Book #58 "A Beautiful Fate"

Title: "A Beautiful Fate" (The Beautiful Fate #1)
Author: Cat Mann
Rating:  ★★★★½

So, the funny part about this book was that the main male characters name, (Ari Alexander) was the same name as the main characters name in the last book I read, (Gravity). That was an odd coincidence(?). 

Ava Baio is a teenage girl who has had incredibly bad luck lately. 

Well, I guess that's putting it lightly. 

First, she's cursed with nightmares every night. Second, her beloved grandfather dies, and she thinks that she might be responsible for it. Third, her mother dies, thus leaving her in the care of her not-so-lovable grandmother, Margaux Baio, fashion designer extraordinaire. And finally, because of said grandmother, she is sent to a coed boarding school in Dana Point, California. 

It's pretty fair to say that things suck for Ava right then. 

In Dana Point Ava meets her dorm neighbor, crazy handsome Ari Alexander. As time progresses, she finds out that most of her new friends, Ari included, are descendants of Greek not-so-mythical Gods, and that she is above them all as she is a fate. And if you guys aren't Greek Mythology savvy, fates control just that, Fate. In her case specifically, she cuts the thread of each persons life, causing them to die. 

Naturally, having that kind of power comes with some powerful enemies. 

With the Alexander's help, Ava learns her heritage, and all that entails, including who her father was and how he died. And why. 

The first great thing about this book was that I got it for FREE, thanks to Cat Mann, the author. 

She gave me a free eBook in exchange for an honest review, which this will be;)

The second great thing about this book is that it seemed like three books in one! I'm telling you, it was GREAT. I really, really, enjoyed this book. It had so much detail and really follows Ava and Ari's--oh yeah-- love life. Swoon. 

Where was I again? 

Ahem. 

So, yeah, I honestly thought since it was so long, and so detailed that it would be a one book, um, book. But imagine my utter delight when I found out that there is yet ANOTHER book entitled "A Broken Fate"!!!

I cannot WAIT to read this book. 

Please take my advice and READ. THIS. BOOK!!!

(a Big, HUGE, GIGANTIC, THANK YOU, to Cat Mann, for not only writing such an amazing story, but gifting me with this story for free! You're amazing!)

Book #57 "Gravity"

Title: "Gravity" (The Taking, #1)

Author: Melissa West

Rating: ★★★

The story takes place about a hundred years or so in futuristic America. 

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander is the daughter of Americas second in command, the Commander. 

She is in line to take the Commander's posistion one day, and that means the responsibility of protecting her loved ones, and the country, from the Ancients.

What are Ancients you ask? 

Let me tell you...

Decades before, Ancients, an extraterrestrial species, came to our world via the trees, (yep, you heard me. Trees-- but it's a lot cooler than it sounds) because the natural resources on their planet were depleting. 

The Ancients struck a deal with the leaders of our world--- they would come and go peacefully, and in exchange, every night every American citizen, ten years or older, must participate in the Taking.

During the Taking, humans wear a sort of high tech eye mask that basically paralyzises and blinds them while the Ancients take a little of the humans nutrients and natural anti-bodies necessary to survive in our atmosphere. 

Everything is going peachy until one night Ari can't find her eye mask, and peeks during the taking. What--or who-- she sees shocks her. 

Jackson Locke, her incredibly handsome, yet pretty jerk-y classmate, whom she had up until then presumed to be HUMAN. 

After her discovery, she interacts with Jackson, which is a HUGE no-no, and he tries to enlist her in helping him divert an epic war brewing between the Ancients and the citizens of Earth. 

Torn between duty, family, and love, Ari must decide whose side she's on and what the repercussions of her actions will be. 

I actually liked this book a lot. It did have some plot holes here and there, and didn't really explain certain things, but it still kept me reading. 

(The sequel, Hover, is already out.)

Book #56 "The Fault in our Stars"

Title: "The Fault in our Stars"
Author: John Green
Rating:  ★★★★★

 

 *Sigh*

What can I say about this book? I feel like whatever I say about this book won't do it justice. 

I'll admit that at first I was hesitant to read what I thought of as a "cancer book", but, BOY WAS I WRONG! It is so infinitely much more than that. 

It's a glimpse into a shockingly REALISTIC world where wishes don't get granted, where not everyone gets a happy ending, where people, good people, are dealt a losing hand in the game of life, but despite all of that, they continue to yearn for life. To fight to live just one more second, minute, hour, day. 

(Authors note: this book made me cry harder, and longer, than any book I've ever read. I didn't even cry that much when Dumbledore died. Yeah. I cried for about three chapters straight).

