Originally posted on my blog Books Forget Me Knot.

I received an eARC of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For months I have been highly anticipating the release of School Spirits, the spin-off series to Rachel Hawkins beloved Hex Hall series. You cannot believe how ecstatic I was to get approved by Netgalley! I think I may have let out an inhumane sound – sort of like when Dory is trying to talk whale in Finding Nemo.

Anyways, onto reviewing we go!

Izzy Brannick is your average, teenage monster hunter. Her family has been in the business of hunting beasties for centuries. They are the great Brannicks, women of immense strength and legend. When Izzy’s older sister, Finely disappears, her mother decides to take a break and find a small job in a new town. The local high school has been subject to recent hauntings. Izzy is determined to prove to her mother that she is a good hunter. But as she sets out to investigate, Izzy instead gets tangled into a web of social norms, friends, and a possible love interest that may be hiding a secret.

First, I want to say that I absolutely adored Izzy Brannick! She has a little bit of sass just like her cousin Sophie Mercer. You may remember Izzy from Spell Bound, the last book in the Hex Hall series. Izzy isn’t as sarcastic as Sophie, but I loved her nonetheless. Izzy is strong, smart, incredibly witty, and sassy. She’s also cutely oblivious to social norms and behaviors. Her run-in with boys and what their actions may entail were a mystery to her, an uncertainty. I really liked those small parts because, well….it reminded me of awkward high school days. You remember those days? The ones that consisted trying to guess what a boy meant when he walked you to class or gave you his phone number. Did it mean he liked you? That’s kind of the same vibe that Izzy struggles with Dex.

That sort of atmosphere also made the novel relatable, which I adored. It’s founded on realism and tinged with kickass supernatural aspects.

When it comes to her love interest, Dex, I can’t help but smile. He’s different. There’s quite a mystery surrounding him. When Izzy first meets him, she senses magic. She guesses that he is Prodigium – a magical being such as a warlock, fae, werewolf, ect. I honestly thought so too, but he didn’t seem to know that he was. Dex is quite the character. He’s unique, funny, and charming. He also has dazzling blue eyes – who could not fall for that? Dex’s story isn’t revealed until the very end where I am met with a tantalizing bulldozer. But it made complete sense for the entirety of the novel, which was brilliantly done.

Secondary characters were used entirely in this novel, which is something that I like seeing. Romy, Anderson, Maya, and even Torin (the Warlock trapped in a mirror). I loved Romy and how she stood behind the PMS (Paranormal Management Society) club 110 percent even when the other kids in school treat her differently and like a joke. Then there is Anderson, a reformed jock, who joined because well…I won’t tell you this reason because it’s spoilery and I don’t want to give anything away! Just know that it’s a good reason. And finally, Dex, who will do anything and everything out of the norm. Maya and Torin prove to be valuable when information is concerned. Without them there would be no momentum for the novel. Every single character served a purpose and wasn’t left off to the side and forgotten. If there is something I truly dislike in a novel is discarded characters. Definite brownie points to Rachel Hawkins for this!

The benevolent spirit that haunts the high school is of Mary Evans, a girl who died in a cave a few miles from the school. The mystery and reasoning for the haunting is also revealed at the end. It’s part of that shocking and unexpected twist I mentioned earlier. The ghost is evil and wants revenge for what happened to her and she won’t stop until she succeeds. The few instances where Mary is able to manipulate certain objects and attempt to kill someone is scary to say the least. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to be a target of Mary Evan’s anger.

All in all, I adored School Spirits. There was a little bit of everything throughout the novel: romance, action, mystery, surprising twists. I just loved Izzy Brannick and her spunk. Her tone and voice was one of the things that drove this novel. If it wasn’t for a strong female protagonist then it would have flopped. But it didn’t. I highly enjoyed it and loved every piece of dialogue and humor that was woven into the story. Definitely recommend it to all you Hex Hall fans when it hits the shelves later this year in May!

Memorable quotes:

Not even lunch and I’d already nearly killed someone.

I was never going to stop blushing. I was actually going to die of blood loss because there wasn’t any left to pump through my heart. It was all in my face.

I actually felt it was going quite well, and I hadn’t even gotten to the part where I declare you a tiger sent to matriculate among kittens.

This is fun. Weird and disturbing and possibly illegal, but still fun.

MINIMUM TO NO SPOILERS LIE AHEAD. READ FORTH MY LOVELIES!

