Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 28th 2014
Source: Publisher [Edelweiss]

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Cruel Beauty was one of my most anticipated releases of 2014. From the cover so the synopsis, I just couldn't wait for this book to be released. And then I was able to download a review copy from Edelweiss and I was so excited! Cruel Beauty is a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. Rosamund Hodge mixes in demons and magic to her re-telling and gives it a completely different feel from the original story. This one is a lot darker.

Cruel Beauty has been my favourite Beauty and the Beast re-telling so far (and I think it'll be extremely hard to beat). I loved all the magic, demons, dark secrets and twists. I was pulled in straight away by this story and I loved every second of it.

I really did like Nyx. She's angry at her father for offering her to Ignifex and she's angry at her sister because she gets to live. Nyx is harbouring a lot of anger and it just keeps building and building inside of her. She's feisty and stubborn, extremely determined but she's also broken and feels unloved. Nyx was a complex character and I enjoyed seeing the changes in her throughout the book.

Ignifex was a character that I hated to love. I knew I shouldn't like him because he's a demon! But there was just something about him that I loved. He made deals with people that usually ended up with that person or someone else dying, so that makes him a pretty horrible character. But Ignifex could also be sweet and kind, especially when he was around Nyx. I thought he was actually pretty hilarious and I did really like him.

I wasn't a massive fan of Shade. I mean, he's a creepy shadow thing and I just never trusted him. He seemed to be up to something and I just couldn't make myself like him.

The romance was slightly weird. I enjoyed Nyx and Ignifex's connection (when Nyx finally allowed herself to like him) and I enjoyed seeing their relationship progress. What I didn't enjoy was Nyx and Shade because that was just pretty weird. Plus, Nyx threw herself at him on the first night so I lost all interest in their relationship.

Like I said before, I loved Hodge's twist on the original story. Adding demons and magic in just made this a lot more interesting and a hell of a lot darker. I loved the mythology as well. Mythology is one of my favourite things to read about so I loved wrapping my head around the mythology in Cruel Beauty. There were a lot of secrets that had to be uncovered throughout the book and I really enjoyed discovering them. I loved exploring the castle with Nyx and finding out what was in every nook and cranny (even if some of it wasn't very pleasant). I also really enjoyed Nyx's relationship with her sister. Even though Nyx hates being the one chosen, she still wants to protect her sister. They've got a really strong bond.

The ending, however, was the only part I was slightly disappointed with. It was just too perfect of an ending after everything that had happened, and also not really the way I was hoping it would go. But it was still a great ending. 

Overal, Cruel Beauty was a fantastic read! It was full of mythology, demons, darkness and Ignifex (which is a major plus!), and I adored everything about it. Cruel Beauty is a book I definitely recommend to everyone because it was just amazing.

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
Series: The Testing #1
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Publication Date: August 1st 2013
Source: Bought

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

The Testing was one of those books I'd been eyeing for quite a while. I liked the sound of it and as I came across more reviews for this book I just knew I had to get my hands on a copy. I was slightly worried, however, because there were a lot of people saying this was very similar to The Hunger Games. While I noticed some similarities at the beginning, The Testing definitely wasn't a carbon copy of The Hunger Games. It was a lot more brutal, gruesome and shocking than The Hunger Games. 

The Testing is set in a world that was destroyed by war and the future generation are put through The Testing to see who is up to the task of saving the world. If the candidates pass The Testing, they are rewarded with a chance at further education. Cia and three other students from her town have been chosen for The Testing. Cia is delighted since this is the first time in years that students from her town have been selected. But Cia's father warns her about The Testing. He went through it and can only remember flashes, but he tells her to be careful and trust no one. But Cia decides to trust her childhood friend Tomas because she's sure he's a trustworthy person. Cia must fight to get through The Testing and uncover the secrets that have been hidden.

As soon as I read the first chapter I was hooked. I read this one in a day because it just pulled me in and I had to know what was going on!

I actually really liked Cia's character. She was determined, strong and she never lost sight of her morals. Cia was always helping others throughout the competition and while this may have made they seem slightly naive, it also showed that no matter how much The Testing threw at her, Cia was never going to lose sight of who she really is. I really adored that about her character. She was also extremely smart when it came to the trials for The Testing. She seemed to know exactly what she should (and shouldn't do) and her intelligence saved her life on countless occasions. 

Tomas was an alright character. I was glad that he and Cia teamed up so that they would both have someone to rely on throughout The Testing. He was a nice enough guy, funny and smart, but as The Testing went on I started to get doubts about Tomas (especially during the last trial). And if what Cia thought is true, then I'm not sure I can trust Tomas.

I wasn't a major fan of the romance in this book. Sure Cia and Tomas had know each other for years and Cia had probably had a crush on Tomas for a while, their relationship just never stuck with me. Maybe it was because they were in the middle of the fucking testing and their relationship was extremely unnecessary throughout it. I liked their friendship and the way they worked as a team, but I never enjoyed their relationship. Maybe I will in the second book, but I just didn't care for it in this one.

