Rites Of Passage.

☆☆☆☆☆

rites of passage.

joy n.hensley

Publisher: Harper Teen.

Publication Date:September 9,2014

Genre:YA Contemporary Romance|Suspense

Format|Pages:Hardcover|416

Source: Goodreads|Library.

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died. 

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him. 

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out. 

At any cost. 

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

✈ ✈

  Suspense, Action, Survival, Military, forbidden romance. Rites Of Passage had all of those, a type of book that I love. The novel wasn’t any different. I fell in love with it right from start. Most of my families were in military and couple good friends of mine. I had always enjoyed novels like these and I have read few that were military based. When I saw that this was military based and fact that she went to military school for dare, had my interest right away. It ended up being even better that I imagined it to be. It was an unexpected, unlike the story that I expected to be. First it was based in military school, second it focused a lot of survival, since Sam was one of first class of females in Denmark Military Academy. Rites Of Passage is a type of book that has you go through emotions all the way through. How can you not in a novel like this one? It deals with quite bit violence and of course action. Plus the descrptions of everything they went through, the training, hell week and everything in between is intense. Reading it, you can’t help but wonder: Who will make it? Will they succeed? Those were my thoughts. I got so into book that even days I was worn out after work, I found myself reading before bed because I wanted to find out what happens. Not what I expected it. Rite of Passage was a book I thought about after reaching the end. 


Loved Sam from the start. It takes a lot to face what Sam did. I wouldn’t last a second in military school, I would lost it, left at the first time someone yelled at me. Sam had the courage, a lot of it. She was strong and despite what happened, what others put her through, especially Matthews and how her brother treated her, she kept on going. She wouldn’t give up till it got resolved. Now that takes a lot. Considering that she almost got killed more than once, her father going MIA, missing her older brother, Amos. All of those is hard enough for one person to deal with, I don’t even know how she managed to not give up. I would have. I do believe that having her drill sergeant, Stamm on her side helped her through it all. He helped her through so much, and one of the guys that didn’t actually tried do anything to make her quit, he did the opposite. Loved the scenes between two of them, it sucks that no mattered what happened, they still couldn’t be together. That would be hard on anyone and considering how much they went through. The way they parted, made me sad probably as much as it hurt them. I hoped that they would found a way to be together. However that what made the book more realistic than ones I read before. 


I try not to dislike characters but sometimes it hard not to. I disliked Matthews from the moment he appeared in the book, how he tried to make her quit from day one. Even if he wasn’t the only one attempting to make her quit, there was something off about him. Something that I disliked about him, and it seemed like he was mostly conctrating on making Sam quit more than others. There were multiple times that I wanted to punch him. I hoped that he would get caught and kicked out, but of course that didn’t happen and I had feeling that his father had something to do with that. Now Jonathan, I was angry with him too. How could he treat his own sister like that? Once I did find a reason behind and they had their brother/ sister moment it was hard to dislike him, I actually was smiling. He was trying protecting her. Rites Of Passage had always something going one, there wasn’t one dull moment. If I could give it more than five stars. I would. 


Rites Of Passage will have you on edge of your seat. Even after you will wonder what could happen next. You won’t be able to get the book, the story out of your mind. A mind-blowing debut.

The One(The Selection,#3)

☆☆☆☆☆

the one

The Selection,#3

kiera cass

Publisher: HarperTeen.

Publication Date:May 6,2014

Genre:YA Dystopian Romance|Action

Format|Pages:Hardcover|323

Source: Goodreads|Library.

The time has come for one winner to be crowned. 

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants. 

✈ ✈

 

If I wasn’t Team Maxon already, I would have after reading this book. It had me smiling by the end. How could I not? Both of them finally got their happiness and after everything that they gone through. This is one of my favorite’s quotes, it had me tearing me. Feeling sad and happy at same time. “I'll love you until my very last breath. Every beat of my heart is yours. I don't want to die without you knowing that. It was heartbreaking considering the situation but at same time I couldn’t help but smile. It was at that moment I realized how much he loves, that what happen between her and Aspen doesn’t matter to him, that she is the one that matters to him. The title fits it perfectly. America is the one for Maxon. I wondered how long it would take her to realize that she loved him. I knew that she cared about him , especially after reading The Elite but I was curious if she could fall in love with him. When she finally realized it was Maxon that she loved, and told him. That was most of romantic scenes, at least in my opinion. Of course after that everything fell apart when he found about Aspen. I can’t imagine how he felt, I couldn’t blame him for acting way that he did. He was heartbroken. I was sure that he would choose Kriss, though it wasn’t the one he truly loved. It does make me wonder if palace wasn’t attacked and he wouldn’t been shot, would he still choose her? My heart broke for America during that time. She changed so much through the series. I hoped that Maxon would see that they belong together. 



