Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton

Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton
Series: Witch Finder #1
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Publication Date: January 2nd 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.

Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

Witch Finder was a book I was intrigued by as soon as I came across it on Netgalley and I just knew I had to request a copy. I didn't have any expectations for this book since I'd never heard of it before, but I thought it was an enjoyable read. I had some problems with it, but overall, I still enjoyed it.

Witch Finder follows our characters Luke and Rosa. Luke has just turned 18 and has decided to join the Malleus Maleficorum - a brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches. Luke is put through his initiation tests and his last test is to pick a name a random from the Book of Witches and kill them. The name he draws is Rosa Greenwood. Rosa is a 16 year old witch who is being used by her mother and her brother to gain their fortune back. Rosa hates being their pawn, but she's willing to do anything she can to save the things that remind her of her father. When Luke finds a way to get into Rosa's life he thinks killing her will be easy, but it turns out to be a lot harder than he ever imagined.

Luke and Rosa were both interesting characters in their own way. Luke joined the Malleus Maleficorum because of something that happened in his past and he has a hate for all witches. It also helps that Luke has something special about him that makes him important to the Malleus Maleficorum. I really admire Luke's character. The trials he had to do during his initiation were gruesome and terrifying. He was clearly terrified throughout all of them, but he never showed it. He managed to stay strong and never show how scared he really was, which I really admire about him. Luke is always trying to do whatever he can to help the people he cares for and he's just such a lovely person.
Rosa was not what I was expecting her to be. I never thought she would be a nice and kind as she was. Rosa was being forced into marrying someone by her mother and her brother so that they could gain their fortune back. Rosa was basically being pushed around by her family and if she didn't do what they asked, she was punished. I really liked Rosa's character. She never knew how to stand up for herself at the start because she wanted to save everything that reminded her of her father, and she let herself be pushed around. But as the story went on, Rosa started to think for herself and fight for what she wanted for once. By the end of the book, I really admired her.

There was some romance in this book, but to be honest, I was actually rooting for it. Rosa deserved something happy in her life after everything she'd been through, so the romance didn't bother me too much.

The storyline was interesting, but it had it's slow moments that made me lose interest. I was really intrigued to find out more about what happened in Luke's past to his parents and I was hoping he'd be able to uncover the truth. I was also really intrigued to find out more about the Malleus Maleficorum. There wasn't a lot about them in this book, but what we did find out about them was interesting. I also really enjoyed learning about Rosa and her father and discovering more about Sebastian. There was definitely something extremely off about Sebastian and I was determined to find out what it was. There were a few twists and surprises that I didn't expect that kept me interested in this book.

The ending had me on the edge of my seat wondering how everything was going to play out. I'm actually pretty intrigued to find out what happens to Luke and Rosa in the next book since there'll definitely be consequences for the both of them.

Overall, this was definitely an enjoyable book. The storyline was interesting (for the most part), the characters were good (but not very memorable), but the ending was good enough to make me want to continue. 

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead [Series Review]

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy

Frostbite

Shadow Kiss

Blood Promise

Spirit Bound

Last Sacrifice

I've been debating ever since I finished this series whether to do individual reviews or do a full series review. I started writing my review for Frostbite and it somehow turned into a full series review. So it was basically decided for me.

After reading Vampire Academy last month, I was extremely excited to continue with this series (especially since I'd heard it gets even better - which it did!). I held off until I managed to get a hold of the rest of the series from my library so that I could just read them straight after each other and it was definitely the right decision.

Vampires haven't been my favourite paranormal creatures in years, but this series rekindled my love for them. A vampire school; A kick-ass main character; Awesome vampire powers; Lots of fighting/action and some very hot guys - what's not to love about this series? The fact that there are 3 different types of Vampires - Dhampire: half Moroi/half human, Moroi: mortal vampires & Strigoi: undead - kept this series interesting and we were constantly learning about each of them throughout the series. Every time I finished one of these books I was blown away, and then the next one would be a million times more awesome than the previous one. I was hooked on this series, I didn't want to put it down. Every spare moment I had during the week and a half it took me to finish it was spent reading this series.

