Illusive(Illusive,#1)

☆☆☆☆☆

illusive.

Illusive,#1

emily lloyd - jones.

Publisher: Little, Brown Books.

Publication Date:July 15, 2014

Genre: YA  Dystopian| Adventure

Format|Pages:Hardcover|416

Source: Goodreads|Library

The X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven in this edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure about a band of "super" criminals. 

When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist...She's also a thief. 

After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't? The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives . 

 ✈ ✈

Illusive had me blown me away. I had always enjoyed books about teens with superpowers; it reminded me of Superman, X-men the movies that I love. It did not disappoint me, there wasn’t anything about it that I didn’t love. Once I picked up the book I was hooked. Actually I was hooked from moment that I read the summary, a book about teens with superpowers, who also happen to be criminals. What is there not to love about book like that? I didn’t want to put the book down and if it wasn’t for work I would spend most of my time reading it. I wanted to see what would happen with all of characters, especially Ciere. I wanted to see if she would be able to get out of trouble that she managed to get herself into. I wondered if Kit would ever find out about it. There wasn’t a single page in this novel that wasn’t action packed and that’s what I loved about it, there was always something happening. Each page has the reader wondering what’s going to happen next. 


Out of all the characters, Ciere was my favorite. I loved her attitude; she was unlike any girls that you read about when it comes to novels like these. Despite what happened to her mother when she was young, she was strong and she was very careful about whom she reveals her power to. Top of it she works very hard and is pretty good at what she does. Right away I saw that she formed a special bond with Alan, even if she didn’t want to admit at first. I’m kind of curious if Devon got angry because he was jealous? They did spend a lot time over the years and it had me curious if he feels anything for her besides friendship. I liked fact that point of view shifted between Daniel and Ciera, though it was more Ciera based. You got to see from each point, how they were feeling. 


The ending blew me away, I did not expect that. When I was reading it, it felt so real how Alan got shot, the fire. Not for a second did it cross my mind that it all could be an Illusion. Now that took a lot of power, to create such powerful illusion. Once I found out that it was an Illusion I was actually relieved because I liked Alan, and I know that Ciere did too. She did put on a good show, pretending. It was an incredible ending to an amazing first book. This debut was breath taking, and I enjoyed for fact that there was more action in it then romance. The book had you on edge of your seat and even after finishing it, you found yourself thinking about it. I’m eager to see what happens next. 


A Must read.

Breathe,Annie, Breathe.

☆☆☆☆☆

breathe,annie, breathe.

miranda kenneally.

Publisher Sourcebooks Fire

Publication DateJuly 15,2014

Genre:YA|Contemporary Romance.

Format|Pages:Hardcover|306

Source: Goodreads|Library

Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race. 

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line. 

✈ ✈

 

Ever since I started read Hundred Oaks series back in 2012, I fell in love with Miranda writing, characters. Breathe, Annie, Breathe was another great addition to the series and so far my favorite. It’s beautifully written a heartbreaking story about loss, love. From page one till the last page I was engaged into Annie’s story, Annie’s struggle to let go of a boy she loved. I felt her pain, I felt her commitment to finish this race, for him. I thought fact that she committed to something she didn’t even enjoy, because Kyle didn’t get to finish it is sweet and it tells a read that she loved him if she was willing to go through that for him. At beginning of book I wondered how he died, why he passed away at such young age and why Annie blamed herself. Was there a specific reasons she blamed his death on herself? Breathe, Annie, Breathe was a story that you couldn’t help but love. I was so observed into her journey that I did not wanted to put it down, wanted to know what happens at end. I couldn’t help but wonder if she finish the race. 


