Review: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Book: Everbound (Everneath #2)
By: Brodi Ashton
Published: January 22, 2013
Published by: Balzer and Bray

Description: Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

My Thoughts: We begin this story right where the last left off, with Nikki in the normal world and Jack in the Everneath feeding the tunnels. Nikki feels terrible for what happened, and wants to find a way to fix it, at any cost. 

The story starts off a bit drab. Nikki is extremely depressed and mopes most of the beginning of the story, and is absolutely obsessed with finding a way to get into the Everneath to rescue Jack. She’s not at all herself, and is obsessed with finding Cole to figure out a way to get to Jack. Unfortunately, Cole Likes Nikki, and wants her to stand by his side as Queen of the Everneath, so the fact that Nikki wants Jack doesn’t help her cause.

As you may assume, things don’t turn out too well, and though she eventually gets him to take her, things aren’t even the slightest bit safe for her or her companions. Her journey to find Jack becomes a journey that will change her in more ways than one, and may, in its way, be the end of her life.

Once I got into it, I was really hooked. Cole became a completely different person to me in the beginning of this story. I began to actually like him, and want Nikki to be with him instead of Jack. I began to trust him, and feel sorry for the hand he’s been dealt. Things happened between them and I was too excited to see the way Nikki and Cole would soon grow. In addition, we learned a lot more about the Everneath and how it worked, and why Human’s should never go there. Everything connected and it was quite interesting to read.

The end though…I can’t even say how I feel. It hurt my feelings, and smacked me in the face all at the same time. How dare I be so stupid! I won’t ruin it for you, because you deserve to learn the truth for yourself, just know it’ll make you angry for a second, though your feelings on the characters may or may not change. This book is not at all predictable, and I loved how the story was woven. I can’t wait for the final book in the trilogy; Evertrue. This is a great series. My rating is 4.5 stars. 

Random Rant Thursday: Engaged

OMG, OMG, OMG!!! I’m engaged everyone. The boyfriend (or rather, Fiancé *wink wink*) asked me on Saturday, September 7, and I said yes!!!! He asked my dad and mom and sis for my hand the previous Tuesday, and proposed a day earlier than he planned.

It was a kind of random event, we had just gotten back from his Grandma’s 80^th Birthday Party, and after helping his family with hosting it, I was pretty exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to go back to his apartment, walk my dog, and take a nap. Of course, he had other plans. While I was out taking the dog for a walk, he pulled out the ring and hid it in a sweatshirt that he had lying across the dining room chair (I could have easily seen the box if he had put it in his pocket). When I got back in he stopped me in the hall as I was heading to the room to sleep.

He prattled on and on about how happy he was that I would show up for his grandma, and how happy he was that I get along with his entire family and that I love them and they love me. Meanwhile, I’m trying to find a tactful way of getting to the bed without pushing him completely out the way and running to the bed. He kissed me and hugged me and I think that that’s the end of the conversation, so I pull away to head to the bed to take my much wanted nap, but he stops me, and asks me to stay with him for a minute.

I’m pretty dense, so even then, I didn’t realize anything was amiss. I just assumed he was overcome with an overwhelming urge to confess all his feelings, right before I had to go to bed. I didn’t notice his nervousness, nor did I notice how fast he spoke, as if he had a lot to say and had no idea how to say it. He told me how much he likes having me around his family, and how he wanted to make me a part of it, and then he got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him.

Me, being the confused person I am, just said yes, not really realizing what exactly was going on. There were no tears, no “OMG are you serious.” Just “Yea, of course.” I said it matter-of-factly, more like “As If I would actually say no.” Part of it was me not even understanding what was going on. I was a bit in shock, a little dazed, and a lot tired. My brain wasn’t catching up to what was happening. The other part was like “Finally!”

Regardless, My brain caught up with what was happening eventually, and the events slowly but surely settled around me. William loved me and wanted to marry me. The happiness swelled up inside me and I felt the emotion coming on but I held most of it at bay (a few tears, and some sniffles escaped though…can’t help that).

A while ago I talked to him about my feeling on different types of proposals. I never liked the ones done in front of a bunch of family and friends. I felt like they were a bit cocky and threatening. What I mean is that, if for some reason, the woman wanted to say no, she would be loathe to do it in front of all your friends, so she may just say yes, only to say something about it later. In addition, I’m not a fan of having everyone I know stare at me for every little reaction. It would feel staged, and either I would give a false reaction to appease the audience or I would panic and over analyze everything that’s going on. The intimate, romantic ones filled with promises of love and awkward mistakes are the best in my opinion. He listened to that, and gave me a proposal I would remember forever.

