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The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Some books are so good that when you reach the last chapter, after every line, you look away and say “I just can’t handle this. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.” The Crown of Embers is one of those books.

Elisa grew up so much in The Girl of Fire and Thorns, that I wasn’t sure there would be any room left for her to grow. I was so wrong. She still doesn’t have the strength she needs to rule a country. She’s not that sure of her own power yet. Despite her best efforts, she’s able to be manipulated and the glory of her victory in war is starting to fade. She’s not weak, however. She is willing to do whatever she needs to save her country and its people, and she’s definitely not stupid about how she fights her battles.

The romance in this one had me feelings like a giant puddle of goo. Her love with Humberto was sweet, and it’s a love she’ll never forget. First loves are like that. I’ll even admit to spending the first couple chapters just wishing Humberto would make a surprise appearance. But then, something wonderful happened and now I’m even more in love with Elisa’s romance. It’s built upon trust and respect and it’s so, so, so amazing.

Once again, Carson is able to build Elisa’s wonder fantastically. Every location is beautifully described, jumping off the page and coming to life.

The Crown of Embers is one of my favorite books of the year. It’s filled with everything I love and nothing I don’t. Carson writes the story I didn’t even realize I wanted and she does it so perfectly that there really isn’t anything I can say against it. The Crown of Embers is a book that deserves to be read and I really can’t wait for The Bitter Kingdom.

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Glass Heart by Amy Garvey

I love the way Garvey can intertwine a paranormal story with a romance. Neither side feels overdone or left out. Each side balance out perfectly, and in the end, Glass Heart leaves your soul feeling happy and content.

After the heart wrenching story of Cold Kiss, it was nice to see Wren happy and in love once again. It’s a different type of love, though. Not only because you can only have one first love, but because Wren isn’t the same person with Gabriel as she was with Danny. She’s also exploring the paranormal side to her a little more. It’s this testing of her powers that leads to Gabriel revealing he’s not entirely comfortable with that, and that hurts Wren. She feels a little rejected and instead of continuing to explore her powers in the safe way she knows, she starts to get a little more reckless.

While I feel like both the romantic and paranormal sides of this book are explored well, I wish there had been a little bit more on Bay and Fiona, the people Wren starts to hang out with after feeling put off my Gabriel, and their involvement in the novel. It was the only thing holding my back from thinking this book was completely perfect.

Amy Garvey wrote yet another wonderfully sweet, romantic paranormal story that had me falling in love with her words all over again. There’s something special in the way Garvey tells her story. There’s a lot of heart without it weighing the book down. It’s emotional, but in a fantastic way. Garvey is definitely a Young Adult author to keep your eye on.

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Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

I love a book that can give me that creepy feeling, where you don’t want to turn the page but you have to because you need to know what comes next. Girl of Nightmares is that kind of book.

Girl of Nightmares follows Cas as he tries to come to terms with losing Anna, and finding a way to see if she’s at peace after she sacrificed herself to save him. It’s a little more emotional than Anna Dressed in Blood, but it also has those light moments to keep it from dragging. There are enough side stories to keep the secondary characters involved and real, and yet it’s easy to see the main storyline.

Anna isn’t in this book much, but that’s okay. She doesn’t need to be in order for her to have an impact. Her absence in Cas’ life is felt by having her absent in the book. She only really shows up near the end, and while I’m sad there’s not going to be another book to their story, the ending is perfect for them. It was exactly what I wish for in any ending of a story. It felt right and gave me that happy feeling while still making me sigh because there’s nothing more.

Once again, Blake’s writing style helps make this novel amazing. She doesn’t skimp on anything. You get the full effect of everything creepy and morbid in this novel. If something happens, she doesn’t make the book prettier and gloss over it. If a ghost is gross, you read that. If a place is creepy beyond belief, she makes you believe it. It is fantastic.

Girl of Nightmares is an amazing sequel to a wonderful book. It’s a fitting conclusion to the story of Anna and Cas. Even though I wish there could be more, Blake managed to end the series on a perfect note.

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Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I really didn’t think I was going to like this book for only one reason. It’s a cyborg Cinderella. Growing up on Disney princesses has made me a bit bitter when it comes to retelling the stories I first fell in love with as a kid. Really, the only reason I picked this book up was because I’ve had it on my kindle for a while, and I was waiting for other books to be publish. Horrible, I know.

