Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Hardcover: 544 Pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 978-0-06-202406-0

My Rating: 5/5

The faction based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered-fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature-and of herself-while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

I really can't say enough good things about the Divergent trilogy! I love these books more than any other I've probably read ever. I fell in love with Four and Tris in Divergent and (although I got annoyed with them at times!) it followed through till the end of Allegiant. Roth did an amazing job writing these books! I haven't seen the Divergent movie yet but if it's half as good as the book I'll be happy!

 Allegiant picks up right where Insurgent left off. You don't miss a beat! They flow right into each other very nicely. Tris and Four both go through serious inner and outer turmoil in Allegiant. It's heartbreaking to read about all the troubles they go through and sometimes, yes, I wanted to smack them! lol. This book really tore me up. At first I wasn't sure how I felt when I finished it....then after I thought on it, I'm glad Roth ended the trilogy the way she did. It's so fresh and unique and much needed in the YA genre.

This trilogy is amazing! I really can't say enough good things about it. I'll be honest here and say that I actually convinced someone I know to read this. This person hates reading and has never read a book for pleasure in his entire life! I made him read Divergent (I was obsessed!) and he loved it so much! He read it in a couple days and then Insurgent followed right after. Then we were both anticipating the release of Allegiant. So if this trilogy can turn a book hater into a book lover, then it's definitely worth a read! I implore you to get this trilogy and read it if you haven't. You are missing out!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Paperback: 480 Pages

Publisher: Harper Collins

ISBN: 978-0061726835

My Rating: 1/5

They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for my rating and review of this book but, I'm sorry! I have to be honest and say how I really feel. I didn't like this book at all. And it's only because I couldn't get into it. I love to read and I found myself coming up with other things to do so I wouldn't have to read this book. I got a little over halfway and I just quit reading it because I couldn't finish. I knew if I didn't just stop reading it then I would never finish it and I wouldn't start anything else.

The characters were not relatable to me at all and I hate that. When a book is a little boring at least you can get through it if the characters are good but this book had neither for me. I didn't like any of the characters and I didn't like the plot. This book was not a good fit for me. I honestly had to go back and read parts that I had already read in the book (backtrack if you will) just so I could try to remember what I had read. When a book doesn't stick with you enough to put it down for a day and pick it back up and remember where you left off then that's not good.

I'm really sorry to have to give this one a bad review. But I really hated it. I see that a ton of people love it so maybe it was just my frame of mind when I was reading it, I'm not sure. I am planning in the future to pick it up and try reading it again but that won't be for a long time. For now, I'm moving on to better things and I've already completely forgot about this one.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Hardcover: 619 Pages

Publisher: Little Brown

ISBN: 978-0-316-06804-8

My Rating: 3/5

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed. When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

I picked up 'The Host' from Barnes and Nobles off the clearance shelf for $5. I had tried to read it a long time ago and only read the first few chapters and couldn't get into it. I decided to pick it back up and give it another shot. I did enjoy the story even though it seems like not very much stuff happened in it. There was quite a few things that I didn't like in the book. I found they just kind of irked me the wrong way. I swear I'm going to make a list of the top 10 things that drive me crazy when reading them in a book haha. Anyways, the story was good, I liked most of the characters but it definitely had its flaws. One main one for me was that I thought this was supposed to be a book for adults. Maybe with the success of Twilight, Meyer just can't pull herself away from that but nothing in this book says adult to me. It might be more suited to an older YA group because of the complexity of some of the events that take place.