I am absolutely ecstatic and have already started my planning, though I’m a bit overwhelmed. Still, I can’t wait to move forward with it all! Oh, and if you want to see a pic of the ring, feel free to look:

Isn't it pretty?

Whats new with all of you? I'd like a few updates!

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Book: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
By: Marissa Meyer
Published: January, 3, 2012
Published by: Fiewel and Friends

Description: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Thoughts: I went into this with absolutely no expectations, and came out of it loving a new series. I'm a fan of Cinderella all the way, but not really a fan of people taking it and putting a spin on it, besides the whole musical spin, or the regular Disney version. I like what I like. That being said, I absolutely loved Cinder. They took a fairy tale that I loved and made it so much better, and turned it into a story all its own.

It began much the same way Cinderella began. There's Cinder, the "slave" of the family who's "stepmother" and "sisters" take for granted and treat like crap, only in this one, one of the sisters likes Cinder, and Cinder has someone else as a friend. Then there's the Prince who she meets in the marketplace, only in this one, he comes to her for mechanical help, after all she is the most gifted mechanic in New Beijing. She's also a cyborg, a race of people who (from what I can tell) are people who encountered a traumatic event and were then "fixed" with the use of machinery. For that reason, they're seen as less than human, and property, and often treated quite badly.

There;s also this disease that's been plaguing the entirety of the world. They've been testing out the cures on the cyborgs, and after an unfortunate series of events, Cinder finds herself in the castle as a test subject. It's then that we learn that Cinder is quite special, and we learn what special really is.

I loved this book and will definitely be reading the next one in the series, Scarlet. It was so good. Though this story was definitely taken from Cinderella, it was different enough that you didn't feel like you were reading the same old same old all over again. Oh, and for those of you who think you know how this will end in terms of happy fairy tale endings, you don't. I absolutely loved Cinder, and I can't wait for the next one. I give it 4.5 Stars.

Quickie Review: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Book: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1)
By: George R. R. Martin
Published: September 1996
Published by: Bantam Books

Description: Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
My Thoughts: Most of you know all about A Game of Thrones, so I'll make this quick. I loved reading about it and learning things about the characters I didn't already know from watching the HBO show. That being said, this is one book-to-screen adaptation that sticks close to the book. Besides the inner thoughts and a few unnecessary scenes in the book, the show is pretty much the exact same. For that reason, the audiobook of this book bored me at times (never mind the calming effect of the narrators voice. I loved him, but still, his voice was too relaxing and comforting). I already knew what was going to happen. I think I'll be reading the next ones, and probably not too deeply. Still, George R.R. Martin is a genius! 5 Stars!

Random Rant Thursday: Snitches Get Stitches

In America, we have this saying “Snitches Get Stitches” which basically means if you tell on someone, you deserve to get beaten up (hence the required stitches to heal your broken body), or something like that. (Not sure if anyone else has that saying. Correct me if I’m wrong.) Now don’t get carried away. It’s not a law or anything, and legally, you aren’t allowed to beat someone up just because they told on you. That being said, it’s pretty much frowned upon in most societies to “tattletale”  on others, friend or otherwise.

Some people do it anyway, especially when police or the threat of bodily harm  for not telling comes into play. That being said, what happens when neither is involved, and the person just tells because he/she feels it’s necessary.

I HATE when people are late to things, ESPECIALLY when someone is relying on them or waiting on them. When I get a request from an author to have a book read/reviewed by a certain date, I get it done by then, or let them know if I can’t for some reason. In my mind, if I don’t do it, I cause that author to lose the ability to reach out to my small audience, which may be a difference in their ability to sell even one additional book.

I don’t like to let people down, nor do I like to take advantage of others, probably because I know what it’s like to be put in that situation, so I make sure to do what I say I will do (usually) unless I know the deadline is not a big deal.

It seems though that others don’t hold timeliness highly, a fact that really “grinds my gears” (Family Guy reference anyone?). I coordinate the scheduled staff that occupies the front desk in my office. Yesterday, a person who was required to relieve the morning staff member showed up 40 minutes late (Never mind the fact that he was supposed to be at work at 9:30, and didn’t show up until 1240) which meant I was required to relieve the morning staff member for that time. When the other guy showed up, he strolled in like he wasn’t super late for work, and for an appointment, and that wasn’t the first time he’s done something like that and requested me to pick up the slack.

