Synopsis:

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.

Favorite Lines:

“Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures. No gun, no sword, no army or king will ever be more powerful than a sentence. Swords may cut and kill, but words will stab and stay, burying themselves in our bones to become corpses we carry into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip their skeletons from our flesh.”

“Can you hear my heart? I want to ask him.
I want you to make a list of all your favorite things, and I want to be on it.”

“It’s the kind of kiss that inspires stars to climb into the sky and light up the world. The kind that takes forever and no time at all.”

“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”

“My eyes are filling fast with tears and I blink and blink but the world is a mess and I want to laugh because all I can think is how horrible and beautiful it is, that our eyes blur the truth when we can’t bear to see it.”

My Opinion:

Ignite Me was supposed to be the last book in the Shatter Me series and I am so happy that Mafi decided to keep going because this series is one of my favorites and I selfishly want more.

The story follows Juliette as she continues to fight on for what she thinks is right; ending The Reestablishment. She is able to get everyone to team up and fight against a common enemy. This is the book where we see Juliette become who she is meant to be and realize her strengths and not just her weaknesses.

I love my ship in this one. I won’t spoil anything just know that I love it. Mafi does an amazing job like always writing this story. I am always in awe at how she is able to write each character so realistically. She doesn’t just write them as these incredible superheroes, she makes them so realistic and so human. It’s very easy to see a bit of ourselves in all of them.

There really isn’t anything to not like about this book in my opinion. Adam is less annoying which I’m thankful for. Even though the big fight scene isn’t too long and detailed, I don’t particularly mind. I think the way it way it was written doesn’t make it seem like it was cut short in any way.

Summary:

Overall, I love this book and this whole series. I’m really excited to keep reading and see what the rest of the series has in store for us! Happy reading!

Ignite Me

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Synopsis:

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She’s finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam’s life.

Favorite Lines:

“Books are easily destroyed. But words will live as long as people can remember them.”

“Sticks and stones keep breaking my bones but these words, these words will kill me.”

“I want to be the friend you fall hopelessly in love with. The one you take into your arms and into your bed and into the private world you keep trapped in your head. I want to be that kind of friend. The one who will memorize the things you say as well as the shape of your lips when you say them. I want to know every curve, every freckle, every shiver of your body. I want to know where to touch you, I want to know how to touch you. I want to know convince you to design a smile just for me. Yes, I do want to be your friend. I want to be your best friend in the entire world.”

My Opinion:

I want to remind you all that this is a reread for me. I usually reread the series at least once a year; that’s how good it is. I really like this book and am still surprised that it doesn’t drag, I’ll tell you why in a minute.

The story follows Juliette again as she has found people like her hiding from The Reestablishment. We see Juliette trying to come to terms with her abilities and train to help fight in the war that is taking place in her sector. This is also the first book that we see Juliette interact with Warner since reading from his point of view in Destroy Me. I feel like now that we have read from his PoV, we are starting to see a whole new side of Warner; a side I particularly love. Juliette and Warner become my ship in this book.

The reason I am surprised this book doesn’t drag is because there isn’t a whole lot of action until the end. Most of it is Juliette interacting with new people, something she hasn’t really done before. Don’t worry though, there is plenty of action towards the end but don’t skip there to see what happens, enjoy the journey. The character development in this book, and series overall, is very well done and you should enjoy it in the moment.

Summary:

Overall, I have said it again and again, I love this series. It is one of my favorite series and it always hits me in the feels every time I read it. I hope you guys love it as much as I do!

Unravel Me

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Synopsis:

The explosive finale to the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Shatter Me series.

Juliette Ferrars.

Ella Sommers.

Which is the truth and which is the lie?

Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.

The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on.

Favorite Lines:

“To the world, she is formidable. To me? She is the world.”

“Imagine me
master of my own universe
I am everything I ever dreamed of”

“Here. This. My bones against his bones. This is my home,”

My Opinion:

Imagine Me is the last book in the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. I wasn’t able to put this book down and finished it in one sitting. Originally, Mafi had stopped after the third book but I am so happy she picked the series back up and was able to continue it without it feeling forced.

The story follows Juliette/Ella, Kenji, and all their friends in the climax and conclusion of the war against the Reestablishment. I really love Juliette/Ella and Aaron/Warner as a couple. Reading about them was honestly my favorite part of this whole story. I do wish that there was more of them throughout, but I also understand why there wasn’t and that is just me being selfish. I also do with I had just seen more of Juliette/Ella as a whole because she is the main character but, again, I understand why we didn’t.

