**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**Like it Never Happened is a young adult contemporary book set featuring a high school drama troupe. A group of five friends and the story of their high school years. I really enjoyed reading Like it Never Happened. It reminded me of 90s shows like Salute your Shorts and Clarissa Explains it all, though I am not really sure why. It is set in contemporary 2014/2015, but it really felt like a 90s throw back to me, and I totally loved that. Like it Never Happened is author Emily Adrian's debut novel, which completely astounded me. She is an excellent writer, and she seemed so well practiced. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us readers next.

Like it never happened follows a group of 5 best friends, and their trials and tribulations in the theater at their school. Right at the start of the book they make a pack to never date one another. But I knew that was going to change at some point. I was a little excited and a little disappointing all at once with the way things played out with Charlie. It was kind of bittersweet and all at once perfect (in a weird way.) My emotions ying yanged all over the place with this book. Emily Adrian did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of high school. I think that is why I had conflicting emotions. Even if something didn't turn out the way I pictured it in my head, it felt so utterly real.

I loved Rebecca so much. She was me in this book. I am nothing like her, but while I was reading Like it Never Happened I became her. It was pretty freakin' cool. Charlie left me with mixed feelings. As did Tess a bit and Rebecca's sister Mary. Like it Never Happened kind of reminded me of Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid, but only a little bit. There are classically high school characters that are rich and each have very distinct personalities. And let's not forget that they are all drama fanatics so there is a flair for the dramatic in Like it Never Happened, but this was such a great addition to the young adult genre. I really enjoyed Like it Never Happened.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**

Jillian Cade: (Fake) Paranormal Investigator by Jen Klein is a young adult book that made me so happy because it totally surprised me. It is the first book in an unnamed series, and I am so crazy happy that there are going to be more of these books especially because of the direction that Jen Klein took Jillian Cade in. Jillian is the daughter of a paranormal expert, whom she lovingly (not really) refers to as a con artist. That should tell you all you need to know on Jillian's stance on the paranormal.

I felt so bad for Jillian. I mean, her mom passed away, her dad is always off traveling so you can guess that there is a bit of a strain on their relationship because of that. Not to mention Jillian is kind of bitter about the whole paranormal thing because her father has basically abandoned her to tour the world, leaving her alone and without money to even pay the power bill at her house. Talk about child neglect. To keep things going Jillian heads up her dad's paranormal investigation private eye business. I loved that she made her clients jump through password hoops to protect her identity from them. She is a savvy one, which is one of the things that I immediately liked about her. She is a fighter. A sassy fighter.

Jillian and her cousin help people rid ghosts from their house, or help out with curses, and the like, even though Jillian doesn't believe in any of it. (think Psych or monk or the mentalist.) But when a new guy shows up in town, and is a big groupie of her dad he basically forces her to come along on her next assignment. Saving the popular girl at school's boyfriend from a curse. And that is about all I am going to tell you about the plotline from the book because this book is just so darn good, I don't want to spoil a thing. Whether you are going into Jillian Cade expecting a contemporary or more of a paranormal, it doesn't matter, because I guarantee you will be surprised and pleasantly so while reading. (and nope, I am not going to tell you which one of those I expected. I've even included both contemporary and paranormal in my genres as a kind of pathetic attempt to throw you off. It's not actually both. winkwink)

If you love spunky characters, a riveting plotline, some romance to boot, and not to mention the set up for what looks like it is going to be a great series, then you have the right book. Jillian Cade exceeded all of my expectations. And then some.


This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**

Persuasion is the second book in the awesome southern Gothic romance, the Heirs of Watson Island series. I read, reviewed and completely and totally LOVED Compulsion last year. So, I was super excited to dive into Persuasion. If you have not checked out the series yet, now is the perfect time because Compulsion is releasing in paperback and Persuasion releases next month. I think it is a good idea to read these books back to back because they really do build on each other. It took me a moment to get back into the swing of things and to remember what each of the three families "gifts/curses" were. But once I did, I was once again completely swept up in the magic that Martina Boone weaves with her words.

