Waiting on Wednesday #93

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming
releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Inspire by Cora Carmack

Series: Muse #1

Publication Date: December 15th 2014

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.

MORE CORA CARMACK!! You guys know how much I love Cora Carmack, so when I heard she was writing a New Adult Paranormal book, I just about died. I don't think I've ever read about about a muse before, so I'm super excited to see what Cora does with it! But mostly I'm just excited because it's another Cora Carmack book! I need it now!

What are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week I've decided to do both of the Halloween topics.
Top Ten Characters Who I Would Totally Want To Be For Halloween

1. Isabelle Lightwood (Mortal Instruments)

A bad ass Shadowhunter? Yes, please! Isabelle is so awesome, and I want her whip bracelet.
2. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)
I've already been Hermione for Halloween, but I'll never stop wanting to be her.

3. Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games)

Who wouldn't want to be Katniss for Halloween? I'd have a hard time choosing which costume though - The red dress or the games outfit.

4. Celaena Sardothien (Throne of Glass)

If I got to pretend for one day that I was Celaena Sardothien, it'd be an awesome day.

5. America Singer (The Selection)

Pretty dresses, and I'd get to be a princess!

6. Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)
I love Daenerys' costumes in the TV show, and she's pretty awesome and has dragons!

 Top Ten Movies To Watch To Get In The Halloween Spirit

1. The Conjuring

I've only seen The Conjuring once, but once was enough. It was an extremely creepy horror movie, plus, there's Annabel. 

2. Hocus Pocus

I watch Hocus Pocus every single year around Halloween. I'll never get sick of this movie.

3. The Lost Boys

I love The Lost Boys! It's such a fantastic vampire movie, and it is slightly scary at times.

4. The Ring

The Ring is just a classic. Every time I had a horror movie night with my friends, we always ended up watching The Ring.

What character would you love to be for Halloween? Any scary movie recommendations?

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Naturals #2
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: November 4th 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold cases from a distance.

But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?

Ever since I read The Naturals last year I've been dying for the sequel. There was still so much to learn about all of the characters, also, there was a love triangle that needed to be solved.

Killer Instinct definitely didn't let me down. As soon as I started reading it, I was completely sucked in. Jennifer Lynn Barns's writing is addictive and I just couldn't put this book down - no matter how creeped out I was! 

So we're back with The Naturals - Lia, Michael, Sloane, Cassie & Dean - and everyone is still reeling from what happened to Cassie. There's a new agent at the house determined to keep the group from working active cases, but a new serial killer appears and the victims murders strike close to home for one of The Naturals - the murderer is copying Dean's father. Although they're told to stay out of it, The Naturals decide that they have to solve this case for Dean and try to stop the killer before the bodies start piling up.

I absolutely loved that this book was about a murderer copying Dean's father because it meant I got to learn more about Dean! Dean is an extremely closed off character. He keeps his emotions to himself and shuts down when things get too hard. He's moody and broody, but it's all because of what he went through with his father. I loved getting to understand Dean more and find out some more about his past and his childhood. The new agent also provided some insight into Dean's past because she worked with Briggs on Dean's fathers case and she was extremely close to him. 

Cassie is a naive but also pretty awesome character. She has her moments where I absolutely love her because she's so smart and awesome, and other times I want to knock some sense into her. Lia is snarky, bitchy and also awesome. Sloane is extremely smart, adorably awkward and just amazing. Michael is sweet, protective but also kind of a jerk.

I loved that we still got the POV of the killer - and it's written in second person narrative which makes it even creepier. I had to get my fiancé to take the book off of me one night because I couldn't put it down but it was creeping me out and I needed to go to sleep. The killers POV creeped me out in the first book and it did the same in this one - but I absolutely loved those snippets.

Like Cassie and the rest of The Naturals, I thought I had the killer figured out - and then evidence turned up to prove that they couldn't have done it. And that happened twice! I was at a complete loss as to who the killer could be since my two suspects had alibis. I loved being kept on my toes and there were so many twists and surprises that I never saw coming.

The ending was the biggest surprise about this book. I was on edge the whole time when I was reading it and I wouldn't have put it down for anything. There were parts where I had hope something good would happen and other parts where my stomach completely dropped. Barnes definitely kept me on my toes. There was also something that happened at that end that made me extremely happy.