'The Host' is the story of Melanie, or the Wanderer, or Wanda, they are all the same person basically....Actually, I don't want to say what this book is about. The movie just came out yesterday and I don't want to spoil anything. I'll just talk about what I didn't like about the book which is why I gave it a 3 out of 5. First thing, the hissing. For anyone who has read this book I'm sure they know exactly what I'm talking about. Everyone in this book hisses any time they are angry, upset, scared or feeling any kind of negative emotion. There is a lot of hissing that happens. This only bugs me because never in my life have I encountered a human being that hissed when they were mad. I just don't get it. The only other thing I really hated was the fact that Meyer seems to feel that woman are the weaker sex as is eminent in ALL of her books. In Twilight, we got to read about Bella who was too weak emotionally and physically to do anything for herself and she was in an abusive relationship with Edward. In 'The Host' we get to read about Wanda (Wanderer, Melanie) who is unable to even speak up for herself at any point in this entire book. It drives me crazy. There is not one point where the lead in this book says, "You know what, bunk this!" and does anything to defend herself. She spends half the book cowering in a corner somewhere and the other half crying and being beat and/or someone trying to kill her. INSANE!

Anyways, with all that being said I will say I did like this book. It was engaging and I enjoyed reading it. I think if Meyer comes out with another book and is has a female lead and she doesn't stand up for herself I will boycott Stephenie Meyer forever haha. There is definitely no comparison to Twilight with this book but I will say that Meyer failed to make a transition from YA books to Adult books, this is definitely a YA book parading around as an adult book. Read it, or don't, it doesn't really matter but you won't be missing out on much.

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Paperback: 182 Pages

Publisher: Dalmatian Press

ISBN: 1-4037-6498-0

My Rating: 4/5

Poor Oliver...Starved and mistreated as a workhouse orphan, he runs away to London, hoping to find a better life. But twists and turns-and some rather odd characters-await him in his tale. Oliver's fate is in the hands of villains and thieves, one kind old gentleman, one woman with a change of heart, and a twisted man who follows his every move.

Everyone knows the story of Oliver Twist so I'm not really going to go into any detail here. I will say that I liked it, just like before even though it's a little deranged haha. I guess I didn't really realize (or maybe I didn't remember) just how sad little Oliver Twist's story is. I don't really feel like I should say much haha. It's a classic story, I'm sure everyone has read it so I'll just say that I liked it and if you haven't read it you should. The version of the book I got would be good for kids because there are lots of pictures in it. I didn't realize that these little $1 books were going to essentially be picture books but they are good little quick reads either way.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Paperback: 336 Pages

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN: 978-1-59514-188-0

My Rating: 3.5/5

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her. Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes-and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death. All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town...and what he discovers changes his life forever.

I really really struggled with what to rate this book. I did really like it. It kept me interested and I enjoyed reading it. But after finishing the book and reading the ending I was a little disappointed. I actually explained the book in great detail to a friend that's a male and he just looked at me and said "Was this book written by a guy?" Why yes, yes it was. I want to give you fair warning that my review may contain spoilers. I might need to vent about my frustrations and reveal key points in this novel. So just a heads up. With that being said, I think Asher is a good author and I would definitely like to read something else from him so long as it's not a similar style of book.

One of the things I really enjoyed about 'Thirteen Reasons Why' was the dual narration. There are two main voices. Although it's Clay Jensen's POV, Hannah Baker has an equal amount of narrating if not more. I've never read a book with a simultaneous narration from two distinctly different characters. It was great and Asher did amazing in that aspect. Now on to what I didn't like. I didn't like her 13 reasons for why she killed herself. I know that we all handle stress differently and stuff but to me, she faced nothing different than any other teenage girl or (in some cases) boy. I read this book in a very small amount of time, it was an easy read but I honestly kept holding out hope that something would happen. Something besides rumors and other peoples flaws as characters. I was waiting for it to come out that she was raped, not that someone else was. And how can she sit there and berate people for not reaching out to help her when she couldn't reach out and help the girl being raped? She's a walking contradiction. I won't say more about the book then that but I have something to say about all 13 reasons.

Overall, I did like reading this novel. It was interesting and it kept me engaged; however, I'd never read another one like it. I was really disappointed and I feel like it gives an extremely negative message. She justifies killing herself for rumors and things that she let happen? If we all reacted the same way I think the world would be a very small place. I struggled with whether to give this book a 3 or a 4 so it is officially my first book that I've given a half a point to. I do fully encourage everyone to read this book and see what you think yourself. Very few people dislike it from what I've seen so give it a shot.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Paperback: 179 pages

Publisher: Dalmatian Press

ISBN: 1-4037-6497-2

My Rating: 5/5

Alice's adventures get "curiouser and curiouser" in Wonderland. From a Queen with no heart (who must win), to a Duchess with no point (but her chin), to a Cat with no parts (but its grin)-Alice is the only one who makes any sense in this wonderful tale of nonsense.

