November 2014 ~ Fangirling misses

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout!

by Unknown / in Belle, book review, favourites, Lux / No comments /

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 4.49 of 5 stars
Pages: 534
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.
She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.
They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

I am soooo late reading this. Like, soooo late. Reaally late. Reaaaa—*reader whacks frying pan over Dumbtastic Belle's head*
HEYY! That hurt...*pouts*....*sniffles*....*readers shoot warning glare* Okaayy, okaayy. *holds up hands*
But seriously, I can't believe I took this long to read Opposition. It's blasphemy.

When I read all the excerpts during the release (I totes stalked that tour), I got the impression that Opposition would be full of annoying teenage angst (and mayhap this is one of the reasons I put off reading Opposition) and that I'd be in need of a voodoo 'Sadi' doll to stab repeatedly with razor sharp pins in order to release my frustration. Thankfully – because you reaally don't want to see me lose my composure....it's not pretty – for me and any other readers who are prone to bookish anger issues, Daemon was his usual cheeky self, Sadi was disposed of rather quickly *smirk*, Katemon was melting my insides, and all was right in the world. Except for the worldwide apocalypse, that is.

Opposition starts a couple days after the events of Origin, and things heat up rather quickly when Katy is taken captive by the invading Luxen and Katemon is reunited. But the question stands, are Daemon, Dawson and Dee still themselves, or are they under the influence of the invading Luxen?

In this final instalment of the Lux series we learn a bit more on the Luxen, Arum, and Origins.
To my understanding, the Luxen and Arum are just two sides of one coin, so to speak, and were created to keep each other in check.
Although the Luxen that landed on earth were super evil and stoic, I have little idea what the Luxen were like back when they had their own planet. After all, if I remember correctly, Mathew was the equivalent of a kid or teenager back then and he didn't turn out too bad. Well, maybe he wasn't the most cute and cuddly Luxen out there, and he had some questionable morals, but he certainly wasn't the worst Luxen when compared to the creepy bunch that dropped out of the sky.

My favourite thing about Opposition simply has to be all the Daemon POVs.
They were so addictive and fun to read, and, well, his head is always in the gutter XD And it's for this reason (Daemon's gutterhead) that Opposition is probably more NA than the preceding Lux books have ever been. Not that I'm complaining.....;)
Daemon and his possessiveness over Kat is so freaking cute. Like the wall scene after they met Lotho and he gave his 'special request' *giggles*

(view spoiler)

I'm a little mad with the end of this book. Not because it sucked, but because JLA left us wondering what Daemon whispered in Katy's ear *pouts* I waanna know! It would've been cheeky and dirty, no doubt. That's Daemon for you.

The journey with the Lux series has been amazing, and I can't thank JLA enough for writing it <3 Katy and Daemon will stay with me forever, and I'll probably reread the series an uncountable number of times during my book filled life!!

5 holy alien babies of course!!! And one of said babies is a little Katemon!! *squeals* Yess that's right, if you read this post in Jennifer's blog a while back, you would've heard that Katy and Daemon eventually have a baby!!!!!! *starts crying happy tears*

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

View this review on Goodreads

The TBR tag!

by Unknown / in Belle, tags / No comments /

The TBR Tag:

Tags tags tags....there are so many flying around all the time. We've been tagged for so many it's hard to keep up! And in most instances, we don't keep up. In fact, I have 7 tags to do after this one o.O Yup, holy smokies galore.

Today I'll be doing the TBR tag :) It's basically about sharing little tid-bits of your TBR pile (aka To Be Read pile) with your readers and tagging other people to share their TBR as well! Special thanks to the great Maisha over at Books Equal Awesomeness for tagging us (like 2 months ago now.....I told you I was behind on the tags didn't I? *guilty grin*)

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I, like many bloggers and readers, use the trusty Goodreads site for keeping track of all bookish things, including my TBR pile.

Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?

Ebook. While I love print books, it's way more convenient for me to read ebooks.