Rose is one of those characters that I just instantly loved. She's so feisty, badass, determined, protective and just so damn awesome that it's hard not to love her. Throughout the series my love for her grew. Rose would do anything to protect the people she loves and cares about and she definitely shows that. Rose would go to some extreme lengths to help her friends, but that's what I love and admire about her.

Lissa's character grew on me throughout the series. I wasn't much of a fan of her in Vampire Academy, but as the series went on I started to really like her. Lissa grew stronger and more confident as the series went on and didn't rely on Rose as much to fight her battles. By the end of the series I really admired Lissa.

Dimitri and Christian have to be two of my favourite guys ever from a book. Both of them were badass and awesome in completely different ways.
Dimitri is a guardian who teaches and St. Vladimir's. He's so focused and determined, strong, powerful and extremely sexy. Whenever he called Rose 'Roza', he had me swooning. Dimitri goes through a hell of a lot throughout this series and there was a time I wanted to punch him every time he appeared - which wasn't totally his fault - but he managed to pull himself back at the end.
Christian is a Moroi who's parents willingly turned themselves into Strigoi and were both killed. Christian is looked down upon most of the way through this series because of what his parents did. But Christian is nothing like his parents and he constantly proves that throughout this series. He wants to learn to use his ability to help Dhampires fight Strigoi and in doing so, he inspires a lot of other Moroi to do so as well. Christian may put on a snarky and arrogant front, but underneath he's such a lovely person.

Everything about the storyline in this series was awesome. There was never a dull moment in this series. Every time you thought things were going to be OK and everyone could go off and be happy, something always came along and ruined it. I was basically on an emotional roller-coaster throughout the whole series. The introduction of new characters (especially Sydney, Adrian and Abe) kept this series interesting because I adored learning about them and finding out what they had to add to the story. The ending of Shadow Kiss destroyed me and I was frantically searching through Blood Promise to catch a glimpse of something before I could even bring myself to read it properly. I can't even begin to describe half the emotions I went through whilst reading this series but it made me laugh, smile and cry and I loved every single second of it.

Last Sacrifice was definitely my favourite book of the series and I'm glad that the last book is the one I enjoyed the most. The ending of this series was just perfect but it make me want to cry because I just want more. I want more Rose/Lissa, Rose/Dimitri, Lissa/Christian and more Adrian and Sydney (which is why I have the Bloodlines series all ready to go for next month!).

I seriously can't believe I waited so long to start this series, but I'm also kind of glad I did and that I got to read it all at once instead of waiting for the next book to come out (I feel so bad for the people who had to wait for Blood Promise to come out). Vampire Academy is one of the best series I've read this year and I definitely recommend it to everyone. Seriously, if you haven't read this series yet, you should. You should read it right now.

Impostor by Susanne Winnacker

Impostor by Susanne Winnacker
Series: Variants #1
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Publication Date: January 2nd 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she's spent the last two years with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. There she trains with other Variants, such as long-term crush Alec, who each have their own extraordinary ability.

When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. Tessa hates everything about being an impostor - the stress, the danger, the deceit - but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she'd do anything to keep.

Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Impostor was one of those books I'd had my eye on for ages. I didn't even realise that this was the same book when I first saw it on Netgalley, and when I realised that it was, I just had to request it! I'm so happy that Hodder accepted my request for this book because I absolutely loved it!

The whole idea behind this book is what made me want to read it so bad. Tessa is a Variant and she's able to change herself into anyone she wants just by absorbing their DNA. There are lots of Variants in the world and the FEA (Forces with Extraordinary Abilities) are trying to find them and help them. Tessa is given a mission when a serial killer strikes in Oregon. Tessa must impersonate Madison (a local teen who was killed) and try to find out who the killer is before they strike again. Tessa hates being an impostor, but she'll do everything she can to protect Madison's family.

Right from the start I was hooked. Any book that involves characters with powers/abilities is always going to interest me because it's just awesome! 

Tessa was a brilliant main character. She's been with the FEA for two years and her parents have shunned her because of what she is. I just adored Tessa. Her parents don't want anything to do with her but she manages to stay strong and she's determined not to give up on her mother. She's a brave and determined character. She hates everything about her ability. She hates the stress is brings on; she hates the danger is puts her in, but most of all, she hates deceiving people. When Tessa is given her mission to impersonate Madison, she doesn't think she'll be able to do it. But then she starts to care for Madison's family and realises she will do anything to protect them and prove their innocence.