Our main character, and narrator, is Hazel Grace Lancaster. 

She is a terminally ill cancer patient who has bought herself a little more time thanks to the fictional drug, Philanxifor. 

She is an insanely bright sixteen-year-old, who is obsessed with the book, "An Imperial Affliction", (a book about a cancer patient, named Anna) written by the reclusive (fictional) author, Peter Van Houten. 

Hazel is forced by her parents to go to a cancer support group at a local church, where she meets Isaac, (a soon to be blind boy, thanks to cancer) and Augustus Waters, (soon to be Hazel's love interest, and reason for her life never being the same again) an amputee cancer patient. 

Augustus is witty and handsome, and stirs up emotions in Hazel that she's not prepared to deal with. She doesnt want to get involed with anyone because she wants to minimize the pain her passing will inevitably afflict upon the people she loves, and who love her in return.  

At Hazel's recommendation, Augustus,(Gus) reads "An Imperial Affliction" and catches Hazel's obsession. Both Hazel and Gus are unhappy with the questions that the book leaves unanswered, and make numerous attempts to contact Van Houten in the hopes of clarity. 

What follows is a captivating, heart-wrenching, and unforgettable journey through Love, Loss, Dreams Shattered, and all the in betweens. 

This book hit hard. 

I don't say this often, but really, if you don't read this, you are missing out on something critical. And you will never know the exquisite pain of a good tragedy. 

Book #55 "The Vincent Brothers" (Vincent Boys #2)

Title: "The Vincent Brothers" (Vincent Boys #2)
Author: Abbi Glines
Rating: ★★★★

 The second book in the "Vincent Boys" series takes place six months after the first book, and is from Sawyer, and Ashton's cousin, Lana's POV. At first, I wasn't too thrilled about that because I wanted to read more about Beau and Ash. But as time went on, all I wanted to do was keep seeing from inside Saw's and Lana's heads. 

Ash and Beau are completely in love and have moved on... but Sawyer hasn't. What do you expect, when your childhood girlfriend leaves you for your cousin? Sawyer is nursing a pretty bad heartache, and because of that, the bad boy he never knew he had inside of him is starting to come out.

Lana has been secretly in love with Sawyer ever since her childhood visits to Grove, Alabama. She had to watch as Sawyer fell in love with Ash, and when they finally became a couple. But no longer is she standing idly by letting the boy she loves slip out of the grasp she never really had on him in the first place. No, this time will be different. She's coming back to Grove for the summer with a total makeover, and a purpose.

In this book you watch as Lana tries to make Sawyer fall for her. Meanwhile, all Sawyer seems to do is pine over Ash, and use Lana as a distraction, or a tool to try and elicit some sort of reaction from Ash. Worry not, It doesn't always stay that way. Sawyer is slowly starting to realize that maybe he never knew what love really was? Maybe his feelings for Lana are a little more stronger than just a summer fling before college?

This book is the closure that I think all of us who have read the first book needed. I really enjoyed it, so much so that I stayed up until three last night reading it.

There is supposed to be a third installment in the "Vincent Boys" series entitled, "My Vincent Boys", but no release date as of yet.

Book #54 "The Vincent Boys" (Vincent Boys #1)

Title: "The Vincent Boys" (Vincent Boys #1)
Author: Abbi Glines
Rating: ★★★★

What's all this then? TWO book reviews in one day? Somebody (Me), must not have a life... or must have a day off.

The latter is the case.

I was kinda apprehensive about reading a book like this, I normally only read "love-triangle" books when they have something else going on in them, preferably something supernatural. This was actually a breath of fresh air, because, I don't know about you, but I love the romance bits in books and am always saying to myself, Okay, just get back to the good part. This book however was just one big good part.

Ashton, (a girl) has been friends with Beau and Sawyer Vincent, (Cousins), since childhood. Beau and Ashton were always the trouble makers, leaving Sawyer to cover up their messes and get them out of trouble, but Sawyer doesn't resent that in the slightest.

Suddenly, Ashton is grown up and quite pretty, catching the attentions of both Beau and Sawyer.

Good guy Sawyer starts dating Ash and all she wants to do is to be the person he deserves. Even if that means being the cliché goody-two-shoes preachers daughter.

It works for three years, until one summer Sawyer takes a family vacation and Beau and Ashton's paths cross once more.

She finds that the trouble-maker side of her is getting harder and harder to keep on a leash.

Initially, it was just supposed to be two childhood best friends rekindling their dying friendship;

They both love Sawyer and would never think about doing anything to hurt him. But things don't always go as planned, and even the best intentions somehow get lost in the heat of things.