I absolutely can not find a picture for the cover of this book. I looked everywhere for one to use but I can't find one. So the picture above isn't the picture for this book, just to clarify. With that being said, I'm sure we've all heard of Alice in Wonderland whether from watching one of the many movies or by reading the classic book. I picked this one up because I was at Walmart and they had this whole big section of books that are classics there for $1 a piece....I mean, who can pass on books that are $1 especially such amazing ones! So I grabbed it up and just decided to read it today since I knew it would be a quick, easy and enjoyable read.

I don't really feel the need to explain the book because I'd be shocked to find a person who hadn't heard of it. But, in a nutshell, it's about Alice who falls asleep and has this curious dream about falling down a rabbit hole into Wonderland. There she runs into all sorts of creatures and problems. She seems to be a short-tempered child as she continuously loses her temper but seems to be able to control her anger fairly well.

I absolutely love the story of Alice in Wonderland and I've loved it for a very long time. I was so excited when I saw this at Walmart for just $1. It's a perfect book for kids because it's a picture book. The pictures aren't colored or anything but they are still in there and the illustrations are quite enjoyable. Definitely worth a purchase!

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Hardcover: 448 Pages

Publisher: Splinter

ISBN: 978-1-4027-8403-3

My rating: 1/5

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that's exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spell-binding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

I honestly did really try to give this book a fair chance. I know that SO many people absolutely loved it but I just couldn't get into it. There was just something about it, the way it was written, the way the characters talked, I just couldn't get into. They didn't talk normally. It was almost like...English wasn't their first language (even though it was for some) but they still spoke it....unnaturally. Now, I want to give it a fair review even though I didn't like it. And I definitely do not want to deter anyone from reading it. I think you should absolutely check it out for yourself and I hope that people don't just buy books based on reviews.

The main character in the story was Kelsey. She's 17 and just graduated high school. She got a job at a circus where she gets to work with the dogs and a tiger. The thing that first just irked me the wrong way was how she saw the tiger and instantly was like, dang, that tiger is so special, so different. How many tigers has she worked with at 17? Then she said the tiger smelled of sandalwood and jasmine and that the smell lingered after the tiger was gone, but she said she was standing in the back watching the show...so it doesn't add up...how did you smell that tiger over everything else? And the other thing I couldn't stand was the way ALL the characters talked. Like they bought a Word-A-Day calendar and were trying to use big words. At one point Kelsey is told a story about a prince who was tortured and killed. After hearing the story she basically says "what a tragic series of events" or something along those lines. People just don't talk like that. I won't lie, I only read the first 100 pages or so and all the characters talked like that the whole time. No one had their own individual "voice" if you know what I mean.

Overall, I didn't like 'Tiger's Curse' and I won't buy the next book. With that being said, I hope that you'll check it out for yourself. Please don't ever take any person's review as the be all, end all over a book. Just because it doesn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. It actually seems to be loved more than it isn't by most people so I'm probably just the exception. Check it out, or don't, it's really up to you but I won't pick it up again.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Paperback: 496 Pages

Publisher: McElderberry Books

ISBN: 978-1-4169-7224-2

My Rating: 5/5

WARNING: Don't read the area in green if you haven't read City of Bones and you plan on reading it, it contains spoilers!!

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like her best friend, Simon. But the Shadowhunters won't let her go-especially her handsome, infuriating newfound brother, Jace. And Clay's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil-and also her father. When the second of the Mortal Instruments is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor suspects Jace. Could Jace really be willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

It's been a long time since I read 'City of Bones' by Cassandra Clare so I had to refresh my memory before getting into City of Ashes. I don't know why I waited so long between the two because when I read 'City of Bones' I was instantly obsessed and the same holds true for 'City of Ashes.' All the same characters are there but with some new developments. This book was a little shocking. There were lots of points where I was just like "WHAT?????" but not in a bad way haha. It's really engaging and I'm glad I finally decided to pick it back up.

