Throne of Glass By: Sarah J. Maas

★★★★☆

Goodreads

This book was surprisingly good :) It wasn't quite your typical teen fantasy novel.

It had good character development. Maas really goes into the minds of each character to see their point of view, not just the main characters, which was interesting.

There was more romance than I thought that there would be, almost as much as the Lux series. It was sort of like a teen version of a pilot to Game of Thrones almost, but where Game of Thrones meets Hunger Games.

I really liked the main character, she's quick and witty with spice to her, she isn't afraid to speak her mind. The only reason why I didn't give it 5/5 stars was because Maas is lacking slightly in the writing, needs more poetry to the words, more descriptions, less dialogue.

Started: Sept 13, 2016
Finished: Oct 3, 2016

Lux Opposition By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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★★★★☆

Goodreads

This book was fun to read always keeping you at the end of your seat wanting to read more, except I was a little disappointed at the ending, I was expecting a big twist or something surprising and it was exactly what the reader was anticipating, predictable. I feel like Armentrout tried doing this with Daemon almost dying in the end but I just knew he'd make it out alive.

Out of all the books I found this book to genre out into more of a romance rather than a teen fantasy which is fine but it's just a different feel that the other books to me. I wanted there to be more story behind the origins since they are the most powerful being "like gods". And this was the only book that didn't have a focus on a crystal, like onyx (quartz was also in the first book), obsidian, opal (the 4th book origin had the fire opal). I would have liked a new crystal to come out into play in the last book.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I found Ethans death to be anticlimactic since he ran away and got shot in the back, it wasn't a fight, it was lame. I also felt that the characters Dee, Luke, Beth, and Dawson were really put in the back burner the last half of the book, to more so focus on the romance between Kat and Daemon.

I loved the part with the Arum, and you go underground into their home and meet their leader, and just how characteristic the Arum are. I'm glad Armentrout explored this in the book since the Arum were really in the first and second book and have kind of been on the back burner since the Origin were introduced.

The part where her mom died was actually really sad and the way Armentrout described how Kat felt was dead on, no pun intended. I felt Kat's pain and fury.

And come on it should have ended with Kat and Daemon having a baby or at least preggo :P

This book made me lol on multiple occasions, with parts like oh crappy shit on a stick. I liked the references into real life like Harry Potter and Starbucks.

Started Reading: July 22, 2016
Finished Reading: Aug 4, 2016

Hatchet By: Gary Paulsen

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★★★★☆

Goodreads

Best survival book I've ever read (2nd is the hunger games).

I enjoyed imagining what life would be like stranded in the middle of forest and lakes.

Brian seemed to learn very quickly about everything he did, whether it be catching fish or making a camp, etc. But maybe Paulsen just wanted to keep the story short and to the point.

I find it pretty unbelievable that Brain explored the plane on day #54... 54 days of just hanging out with yourself with nothing to do but survive.. you're bound to be curious of what's in the plane aren't you? My feeling is that Brian subconsciously did not want to be rescued, he saw his life back at home, and "the secret" as baggage and he didn't want to deal with it, and here he was in the middle of nowhere making a life for himself, it was an ego boost, and he didn't want to leave it. But also maybe subconsciously he knew that he wouldn't survive the winter.

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: July 21, 2016

Can You Keep a Secret? By: Sophie Kinsella

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★★☆☆☆

Goodreads

This book had it's up's and downs, and there was a big down near the end. The book is 95% dialogue which I can understand because I knew it was a girly type of book, but it didn't require much talent from the author. There are a few funny moments though.

The book starts out decent, simple story of a girl on a plane and accidentally tells a business man all her secrets, then he ends up being the CEO of her company. Then they start dating each other and at the end he does an interview on tv telling the world that she is his new target market and tells all her secrets... then he apologizes to her and of course she forgives him, and only forgives him because he gives her one of his secrets....

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: July 21, 2016

Origin By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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★★★★☆

Goodreads

This book was like the climax to the whole series and I really liked it! Betrayal, deaths, plot twists galore.

Big questions are finally being answered and unexpected things are happening.

I've haven't read through a series so fast since Maze Runner and Hunger Games.

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: July 4, 2016

Opal By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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★★★★☆

Goodreads

I really enjoyed this book. There was always things happening, some expected but most unexpected.

I love the romance between Katy and Daemon, and the growth of their relationship.

I almost feel like Daemon just watches out for Katy because he doesn't want to die since they're linked, which makes it either unromantic or mysterious.

Yet again in this book you don't know who to trust. I would have thought the Luxen would have more abilities at this point, such as go through doors or something as they are light, and where ever light is they could be. I suppose Armentrout does this to humanize the aliens more, but then it lacks in fantasy.

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: June 13, 2016

Rapture By: Lauren Kate

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★★★★☆

Goodreads

Wow this series really picked up with this book! The first couple books were very slow, and this book was like BOOM so much story so much character development, it was pretty good!

Of course I have my issues with it, some plot holes, but overall I enjoyed the book.

I especially liked the last quarter where the whole series makes sense. I was scared that the ending was just going to be simple and predictable but it was dense with story.