Overall, Killer Instinct was a fantastic follow up to The Naturals. It was captivating, nail-biting, full of suspense and shocking twists. There's still a lot to be discovered about the other Naturals and I can't wait for the next book! Killer Instinct is out next Tuesday and I'd definitely recommend grabbing a copy! And if you haven't started this series yet... what are you waiting for? It's amazing!

Showcase Sunday #84

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea. This meme allows book bloggers to show off the books they collected over the last week.

Hello everyone! Apologies for no Showcase Sunday's for the past few weeks, I've been really busy on Saturday's and Sunday's and I just didn't have the time to sit down and write this post. So I have 3 weeks worth of books to show you, and it's actually not that much!

Bought

• physical

My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins

The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

• kindle

Rowdy (Marked Men #5) by Jay Crownover

More Than Music (Chasing the Dream #1) by Elizabeth Briggs

Netgalley

Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga #2) by Jennifer Donnelly

This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

What books did you get this week?

Waiting on Wednesday #92

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming
releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher

Series: Faerie Revolutions #1

Publisher: Flux

Publication Date: November 8th 2014

A Kingdom at War... 

Elora, the young princess of the Dark Faeries, plans to overthrow her tyrannical mother, the Dark Queen, and bring equality to faeriekind. All she has to do is convince her mother’s loathed enemy, the Bright Queen, to join her cause. But the Bright Queen demands an offering first: a human boy who is a “young leader of men.”

A Dark Princess In Disguise...

To steal a mortal, Elora must become a mortal—at least, by all appearances. And infiltrating a high school is surprisingly easy. When Elora meets Taylor, the seventeen-year-old who’s plotting to overthrow a ruthless bully, she thinks she’s found her offering . . . until she starts to fall in love.

How freaking beautiful is that cover? Also, FAERIES! I absolutely love faerie books so when I saw this one was about faeries I was instantly excited. The synopsis sounds fantastic and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

What are you waiting on this week?

Top New Series I Want To Start

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This weeks topic is:

Top New Series I Want To Start

1. Goddess War by Kendare Blake

2. Dualed by Elsie Chapman
3. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
4. Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGuinness
5. The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

6. Shadowlands by Kate Brian
7. After the End by Amy Plum
8. The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
9. The Game by Eve Silver
10. Superlatives by Jennifer Echols

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Series: Heroes of Olympus #5
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Source: Bought

Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

The Blood of Olympus was quite possibly my most anticipated release of the year - the final Heroes of Olympus book - and I was pretty freaking excited for it. The Blood of Olympus was a brilliant end to the Heroes of Olympus series, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of the series.

The Blood of Olympus took me forever to get through. It took me less time to read The Mark of Athena & The House of Hades - and they had more pages! Honestly, The Blood of Olympus had an extremely slow start for me. I wasn't as drawn into the story as I usually was, and I found myself only reading a couple of chapters a day because I was slightly bored. But, the book did pick up about a third of the way in and from that moment on I was hooked. 

The demigods are running out of time to stop Gaia from rising. Nico, Reyna and Coach Hedge are trying to get The Athena Parthenos back to Camp Jupiter before the Romans attack while Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Frank, Piper, Jason & Hazel head off to stop Gaia. 

I love every single one of the characters in the Heroes of Olympus series, so when it was revealed that one of the 7 demigods would die, I was obviously heartbroken. All 7 of the demigods are amazing for different reasons: Annabeth & Percy are just my absolute faves (obviously, no reasons needed); Leo is hilarious and bonkers; Jason is strong and hilarous; Piper is awesome; Frank is the sweetest and Hazel is badass. I just couldn't imagine losing one of those characters because I love them all. I also really, really love Reyna and Nico. Reyna is just so freaking awesome, badass and amazing. And Nico is the cutest, scariest, most adorable guy ever. 

The first part of the book dragged and just lacked the usual feel for me. I can't even explain exactly what it was, I just wasn't that invested at the beginning of the book. But luckily, the book picked up and during the second half I just couldn't put it down. I was excited to see whether the demigods were going to be able to stop Gaia or not - after all the build up throughout the series - or whether it would lead to a huge war, and I wanted to know which of the demigods was going to die - even though I was sure it would kill me. The build up to which character was going to die was kind of ruined when it told you who it was going to be chapters before it happened. Being told who it was going to be took away the emotion from the death. I absolutely adore the character that died, but honestly, I felt nothing during their death. Not a thing, and that's extremely unusual. I wish Riordan had kept that bit of information secret until the moment before the death. The action and fighting at the end of the book was fantastic! Riordan had me on my toes and he can definitely write a brilliant fight scene.