Clockwork Princess is purely magical.

I have never read a book where I’ve laughed, cried, been unbelievably giddy, and had my heart ripped out of my chest all in a matter of seconds within each page. But Cassandra Clare’s final installment in The Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Princess, takes the gold and a very special place in my heart. It is undoubtedly one of my all time favorite books to have ever been written in the world. Just thinking about it all brings a fresh wave of tears as I say goodbye to a beloved series.

They aren’t just characters on a page, they’re friends who I have grown to know and adore. The level of my emotional state while reading Clockwork Princess was off the radar.

One minute I was giddily happy, the next I was a complete and utter mess, and finally I was left with happy tears burning my eyes.

I constantly say in my previous reviews that a good book brings forth raw emotion upon it’s readers. Clockwork Princess did that. It actually takes the gold on ailing my poor heart with all kinds of feelings that just made me ridiculously happy, but also broke a piece of me.

It’s been a few weeks since I last finished the series and I still cannot let go of how I felt. It’s unreal. To say that I was not emotionally invested in this book would be a serious understatement.

Okay, so I’m now going to stop myself from rambling on about my feelings and get to the basis of the book and how brilliantly written it was.

Clockwork Princess is written in various 3rd person p.o.v’s, which added to the level of closeness and familiarity the reader had with the characters. For the first time in the series, we got to hear from Cecily Herondale and Gabriel Lightwood. Two new voices and surprisingly, important characters to the series.

The novel begins a few months after the events of Clockwork Prince. Tessa is trying on her wedding dress, when Gabriel Lightwood comes to the London Institute with terrible news. His father has turned into a demon. And not just any demon – a ghastly worm.

This event throws the London Institute Shadowhunters into action and ultimately brings them to a clue about Mortamin’s plans. Tessa is the key to his plans and Will and Jem will do anything to keep her safe.

One of the things that I really loved (and it’s probably my favorite thing) about Clockwork Princess was the character development. Tessa has grown immensely throughout all three novels. She isn’t that fragile and shy girl we met in Clockwork Angel. She’s fiercely loyal and strong.

Then, there is Will Herondale who is one of my fictional loves. I just love him. I love how noble, infuriating, cocky, funny, and selfless he is. He denied himself happiness for so long that I just wanted to hug him and tell him everything is going to be okay. Will is faced with inner turmoil over his love for Tessa and his undying loyalty to Jem in this novel. It’s not easy being in love with your friend’s fiance but he manages to keep himself in control of his feelings most of the time. He has grown so much; from the boy who was sarcastic and only showed tenderness towards his Parabati to a guy who slowly begins to come out of that hardened shell.

Next is Jem Carstairs, Will’s parabati and best friend. Recent developments endanger his life and Will and Tessa will go till the ends of the earth to save him. There are certain parts within the novel that I just absolutely admire Jem. He’s brave and strong, and much like Will, unselfish. There is a surprising twist to Jem’s character that you will just love and not believe. But it’s so cleverly ingenious that you are left incredulous.

The character dynamics/ relationships within all the characters is just FANTASTIC! I really got that sense of being there, watching it all unfold in front of my eyes. I just LOVE LOVE LOVED the relationships. It’s what made me giddily happy and took some of that disheartening stress away from perilous events. I received my copy of Clockwork Princess with the family tree. But by the angel, DO NOT READ IT UNTIL YOU FINISH THE BOOK.

I absolutely loved every single character, even Jessamine Lovelace redeemed herself from what she did in Clockwork Princes. Every character is vital and it’s one of the things that I adore. Henry Bramwell is a genius. He’s the reason why Shadowhunters have the devices they do in the modern world, which is brilliant on Cassie’s part to have intricately woven that concept in this series.

That’s how important small details matter. Cassandra Clare is the Queen of integrating small things into her novels that eventually become very important things. We find out a lot revelations like how the Herondale mark began, the mystery behind Tessa’s lineage, and why Alec (from The Mortal Instruments) has blue eyes. They are truths that have always made me think, and I’m very happy about the results. EXTREMELY HAPPY.

Also, I really liked how Tessa defeated Mortmain. That was clever. Genius! It was simply done, but I loved how her gift played a part in it.

Lastly, there is the epilogue. I LOVED IT. I honestly loved it to pieces. It broke my heart, I was sobbing uncontrollably reading it and then I was happy for Tessa and *insert character name here*. There is a lot of debate over the epilogue, but in my opinion, it was the best and most beautiful way that Clare could have ended the novel. It was just…PERFECTION.

