Oh my goodness!!! Let me just tell you how much I <3 this book! Parallel universes, murder, revenge, romance, and a stint in Russia...could you ask for anything more?!

A Thousand Pieces of You begins with Meg and Theo on a hunt for her father's killer, but to do this they must cross into another dimension...seriously!!! Meg's parents are uber-smart and invented (with the help of their lab assistants Paul and Theo) a device that not only detects other dimensions but allows them to cross over into them. So on a wild goose chase across dimensions, Meg and Theo go, searching for Paul the supposed murderer and answers to why.

I loved this story!!! The world-building is unlike anything I've ever read AND what makes it awesome is that with the parallel universes aspect the author can write as many different worlds as she would like. In this story alone, the characters travel to a futuristic London, a pre-industrial revolution Russia (which is by far my favorite place in the whole book!!!!), a world so similar to their own the characters are almost fooled, and a water world which was so freaking cool!

Another draw for me was the intricate plot. While a few key points in the plot were predictable, for the first time in a very long time I was surprised at a few twists. It was a happy surprise though ;) As Meg and Theo start their questioning about her father's death, they create more questions than answers. And then while trapped for a time in Russia, they are separated and Meg is stuck with Paul. Did I mention I loved Russia?

If there is a downside to this story, it's the characters. While I LOVED this book, the characters could have been more developed. Meg is the outsider in her family, the artist instead of a scientist, yet she loves them and is devoted to them. But I don't get much more of that. Theo is the cool, older, bad boy that Meg has a crush on. Then there's Paul, the quiet introverted scientist, handsome and stand-offish. It was obvious from the beginning of the book that romance would be involved along with a love-triangle. So be forewarned. However the triangle isn't too terribly bad and works in favor of the characters.

Overall I loved this book (have I said that too much) The world-building, the different universes, and the plot twists kept me up all night reading! I cannot wait for October to be here so I can continue with the story :D If you enjoy young adult, science fiction, and a little romance, I highly recommend you get a copy and start reading soon!!!

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee is the start of an exciting new series about Kai, a young woman with the mysterious power to control time and her search for her "brother" Reev after he doesn't come home from work one night. With the help of her best friend (and crush) Avan, she starts on a journey to find Reev, but what she discovers is so much more.

I want to start by saying I liked this book...no LOVED this story so much that when I finished it I immediately went out and found book two so I could continue Kai's story. It is that good! I love the characters, the unique story, and the world-building is fantastic.

Kai is seventeen and she has no memory of her life before Reev found her next to the river when she was eight. He has always been there, protected her and took care of her like she was his sister. So when he disappears she breaks all his rules to find him and I can't blame her. He is her family and the only family she can remember. She also knows that if the shoe was reversed he would do the same. Kai is fascinating to me. She is shy to the extreme, having little to no friends except her brother and Avan, who really didn't give her much choice but to like him, and then she has this disturbing yet really cool ability to manipulate time (slow it down, speed it up or just stop it altogether...like I said cool ;) ) She really doesn't know anything about herself or these powers and what's awesome is she really doesn't care. She just wants her brother back.

Avan is just amazing :D He is Kai's rock throughout this story. He supports her and protects her throughout their journey to find Reev, even when he doesn't necessarily agree with her. And did I mention he was hot? Because that's important too ;) Where Kai is concerned, Avan is always there, always willing to help her, and it is obvious to anyone who watches his actions how he feels about Kai, at least to everyone but her!

The plot really revolves around two things: finding Reev and what is Kai. The way the two plots converge though is what makes the story just awesome! Kai and Avan are in way over their heads as they travel for the first time into the lands outside the city's walls and discover that not all of what they've learned their whole lives is true. They encounter gargoyles and Famine and his band of rebel sentinels. They learn the truth about their city Ninurta and it's leader Ninu (which I must say he makes a fantastic villain :D ).

The world-building though is what really drew me in. Lee seamlessly incorporates her own version of the gods from ancient mythology into the story adding to the dystopian world that we read through the eyes of Kai. The mass destruction and basically the fall of humanity is evident in every description Kai gives of her home and life with Reev. I found myself drawn in instantly from the very first line:

Death lived in a glass tower at the center of the White Court.

Again just fantastic! I loved Kai and her world. Lee drew a complex story and threw in twists that I was not expecting. I can say with all certainty that I will be watching for more from this author as I loved her writing style as the characters and world came to life on the pages. If you enjoy young adult, dystopians, and fantasy I highly recommend you read this book!