I honestly wasn't prepared for how shocking, gruesome and horrifying this story line was. I was completely shocked at half of the stuff that went on in this book! Honestly, it was definitely a lot more gruesome that I'd expected. As The Testing went on the trials got tougher and more deadly and I was unprepared for the consequences of a wrong answer. But despite how horrifying this story/world was, I adored it. It kept me on the edge of my seat and that's what made this book great.

And then that ending happened and I'm just super excited to see what Cia is going to do now and what the information will do to her.

Overall, The Testing was a brilliant dystopian novel. It was packed full of action, it was shocking, the world was completely screwed up and it was just fantastic. The Testing is definitely a book I recommend to anyone who is a fan of dystopians because it's one that you'll definitely enjoy.

Slated by Teri Terry

Slated by Teri Terry
Series: Slated #1
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: May 3rd 2012
Source: Bought

Kyla’s memory has been erased, 
her personality wiped blank, 
her memories lost forever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

Slated is a dystopian I've had my eye on for a while. I've been told countless times that I had to get around to reading this book because it was amazing, and I had seen a lot of great reviews for it. I got this book quite a while ago and it's been sitting on my bookshelf unread for months even though I've been dying to read it. So I finally decided to add it to my TBR for this month, and now I regret not reading it sooner.

Slated had me hooked from the very first page. Who was Kyla running from? Why must she build a wall? I had so many questions before the first chapter so I knew this was going to be a great book.

Kyla has been slated which means she has no memories of her past or who she used to be. She's had to learn everything from scratch again. The government claim she was a terrorist and that they slated her to give her a second chance. Kyla must play by their rules or her life will be in danger. But Kyla keeps having strange dreams and starts to wonder if they're memories of her previous life. Kyla decides to do some digging and realises she's been lied to. But who can she trust to help her find out the truth?

Kyra wasn't a character that I instantly connected with. Because she'd been Slated, she basically had to re-learn everything and sometimes came across quite robotic and unfeeling to me to begin with. But, gradually as the book went along, I started to connect with Kyra. It wasn't an instant connection, but the connection developed throughout the whole book. Kyra was constantly learning and questioning things and her questioning led to a massive secret being revealed about her. She also started to notice that the Government were taking drastic steps and a lot of pupils from her school were disappearing, which led Kyra to wonder what was really going on. Kyra was an intriguing character. She was inquisitive, extremely intelligent, strange and perceptive. Kyra noticed everything around her and had an unbelievable memory. She could remember her way around the places she went - every twist and turn - and she could draw a map from her memory. I'm still extremely curious to find out about Kyra's previous life. 

There was a bit of romance in this book, but it never really stood out for me. There were times when I was invested in it, but most of the time I was indifferent towards it because I mostly wanted to find out what the hell was going on.
Ben wasn't a stand out character. He was nice enough and he did help Kyra a lot, but I never really saw a huge connection between the two of them. To be honest, I preferred them as friends. Ben was a great help to Kyra when she first moved to her new home and he helped her integrate, and then Ben started to help her grow as a character. But still, I felt their romance was un-needed in this book and I kind of wish their relationship could have taken slightly longer to progress to the next stage because then I might have had a chance to actually get to know both of these characters. Plus, by the end I thought Ben was kind of an idiot.

I will say that the world building in this book was slightly confusing to start with. At first I had absolutely no idea what was going on in this world. I was trying to understand the whole Slated process, what the hell the government were up to, who were the bad guys and the good guys and also try to figure out what the hell is up with Kyla and why she was so different from other Slated's. Also, her 'father' is up to something and I'm pretty sure I know what it is so I guess I'll just have to get the next book and see if I'm right. But everything came together for me eventually and I did really love the world that Teri Terry created. It's a slightly scary dystopian world that I could totally see happening. 

The ending of Slated left me with even more questions than I had at the start of the book so I'll have to grab a copy of Fractured some time soon!

Overall, Slated was a great dystopian novel. It was set in a creepy world with a screwed up government and you never know who you can trust and who you can't. It was full of unexpected twist and shocking reveals that kept me hooked. I definitely recommend Slated and I'll be grabbing a copy of Fractured ASAP!

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
Series: No
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 23rd 2013
Source: Bought

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Of Beast and Beauty is one of the most unique and intriguing retellings I've ever read. Based around the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, this book tells the story of Isra and Gem. 

Isra has been raised in the city of Yuan and has always know that she would have to sacrifice her life to save her city. Isra lost her sight when she was very young and her father has kept her locked up in his castle because of her monstrous traits. She wants to help the city and help the citizen who possess monstrous traits.
Gem is a Monstrous who lives in the desert with his people. He's willing to risk everything to save his people from starvation. Gem gets caught in Yuan trying to steal the enchanted roses and his freedom is bargained away by his father. Gem and Isra strike up an unlikely friendship. Secrets and betrayals are revealed and Isra has to choose between her city and Gem.

It took me a while to warm up to Isra. Sure, I felt bad for her because she was blind and locked away in her tower, but I didn't instantly like her. Isra was so obsessed with her appearance even though she couldn't see herself. She was constantly going on about her monstrous appearance and how horrible she must look, and it did start to get on my nerves. She never really seemed to care about anyone else to start with. But Isra did grow on me throughout the book. After she regained her sight, Isra started to focus on more important things like trying to treat everyone in her city with the same respect and help everyone. She also became less focused on her appearance and all of the secrets that had been kept from her and the lies she was told were revealed when she regained her sight. Isra grew from a whiny, self-obsessed character into a very driven and determined character who I really admired.