Their is some romance in this book, but it definitely wasn't the main focus. Tessa has been in love with Alec ever since they first met two years ago. She's been pining after him, but Alec is with Kate and Tessa tries very hard to ignore her feelings. I felt so bad for Tessa! She was so in love with Alec, but she couldn't be with him. It was also kind of obvious that Alec had feelings for Tessa too, but there were complications keeping them apart. I was rooting for them to get together all the way through the book!

The storyline in this book kept me on my toes. It was interesting seeing all of the different Variants that were with the FEA and seeing what each of them could do. I loved all of the training sessions that Tessa did because it meant I got to see some of the other Variants using their powers too.
The serial killer storyline was the main focus of this book and it was brilliant! There were so many suspects and they all had a motive to kill Madison! It was interesting finding out about Madison's life because there was a lot she was hiding from her parents and her best friend. Trying to figure out who the killer was kept me on my toes. I was convinced at one point I knew who it was and then when it was revealed it just threw me! I was just in shock because all of the evidence pointed towards the other person! Well done Susanne for throwing in that brilliant twist!

The ending was definitely action packed and had me on the edge of my seat. There was so much going on and so much revealed that I was just in awe of how brilliant the ending was! I'm super excited for Defector now so June better hurry up!

Overall, this was such an interesting and thrilling book! There was so much going on that I was on my toes the whole way through the book. If you haven't read Impostor yet then I highly suggest you do. It was such a fantastic story.

Mechanical by Pauline C. Harris

Mechanical by Pauline C. Harris
Series: Mechanical #1
Publisher: Fire and Ice Young Adult Books
Publication Date: April 28th 2013
Source: Author

Drew is an android. From the very beginning of her existence, she has been programmed by her creators to understand her superiority and overwhelming responsibilities. She was created for a mission, a mission more important than anything she could ever have imagined.

Drew is sent to a high school to observe the humans and report back to her creators. But when she begins to form friendships with these humans and starts feeling strange human emotions, she doubts the creators’ ways of dealing with her and wonders whether her mission is as wonderful as it once seemed.

As Drew falls deeper and deeper into the mystery surrounding her mission and her creation, she’s suddenly left with a choice. Does she follow through with what she’s known all her life or does she act on what she now knows is right?

Pauline contacted me and asked me if I wanted to read her book, and I jumped at the chance to read it because the synopsis sounded really intriguing. The story line was interesting and kept me reading, but the characters were what brought this book down for me. I honestly didn't care about any of them and, to be honest, they all really annoyed me - especially Drew.

Drew is an android and she was sent into a high school to observe humans and report back to her creators. Drew started off as an alright character. It was interesting seeing her interact with humans and seeing her come to terms with what she is. She had some internal battles over whether she had a soul or not and she wanted something to believe in. The main thing that annoyed me about Drew was her constant questioning of whether she had a soul or not. She kept saying she was an android and I was like 'I know you're android. You don't have to tell me every single chapter!' It did start to bug me after a while. Also, she was extremely naive. At first, even when she knows there's something else going on, she just accepts what everyone else tells her even though she doesn't believe it. 

I also didn't really care about Jessica and Michael. I couldn't believe how easily both of them accepted the fact that Drew was an android. I mean, if I found out one of my friends was an android, I wouldn't just be like 'Oh, OK.' I'd have tons of questions! They both just really annoyed me.

I did like the story line though. Like I said, it was interesting. I did enjoy finding out what Drew's creators were really doing and finding out what they were doing. I also really enjoyed finding out the secret surrounding Drew and the other androids. Although parts of this story were predictable, I did find it enjoyable.

The ending was good, but like I said, I don't really care for any of these characters so I'm not really interested in seeing what happens to them next.

Overall, this was an OK book. The story was good, but I just didn't connect with any of the characters which meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

#Novemberthon

Amber from Books of Amber is hosting a readathon that runs from November 24th to December 1st. It's been ages since I've done a readathon and I'm pretty excited for this one. I've been slacking a lot this month when it comes to reading and I always push myself to read more during a readathon - so hopefully I'll be able to catch up!