If you are a fan of the Infernal Devices series and haven’t read the final installment, READ IT. If you love books, READ THIS SERIES. Clockwork Princess is purely magical. You’ll fall in love with characters and Clare’s uniquely and addictive writing style. It’s just absolutely, amazingly, brilliant.

4.5 stars

Originally posted on my blog, Books Forget Me Knot.

So as many of you know I come from Wattpad – an online writing community website. With that said, I was a little wary to dive into The Love Game by Emma Hart. Why? Well, a lot of stories on Wattpad are badly written GIRL PLAYS PLAYER stories. They are HUNDREDS of them and are overly cliche, which is one thing I absolutely detest as a reader.

I was pleasantly surprised with Hart’s unique spin to an overused story line. I think I may have even fallen in love in the process, just like the main female protagonist, Maddie Stevens.

It all starts with a game in which both Maddie and Braden are involved with unknowingly to each other. As the story progresses, we get to see both characters slowly change.

Braden isn’t just your typical chauvinist pig. He actually has a heart buried underneath his sexual exploits. His character honestly unnerved me at the beginning. He was just your average frat guy, partying and having sex with whatever had a pulse. Okay, so not everything..but yano. In a way, Maddie indirectly changes him. He starts to have feelings where he genuinely cares about Maddie. These moments were the times where my opinion of him began to change.

Then there is Maddie. She’s strong, witty, and broken. There are secrets that she has buried and left back in Brooklyn. But when life throws you curve balls, you can’t exactly dodge them. Maddie didn’t realize that the one person who would be there, as solid rock to keep her afloat, would be the person she thought she hated. Along the way…Maddie’s opinion of Braden also changes and she starts to see that she’s losing the game.

One of my favorite things about The Love Game was the witty, humorous lines the characters gave. There was also the tangible amount of realism to the story. The novel is told from two p.o.v’s: Maddie and Braden’s. I found Braden’s perspective real and not “girly” whatsoever. At first, I was a little unhinged by the amount of curse words thrown in, courtesy of Braden Carter. After a few chapters I got used to it and found that it was one of his specific traits that I liked.

The other thing I REALLY liked was the fact that it was cleverly and nicely written. I just want to hug Emma Hart for that fact and making me see that not all PLAYER stories are awful.

Then there are the steamy scenes involving Braden and Maddie. All I can say is….HOT. Wow. I think I blushed a couple of times…which I have to applaud Emma Hart for. Only good writer’s can bring forth those kinds of FEELINGS.

Overall, I was really lucky and fortunate to receive an ARC for The Love Game. I read the majority of the novel in the car on my road trip this passed weekend and it definitely kept my mind occupied. I couldn’t stop reading it for a second! It kind of also reminded me of John Tucker Must Die, where the girl sets out to play the resident player. But like I said, Emma Hart brings a new spin to the GIRL PLAYS THE PLAYER story line. The Love Game is a page turner, filled with wit, humor, sweetness, and is downright sexy.

I definitely recommend this lovely gem to readers 18+ as it does have explicit content and language. You’ll just LOVE it. I promise.

Originally posted on my blog, Books Forget Me Knot.

The Boyfriend App is fresh, riveting, funny, and positively delightful read!

I received an ARC copy of The Boyfriend App from one of Epic Read’s Tea Time twitter livestream a few weeks ago. I was absolutely ecstatic and couldn’t wait to sink into this contemporary novel.

We live in the digital era and The Boyfriend App reflects the technologically advanced world we live in. In Audrey’s world Public is parallel to Apple. BuyPhones are iphones. BuyJames is iTunes. The comparisons are brilliantly done, and I like that Sise contributed those aspects in her novel.

Our female protagonist, Audrey McCarthy is faced with a burden all high school seniors are faced with: How will I pay for college? It’s been a hard life for Audrey ever since her dad died freshmen year due to a job related accident. Her mother works at her school as a lunch lady, her salary barely making ends meet. And Audrey’s measly babysitting jobs doesn’t amount to anything in the end.

But she’s an excellent student, a Trog (incredibly computer geeky), and has great friends. When Public announces an app contest, Audrey jumps at the chance to build the perfect app and secure a 200,000 grand prize scholarship.