Gem was another character that I was unsure of. I admired his determination to save and protect his people, and also how far he would go for them. But Gem had his secrets and he was deceiving Isra for most of the book, but I did strangely like him. Gem is a thoughtful, strong and determined character. But he had his sweet moments that melted my heart. I loved hearing his stories and even though he tried really hard not to, he started caring for Isra. 

Isra and Gem's relationship is one you know is going to happen right from the start (because it's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast so it was pretty obvious). Just like in the Disney version, I loved seeing the changes in both Isra and Gem as they became involved in each others lives. They both taught each other and help each other grow and it was really nice seeing that all happen. 

There was a lot going on in this story that I just didn't expect. The amount of secrets and lies, backstabbing, twists and unexpected moments was unbelievable. I honestly couldn't believe half of the things I was reading because they were just so horrible! Everything that Isra was put through was awful and terrible and I sympathized with her. I honestly couldn't even imagine being in her position and learning all of the things that she found out. 

I did enjoy the whole take on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. The whole city of Yuan, the magical roses, the dark magic and the Monstrous were all just amazing. Stacey Jay created such an original and fascinating world and I just lost myself in this book. I adored hearing all of the stories and background to the curse and the city of Yuan, and what caused the Monstrous in the first place. Everything about this book was just enchanting.

Overall, Of Beast and Beauty was a wonderful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It was full of intriguing stories and unbelievable twist and turns that completely shocked me and drew me further and further into the book. I absolutely adored this retelling and it's definitely one that I recommend.

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Alienated by Melissa Landers
Series: Alienated #1
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: February 4th 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Alienated is a book I've been looking forward to for so long! I heard about it waaaay back at the start of 2013 and have been dying to get my hands on a copy ever since. So, when I came across a copy on Netgalley I just had to request it and then I was even more excited when my request was accepted! I've been trying not to read this book for so long since I wanted to wait until nearer the release date, and it was definitely worth the wait. I absolutely adored this book!

Alienated follows our main character Cara Sweeney who is going to be sharing her house with an alien. The aliens made contact two years ago and Cara has been picked as one of the first to be involved in the L'eihr exchange program. Cara gets a free ride to any college she wants by participating in this exchange and she thinks her future is set. But then Aelyx arrives and Cara isn't sure what to think of him. He looks identical to her, but he couldn't seem more alien. Cara's town starts rioting and petitioning against the L'eihrs and Cara stars to receive threatening notes. Cara and Aelyx start to grow close, but she doesn't know that Aelyx has been hiding something from her. Something that will have deadly consequences. 

Right from the start I was hooked because Aliens! Ever since reading The Lorien Legacies and The Lux series, I've became a massive fan of aliens and that's the first thing that drew me to this book (well, second because that cover <3) and I was super excited to read it. Luckily, I wasn't let down by Landers aliens. The L'eihrs were... interesting. They physically resembled humans, but they didn't have the same emotions as humans. It was like they were kind of detached from anything that could invoke emotions, so it was definitely an interesting concept. There were also a few other things we learnt about the L'ehirs but I can't really mention because it'll slightly spoil things, so you'll just have to read it and find out for yourselves.

I really loved Cara. When she first heard that she'd been chosen for the program she initially doesn't want to do it but then the money/scholarship to any college she wants sways her. Obviously you're going to be swayed by the opportunity to get into any college you want and I probably would have done the same. But as the book goes on, Cara starts to learn about Aelyx and the L'eihrs, and realises that she's glad she's taken part in the exchange because she's got to meet Aelyx. Cara is a tough character with a strong spirit and she always fights for what she believes in. She's such a sweet and caring character and goes out of her way to make Aelyx feel at home on Earth. Her blog entries had to be one of my favourite parts of the book though. They were hilarious most of the time and always showed how strongly she supported the L'eihrs.

What can I say about Aelyx. Well, he's an alien, he's snarky, arrogant, sweet and I completely fell for him. I will admit that there were moments when I wanted to shake some sense into him, but for the most part I loved him. Aelyx was completely out of his comfort zone on Earth. He doesn't know anything and it was actually pretty hilarious seeing him integrate into the human world because he was just completely baffled by it. As the book went on, Aelyx developed into such a fantastic character. He was so different from the boy alien that he was at the start of the book and I adored the change in him. 

Aelyx and Cara's relationship is now one of my favourites. It took a while for their friendship to develop at the start. Cara instantly liked Aelyx, but Aelyx was holding back and was too focus on his 'mission' to think about making friends. But they're basically thrown together and their friendship is definitely one of my favourites. And then their friendship developed into romance and it was just so adorable. There was just this connection between then and when they both finally acknowledged it, it left me so happy. Melissa Landers can definitely write make out scenes *fans self* I mean, just, wow.