Also, as a total side note… Aaron/Warner could have given Juliette/Ella his jade ring?? I kept waiting for it to happen and it never did.

There were some parts of this book where I think they could have been expanded on. For instance, I think there could have been more about Emmaline. I know she wasn’t a main character but she was pivotal to the storyline and I think it would have been really interesting to read more about her. Mafi also brought in more characters without giving them much detail to the point that they were almost unnecessary except to see the end of them.

In my selfishness, I would have liked to see more of an epilogue and being able to see how the world is going to be now that the war is over.

Summary:

Overall, I really loved this book and this whole series. I am sad to see it go and will definitely be doing some rereading in the future. All of my comments that can be perceived as negative are actually coming from me being a selfish romantic. I highly recommend this book and the Shatter Me series as a whole if you love romance, action, dystopian societies, and the supernatural. Happy reading, everyone!

Imagine Me

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Synopsis:

A thousand years in the future, the last of humanity live inside the walls of the totalitarian Kingdom of Cutta. The rich live in Anais, the capital city of Cutta, sheltered from the famine and disease which ravage the rest of the Kingdom. Yet riches and power only go so far, and even Anaitians can be executed. It is only by the will of the King that Nate Anteros, son of the King’s favourite, is spared from the gallows after openly dissenting. But when he’s released from prison, Nate disappears.

A stark contrast, Catherine Taenia has spent her entire life comfortable and content. The daughter of the King’s Hangman and in love with Thom, Nate’s younger brother, her life has always been easy, ordered and comfortable. That is, where it doesn’t concern Nate. His actions sullied not only his future, but theirs. And unlike Thom, Catherine has never forgiven him.

Two years pass without a word, and then one night Nate returns. But things with Nate are never simple, and when one wrong move turns their lives upside down, the only thing left to do is run where the King’s guards cannot find them – the Outlands. Those wild, untamed lands which stretch around the great walls of the Kingdom, filled with mutants and rabids.

Favorite Lines:

“’I want to set everything on fire.’ ‘You should’ve just said that, darling. We’ve got some things for that.’”

“Stories of how the moon had fallen in love with the sun but could never touch her, for she burned far too bright and her brightness could never be shared. The only time the moon could be with the sun were those rare moments when they eclipsed each other in the sky, kissing for a brief moment before separating again for an age.”

“I could give you a hundred reasons why I love you already. I want a thousand more.”

“My mind is my own. My soul is Tommy’s. And darling, whether you ever care or not, my heart is yours.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Touch of Death is the first book in Crunden’s The Outlands Pentalogy. Set in a dystopian society, it follows Catherine and Nate as they are on the run from a government who wants them dead.

I thought the concept was interesting and the writing was well done. I would say that it isn’t my usual style preference for writing, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. It was very creative and had a lot of twists and turns that kept me wanting more throughout the journey.

The only thing I can say is that I hope for more romance in the next one. For obvious reasons (when you read it), that wasn’t possible much in this one. But a girl can dream.

Summary:

Overall, I enjoyed this book despite it not being in my usual interest range. If you like adventure, mystery, dystopian societies, and a hint of romance then this book is for you. Happy reading.

A Touch of Death

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Synopsis:

Meet Kara Hartman, a young painter living and working in D.C. She would love to let you believe she is just an ordinary young woman with a dream of sharing her art with the world. But she is hiding an astonishing secret: Kara can wield magic, the most powerful force in the universe. Traumatized by the loss of her brother, she wants nothing more to do with magic. But when an old foe resurfaces, hellbent on destroying all that she loves, Kara has no choice but to embrace the only power that can stop her.

Favorite Lines:

I was too immersed in the story that I didn’t keep track!

My Opinion:

I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was interested in this book as soon as Cura emailed me with the synopsis and a request to review it. I am a sucker for any sort of fantasy or paranormal fiction. I thought that the premise of the book was really creative and interesting. The story follows Kara as she tries to live a life as an artist, free of her magical abilities. Throughout the story we see different points of view from other characters, which I always enjoy.

One thing I will say about this book is that I felt it was on the amateur side of writing. It didn’t quite have a flow that was pleasant and effortless. It was full of a lot of sentences that ended abruptly; I felt like I was constantly coming to a full stop before continuing to read.