I honestly adored this book. From the moment I began to read it, I just couldn’t stop myself from devouring the pages. I read most of it in 3 sittings, and finished a sliver of it this morning. I just loved everything about it, from our female protagonist to her friends Lindsay, Nigit, Aiden, and Mindy; from the creation of TBA to Audrey’s possible romance with Xander and Aiden (you can clearly see who I’d pick).

This novel made me want to be a techy genius! I wished that I could understand programming like I understand words. I wanted to be Audrey, which is something that I have not felt in a long time. Audry is the epitome of high school senior girls, those who worry about university and how they will pay it off without going into debt in the process. I also liked how Audrey had changed throughout her high school career. That was very real and honest. I could identify with Audrey on so many levels and it’s what made me want to be just like her, in the ways that I wasn’t.

The other thing I liked about this novel was the relationships between the characters. I liked how Lindsay, Nigit, Mindy, and Aiden all had a part in Audrey’s journey, but also going on their very own journey’s at the same time. Lindsay found Nigit and vice versa. Mindy found her voice. And Aiden…well, Aiden got the courage to finally do something he’s been wanting to for years. *cue in the swooning*

This isn’t all sugar cubes and rainbows, though. Audrey’s reputation is at stake not once, but three times. I kept thinking that her social life and name couldn’t possibly be ruined any further, but Sise created new scenarios that would have made me have a full on panic attack right then and there. But Audrey is strong and she played a dangerous game, getting burned, hated, and threatened. But in the end she was victorious and I was just so extremely happy for her.

Plus, she gets the guy.

*zips lips* Mum’s the word.

I highly recommend this novel. The Boyfriend App is a fresh, riveting, funny, and positively delightful read! Lucky for all of you, The Boyfriend App hits shelves tomorrow, April 30th, so go out and grab yourself a copy. You won’t regret it! Promise.

Originally posted on my blog, Books Forget Me Knot.

A beautifully spun and crafted love story, Let The Sky Fall will have you captivated from beginning to end.

Vane Weston believes he is an ordinary teenage guy who is unlucky with girls until Audra – a girl he’s been dreaming about every since he can remember shows up in his bedroom in the middle of the night. He doesn’t entirely complain, I mean it’s his dream girl and she’s real! But then Audra tells Vane that he’s a sylph, an air elemental. Everything that Vane knew is shattered and he’s thrust into a world he did not know was a part of him all along.

Audra is a gifted guardian, one of the best in the Gale Force. That is why she has been guarding Vane ever since he was a boy. Her duty is to protect Vane at all costs, even if it means sacraficing her own life to do so.

Apart from protecting Vane, Audra needs to awaken his heritage. He is the last Weston – the only person who could possibly defeat Raiden and his Stormers. But the threat of Raiden’s warriors isn’t the only threat indangering Audra and Vane’s safety.

Okay, so I just absolutely adored this book! The book is told from two perspectives: Vane and Audra’s. I really loved Vane’s p.o.v. I was literally fangirling every couple of pages because Vane Weston is the BEST GOOD GUY PROTAGONIST I HAVE READ IN A WHILE. He’s your typical male teenager. Shy, a bit cocky, and sarcastic. I just *sigh* I really loved him.

You know what I liked about him too? His relationship with his mother. Vane is so sweet and considerate to her, to both of his parents. He honestly feels guilty for hiding the truth from her and lying to his parents about where he is when he’s out at the crack of dawn or out all night due to sylph training. Of course, he can’t tell them that he’s training and developing his powers because that would put them at risk. So why did I like that aspect so much? Because for once, the protagonist of a novel cared about what his parents thought about his strange behavior. Also, the parents cared about him immensely even when they weren’t his real parents. They treated him like he was their own flesh and blood. I really liked that underlining message in the novel.

Audra’s character and relationship with her mother is the complete polar opposite of Vane’s. From a very young age Audra has sacrificed her wants and needs for everyone else’s. That is why she is the youngest and the best guardian in the Gale Force. Her level of self control and discipline surpasses her elders. One of the main reasons Audra is so hard on herself is because of the encompassing all consuming guilt she feels for what happened in the category five tornado that killed her father and Vane’s parents. Her mother treats Audra with a cold indifference and makes her feel as if she is not important. I was very sympathetic towards Audra and at one point almost cried because of how little she thought of herself. No one should ever feel that way. No exceptions.