The story line actually surprised me. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. There were a lot more thing going on than I'd anticipated. Obviously I adored seeing Aelyx and Cara's friendship develop, I also enjoyed seeing Aelyx adjusting to life on Earth. Cara was being targeted by the anti-L'eihr and it let to threats and acts of violence against her, so that was definitely interesting to see even if it did make me sick to my stomach that people were willing to take their protests that far. I also enjoyed seeing what Aelyx was doing for his 'mission' even if it did make me want to punch him after the consequences were revealed. I never expected there to be a lot of action in this book, but the ending was craaaaaazy! And I'm not even exaggerating because it totally was and was totally unexpected. But I loved it. I'm super excited for Invaded now because I'm looking forward to learning more about L'eihr and the aliens, plus, I'm looking forward more Aelyx and Cara because they're just adorable.

Overall, I ended up enjoying Alienated a lot more than I thought I would. I loved the aliens, the story line, the romance and everything else about this book. I need to buy my own copy purely to have that pretty cover on my shelf (It's totally not so that I can re-read the make out scenes. Definitely not...) It's definitely one I'd recommend if you're looking for something light and fluffy with a bit of action thrown in because it'd be perfect.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick
Series: No
Publisher: Headline
Publication Date: August 15th 2013
Source: Won - Goodreads First Reads

How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

I've been meaning to get around to Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock ever since I won a copy back in August, but I just haven't been in the mood for it. It's one of those books that I just had to be in a certain mood to read and every time I went to read it previously, I just couldn't get through it. But I finally got around to reading it! It did take me a bit longer than expected to get through, but I did end up enjoying this book. 

It follows 18 year old Leonard Peacock who has decided to kill himself on his 18th birthday. He's decided he's going to say goodbye to his 4 friends and kill his ex-best friend before killing himself.

Leonard was a very odd but interesting character. He has his own way of thinking which I found really interesting and hearing about why he wanted to kill himself was heartbreaking. His mother basically didn't care about him, his father has disappeared off the face of the Earth and Leonard just feels like he's all alone. He doesn't fit in and he just wants to find his place in the world. He wanted to find someone who loved him. 

The letters from the future did slightly confuse me to start with because I was wondering where the fit in to this whole story, and then I found out the truth behind them and it did slightly break me. It just made my heart ache for Leonard. The letters also showed how talented Leonard was though. 

Finding out Leonard's reason behind why he wanted to kill Asher (former best friend) was interesting. Throughout the whole novel I was wondering what caused Leonard to hate him so much, and then we found out. What Asher did was unforgivable, but Leonard was taking things to the extreme wanting to kill him. But Leonard never had anyone to talk to, or anyone that he could confide in so his anger towards Asher just built up inside him. 

I enjoyed the story line of this book and I really did enjoy seeing Leonard's journey from start to end. Leonard went through a lot throughout this whole book and I did really love seeing his journey. It was an emotional journey, but it was a brilliant one.

Overall, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was a brilliant novel. I didn't know if I was going to enjoy it, but it was just such a fantastic novel and I love Matthew Quick's writing style. 

Unhinged by A. G. Howard

Unhinged by A. G. Howard
Series: Splintered #2
Publisher: Amulet
Publication Date: January 7th 2014
Source: Bought

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

Ever since I read Splintered last year, I've been dying to get my hands on the sequel! After all the twists and surprises at the end of the book, I was excited to see what Unhinged had in store for me. I actually ended up loving Unhinged more than Splinitered. Maybe it was because there was more Morpheus, or maybe it was just because the story line of this one was so much more interesting and shocking (but I definitely think Morpheus played a part in me enjoying this one more). 

Unhinged had me on my toes from the moment I started reading it. It's been a year since Alyssa took her trip to Wonderland and she's doing her best to forget it and move on with Jeb. But Morpheus refuses to let Alyssa forget since Wonderland has gone into chaos because Queen Red has escaped. Morpheus does everything in his power to convince Alyssa to come back to Wonderland and Alyssa starts to realise that Morpheus might actually be telling the truth. Alyssa realises that if she stays in the human realm, she'll be endangering the people she loves but if she goes to Wonderland, she might lose a lot more.

Alyssa is such a strange and weird character, but I love her. She's feisty, stubborn and extremely determined. I loved seeing her fight for herself in this book because she's just got this power about her that I love seeing. I also really loved when Alyssa was true to herself and just let herself go. Those were the times when Alyssa was truly herself and were the times that I just completely loved her.

I know you guys will probably be wondering whether I'm Team Jeb or Team Morpheus, well, I'm definitely Team Morpheus. I know, I know! He's a deceitful, cunning, untrustworthy character... but I can't help but love him. A lot about Morpheus' character is revealed in this book and it helps you understand why he is the way he is, which just made me love him more. Morpheus can be sweet and caring when he wants to be and I just adore seeing that side of him. But I do like his bad side too.
Jeb is a sweetheart and I do really like him. He's protective and a really nice guy, but he's just missing something for me. I do like him and Alyssa together, but I'm rooting for Morpheus and Alyssa.