This book is the story of the Shadowhunters but, as we all know, there are also demons, werewolves, vampires, warlocks, and pretty much anything else you can think of. 'City of Ashes' is basically Clary and Jace's story with a little bit of Simon thrown in. There are a few deaths and some significant changes in key characters which were totally unexpected! We learn more about the notorious Valentine but also get hints that something else is going on...something about Valentine, Jace and Clary but it never quites get out there so I'm super anxious to read the next book and find out what it is.

Overall, I loved 'City of Ashes' just as much as I loved 'City of Bones.' Clare did an amazing job with this book as she did with the first one! I'm hoping to have the rest of the series read so I can be caught up for the new book release in April of 2014 but my To Be Read pile is HUGE right now. Yes, I've been totally slacking in the reading department. I tried to describe this series to a friend and the only thing I could think to say was that it is True Blood for a younger crowd. In case you didn't know, I love True Blood immensely! If you haven't checked out this series yet, you need to. It's absolutely amazing!

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Paperback: 608 Pages

Publisher: RazorBill

ISBN: 978-1-59514-440-9

My Rating: 4/5

The Queen is dead and the Moroi world will never be the same. Now, with Rose awaiting wrongful execution and Lissa in a deadly struggle for the royal throne, the girls find themselves forced to rely upon enemies and to question those they thought they could trust...But what if true freedom means sacrificing the most important thing of all? Each other.

I'm a little sad to be writing this review. I've loved the Vampire Academy series for so long! So it's completely crushing for me to be writing my last review on the series. There are other series from Richelle Mead that will take place in the Moroi World (Bloodlines) but I'm fairly confident they won't have Rose Hathaway or Lissa Dragomir in them, which is heartbreaking. With that being said, I can honestly say that Vampire Academy has been one of my top three for favorite series! I love it and everything about it. Although I found the final book to be a little slow till about halfway, it was exponentially better than the ending to some other series....not naming any names (Twilight!).

The final book in the series, Last Sacrifice, picks up literally right where Spirit Bound left off. I don't want to reveal anything in case some of you aren't that far in the series. I will say that I found the first half of the book to be pretty slow going and boring...which is probably why it took me so long to read it. But the second half flew by in a second. There was a ton of stuff going on, unexpected deaths was a big one. There were a lot of things that I found to be predictable in the end. I mean, you just knew it was going to happen either way.

I initially was going to give Last Sacrifice a 3/5 but the last half of the book made up for the boring parts in the beginning. I didn't give it a solid 5 because of a few reasons, the slowness in the beginning, the ending was too perfect and there definitely should have been more....drama. I mean, I love all the characters but the ones that were most important that lived were too...happy? haha. That sounds mean. It was too fairy tale, happily ever after-ish. Despite all that, I love Richelle Mead as an author and I can't wait to start reading Bloodlines! If you haven't checked out the Vampire Academy series yet, I really don't know what you're waiting for....you definitely should....right now!

Plights by B. Pine

Paperback: 256 Pages

Publisher: Silver Leaf Books

ISBN: 

Release Date: February 11, 2013

My Rating: 5/5

The children grow, the dragons watch. And they can't help but wonder what lies in store for them all. The wonderful tale of the young Draca Wards continues. After surviving their initial confrontation with various dragons, it is now apparent that children are indeed a force to be reckoned with. Realizing this, the Academy Headmaster, the Debellos dragon Humo, changes tactics and directs his deadly attention on Galen and Princess Jania. Sanguis continues her schemes to make Rohen her own. And the sinister dragon Obitus has also formed a dangerous plot to recover the child druid Megan. But although their Tueri dragon protectors are either absent or powerless to guard the wards, the children are not defenseless. They have a helpful young ally. And their powers are emerging. Read more of the adventures of Rohen, Megan, Jania, Ben, and Galen as they continue their education at the renowned Academy in the second installment of the Draca Wards Saga. Find out if any more wards are discovered, and whether any other dragons make their presence known.