I loved the relationship that she had with Jere, it was unique. He was complete opposite from her, plus he was into so many dangerous sports, activities. I knew that was the main reason that she denied her feelings for him, or tried to deny it at least. After losing Kyle, she was afraid that she was going to lose him. Honestly, I couldn’t blame her. Some of the sports that he was into, were so extreme and he did start to get hurt a lot and I knew that she didn’t like that. Annie cared for him, more than she wanted to at start but she felt guilty about liking someone after Kyle’s death, the feelings were confusing for her. Both of them were there for each other so much though, through everything. When he got hurt, when Annie was about to give up, they were there. All through book I was rooting for them and was smiling when they finally got together. 


I saw the change in Annie, in beginning, the middle and by the end of the novel. At start, she was running for Kyle because he didn’t get to finish the training, to be in marathon. At start she didn’t even liked running and I wondered how far she would make it. As time went by, the farther she went, the more committed she became. I believe that towards end of the book, she didn’t only do it for Kyle but because she wanted to. I believe that towards end of the book she enjoyed running. Kyle wasn’t main reason she was upset when doctor told her that her knee not made for long distance, she was upset because running became part of her daily routine, something that she enjoyed. Part of her life. Annie didn’t give up, she kept on going even if she felt like giving up. A beautiful story. 


Story about loss, love, sacrifice and learning to let go.

The Strange & Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender.

☆☆☆☆☆

the strange & beautiful sorrows of ava lavender.

Leslye walton.

Publisher Candlewick Press

Publication Date:March 25,2014

Genre:YA Magical Realism| Historical Romance.

Format|Pages:Hardcover|301

Source: Goodreads|Library

Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga. 

Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.
In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration. 

That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo. 

First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and unforgettable mythology of what it means to be born with hearts that are tragically, exquisitely human. 

✈ ✈

The Strange & Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender was unlike any book that I read this past year. It wasn’t just beautiful; it was magical, inspirational, and memorable. Out of all debut books that I read this year this is my favorite. Have you ever come across a novel that after you finished it, you were thinking about it days after? The Strange & Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender was that book for me; I was unable to get the characters, the storyline out of my mind. I wondered what happened with Ava next, I wondered if she would be okay in the end. What happened with her was horrible and painful. The novel was filled with so many emotions for me: happiness, hope, sadness, anger, fear. It felt that I was going through all the emotions that all characters went through. They felt real. Despite being a story about girl with wings, felt realistic to me by the way that it was written. Hard not to love a book like that. 


The Strange & Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender was very descriptive, at least in the beginning it was. It had a whole history of Ava’s family, what they went through, the good and the bad times. The descriptions were so vivid and I saw it happening it while I was reading it, everything that happened to her mother, her grandmother and then of course her. I wanted to dislike the people that hurt others but I couldn’t seem to not. Another unique effect in the book, it was hard to dislike anyone expect couple characters. Especially the way that there were described and showed what they gone through, it was hard to not like them. The descriptions are what had you go through all those emotions. The way that attack of Ava was described was heartbreaking, plus the emotions that she went through during it. 


Ava tried so hard to fit it, but how can you when you were born with wings? Though towards the end it seemed like she accepted of what she was. Nicholas, at first I liked him and way he was around her. But reading his journal after time I noticed that he became obsessive, too obsessive over the fact that Ava might be an angel. Only Ava’s twin brother seemed to be aware of the danger but of course nobody listened to him, or understood what he meant. I didn’t both till Ava was attacked and then I got what he was trying to say, he was trying to warn them of danger. About Nicholas. Beautifully written debut, an author who has the talent, the imagination. A book that will pull you in. A story about love, loss, acceptance and hope. The Strange & Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender a story that will stay with you.

The Half Life Of Molly Pierce.

☆☆☆☆☆

the half life of molly pierce.

katrina leno.

Publisher  HarperTeen

Publication Date:July 8,2014

Genre:YA|Psychological Thriller

Format|Pages:Hardcover|231

Source: Goodreads|Library

You take it for granted. Waking up. Going to school, talking to your friends. Watching a show on television or reading a book or going out to lunch. 

