So this month has been a busy busy reading month for me. I took part in 3 read-a-thons (which were all awesome!) and I somehow managed to read 30 books! What the hell? I honestly didn't think I'd read that many books this month or that I'd ever be able to read that much in a month. But apparently I have nothing else to do but read right now.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

Shadows by Jennifer L Armentrout

Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout

Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Death Cure by James Dashner

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Kill Order by James Dashner

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Frigid by J Lynn

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot

The Wish List by Jane Costello

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terril

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Series: Starcrossed #1
Publisher: MacMillan Children's
Publication Date: June 2011
Source: Bought

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Starcrossed was one of the very first books I even bought on my kindle last year. It was also the very first book I read on my kindle, but I decided to re-read Starcrossed & Dreamless this year because Goddess has just came out and I can't remember everything that happened in this series. I also decided that I was going to re-read it because I was taking part in the BookTube-A-Thon and one of the challenges was to re-read a book so I thought it was the perfect time to re-read it!

Starcrossed was a book I'd always loved. I mean, it includes Greek mythology so I think it was agiven that I was going to love it because I've always been interested in it. So this book follows our main character Helen Hamilton who feels like she's slightly different from everyone else. She never gets sick, she can run really fast and she's insanely strong. And then the Delos family show up in town. Helen is sick of hearing about them and goes out of her way to avoid them. But then Helen catches sight of Lucas Delos and feels the urge to kill him. Helen has no idea what's got into her and why she feels like this. She's determined to find out.

Helen was a brilliant character. I loved discovering everything along with her. It helped me understand it more and allowed me to see how Helen reacted to finding out who she is. Helen is a very shy character, but she's also really funny and really nice. I enjoyed learning about her and seeing her development during the book.

Lucas, Lucas, Lucas. I love Lucas. He's so sweet and caring (even when he's trying to kill Helen). He's always looking out for her and helped her discover and understand who she is. 

I loved the rest of the Delos family too. They're all so friendly and sweet! Hector is definitely my favourite though. He's so cocky and funny! He pushes Helen to help her be able to defend herself. He may take it slightly too far sometimes, but I love Hector. Ariadne, Jason, Castor & Noel were all brilliant too! The only Delos that I didn't like was Creon. He was out to get Helen and the rest of the Delos family and I just didn't care for him at all.

I also didn't care for Helen's mother. Mainly because she was a bitch. Like a superbitch. I hope Helen finds out the truth about everything and never ever forgives her mum.

Claire was a fantastic best friend! When she found out about Helen and she revealed she already knew because of the things she did to Helen when she was younger I was in stitches! She's so funny and likable and Helen couldn't have a more amazing best friend.

I loved the whole storyline! With Helen discovering who she is and learning about Greek mythology and why the Delos' ended up back on the island. Helen and Lucas' relationship was brilliant too. Those two make the perfect couple! And then there was the whole trying to find out who's house Helen is from because she certainly wasn't from the same house as the Delos' family. And then ofcourse there was the whole thing with Creon trying to get to Helen so that he could get rid of her and raise Atlantis.

Overall, I really really loved re-reading this book and re-discovering my love for it. I loved everything about it and I highly recommend it!

The Death Cure by James Dashner

The Death Cure (The Maze Runner #3)
by James Dashner

[May contains spoilers for The Maze Runner & The Scorch Trials]

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?


I was SO excited to get to this one after The Scorch Trials and find out exactly what the hell was going on with WICKED and what they were going to do with the kids.Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two books. Everything was slower and less interesting in this one. I was wanting non-stop action and mystery like the previous two books, but that wasn't what I got. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this one but it just wasn't as good as this first two.

This picks up where The Scorch Trials left off with Thomas in isolation by himself because he apparently had the flare. I still don't really understand why they kept him isolated for about a month, but they must have had a good reason.

Thomas and Minoh are still my favourite characters in this series. Thomas because he seems to have something to do with this whole trial thing and I find him to be a very interesting character and Minoh because he's so determined and focused on saving his friends.

Teresa really annoyed me in this one. She wasn't in it that much which allowed my dislike of her to build. By the end I didn't really care about her all that much.

Brenda started to grow on me though. She seemed to genuinely care about Thomas and his friends and really wanted to help. All of my suspicions about her from The Scorch Trials disappeared in this one and I really started to like her. 