First off, let me start by saying that I almost always put the reading level for every book. Since this is a YA blog I assume everyone knows that; however, I sincerely feel that The Draca Wards Saga by B. Pine is an incredible series that literally everyone can enjoy. This won't be the first or the last time that I compare The Draca Wards Saga to the Harry Potter series but in the same fashion, they are both incredible and could easily be loved by one and all.

Plights picks up where Familiar Origins leaves off. I don't want to say too much about this book because it's the second in the saga and I really think they are incredible so no spoilers! I will say that all my favorite characters make an appearance including (but not limited to) Ghalen  and Rohen. I have really liked Rohen's character since I read Familiar Origins and that still holds true. There were some very descriptive events that took place in this book that seriously gave me chills. One being an infestation of ticks and lice!

When an author is capable of putting you right into the world they've created and make you feel what the characters feel, you're in for one amazing ride and that is exactly what Pine did with this Saga. It was a long time for me to wait between reading Familiar Origins and then reading Plights but I remembered everything easily and it was like it was yesterday when I read Familiar Origins. Again, Pine amazes me with her abilities as an author and continues my undying love for the Draca Wards Saga! If you haven't read this series yet, you need to!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up

Hardcover: 544 Pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 978-0-06-202404-6

My Rating: 5/5

One choice can transform you-or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves-and herself-while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebrating and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge and choices will become even more irrevocable-and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

It's been a long time since I was able to read a full book or write a review as I'm sure most of you noticed. So I apologize for that and if this review is really not up to the standards of my others. With that being said, let's start!

First of all, I love love love this book. I also really loved Divergent and read it in a very short amount of time. Insurgent is a continuation of Divergent and an amazing one at that. Most books lose their sizzle from book 1 to book 3 but not Insurgent! If possible, it gets better.

Tris struggles through some amazingly difficult situations and substandard living conditions. She is very real for me in Insurgent. She acts how I would expect a normal person to act. Having to shoot her best friend in Divergent, she is unable to even hold a gun in Insurgent because it's too painful and she is overwhelmed with a flashbacks and emotions. Even when her life is in jeopardy, she still can't seem to sum up the courage to fire a gun. This story is full of twists and turns! Help comes to Tris from a lot of unexpected sources, she risks her own life over and over again, and she is still overwhelmed over the events that happened in Divergent.

Overall, this book was incredible. Roth has easily become one of my favorite authors with her superb writing style and sheer talent. I can't wait to read more from her! Which will be sort of soon with the third book in the Divergent series being released on 10/22/2013. I can't wait! If you haven't picked up Divergent yet I very strongly recommend that you do! It's one book you won't regret purchasing and you will easily fall in love with it over and over.

One of my favorite books!!

I'm not sure if any of you remember but a while back I read a book called 'Familiar Origins' which I loved so much!! I'm super excited to say that the next book is scheduled to be released in February!! Right now, they have the first book in the series on for just 99 cents at Amazon for kindle!! If you haven't read this book yet, you NEED to and at 99 cents, how can you say no?

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Reading Level: Ages 12 and Up

Paperback: 312 Pages

Publisher: Flux

ISBN: 978-0-7387-2582-6

My Rating: 4/5

When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed Donna Underwood's father and drover her mother mad. Her own nearly fatal injuries were fixed by alchemy-the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. Now seventeen, Donna feels like a freak, doomed be the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. Only her relationship with her best friend, Navin, is keeping her sane. But when vicious wood elves abduct Navin, Donna is forced to accept her role in the centuries-old war between human alchemists and these darkest outcasts of Faerie. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous guy with faery blood running through his veins and secrets of his own, Donna races to save Navin-even if it means betraying everything her parents fought to the death to protect.

