I really liked The Collector and I totally fell in love with bad boy, smart mouthed Dante Walker. So I was pretty psyched when I got my hands on an ARC of The Liberator. I loved the concept of soul stickers and the collectors and liberators that I met in the first book. The second book picks up shortly after the first one left off. The Collector was more of Charlie's story, and the Liberator focuses more on Dante, which you know I enjoyed.


Dante does a lot of soul searching so to speak in this novel. (See what I did there? I just couldn't resist.) He battles with himself over whether he is good enough to be a liberator. He just doesn't know if he has what it takes to be a "good guy". Charlie totally believes in him. (but I wouldn't expect anything less from her since she is a complete sweetheart.) But Dante really carries the book. He is so much fun to read. He is funny and one heck of a mouth on him! Holy cow, some of his one liners actually had me chuckling out loud in public.


Aspen is a new character in this story and when I first met her I thought I was totally going to hate her. I was all ready to be on team charlie and boo Aspen because she is some tough trouble making girl. But, the more I got to know her, the harder it was for me to dislike her. She is one interesting cookie. And so spunky! I can't wait to learn more about her in the next book. And I was so excited that there was zero love triangle in the story. Very refreshing change of pace from other sequels that introduce new characters.


I was a little worried when I first started reading that this book would not hold up to the first one. The plot was a little slow at the beginning, but once you get about a 1/4th of the way through the plot picks up immensely and I found myself completely engaged in the story. So if you are like me, then keep reading! The Liberator just keeps getting better and better as the story goes on. There are all sorts of twists and turns and lots of great romance to keep my interest. I think I might have even ended up liking this book more than I liked the first one. And that is really saying something. I just loved how Dante is with Charlie. He will do anything for that girl and it kind of makes my heart melt. I am such a sucker for a tough guy with a gooey romantic center. If you liked the Collector and Dante Walker, you need to get your hands on a copy of The Liberator. You won't be sorry!

Note: this is a new adult book and it deals with mature themes such as rape, and explicit sex.

Going Under is beautifully written. I was really moved by the writing in this book. S. Walden did an amazing job evoking emotion with her writing. Brooke is such a strong young lady. Even though some of the things she did were pretty dangerous and I wouldn't recommend her course of action, I completely understand why she felt like she needed to. I can't even imagine losing my best friend the way she lost hers. This book is about her journey really. Sure, there is also the "secret club of jerks" storyline that she is trying to get to the bottom to, but for me it was much more about justice for Beth and closure for Brooke.

Brooke is completely weighed down by her guilt for most of the book. She feels responsible for her best friends death because of certain things that happened before her death. But no one else blames Brooke. She only blames herself. And because of this guilt she hatches a plan to avenge Beth. And she spends most of the book figuring out a way to do it. Along the way, she meets Ryan and they seemed like magnets. They were instantly drawn to each other. Even though they both tried to keep their distance, they just couldn't stay away for long. But Ryan and Brooke each had their own secrets. (just like everyone else at the school, it seemed). There were a few twists and turns and theories thrown around at various points in the story but I thought it was pretty clear what was really going on. There wasn't too much mystery surrounding the secret club, but I still loved the way the story flowed.

Nothing felt forced, or rushed. The writing was descriptive and beautiful really. Going Under is a very powerful book. The strength that you see in Brooke is beautiful. She is someone that you are rooting for the whole time. I just loved her. Going under deals with some pretty mature and dark themes and there is some graphic scenes but it is just a great book. One that I would re-read for sure.

Heavenly Hell is a very quick read. I'm a pretty fast reader but I read the book in just a couple of hours. Which is great for me at the moment. I have been so busy that my reading attention span has been waning, but I was able to zip through Heavenly Hell no problem. Heavenly Hell follows Indy, a fallen angel and a demon hunter. Angels and demons is not a new theme in young adult books, but I have not read any book with this kind of take on the idea. There are fallen angels, who are still pretty angelic in my opinion. But the real storyline is kind of mysterious. To me the coolest part of the story was trying to figure out who the demon hunters boss was. We don't find out in this book but my interest was certainly piqued and I hope we learn this boss' identity in the second book.