I felt so bad for Newt in this one. His character really grew on me in the last book and I'd been hoping to learn more about him in this one, but that didn't happen.

Like I said, this storyline in this one was much much slower and slightly boring. I just couldn't get interested in it because I was so used to the non-stop action and I just couldn't deal with this slow moving plot. With them travelling to Denver and trying to uncover what WICKED were up to. The Right Arm stuff was pretty interesting and at the end with them was really exciting and thrilling. The action at the end was what I'd been looking for in the whole book. But then the actual end was really disappointing. I saw that coming a mile off and I'd actually considered that ending when I was reading The Maze Runner and I'd been hoping that it wouldn't end like that. But it did, and I found it extremely predictable and disappointing.

Overall, this one really wasn't as good as the previous two books but it was still enjoyable.

Bout of Books 8.0: Sign Up

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Hello everyone! So this is my sign up post for Bout of Books 8.0! I enjoyed Bout of Books 7.0 so much that I knew I was definitely doing this one! I haven't figured out my goals yet, so I'll have a post up later with them.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2)
by James Dashner

[Review contains some spoilers of The Maze Runner]

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

OK, so after that huge unexpected cliffhanger at the end of The Maze Runner, I knew I had to get to this one ASAP to find out what WICKED had instore next.
As soon as I saw that email at the end, I knew this one was going to be even worse for the boys and that they were going to have to go through some horrible stuff - which they did.

The Scorch Trials picked up where The Maze Runner left off, with the group thinking they've been rescued and that they are safe now. But very shortly they find out that it's all a lie and the rescue was set up by WICKED to take them on to round two of the tests - The Scorch Trials.

I loved Thomas a lot more in this one. He was such a strong character and seemed like a natural leader. There was still some mystery surrounding Thomas and what he had to do with these trials, but there was so much going on in this book that this wasn't as important as it was in the first book. He was more determined than ever because he was looking for Teresa and wanted to save his friends from 'The Flare' - a disease caused by the solar flares.

Minoh became another one of my favourite characters in this one because I got to see more of him. I really like Minoh. He's suspicious, determined and still pretty sarcastic and funny even in this situation which is good. 

I was extremely cautious of Aris because he'd just appeared and I didn't know if the boys could trust him. He seemed to be a nice and friendly character, but I was still very very cautious of him.

Teresa wasn't as present in this one as much as she was in The Maze Runner because she was with the other group and WICKED had plans for them. I felt really bad for Teresa to start with because I was positive they were putting her through hell, but as the book progressed I started to dislike her more and more.

There was a lot more going on in this book and it was more brutal. This one was more about survival of the fittest because of the tests and trials they were put through that were there to eliminate the weaker contestants. These kids are put through some horrible stuff and it's shocking that these adults are basically torturing these kids to find a cure. It's disgusting. I honestly don't think anyone would go to these lengths to find a cure.

I did end up enjoying this one a lot more than The Maze Runner though. There were new characters, more brutal tasks and a lot more action because of 'The Cranks' - people affected by the flare. The gang had a lot to figure out and they also had to watch their backs for Group B. 
The ending was fantastic! There was so much action and I was on the edge of my seat reading it because I didn't want any of my favourite characters to die! I'd became so attached to them and I didn't want them getting hurt. 

The last chapter or two and the epilogue were brilliant! Dashner left it on a cliffhanger again and I was left wanting more! I was so desperate to find out how this series was going to end that I picked up The Death Cure straight after this one.

Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot more than The Maze Runner (and I loved The Maze Runner). This one had so much more action and mystery and I just absolutely loved it!

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2)
by Katie McGarry
[Copy received from Netgalley]

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."
"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....
"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

I was really excited about reading Dare You To because I loved Pushing the Limits and I was excited to learn more about Beth because she was a character I never really got to know or connect with in Pushing the Limits. 

So Dare You To follows Beth story. I enjoyed learning more about Beth and it helped me understand why she acts the way she does.

Beth is a fantastic character. She's been protecting and supporting her mother for years which is something she shouldn't have had to do. She puts on a strong and tough facade to hide what she's really feeling underneath. She's actually scared and lost, and doesn't know what she's going to do. Beth has all this responsibility thrown at her at such a young age and it just isn't fair to her.