It took me a long time to read this book just because I'm in school. And normally I have the worst memory in the world and forget everything. I'd usually have to go back over the book and skim through it to kind of jog my memory I guess you could say. I didn't have to do that with this book which was great. It really stuck with me and I very much enjoyed the story. The characters were likable for the most part and it was very well written.

Characters: The only thing bad I can say about the characters is that I didn't get enough of them. Donna is a great character...she's well developed, makes the story very engaging, has a good personality. She has a lot of great qualities and likable assets. Navin we don't learn too too much about other than the fact that he is Donna's best friend and stands by her no matter what. He's a very endearing character and I really liked Xan...he was probably my favorite character.

Plot: The plot is great in this story. It's basically Donna struggling with her...abnormal physical attribute and hiding it from everyone. She doesn't go to high school anymore because of something that happened and now none of the kids like her and they all think she is a freak. Eventually she meets Xan very early in the book and they start this weird kind of...relationship I guess you could say. Anyways, it all boils down to Donna trying to save Maker and Navin from the wood queen.

After going back over this I realized I rambled a bit haha. I have a hard time explaining  things without giving away too many details. I don't like to ruin books for people because I hate when they are ruined for me. Anyways! haha. It's a great book, if you haven't read it yet then you should pick it up, it's really good. The characters were admirable, the plot was engaging, and overall it was amazing! I loved everything about it and it stuck with me even though I had to take a break from reading for a while.

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Paperback: 496 Pages

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN: 978-1-59514-366-2

My Rating: 4/5

Rose's life will never be her own. She has been outrunning death ever since the accident that forever bonded her to her best friend, Lissa-whom she's sworn to protect no matter what. But with Dimitri stalking her, Rose can only run so far.

It should come as no surprise that I love the 'Vampire Academy' series by Richelle Mead. In fact, she has easily become one of my favorite authors; however, I found 'Spirit Bound' to be least favorite book of the series. I still really liked it and contemplated giving it a 3/5 but the ending was good enough to boost my rating back up to a 4 out of 5. It makes me extremely sad to say that I almost gave a VA book a 3/5 but let's discuss why.

Characters: The characters were still the same. Rose was still Rose, Lissa was still Lissa and so on. I did notice that there were some character differences though. Rose seemed weak to me in Spirit Bound. Normally she has the strength of a bull but in this particular novel she seemed to rely too heavily on other people. And Lissa was tougher than normal, which is great!

Plot: As much as it pains me to do so, I have to admit that I found the story line to be very predictable. I knew what was going to happen before it did. And not just one or two things here or there, pretty much everything. The plot was still adequate enough to keep me interested but it was slow at times and highly predictable.

Those were really the only two things I took issue with. I love to read a book or watch a movie and speculate what is going to happen; it's part of what makes it fun for me! But being able to almost always know what is going to happen makes things a little tough to read-or watch. Overall, it was still a good book and I'm definitely going to read the final book 'Last Sacrifice.' Even though I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others, it's still a series I highly recommend to everyone! Happy Reading! :)

A little update

I just wanted to write a little post to let people know a few things. First, I am still here and desperately trying to read and post as many reviews as I can. It seems pretty normal lately that I am only doing one or two a month. It makes me super sad to say that but I'm doing the best I can for right now. I'm just starting a new semester/year at school so I know I will have even less time than I do now. I'm really sorry for that and I hope you all can be understanding and know that I appreciate you remaining to be a follower of Fay-Bay's Books! :)

Second, to any authors or publishers, I am not accepting any books for review. I may make the rare exception and take on a book if I feel I can read it and post a review within a timely matter. I already have a ton of books to read and some to review for people, I feel I just can't take on any more at this time. I'm very sorry for that! If you think that your book might be the rare one that I'll take on or if I have worked with you in the past, please feel free to email me and I'll see what I can work out.