I even started this book thinking, “I’m just not going to like it. Cinder is a mechanic and part android and it just doesn’t sound great.” So Cinder had a huge obstacle in its way. And yet about halfway through, my entire viewpoint shifted. I was no longer reading it just to make it to the end. I was reading it because it was good.

Cinder is a fantastic character. She’s strong, but also vulnerable. She doesn’t give in easily, but knows which battles to pick. She falls into instant adoration with Prince Kai, but she doesn’t delude herself into thinking it’s love. That doesn’t come for a while, and even then, I’m still not sure it’s out yet.

Prince Kai is extremely sweet and it’s easy to see how much he cares for Cinder. He lights up when he’s with her. He becomes a different person. Not the prince, not the prince disguised as a commoner, but just Kai. It was really great to see, and while there was instant attraction to Cinder, he also doesn’t delude himself into believing it’s more than it is. There’s also an interesting set-up involving their relationship for the next book.

The world building was fantastic and I never felt lost or confused when it came to the world Kai and Cinder live in. It was easy to believe and immerse myself in.

Cinder definitely had a challenge in getting me to like it. I was fully prepared to give this book a one star review and tell everyone just how horrible a cyborg Cinderella was, but instead, the book wowed me and has completely won me over. I’ll certainly be picking up the next books, anxious to read more of Cinder’s story.

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Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

I had never read a book written in free verse style. It’s not really my thing. I prefer my poetry to be poetry and my novels to be novels. That said, there is no other way this story could have been told. I simply don’t think all the emotion and passion and heartbreak could have gotten across any other way.

The characters in Exposed are amazingly well-written. They aren’t really black and white, but I felt for them in some way in every poem. The story is told through Liz’s point of view, and her aching was completely visible and palpable. It oozed off the page and crawled under my skin until I was a teary mess because it was horrible, and yet the book was so good.

The way Marcus didn’t really give a definitive answer on the major plot point was genius. I didn’t need to know the yes or no answer. Either way, it was a horrible situation and an answer wasn’t going to solve it. Too much hurt had already happened for any result to heal the wounds.

There honestly isn’t anything else I can say about this book, except that people need to read it. It is so incredibly raw and powerful that there aren’t words that adequately describe how stunning this book is in its heartbreak.

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Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

I’m having a difficult time with this review. Not because the book was bad or problematic, but rather because it was good. I wasn’t all that excited about reading this book. It hadn’t really been on my radar and it just didn’t seem like the kind of book I’d fall into and love. I bought it because it was on sale, and I read it because I was waiting for other things to be published.

Why am I telling you how reluctant I was to read Masque of the Red Death? So that you don’t make the same mistake I did. You need to get this book, sit down, and just read. You’ll thank me for it later.

Araby is living a guilty life. Alive, but not really living. At first, I was confused as to why she was the one that got involved with everything happening in the book. She isn’t the bravest or the strongest or the smartest character I’ve ever read. She didn’t have that special something. But then I realized that was why she was involved. Because she was normal. She was in the right place at the right time and had something necessary. Her importance isn’t apparent at first. But as you read, you’ll discover that despite all her faults, there’s a reason people need her like they do.

The love triangle. One of the things I dread the most on Young Adult novels. They usually annoy me because they become more important than everything else in the novel, instead of acting as a tool to help build the strength of the story. Not in Masque of the Red Death. Yes it’s there, but it doesn’t take over the story. Neither guy is completely perfect and I question both their motives. I’m not sure I trust either one, but I like that. It adds more mystery to the novel and more confusion.

Masque of the Red Death is a dark, edgy book that draws you in and won’t let go. It wraps around your mind until you can’t resist and then it seeps into your blood, making sure to bring you right into the story. It’s a fantastic read and I can’t wait for the next book.

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Defiance by C.J. Redwine

I try to go into books with no expectations, that way I’m not disappointed when they don’t live up to what I wanted. I tried to do the same for Defiance, but for some reason, there was this voice in the back of my mind telling me it was going to be a good book.

It was.

The characters are real. They have flaws, but they work with them and find ways to work situations to their advantage. They grow as characters in real ways. They don’t suddenly come to life-altering conclusions that make your head spin. Every time they realize something, it fits. It makes sense.

