White Cat, by Holly Black

(4.5/5 stars)

(also, there are multiple covers for this book, but this is the one I had)

Well, well, well, where do I even start? This book had everything I wanted, even if I didn't know I wanted it: paranormal magic, boarding school, con-artists, complicated relationships, danger and death, suspense, the list goes on. Basically, this is now my all time favorite Holly Black book and here's why:

What I liked: I want to say everything, I really do, but how does that help anyone? So instead, I'm going to go with I liked 99.9% of the book. I'm not even kidding. The characters are great, especially Cassel. He has a lot of flaws, a lot, and yet we still find ourselves rooting for him to succeed. His life is convoluted in ways you can't even begin to imagine so it's a bit amazing that he's still a very likable character. He has identity crisis after identity crisis--not being a curse worker in a family of curse workers, not knowing what race he actually is, thinking he killed his childhood best friend--you know, the normal stuff teens deal with on a daily basis. But it's great. The family dynamic is Italian mob-like, except with a cool form of magic: curse working. This all brings me to the world building. Holy musical world building! There's so much detail and complication in the world of the curse workers, and yet there was never a time when I was confused or didn't know what something meant. Holly Black shows us the world without really having to explain anything, in typical Holly Black fashion, but it so completely works.

What I didn't like: Well, apparently I committed to not liking .1% of the book so I'm just going to run with it. The secondary characters--besides the family--didn't play as big of a part as I wanted them to. I really liked Daneca and her social justice causes, so I would have liked to see more of that I guess. But like I said, I'm being extremely picky because I can be.

This book fascinated me in every way and couldn't put it down (I tried unsuccessfully). All the relationships tied together in an awesome way and it made the book so enjoyable. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something different (and totally awesome) in the paranormal genre!

-Annie

Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up? by Sara Hantz

(2/5 stars)

*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

So as soon as I read what this book was about (a kick boxer becomes a stunt double for a super famous celebrity), I knew I just had to get my hands on it. This book had so much potential to gain my love, but unfortunately, that didn't happen.

What I liked: There were some things that I liked about this book, really. There were some cute nerdy references in the beginning that I really liked, but that didn't last for very long. I also liked that this book features a character with a speech impairment because that's not something you see a lot in YA books, or any books for that matter. That brought a lot to the character, and it was maybe the only part of her that I liked because it was the most real...? I don't know. That basically ends my list of what I liked.

What I didn't like: A lot, unfortunately. Where do I even start? The dialogue was stiff and forced. None of it sounded like how real people talk. The same can be said about the character voice. Abi was whiny and complained too much for my taste. To put it simply, she was annoying--and I hate using that word because I feel like it's a copout, but it was one-hundred percent true in this case. In the beginning, there was so much info dump. So much. Most of it was unimportant to the story and I didn't care about it. I also got really sick of hearing how perfect Matt was. Like, I get that he's this attractive guy who she really likes, but use better words. Describe why she thought he was so perfect, and not just the same way over and over. All that brings me to how predictable the book was. Normally, I don't mind a predictable book. If I can get into the story and the characters, I'm usually not affected by the fact that I know exactly how the story will end. But this one was painfully predictable and it made me not like it.

I didn't like this book. I wish I did. I started the book wanting to enjoy it, but there was a lot that didn't work for me. Disappointing :(

-Annie
p.s. Don't forget to enter my Best Month Ever Giveaway!

Best Month Ever Giveaway!

May is the best month ever, and for many exciting reasons. Here's why: May 1st (today) is my 22nd birthday, May 10th is my college graduation, May 14th is one of my best friend's weddings, May 18th is my blog's first birthday, and so on. The excitement never stops. So in honor of the Best Month Ever, I want to do a giveaway for all my lovely readers and followers.

Here's what you could win:
I will send the winner their pick out of one of my favorite YA books via the Book Depository. That means that this giveaway is international, yay! Your book options are:

-The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
-Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
-Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
-Divergent by Veronica Ross
-The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
-Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald
-Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
-Firecracker by David Iserson
-Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
-My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
-White Cat by Holly Black
-Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
-Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
-Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
-Delirium by Lauren Oliver
-The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

So a lot of these books are series books, so if you want another in the series, that's totally okay! Please make sure you're comfortable with giving me your shipping information if you win (you can't get the book if I can't send it). The giveaway will end at the end of this month, May 31st. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter away, my friends, and happy May!

-Annie

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld

(4.5/5 stars)

This is the very first Steampunk book I've ever read, and it'll definitely not be the last. And, not only is Leviathan Steampunk, but it's also Historical meets Sci-Fi meets Fantasy/Adventure/Action meets everything I could ever ask for in a book! So basically, I was in love with this book.

What I liked: The world, oh my, the world. Set at the dawn of World War I, Westerfeld creates a world that not only separates the Allies from the Axis, but also the Darwinists from the Clankers. The Darwinists being the countries who use genetically modified creatures as their weapons, while the Clankers use giant machines. It's a beautiful alternate reality to what actually happened, and it is thoroughly believable in every way. Then, we move on to the characters. I can just feel the character development arc beginning and I can't wait to see where it goes, for both characters. Deryn (Dylan) disguised herself as a boy in order to join the air force, and she's almost a more convincing boy than the other male characters sometimes. She's straight up badass with a wicked spark of energy and you'll root for her to go all the way from the very start. Next is Alek, who starts off a bit pompous and entitled, though it's a bit expected since he's the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and now heir to the throne. No big deal. But he's smart and there's so much room for growth and it'll be awesome! Also, the pacing of the book was really well done and the nonstop action had me at the edge of my seat the whole time.