Soon Ashton is realizing that she really never knew what love was until she finds it with Beau, and it causes her to rethink her entire relationship with Sawyer.

Did she choose the wrong Vincent boy?

What will happen when Sawyer finally comes home?

You get to read from both Ashton's and Beau's point of views, so you really get  good insight into the different angles of the story. 

Trust me, you'll want to read this one.  

Book #53 "Torn" (Trylle #2)

Title: "Torn" (Trylle #2)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Rating:  ★★★★

(I used this cover because I think it's cooler than the American cover.)

Okay, so this is the second book in the Trylle series; A series about a girl who discover that she is a changeling, a child who is swapped out at birth with another child, unbeknownst to the parents. Oh, and that's not the craziest part... wait for it... She's a troll. Well, technically a Trylle, and before you guys all start picturing little fuzzy-haired-jewel-in-the-belly-button-dolls, stop. They look exactly like us. 

 They do, however, have magical abilities. Each Trylle's abilities differ anywhere from telekinesis, to controlling the wind.

The main character is Wendy Everly.

In the first book, we find out that Wendy is a changeling, and meet Finn, her dark and handsome tracker.

Finn's job is to track Wendy down, and bring her back to her real mother, the Trylle queen, Elora.

Eventually, Wendy and Finn fall in love, but theirs is a forbidden love.

Trylle trackers are low on the hierarchy chain, and if anyone were to find out about their tryst, it would result in banishment.

At the end of the book, Finn leaves Wendy because he realizes it's his duty to do so, even if it  leaves them both brokenhearted. Wendy then runs away back to her home.

Fast forward to the second book, and we follow Wendy as she's captured by the rival troll clan, the Vittra, and we discover the shocking reason that they want Wendy. 

Without giving too much away, I want to finish summarizing this book... here goes...

Wendy has to undergo training on how to harness her abilities, that grow stronger every day. 

She ACTUALLY grows closer to Elora, and understands a little more about why Elora is the way she is, and why it was so important for her to be switched at birth.

Oh, and my favorite part?

Loki.

'Nuff said. 

Well, maybe not "'Nuff". 

Loki is part of the Vittra, but during her imprisonment at the enemies palace, she feels a connection to him and realizes he is not like the others.

She finds herself falling for Loki, and him falling for her in turn.

Meanwhile, Finn is still maintaining his mantra of, "I'm doing what's best for you".

But if her and Finn together was wrong, her and Loki is downright treason.

Ah, so much drama. But good, entertaining, swoon-worthy drama.

 

This book is crazily awesome. I finished it in about 8-9 hours. It's one of those books that you just Can't. Stop. Reading.

*sigh*

And did I mention Loki? I did? Well, you can't ever get too much Loki.

Oh! And trust me, you will DEFINITELY want to read the bonus story "One day, three ways" at the end.

So worth it. 

 

Book #52 "Origin" (Lux #4)

Title: "Origin" (Lux #4) 
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Rating:  ★★★★½

Oh lord. This book was.. was... just plain AWESOME!!! 

Now THIS is how a book should be written! 

It was like two books in one. So much happened, I don't know where to begin...

The book picks up where the last left off: Katy is in the clutches of the secret government organization "Daedalus" after being betrayed by Blake, (who saw that one coming? *sarcasm*) and getting trapped in the Mount Weather government stronghold where she, and her group, broke out Beth (Daemon's brothers girlfriend). 

What follows is a ton of action and CRAZY crap. I'm trying to figure out how to tell you guys about the story without giving too much info away... 

So, basically, you get to read from both Daemon and Katy's point of view. Which, BTW, is really cool to get to see what Daemon is thinking and doing while Katy is carted off to Area 51. Speaking of which, you get to see all the insane, crazy, messed up crap that Katy has to endure in Daedalus's pursuit of finding out if she is a "Perfect Hybrid", and you find out why that matters to them so much... and it'll blow your mind.

Of course, Daemon finds a way to get to Katy.

And I'm not telling how he does it, or when. You'll just have to read to find out ;) 

You also get to see more of Beth and Dawson, (trust me, you'll want to read to the end for this... it's good.) Ash, Andrew and Matthew. 

A good little chunk of the book takes place in Las Vegas on the strip by Treasure Island, which is really cool. I love when books take place in places that I've been, that way I don't have to rely on my imagination to create a landscape.

Honestly, this book rocked. It kept me up reading til four in the morning last night. It's just a great book full of action, romance, drama, death, and twists! All the key ingredients for a captivating read. Sadly, there is only one more book in the series, set to release in summer 2014... Boo.