Other than that, the story was interesting, and I did find myself reading to see what happens next.

Summary:

Overall, Cura did a great job at crafting a creative story that was unique in its own way. I was able to picture the different scenes as they were taking place. I just wish that the writing had flowed better. If you like action, romance, and magic, this is the book for you. Until next time, happy reading!

 

Dreams of Fire

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Synopsis:

As time goes on, more walls are built by more people.  Sometimes they’re built to hinder others, sometimes they only hinder ourselves.  These walls enclose us if we let them.  What we seek lies beyond these walls.  When we search for depth and meaning, we can run into these walls; but there are ways to get past them.  Loopholes are moments in which the choice to go through walls, rather than build them, is made.  These moments come in the form of surreal encounters, poetic monologues, warnings, fragments, hallucinations, primordial memories, one page plays, imagined contests, conversations, confessions, events within events, songs, narrow escapes, and much more.

Favorite Lines:

“I’m the criminal who has committed the most beautiful crime.”

“He had the soul of someone I knew.”

“People make the mistake of ascribing meaning to words and actions. But meaning can only be found in the eyes. When your eyes find something they disagree with in mine, a fight erupts.”

“There is something wrong with the idea of fate. There is a flaw in it somewhere. It seems too perfect. We are taught that we have a fate, and that by trying to avoid fate, we inevitably bring our fate closer. But I tell you that fate can be overcome. The same way that you can overcome the law, i.e., there are loopholes in fate.”

My Opinion:

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

There was a lot of dark imagery and use of the words such as “blood”, “egg”, and “sperm”. I almost imagine that these words came from someone who is angry with the world at 3am.

I’m not a huge poetry person and when I do read it, I tend to favor romantic or melancholy, lovely poems. This collection of poems had a dark, deep meaning that seemed to reflect a lot on how society is through the eyes of the author.

Summary:

Overall, probably not my cup of tea but I can appreciate the art of it all nonetheless.

Loopholes

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Synopsis:

Clara Abernathy adores the Bennett family. After growing up in group homes, she yearns for the warmth and love of a family, and the Bennetts treat her like one of their own. So when Clara needs a temporary place to live, Blake Bennett suggests she move next door to him.

The offer is tempting. The problem? So is Blake himself. Handsome, funny, and alpha, he’s six feet two of eye candy… and his outlook on life is completely different from hers. But Clara finds it difficult enough to resist his charms at family events. How is she supposed to resist him when he’s just one wall away, and hell-bent on having her?

Blake Bennett knows family friends are off-limits for good reasons, and Clara is more off-limits than anyone else. But Blake went through life and made his fortune in the gastronomy industry by bending rules rather than following them. Clara’s sweetness and sass fill a hole in him he wasn’t even aware of. Soon he finds himself gravitating around her. He wants to have her and he will, rules be damned.

Favorite Lines:

“I know how to fight for what I want, Clara. And I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you. So I’ll wait. And I’ll fight.”

“There is no right moment. Just right now.”

My Opinion:

Your Fierce Love is the seventh book in the Bennett Family series. This book, like the rest of the series, was a quick and easy read to pass the time. Every once and awhile I’m in the mood for a mindless read. Kind of like putting on the TV in the background, but with reading. This series has been perfect for that. It still provides the emotion and the NSFW that some people are looking for but it doesn’t have an overly complex plot and doesn’t require much brain power to get through. I must admit that I am excited to finish the series and have everything be wrapped up so I can be done with it and move on. But then I will just have to find a new, mindless but interesting series to read.

Summary:

Overall, this book was good and I am excited to see how the last two turn out. Happy reading!

Your Fierce Love

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Synopsis:

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

Favorite Lines:

“His soul might be a sun. I’ve never met anyone who had the sun for a soul.”

“When people fall in love, they burst into flames.”

My Opinion:

Being stuck in quarantine has limited my book options to the ones I have on my Nook when I traveled home from school (since classes are online) and the books that I left at home when I moved away for school in the first place. My sister and I did a book swap, I let her borrow some of my books in exchange for this book; which happens to be her favorite stand alone book. I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant, but I was pleasantly surprised.