There was a bit more action in this one. And in this novel, America was taking the completion a bit more seriously and now she wasn’t here because of money, but in order to win heart on Maxon. She went through a lot and I saw how hard it was on her when she saw Maxon with the other girls, especially Kriss. I believe it was the reason that she didn’t tell him that she loved him sooner, because she wasn’t aware of his true feelings. She might known he cared about her but she didn’t know how much. She didn’t till he told her, till she read the letters. That were so sweet and I felt like I was America when I read them. The emotions in this book were so amazing, the way that America described she felt, they felt so real and at times I felt myself the feelings that she was feeling. About Maxon. About the completion. Her father’s death. It was hard for me not to like America. Maxon changed her. Being in completion changed her. I was happy that America made friends with girls at last, even though it took all of them a while. I was happy to see them at America’s wedding. I was happy to find out that there is another book after this one. I’m curious to see what happens now that Maxon is the king, what other chances he will make, what other challenges he will make. 



Out of all the book covers in the series, The One is my favorite. How can you not love it? Just look at it. The dress is white and surrounded by white roses designs. It looks great on America took. Even I would love to wear a dress like that. Even if book is fictional, I am actually a bit jealous of America, of that dress. The cover is completely stunning and it would capture attention of any reader. The design of the book. It’s breathtaking, just like the story, the characters. There wasn’t anything I didn’t love about it. It’s a series I wasn’t sure how much I would like due to mixed reviews but became one of my favorites. I’m looking forward to The Heir though not sure if can wait till May, I wish I could pick it up now. I’m in love with the series.

Infinite (Newsoul,#3)

☆☆☆☆☆

Infinite

Newsoul,#3

jodi meadows.

Publisher:  Katherine Tegen

Publication Date:January 28,2014

Genre:YA Paranormal Romance|Dystopian

Format|Pages:Hardcover|418

Source: Goodreads|Library.

DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk. 

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach. 

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all. 

With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions. 

✈ ✈

 

An incredible conclusion to a breathtaking series. I’m still having a hard time accepting fact that it’s over. I don’t want it to be over, I loved everything about it. One of best series, addictive series that I have read this year. Every page, every book had me craving more. Newsoul was an incredible adventure for me. I am going miss the heart and especially Ana & Sam, out of all characters out there; they stood up for me the most. They were my favorites. Not only was the story incredible but the covers are gorgeous. I believe than any reader out there would be captivated by them. Not only are they are colorful but mysterious as well. Especially cover for Infinite, black wings, it gives her a darker, more mysterious look, It’s like a clue to let reader know that something big is about to happen. Any fan of mystery, fantasy would be drawn by covers alone. Newsoul is a series that worth every page. 


Infinite had much more action. Every page, every chapter there was always something happening. I had trouble putting the book down from the very first page, it had me hook and engaged on the journey that they were all on. I wondered will all of them make it through it all? Would they be able to stop Janan? None of them were safe and I knew the possibility of them not making it all the way. It’s a dangerous task, and that’s a lot of responsibility, especially for Ana. It seemed like everyone depended on her, on what to do. But at times when she did make the decisions, such as to go to dragons for help, they got angry with her. That I could understand, considering Sam’s history with them. Ana sacrificed so much, especially towards the end. Everything that happened, I pictured it all and to me it was real. Their journey, their struggles, their hope. 


As I said before, I love Sam & Ana, what they have is real. I loved fact that there were no love triangles in here. Just Sam & Ana from the moment that two of them met. They have connection, chemistry. The two of them belong with each other. I disliked when they fought, especially when they had that long fight, and honestly I didn’t think he was being fair to her then, but at same time I could understand him. I could understand how he was feeling, I understood how both of them were feeling. The two of them went through so much and in end, they were still there to comfort one another. When they were together, it seemed like it took away everything else at that moment. The pain. The loss. The scenes between the two of them were my favorite ones to read. 


Newsoul is a series about love, loss, revenge, power, friendship, acceptance, strength. It’s unlike any series that I read before and I loved everything about it. If you love fantasy with romance, suspense in the mix, Newsoul is a series you wished you picked up earlier. A series you won’t want to end. 


Incredible, thrilling ride.

Far From You.

☆☆☆☆☆

Far from you.

tess sharpe.

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date:April 8,2014

Genre:YA Contemporary Romance|Thriller.

Format|Pages:Hardcover|352.

Source: Goodreads|Library.

Sophie Winters nearly died. Twice. 

The first time, she's fourteen, and escapes a near-fatal car accident with scars, a bum leg, and an addiction to Oxy that'll take years to kick. 

The second time, she's seventeen, and it's no accident. Sophie and her best friend Mina are confronted by a masked man in the woods. Sophie survives, but Mina is not so lucky. When the cops deem Mina's murder a drug deal gone wrong, casting partial blame on Sophie, no one will believe the truth: Sophie has been clean for months, and it was Mina who led her into the woods that night for a meeting shrouded in mystery. 

After a forced stint in rehab, Sophie returns home to a chilly new reality. Mina's brother won't speak to her, her parents fear she'll relapse, old friends have become enemies, and Sophie has to learn how to live without her other half. To make matters worse, no one is looking in the right places and Sophie must search for Mina's murderer on her own. But with every step, Sophie comes closer to revealing all: about herself, about Mina and about the secret they shared. 

