Release: January 15, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 369

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They’re ready to start life afresh–to build a home–on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn’t the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed’s former passengers aren’t alone on this planet. And if they’re going to stay, they’ll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who–or what–else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed–friends, family, life on Earth–will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Let me tell you, I was an EMOTIONAL WRECK throughout this book. Beth Revis has a tendency to rip out my heart.

At the end of A Million Suns, I honestly had no idea what to expect from the last book. But I WAS SCARED. All bets are off in a series-ending. So that I don’t give anything away, here’s a list of things I loved about Shades of Earth:

1. DINOSAURS…but not really. But kind of? COOL MONSTER THINGS.

2. ELDER. Elder Elder. He is my favorite. He’s naïve and sweet and strong and ugh I can gush about him forever. I really did not think he would end up being my favorite character and care about him as much as I do but there ya go.

3. It’s only fair to say AMY now. Goddamn she is AWESOMELY STUBBORN and I loved how she questions a lot. She defies people in order to get ANSWERS and the truth. Especially in this book.

4. MYSTERY. And cliffhangers. At the end of every chapter I was like, “WELL. I gotta keep going now!” even late into the night. I just needed to know what was going on and wasn’t bored for a second.

I’m very particular about how I like series to end: wrapped up enough, but not completely. I still want to wonder about the characters and what might become of them. But I do need some sort of happiness. Not Breaking Dawn-like happiness, just enough so that I’m not curled up in the fetal position crying over everything. There was a point where I started BAWLING (if you follow me on Twitter, you might have witnessed that unfortunate out burst. Apologies) . But I was incredibly happy with the way the book ended so that should give you a little insight.

If you haven’t read this series, seriously: DO IT. It’s an incredible and cool story.

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Entangled
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 382

Synopsis from Goodreads:

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well… There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different… And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger… and they know it

I’ve already talked about what Jennifer L. Armentrout books do to me but let me reiterate: this series turns me into a squealing, swoony, thirteen year old girl. It’s embarrassing, actually.

I was so impressed without how seamlessly Katy and Daemon went from the snarky (borderline mean, at some times) banter to being together. In the first two books, I couldn’t really imagine how it would work but oh it does. I was swooning in Opal even more so than Onyx. And Daemon is so so much hotter in this book. WHEW!

Okay storyline because that’s what’s important, right? (No, but I’ll pretend not to be totally shallow for a sec) For real, the alien/DoD/Daedalus storyline is getting so intense and complex and I keep trying to guess what is all happening and I JUST DON’T KNOW. I’ll say though: I’m super suspicious of certain people. Like Bethany. There is something up with that girl.

There wasn’t a second of this book that I wasn’t on the edge of my seat. The end will leave you with your mouth hanging open and begging for Origin (um like I have! JULY, GUYS, JULY). That is all I can say because I so do not want to spoil people but OMG will be a popular reaction to the end.

Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Release: January 8, 2013
Publisher: Dutton
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 368

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

After the complete heartbreak of If I Stay and Where She Went, I have to admit: I was terrified of reading Just One Day. I mean, excited because Gayle Forman writes beautifully and her characters are some of my favorites, but terrified nonetheless. I CAN’T DEAL WITH HEARTBREAK!

But Just One Day is…different? It’s heartbreaking, yes, but not in the sould-crushing way of the other two (you think I’m being dramatic but I cried for days reading them) were. As someone with a travel bug, this book was simultaneously delicious and dangerous. When I went to London I did the exact trip to Paris that Allyson and Willem take and I got a little wistful for my trip and later I got jealousy pangs for the other travel points that I can’t mention for spoilers. Just know: THERE IS TRAVELING in this book and it’s wonderful.

I was immediately drawn to Allyson even though I am the complete opposite as her, I so enjoyed her journey (literal and metaphorical). Characters is something Gayle Forman does SO FREAKING WELL. Willem was mysterious though what little we knew about him interested me and I’m hoping we will find out much more about him in Just One Year.

My one criticism was the middle was a touch too long and lost my interest a couple of times. I loved the evolution of Allyson from a more typical high school teenager to a more open and independent college student but, in my opinion, it could have been cut down a little.

(Can we have Just One Year, now?)

Release: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 373

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Inhale. Exhale.
Breathe.
Breathe.
Breathe . . .
The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

Quinn
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

If you are claustrophobic/have a fear of drowning this book will cause some distress. I found myself being very greedy for air throughout the entire book. The parts where the characters would go outside the pod, I’d stop breathing and then start hyperventilating. Woah this makes me sound super weird. Hopefully I’m not the only one?

Breathing issues aside, I adored Breathe. I can’t stop thinking about the world Sarah Crossan made up and man, how much I really do not want to live in it (protect the trees, people!).