You take for granted going to sleep at night, getting up the next day, and remembering everything that happened to you before you closed your eyes. 

You live and you remember. 

Me, I live and I forget. 

But now—now I am remembering. 

For all of her seventeen years, Molly feels like she’s missed bits and pieces of her life. Now, she’s figuring out why. Now, she’s remembering her own secrets. And in doing so, Molly uncovers the separate life she seems to have led…and the love that she can’t let go. 

✈ ✈

The Half Life Of Molly Pierce was a breathtaking, thrilling ride from start to finish. I had always loved Psychological thrillers, love psychology to begin with. It had me intrigued from first sentence, I was hooked. This book has you guessing from the first page till almost the last and that’s why I read it within a day. When I picked it up I wasn’t sure what to expect even if summary captured my attention but at same time I had a feeling that it was going be a good book. It turned out to be even better. The point of view, the style of writing was different that the books I read before. In the beginning it’s a bit confusing because you are not sure what’s going on but in a good way. The reader can’t help but wonder what’s going, why she feels confused and at same time knows that something isn’t right. Something is going on with her but you are not sure what. One of things that keeps me on reading. 


Unreliable narrator fits well in this story and it gives a different view, of how person with the certain disorder acts, thinks. The emotions, the action of Molly described within The Half Life Of Molly Pierce are engaging, heartbreaking, suspenseful and a bit scary. Imagine living a life where one minute you are at school, next you wake up 3 hours later and you have no memory of what happened in between, wouldn’t that be scary? I can’t even begin to imagine how Molly felt when that happened. When she did start to remember bits and pieces of her life, I think that it made her feel confused and it complicated everything even more. Every page, every chapter had you guessing what would happen next, what Molly would discover next. A page turner. 


Sayer, you can’t help but love him. He cared for her, he was there for her. He was one person who was always there for her after Lyle’s death. Even after the truth was discovered, about Mabel, about her other life. I believe that he cared for both of them, that he had accepted both of them. They had a connection. Last few pages of The Half Life of Molly Pierce were filled with so much suspense. Fact that everyone was aware of it, Well Alex I wasn’t surprised but her mother, her siblings, her friends. I didn’t have a clue that any of them besides Hazel were aware of it. A debut full of suspense, surprises. A debut author worth checking out.


A favorite part of book, this quote : You deserve to be whole. You deserve to remember. You deserve to live That’s type of quote that’s hard to forget. The Half Life Of Molly Pierce is a novel that you will find yourself thinking about afterwards. A book you won’t forget.

Dangerous Creatures ( Dangerous Creatures,#1)

☆☆☆☆☆

dangerous creatures.

Dangerous Creatures,#1

kami garcia.

margaret stohl

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date:May 20th 2014

Genre: YA Fantasy|Adventure|Romance

Format|Pages:Hardcover|368

Source: Goodreads|Library

A new series returns to the world of Beautiful Creatures. Some loves are cursed...others are dangerous. 

Ridley Duchannes will be the first to tell you that she's a bad girl. She's Dark. She's a Siren. You can never trust her, or even yourself when she's around. Lucky for her, Wesley "Link" Lincoln can never seem to remember that; quarter Incubus or not, his heart is Mortal when it comes to Ridley. When Link heads to New York City to start a music career, Ridley goes along for the ride-and she has her own reasons. As if leaving small-town Gatlin for the big city, trying to form a band, and surviving life with a partially reformed Siren isn't hard enough already, Link soon learns he has a price on his head that no Caster or Mortal can ever pay. 

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthors of Beautiful Creatures, are back and casting another magical spell. Their signature mixture of mystery, suspense, and romance, along with a dash of fun and danger, will pull fans in and leave them begging for more. 