There are no rules for this readathon, just read as much as you can.

I'm going to really push myself during this readathon and I'm hoping to at least finish a book a day. I'm only working Wednesday and Saturday this week so I should hopefully be able to do that. 

Here's the books I'm planning on reading:

I'm not going to be doing updates on my blog, but you can keep up to date with how I'm doing here.

Are you taking part in #Novemberthon? Let me know in the comments if you are.

Good luck everyone!

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Boy Meet Boy by David Levithan
Series: No
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: August 1st 2013
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right. 

This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.

When I first started reading Boy Meets Boy, I was unsure whether I was going to enjoy it or not. The world that Levithan created in this book was strange and took me a while to get used to. But when I did, I just fell in love with this book. It's so sweet and adorable.

I found Paul to be an intriguing character. Paul has been openly gay since he was very young and his parents and the people around him all accept him for who he is. He's never had any trouble adjusting or with people accepting him, which was interesting to read about. Most of the time I really liked Paul. He was a sweet, genuine, helpful character and he was looking for the love of his life. There were times that Paul was extremely naive and did some things that hurt other people which made me kind of not like him for a bit, but it was really hard not to like Paul because of how much he wants to help other people. 

I really liked some of the other characters in this book too. Noah was a sweetheart and I loved him the second he and Paul met. He was adorable and such a nice guy. I loved Tony as well. Tony lives  in a different town and comes from an extremely religious family who don't accept that he's gay. But I loved seeing Tony's development throughout the book and his friendship with Paul was extremely important. Infinite Darlene was a brilliant character as well. I actually thought she was pretty hilarious. Claudia was actually one of my favourite characters in this book. She could be a bitch (is it wrong to call a child a bitch? because she totally was), but she was only looking out for Noah and I thought she was really sweet.

The world David Levithan created in this novel was interesting. Paul lives in a town where everyone is accepted for who they are (there's the occasional person who makes snide remarks) and I found it to be such a refreshing world. I loved the fact that the star quarterback was a cross-dresser and was also the prom queen; that there was a special group formed to teach people how to dance and I just loved how this was all set in high school. It was like a perfect world where everyone could be whoever and whatever they wanted and they didn't get judged and I loved it. It was such a nice change from people being constantly criticized for who they are.

The romance in this book was so cute and adorable. Noah and Paul made such a sweet couple and I loved them! Noah was such a sweetheart and showed up with flowers for Paul when he came over to his house (how cute is that?!) and I was smiling every time they were together because they were so adorable. 

The ending was perfect and sweet and it even brought a tear to my eye. I loved seeing this world from Paul's POV and I just adored this book.

Overall, if you're looking for a light, cute and adorable read then I definitely recommend Boy Meets Boy. It's one of the sweetest books I've read this year and I'll always remember it.

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Bantam Press
Publication Date: April 25th 2013
Source: Library

Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose during lunch at one of London’s fanciest restaurants. But when his big question involves a trip abroad, not a trip down the aisle, she’s completely crushed. So when Ben, an old flame, calls her out of the blue and reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. No formal dates—just a quick march to the altar and a honeymoon on Ikonos, the sun-drenched Greek island where they first met years ago.

Their family and friends are horrified. Fliss, Lottie’s older sister, knows that Lottie can be impulsive—but surely this is her worst decision yet. And Ben’s colleague Lorcan fears that this hasty marriage will ruin his friend’s career. To keep Lottie and Ben from making a terrible mistake, Fliss concocts an elaborate scheme to sabotage their wedding night. As she and Lorcan jet off to Ikonos in pursuit, Lottie and Ben are in for a honeymoon to remember, for better... or worse.

Wedding Night is my second Sophie Kinsella novel and I'm starting to wonder why I've never read her books before. Her books are really quick and hilarious reads, so I'll definitely be checking out more of her books. 