Enter Ryan. Ryan is popular and likable, but he's hiding a family secret that his parents don't want getting out. He struggles with this secret because it split his family up and Ryan isn't dealing too well with that. He's cocky and funny, but he's also a very lovable character.

Isaiah's character is also explored a lot more in this one. I actually started to dislike Isaiah in this one because of some of the things he did and the way he acted. He just didn't seem like that likable guy from Pushing the Limits, and I was pretty disappointed by that.

I actually loved Beth and Ryan together. I know there are people out there who think that Isaiah is the one for Beth, but in my opinion Ryan is so much better for her. He helped her come out of her shell, he stuck by her when other people were making up crap about her and he really helped her when it came to dealing with her mum. Ryan was just the perfect guy for Beth. Sure, he lied sometimes and did some things that I didn't agree with, but overall he was the best choice for Beth in my opinion.

I really did love learning about Beth. She was such a mystery in the first book and I was desperate to find out more about her and her family. I was pretty shocked when I found out about her mum and what he mum let these guys do. Her mother was just so out of it that she couldn't care for Beth and Beth has always been on her own. I also don't agree with her mother blaming her for what happened to her father. That was her father's fault, not Beth's. I hate how Beth blames herself for it because she did the right thing. 
I also enjoyed learning about Ryan and his family. His family secret wasn't anything I would consider to be a scandal, but to his father it seemed to be such a big deal and it had to be ignored and forgotten about. I really didn't like the way that his father dealt with it and I really wish that Ryan had done something about it sooner instead of letting his father's judgment influence him. But he eventually stood up to his father and told him exactly what he wanted to do and I was proud of him. He'd let his father dictate what he did with his life and I was so happy that he told his father that it was his life to run and he'd do whatever he wanted.

Overall, this was a fantastic sequel to Pushing the Limits. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first one and I'm excited for the next one - Crash Into You - so that I can learn more about Isaiah! 

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Series: Darkest Powers Trilogy #1
Publisher: Sphere
Publication Date: July 1st 2008
Source: Library

All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager - the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be normal again.

Soon ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she's admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients - charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek; obnoxious Tori; and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire - Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn't your usual 'problem kid' behaviour.

And they're about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either . . .

I'd heard a lot of great things about it and I was excited to read it. I'm pleased to say that it was a fantastic fantasy novel. There were different kinds on supernatural creatures in this and it was really exciting learning about them.

Chloe is just a normal girl. She goes to school, hangs out with her friends, talks about boys, and then she starts seeing ghosts. At first, Chloe ignores it thinking she's imaging it but after what happened at school she realises what she was seeing. Chloe's father and aunt send her to Lyle House which is a house for disturbed kids. Chloe meets Simon, Derek, Tori, Liz and Rae at Lyle House and starts to wonder if there's something else going on with the house.

Chloe was a fantastic main character. At first I though she was slightly naive for believing the crap that the psychiatrists at Lyle House were feeding her but she eventually becomes suspicious and realises that there's something going on. She was strong, intuitive and pretty funny. 

Simon and Derek were very interesting. They're adoptive brother who are stuck in Lyle House because their father can't be found. Simon is very friendly and talkative whereas Derek comes across as moody and antisocial. I enjoyed discovering more about these boys, especially Derek who I wasn't too fond of at the start but by the end I really liked him.

Rae was an interesting character. She just seemed like a normal girl, but she had a thing for fire. I'm really looking forward to reading The Awakening and finding out more about her because there's definitely something going on there.

I'm not too sure if there's anything going on with Tori. She just seems to be there because of her mum, but there might be something going on with her that we haven't discovered yet. And I'm also desperate to find out about Liz and what happened to her!

The whole storyline revolved around these kids in Lyle House. But Lyle House turned out to be more than it looked. There was a mystery surrounding it and Chloe was researching into it's past. Chloe uncovers something horrible in the basement of the house which leads her to start thinking that there's more going on in Lyle House than it seems.

And this was just clarified by the ending. The last part of the book was jam-packed full of action. I was gripping the book and reading it as fast as I could because I was so desperate to find out what was going to happen to these kids. It was gripping and thrilling and I just couldn't put it down.
The ending was a massive cliffhanger and I'm desperate to get my hands on the last two books in the trilogy to find out what's going to happen next!