Review in a Gif:

Me While Reading this Book:



And



And



Why? WHY did I wait SO LONG to read this book?!?!?!
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass is everything I expected it to be and more. It definitely lived up to the hype that I've heard for the last few years and I'm ashamed of myself that I didn't read it sooner. IT IS THAT GOOD! I'm not going to recap the book for you because you can read the synopsis for yourself, instead I will be fangirling about Celaena, the Prince and :::sigh::: Westfall.

Celaena Sardothien is a famous assassin serving out her sentence in the salt mines of Endovier. She is one kick butt chick! Orphaned at a young age and then raised by the king of assassins, she doesn't have much choice but to become one herself. She's strong, quick-witted, and likes her dresses people. She's a bit of a girly-girl to be an assassin, but hey to each her own. When Prince Dorian shows up and saves her from the mines, she thinks it's the best thing to happen to her, but he's taking her to a Hunger Games style competition where she must win in order to gain her freedom. Winning however means she will be the King's assassin, the very man who put her in the salt mines to die will be her boss.



Of course she does it because otherwise there wouldn't be a book, but come on you know that is her reaction ;)

Prince Dorian is this handsome prince who basically does everything he can to make his father mad. He's rebellious, believes his father is evil incarnate, and kinda has a crush on the assassin girl. I like that the author gives us a few scenes in his POV because I feel like I understand his actions a little better. But alas he is not my ship....



No really I'm not.

Captain Westfall...now there's the man I want to talk about. He is captain of the guard, the prince's best friend, and my ship <3 At first I thought he was jerk and he was a real pain for Celaena. However, I realized a lot sooner than either of them mind you that the two of them needed to be together. First, if you hate someone, why would you help them train to win a competition for their freedom? Second if you hate someone why would you be jealous of said someone spending time with the Prince? Lastly if you hate someone why would you bring her presents?



Overall if you can't tell I LOVED this book! The world building, the characters, the Hunger Game-ish competition and just all of it! If you enjoy young adult literature, fantasy, and a bit of romance with lots of suspense, GO READ IT!!! Now if you'll excuse me, I want to just bask in it's glory for a few more minutes...

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Carry Me Home by Lia Riley is a short novella, a companion to the series Off The Map. I have to be brutally honest for a minute. This novella is nothing like what I thought it would be. It is the first time I've ever read this author and with this sweet cover I was thinking a light contemporary romance. Well, that's not exactly the case. This is the opening line to the book (Note it is a bit graphic):

Shoot me, I like sex. If I wait for true love before getting busy, I'll be covered in cobwebs, and that's bad news for someone with arachnophobia. ~ Sunny

So yeah, I don't even know how to respond to that!

Sunny Letman is a young woman in her twenties and she thinks she has everything figured out. She never stays with a guy for more than one night. She's a love 'em and leave 'em kinda gal, which is a role reversal from most New Adult books I've read. She's crass, snarky, and has this hatred for Tanner Green that I just didn't understand from the beginning. It's quite obvious to the reader the girl is in denial!



Then there's Tanner Green, the pro-skater who basically left his old life behind and carries the guilt from it with him. He's an interesting character. His girlfriend died a few years back in a car crash and he's never been the same. He has some serious issues though, I mean in the first chapter he WATCHES as Sunny is literally riding another man - EWWWWW!!!! Can we all say perv?! This really kind of ruined my perspective of him from the get go, however the author redeems him as the chapters alternate POV and we get inside his head a bit. Poor guy is screwed up!

This novella is really short and I enjoyed it some what. I think I may have enjoyed it more without the very open-door, graphic sex scenes. I'm just not that kind of girl. However the relationship between Tanner and Sunny is volatile and sweet all at the same time. If you enjoy new adult contemporary romance or you've read the series Off the Map and want more, then I believe this short is for you.

Review in a Gif:

A BIG thank you to Untold Press for providing a copy for review! The following are my own thoughts and opinions of this book.

Broken Promise by [a:Jen Wylie|4499919|Jen Wylie|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1291844312p2/4499919.jpg] is book three of The Broken Ones series. The story picks up later on the same day that Aro, Kei, Bo, and Garen left Prince at the gates of the Elven kingdom. Returning to the werewolves, they learn that the Were King is now coming to speak with Aro and he isn't happy. Thanks to the generous reward from the Prince for his return, they have more than enough money to winter and rest in the nearby city of Westport. But nothing goes the way they plan. Kei is restless, the Damon is watching them, the Were King is waiting, and the Elves aren't happy with Aro's relationship with Prince. Will Aro be able to save herself and those she loves?