This book follows Lottie and her sister Fliss who are complete opposites. Lottie jumps into everything with her heart and Fliss always thinks things through after her marriage fell apart. Lottie is convinced that her boyfriend is going to propose, so when he doesn't she decides to break it off. Enter Ben, Lottie's old flame from back when she was younger. Ben reminds Lottie how in love they were and they decide to get married back where they met - on Ikonos. Their friends are completely against it and Fliss is determined to do everything she can to stop Lottie from making a huge mistake. Lorcan's friend Ben is also concerned about their hasty decision. They set off to stop Ben and Lottie from consummating their marrige and Ben and Lottie are about to have a honeymoon they will never forget.

The whole way through this book I was laughing. There are just so many ridiculous and hilarious things happening in this book that it's extremely hard not to laugh your way through it. Fliss was definitely my favourite of this sisters. She was feisty, determined, but she could be a bit over the top sometimes. Fliss would go to any lengths to stop Ben and Lottie from consummating their marriage, and it was absolutely hilarious seeing all the things she did to prevent them from doing it. She's got a twisted mind, but I just loved her. She was just trying to protect her sister.
Lottie was a great character too. She's naive and makes decisions with her heart rather than her head. There were times when I wanted to give her a smack around the head because I just couldn't believe she was being so naive! That said, I adored Lottie. 

Everything that Fliss did to prevent Lottie and Ben from having their honeymoon was hilarious. From the single beds in the honeymoon suite to the butlers who kept following them around and interrupting at every second, Fliss definitely went out of her way to stop them and I loved seeing what she was going to come up with next. I also really enjoyed seeing Lottie actually start to think things through. She may have made a rash decision, but she starts to question it throughout the book and I really loved that. I also really enjoyed seeing Fliss' character develop. She learned a lot about herself throughout the book.

The ending of this book was sweet and lovely, just the way I like it. All of the characters in this book had changed by the end and had learnt a lot about themselves throughout the book and I just loved it.

Overall, this was a hilarious and brilliant read. If you're looking for something light and funny, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

Ink by Amanda Sun

Ink by Amanda Sun
Series: Paper Gods #1
Publisher: Mira Ink
Publication Date: July 5th 2013
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

What did I think about Ink? Well, to start with I was really drawn in by the fact it was set in Japan. I've never ever read a book that's set in Japan and I can honestly say that I loved learning about Japan and the Japanese culture. I've never known much about it so I enjoyed getting the opportunity to learn about it in this book. The other thing that really drew me in to start with was the moving drawings. I mean, how could you not be drawn in by that! One second your just sitting there doodling and the next minute your drawings try to eat you! Yeah, I had to find out more about that.

I wasn't overly impress with this book as the story went on. I found myself getting bored slightly and also kind of confused. The random Japanese words that amused me to start with got more annoying as the book went on. I didn't want to constantly have to look up what they meant so I kind of skimmed over them. I think I only learnt what one of the Japanese words meant and then I gave up. 

Katie was an alright main character, although she did annoy me a lot. She had lost her parents and had to move to to Japan and try to fit into this new life. I really felt for her because of that. She was struggling with coming to terms with her parents death but she was also struggling to fit it. She seemed like a likable character, and then she met Tomo. Katie basically turned into a stalker when she met him. She followed him around, spied on him and tried to find out what he was up to. It was kind of creepy actually, and I thought she was a complete psycho. Sure, Tomo was up to something, but that didn't mean that she had to become his personal stalker! It was pretty weird. 

And then there's Tomo. Tomo was an intriguing character, but he was a dick. Most of the time I wanted to punch him. He'd act like a dick to keep people from getting close to him and finding out his secret. There were times when I really liked him though. He could be sweet and funny, and I enjoyed seeing Tomo like that. I really liked discovering Tomo's connection to the Kami. It was pretty interesting, but his connection was dangerous and that's why he tried to keep people away from him.

The whole storyline of the Kami was extremely interesting. I loved learning about the history of the Kami and what Tomo's connection was. I adored seeing Tomo's drawings and seeing what he was capable of because of his connection. There was a lot to discover and a lot of danger involved with being connected to the Kami. Japan was a major part of this book as well and I adored discovering the culture along with Katie. I never knew much about the Japanese culture before I read this book and I'm glad I got the opportunity to learn about it. 