Overall, this was a fantastic book that was packed full of action and mystery that left me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. I definitely recommend it if you haven't read it yet.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)
by Katie McGarry

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I'd had this book sitting on my kindle for over half a year before I eventually got around to reading it. I'd fully intended on reading it sooner, but life and other books got in the way. So when the time came to pick books to read for the Once Upon A Readathon I decided that it was about time I picked this up.

And all I can say is... wow. Just, wow. I expected this to be really good, but I was completely blown away by it. I fell in love with these characters. I cared about them, I wanted them to be able to face their problems and I wanted something good to happened to these characters.

Echo was an intriguing character. I was extremely curious to find out what had happened to her that caused her to change to drastically and disappear from school. She was such an interesting character. I felt bad for her because of all the pressure he dad was putting on her and her education. She didn't want to do what he wanted, but he was basically controlling her. She just wanted to paint and go to art school, but her father wouldn't allow it. She starts to come out of her shell thanks to her best friends, and Noah.

Oh, Noah, Noah, Noah. Noah seems like such a screwed up character, but he's actually not. His bad boy attitude and appearance stemmed from his parents death and him being separated from his brothers. Also, from the treatment he received in his foster homes. He's actually a really sweet and caring character. He's very protective and just so goddamn sexy. I loved seeing Noah getting back on the straight and narrow with help from Echo and his guidance counselor. 

Echo and Noah's relationship was a complicated one from the start. They were thrown together by their guidance counselor with Echo tutoring Noah (even though he's actually pretty smart and doesn't need tutoring). Echo doesn't like Noah, but Noah finds Echo attractive and he finds himself thinking about her a lot. Echo and Noah's relationship gradually progresses from not friends, to friends to partners in crime and eventually end with them together. They have their ups and downs but they always manage to work it out in the end.
They both help each other a lot in this book. Echo is determined to find out what happened to her the night her dad dropped her off at her mothers and Noah wants to find out where his brother's foster parents live so that he can try to prove that they're mistreating them. Echo and Noah work together to try to figure out how they're going to get that information.

I really enjoyed being introduced to Beth and Isaiah in this one because I knew their relationship was going to be explored more in Dare You To, so it was interesting to see them in this one. My first impressions of Beth weren't very good. She was kind of a bitch. Isaiah on the other hand seemed like such a nice, genuine guy and I felt bad for him because he couldn't admit his feelings for Beth.

Discovering what happened to Echo on that night was disturbing. I hated seeing her panicking whenever she regained a memory and I felt so bad for her when she found out everything that happened that night. 

Overall, I just really really loved this book. It was fantastic and full of drama. I definitely recommend reading Pushing the Limits if you haven't already.

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles #1)
by Kat Zhang

I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

The concept of this story is so unique. Two souls that share the same body, but one soul becomes dominant and takes over and the other on disappears. Or, that's what is supposed to happen. Eva and Addie are different. Addie is the dominant soul, but Eva hasn't disappeared. They know they're in danger so they pretend that Eva has disappeared so that they can stay safe. 

This storyline was so intriguing from the start. I was very interested to see how Eva and Addie talk to each other and deal with being two people in the one body. I was also really interested to find out why these people are feared and I want to know how the whole two souls thing works anyways. Like, if it's always been like that or if something happened to cause it.

The whole two souls thing is kind of like having twins and knowing you'll only be allowed to keep one of them. It was a pretty weird and scary idea. Having two kids, and knowing that eventually you'll only have one. It must be such a horrible thing. Getting attached to both souls only to have one suddenly disappear sounds awful.

Eva was my favourite. Sure, Addie was alright. She could be kind of a bitch at some points and kind of selfish, but I did like her. She was a strong character. But Eva was definitely my favourite. She was more observant and friendly. I loved her determination to stay. She helped Addie a lot and when Eva wasn't around, Addie was out of sorts. They're like one person. Addie needs Eva, and Eva needs Addie.

And then one day at school, Eva convinces Addie to go home with a girl called Hally. And then Eva and Addie realise they're not alone.

Hally/Lissa were kind of full on. They way they approached Addie and tried to get her to admit to being a hybrid was strange. I'm sure they could have approached it a better way and maybe Ryan/Devon would have. But unfortunately it was down to those two. I liked Hally/Lissa. They were friendly enough and you could always tell who was in control because they both has slightly different personalities.