By now, I’m annoyed and feeling taken advantage of. It’s why I’m here, talking to you and wondering what I should do in this situation. I’ve tried talking to him, but he doesn’t take me seriously (probably the fact that I’m like 1/3 of his size and he’s a bit of a masochist.). Though I don’t think snitches should get stitches in the literal sense, I also don’t agree with people running around telling their boss or some other authority figure something someone else did that had nothing to do with them. “Mind your Business” is something I say often. In this case though, the fact that he was late was my business and impacted the rest of my day. Does that mean I should tell our boss (who wasn’t here yesterday) Or just keep going on ignoring it? I honestly don’t know. Any ideas?

Waiting on Wednesday: Dreams of Gods & Monsters

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

Book: Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3)
By: Laini Taylor
Published: April 1, 2014
Published By: Little, Brown

Description: In this thrilling conclusion to the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, Karou is still not ready to forgive Akiva for killing the only family she's ever known.
When a brutal angel army trespasses into the human world, Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat--and against larger dangers that loom on the horizon. They begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves--maybe even toward love.
From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera, and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.
I loved the first and second book in this series, and though the third still doesn't have a cover, that doesn't make me want it any less. I cant wait to get my hands on it.

What book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday - The Bone Bearer by Lani Wendt Young

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from:

Book: The Bone Bearer (Telesa #3)
By: Lani Wendt Young

"So did we ... lie together Daniel Tahi? Tell me, how was I?"


This book is ridiculously good, and frustrating, and just everything. I cant wait to see how this trilogy ends. Telesa, the first book in the series, is one of my most favorite books ever, and ties only 1 other author as my most favorite self published authors ever. I would suggest with this series over and over again. Read it. You won't be sorry

Whats your teaser for the week?

Quickie Review: Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Book: Anna Dressed In Blood
By: Kendare Blake
Published: September 2011
Published By: Tom Doherty

Desription: Cas Lowood, armed with his late father's athame knife, kills ghosts. In Thunder Bay, Anna, forever 16, drips blood on her white dress from throat slit in 1958, and rips apart anyone who enters her house - except Cas. He makes new friends - high school queen Carmel, jock Will, admiring nerd Thomas and Tom's voodoo grandpa Morfran - to fight this demon.

My Thoughts: Anna Dressed in Blood was a somewhat interesting book about a ghost hunter who moves to a town and gets his world turned upside down by a ghost.

I wont say a lot about this one, because I honestly didn't like it that much. I had it in audio format and the narration was pretty horrible, so it pretty much ruined the book for me. The characters weren't really that interesting, the MC was okay, but the supporting characters were boring. I didn't really like the interactions that much, and the romance aspect never really got me. It seemed like it popped up out of nowhere and it just didn't make any sense to me.

That being said, the storyline was different than the few other ghost stories I read and it was refreshing to read. I probably wont read the next ones in the series though. I give it 2 stars.

Review: The Originals by Cat Patrick

Book: The Originals
By: Cat Patrick
Published: May 7, 2013
Published By: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Description: A riveting new story from Cat Patrick, author of Forgotten and Revived.

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life...

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created

My Thoughts: The Originals is a story that shows what could happen should scientists have their way, and the possible implications it could have on the lives of the innocents in the equation.

The story is told in Lizzie's POV. She and her "sisters" share pieces of each day and pretend to be Elizabeth Best in order to hide from the government. One takes care of morning classes, the other takes afternoon classes, and the third takes the afternoon activities and after school programs. Their guardian notices that each of the girls are learning differently and attempting to fix that, decides to swap their times. Unfortunately, doing so causes the life of the person tho they're attempting to be (I hope that makes sense) to change drastically, so the mother switches so that each girl takes care of the part of the day that they do best. It is now that Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, and one of the other sisters meet someone they like. Only one girl can't date multiple guys in multiple parts of her day, so their mother decides to choose who they will date, which means one of the girls gets extremely broken hearted really fast. Soon, the girls really learn what it means to be parts of a whole, and learn that they don't like it. They learn that just because they're clones doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed everything "real people have, and they realize just how hard they're willing to fight for it.

This book was interesting, and definitely shows the importance of personality and freedom, and made me think harder about how scientists treat those they study, and the rights those subjects have. It was a good book, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. The girls, though in high school and 17 years old, remind me more of 14/15 year olds in the way they act. They're so sheltered it seems, that they can't even act their age, and that inhibits my ability to relate. Furthermore, theres insta-love, a quick wrapped up ending that didnt make much sense to me, and multiple things that occurred that was just "too easy" Everything that happened was just as naive as these two girls were. I didn't like that at all.

The main thing I liked about the book was the premise. I felt like it could have been done better somehow. For that reason, I give it 2.5 stars.