This book follows twins Jude and Noah as we follow them through major moments in their childhoods that shape them. Both twins are artists but where one is very outgoing, the other is very shy. As the story progresses, we see a flash-forward in time. We see one point of view from a young Noah and another point of view from an older Jude. While these different events are taking place past and present, the story is moving everything together to converge as one. I love story telling like this; that weaves a story so creatively and perfectly.

Nelson does an amazing job at putting everything together and using the different points in time and points of view to tell a beautiful story full of real human emotions. I will admit, I preferred Jude’s PoV but only because I was a sucker for the ship that took place in there. Don’t worry though, Noah has a ship of his own; you’ll see.

Nelson also has a unique writing style.  It was unlike anything else I have ever read before and really added to the creativity of the story. I don’t know how to explain it in any way than Nelson adding more emotion to the story through her descriptions and writing methods (which is still a terrible explanation).

Summary:

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was captivating how Nelson told it and I am kind of sad that it is a standalone. I would love to see the characters in another 10 years but that is just me being selfish and wanting more. Until next time guys, happy reading!

I’ll Give You the Sun

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Synopsis:

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

Favorite Lines:

“Remember that you will die, and enjoy each pleasure the world has to offer.”

“That’s the point of it, Bryce. Of life. To live, to love, knowing that it might all vanish tomorrow. It makes everything that much more precious.”

“There are worse fates than death, you know.”

My Opinion:

I actually read this book twice before writing this review just because there is so much to absorb. I also stayed up until 5am both times to read it; which should show how captivating it is. Sarah J. Maas is probably my favorite author. The way she can weave stories and tie everything together has always been amazing. She is my favorite storyteller and her newest book is no exception.

The story follows Bryce as she navigates a world full of magical creatures as a half human half fae. Because of her genetic makeup, she has always been looked down on by others but she still manages to find a way to survive and have fun with her friends. That is, until her best friend is murdered. Bryce finds herself becoming a part of a serial murder investigation that turns into something much darker and more sinister. It is up to Bryce to find out who is behind the murders while being hunted herself before it is too late.

This book obviously has a ship, multiple actually. It also has plot twists and easter eggs (if you are a fan of Maas’ other books, you will know them when you see them). While the start does feel like there is a lot of information being thrown at you, later in the book feels much more natural and has a smooth pace. I had said I reread it twice because after I knew what was going to happen and could finally take a second to breathe, I wanted to reread it and be able to pay attention to the details more fully. The second time around still had me on the edge of my seat and staying up until 5am. If that is not a sign of a good book, I don’t know what is.

Summary:

Overall, I really really enjoyed this book. Knowing how Maas writes her series with crazy character development, I am even more excited for the next book to come out. Too bad we will be waiting at least another year. Until next time, happy reading!

House of Earth and Blood

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Synopsis:

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

Favorite Lines:

“Kill him before he makes you love him.”

“The Folk doubtlessly learned this lesson long ago. They do not need to deceive humans. Humans will deceive themselves.”

“’The three of you have one solution to every problem. Murder. No key fits every lock.’ Cardan gives us all a stern look, holding up a long-fingered hand with my stolen ruby ring still on one finger. ‘Someone tries to betray the High King, murder. Someone gives you a harsh look, murder. Someone disrespects you, murder. Someone ruins your laundry, murder.’”

“It is said we learn more from our failures than our successes.”

“If you’re the sickness, I suppose you can’t also be the cure.”

My Opinion:

I am going to be honest, I was kinda hella annoyed with this book ending. Slight spoilers ahead! I wasn’t really committed to the series, I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I just felt like I should finish what I started and I always feel like first books in the series can be the best or the worst so you have to read at least to the second one to give the series a fair chance. All I wanted in this book was there to be romance and sexual tension between Jude and Cardan; which, sure, I guess there was… but not nearly enough. AND that ending though! Jeez… Black doesn’t pull her punches. I read the last chapter and was like “What the f***”. Excuse the language kids!

So now, because of how it ended on such a cliff hanger (don’t skip to the end to figure out what I am talking about, don’t be that person) I have to keep reading the series and hopefully, HOPEFULLY get some closure and maybe even get my ship to realize they are good together and call it a day. If that doesn’t happen…I am not quite sure what I am going to do. Please, please just make it happen Black.

Summary:

Overall, this book was better than the first one in the series…so if you didn’t love that one, give this one a chance. I didn’t hate it despite my ranting above and I look forward to the next one in the series. Happy reading, everyone!

The Wicked King

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