The ending of this book was actually pretty interesting and I am intrigued to find out what's going to happen. Tomo was given a warning about what his Kami connection will do to him and I want to know whether he'll be able to find a way to avoid it. I'm also pretty intrigued to find out what Katie's connection to the Ink is since we never found out in this book. 

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. There were parts I enjoyed and some boring parts that took me a while to get through, but I still enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the second book, but it won't be one I'm desperate to get hold of.

Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae

Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae
Series: Hidden Wings #1
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Publication Date: January 16th 2013
Source: Netgalley [Indie Inked]

Seventeen is a life changing age for Emma Wise. As her family's sole survivor in a car crash, she is left with a broken arm and a few scrapes and bruises. But these are only outward marks; inside, her heart is broken and the pieces scattered.

Whisked away to Alaska, to an aunt she’s never met, Emma starts over. Secrets unveil themselves and now…she doesn't even know who or what she is.

A centuries old prophecy places Emma in the heart of danger. Creatures of horrifying and evil proportions are after her, and it will take Emma, her aunt, and six, gorgeously captivating Guardians to keep her safe. But, if she can survive until her eighteenth birthday... things will change.

Hidden Wings started out great for me. Emma was in a car accident and she was the only survivor. She found out she had an Aunt living in Alaska who wanted her to come and live with her. And then things went rapidly downhill for me.

Emma pissed me off so freaking much it was unreal. Her parents had just died and she'd been left alone, but the second a hot guy enters the picture she pretty much forgets all of this and only thinks about it every other chapter. I mean, COME ON! How is that realistic?! If my parents died in a car crash and I survived, I'd be a complete wreck! No hot guy would be able to distract me from that pain, so I just couldn't take her seriously. She was so damn naive and stupid and I wanted to hit her so bad.

Enter Kade. The extremely hot guy who makes Emma's knees weak and makes her forget her parents just died. Excuse me while I vomit. Kade was a nice enough guy, but that whole insta-love thing bugged me so much, Before they'd even met Emma was having reactions to his presence. When they touched there was electricity, they wanted to jump each other every time they touched or were near each other and it just made me laugh. How am I supposed to take that seriously? Really?

The storyline was ridiculous and I'll put my hand up and admit that I skim read the last 50% because I really couldn't be bothered anymore. There were some extremely predictable twists that I'd guessed pretty much as soon as Emma arrived in Alaska but they weren't revealed until the end. Emma and Kade's relationship got even more ridiculous and I just couldn't take it anymore.

If it wasn't for the fact that I'm trying to catch up on my Netgalley books and that I'm determined to finish them all, I would have DNF'd this book. It was that bad.

Overall, this book definitely wasn't my cup of tea. I couldn't deal with the cheesy insta-love and the extremely predictable plot. I definitely won't be continuing with this series.

Pawn by Aimee Carter

Pawn by Aimee Carter
Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: November 26th 2013
Source: Netgalley [Publisher]

YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

As soon as I started this book I was hooked. Aimee Carter created such an amazing dystopian world in this novel. In this world you're given the chance to be anything you want, you just have to take a test which then determines which rank you're given and it also determines how you live your life. I was sucked in straight away by this world and I wanted to discover more about it.

Kitty Doe has just taken her test and has been awarded a III. Kitty got her hopes up and thought she'd managed a IV, so she's extremely disappointed with her rank. She doesn't want to move and leave everything behind, so she plans to join her friend in an illegal business. But then Kitty is offered a choice, spend her life as a III or she can become a VII. Kitty jumps at the chance to become a VII, but she doesn't realise what she has to sacrifice until it's too late. Kitty is Masked - surgically transformed - into Lila Hart - the Prime Minister's niece who recently died. Kitty now has to fool the public into believing she is Lila Hart and squash the rebellion that Lila supported. 

I adored Kitty's character. She was so desperate to get the life that she'd always imagined that she sacrificed everything for it. She had a lot of spunk and I loved that about her. She was always questioning what was the right thing to do and she was so determined to do the right thing and make sure no one was harmed for her mistakes. There were times when Kitty was pretty naive and she had a lot of learning to do about the upper ranks. But her determination and her strength made her a very likable character.