I really loved the ending of The Blood of Olympus, and I also didn't. It was a really happy ending and I did shed a happy tear. But I was also kind of expecting a more final ending from Riordan. I'm slightly happy about the open ending because it means that there could be more from the HoO characters (yay!), but I did really want a wrapped up ending.

Overall, The Blood of Olympus was a brilliant end to The Heroes of Olympus series. Although I didn't enjoy it was much as the rest of the series, I still thought it was a great end to the series. I'm sad that it's over, but I'm hoping that there may be appearances from certain HoO characters in Riordan's new series (pretty, pretty please!) which I'm super excited for!

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick
Series: No
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Source: Netgalley [Publisher]

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

I'm a massive fan of Becca Fitzpatrick. I absolutely love her Hish Hush saga, so when I heard she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to get it ASAP.

Black Ice follows Britt Pfeiffer who is going backpacking with her best friend Korbie for spring break. Korbie's boyfriend Bear, and her brother Calvin (Britt's ex) are also going with the girls. Calvin sets off for the cabin first, and then Britt and Korbie follow. As they're heading up to the cabin, the weather takes a turn for the worse, and they end up stranded in a snow storm. The girls are forced to leave the car behind and try to find help. They eventually come across a cabin occupied by two men. The girls accept the help of the two men, and then they're taken hostage. The men want a way off of the mountains, and Britt is the only person who can help them. The guys take Britt and try to make their way off of the mountains. And then Britt comes across some evidence that could possibly link one of the guys to the deaths in Teton Range. Britt is determined to stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her, but Britt soon learns that nothing it what it seems and secrets are being kept.

To begin with, Britt annoyed the hell out of me. She came across as spoiled, stupid, whiny and extremely naive. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot at her to begin with. But Britt's character developed throughout the book and I started to see a different side of her. She was determined, resourceful, smart and she used her initiative to try and keep herself alive. I started to like her more and more as the book went on.

I was not a fan of Korbie. Korbie is a bitch. A serious bitch. She acts like a 2 year old and she's always trying to best Britt. She's constantly moaning and she's completely spoiled. I didn't like her at all.

I was extremely unsure what to think of Calvin. He came across as a nice guy, but from what I'd heard of him from Britt, he was a complete ass. He had two different personalities and we saw both of them from Britt's flashbacks of her past with Calvin. He could be sweet and lovely, but he could also be a jerk and slightly alpha male. I couldn't make up my mind about him.

I knew Shaun was a creep the second he was introduced. The way he smiled and acted put me on edge. He's a creepy, twisted psycho.

My opinion of Mason changed a lot during the book. When he first made an appearance, I thought he was sweet. But at the cabin he seemed dangerous and mysterious. He sometimes seemed like he was on Britt's side, and other times he seemed like he was on Shaun's side. He was looking out for Britt and Korbie, so I had no idea what to think of him.

I was seriously questioning Britt & Korbie's sanity when they willing walked into the guys cabin and started flirting with them. And then were surprised when they were kidnapped. I think they must have missed the class on stranger danger. The book definitely started to pick up when Korbie was left behind. She was the most insufferable part of the book and I was so glad when she was gone. It was also this point that the book took a darker twist and things started to get serious. There was a lot of mystery in this book. All of the characters had secrets and their secrets added some unexpected twists. 

The romance was extremely awkward. Britt starts to fall for Mason (one of her kidnappers) when they're spending time together in the mountains. But Britt is also thinking about her ex, Calvin, and is determined to get back together with him. I was slightly creeped out by Britt and Mason to begin with, but I understood why she started to fall for him. I couldn't understand her hang up on Calvin. He treated her like shit, but she wants him back. I didn't get it.

The last quarter is where everything started to get exciting. There were more twist and shocking revelations, and although I had guessed a few of them, I was still shocked when they were revealed in the story. 

In all honesty, this is one book that could have done without an epilogue. Yes, it was nice to see Britt have something good happen in her life, but it also felt extremely unnecessary and slightly weird again.