Indy is a tough man hater. She really, really hates guys. She is a self appointed protector of women against men who take advantage of them or mistreat them. I think her quest is noble but it has given her major trust issues. She doesn't seem to trust anyone. Which has made for a very lonely couple of hundred years for her. I felt kind of bad for her but she comes off as so tough and independent that it seems like she can handle anything. I wanted to see a little more of her vulnerable side.

There wasn't really too much romance in this story. There was a bit of hinting at a romance between Nate, the demon hunter, and Indy but it felt kind of forced to me. I wasn't really sure if there were actual feelings there on either end. Personally, I would like to see something between Indy and Conner or Indy and Mark. (two of her guy friends) I thought that they were really there for her. I know conner is crazy about her but I kind of like the idea of her with Mark more. I think that would be really interesting.

Heavenly Hell ends with a cliffhanger, but the second book is already out so you can read them back to back if you are not a fan of cliffhangers. I am interested in seeing where this series goes. The first book was a good solid read. Some parts were a little sparse on development but it was a good enough foundation that I want to read the next one. And indy is a great, kick butt character, which I really enjoy.

I absolutely, totally and completely LOVED Getting Over Garrett Delaney. This is my first Abby McDonald book but if her other books are as awesome and witty as this one, I need to read them ASAP! I think that anyone who has ever had a crush on anyone can relate to this book. The whole gang of characters made me smile and the main character was like reading about your best friend.


Sadie has been in love with Garrett Delaney since she first laid eyes on him. And as soon as he noticed her, she did everything she could to try and get him to like her. The two became quick friends, but she always wanted more. He basically became her whole world. It seemed like he was her only friend. At first I didn't really think anything of it, but as soon as he left for summer and she met all the people at the coffee place, I realized how much her life revolved around Garrett and only Garrett. It was crazy. But it made me love her plan to get over Garrett even more. I loved how it was broken down into steps as the story progressed. It started out as a plan for Sadie but really it was half little words of wisdom and half marking Sadies character growth.


Watching Sadie's perception of Garrett change throughout the story was interesting as well. At first she was blinded by her crush. She thought he was perfect, but her new group of friends helped her see what kind of person he really was. I felt a little bad for Garrett because I don't think he was completely a bad person. He just wasn't the person that Sadie made him out to be. I loved when Sadie started trying new things and figuring out what she liked and what she didn't. She was figuring out who she really was and who she wanted to be.


I liked that the end of the book only hinted at the promise of new love and it wasn't about Sadie jumping from Garrett to a new guy. Getting Over Garrett Delaney wasn't about a new guy fixing all of Sadie's problems. It was about Sadie and her growth as a person. It was an adorable coming of age story. The writing was fresh and hilarious. I loved the pop culture references. It reminded me of Meg Cabot, which is pretty much the biggest compliment I can give to YA books.


I fell in love with the characters in Getting Over Garrett Delaney. I related to Sadie and to this book. I think that anyone that has been in a relationship, or a bad breakup, or a crush, or really anything guy related will find something to connect with in this book. It really is amazing. I couldn't put it down and I want to read it again right now.

Painted Boots is a contemporary romance, and romance is a big element in the book. In fact, I loved the romance between Aspen and Kyle. But I thought the bigger point of the book was to talk about abuse and bullying. It was a huge theme throughout the story from start to finish. There were some parts of this book that were hard for me to read and some parts that just made me so sad. These are difficult topics and can be pretty explicit in some parts, but the Painted Boots is beautifully written on a tough subject to write about. I think Mechelle Morrison did an amazing job.

Aspen has had a rough year. She lost her mother and now she has to move to a new place. I loved the emphasis on her fashion sense though. Her mother used to make all these amazing clothes for Aspen but when she died, Aspen couldn't bear to have the reminder of her mother around so she got rid of all of the clothes. Her and her father moved to a small town out west and she went to thrift shops and put together a cool "new" wardrobe for herself. Some of the girls at her new school made fun of her clothes and they would play this mean game of trying to guess who in this small town her clothes once belonged too. I felt so bad for Aspen. There were really only two people in the whole school that were nice to her. She had one friend and then she had Kyle.