And then there's Devon/Ryan. Ryan was my favourite out of those two. Devon was more moody and reserved whereas Ryan was friendly, caring and sweet. But both of them were extremely helpful and they wouldn't be the same without the two of them there.

The storyline was pretty disturbing when it came to the hybrids and what they did to them. I honestly didn't understand why they were so threatened by them. The hybrids are just like normal people, just with an extra person in their head. I actually think the hybrids would be more useful. You'd always have that person in your head to give you advice on situations. 

The ending was so sweet and I can't wait for the next book to see how Eva and Addie are going to communicate and co-exist. 
If you haven't read What's Left of Me yet, I definitely recommend it. It's a unique and intriguing story that leaves you wondering what you would do if you were in this kind of situation. It's a fantastic story.

Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout

Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout
Series: Lux #3 
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: December 11th 2012
Source: Bought

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Contain spoilers for previous books

OK, so Opal picks up where Onyx left off...
AND DAWSON IS BACK! I'm so happy! I love Dawson and I'm so glad that Daemon and Dee got their brother back.

So back to the storyline. Dawson made his way back to his siblings and now he's determined to do whatever he can to rescue Beth. Dawson is a completely different person now from what we saw in Shadows because of everything he was put through when he was imprisoned. Katy and Daemon are together now (WOO!), but Katy is convinced she's caught sight of Blake, and if she has he'd better be watching his back.

Katy and Daemon are my most favourite couple ever now. They're both just so badass and brilliant (especially Katy). She's so observant but slightly naive at times. Daemon tries his best to protect Katy (and acts like a complete ass) and it causes trouble for their relationship. Katy is her usual fantastic self in this one and Daemon is his usual funny, smart-ass self. They're just so amazing!

I loved seeing Dawson re-discovering himself in this one. At first, he's really reserved and quiet. Very closed off and not wanting to talk. But he gradually starts to come out of his shell. Katy really helped him a lot. She started getting him to do stuff he used to do with his siblings and she gives him hope when she tells him they'll do whatever they can to get Beth. He starts to become more like the old Dawson and I really enjoyed seeing him happy again.

If Blake makes an appearance in Origin I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that Daemon kills him. He deserves it. My hate for him escalated so much in this book.
He managed to reel me in at the start and I believed him as much as Katy did. I just wish I'd trusted Daemon and that Katy had too. 

Ash and Andrew weren't as bitchy and horrible as they've been in the previous books but that was due to something that happened in Onyx that was heartbreaking. Spoiler - Adam was killed.
So it was nice to see a good side of them, but it wasn't because of the circumstances.
Andrew and Dee became very close in this one because they were both helping each other heal. 

So much happened in this book, with the reappearance of Dawson; plans to rescue Beth; Blake showing his face; students disappearing and lots of other stuff.

AND THEN THE ENDING </3 Oh holy mother of God, the ending. OK, so first of all I was all like "Yay! Everythings fine!" and then I was slightly confused, not understanding the characters reactions. And then it hit me. And I went into shock which soon changed into this:

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! I just about died when I read it! My heart was ripped out and torn into teeny tiny little pieces and I just sat there staring at my kindle. And I thought Onyx was an emotional rollercoaster. It was nothing compared to the emotions I went through at the end of Opal. I'm still not over that ending. It was such a soul destroying cliffhanger.

Yet again, this was just a fantastic sequel and I NEED ORIGIN NOW. I have to know what happens and find out if everything will be OK. IT HAS TO BE OK. I'll die if it isn't. Hurry up August 27th!

Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout

Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout
Series: Lux #2
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: August 14th 2012
Source: Bought

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

I honestly never though Onyx would be able to up Obsidian... but boy did it. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. There was so much at stake in this one and a very big surprise at the end that had me dancing on my bed because I was SO DAMN HAPPY!

OK, so this one picks up where Obsidian left off with Daemon doing everything in his power to convince Katy of his feelings for her, but she just won't believe him! But Daemon has more on his plate than that, the DOD (department of defense) have arrived in town for a surprise visit and they're keeping an annoyingly close eye on the Luxen's and any humans attached to them. Katy also has some problems on her hands. There's a new guy in town who's taken an interest in her, and Katy finds herself attracted to him. And if that wasn't enough, Katy see's someone who is supposed to be dead which leads them to all sorts of revelations.