Overall, I did enjoy Black Ice. It was a great mystery with brilliant twists, but I had some problems with the characters, the romance and I felt it was slightly predictable, so I didn't get completely lost in the book. However, I'd still recommend it and I can't wait to see what Fitzpatrick has in store next!

Waiting on Wednesday #91

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming
releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Captive by Aimee Carter

Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #2

Publisher: 

Publication Date: November 25th 2014

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

I've been dying for the follow up to Pawn ever since I read it in November last year and I'm super excited it's almost here! I can't wait to get back into Kitty's world because the ending of Pawn left me hanging and I'm desperate to know what's going to happen to Kitty now!

What are you waiting on this week?

The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard

The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard
Series: The Perfectionists #1
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Source: Publisher [Edelweiss]

In Beacon Heights High, Nolan Hotchkiss is king. His charm, wealth and good looks are deceptively seductive, and many are the students whose lives and reputations have been ruined by it. All while Nolan continues to reign, unquestioned and undisrupted. Until now, that is.

Mackenzie, Ava, Julie, Caitlin and Parker seemingly don't have much in common. Each has their own friends, dramas and goals. But one thing they do share: they all have a deep hatred of Nolan Hotchkiss. And they all think it's about time he paid for what he's done. They come up with the perfect murder - a hypothetical murder, of course. It's all wishful thinking ... until they wake up one morning to find that their wish has come true. Nolan has been killed - in exactly the way they planned. The thing is, they didn't do it. So who did?

I've only ever read one Sara Shepard book before (the first PLL book) and I enjoyed it, but I was already way too engrossed in the TV show and because it's so different from the books, I never got around to reading the rest of them. So when I heard about The Perfectionists and the synopsis had a slight PLL feel to it, I knew I had to read it.

The Perfectionists follows 5 girls - Ava, Caitlin, Julie, Mackenzie & Parker - who are brought together by their hatred of Nolan Hotchkiss. Nolan has done something horrible to each of the girls - some worse than others - and they all want to make him pay for what he's done. So they come up with a plan to humiliate him at one of his parties. The next morning they wake up and discover that Nolan Hotchkiss was found dead at the party, and the girls find themselves the main suspects. But the girls know they didn't do it, so they set out to find out who murdered Nolan before they're framed for it.

I've been reading a lot of YA crime/mystery/revenge books lately and The Perfectionists is definitely one of the best. Shepard's writing style is so easy-going and I found myself reading constantly for hours and thinking only an hour had gone by. 

Despite the fact that there were five main characters (plus their friends/family and love interests), I feel like I really got to know each of the girls. Ava is and extremely beautiful young girl who is determined to prove that she's not just a pretty face, that she has brains too. She's naive and gets herself into a pretty weird situation, but she's really sweet. And she also has the sweetest boyfriend. Caitlin has been having troubles since her brother's death. She's beginning to question her life dedicated to soccer and wondering whether there's something else out there for her. Her boyfriend, Josh, isn't the most sensitive person and doesn't seem to give a shit about what she's going through. She then starts to develop feelings for Josh's younger brother, Jeremy, who understands her. Julie is embarrassed about her home life and her mother, so she puts on a perfect front to hide it from everyone. Parker is the only person who knows the real Julie and knows what her life is like. Mackenzie has dedicated her whole life to playing the cello and getting into Julliard. Her and her best friend Claire are constantly competing against each other. Claire knows that Mackenzie has had a crush on Blake forever, but when Blake kisses Claire, Mackenzie swallows her feelings and pretends to be happy for him. She convinces herself she doesn't have time for a real life - practicing is her life. Parker has had a troubled life and her run in with Nolan brought everything to a head. Now her father is in jail, her mother hates her and Parker has receded into a shell to hide the person she's become. She's extremely self-conscious and closed-off, and she's suffering from extreme headaches and memory loss due to an incident with her father. 
Every single one of the girls had a motive to kill Nolan Hotchkiss, but I'm not going to tell you what they were. One of the best parts of the book is finding out their reasons.

Right from the word go there was so much going on in this book. It was packed full of suspense, mystery and loads of twists that kept adding more mystery! I actually think I had more questions at the end of this book than answers, there's so much still to be uncovered! There was a pervy teacher hitting on students, a creepy therapist following one of the girls around (although I definitely think there's more to his story and hopefully he'll be in book 2), back-stabbing best friends (never saw it coming!) and a couple of love triangles. Caitlin, Josh & Jeremy were the main love triangle. After Caitlin and Jeremy's first encounter in the cemetery, I knew there was going to be something between them. They had a connection that Caitlin and Josh didn't have, plus, Josh is an ass. And then we had Mackenzie, Blake and Claire. I can't really go too much into their relationship, but Claire is a bitch and I did like Blake to start with. I'm possibly reading too much into their relationship, but maybe Julie and Parker have some romantic feelings for each other? Yes? No? I kind of hope they do. 