Thanks everyone! :) On a side note, I'm hoping to host a small giveaway soon. I realized that I missed my one year mark because I was so into my school work, OOPS! So maybe I'll do a back to school type of thing... :)

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Paperback: 312 Pages

Publisher: Graphia

ISBN-13: 978-0547417301

My Rating: 4/5

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and on the day she was born her grandmother proclaimed her to be the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. No, seventeen years later, she spend most of her time at boarding school in Manhattan, where she can at least pretend to be normal. But during the summers, she's forced to return home and work at her family's bookstore/magic shop. One night a handsome young professor from New York University arrives in the shop and mistakes Tamsin for her extremely Talented older sister. For once, it's Tamsin who is being looked at with awe and admiration, and before she can stop herself, she agrees to find a family heirloom for him that was lost more than a century ago. But the search-and the stranger-prove to be more sinister that they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the past sins of her family, and unleash a power so strong and so vengeful, it could destroy them all.

When I first started reading 'Once a Witch' I thought it wasn't going to be a book that I enjoyed but boy was I wrong! I liked it a lot...actually more than a lot. It had so many different elements in it that made it such a great read. It had witches, (obviously) magic, sibling rivalry, a blossoming romance and lets not all forget the unforgettable bad guy! I only gave 'Once a Witch' a 4 out of 5 because it started off really slow for me an it took me a little while to get into. It has a slow beginning, at least for me. Sometimes the sheer epicness of a book can overshadow a few flaws but this book wasn't one of those.

'Once a Witch' tells the story of a young girl named Tamsin. She finds herself to be the black sheep of her family because they all have a Talent and she does not. She was born Talent less and no one lets her forget it....well at least her sister Rowena doesn't! She lives in New York City where she attends school but travels home on weekends to visit her family and help out at their bookstore; and that is where she meets Alistair. A little white lie because a monstrosity and soon Tamsin's world is completely upside down!

If you can read through the slow beginning (which I highly suggest) 'Once a Witch' is absolutely incredible! It's written very well and thought out. There aren't any inadequacies and the way MacCullough wrote the book makes you want to keep on reading! If you haven't had the chance to read 'Once a Witch' yet, I suggest you do! I'm glad it's part of my collection and I will definitely be getting the second one.

The Fairytale Keeper by Andrea Cefalo

Reading Level: Young Adult

Paperback: 274 Pages

Publisher: Scarlet Primrose Press

ISBN: 978-0-9851678-1-3

My Rating: 5/5

Many called her Snow White, but few knew her as the Fairytale Keeper... Snow White was a pet name her mother had given her, but her mother's dead now. Adelaide hates that name anyway. A rampant fever claimed Adelaide's mother just like a thousand others in Cologne where the people die without Last Rites and the dead are dumped in a large pit outside of the city walls. Adelaide's father is determined to obtain a funeral for his wife, but that requires bribing the parish priest, Father Soren. When Soren commits an unforgivable atrocity, he pushes Adelaide to her breaking point, but if she seeks justice against the cruel priest, she risks sacrificing everything: her father, her friends, her first loves, and maybe even her life.

Most people would think that all fairytale's end the same way; a happily ever after, prince charming, and a beautiful castle. Well, not in Addie's world! I honestly went into 'The Fairytale Keeper' expecting the same old song and dance and I was pleasantly surprised! It was so refreshing and enthralling to me that I couldn't put it down! I read the first half of the book over a couple day and the second half in one evening. It is immensely engaging, riveting, and leaves you at the edge of your seat the whole time.

'The Fairytale Keeper' tells the store of Adelaide who is referred to as Snow White by her mother. The story starts off with a very emotionally powerful opening and from then on it's just turmoil and chaos in Cologne where she lives. 'The Fairytale Keeper' has a little bit of almost everything! By the end of the book I found myself tearing up because I was so caught up in the story.

Andrea Cefalo has written one of the best "fairytale" novels I've read to date. The ending of the book left me hanging and yearning for more! I can't wait till the spring of 2013 when the next book is expected to be released! If you haven't been fortunate enough to read 'The Fairytale Keeper' by Andrea Cefalo yet I highly recommend that you do. I don't know how I'll make it through a whole year before I can buy the next book! It is unlike anything I've read before and I can't wait to read more from Andrea Cefalo.