After what happened at the end of Obsidian, Katy is more badass than ever. Even though her and Daemon don't understand the depth of what happened Katy is definitely experiencing some weird after effects. She's struggling to come to terms with what's happening and she's also trying to fight her feelings for Daemon. Enter new guy. Blake is a welcome distraction for Katy. She finds herself starting to get attracted to him, but Blake is hiding something and he's also not letting on how much he knows about Katy and what happened to her. 

Daemon, Daemon, Daemon. I love, love, love him so much! He's so sweet in this one but he still has his usual jackass moments which I love him for because they're hilarious! He's so funny and protective of Katy. He's just awesome.

And then there's Blake. Now, I thought there was something fishy about him to start with. I had my reservations and I just didn't know whether I could trust him or not. But he seemed so nice and normal and he was really good for Katy that I started to shed my doubt. And then all at once my walls went back up again and shut him out. Blake is hiding a secret about who he really is and what he knows about what Katy is. He's been lying and trying to weasel his way into her life and eject Daemon (which I was SO not happy about).

Dee and Adam were so cute in this one <3 I honestly don't understand why Dee thought they weren't great together, but then after that one night they were suddenly all over each other. It was still really cute though :)

Ash and Andrew were being as horrible as ever, even more so this time. I seriously don't think they have a nice bone in their bodies. I feel sorry for Adam for having them as his siblings. 

Daemon and Katy's constant back and forth in this one was so frustrating! They both have some serious trust issues when it comes to other people. They were both at each others throats about other people (Ash & Blake) and didn't seem to trust each other when it came to these two. 
Daemon was hell bent on proving that his feelings for Katy were real and not just an after effect of what happened at the end of Obsidian. But Katy is having a hard time accepting this because of how much Daemon seemed to hate her and now all of a sudden he seems to have changed. I kind of understood why Katy didn't believe him to start with, but he was constantly showing her how much he wanted her and I was starting to get annoyed with Katy for not believing him. It was blatantly obvious how much her cared for her and that his feelings were real.

So there was a hell of a lot more going on in this one. With Blake showing up, the DOD on their doorstep, Katy's mums boyfriend (who was in SHADOWS! And it took me almost the whole book to realise that) and the twist that someone thought to be dead may still be alive. And of course, the weird thing that happened to Katy after the end of Obsidian. Oh, and the Arum. There's always Arum to look out for. But yeah, this one kept me on the edge of my seat and there was so much thrown at me. A couple of things I worked out or I thought were true and they were, but I honestly didn't care that I'd worked them out. I was so invested in this story.

And then there was that fight scene in Katy's house. Oh dear lord I think my heart was ripped out. I just couldn't believe it. I was in shock. And then if that wasn't enough, a twist was thrown at me at the end of the book that made me so happy! But I was still really sad from what had happened early in the book. So yeah, this was pretty much an emotional rollercoaster of a book. 

BUT THE ENDING <3 *happydance*

I ended up loving this book so much more than Obsidian and I loved that one A LOT too. So yeah, it was just an amazing sequel and I'm excited to see what Opal has in store for me.

Shadows by Jennifer L Armentrout

Shadows by Jennifer L Armentrout
Series: Lux #0.5
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: February 21st 2012
Source: Bought

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Even though this is a prequel, I definitely recommend reading Obsidian before reading this because everything will make more sense.

So I went into this knowing exactly how this story was going to end, but that didn't stop me from being torn up about it at the end.

Dawson is Daemon's twin brother. They're carbon copies of each other when it comes to looks, but not in personality. Daemon is a jerk and Dawson is such a sweetheart. He managed to capture my heart in such a short book because he's just amazing. He was funny and just so adorable.

I really liked Beth too. She was a determined and strong character. She was so normal and down to earth. She doesn't freak when she finds out about Dawson (which considering the way she found out was pretty good - I probably would have freaked). 

Dawson knows right away that he would do anything to be with Beth - he'd even risk being outcast because he cares for her so much. A human/luxen relationship is frowned upon by the Luxen community and the DOD (department of defence), but Dawson really couldn't care less. He and Beth are in love and nothing is going to stop them being together.

Daemon goes all jack ass telling Dawson that he shouldn't be with Beth and being all horrible to her (but he's just doing it to protect them).

The ending was all kinds of sad. I knew exactly what was going to happen but it didn't make it any better. Seriously, my eyes were watering at the end of this and I hadn't had as much time to get attached to them as I did for the characters in Obsidian, but there was just something about these two characters that I loved and I was really upset at the end of the book.