How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

If I have an urgent Netgalley book or ARC , I'll read it first, and then afterwards I usually just read whatever I feel like at the time.

A book that's been on your TBR the longest

HEIR OF FIRE!!! Yes, the third instalment of my favourite series EVER. I've sorta skimmed it (one of my worst bad bookish habits, I'm afraid) but I'm yet to read it properly and write up my review. Don't judge me *sniff* I can't help my bad habits....okay, I probably can, but still. *pouts*

A book you recently added to your TBR

I recently added Seeker to my TBR after I discovered it on Netgalley. I also received an eARC of the book via Netgalley and Random House, and I've heard that Seeker's movie rights were obtained by Columbia Pictures. So exciting and can't wait to read this one asap!

A book in your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover

Well, I wouldn't exactly call this one beautiful, more like cute. But I'm a sucker for cute.

A book on your TBR that you never plan on reading

Both my co-bloggers couldn't stand this book, and we're usually pretty similar when it comes to bookish opinions, so I'll be steering clear of this book xD

An unpublished book on your TBR that you are excited for

ACoTaR! A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is totally up there on my anticipated reads for 2015! Most of you should know by now that ToG is my favourite series, so another YA series from Sarah? Sign me up now!!

A book on your TBR that basically everyone's read but you

Yes PJO fans, I suck. And I'm sorry, I really am.

A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you

A lot of people say this is an amazing book so we'll see. Really want to read it so hopefully I'll sneak it into my informal and scrambled-up reading schedule soon. *fingers crossed*

A book that you are dying to read

In The Afterlight! TDM is another favourite series so I feel really bad I haven't read the final instalment just yet. I've just been so busy with other stuff lately and am only just getting back into a reading frenzy!

How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

Urmm.....at the moment, 800 exactly xD But that's just today. By tomorrow it'll probably jump again....it's always rising :O

I tag:
Since this tag has been around for a while now and a lot of bloggers have already done it (throwback to the 2 months mention ^^), I'll just say that if anyone wants to do it, consider yourself challenged by moi ;)

—Miss Bloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

BOOK TOUR: Saving Raine by Fredrick Lee Brooke

by Unknown / in ARC, book review, Cazz / No comments /

A country torn apart by greed, corruption, and chaos. A boy sent on a mission that could kill him. A girl who's in grave danger...and doesn't have a clue. Can Matt beat the odds stacked against him and outrun the drones raining down on his head in time to save Raine--and America?

Find†Saving Raine†on†Amazon†and†Barnes & Noble. Add†Saving Raine†to your Goodreads to-read list!

Find†Inferno†on†Amazon†and†Barnes & Noble. Add†Inferno†to your Goodreads to-read list!

About†SAVING RAINE

SAVING-RAINE-new-ebook-cover-071414-LORES

"Matt, Raine went to California because her parents thought it was safe. Itís not. You've got to get her out as soon as possible. She could die, Matt." When 19-year-old Matt Carney gets a cryptic message from his father telling him to go to California and save his girlfriend, Raine, he doesn't hesitate, grabs his AK-47, revs up his blue pickup, and gets ready to make the 2,300-mile roadtrip. But cross-country travel in 2021 isn't easy, sometimes, even possible. The U.S. has become a near-military state: 17,000 checkpoints severely restrict interstate movement, Predator drones target innocent civilians without cause, and explosions rock cities daily. Matt and his stepbrother, Benjy, face deadly attacks from a corrupt government, ruthless local law enforcement, and bloodthirsty terrorist groups as they embark on their trek. They're about to find out that their trip is much more than a private journey, and their success could change the face of the country forever. Can Matt and Benjy outrun the drone missiles raining down on their heads? Can they avoid assassination by government officials hell-bent on taking over what little is left of the country? Can they outsmart the deadly schemes set in motion against them? Break the rules. Save the girl. He only gets one chance before she is gone forever.