Kyle is great and I love him with Aspen. He sticks by her all the time and they seemed perfect for each other. I loved how they were able to open up and share each others secrets. And Kyle had one heck of a secret to share. I felt so bad for him. He has had it super rough as well. They really did seem made for each other because they were going through such similar things. One thing that bugged me about Kyle (but I don't think it would bug too many other people) was that he called Aspen "girl". It was his nickname for her. It just irked me. I didn't like it. But other than that their romance was beautiful and seemed very real to me. It was intense for sure, but everything about Painted Boots was intense.

Painted Boots is a serious book about a serious topic. I wouldn't say it is the happiest book in the world, but it is a realistic and beautifully done book about what I think is a very important topic. Emotional and physical abuse is very real and I liked that Painted Boots approached it from a less popular viewpoint. From both a guy and a girl that have been abused. Painted Boots is not all sad though. There is a silver lining and some form of a happily ever after. I thought that the ending was very satisfying and hopeful. I enjoyed Painted Boots, and fans of realistic fiction will enjoy Mechelle's fresh writing style as well.

This book was beyond cute. I haven't read a good mermaid book in over a year, so I was past due for one. And this was the perfect series for me to pick up. I have already started the second book because I didn't want the story to be over when I finished the first one. I have been reading so many new adult contemporaries lately (which I still love) that it was nice to switch it up to a cute paranormal young adult book.

Lily is a mermaid that is living on land for a while. Her dad is king of her mer kingdom, but he seems like the most loving, most understanding dad out there. Seriously, he was great. Lily seems just like a normal girl, except she has powers, like she can affect the temperature of water and she can craft minor items of clothing and stuff like that, and she loves salty baths. Lily goes to high school where she has a crush Brody, a guy on the swim team. She also has a best friend and an annoying next door neighbor Quince. It becomes apparent pretty quickly who the real love interest was going to be but that didn't bug me. I loved Quince and even though Lily "couldn't stand him" they were still beyond adorable together.

Lily accidentally bonds with Quince and she has to take him to her kingdom to sever the bond so she can bond with Brody. The whole book is about their adventures back and forth between land and her mer kingdom. I loved Quince. He kind of butts heads with Lily but he makes her passionate and fiery about life. I think he makes her a more lively and interesting person, or mermaid. I was so annoyed with Lily a few times when she kept making choices for the two of them. She kind of made up for it at the end but I just wanted to shake her and get her to see how great Quince was. I really liked Lily. She is responsible, and loyal and a great person. But man oh man is she stubborn. Quince gets her though, and he likes her despite all of her quirks. Lily made a decision at the end of the book that broke my heart. She kind of made up for it but I really just wanted her to go about things differently.

What I really liked about Forgive my Fins is that it was a journey for Lily more than anyone else. I know that sounds backwards, it should be a journey for Quince since he was being introduced to a completely new world, but it was much more growth for Lily than for Quince. He seemed to take everything in stride, but Lily needed a bit of a wake up call. I loved watching her progress, and sometimes her setbacks, and I loved watching her mature and grow. Another great thing about this book is that the ending is not a cliffhanger. It can be seen as a standalone almost because the second book picks up a different plotline. Something completely new happens, but it follows the same characters. I can't wait to see where Lily and Quince will end up next!

I absolutely loved Knee Deep! I recently won another one of Jolene's books and if it is half as good as Knee Deep, I will love that one too. This has been one of my favorite contemporaries that I have read in such a long time. It is so powerful! Once I was done I wanted there to be so much more. Even though I was really happy with the way the story ended, I still wanted to keep reading.

Jolene has such a way with words. She is just amazing as creating a story and having you connect with the characters. Knee Deep deals with some issues of abuse, and I have never really found a book previously that dealt with such serious issues in such a realistic, yet readable way. Normally reading about characters in the midst of abuse bugs me. It's just not something that I would choose to read about, but I am re-thinking this position of mine because Knee Deep was just done in such an excellent way.