The story line of this book was craaaazy! And that's no exaggeration. Every time there was a twist dropped, it wasn't long before another one came along and messed everything up again. Alyssa was having an inner battle with herself because she didn't know who she wanted to be for most of the book. She was trying to ignore her true feelings. Jeb was off trying really hard to make sure he and Alyssa would be comfortable in London, and some really weird and crazy stuff happens to him. Morpheus was being his usual lying and cunning self, trying to deceive Alyssa and get her to come back to Wonderland with him. Alyssa was trying to build a relationship with her mother now that she understands why her mother did what she did, but her mother is hiding things from her. Red has escaped into the human realm and is determined to get Alyssa. Sister Two has also made into the human realm and is out for revenge. So yeah, there was a hell of a lot going on in this book and I loved every single second of it.

The ending was jaw dropping. The action and the fighting at the end had me on my toes because I just knew something bad was going to happen (I'd been warned to have tissues near so I was prepared for the worst). It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, but it was still very shocking and unbelievable and I kind of just sat and stared at the book for a while trying to wrap my head around what had happened. It was just insane! The last chapter was really intriguing because now I just can't stop thinking about what's going to happen next!

Overall, Unhinged was a fantastic follow up to Splintered. Definitely my favourite of the trilogy so far. I can't believe I've got to wait until 2015 for Ensnared, but I'm just super excited for it so I'm kind of hoping this year goes by pretty fast!

Daylighters by Rachel Caine

Daylighters by Rachel Caine
Series: The Morganville Vampires #15
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Publication Date: November 5th 2013
Source: Bought

While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…

Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.

It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.

Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end.

May contain spoilers for previous books

The Morganville Vampires has been one of my favourite series since I was in 3rd year at high school (which was about 7 years ago) and it's still one of my favourites. I've been dreading the moment when this series would come to an end because I didn't think I would be able to let go of these characters. But I have to say Daylighters was the perfect ending to this series and I honestly couldn't have seen it ending any other way. Although I'm extremely upset that this series has come to an end, I'm very happy with the way it ended.

Daylighters picks up where Fall of Night left off. Oliver, Michael, Jesse & Myrnin have been subdued by the Daylight Foundation (because they're vampires) and Eve, Shane, Claire and Dr. Anderson have been arrested. The Daylight Foundation has taken over Morganville since they've been away and the place has never looked better. The houses are clean and tidy, and the Morganville residents are happily walking the streets - which instantly makes them realise that there's something majorly wrong. All the vampires are missing. The Daylight Foundation has them locked up and are planning on 'helping them' so that they can be released.

Claire has always been one of my favourite female characters because she's so strong. Claire has gone through a hell of a lot throughout this whole series and she's grown into such an amazing person. I really admire Claire's determination and her feisty attitude. 

Eve is another one of my favourite female characters because she's just such a badass! Eve doesn't take shit from anyone and I just love seeing her in action.

Shane is such an amazing character too. He's so protective and strong, and he's pretty badass too. He's always looking out for his friends which makes him an amazing character.

Michael, Myrnin, Amelie and Oliver were all fantastic in this book as well. Michael was just as sweet and lovely as he usually is (minus that one incident). Myrnin was just as crazy and psycho as usual. Amelie was even more badass and amazing than usual, and Oliver was his usual badass and douche-bag self.

The storyline of this book was crazy and full of twists and surprises. There was one major twist that had me in tears because I was so freaking happy - Spoiler (Michael became human again! How freaking amazing was that?! I was so convinced he was going to die, but he didn't! And now he and Eve can live a happy, normal life together <3). But the amount of action in this book was amazing. I'm a massive action fan so I loved all the fight scenes and all the plotting that was happening and it just kept me on my toes! I never knew what this book was going to throw at me next!

The ending was craaaazy! The big fight scene at the end had me hooked because I was hoping that none of the characters I loved would die because I didn't think I'd be able to take it since I've grown to love them all.

The very last chapter was such a cute (and slightly cheesy) way to end the series. I couldn't not love it though because these characters deserve a happy ending after everything they've been through so it made me smile and even brought a tear to my eye.

Overall, Daylighters was a fantastic way to wrap up the Morganville Vampires series. I'm still pretty sad that I'm not going to have another book about these characters, but on the bright side, I can now go and re-read the full series and fall in love with it all over again! If you haven't read this series yet, it's one that I can't recommend enough. It's my all time favourite vampire series and I recommend it to everyone who hasn't read it yet because it's amazing.

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 29th 2013
Source: Bought

In the darkest places, even love is deadly. Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Ever since I heard about this book waaaay back at the end of 2012, I knew that I wanted to read it. It's just taken me a lot longer than I'd planned to get around to it. The Madman's Daughter was a book that I was really looking forward to. It sounded like it was going to be such a creepy read, and it definitely was!

I knew that this book was based on The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells but I've never read it. In all honesty, I'd never heard of it until I noticed that this book was based on it. So I never really had any idea what was going to happen before I started reading this book which actually wasn't a bad thing because I did end up really enjoying it (and now I want to read The Island of Dr. Moreau).

Megan Shepherd's writing style is fantastic. It was engaging, fast-paced, creepy and kept me hooked the whole way through the book. I'd heard that this book was slightly scary, but I never found anything scary about it. It was insanely creepy sometimes though and I was left with shivers and chills quite a few times, but there weren't any scary parts. 