What I didn't like: Like I said two seconds ago, nonstop action, but the story didn't really start start until the characters meet about half way through. So, as much as I loved the characters individually, I enjoyed the book much more when they were put against each other and forced to interact. Their conversations and banter added to all the crazy that was going on plot-wise. So, I guess my problem was that I wanted more of the plot right away, even though I enjoyed the backstory that was necessary to set everything up.

Leviathan deserves every ounce of praise it's gotten, and if you haven't read this yet, you need to get on it. Even if it's not your genre, it has something for everyone and spreads across the genres, giving it that great multidimensional feel. It's a wonderful read and the series lives up to its expectations.

-Annie

Getting Over Garrett Delaney, by Abbey McDonald

(5/5 stars)

fjafdkafjkdlfdafkdlncklmejtijklsajfd (keyboard smashing translation: I loved this book). I loved this book so much that I gave it a hug after I finished it, a long hug and didn't want to let go. How do I even describe this book? Okay, how about this: A fun read about self-discovery, friendship, and independence filled with Gilmore Girl-esque humor and indie fab situations. Yup, that just about covers it.

What I liked: Um, everything. The story really hit me hard. It's about Sadie, who loves her best friend, Garrett, except he doesn't know it. So when he leaves for a literary summer camp, Sadie has no idea who she is without him. Cue up great scenes of trying to boy-detox, get a new job, and meet new friends, the journey Sadie takes is so real and relatable. She has to start over on her personality because everything she liked, she liked because Garrett did. Woah, that's unhealthy. Yes, yes it is and we get to watch Sadie realize that and discover who she really is. Girl power, man! Did I mention that she also happens to work with a super cute boy who can cook and is really sweet? Because hello!

I'm not even going to include a "What I didn't like" part because I have nothing to say on that subject. I honestly thought this book was going to be cheesy and cliche, and I'm so glad it wasn't. In fact, I think it's one of those books that every girl should read at some point in her life. It teaches important lessons about sisterhood and being yourself, and we all need to hear that every now and again. It's not condescending, but instead it's profound in a different way than I was expecting. I could go on and on for days, but I won't (ain't nobody got time for dat). Instead, I'll just run to the bookstore to buy a copy (since my copy was from the library) and make all my friends read it! Friends, you have been warned! :)

-Annie

Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor

(4/5 stars)

(I love LOVE this cover)

Wow, what a beautiful book! It's just absolutely beautiful, from the front cover to the words on the pages. Let's just start with the opener: Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well. Ugh, that's a great first line! It just flows so well and encompasses the romanticism of the book, that was enough to capture my attention.

What I liked: The writing! Oh the writing! Wow, Laini Taylor has a way with words and that made her story completely come alive. Segue way into the world building- I've never read a book about chimaera and I loved that mythology a lot. The mythology was so different from what I was used to, so it was nice to get a fresh idea. The characters were vivid and a mix of different animals, and their personalities were really well done. The romance was decent. Like, there were times when I felt like it was going too fast, but it made sense, especially towards the end when I started putting everything together. Most of all, I loved the setting. Prague. Yes. I'm ready to read anything set in Prague. Gimme more Prague books, please! The description was so well done and I could see Prague so well and boy, was it magical. Laini Taylor really put a lot of romanticism into the setting and the words, which I totally appreciated!

What I didn't like: Okay, to be honest, I could have done without the last hundred pages. Sure, I found all the backstory with Madrigal extremely interesting, but having all of that in the end really pulled away from the story. Like I think it would do awesome as a short story, or if it was the beginning of the book. I just kept flipping through, wanting to get back to the action and what was going on with Akiva and Karou/her reaction to finding out about everything. I'm also really over the word "perfect" as a descriptor for a person, even if he is an angel. 

So basically, if you like pretty sentences that make you swoon and descriptions that will light your soul on fire, you should read this book.

-Annie

Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins

(5/5 stars)

This book sang the song of my people, no joke. I had heard so much praise about this book, which is what led me to pick it up (regardless of the cheesy title), and I can now join the fan club and cheer from rooftops about my love for Anna and the French Kiss.

What I liked: That is was scary relatable. How many of us have fallen for a person who is so completely unattainable? I've done it so much I've lost count. There were just so many times in this book where I felt like I was Anna because I've been in some of the same situations she was facing. Is he flirting or is he just really nice? Am I making this all up in my head? Been there, done that. But those aren't the only reasons I loved this book. The setting is phenomenal- I'm ready to pack my bags and head out to France this very instant. The entire voice of the book is charming and funny, and you really want to be Anna's best friend by the end of it. There are face palm moments, laugh out loud moments, and slam the book shut, did that just happen moments- all done with a light and quirky tone. Big fan. And I also really liked what the author did with the entire switching between Etienne and St. Clair symbolism. That was super cute.

What I didn't like: Dave. He really didn't have to be such a d-bag, I wouldn't have liked his character even if he was a decent guy (Anna/Etienne 5ever). And then I found myself frustrated with Etienne a lot, which was kind of the point... but still. His decision making stills aren't to be admired.

But what a great book! I can't stop talking about it to my poor roommate (sorry, Taylor), but it's one of those that I think everyone should read because they'll somehow be able to relate to it. It's a feel good book, full of warm fuzzies and joy. Read it, and love it as much as I do.

-Annie