The desperation and narrow mindedness of both sides – the upper class who can afford the air they breathe and want to keep their control, and those who are desperately trying to restore the environment – is so raw and human and made me so sad (I get really into the politics and deeply-rooted issues when it comes to dystopians). Our main characters fall somewhere in the middle of these extremes. Alina took a little time for me to warm up to. I love sassy characters and she is that, but there was an edge to her, understandably, and I always require more time with them in order to love them. But by the end, I just wanted to squish her to me in a LET ME LOVE YOU kind of way.

But Bea. Bea is the character that really stood out and struck a chord with me. I’m just drawn to the characters who always strive to do the right thing no matter what and that is Bea. One of the things I was (oddly) excited for about this book was that the love triangle is so often girl + 2 boys but in Breathe, it looked like it would be a triangle with boy + 2 girls but as you get into the story you realize there is no love triangle and I was super happy about that and I will just leave it there.

The world in Breathe is unlike any other in dystopian novels and is literally and figuratively breathtaking. Read it, read it, read it! You won’t be disappointed.

Release: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Pages: 408
ARC Received from BEA

Synopsis from Goodreads:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Upon reading The Raven Boys, it was not what I had been expecting. I expected more magic, less legend. That being said, once I finished the novel and let it sit for a day, I couldn’t stop thinking about it!

Maggie Stiefvater’s writing continues to shine. Honestly, I’m such a Maggie fangirl and she puts words together like nobody’s business. But: I still don’t love the storytelling. I found it was unnecessarily convoluted and it lost my attention so much that I stopped trying to understand. Certain things weren’t explained at all, things that were an integral part of Gansey’s venture.

So why did I give The Raven Boys 4 stars? Two things: The characters and the potential. I see this series only getting better and things becoming clearer and these characters, which I completely fell for, developing and the relationships becoming more solid.

I really can’t wait to see Blue’s character develop through the series because while she has, as my mom says, chutzpah, I felt she was a bit overshadowed by the boys but that she has more to come. I also am anxious for more of Blue’s mother. There’s something eccentric and mysterious about her and I hope we get to learn about her past (especially with Blue’s father). The boys, though, oh how I loved all the boys.

One of the most intriguing parts of the story for me was Blue’s home life. Aside from her mother, the personalities coming out of that house are astounding and probably some of my favorite parts took place between those five women.

Despite my issues, I really do think that The Raven Boys will be a great series; it has potential, and I will definitely be reading the next installment.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Release: July 31, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 384

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.
But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I had a strong feeling I would enjoy Pushing the Limits because the description so reminded me of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles and after reading that book, I wished there were more less-than-roses-and-rainbows romances out there. Well here is a great one! I read all 400-something pages in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down! I’m one of those people who skip through pages to see if there’s a good part coming up soon and I didn’t have to do it once with Katie McGarry’s amazing debut.

While the romance is undeniably the core of the story, and drawn out perfectly, Pushing the Limits has so much more it has to offer.

I loved how McGarry threaded slivers of hints at Echo’s trauma throughout the book. As the story went on, I had a pretty solid idea of what happened to Echo, what she doesn’t remember, but found myself making up a range of alternatives because I just didn’t want to believe it.

The twists and turns of the various mysterious (and boy does McGarry throw some awesome curveballs!) keep the plot from being dry but what completely hooked me in was the amazing character that is Noah Hutchins. Without giving away spoilers, let me just say that he took me by surprise and was not anything like others perceive him. I fell for him completely.

Pushing the Limits is a dark and raw love story that is positively unputdownable, and fans of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles will definitely want to check this one out!

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
Release: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 445

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

(Warning: teeny tiny spoiler. Not a huge reveal but just putting it out there for spoilerphobes.)

I had no idea what Unraveling was about when I bought it; I saw it had great star ratings on Goodreads and I have a compulsive need to buy debut books the day they come out so I picked it up. And proceeded to not read it until the other day. Despite the fact that I hadn’t read the back cover, I was pulled into Janelle’s world from page one.

As I was reading, I started to get a sneaking suspicion about Ben. So I went onto Goodreads again and looked up some reviews. My suspicion was confirmed and my reaction was this: OH HELL NO. Now, normally for me, this would be the point that I’d put down the book and possibly (probably not) return to the book at a later date. But Janelle was so compelling; the story was drawn out so well that I couldn’t put it down.

Janelle is one of those characters you just wish you had even an ounce of their strength and guts. She knows what she wants and protects the ones she loves fiercely but she’s also a teenage girl with too much responsibility on her plate and I couldn’t help feeling anxious for her situation(s). Another character I adored was Struz. I just love funny bachelor guys who takes care of their best friend’s family. It’s one of my many character weaknesses.

Regardless of my reservations on the plot in the beginning and not being a huge alien/sci-fi girl, I found myself getting TOTALLY into the sci-fi. I consider myself semi smart but sci-fi usually loses me in the mumbo-jumbo so I thank Norris for making it all explainable and not expecting everyone and their dog to know what was up.
Unraveling has a little something for everyone: mystery, adventure, sci-fi, and ROMANCE, which, I’ll be honest, was my favorite part. Ben and Janelle were adorable and reminded me of a certain other alien/human couple combo.