Old and New Friends

I cannot say enough just how much I love this series and the characters within! In another life, you know the one where I live in the same world as the characters, Aro would be my bestie. She is independent, fiercely loyal, and most definitely a tomboy. She is emotional at the beginning of this book, but has every reason to be. After traveling with Prince for nearly a year, he is gone. A Were King is angry with her and his punishment could be death. And then there is Kei, who seems to be angry with her as she tries and continues to fail when learning about their bond and how to use it. There is tremendous growth with Aro this book as she continues in her quest to save the Fey.

Then of course I can't forget Aro's boys: Bo, Garen, and Kei. For some reason, I've pictured Bo much older than he actually is, which is finally revealed in this book (twenty-eight). I saw him in his mid- to late-thirties and more a father figure to Aro then a brother. During this book though, there is more about Bo than in the previous two and I just fell in love with him. He is so sweet, tender-hearted, and protective when it comes to Aro. The werewolf Garen, thanks to a rune from Prince, is able to winter with them in the city disguised as a large dog. He is very loyal to Aro and cares for her, but he is still so mysterious. I want to know more about him (like why can't he turn human, where did he come from, how old is he, etc.), hopefully book four will shed a little light on him. And Kei....he is perhaps the character I missed the most between books. He is loving, wild, and devoted to Aro, but the city makes him stir-crazy and he feels that Aro is giving up / not working hard enough on the quest to save the Fey. He becomes angry and because of his anger he lands himself in a whole heap of trouble.

During this book, we are introduced to several new characters, but two stick out in my mind as important. Roan is a bit of a local celebrity. He's a pirate who when he is in port makes sure the locals behave according to his own set of laws. He also has a big secret that only Aro knows. The other is Baelan, an elf who claims is sent by Prince. He is unlike Prince in every way. He actually shows emotion and seems to smile all the time, though if you ask me I pictured him to look a bit deranged. Through a series of events, Aro must trust both at one point with her life, but the question remains, can she?

What's Going On?

The plot of this book differs from Broken Aro and Broken Prince as it focuses mainly on character growth and development. Aro is hurting again, the Fey rely on her to heal them, the Elves and Were King are angry with her, and Kei seems to be as well. Aro struggles and perseveres in this story. She overcomes, and I felt like she is tried more in this book than the previous two. Just to give you an idea of what is to come without any spoilers (in other words I'm not telling you who or when these things occur): kidnapping, drugging, torture are just a few of the things that Aro and her boys must deal with.

I found the storyline to be a bit on the darker side than the others have been as Aro and the boys must overcome what is thrown their way. In fact, a few tears may have been shed on my part (yes, they most definitely were). Between the Elves and the Dragos, Aro has her plate full, not to mention this wedge that has come between her and Kei. I think of all the things that occur to are characters in the book that wedge was the worst for me.

My Conclusions

I think if you've read this far that it is obvious I loved the book! I love the characters and it is Aro's plight that drives the plot. The suspense, the new characters, all of it just adds to this amazing epic fantasy that Wylie has created. I really do not want this series to end, but I can't wait to find out what happens next! If you enjoy fantasy, young adult fiction, and a bit of suspense ;) or if you've read the first two books, then you do not want to miss this installment of The Broken Ones.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Upside Down by Lia Riley is the first in a new adult contemporary series about a girl trying to make a new life for herself and a boy running from his past. It’s sweet, laugh out loud funny, and yes even brought tears to my eyes. If you’re looking for a light, easy read this is it!

I loved Talia, although I didn’t think I would at first. She’s this good girl from SoCal who has really lost her way. Her sister is dead, her dad has checked out, her mom is drinking her life away on the beaches in Hawaii, and she’s flunking college. Basically her life sucks, add to that an OCD diagnosis and you have our Talia. She’s high strung, super smart, and one step away from snapping and losing her mind. But can you really blame her?! Her life in the last two years has literally crumbled around her so like any sensible person she gets the heck out of there. In her own words she heads for “Tomorrowland” aka Australia.

Then there’s Bran <3 I adore Bran but he also had to grow on me. He’s rude, crass, and just in general an all-around jerk to Talia when she first enters his life. But our Bran has a crappy past as well one that I will not spoil. You must read and experience it first hand as I did. Trust me you’ll love him!!

The relationship between Bran and Talia is volatile to say the least simply because neither of them want to admit feelings for the other and risk getting their hearts broken. To say the book is full of irony and angst would be an understatement. Riley does an amazing job of writing the characters in such a way that you really can’t pick a side. I saw both their points and empathized with them throughout the book.