✈ ✈

 

Wow. Another mind-blowing novel. This was a type of book that reminds me of why I love YA books so much. I had a feeling when I read the summary that it’s going be a novel that I would enjoy. Mysteries had always been the type of books that I loved. Far From You was unlike any mysteries that I have read, it seemed a bit more focused on secrets that mystery, at least in the beginning. I was hooked from page 1; it has a twist that has a reader eager for more. How can you not? You can’t help but wonder what really happened, who killed Mina. I was. I was also curious to why. Far From you are a novel that has you wondering, on the edge of the seat and eager to find out what happened. Once the truth was revealed, it wasn’t what I had expected it to be. It was the last person I suspected. It’s what made the novel so good, it has you guessing till the end. 


Tess Sharpe has a unique writing style, I liked how she went between present and past. It fit the story which has you led up to what happened that night. Sophie’s emotions through the novel were heartbreaking, beautifully written. While I was reading it, I could actually find myself feeling most of the emotions that she felt, they were so well written. I felt her fear, anger, grief, betrayal. All the emotions that Sophie felt before the murder and after, I felt too. Far From you was realistic and it focused on realistic issues like drug addiction, secrets, love. I believe that had me hooked, that it’s a type of book that some of teens can relate to. Once the mystery started, once Sophie tried to see reason for Mina’s death, I could not pull away. I wanted to know as much as Sophie did. 


I could tell how much Mina & Sophie cared about one another. From a start, I had a feeling that there was something. That the two of them cared about each in more than friend’s way. I could tell the way they were around each other, whenever they were with each other, they seemed happy like nothing else mattered. Despite Mina was one who told Sophie’s parents about her addiction, later I realized that she did it were because she loved her. But their relationship was different and complicated, relationships that Mina wanted nobody know about. Something she tried to keep hidden, she even went as far to try set her brother up with Sophie. In way I felt bad for him, he loved Sophie but he was right, she doesn’t love him way he wants her to. It’s sad, just when Mina chooses Sophie, something she doesn’t get to tell her, she died. Their relationship was conflicted but that what made it interesting. It felt real. 


Far From You was a breathtaking debut by Tess Sharpe. It will have you guessing what’s next. It will have you reading late into a night. A book that you won’t forget.

The Six Rules Of Maybe.

☆☆☆☆☆

The Six rules of maybe

Deb caletti.

Publisher:  Simon Pulse

Publication Date:March 16,2010

Genre:YA Contemporary Romance

Format|Pages:Hardcover|336

Source: Goodreads|Library. 

Scarlett Hughes is overly involved in the lives of everyone around her, and exceptionally interested in the habits of her neighbors. But Scarlett is thrust solidly into her own life when her sister, Juliet, returns home from school—pregnant and surprisingly married to a sweet, handsome man whom she seems to have no interest in, but who is hopelessly in love with her. 

to take a look inward for the first time, Scarlett discovers the necessity of dreams, as well as the necessity of facing reality and speaking the truth 

 ✈ ✈

 

Deb Caletti did it again; she found a way to engage me in story again, to fall in love with characters. Caletti seems to create a characters that you can’t help but love, even if they not at first. In end you will love them. The Six Rules Of Maybe wasn’t any different. The characters that she created felt so real, and within only first few pages of the story, they were real. It felt like I got to know them, got to go through everything they went through, well in this case Scarlet went through. How can you not love the characters like those? The emotions of the characters were so well written, it was easy to imagine what they were feeling, even if I haven’t gone through it. I could see it. The Six Rules Of Maybe was very descriptive but that fit the story well. I could picture it better, imagine what was going on. It’s one of things that pulled me into a story. 


You can’t help but love Scarlet. How can you not love her? Though she gets involved in other people’s business but that’s because she cares, she wants to help them. There are not many people like that out there. She tried help her sister, despite how she felt for Hayden, her neighbor which she did in the end. Scarlet did something that made someone else smile a depressed person too. How is someone like Scarlet not be lovable? She became one of my favorites from the start. In a way she reminded me of myself, I might not got involved in other people’s business like she did but I do try help people when needed. I care about others, about their happiness way that Scarlet does. I could relate to her. 


Juliet, I wasn’t sure how to feel about her at first. She seemed so withdrawn at first. I actually wondered if she even cared about Hayden. It seemed like she didn’t seem to appreciate him, to appreciate everything that he has done for her. It made me angry that she kept trying to go to Buddy. He wasn’t the one that loved her. Then I realized that she just didn’t think about how much Hayden meant to her, not till he left. Way that she acted afterward, gave me a hint that she loved him. Him and the child, it just took her a bit to realize it and I am glad that she did. I loved the notes that Hayden left for her, it had made me smile every time. 


Loved friendship between Hayden and Scarlet, I thought it would get awkward between them after the kiss. So I was glad when it did get back to normal. They had an unique friendship. The Six Rules Of Maybe was heartbreaking but also breathtaking, it’s a story that you can actually see happening in real world. That’s what I love about Caletti’s books, each story seems so real to me. The story pulls you in, makes you wonder what’s going happen next. The Six Rules Of Maybe is a type of story that is worth every page.