✈ ✈

One word: Wow. What a cliffhanger, and next book not out till 2015, how am I supposed to wait that long after ending like that? That was most unexpected ending I came across and it was hard for me to believe that it’s how the first book ending. Garcia & Stohl know how to suck you into a story and to crave for more. How can you not? How can you not wonder what happens to Ridley & Link next? I am. That wasn’t an ending I even saw happening. I am eager for next book to be out already so can see what happens next. Dangerous Creatures wasn’t what I expected it to be, it was breathtaking. 


I loved Caster Chronicles series and through the series I grew fond of Link and Ridley, their relationship and always wondered if there was more to their story. When I came across Dangerous Creatures while at library and realized that it was about Ridley and Link I was excited and checked out a book right away. I didn’t think that it would be as good as original series, though I learned to like Ridley, wasn’t her biggest fan. I was wrong, it was as good as the first series, I found myself pulled into Ridley & Link’s story, I found myself wondering if they could escape it all, if there were escape from it. Towards the end of the book, my feelings towards Ridley changed; it was hard to not like her anymore. How can you dislike someone after everything that she went through? I couldn’t. It was a side of Ridley I never seen before, never thought I would. 


I wanted to dislike Lennox and at first I did, but as story progressed, the more time he spent with Ridley; it was clear how he felt about her. That made it hard to dislike him, I was sure that he was the bad guy in all of this. After everything he did, putting himself in danger, to protect her, it’s clear to anyone how he feels about her. I do hope that he makes it, especially after all that trouble he went through. I did hope she end up with Link, it’s clear how much he loves her. Even after the break up, the fight he was there for her when she needed him, he was there to protect her from harm. How can you not like someone like that? Why can’t all guys be like him? That’s why ending made me sad, had me wondering : What’s next? 


Dangerous Creatures is filled with magic, action, suspense and a bit of romance. If you are fan of Caster Chronicles, it’s a spin off series worth checking out.

Beautiful Redemption(Caster Chronicles,#4)

☆☆☆☆☆

beautiful redemption.

Caster Chronicles,#4

kami garcia.

margaret stohl

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date:October 23,2012

Genre: YA Fantasy|Adventure|Romance

Format|Pages:Hardcover|456

Source: Goodreads|Library

\

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning? 

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves. 

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect. 

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series. 

✈ ✈

What an amazing series. I fell in love with it moment that I picked up Beautiful Creatures you can’t help but love the characters, and you find yourself interested how all of this is going to end. I was ready to see how everything would end, especially the cliffhanger that left us hanging in Beautiful Chaos. It was a beautiful conclusion to a series that had become one of my favorites. I’m glad that friend of mine told me about it, has on way to suck you in from the first book till the last. I won’t lie; it will make you cry at the last few pages of the book, it’s what it did to me. Once I reached the last page I didn’t want to believe that it was finally over. The ending fit, in a way. Despite what happened to Amma, they were finally together and after everything that both of them went through, it’s what they needed. Each other. When they have one another, they can make through anything. 


I loved reading from both Ethan & Lena’s point of view, I had always been curious of what Lena was thinking through all of this. What was going on in her head? How differently did she think from Ethan? After reading from her point of view and seeing what she went through to get the book for Ethan, she had fallen deeply in love with him. Both Ethan and Lena went through so much, to be together, to protect the ones that they loved. How Ethan sacrificed himself so he wouldn’t lose his loved ones, what Lena and her friends went through, to get the book to Ethan. That’s true love. What I liked about their relationship was that there was no love triangle, it was just the two of them, but they couldn’t have a real relationship because of how it affected Ethan, yet they still made it. They had a connection, loved reading the scenes between two of them. 


There were some characters that took me by surprise, the ones I disliked but by end learned to love them. Like John, Link, Ridley. Yes, that’s right, Ridley. Despite how she acted, she was still pretty dedicated to her family and to Link even if she wouldn’t admit it. She did help Lena. How she came back to Link, even if she denied it, she loved him. It made me curious to see if there was more to their story. John was a guy I never saw as good guy but by end I loved him, he helped Lena so much towards end, even sacrificed himself, how can you not like him after that? There were quite few twists and turn in this book, it had you wondering and on edge of your seat. It was one of best series out there. It was magical.