About†INFERNO

*WARNING: SAVING RAINE SPOILERS* When 19-year-old Matt Carney saved his girlfriend, Raine, from the crossfire between the government increasingly ruthless Homeland Security and March22, a terrorist group taking steps to strike a new, legitimate path, he thought his work was done. Was he ever wrong. Kidnapped by the brutal Dark Fiber militia, Matt is shocked to discover he is been betrayed by those he trusted most. Stranded in an isolated location in the middle of Michigan, far away from the girl he fought so hard to regain, Matt is made March 22 is point man in a plot to get control over a cache of thousands of stolen ground-to-air missiles. As time runs out, he is their last and best hope of sparing the country of a heinous attack on commercial aviation that could quickly turn the United States into a permanent war zone. In this action-packed, explosive follow-up to Saving Raine, the first book in Frederick Lee Brooke's The Drone Wars, Matt Carney finds himself at the center of a firestorm of stolen missiles, stolen drones, and stolen dirty nukes, tormented by stinging betrayals, clinging to a last hope for love. Sure, he was able to save Raine but as the inferno rages around him, can he find a way to save the country from further violent chaos and a way to save himself?

About Frederick Lee Brooke

Frederick Lee Brooke launched the Annie Ogden Mystery Series in 2011 with Doing Max Vinyl and following with Zombie Candy in 2012, a book that is neither about zombies nor sweets. The third mystery in the series, Collateral Damage, appeared in 2013. Saving Raine, the first book in Fred's entirely new series, The Drone Wars, appeared in December, 2013. A resident of Switzerland, Fred has worked as a teacher, language school manager and school owner. He has three boys and two cats and recently had to learn how to operate both washing machine and dryer. He makes frequent trips back to his native Chicago. When not writing or doing the washing, Fred can be found walking along the banks of the Rhine River, sitting in a local cafe, or visiting all the local pubs in search of his lost umbrella. Find Frederick Lee Brooke on his†website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

-MY REVIEW of SAVING RAINE-

There seems to be a lot of positive reviews on Goodreads, so i'll just be a biit critical.

First of all, the story was set in 2021. It's a really minor thing, but I think it would have been more believable if it was set in 2050 or something. I take pity on us all if this stuff is going to happen in 7 years.... Oh dear. Drones overtaking the world and whatnot, world ending, whenever I read this stuff all i'm thinking is 'People stop giving the government ideas! :o' Ahhh.

The Characters

I couldn't really connect to the characters much because there were so many different PoVs, and it was all in third person. It's kind of hard to emotionally connect with someone if it keeps swapping around every chapter. However, there was potential and it was interesting to see because Brooke managed to make every character have a distinct personality, so I was never confused at who was talking. I do think that there were some unneeded PoVs that made the general story more messy though. But it wasn't a big deal.

Our MC Matt was cool. What annoyed me a little in the beginning was that all he thought about was Raine. We get it, you're in love and all that but you didn't have to constantly talk about her hair or eyes! I don't care about her lookssss. Oh SPEAKING of Raine, she was such a jerk! I didn't like her personality at all. She's so gullible and cold. I don't know why someone nice as Matt would fall for her.

The Plot

It was kind of confusing for me because this was written in a more classic, Sci-Fi feeling instead of a YA book as i'm used to. So it took a while to adjust. As I read on, the plot became clearer and that twist at the end was really surprising/weird!

The beginning was so strange though... What kind of dad tells his son to risk his life to save his girlfriend? Uhhhh okaaayy then. Nice dad, I think. *shakes head*

It was a bit long as well, and I think without the extra PoVs and irrelevant scenes, the story could have been shorter and straightforward, but I loved reading the descriptions the author used. (Except the rat eating. I honestly felt nauseous at the rat eating >.<) The whole resistance March 22 thingy had my brain jogging to keep up with the pace as well.. need more explanations on that.

The ending was a gamechanger! I think that the second book will be more action packed than the first one, and more stuff happens. And there are also less PoV changes, hopefully. It was mentally exhausting to keep up with everybody's life.