Ronnie is just so cute and trusting, that it is hard to blame her for anything. PLus, I have come to find out that I am a sucker for books that have a play in them. For some reason, I just love the drama setting. And Shawn didn't really like plays, which was a turn off for me. However, I never really liked Shawn, even when he was being nice. I knew what Ronnie saw in him but I just didn't get it. Perhaps this was because I instantly was drawn to Luke. Luke is loyal, sweet and such an awesome friend! My heart was breaking for him at some parts and I had to put the book down a few times because it evoked such strong emotions in me.

Knee Deep is a MUST read for all contemporary lovers and even people that have not really gotten into contemporary. Honestly, I think everyone should just give Knee Deep a try. That is how much I loved it. I don't make blanket statements like this often because I know that some books are not for everyone, but I loved Knee Deep so much that I everyone to fall in love with it like I did!

Wow! Ultraviolet Catastrophe is fantastic! I just read another science-y book when I read Gretchen McNeil's 3:59 and I really enjoyed it. This was another great action book with a big science theme throughout. I loved the concept of the book. Lexie is super smart and then she finds out that not only is she even smarter than she ever thought, but she has also been lied to and drugged to mask her intelligence. She is quickly whisked off to a cool and very science-oriented community for brainiacs like herself. She goes to school there and she finds out that not everything is as it seems. People are out to get her and she doesn't know why. She is just trying to fit in, and then she has to get to the bottom of a major mystery. I loved the action and suspense in this book. I was engaged from the first page to the last. I just loved the story and I am anxiously hoping there will be another.

Lexie is such a great character. She is believable and resourceful. I liked that she held a bit of a grudge. Too often things seem to happen to easily and too conveniently in stories and it feels fake or forced to me. But not in Ultraviolet Catastrophe. I loved the pacing and the reactions that the characters had to the events that unfolded. If I found out that my parents had lied to me and given me medication to make me dumber, I would be beyond pissed. Just like Lexie. And I don't think I would have gotten past it overnight either. but Lexie soon jumped right into her new life at QT and was really dedicated to proving herself. I admired that about her.

I also really liked the cast of secondary characters. Zella, Max, Amy and Asher were a great group of friends, and maybe some less than friends for Lexie. I thought they all brought something to the plot and atmosphere of the story. I also really enjoyed that we got to learn some of the backstory of a few of the scientists at QT.

The depth and detail in Ultraviolet Catastrophe was impressive! Nothing felt rushed or left me asking questions or feeling confused. I felt like I was pulled into the world at QT and like I was watching everything unfold in real time around me. I loved Jamie Grey's writing. It felt three dimensional to me. Everything did really- the characters, the plot, the science behind everything. It was all so well done. Ultraviolet Catastrophe's mystery and twists and turns were the best part of the book for me. It was pulse pounding action all the way through. I loved the fast pace of the story. I was really, really impressed with this book. I think it is a must read for science fiction fans.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer series, Ward Against Death. I liked Ward Against Darkness too but it fell short of the first book for me. The first book was fast paced and action packed while still being super detailed. This book was just as detailed and deliberate as the first book, which I loved, but it lost the fast pace that I enjoyed so much in the first book. I still liked Ward Against darkness. I thought it was a good linking book for the middle of a series. It set up the third book nicely, I just thought it dragged a bit in some parts.

Ward Against Darkness picks up right where Ward Against Death left off, with Celia and Ward still on the run. Most of Ward Against Darkness deals with finding out more about the incestoriari and necromancers. I liked finding out more about what exactly Celia might be and I enjoyed watching Ward see just what his powers are and could be. His potential is huge!

Another great aspect of this story was the interaction between Ward and Celia. They started opening up more towards each other and I loved that. I really liked seeing the two of them admit that maybe they do have feelings for the other. Celia had her jealous moments and it was interesting to say the least. I really like the idea of the two of them together. They are such a unique pair. But they move just as slowly as ever. It was realistic but also kind of frustrating at times. haha!

I think the next book is set up perfectly and I can't wait to read it. I think I am going to love the third book just as much as I loved the second one. I know that may seem strange given that I thought this book was a little slow, but I think this was a bridge the gap book. It is something that I have noticed sometimes in middle of the series books. But I think this is a compelling urban fantasy/paranormal series, and I think fans of the first book will like learning more about necromancers in Ward Against Death. I just hope the next book picks up the pace a bit in the romance department because I love these characters so much and I just want to see them together!