Although Unraveling wrapped up nicely and could act as a stand-alone, there were a few question marks left at the end so I was thrilled to see there is more to come (and more Ben and Janelle!) from Elizabeth Norris. I will be restlessly awaiting for the next installment.

If you like:

You’ll want to check out Unraveling!

This Is So Not Happening (He’s So/She’s So #3) by Kieran Scott
Release: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Pages: 320

After their long summer apart, Ally and Jake were hoping for a drama free senior year. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like things will work out that way…again. — It turns out that Chloe is pregnant and says that Jake is the father. Hammond is pissed at his best friend, but mostly can’t believe that Ally would stay with Jake. But Ally is tired of being apart from Jake and is willing to make it work. But that is easier said than done when Jake starts blowing Ally off to go to doctor’s appointments with Chloe and Ally joins the school play and meets a new cute guy.

But as graduation approaches, things get more complicated as new secrets come out and Ally realizes maybe Jake isn’t the guy she thought he was. After everything they’ve been through can Ally and Jake get out of Orchard Hill with their relationship intact?

I never reviewed He Is So Not Worth It because, to be frank, I hated it. I started to review it a bunch of times but it started getting rant-y and I was getting annoyed reliving the book.

ON A HAPPIER NOTE: This Is So Not Happening is much better! The characters and relationships progressed and matured so much from the first book. But, the characters are still teenagers and have their moments of frustrating angst and drama. I didn’t love the pregnancy storyline that seemed to drag down every character but it didn’t end up being as horrible as I had imagined and I did shed a few tears for Chloe at a certain point.

Once again, the differing points of views between Ally and Jake is one of my favorite things about this trilogy. I know a lot of people don’t like switching POVs but I usually like seeing what another character is thinking and feeling as opposed to just the one.

Finally, I have to talk about Ally. I had forgotten how much I really loved Ally. I respected her for how she handled the difficult situation(s) she was in and was the voice of reason for the people around her as well. She’s just an awesome character! The one thing I would have liked to see more in this last book was more interaction and closure with her father.

Overall, everything came full circle and was wrapped up perfectly in the end of the He’s So/She’s So trilogy.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
Release: June 12, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Pages: 418

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students–children of the wealthy and powerful–carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Oh how I want to gush and gush about The Golden Lily! And Sydney and Adrian and Jill and Eddie and everyone and everything in this series.

My absolute favorite part of The Golden Lily was the escalation of magic. Of course, magic was prevalent in the Vampire Academy series, as well as Bloodlines, but not quite to this level. I so hope this continues in the next sequels!

I can’t get over Mead’s ability to make me worship characters! First Rose, and now I can add Sydney to my list of favorite female characters. She’s tough in a different way than Rose was, in a more mental and emotional way. Although I adore Sydney, and getting to see a more vulnerable side to her was so nice to see, the secondary characters and Sydney’s relationship with her “motley crew” continue to shine and be the heart of this series. Their impact on each other is getting deeper and deeper and I just love those kinds of intense bonds. I’m loving Sydney’s slow acceptance of the vampires in her life because of their loyalty and her affection for them as people.

And, of course, Adrian! How can I write this review and not give Adrian, who just gets better and better, a mention? He’s so great in this series. As much as I loved him in Vampire Academy, it’s nice to see him change and grow up a little, but obviously keep some of that same old sarcasm and witty remarks.

One thing I didn’t get about Bloodlines was the hype of potential romance between Sydney and Adrian. I felt like there was no chemistry between them and it felt a bit forced, but after reading The Golden Lily, I can now appreciate the slow build between the two and I completely fell for them! There are so many amazing, adorable moments between these two. I’m really interested to see how Mead will eventually go about them being together since Sydney’s upbringing still prevents her from fully accepting her newfound relationships with vampires.

If you’ve read Bloodlines (and if you haven’t GO! GO! But read Vampire Academy first!), you will not want to miss the magical, heart-warming, and heart-racing (in more ways than one!) sequel that is The Golden Lily!

Release: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
My Rating: 3/5 stars
Pages: 375

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her. I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Preface Confession: I didn’t love Delirium. Perhaps it was the hype but both books so far have left me underwhelmed.

I didn’t like the way Pandemonium jumped back and forth in time from the Wilds to the present. I found Lena being a spy the most interesting part of the novel and I wish there had been more of it. The plot was too…simple? I don’t know how to explain it but it didn’t feel believable, which, coincidentally, is exactly how I felt when reading Delirium. Both books made me feel like there was something missing.

What made me give Pandemonium three stars was Lena. She is an unbelievable character and pretty much the only reason I want to continue with the series. I feel like I say this a lot but I just can’t get enough strong female characters. I’m also really interested to see where Oliver goes with Lena’s mother’s background and their eventual reunion.

But! I remain a fan of Lauren Oliver’s writing and I will read anything she writes, including Requium, because I am curious as to where everything is headed and the cliffhanger at the end of Pandemonuim is promising.