Overall, it was a good sci-fi read! If you don't have much experience in this genre, It'll probably confuse you. A lot. But if you enjoy those old feeling classic science fiction books, then check this out! (-has some mature themes)

*thank you Amy the lovely publicist for providing me with a free review copy!*

—MissOddball™ Over and Out.

Jackaby by William Ritter

by Unknown / in ARC, book review, Cazz, netgalley, YA / No comments /

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.

Jackaby by William Ritter
My Rating: ★★ ★
Stand Alone? Idk
Page Count: 299
Recommended For: Quick quirky mystery novels. Fans of Sherlock/Doctor Who, I suppose
Genres: YA, Mystery, Paranormal
Cover Rating: 9/10 !! SO PRETTY. But that model.. erm.. does not look like Jackaby.

——————————————————

This world is full of dragon-slayers. What we need are a few more people who aren't too proud to listen to a few fish.

—Jackaby, William Ritter

——————————————————

Jackaby was a really interesting, quirky read. To me though, it felt a bit unoriginal because it felt like it was trying too hard to be a cross between Sherlock (BBC) and Doctor Who. Mind you, I've never seen Doctor Who (don't kill me), but the similarities to Sherlock were really obvious. First I had this feeling that Jackaby was a mix of Sherlock and the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp's version) because I don't know Doctor Who's personality and I didn't read the blurb... it was kind of a weird, fitting mix actually xD But anyways.

On the blurb, it bluntly states that it's a cross between Sherlock and Doctor Who. This made it feel a bit like fan-fiction instead of a novel. If you've never watched any of those shows though, I think you'll really enjoy it :) (-and you should totally watch Sherlock. I command you!!)

Getting past that issue, it put a nice twist on a classic detective plotline! I loved the paranormal aspect. And it was well descripted as well. You could really easily imagine being along with Abigail in her 'big adventure'. The place this took place was a bit confusing though... because it said in the beginning that it was set in America, but the language and scenery were clearly London :/ Meh.

Characters

I loved Jackaby! He was awesome. Like said before, personally it was like a cross between Johnny Depp's Hatter and BBC's Sherlock. What I would pay to see them both having tea.

Abigail, our protagonist, was really cool too because she was independent. She wanted adventure, and she got one! With Jackaby of all people. I want!

There isn't really much to say about them though because they felt too similar to the TV shows. In books, I like it when authors put themselves inside the characters, (see my review of Every Ugly Word. That's a really well done book.) but they don't seem emotionally real enough if they're mostly based on someone else's work.

Overall it was quite nice, but the character issue put me off a bit. There was nothing that made my jaw drop and go WOW, BUT it was still a funny, quirky and just a quick mystery read that I enjoyed loads!

—Miss Oddball€ Over and Out.

Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander

by Unknown / in Belle, book review, disappointments, review copy / No comments /

Reluctant Prince (Kingdom of Cymmera #1)

Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Current Rating on Goodreads: 3.38 of 5 stars
Pages: 252
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.

Seventeen year old Ryleigh Donnovan is certain her life is cursed. Nothing ever goes smoothly, and her first job interview is no exception. An earthquake rocks the building, sending Ryleigh on a frantic search for her younger sister, a search which lands her in the hospital. Terrified they’ll push her for answers she can’t afford to give, Ryleigh flees with a mysterious stranger.

Jackson Maynard is about to be ordained as a Death Dealer, a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera, but first he must pass one more test. When he fails to acquire the human girl the prophet has chosen, he’s forced to stand trial for treason. Banished from his realm, he seeks out the girl from the vision, Ryleigh Donnovan, and together they embark on a journey to save his dying kingdom.

***Thank you Netgalley and Inkslinger PR for the copy***

I was in the cover reveal for Reluctant Prince, so when the blog tour came up, I decided to give it a go. However, RP wasn't what I expected and I didn't end up putting my review in the tour. I still participated though :)

I guess my main problem was I couldn't connect with the story. I love this kind of genre, but in Reluctant Prince there were a number of issues and the writing started off quite awkward, though it did improve through the book.