I love how vivid and rich this series feels. I can feel the mansion, the fire, the spirits, and all the tensions among the families. Not to mention the suspicion and distrust that was a tangible force on every page. I could literally feel it surrounding everyone, and especially Barrie. I swear, I still am not 100% sure who I can trust. I second guessed my intuition more than Barrie did! Martina Boone is amazing at subtly and character building and atmospheric writing. With a new character that will leave your head spinning (Obadiah) and all your old favorites back in the game with even more secrets of their own, Persuasion will leave you questioning intentions and will keep you totally riveted.

The gifts of the families are something else. They still have me totally fascinated. They will mess with your mind. I can totally sympathize with Barrie. How does she know for sure what Eight really wants? Does he want it because she wants it or because he does? That is a hard one to get past for a relationship. What I loved the most about Persuasion was that the storyline was a perfect continuation of Compulsion. It didn't feel forced, or like they had to push a new problem on the characters to keep things interesting. Obadiah and the continued mysteries of Watson Island built on the foundation of the first book perfectly. Old and new fans of the Heirs of Watson Island series will love Persuasion. It is every bit as good as the first book! I cannot wait to see what the third book will bring.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
The Secret Fire is the first book in the young adult fantasy series, The Alchemist Chronicles. The Alchemist Chronicles is the collaborative efforts of french author Carina Rozenfeld and young adult author C.J. Daugherty. This was my first book by either of these authors and I have to say it was so well done. I loved the idea that these two teens, in two different countries could be brought together through the strange, magical and completely different things happening to each of them. The Magic Fire is a whirlwind adventure, that spreads generations and countries. I love the mixture of history, the beautiful settings and the fatastical and magical secrets that surround the characters in the Secret Fire.

The Secret fire is told in dual narrative between Sacha and Taylor, two teens that each have something crazy happening in their own lives. Taylor is only just learning that something strange is happening to her throughout the story. We get to experience all she is going through for the first time with her, while Sacha has known for as long as he can remember what is up with him. He can't die until he is 18. It is a strange concept to have short term invincibility, but I loved the twist on the family curse idea.

There are so many questions still lingering by the end of this book. I can't wait to get the next book in the The Alchemist Chronicles, because it feels like there is still so much more to come. We did get a lot of answers to the mystery surrounding the two teens, but holy cow there is so much more! Not to mention, I think the romance is building for the next installment, and I cannot wait! Fans of fantasy, mystery and history will freakin' love the Secret Fire. This is going to be a great series.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**


Frost is a young adult norse mythology book, which kicks off a new series by E. Latimer. (I believe the series will be the same name as the title but I haven't found confirmation of that yet.) You all know how much I love mythology books, and frost is a great take on the Norse tales. I absolutely loved that author E. Latimer took a unique spin on the frost giants, and made them the rulers of the realm. Frost offers wonderfully imaginative writing, solid friendships, great characters, and a refreshing take with a main heroine that has her head and her intuition completely on point.

This may sound a bit strange but one of the things that I appreciated most about Frost was that both the frost and fire sides seemed to realize that they were asking a lot for a normal 17 year old girl to believe- not only that she was part frost giant, but also that their side was the side to be trusted. Loki and Erik (and no there is not a love triangle, for the record.) each realized that Megan had no reason to trust one side over the other because everything was completely new to her. I appreciated the time and space that people gave her to make her own decisions. It made the whole supernatural element of the story fit into what Megan thought was a contemporary world (kind of, other than that whole kissing and freezing a boy incident).

I could not put Frost down. really, this book was over 450 pages and I DEVOURED it in one night. It was that good. I loved watching Megan piece together court life, and figure out just what the heck was going on. What everyone's hidden agendas were. Some I could figure out on my own and some smacked me right upside the head. Romance, fighting, mythology, what more could you ask for in a book. Plus I loved the wintery setting. And if you didn't like the main character Megan, you and I need to have a serious conversation. For real. She is awesome. This book was a homerun for me. I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in book two.


This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
This will be a mini review (although I feel like even when I say mini, I end up talking and talking and talking....) because one, I think by now Huntley Fitzpatrick books are well known and beloved for being beautiful stories and two, this review can get spoilery real quick, and I don't want that to happen. Which is why I wanted to read the Boy Most Likely To so badly. I have not experienced any of Huntley's books yet, and I thought that since this was a companion book and not a sequel to the Boy Next Door that this would be the perfect opportunity. And I am really glad that I did read it first because I have a feeling that it positively influenced my reading experience.