Started Reading: March 8, 2016
Finished Reading: April 8, 2016

Passion By: Lauren Kate

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

This book was very different than the first an second book in the series. It dragged on a lot but the ending was decent.

Started Reading: Dec 29, 2015
Finished Reading: Feb 14, 2016

Looking for Alaska By: John Green

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

Enjoyed this book as much as J.D. Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye'. Greens writing and narrator style is very similar to Salinger's. It's funny, as I look at John Greens goodreads page right now he actually has J.D. Salinger as his #1 influence.

I enjoyed some discussions on life's philosophies, like the labrynth.

My fav quote is: “Jesus, I'm not going to be one of those people who sits around talking about what they’re gonna do. I’m just going to do it. Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. ... You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you’ll escape it one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present.” 

It's a balance between being a visionary and being a realist, don't just have ideas, put them to action and that to me is escaping the labyrinth.

Started Reading: Feb 4, 2016
Finished Reading: Feb 10, 2016

Onyx By: Jennifer Armentrout

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

Great sequel to Book #1 Obsidian. The first book was about the introduction to the characters, and to the Luxen race.

This sequel has more character development as the characters go through confusing times trying to figure out mysteries about the DOD and who they can trust.

Some good twist and turns, but some were predictable.

Started Reading: Jan 22, 2016
Finished Reading: Feb 2, 2016

Brisingr By: Christopher Paolini

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★★★★★

Goodreads

Love the Eragon series.

I can tell that Paolini's writing skills are getting better and better as the books go by.

Love the fantasy, character development and a few twists and turns in the book. Sometimes the book dragged on, but besides that I love love looooooved the book.

Started Reading: July 20, 2015
Finished Reading: Dec 16, 2015

Obsidian By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

Instead of the typical vampire/werewolf love story this is something a bit different. I love the mysterious bad boy flare.

Started Reading: July 19, 2015
Finished Reading: Aug 2, 2015

Insurgent By: Veronica Roth

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★★☆☆☆

Goodreads

Man this book took me forever to read, I kept getting bored and reading other books in between.

Sure there were some good parts but overall it was just MEH.

I thought a lot of the things that happened were pretty redundant.

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: July 18, 2015.

Rise By: Anna Carey

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

3.5/5 stars. I love all the adventure in this book, there was rarely a dull moment and things were constantly happening, hence why I finished the book in a few days.

Eve reminds me of Katniss from the Hunger Games, very similar character.

I would have given it 4 stars but the writing quality was not the best.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Near the end really put me off when Eve found Caleb and Anna never really even described the feelings going through Eve, it was suppose to be a twist but the way Anna wrote it was that Eve found Caleb and lived happily ever after lol.. And they should of made a character we know from reading the book the president, wasn't that the whole purpose of the rebellion? To get a new leader to power and change things? Then Anna writes that it's this random guy that's in power. It should of been Arden or Charles that took power. And what ever happened to the boys from the dugout?

Good series all in all though.

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: February 19, 2015.

Sisterhood Everlasting By: Ann Brashares

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

A good close to the series. I was engaged into the book because I could relate to the characters.

There's a lot of touching moments that made me just stop and think about things in life.

*SPOILER*

The reason I didn't rate it 4 stars is because it really dragged on in the middle of the book with the death of Tibby. It was really repetitive and it was also random, I'm not sure why that character had to die, would have been nice to see what she did with her life. And I knew that she didn't kill herself from the beginning.

Started Reading:
Finished Reading: February 18, 2015

The Amber Spyglass By: Philip Pullman

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

A very adventurous, imaginative and creative book. I thought this series was going to be childish and I was wrong. I think they should make movies out of book 2 and 3 of this series.

Started Reading: June 8, 2013.
Finished Reading: February 8, 2013.

The Kill Order By: James Dashner

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★★☆☆☆

Goodreads

Wasn't really into this book.

There were lots of actions scenes in it and I'd rather see that in a movie rather than a book, but maybe it was just because I didn't like how the action scenes were described.

I thought there would be more things to find out about the maze runner series and I was disappointed in that.

Started Reading: October 1, 2014.
Finished Reading: October 10, 2014.

Burned By: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

This book took me a while to read because it was slow, the end it really picked up.

I like how this book was different than the others, more spiritual and fantasy.

I like how it had a lot to do with love and honor.

Started Reading: July 20, 2013.
Finished Reading: October 13, 2013.

Divergent By: Veronica Roth

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★★★★☆

Goodreads

Fun book to read. It reminded me of Hunger Games, but not as good.

Some parts dragged on a bit but overall it had an interesting story line and relatable characters. I'm going to read the next one.

Started Reading: January 24, 2013.
Finished Reading: July 20, 2013.

The Subtle Knife By: Philip Pullman

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★★★☆☆

Goodreads

A children's book but I wouldn't want my child to read it, it's actually quite violent and aggressive.

All in all a good book though. I like how there's so many weird things about it and the sci-fi aspects are pretty neat.

There was something missing in this book though and I can't seem to pinpoint what it is.

Started Reading: April 13, 2013.
Finished Reading: April 20, 2013.