There’s wasn’t insta-love like so many Young Adult books like to have. Yes, there was attraction right from the beginning. But it wasn’t disguised as love. It took a while to get to the love and when it happened, it was perfect.

The story itself is pretty unique, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. There’s plenty of action to keep the pace moving, but when there is a moment to rest and relax, it’s not filled with dribble. Every word has a purpose and I loved that.

There was enough world-building to make it work, while still leaving enough questions to have me eagerly awaiting the next book. There was enough of a resolution to leave a content feeling, but enough of a cliffhanger to have me counting down the days until the next book is released.

Defiance is a fantastic novel, kicking off what is sure to be a huge series. It has enough of everything a great novel needs without being completely heavy. It’s definitely a book people need to pick up and read.

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The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

I’m not sure I have enough words to adequately express how much this book moved me. Usually, a book that feels slow to start and has slightly confusing chapters doesn’t affect me this much, but The Paris Wife slowly tore me to pieces with its heart and pain, and at the very end, I was reading through tears.

The Paris Wife tells the story of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley, and the beginnings of his career. No one seems especially thrilled at the start of their relationship, but they were in love. It was easy to see, even through the very end. And I think that’s why it hurt so much at the end. It wasn’t hatred that I felt, reading those last chapters. It was Hadley’s love; so much love that she knew she had to let it go, or it would destroy them more than it had already.

It’s easy to see the Ernest Hadley fell in love with. But as he gained success, he began to lose himself to his work, and in turn, losing his wife and family. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to read, because as much as you want it to turn out, you know it doesn’t. Each little piece of love and adoration I read was like another tiny needle poking me; simply because I knew their happiness wouldn’t last forever.

The novel does start of a little slow, and some of the vacation chapters where lots of people are mentioned got a little confusing, but all of that pales in comparison to how fantastic the rest of the novel is. It will make you feel, it will hurt, and the ending breaks your heart, but it is such a fantastic, amazing, wonderful, splendid novel that you can’t help but keep reading. This has easily become a must read book, and one of the best books I’ve ever read.

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Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

This isn’t an action-packed, paranormal, good guy-bad guy book. It doesn’t have good sides and bad sides or huge battles, but it still reaches in and touches your heart with all the emotions you feel.

Wren fell in love with Danny and Danny fell in love with her. He was taken too soon, and Wren wasn’t able to handle losing another person in her life. She had lost her father, her grandmother, her aunt, her mother was closed off…she wasn’t able to let go of anymore.

Cold Kiss deals with the consequences Wren faces after bringing Danny back from the dead. He’s not a whole person; he’s not what Wren remembers. Even in bringing his body back to life, she still wasn’t able to bring back what she had lost. It’s heartbreaking to see her deal with losing him, even though he’s still right in front of her.

Gabriel is a little too perfectly placed for me to completely love this book, but I still enjoyed his character. His abilities seem just a little too convenient, and his arrival too perfect, but he’s still a good guy. He just wants to help Wren with Danny, but realizes there are some things he just can’t do. I liked how he gave her just enough space, but was always there when she needed him.

Cold Kiss is a touching book about love and letting go. It’s about finding the power to continue even when you feel like you can’t. It’s a wonderful book and I’ll definitely be reading Glass Heart.

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Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Nothing makes me happier when reading a book than when that book is able to completely shock and stun me. Speechless is one of those books. I figured it would be a good read, maybe a little preachy, and ultimately get a message across. What I got instead was a book that was real and twisted my heart in one of the best ways possible.

After what she says nearly gets someone killed, Chelsea takes a vow of silence. In the beginning, her silence feels more like an attempt to make herself feel better about what happens. She realizes that words can have an impact, but it didn’t feel like she really understood that. By the end, though, she understands how her words can and should be used. She grows from a typical teen obsessed with social ranking and the latest clothing trend to someone comfortable being herself and understanding how important her words can be, in both using them and being silent.

Harrington’s ability to create real people out of book characters is fabulous. Aside from a few of the secondary characters, everyone feels like a real person. Kristen and some of the jock boys fall a little flat, but I didn’t mind that. This story wasn’t about them. I wasn’t expecting them to grow. It wouldn’t have been real if everyone had come to the same conclusion about the events in the book.

This isn’t a book that will blow your mind. It’s not a book you have to think deeply about in order to understand. But it’s a book with an impact that still leaves you with a little smile at the very end.