Vane helps Audra realize that she is important that someone does care what happens to her. Audra on the other hand, gives Vane strength. They balance each other out, which is one of my favorite things about the novel. They are each others halves, and it’s undeniable what they have with one another, even before they realize how they feel.

The setting of the story itself is beautiful and uniquely creative. The entire aspect of wind walkers and how they have a special relationship with the wind, understanding their whispers and their songs. So beautiful. The characteristics of each wind: east, west, south and north – were genius! They each have their own temperament and it matches with Vane and Audra’s characteristic, depending on which wind their family comes from.

The ongoing threat of Raiden and his Stormers finding Vane loomed over his and Audra’s mind throughout the novel. The sense of urgency was palpable and created an air of oncoming danger. When the moment came, well – it wasn’t what I was expecting what so ever! Plus, there was a shocking revelation that came to light that just was just disheartening!

Oh, and not to mention the ending itself! All I can say is that I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel! I need more Vane and Audra but mostly Vane in my life!

A beautifully spun and crafted love story, Let The Sky Fall, will have you captivated from beginning to end. It was also one of my favorite reads in April and was mentioned in my Goodbye April, Hello May monthly favorites post. It’s charged with romance, action, surprising twists, and voices that will keep you hooked! I highly recommend it, folks! :)

P.S. Isn’t the cover gorgeous? It’s so beautiful and it’s also one of the scenes in the book right down to the letter!

P.S.S. I had the pleasure of meeting Shannon at the Yappiest event at Disney a few weeks ago. She is absolutely lovely and so very sweet! I would have posted pictures but I was a spaz and didn’t take pictures of any of the authors O.o

Originally posted on my blog, Books Forget Me Knot.

Dusty Everhart is a Nightmare, a magical being who feeds off of dreams in order to sustain her magic. Sort of like a succubus, but she’s not evil. Not one bit. When Dusty breaks into Eli Booker’s bedroom and goes into his dream, she is confused. Eli is dreaming about a murder, of a girl that Dusty knows goes to her school. Things get even more complicated when Eli touches Dusty in the dream and thrusts her out.

No one has ever done that before and all Dusty can do is run.

When the dream of the murder becomes true, Eli and Dusty join together, following the clues hidden in Eli’s dreams as well as around them. With her motley crew, Dusty sets out to find the killer before another body is found.

Dusty Everhart is spunky and has no filter. Her voice throughout the story is what drives the novel. She is also very sarcastic and unapologetic. I really liked that about her because she’s not afraid to be who she is. People have a disdain for her because she’s a Nightmare, but she doesn’t let it affect her entirely to the point that she’s an outcast. Dusty is also a fighter and stands up firmly for what she believes in.

Then there is Eli. Dusty has a connection with Eli that I absolutely loved! Eli is this unbelievably attractive, brooding, and sweet guy. At first, he doesn’t know what to think of Dusty. I mean, the first time he meets her she’s feeding off of his dream! That would put any guy at arm’s length. He soon begins to care about Dusty and her well-being. He’s even a little bit jealous (at least in my opinion) when another guy becomes part of her life. It’s glaringly obvious that Eli more than cares about Dusty and others know it, except for Dusty herself.

Eli is also an all around great guy. He sticks up for the underdogs, and doesn’t stand behind bullying. He’s his own person and I really liked that he didn’t fit the typical hot guy persona. You know, the one where the guy follows the crowd but inside he’s a great guy? Well, Eli is a great guy and he projects that inside and out.

I also liked the supporting characters. They each attributed something for the cause. Plus, it was nice getting to know Dusty’s best friend, Selene and her potential love interest, even though I was rooting for Eli FTW.

As for the story itself, the first three chapters were a bit hard to get into as the author uses them to paint Dusty’s world in our mind, which was creatively written! But after baring through those chapters, I was instantly hooked with Dusty’s story. The novel was very fast-paced afterwards as Dusty got closer and closer to figuring out the cause for the murders. Yes, murders as in plural. It was like a detective story, where Dusty and her friends try to figure out what in the world is going on. They also single-handedly do what the police cannot: find the cause for the murders and the killer.

The ending is a complete 180. I did not see it coming whatsoever. When I was sure who the killer was, I was proven wrong. It’s the person you least expect it to be.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Nightmare Affair. It was fast paced, quirky, and full of mystery. It’s sets up the series rather nicely and I cannot wait to see what else Arnett has in store for Dusty, Eli, and Selene!

I received an eARC copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.