similar to those guys. This is more like the Q story. You know Q, right? He's that guy who makes Bond all his toys. You know what? I have an alternate title for The Joshua Effect. Chasing the Qs. How about that? But that's not really what The Joshua Effect is about. It's about this rich guy named Jonathan Strickland, with a lot of dead friends. Seventy-two or something like that. Seventy-two dead friends. 

Poor guy. Revenge sounds very good right now, right? But The Joshua isn't a story of revenge (ha! suddenly reminded me of Revenge and Emily Thorn), it's a story of mystery and intrigue. Honestly, the author is a very opinionated man. I don't know what to think of it, but it's great that he talking about his thoughts and feelings. Hey! Even a guy needs to give out a little feeling. Whether it's loosing some steam after fighting with his father-in-law or picking up laundry from the dry cleaners. You have to annoyed when you find out that the dry cleaners missed a spot, right? Greasy stain, right on the pocket.

The plot goes by pretty fast. Strickland (the main character) goes around the world and escapes threats on his life many times along with his girlfriend. He's lucky since there's a lot of close run ins with Lord Death.

The most awesome part of The Joshua Effect: The part when Strickland insults the director or that leader of Homeland Security. It's kind of hilarious showdown between two little, immature, young girls. Yes, I'm calling both of them girls. It's the best name for them, you see.

The true enemy of the main character is perhaps the most shocking reveal. Even if I tell you right here, right now, you wouldn't believe me. It's the most surprising part of the story. It's a great plot twist, I admit. I didn't even see it.

Any weeds? Yes, there are some stinks and horrible parts. There are always horrible parts. Well, I can complain about how small the font is, but that's not going to help you. Well, I can complain how the author drags everything along. It's like, seriously? Can't you tell us the mastermind behind this charade? I guess not.

Rating: Four out of Five

Save The Enemy by Arin Greenwood Review

"Everything has been downhill since Zoey Trask’s mother was murdered in a random mugging. Her younger brother, Ben, is on the autistic spectrum and needs constant supervision. It’s senior year, and she’s the new girl at a weird private school in Old Town Alexandria, VA, full of kids who seem too nice to be true—including a very cute boy named Pete. Aside from half-forgotten martial arts and survivalist skills that her widowed father insistedon teaching her (because that is excellent for her social life), Zoey has nothing to offer Pete or anyone else.  

Then Dad is kidnapped. Zoey suddenly finds herself sole caretaker of a younger brother she barely understands. Worse, Ben seems to hold the key to their father’s disappearance in his Dream Diary, a bizarre journal of names and places Ben claims that their mother shares from beyond the grave. And as if Zoey doesn’t have enough on her plate, there’s Pete, who stubbornly refuses to leave her side.

Relying on the skills she never wanted to learn—Dad might have had his reasons after all—Zoey is plunged into a lethal battle to rescue her father, protect her brother, and determine the identity of her family’s true enemy."

Heh. Save the Enemy is a clever way of saying "Save that boy." That boy will be Pete something-something. 

Yawn! That's all I'm going to say about Save The Enemy. Actually, all the similar words and adjectives all fit with "Yawn!" You don't have to read my review to know about the overall message of my review. You know, I'm feeling sleepy, too.  

I know. I know. It's been a few days since I opened my mouth on this blog (or my Goodreads Account). A few hours since I last typed a word. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had been busy and I still am. I can't seem to find a break in between my work. I can't even seem to find a break for my reading. I have a lot of work to do. Heh, heh. Ha, ha. 

Okay. Save the Enemy is ridiculously complicated. Apparently, there's a ton of bad things with Zoey's parents. They are involved with assassinating a bunch of people, hence the ransom note for the J-File. The J-File brings up some issues. For one, the J-File is said to be destroyed by Zoey's mother. And the kidnappers of Good Old Dad want the J-File. That's some problems, obviously. No ransom and advantage for Zoey.

The J-File is a list of names of people who died by the hands of an assassin. While the book and plot drones on about the mystery behind the assassin, the J-File reveals that Zoey's brother, Ben, memorized some of the J-File. 

It gets even more confusing. There's a group of people named P.F. who are stalking Zoey, Ben, and anyone related to them. I mean, every person in the group is named P.F. I kid you not. Every person. I stress this: every person is named P.F. Of course, there's probably some variations of the name (Pop Frank, Peter Francis, Pan Fried), but the initials are all the same. And then that leads to a more mysterious story arc. 

It's a boring book. Ben's character never builds. Zoey is always focus on her father, so her character doesn't build other than being a dutiful daughter from the beginning to end. And Pete? Well, I don't even know why he fell in love with Zoey. Sorry, Zoey. Sorry, author of this boring book.

The most character build is Zoey's father. He's a rather cynical and very opinionated man. I'm very confident that he's in love with his own voice.

Rating: One out of Five