There was a point when I thought there was going to be a love triangle and I almost screamed, but luckily I was wrong! Sure, I like love triangles, but I just couldn't see one working in this book.
So there were two guys (but no love triangle!). First of all we have Benji. Oh Benji, I adore you. Benji is Kitty's boyfriend and he does nothing but look out for her. He loves her so much that he was willing to run away with her. Benji is a big part of the book later on after Kitty has became Lila.
And then we had Knox. Knox is (was) Lila's fiance and Kitty has to pretend to be with him so that she can fool the public into thinking she's Lila. There was a slight connecting between Kitty and Knox, but nothing serious. Knox was determined to back the rebellion and get Kitty to join him. Knox is a very sweet and protective of Kitty. He wants to keep her safe and he's always doing everything he can to help her.

The storyline of this book was action packed and parts of it left me shocked. The revelation of what "Elsewhere" is (it's the place where I's, II's and the elderly are sent to) left me stunned. It was such a horrible and shocking twist, and it was revealed in a shocking way as well. The rebellion storyline was interesting as well. I enjoyed finding out why Lila had backed the rebellion and what the rebellion stood for. There was also a lot of corruption and deceit within the Hart family and it was interesting seeing everything unfold. I adored learning about each member of the Hart family and finding out what side they were on. There was a lot going on in this book that I just couldn't put it down.

The ending was when everything came to a head and there was a major plot twist thrown in that I never saw coming! Talk about a jaw-dropping surprise! It made me even more excited to see how the ending was going to play out. It was action packed, full of twists and surprises, and I loved every single second of it. The ending of the last chapter left me hanging and I just NEED the next book so bad! I'm dying to see what's in store for Kitty next and what she'll have to face!

Overall, this was such a fantastic and action packed dystopian. It's a unique and dark society ruled by a corrupt family who would do anything to cover their tracks. It's packed full of action, suspense and some pretty jaw-dropping twists that leave you wanting more. If you're a dystopian fan, then this is a book that I definitely think you would love.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound #1
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: December 10th 2013
Source: Netgalley [Publisher]

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

I have no words to describe how much I loved this book. I have to say, I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I didn't expect to fall head over heels for this book! There were just so many surprises and shocking twists that kept me hooked and I honestly couldn't put this book down. It's definitely one of my favourite books of the year.

These Broken Stars follows our characters Lila and Tarver who are on board the Icarus - which is a massive boat in space - when it's suddenly pulled out of hyperspace. Lilac and Tarver make it out alive (thanks to Lilac being awesome) and they crash land on a strange planet. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe and is determined that her father will come to save them. Tarver is a young war hero and is determined to get himself and Lilac to the Icarus wreckage site where he believes they'll have a higher chance of being rescued. But as they're making their journey across the planet, they're followed by chilling whispers, whispers that terrify them.

So lets start of with the characters. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. She acts spoiled and stuck up, but as the story progresses, you start to get glimpses of the real Lilac. Lilac has put up this front because of something awful that happened to someone she cared about and she blames herself for it. Lilac is actually a pretty awesome character. She knows her way around the mechanics of the spaceship and she saved her and Tarver's lives. She's tough and strong, she never complains and she managed to hike through a jungle in heels and a dress - she's pretty freaking amazing. 
And then we have Tarver. What's not to love about Tarver? He's a lovely, sweet and caring character. He pushes Lilac to help her survive, but he's always helping her even when she doesn't want help. Tarver was in the army, so he knows how to deal with survival situations. He can hunt, find food, make shelter and he's just amazing. Tarver has had a hard life as well and I really enjoyed learning about his past. He's so determined to get back to his family because they've been through a lot already. I just adored Tarver and his determination.

Of course there was some romance in this book. But, I have to say, Lilac and Tarver's relationship never felt rushed to me at all. Since things sort of started on the Icarus and they were stuck together on a deserted planet, it was obvious there was going to be some chemistry. But it never felt forced, it just felt so natural and I adored Tarver and Lilac's relationship.