There was a rather large misconception. The tagline in the synopsis says 'Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.' Yes, there was a betrayal. But I couldn't say that it was 'cloaked in shadow'. I don't know about anyone else, but it seemed rather obvious where the betrayal lay from the start.
(view spoiler)

And then there's the issue of Cymmera's hierarchy. I understand that this is a fantasy story and it doesn't necessarily follow the usual ideals, but how could it even be remotely possible to condemn the crown prince over something as trivial as failure to complete a task? And that the kingdom's 2nd in command (since when did a monarchy hold such a mundane term as 2nd in command anyway?) has greater power than the crown prince and almost as much as the King? And a horrid 2nd in command that contradicts the king at every turn at that ^^
Although I don't know a great deal about monarchies, this seems rather unseemly.
That said, I enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the story, with the two realms vying for power. Yes, I'm an obsessed fantasy lover ;) #guiltyascharged

There was also the problem with Mia's –Ryleigh's little sister– age.
It's like the author had trouble separating her views from that of the main characters. Sure, for Dani-Lyn's age, Mia can probably pass as a 'little girl' at 14 years of age, but in the eyes of Mia's sister Ryleigh, who is 17, or the eyes of Jackson, who is (equivalent to) 19, Mia isn't a little girl. She's a teenager, and only a few years younger than Ryleigh. And yet in RP, if Mia's age wasn't mentioned, I would have assumed that she was perhaps 8 or 9 years old, except for when she started blushing over a boy. So for me, Mia's character building was jagged and non-consistent.

The plot and most of the characters were interesting enough, but I couldn't really focus on the good points because of the distractions and issues I found while reading.
Overall, I think the series has potential, but it wasn't executed as well as I'd hoped.
2 stars

—MissBloodsucker™ All Sucked Out!

View this review on Goodreads

Blog Tour Stop – Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander

by Unknown / in Belle, blog tour, Inkslinger PR / No comments /

Here is my Tour Stop for the new young adult fantasy from Dani Lyn Alexander. Below, you'll find all the information about the book plus my excerpt!!

Reluctant Prince Synopsis:

Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.

Seventeen year old Ryleigh Donnovan is certain her life is cursed. Nothing ever goes smoothly, and her first job interview is no exception. An earthquake rocks the building, sending Ryleigh on a frantic search for her younger sister, a search which lands her in the hospital. Terrified they’ll push her for answers she can’t afford to give, Ryleigh flees with a mysterious stranger. Jackson Maynard is about to be ordained as a Death Dealer, a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera, but first he must pass one more test. When he fails to acquire the human girl the prophet has chosen, he’s forced to stand trial for treason. Banished from his realm, he seeks out the girl from the vision, Ryleigh Donnovan, and together they embark on a journey to save his dying kingdom.

Advance Praise for Reluctant Prince

"A gorgeously wrought fantasy realm with a heroine who will make you cheer!"

~Wendy Higgins, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy.

Excerpt:

A rhythmic rocking comforted Ryleigh. She couldn’t open her eyes, but that was okay. She would just float in peaceful obscurity.

“Ryleigh.” A man shook her shoulder. “Ryleigh, can you hear me?”

Yes. She wanted to answer, but she couldn’t form the words. Humming, familiar, though she couldn’t quite place it. Something pricked her arm.

“Ryleigh, can you answer me?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Pressure against her head. Oww. Why did her head hurt so bad? Why wouldn’t these people leave her alone? A flicker of memory teased her. Rocking, bumping, the floor moving. Was she moving now? She reached for consciousness, only to be dragged back into oblivion.

A bright light shone against her eyes. She lay still for a moment, enjoying the orange and black swatches of color that swirled behind her closed lids. The blackness began to take on shape, the oranges and yellows merging to form a halo around a human shaped silhouette. The silhouette of a guy, his broad shoulders.

“Ryleigh.” The man spoke louder this time.