The ending was a holy crap! ending because there were Even. More. Twists! Sarah Shepard sure loves her suspense and now I have to spend a year waiting and wondering what's going to happen and find out who killed Nolan! I have one possible suspect, but only because of something that happened at the end of the book. I'm not sure if this person is tied to the Nolan thing, but I definitely think their tied to the twist at the end. And also framing it on the girls (for some unknown reason).

Overall, The Perfectionists is fantastic mystery/revenge novel. It was thrilling, fast-paced and the ending left me desperate for more! The wait for book 2 is going to kill me, but I honestly can't wait for it.

Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell

Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell
Series: No
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: October 8th 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Lucy Aimes has always been practical. But try as she might, she can’t come up with a logical explanation for the recurring dreams that have always haunted her. Dark dreams. Dreams of a long-ago place filled with people she shouldn’t know…but does.

When her family moves to a New Orleans plantation, Lucy’s dreams become more intense, and her search for answers draws her reluctantly into the old city’s world of Voodoo and mysticism. There, Lucy finds Alex, a mysterious boy who behaves as if they’ve known each other forever. Lucy knows Alex is hiding something, and her rational side doesn’t want to be drawn to him. But she is.

As she tries to uncover Alex’s secrets, a killer strikes close to home, and Lucy finds herself ensnared in a century-old vendetta. With the lives of everyone she loves in danger, Lucy will have to unravel the mystery of her dreams before it all comes to a deadly finish.

I had such high hopes for Sweet Unrest, and while it wasn't a terrible book, it just wasn't what I had expected. I was expecting a lot of mystery, suspense, lots of voodoo and magic - but that wasn't what I got. 

Lucy Aimes and her family have mores to New Orleans to live on a plantation that her father is going to study. Lucy has been haunted by strange dreams for as long as she can remember, and they get more intense after the move. Lucy comes across a strange boy named Alex, and she gets the feeling they've met before. Alex is hiding something from Lucy and as she tries to uncover it, strange things start to happen.

Lucy as a main character was OK. She wasn't brilliant, but she also wasn't completely terrible. She could be a determined and stubborn character, and it was those times that I really liked her. And then there were times she let "The men" boss her around when she's perfectly capable of looking out for herself. It took her a lot longer than me to start piecing everything together and I was actually wondering whether she ever would. But she did have her moments when I really liked her.

Alex was... dull. That's honestly the best way to describe him. I didn't feel any pull towards him at all and he just bored me. I wanted to skip over his parts but because he's tied to the bigger story line, I couldn't. I just felt nothing for him.

Sweet Unrest had a lot going for it to start with. I was intrigued by Lucy's dreams; I wanted to know more about Mama Legba & her voodoo and I wanted to know more about the history of the plantation. There was supposed to be a mystery surrounding some murders that were happening in the present, but also happened in the past, and it just didn't grab me. There was also a case of insta-love and in my opinion, it didn't work at all because I didn't feel like there was anything romantic between the characters at all. It just kind of happened. However, I did love finding out more about Lucy's dreams. They were telling a story from the past and I really enjoyed figuring out what the dreams meant and getting to see snippets of the past. My interest in the whole wavered - there were times when I was enjoying it, and times when I was bored. It was just one of those books. The one thing I did actually learn from this book is that Marie Leveau was a real person - I honestly thought she'd been made up for American Horror Story, but apparently not! 

The ending did really disappoint me. In all honesty, I was expecting a happier ending for Lucy and Alex - even if it would have made me roll my eyes. But the way Sweet Unrest ended left me feeling like there should be more to the story. 

Overall, Sweet Unrest was a good read. I enjoyed parts of it, while other parts weren't as good, but it was enough to keep me reading to the end. While I don't think I'd read Sweet Unrest again, I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Maxwell's books.

Showcase Sunday #83

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea. This meme allows book bloggers to show off the books they collected over the last week.