Cover Reveal: Brew By David Estes.

Synopsis  

Salem’s Revenge strikes without warning or mercy, ravaging the powerless human race under the forces of united gangs of witches, wizards, and warlocks. During the slaughter, Rhett Carter's foster parents and sister are killed, and his best friend and girlfriend are abducted by a gang of witches calling themselves the Necromancers, who deal in the dark magic of raising the dead. Rhett’s sword-wielding neighbor with a mysterious past saves Rhett from becoming another casualty of the massacre and teaches him the skills he needs to survive in this new world. 

Rhett is broken, his normal high school life of book blogging and football playing shoved in a witch-apocalyptic blender. The only thing he has left is his burning desire for revenge. Armed with his new witch hunting skills and a loyal, magic powered dog named Hex, he sets out into the unknown with one mission: hunt and destroy those who took away everyone he ever loved. 

But Rhett isn’t just a witch hunter; he has secrets of his own that he has yet to discover, secrets that his enemies will stop at nothing to keep him from. 

And discovering the truth about himself is the human race’s only hope. 


Goodreads link
Add to Goodreads


 Preorder link
Amazon : Brew.

About David and contact links
David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. David grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. They now live together in their dream location, Hawaii. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now he travels the world writing with his wife, Adele. David's a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. 

 Links

Goodreads   David's Blog    Twitter    Facebook   Tumblr and his Goodreads Fan Group 

    

Beautiful Chaos( Caster Chronicles,#3)

☆☆☆☆☆

beautiful chaos.

Caster Chronicles,#3

kami garcia.

margaret stohl

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date:October 18,2011

Genre: YA Fantasy|Adventure|Romance

Format|Pages:EBook|516

Source: Goodreads|Owned

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage 

Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What — or who — will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin? 

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself — forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending. 

✈ ✈

 

Is it me? Or are the books keep getting better? Beautiful Chaos was another great addition to Caster Chronicles series and my favorite one so far. I will warn you, the last few pages of the book will make you cry, it had me tearing up few times. What an ending, what a cliffhanger, right after finishing it, the book has you craving from more. A type of ending that has the reader craving for the next book in series right away, how can you not? How can you not be a little bit curious after an ending like that? I know that I was, I needed to see what would happen with everyone else after an ending like that. I picked up Beautiful Redemption right after finishing Beautiful Chaos. It was breathtaking; I didn’t want pull myself away, spent most of day finishing it. 


Ethan: I had a feeling that something was off about him, just by way that he was acting, the nightmares that he was having, there wasn’t something right there. I think that even Lena noticed that he wasn’t acting like his usual self. I was curious, in way it was like a mystery to me, trying to figure out what’s going on with him. Fractured Soul was unexpected but at the same time it also made sense. It made sense why he didn’t enjoy Chocolate Milk or taste of Amma’s cooking anymore, why he couldn’t remember his own phone number. Part of his was missing. What he did at end, just so everyone that he wouldn’t lose everyone that he loves was heartbreaking. It still feels like he did, there is no coming back from there, is there? I do hope that he finds a way to come back, to Lena. I can’t even begin imagine how she must felt. 


Beautiful Chaos seems to have the most action, the most mystery that any of other books in the series. To me it seemed that there was so much more going on here, and a lot more of action as well. Of course I love the romance parts between Lena and Ethan. Even Link and Ridley, I could tell that both of them truly care about each other, even if one of them is too stubborn to admit it. I can’t believe that Ridley became a dark caster, but then I knew that she find a way to turn back, I could tell that being mortal was taking a toll on her. Of course now she screwed up what her and Link could have. Beautiful Chaos has everything from mystery, action, suspense, magic with bit of romance. A series you should pick up if you haven’t yet. One of the best.