She struggled to respond. The dreamy image dissipated the instant her eyes fluttered open, but the memory plagued her, followed her into consciousness. Everything hurt, as if she’d been run over by a truck. Background noise intruded on her confusion, beeping, talking, footsteps, more beeping. Bright light burned her eyes, added to the already thunderous headache threatening to overwhelm her. Bile surged up the back of her throat.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Reluctant Prince Goodreads

Dani Lyn Alexander Bio:

Dani-Lyn Alexander lives on Long Island with her husband, three kids and three dogs. She loves spending time with her family, at the beach, the playground, or just about anywhere. In her spare time, which is rare, she enjoys reading and shopping—especially in book stores.

Some of her favorite things include; Bernese Mountain Dogs, musicals, bubble baths and soft blankets. She’s an incurable insomniac and has an addiction to chocolate.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Author Goodreads

Book Trailer: Anomaly by Tonya Kuper

by Unknown / in Belle, book trailer, entangled teen, giveaway / No comments /

Anomaly by Tonya Kuper
Releasing November 25, 2014
Published by Entangled Teen

Book synopsis:
Reality is only an illusion. Except for those who can control it…
Worst. Birthday. Ever.
My first boyfriend dumped me—happy birthday, Josie!—my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah.
But then weird things start happening… Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it. When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…

Amazon / B&N / Goodreads

Corny Belle: I got this on Netgalley and I can't wait to get started! Sounds pretty fun and.....unreal *cracks up* Bending reality, unreal....get it? XD *waggles eyebrows*

About Tonya Kuper:

Tonya Kuper is the author of ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger’s Consortium Series, a young adult science fiction trilogy, releasing November 25, 2014 by Entangled Teen. She fell for Young Adult lit while earning her Master’s degree in Reading Education. She's a mom to two awesome boys, an alt music junkie, a Star Wars nerd, and in love with Sherlock.

Website / Twitter / Amazon / Goodreads

Giveaway Info:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Anomaly

by Tonya Kuper

Giveaway ends November 15, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter

by Unknown / in book review, Cazz, favourites, netgalley, stand alone, YA / No comments /

When seventeen-year-old Ashley Watson walks through the halls of her high school bullies taunt and shove her. She can’t go a day without fighting with her mother. And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t make her best friend, Matt, fall in love with her. But Ashley also has something no one else does: a literal glimpse into the future. When Ashley looks into the mirror, she can see her twenty-three-year-old self.

Her older self has been through it all already—she endured the bullying, survived the heartbreak, and heard every ugly word her classmates threw at her. But her older self is also keeping a dark secret: Something terrible is about to happen to Ashley. Something that will change her life forever. Something even her older self is powerless to stop.

Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter
My Rating: ★★★★★
Stand Alone.
Page Count: 257
Recommended For: People looking for a great contemp/paranormal read.
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Cover Rating: 7/10

———————————————————

It isn't what happens to you in your life that destroys you. It's what you do about it.

- Aimee L. Salter, Every Ugly Word

———————————————————

I for one, can't remember the last time I just plowed through a book and finished it just like that.

It was just absolutely brilliant! From the first page and on, you can tell it's going to be different, original, and emotionally impacting.

The book touches a well..touchy subject: bullying. Bullying is real, and it's still going on strong in loads of places.

A lot of contemporary realistic books have trouble in getting in a fresh and intriguing perspective for the readers because frankly, there aren't THAT many things you can write about. It's either love, bullying, rape, ect. But Salter really made this stand out.

This book mixes in a bit of paranormal and the classic 'i'm in love with my best friend' structure. <3

The Concept
What if you looked into the mirror, saw your reflection, and it talked back?

This to me, was very spooky yet oddly creative. Because who's advice do you usually tend to listen to more? Yourself. Your Older Me is looking from the future, giving you advice and tips having lived everything through already. Would you trust yourself completely? I honestly don't know the answer to that..

Let's meet a few characters...

What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I be the kick-ass heroine, like in books? Or the strong noble star of a movie? Because it hurts.