Hello everyone! Apologies for no Showcase Sunday last week! I didn't think I'd gotten any books at all last week, but I forgot I had a few review copies from Netgalley, and I didn't remember until about 5pm. Oops! But, oh well! This week has been a pretty good week for me. My reading slump seems to be gone (fingers crossed) and I'm getting back on track with my blog - which is making me extremely happy.

Bookwise, I got one of my most anticipated books of the year early! And I bought a kindle book in preparation for my buddy read with Brittany. I also got a few review books from Netgalley and Edelweiss.

Bought
• physical

The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan

• kindle

The Terror Beneath (The Monstrumologist #1) by Rick Yancey

Netgalley

Killer Instinct (The Naturals #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

When by Victoria Laurie

Ensnared (Splintered #3) by A. G. Howard (3 CHAPTER SAMPLE)

Cold Feet at Christmas by Debbie Johnson

Thanks to Disney Hyperion, Amulet & Harper Collins.

Edelweiss

A Cold Legacy (The Madman's Daughter #3) by Megan Shepherd

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Thanks to Harper Collins.

What books did you get this week?

Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
Series: Worldwalker #1
Publisher: Macmillan Childrens Books
Publication Date: 28th August 2014
Source: Publisher & Won

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

I'm a massive fan of Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed trilogy, so when I heard she had a new series coming out about witches, I was sold. Trial by Fire is set in Salem with Salem witches, magic and multiple worlds which made it awesome. The wonderful MyKindaBook were hosting a competition and I was lucky enough to win a copy of the book and my very own willstone!

Lily was an extremely weak character and I couldn't connect with her at all. In fact, I actually didn't really like her that much. She was naive and annoyed me most of the time. But she did grow and learn a lot through the book. She also had to adapt to a lot of new situations - which she did surprisingly well.

There were three main guys in Lily's life: Rowan, Tristan & Caleb. Rowan is Lillian's ex-mechanic/lover. He's a very cautious and guarded character. He's suspects that Lily isn't telling him the truth and keeps her at arms length for most of the book. Tristan was exactly the same as the Tristan in Lily's world - easy to get along with, trustworthy and hilarious. Caleb was the only one that didn't make much of an impact on me. He's a sweet guy, but I don't know much about him. 

Lillian was the most interesting character and we didn't get to know her that well. Lillian is hiding something and something happened to cause such a drastic change in her, but we don't know exactly what that was. And I'm desperate to know!

The storyline was extremely interesting. It was full of witches; multiple worlds; spirit walking; willstones and so much more that completely pulls you in. I was hooked and couldn't put this book down.

The writing was only thing I had a slight problem with. It felt slightly juvenile to me and a lot different from the writing I'm used to from Angelini. Some of the dialogue had me rolling my eyes and cringing, but that being said, I still couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know more about the world and what was going to happen.

Overall, while I didn't love this as much as Angelini's previous series, I still really enjoyed it. There's so much more to be explored in this series and I honestly can't wait for the next book.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Publication Date: September 11th 2014
Source: Netgalley [Publisher] & Bought

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS

September Wrap Up/October TBR

Hello everyone! Another month has gone and we're getting closer and closer to the end of the year - which I honestly can't believe! September has been the best reading month I've had in a looooong time. I managed to read 15 books and 2 novellas! I'm also in the middle of a couple of books that I've had to put down for the time being because I'm not in the mood for them, but hopefully I can finish them this month.

September was also a really great month book wise. There was really only one book I read that I hated. I had one stand out favourite this month and that book was The Jewel by Amy Ewing. I haven't really been in the mood for dystopians for months, but The Jewel brought the love back.

October TBR

So for October, I'm not setting myself a specific TBR list. I have 7 review books that I definitely need to get read this month.

There are a few new releases this month like: The Blood of Olympus; Stone Cold Touch; All Broke Down; Echoes of Scotland Street & Rowdy, that will be taking priority because I've been waiting for them for so long. Brittany and I will probably read a lot of the new releases together (or within days of each other), but since it's Hallowe'en this month, we've decided to go with some creepy reads. The books we're choosing from are: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs; Say Her Name by James Dawson; The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman; The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey & Asylum by Madeleine Roux. I'm also planning to re-read The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin in preparation for the final book finally being released next month!

But other than those I'm just going to read whatever I feel like this month!

What was the best book you read in September, and what October release are you most looking forward to?