I did really like Juliet's character, even if I did think she was slightly naive sometimes. The incident at the start of the book when Juliet is trapped in the college just showed me how strong of a character Juliet was. She really isn't afraid to go to whatever lengths she must to protect herself and I liked that about her. She's also a pretty feisty and determined character. When Montgomery tells her she can't come with him, Juliet puts up a fight until he eventually has to give into her. But, when Juliet arrived on the island and she noticed something strange about the inhabitants, she bought her fathers story about them being born that way when it was so unbelievable clear that he was a deranged psycho who created them. Like, really obvious. But other than that little bit of naivety, I did really like Juliet's character.

I also really liked Montgomery. As soon as he showed up I was just so glad that Juliet had someone from her past to connect with. She's been by herself for so long that I just loved that he'd came back into her life. Montgomery definitely had feelings for Juliet, but all of his feelings were put aside so that he could to Juliet's fathers bidding. He was basically like a puppet for most of the book. But Montgomery had a soft and caring side that came out when he was around Juliet. He could be really sweet and I was kind of rooting for him and Juliet.

And then we have Edward Prince. What can I say about Edward? Well, as soon as he was spotted floating in a boat and brought aboard the ship, I was extremely curious about him. As soon as Edward woke up, he set his sights on Juliet and he basically just fell in love with her. I wasn't a major fan of Edward/Juliet, but I did like Edward's character. He was mysterious, intriguing and he was a really nice guy. 

There was nothing about this story that I didn't enjoyed. I enjoyed Juliet's time in London; Seeing her re-connect with her father after a very long time and seeing her start to uncover the truth about her father. Reading about Juliet uncovering the truth was definitely my favourite part. Her father believed that what he was doing was right and Juliet never realised how far his obsession went. Her father was keeping a lot of secrets from her and Juliet was determined to find out what they were. 

The twist at the end was such a fantastic and shocking twist! I never in a million years would have predicted that would happen because it was just so unexpected! It led to a big showdown at the end and Juliet trying to escape from the island. I will say that the ending left me slightly heartbroken because I had this perfect ending planned out (so did Juliet), and it was just crushed. So I am pretty excited to see where Her Dark Curiosity is going to pick up and find out what's going to happen in that one!

Overall, The Madman's Daughter was a fantastic and creepy read. It was fast paced, engaging and full of secrets and twist that keep you reading. It's definitely one I'd recommend.

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Series: Uninvited #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: January 28th 2014
Source: Publisher [Edelweiss]

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

Uninvited was one of those books that I was dying to get my hands on last year, so when I saw I could download a copy from Edelweiss I kind of started jumping around because I was so happy! Ever since I read the synopsis for this book I knew I just had to read it. A world where they test for a kill gene? Why would I not want to read it.

Uninvited definitely didn't let me down. In fact, it completely surpassed my expectations! I was blown away by this book! The world that Sophie Jordan created in this book was so fucked up (there is literally no other way to explain it), but that's why I loved it so much. I love these dark, and screwed up worlds. What made this one for me was the fact that I can actually imagine something like this happening. It's not that far-fetched of an idea, so that makes it slightly terrifying. 

Davy is the girl who had it all. She was super smart (except from when it came to calculus, but it's calculus... it's hard), she could play like 4 or 5 different instruments perfectly from the second she picked them up and she had the perfect popular boyfriend. But Davy's perfect life is ripped away when she finds out she tested positive for HTS - the kill gene. I felt so bad for Davy when she found out she had the kill gene. Davy is one of the sweetest and kindest characters. She didn't deserve to be treated the way she was. At first, Davy didn't want to deal with it. She didn't want to accept her label (then again, who would?). But gradually, Davy learned to cope with it and realised that she couldn't hide who she was. But she was determined not to let the kill gene rule her life and she started getting stronger and more courageous throughout the book, which I loved.

Sean was a major part of helping Davy come to terms with her label. He was the one who helped her understand that she couldn't let it rule her life and she had to start living again. Sean is such a sweetheart. Sure, he got into some fights, but that's just the type of guy he is. Although we're told some things about Sean's background, we're never told what he did to get his tattoo. I'm really curious about it because I'm sure it had to have been something he did in self defense, or to protect someone, but you can never tell. Sean is such a strong and powerful character. He's got a presence that makes people afraid of him, but it also makes his friends feel safe and it's often useful.

There was a bit of romance in this book, but it was needed. It such a dark world, a bit of light was required and that came from Davy and Sean. They would both do anything to protect each other. Although it took a while for them to become friends, their friendship/romance was perfect. There wasn't even a mention of the word love (which made me cheer!) and I just lost myself in their moments together because it was the only bright spot in this book.