Shut Up by Anne Tibbets

Reading Level: Young Adult with mature themes

Paperback: 118 Pages

Publisher: Premier Digital Publishing

ISBN: 978-1937957360

My Rating: 5/5

Mary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up. Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out royally, and to top it off The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport. Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows. Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.

After I finished reading 'Shut Up' by Anne Tibbets I had to sit on it for a while. I kind of let it swirl around in my head and the story just completely consumed me. The only thing I could even think to say at the end of it was 'Wow!' It is such an incredible story of pain and heartache but there is also this fierce courage and strength to it that it's empowering. It is easily one of the most emotional books I have read to date.

'Shut Up' tells the story of Mary who is beaten by her family both physically and emotionally. She has an older sister who is the antagonist in my mind. She does everything she can to ruin Mary and her happiness. Everyone in Mary's family seems to let their anger out on her in so many different ways. And through all of this she has to endure disgusting sexual advances by 'The Creep' which is her older sister's boyfriend.

It was amazing to read such a powerful story and literally watch this young girl go from naive child to maturity in one small novel. I was completely and totally trapped in this world with her and sometimes I just wanted to cry with Mary and sometimes I wished I could help her. 'Shut Up' really touches your soul on an intense emotional level which is why it is EASILY one of my favorite books. I think that 'Shut Up' portrays a strong message and theme that it could be both influential and beneficial to any teenager, child or adult. If you haven't had to chance to read 'Shut Up' by Anne Tibbets, make sure you get it! It's one emotional drama filled book that you'll wish you found sooner!

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz

Reading Level: 18 and up

Paperback: 384 Pages

Publisher: Hyperion Book

ISBN: 978-1423102274

My Rating: 3/5

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

For a long time now the Blue Bloods series has been one of my favorites. I really just loved all the characters and the story just everything about it! That being said, 'The Van Alen Legacy' was my least favorite of the series so far. The first three quarters of the book was very slow and hard for me to get into. I did persevere and keep on reading though!

'The Van Alen Legacy' takes place exactly where 'Revelations' left off. Basically, Schuyler is on the run with Oliver because she is being accused of murder. Mimi is working with Kingsley and Bliss is dealing with a whole world of other problems. Bliss had the most interesting story to me although there was a lot of filler in the entire book.

I feel  like 'The Van Alen Legacy' was exactly that, a filler. I still thought it was an alright book and definitely an important book in the series but it just felt a little forced to me. There was a lot of repetition although, unlike other reviewers, I do still feel like the characters were each well distinguished. I highly recommend the Blue Bloods series, I still think it's an amazing series! And I'm hoping that the next book in the series will be better than 'The Van Alen Legacy' which I've heard it is.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Reading Level: 14 and up

Hardcover: 496 Pages

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

ISBN: 978-0-06-202402-2

My Rating: 5/5

From Amazon: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I literally would have given this book a 10 out of 5 is that was at all possible. I heard a lot about it and I really wanted to read it but I put it off because there are a lot of other series I'm into right now. Well, yesterday I couldn't decide what to read so I ended up picking Divergent and I'm so glad I did!! I haven't loved a book this much since I read the Twilight Saga. In fact, I think I love Divergent so much more! I read the entire book in less than 24 hours and I just placed an order on Amazon for Insurgent because I need to read it...NEED to.

Divergent is the story of Tris, but so much more than that as well. It's about her life and the factions that surround her. She has to make a decision that will ultimately change everything she has ever known and come to love. Will she leave her current faction or not? And if she does, will she make it in her next one? There is so much action and intensity in Divergent that I can't even really put it into words adequately. I'm in love with a book and I'm not ashamed to admit that!

Roth wrote Divergent so well that it leaves you completely captivated! I literally could not pull myself away from this book. I'm actually still carrying it around with me even though I finished reading it. Just to look at the cover, read the back, whatever, right? If you haven't read Divergent yet, you need to! It should definitely be in your top ten books to read if, like me, you have a massive reading pile. I'm going to read Insurgent as soon as it gets to my house until then I can only wait anxiously for it to arrive.