I refuse to give up on Dawson though. Not after how invested in him this book made me. It'd be cruel for this to be true and I just can't believe it, I refuse to believe it. 

If you've read the Lux series, but haven't read this yet or if you've read Obsidian but haven't read this yet then I highly suggest you do because it gives you a look into Beth and Dawson's relationship and helps you to understand why Daemon acts the way he does.

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout
Series: Lux #1
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: May 8th 2012
Source: Bought

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

The first thing I thought when I finished this book was: "Why didn't I pick this up sooner?!" and then I proceeded to buy the rest of the series. Yes, that's how good it is. I HAD to get my hands on the next couple of books because I got so hooked into the storyline that I just couldn't wait to see what was going to happen to these characters.

So this follows our main character Katy who has moved to West Virginia. Her and her mother are starting over after what happened to her father, and Katy's not too happy about it. That is, until she meets her next door neighbor - Daemon Black (and his sister Dee). Daemon is a jackass (an incredibly hot jackass) and he manages to piss Katy off in about two seconds. Katy hits it off with his sister Dee, however, she can't help but think there's something off about them. And then, Katy finds out the truth about her neighbors and realises that they aren't what they appear to be. Daemon & Dee are really aliens - well Luxen. They have powers and can control anything to do with light. 

I was hooked from the very first chapter. Katy was just such a relatable character that I connected with her immediately. She's was just so normal and funny, and she was a book blogger! She's such a badass character. Although Daemon's taunts and harsh words hurt her, she doesn't let him see that and gives him just as much crap as he gives her - which I really really admired her for. She's loyal and reliable and would do anything to protect Dee & Daemon.

My first thoughts of Daemon - "God, this guy is such an ass. An incredibly hot and funny ass."
Those are still kind of my thoughts of Daemon, because he can be an ass, but I love him so much. He pissed me off so much at the start with the way he was treating Katy. I understood why he was doing it, but he didn't have to be so harsh about it. He's a cocky and infuriating, but he will do everything he possibly can to protect the people he cares about - which is why I love him so much. That, and because he's insanely funny with his jokes and when he's teasing Katy. Also because of how sexy and badass he is.

“You’re such an ass. Has…anyone ever told you that?”

He flashed a genuinely amused smile. “Oh, Kitten, every single day of my blessed life.” 

I loved Dee so much too! I felt so bad for her because she's never been able to have a normal friend due to the DOD and Daemon being extremely overbearing. She's was so friendly and excitable that I just loved her instantly. I was so happy when her and Katy hit it off and that she refused to be bullied into not having a friendship with Katy by Daemon.

Adam and Matthew were the only two other Luxen that I liked in this one. Ash is a complete and utter bitch and Andrew's just a dick. But Adam and Matthew were much nicer than those two.

I was really interested in learning about the Luxen and hearing why and how they came to Earth. The Luxen are unique and I really enjoyed that about them. They aren't your typical aliens and they have these wicked awesome powers which I loved seeing them use!

Now onto the best part about this book. They freaking chemistry between Katy and Daemon was unbelievable. Seriously, it was so hot. They were so attracted to each other but they were so determined to hate each other that their feelings were just building and building inside them until Chapter 26 - If you've read it, you know what happens ;). There's so much chemistry between these two characters. It was frustrating to read about them when they were together because I was basically screaming at them to make out all the time. The build up was fantastic though. Daemon and Katy really have a love/hate relationship going on. They'll be doing something and I'll be sitting there squealing with delight, and then Daemon will go an say something that completely ruins the moment and makes me want to punch him in the face.

“His hands slid around my head, pulling me back to his mouth. There was a cracking sound in the house. A fissure of electricity shot through the room. Something smoked. I didn’t care.”

There was a lot of action in this book, with the Arum showing up (they're like the opposite of the Luxen and they're the bad guys) and the Luxen having to fight them and try to stay under the radar. 

The fight scene at the end was epic. Seriously. It was brilliant. Katy is such an amazing character and I loved her even more after what she did. There was some amazing fighting and something unexpected that happened which was awesome!

I loved this book & I love this series. It's now very very high on my list of favourite series'. If you haven't read this yet, what are you waiting for? Go get it now! Trust me, you won't regret it :)