The way the HTS carriers are treated in this world was horrendous. The were basically treated like rabid animals: locked away in cages and people could do anything they wanted to them because they had no rights anymore. Some of the things the carriers would do to gain protection made my stomach churn. Throughout the book the Government were constantly calling for tighter measures for the carriers and what they eventually agreed on was even worse than before. Sophie Jordan created such a dark and cruel world where carriers are basically labeled as murderers before they've even done anything. There were some truly twisted people in this book that made me sick. They had no remorse when it came to murdering or hurting others, and even got off on other people's pain. So I was glad that they'd been tested and locked up to stop them from hurting people, but there were probably a lot of people locked up that would never even think of hurting/killing someone, so the system is definitely faulty. Also, the lengths the people in control went to to control the carriers was sickening. What they made Davy do was horrific and I hope they all burn for it.

This dark and cruel world is what I've been craving from a dystopian novel. It was so fresh and different, and I loved every single second of it even if parts of it were horrific.

The ending gave me hope and I'm dying to see what's going to happen in the second book, because I seriously doubt things are going to run smoothly. It's going to be a bumpy road and I can't wait to read it!

Overall, Uninvited has possibly been one of the best books I have ever read. Ever. And it's quite possibly going to end up on my favourite books of 2014 list because it was that damn awesome. I've already pre-ordered myself a finished copy of this book because I just have to own it. It's definitely one of the best dystopian novels I've ever read. I highly recommend this book to everyone because it was so damn amazing and everyone NEEDS to read it.

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
Series: Under the Never Sky #3
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: January 28th 2014
Source: Publisher [Edelweiss]

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

I've been looking forward to Into the Still Blue ever since last March when I binge read the first two books. I was slightly apprehensive going into it though because I've read a few series enders that have been extremely disappointing, and I really wanted to love this one. I had no need to be apprehensive, because this book was just as amazing as the first two (possibly even more amazing than the first two)!

The world that Veronica Rossi created in this novel was extremely intriguing. The world is dominated by an Aether which causes massive storms that wipe out the land. Perry has had to move his tribe into an underground cave to keep them safe, but he knows it isn't a permanent solution. He has to find a way to get to the Still Blue.

After the ending of Through the Ever Night, I was desperate to get my hands on a copy of this book to see how everything was going to turn out. There were a lot more twists and turns in the story than I expected, which I loved, so I was always on my toes never knowing what was going to happen next.

Aria and Perry have grown so much during this series. Not just as individuals, but also as a team. They're both strong in different ways, stubborn, determined and I just loved seeing them working together in this book. Their relationship is one of my favourites. It wasn't a main focus in this book because there was so much going on, but the parts that did show it just solidified how perfect they are for each other.

My heart ached for Roar in this book. After everything that happened in the previous book, Roar is in pain. I hated seeing the way Roar was most of the way through this book. I missed the fun-loving Roar from the first two books, but his development throughout this book was perfect. Veronica Rossi did a fantastic job of showing how far Roar would go for revenge and it just showed how deep his love for Liv was. I did get slightly pissed at the way he was treating Perry (although Perry slightly deserved it), but I wish these two had made up sooner.

I never thought I'd ever like Soren or Brooke, but they both won me over in this one. Especially Soren. Even though there were times when I wanted to punch him, Soren went through a lot in this book and it changed him for the better.

The storyline of this one revolved around Perry and Aria trying to find a way to get to the Still Blue to save Perry's tribe, and also get Cinder back. As you can probably guess, it wasn't a straight forward ride. There were quite a few bumps along the way, Sable being the main one. That guy is one of my most hated characters ever after this book. He's such a vile character. There were so many heart pounding scenes in this book that I was wondering if I'd be able to make it to the end! I had no idea if all of my beloved character were going to make it, so I was extremely cautious as it got closer and closer to the end of the book. I did tear up quite a few times towards the end.

The way the ending worked out was perfect for the end of this series. Veronica Rossi did such a fantastic job with this book and I think it's definitely my favourite of the three.

Overall, I've absolutely adored reading this series and I'm really sad it's over now. Into the Still Blue was a fantastic conclusion to this trilogy and I know it's going to be one I always remember because Perry, Roar & Aria are three fantastic characters and I love them all. If you haven't read any of the Under the Never Sky books yet, then I definitely recommend that you do. It's one of my favourite series and I want everyone to read it.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Series: No
Publisher: Random House UK, Transworld Publishers
Publication Date: January 2nd 2014 
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

HERE IS A SMALL FACT - YOU ARE GOING TO DIE

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION - THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH

It's a small story about: a girl, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter and quite a lot of thievery.

ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW - DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES

The Book Thief was one of those books that I'd heard amazing things about. Nearly every review I saw for this book was 5 stars which is what made me read this book in the first place. I'm not really a major fan of historical fiction, but I loved this book which was a complete surprise. 

So as you probably know, it isn't the main character who narrates this story, it's death. Markus Zusak managed to pull of this narrative perfectly. Even though I wasn't hearing from Liesel or any of the other characters, I still grew to love them and care about them. Death's was a sympathetic character and cared about Liesel and all of the people she loved, which I think is why I was able to care about them too. 

Liesel is one of the kindest and more caring characters I've ever read about. She's a young, naive girl who is being sent to live with a foster family because her mother is being taken away. Liesel doesn't understand where her mother is going because she's so young. My heart broke for her the second she arrived on Himmel Street. She was just a young girl who wanted her mother but she was being sent to live with strangers. But Liesel grew as a character throughout the book. She has such a big heart and she cared about so many people. She was friendly, lovable and just such an amazing character.