I thought this book was going to be a fluffy contemporary romance, and it really wasn't. It was a contemporary romance but it dealt with meatier issues, which gave the book more denseness, if that makes sense. It was a full bodied contemporary, and I was really digging that about the book. Tim and Alice were so not your typical characters. Tim felt a lot older than he was to me. Probably because he was dealing with some very grown up things, all on his own. And Alice...took some time to grow on me. I'm not sure if that is because I didn't read the first book and didn't get to see her as a background character before or what. I never disliked her, I just didn't immediately see her as the leading lady. I really warmed up to her though as the book unfolded.

What I loved about The Boy Most Likely to was that it not only featured great characters and was very much about their journey as individuals, but it also had a nice slow burn romance. (think crock pot on the lowest setting...this was reallyyy slow burn.) But Huntley's writing also put a spotlight on so many different relationship dynamics- families, siblings, friends, girlfriend/boyfriends. And that was what made this book so wonderful. If you are looking for a contemporary with a bit of grit and some depth try the Boy Most Likely To. I think you are very likely to love it.

P.S. this turned out to be a full length review, and not mini at all. Such is the curse of being verbose.


This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
The Heartbeat Thief by A.J. Krafton is a new adult supernatural standalone that was uniquely different than anything else I have read this year. First, can we just gush over the cover for a moment? Holy cow, it is just so ethereally beautiful. I love the colors, I love the background choices- everything is just perfection in my opinion. The Heartbeat Thief , though classified as new adult, but completely clean and would be appropriate for young adult readers as well, but the character is ageless, and the writing has a literary feel, that is also very assessable, so I can just as easily see this appealing to adults.

The idea behind the Heartbeat Thief intrigued me to no end. Before I started reading, I thought Senza (the main character) was some kind of farrier of death, that she would actually steal hearts out of people. I don't know why I thought that exactly, because the hint is in the title of the book. She steals heartbeats. Just a simple swipe of her hands on a wrist, a neck, a hand, and she can grab a pulse and take a heart beat or two. How different does that sound? The heartbeats keep her eternally young. She wasn't always this way, something happens in the story that put her on this path.

It wasn't until I was about halfway through the book, and saw Senza traveling through the ages of Europe and America that it hit me that Senza reminded me of Adeline from the Age of Adeline. Classy and timeless. I loved Senza. I thought she was a beautiful person. I know she was described once as arrogant, and I couldn't disagree more. I do not recall a single arrogant moment from her. Not one. I found her to be kind, and sensible, and as the book went on, very wise. The book takes us on a journey of Senza's life, sometimes meandering, sometimes the course is uncertain, and some periods were less exciting than others, but the book comes together at the end.

I liked that the Heartbeat Thief is a standalone. The ending was perfect. It was surprising, but nicely wrapped up, very satisfying, and just a hint of something else that left you pondering. It was not open ended, but there is a sliver of light under the closed door that leaves you with the possibility of a different twist on the story. I love it when authors are able to do that. It is not an easy thing to accomplish.

P.S. I have thoughts on other characters that I would just love to discuss. Like Mr. Knell! This was senza's story so I didn't get into him too much. But if you have read this book, please please let me know and we can chat!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**

The Summer Marked is the second book in the Winter People series. I really enjoyed the Winter People last year and I was really interested in seeing what was going to happen next. If I recall correctly, The Winter people ended in kind of a nicely wrapped up place. Salome was living happily ever (right now) with Gareth, so I was interested to see what was going to happen next. I don't think I even knew there was going to be a second book when I read the first one because it wrapped up so well.

But man, oh man was I wrong. The continuation of The Summer Marked flowed so freakin' perfectly from the end of the Winter People. Salome is plunked right in the middle of a war of the ages (or rather, seasons.) The Summer Marked really seemed to pick up the pace of the first book. There is constant movement. I really liked that about the story because, since I already knew the characters, I was able to easily become swept up in this new escalation of tensions with the summer court and the winter court. That winter queen is a real B!