— Aimee L. Salter, Every Ugly Word

I adored Ashley, our main. She goes through SO much, but she's always strong in her own way and refuses to give up. I had an instant connection with her although I've never experienced anything like she did (thank goodness), and throughout the book I just wanted to give her a box of chocolates. Is that weird? Totally random but yeah :P
I loved how her therapy was art. For some reason, I feel drawn a person so much more if they can express through something they love doing. I just with I could do that :D

The author's note at the end was awesome to read, because it gave a more indepth PoV on our author and characters. As Salter got bullied in her life as well, she put herself in her writing. She knows how Ashley felt, and what simple words can mean to a person. That's why Ashley is such a great, believable character. One of the reasons I love it is because it felt like Salter did just what Ash did.

Except instead of art, it was writing in her case. When authors truly just mean what they're actually writing; when the characters, and the whole world they're putting from their hearts onto paper are real representatives of them; It becomes my fav :)

Matt was cute! He wasn't perfect, as told many times in the book. I don't trust his judgement, but I liked his character xD I want a bestie like him :( but Hmmm wonder when I'll pick up a contemp book where girl/guy bestfriend relationship stay platonic instead of either being unrequited love or they eventually start dating.. like Harry and Hermione! :P

Ending:
The ending was sooo just well done! I don't want to give anything away. Go away and read it for yourself.

Overall, it was a very thought provoking read (the mirror bits are confusing because well.. it kind of felt psychological but also real so..), but I finished it really quickly.

Powerful and emotional, it raises awareness of how powerful words are, and how you can turn that power into something good if you just keep strong.

Seriously, I don't want to talk anymore..just shoo and pick up a copy. Or technically a kindle/ipad/ipod whatever because there apparently aren't any physical copies printed.. shame :(

I knew this day was the turning point. The moment I'd look back on and say, "That's when my life changed."

-Aimee L. Salter, Every Ugly Word.

—MissOddball™ Over and Out.

**Thank you thank you Netgalley for providing me with a review copy!!<3**

Release Day Launch: Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander

by Unknown / in Belle, giveaway, Inkslinger PR, release day blast / No comments /

I am so excited to bring you the new young adult fantasy from Dani Lyn Alexander. Below, you'll find all the information about the book and an exclusive excerpt plus a giveaway!!

Reluctant Prince Synopsis:

Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.

Advance Praise for Reluctant Prince

"A gorgeously wrought fantasy realm with a heroine who will make you cheer!"

~Wendy Higgins, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy.

Exclusive Excerpt:

Ryleigh stood. This couldn’t be happening. With only a few months left until graduation, she didn’t want to be forced to drop out, but what else could she do? “Look, Mr. Jacobs, can’t you just—”

Vertigo assailed her. The room rocked, and she grabbed the desk.

Mr. Jacobs grabbed the back of his chair. His eyes mirrored her panic. Books flew from the shelves. Glass shattered. She had to get to Mia. She turned to run.

The building bucked, and she toppled, slamming her knee into the hard wood floor. Pain shot up her leg. She grabbed the chair to pull herself up, but the next wave threw her back down. She tried to regain her footing, but someone yanked her to the ground.

“Stay down.” Mr. Jacobs shoved her forward. He crawled beside her, half pushing, half dragging her toward the door. Debris pelted her back, shoulders, and head. How could she have left Mia? Tears blurred her vision.

“If it’s an earthquake, it should stop any minute. Just keep crawling toward the door.” Desperately wishing she could cover her ears to block the screaming, she clawed forward. Her knee dragged behind her, pain pulsing with each movement. Falling apart wouldn’t help matters. She had to get to Mia.

Ryleigh crawled through the doorway, into utter chaos. People trying to push through the mess, others huddled in corners shielding their heads. An injured woman cried as she rocked back and forth clutching her arm. A man crouched over her. Fear and disorientation held Ryleigh immobile.

Belle: I'm currently reading Reluctant Prince since I'm part of the blog tour! It's okay so far, tho I admit the writing is a little novice :P But of course, me being a lover of fantasy, I'm definitely happy to give it a go ;)