Liesel's relationship with her foster mother and father was beautiful. She was closer to her foster father, Hans, than her foster mother, Rosa. Liesel and Hans' relationship warmed my heart. Liesel had grown up without a father, so Hans wasn't replacing anyone and he became her favourite person. He taught her to read, he played his accordion for her and he sat in her room with her and calmed her when she had a nightmare and read to her. Their relationship was so sweet and Hans was such a perfect father.

Rudy was one of my favourite characters too. I can't even begin to express how much I loved Rudy. He was hilarious, reckless, stubborn and he could always make me smile. Rudy was Liesel's best friend and I adored their relationship. They were both good for each other and they always knew how to cheer each other up and make the other one laugh. Every time they were together I had a smile on my face.

I loved every single thing about this book. I know there are some people out there who felt like this book dragged and that it was really long, but it never felt like that to me. I was so captivated by this book that it flew by for me. Every spare moment I had I was reading this book and when I couldn't find any spare moments I got slightly irritated because all I wanted to do was read this book. 

I adored seeing how Liesel acquired all of the books she stole and I enjoyed hearing what she thought about them. Liesel didn't just get these books for herself, she shared them with people. Her papa used them to teach her to read, she read them to her neighbour and she read them to calm everyone down during the air raids. There was also a lot of other things that happened in this book that warmed my heart, but I can't talk about them because I don't want to spoil anything. I did enjoy that this book wasn't set in the middle of the war in Germany. There were things happening around this town, and things that moved through the town, but the setting of this book wasn't in the middle of the action which is something I loved.

Even though Death was narrating the story, it wasn't like Death followed Liesel around and gave us a play by play of her life. Death was reading Liesel's story and I loved that concept. It's such an original and unique idea and I take my hat off to Markus Zusak for writing it this way because in my opinion, it made it an even more heartbreaking story.

I wasn't prepared for the ending of this book to destroy me. I was expecting to cry because Death had already mentioned something that I assumed happened at the end (which it did), but so much more happened at the end and I couldn't take it. I think I cried for about half an hour after I finished this book. I can't say too much because of spoilers, but I will say that it's one of the most heartbreaking endings I've ever read. It's right up there with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows & The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas for me.

Overall, The Book Thief is one of the best books I've ever read. Even though the ending destroyed me and left me an emotion wreck, it was such a beautifully written book with such a breathtaking story. It's definitely a book I'm going to be recommending a lot this year and I'm pretty sure that it'll make it onto my Top 10 books of 2014 list.

The Edge of Always by J. A. Redmerski

The Edge of Always by J. A. Redmerski
Series: The Edge of Never #2
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: November 5th 2013
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…
Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged—and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew – a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to—until tragedy blindsides them.

Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…

I've been eagerly anticipating the release of The Edge of Always ever since I read The Edge of Never back in April. I was lucky enough to get a review copy of this one from Netgalley and I ended up reading it not long after I got approved for it because I was desperate to see what Camryn and Andrew had been up to.

This book definitely didn't disappoint. I think I may have even loved it slightly more than The Edge of Never. Camryn and Andrew have only been together for 5 months, but it feels like years to them. They're engaged and are extremely happy about starting their lives together, until tragedy strikes. Andrew finds a way to move on, and then realises that Camryn is only pretending to be alright and that she's keeping a lot of pain from her past locked up. Andrew decides to take Camryn on another road trip where he hopes he'll be able to help Camryn deal with her problems.

I knew exactly what was going to happen to Andrew and Camryn before I'd even started reading this book, but that didn't make it any less heartbreaking. I love these two as a couple so much, so it killed me to see them go through something like that. 

Camryn is such a strong character. She's been through a lot and had a lot of terrible things happen to her, but she keeps her head high. Until the newest tragedy strikes which just tips her over. She hides it, but the cracks are there and it was only a matter of time until everything came spilling out. But Camryn is still one of the toughest characters I've ever read about. She manages to overcome all that pain that she's been harboring for years and she became a better person for it.

Andrew is still one of the sweetest guys ever. He's got such a big heart and he would do anything for Camryn. Andrew is hurting because of what happened, but he has to remain strong for Camryn because she needs him. He goes out of his way to help Camryn and give her the type of therapy that only he can provide, and he really helps her a lot. Andrew and Camryn are just perfect for each other <3.

I did enjoy the roadtrip in this one a lot more than the first one. They visited a lot of different places, re-visited some old places and experienced a lot more. The whole journey in this one brought them so much closer and helped them both overcome their issues.

The ending of this one had me in tears because I was so happy. Camryn and Andrew have been through a hell of a lot, so that ending was just perfect. I also loved the epilogue that J.A. Redmerski put in because it gave me a small insight into Camryn and Andrew's adult life and I loved it.

Overall, The Edge of Always was a fantastic conclusion to this series. It made me cry happy and sad tears, made me laugh a lot and it made me smile. This is definitely my favourite NA series, and I'd definitely recommend it to everyone who is a fan of New Adult.