I also loved that The Summer Marked is told not only from Salome's point of view, but also (though not split 50/50%. Salome gets a little more page time.) from Kadie's point of view. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to love Kadie's chapters. I remember being kind of indifferent to her in the first book and at the start of this book she started to get jealous best friend syndrome and that irked me. But I totally changed my tune. Watching Kadie in the Winter court, and even with Ettiene, had me feeling for her, and liking her way more than I thought I would.

I absolutely loved the description of the winter court. And by love, I mean was equally fascinated as I was openly horrified. The Bone yards and the display at dinner with the music and the "dancing" girl were pretty deplorable. But Rebekah does such an incredible job painting the picture for the readers that you will not be able to stop reading. There are so many other things that I loved about The Summer Marked. Like the role that Salome is playing and she doesn't even know it. And like her horse that is so adamant about defending her (youknowwhat...

virtue

). The Summer Marked is a great continuation to the Winter People. It was just as good, if not better than the first book. You have hooked Ms. Purdy! I really do need more right now Rebekah!


This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**

My ThoughtsTaking the Ice is the third and final book in the New Adult Ice Series. The Ice series is a contemporary romance series centering around ice skating pairs. You should read the first book, Crossing the Ice, and the second Losing the Ice, before reading Taking the Ice as they all feature the same couple. Courtney and Josh. Crossing the Ice was one of my favorite books of 2014 so I feel confidant recommending it to fans of contemporary romance and ice skating everywhere. I love Jennifer Comeaux's writing. In Losing the Ice Courtney and Josh were finally paired up together and I was super excited to see them skating together, and I was even more excited to read Taking the Ice, because not only were they still skating together but this time they were going for Nationals and maybe the Olympics. Talk about high pressure.

Losing the Ice was much more somber than Crossing the Ice. So I was ready for happier times with my favorite couple. And while Taking the Ice was not without its' share of bumps in the road, I thought the overall tone of this book was light and happy. And I loved that. What I really also love about this series is that you can't always expect the happy you know they are going to win ending with Jennifer. Because I knew that from her first two books, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Sometimes you read books and while it might not always be going the main characters way, you just know that in the end they are going to come out victorious. While that is nice, and I certainly enjoy the warm fuuzzies it makes me feel, the air of the uncertain, especially in sports books, makes read so much more exciting. And I am so not telling you what happens with their skating. You will just have to read the story to find out.

I will say this about Taking the Ice. Courtney and Josh are as great together as ever. I just love their relationship and how solid they seem as a couple. The ice skating is as thrilling as ever, and the story and series wrapped up perfectly. I am so happy with the ending and with their overall journey. This has to be my very favorite ice skating series that I have ever read. Read the Ice series, if you haven't already. Read it now!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

On the Rocks is the second book in the Mixology series, but it can be read as a standalone. The first book in the series was the story of Maddy and Colin, and this book is the story of Collin's sister Carly, and Maddy's roommate and lifelong friend Macon. Carly was one of my favorite characters from the first book, so had a feeling that I would enjoy this book more than the first one, which I liked. And I did! This book was so much fun. Carly is a trip and Macon is seriously yummy.

Carly is outspoken, and seemingly fearless. I know she isn't, but she works hard to come off that way. She doesn't get along with her parents because of an "issue" with her sister. Oh I wanted to shake her sister and punch her husband in the face. Regardless, it forced Carly to build a tough outer skin. Carly is a great match for Macon. She is strong enough to not put up with his games, which is what I think Macon really wanted.

We got to see a lot of Maddy and Collin in this book as well, and since they were all settled in their relationship, I actually enjoyed the two of them together a lot more than a I did for a good amount of the first book. I felt like I could finally see why they work together. But they didn't steal the show from Carly and Macon. They were hilarious and hot and they brought out the best in each other.

I love the way Alyssa Rose Ivy wraps these books up. Just like in book 1, the ending of On the Rocks exceeded all my expectations. I expected a nice happy ending for Macon and Carly, but what I got was so cool. I loved what happened, and it has made me really excited for the third book. That and the fact, that I am pretty sure the third book is going to be about Brody, the last male roommate, and my favorite guy out of all of them. He is just so sweet! I can't wait to read his story.