The storyline of this book really wasn't what I was expecting. The crash landing of Lilac and Tarver's escape pod was thrilling, and after that the story just got so damn amazing. I loved discovering this new planet along with Tarver and Lilac and finding out more about it. As the story went on, things started to get creepy. There were voices whispering in the wind and creepy visions, which totally wasn't what I was expecting from this book. The whole reason behind this planet was pretty creepy and amazing, I loved seeing the discovery of it. I also really enjoyed that were got snippets of Tarver being questioned in the future, so I knew that they were going to get off the planet eventually, but it was just a question of how and when, and seeing all the events that led up to them getting off of the planet.

Then something happened about 75% in that I just wasn't prepared for and didn't see coming at all. I kind of went into shock and just sat and stared at my kindle. It was so unexpected and I just couldn't grasp what had happened. It ripped me in half. It was such a shocking twist, but it led to a pretty amazing and mind-blowing twist later on.

The ending was brilliant and I loved it. I was so proud of Lilac at the end. Her character had changed so much from the spoiled rich kid at the start of the book and she was finally fighting for what she wanted. Tarver and Lilac protected each other and I just love them so much.

Overall, this is one of the best books I've read this year. It was thrilling, exciting, full of mystery, suspense and a lot of amazing twists that kept me wanting more. These Broken Stars is a book I definitely recommend keeping an eye out for and I'll definitely be buying myself a copy when it's released.

White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat by Holly Black
Series: Curse Workers #1
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: June 17th 2010
Source: Library

Cassel is cursed. Cursed by the memory of the fourteen year old girl he murdered. Life at school is a constant trial. Life at home even worse. No-one at home is ever going to forget that Cassel is a killer. No-one at home is ever going to forget that he isn't a magic worker.

Cassel's family are one of the big five crime families in America. Ever since magic was prohibited in 1929 magic workers have been driven underground and into crime. And while people still need their touch, their curses, their magical killings, their transformations, times have been hard. His granddad has been driven to drink, his mother is in prison and his brothers detest him as the only one of their family who can't do magic.

But there is a secret at the centre of Cassel's family and he's about to inherit it. It's terrfying and that's the truth.

I'd seen this book around but I hadn't heard much about it, and then I saw it in my library and just decided to pick it up. It did take me a while to actually get around to reading this book, I just wasn't in the mood for it. I'm so glad I finally got around to picking it up though because I really enjoyed it.

White Cat follows a boy called Cassel who murdered his best friend. He's constantly haunted by the memory of it and he puts on a front to try and fit in at school. Cassel's family is one of the big five crime families in America. Each member of these families has a unique power they can use to manipulate people. Cassel thinks his brothers hate him because he's the only person in their family who can't do magic. But there's something else going on and Cassel is about to uncover a dark secret.

To start with, I was unsure whether I was going to enjoy this book or not. It was quite slow and confusing at the start but I gradually managed to grasp what was going on in this book and then I was suddenly hooked. I wanted to know what Cassel's brothers were hiding from him and find out more about what happened when Cassel murdered his best friend.

Cassel has grown up haunted by the memory of what he did. He's always questioning himself and wondering whether he'll do it again. I felt so bad for Cassel. He couldn't even have a normal life because that memory destroyed him. He's in constant fear that this monster is going to jump out of him and kill again that he tries to hide who he is and puts up a shield. He doesn't feel like he fits in anywhere. Cassel was a pretty strong character. After everything he'd been through and everything he deals with everyday, he manages to keep it together. He's also very determined. As soon as he realises something is being hidden from him, he does everything he can to try and figure out what it is, even if it means endangering his life.

The whole storyline revolving around workers and their powers was extremely interesting. I loved finding out the back story to them and finding out why they're banned now. It was also interesting finding out what powers the characters in this book had.

The one problem I had with this book was that Cassel wasn't figuring things out quick enough for me. I'd figure something out and it'd take him another 4-5 chapters to realise. I wanted to hit him and make him realise sooner! Some of the things were just so damn obvious and I couldn't believe that Cassel didn't realise until later.

I felt so bad for Cassel at the end. After everything he'd been through, his mother went and done that and I wanted to punch her. I'm actually really looking forward to seeing how everything it going to play out in the next book and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Cassel will be able to find a solution for what happened at the end.

Overall, this was an intriguing and enjoyable novel. There were times it was slow and predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. It's a book I'd definitely recommend giving a go.