I was a little disappointed in the character development though. Don’t get me wrong. Bran and Talia are fully developed and I expect to meet them one day in the future ;) it’s the other minor characters that got to me. There’s a lot of minor characters who enter Talia and Bran’s day-to-day life but they are just mentioned in passing or only seen at face value. I would’ve liked to see more than just the two main characters developed. Hence the reason for four stars instead of five.

Overall as the first book in this series goes it is fantastic! I’ve already bought the next two and can’t wait to devour them.

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe is the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy about a young woman and her quest to save the planet. 17-year-old Skylar thinks she has gone crazy. She gets these panic attacks of wrongness when she encounters certain situations or people. But when Win, a whole lot of complication, notices her attacks and offers a way for her to stop them, she will follow him on a journey that spans not only the world but time itself.



Okay I’m going to admit that this book was very reminiscent of my favorite Time Lord, however it is also very different so I will do my best to keep the Doctor gifs to a minimum ;)

I’ll be honest this book is one that if I hadn’t read it, it wouldn’t bother me. It was just okay for me. Skylar, the main character, is a bit annoying. She has these feelings that come over her that cause panic-like attacks and then she goes Rainman and starts doing the timetable for the number 3. Not that I don’t understand her panic, I would too in her situation but she was also a bit naive in trusting Win so quickly. She’s very smart, but has no self-confidence and questions herself constantly. I hope to see her grow in this series.



Okay Win isn’t actually the Doctor but close enough ;) He is alien and he does travel through time with this neat little time cloth. I have to say I was not expecting to like him very much, but he grew on me. He’s awkward and rightfully so. He has no boundaries and he tests Skylar’s patience at every turn. However, he is also kind and concerned with Skylar and his people. It’s kind of endearing.



So here’s the deal. Win’s people have trapped Earth in a time bubble and they make small changes that cause ripple effects throughout time to see how humans handle different circumstances. Each time they make a change it degrades Earth so that it’s like “making a recording of a recording of a recording.” They’ve been doing this for thousands of years. Where does Sky come in? Well, she notices the ripples. This is the cause of her panic attacks! Win needs her help to destroy the time bubble and it takes them on a fast-paced, action-packed trip through time.



This book is packed full of action and is very fast-paced as Win and Skylar jump through time trying to follow the instructions of the rebel leader and find the pieces of a weapon that will destroy the time bubble before the Enforcers do. I felt like because it was so fast-paced it didn’t leave much room for character development, though it was definitely packed full of science fiction and a lot of fun time travel.

Overall the ending saved this book. I have to say that I will definitely read the next book as I’m curious to see just where the author is taking the series. There were some major plot twists towards the end that hooked me. If you enjoy young adult science fiction, this is the book for you! It has aliens and time travel, what more could you want?!

Initial Reaction:



I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT!!!!!!

Crown of Midnight by the brilliant Sarah J. Maas is the follow up to Throne of Glass which I LOVED. (SPOILER WARNING: if you haven't read book one of this series, there are minor unavoidable spoilers within this review.) Celaena is now the King's assassin and has been for a few months, but she's not taking it lightly. She knows it means her freedom and she's basically sold herself to the devil working for the man who put her in the salt mines of Endovier to die just for her own freedom. But our lovely Celaena doesn't always play by the rules now does she ;) With the rebellion against the king growing, he commissions Celaena to start killing the heads. When one of the names is a person from her past, Celaena must decide where her loyalties lie.



Celaena is the girl I fell in love with during Throne of Glass. She's snarky, independent, does whatever she wants and screw the consequences. She's ruthless, yet loyal to a fault. She's been hurt and doesn't trust easy, yet she's learning she trusts Chaol implicitly. During this book we see a different side to her though. She gets to be not only the assassin, but a girl. It's wonderfully ironic and I loved every word!

Did his parents have any idea that in the entire castle, in the entire kingdom, there was no one more noble and loyal than him? That the boy they'd thrown out of their lives had become the sort of man that kings and queens could only dream of having serve in their courts?

Oh my Chaol!!! This guy is amazing in my opinion. During the first book it was SO obvious he loved Celaena to everyone but him and her. He's protective, he's willing to teach her, he pushes her to her limits, and bless him he's her exact opposite. He's just perfect! (No questions about my ship huh)

So Dorian closed his eyes, and took another long breath. And when he opened his eyes, he let her go.

Dorian is struggling a bit this book. He was flat out rejected, probably for the first time ever, by the girl who occupies his every thought. His confidence is shot, he's on edge, he doesn't know who to trust or what to trust. Let's just say our Dorian, who I didn't care for much during the first book, has a LOT on his plate and a lot of changes in his future that I CANNOT wait to see play out :D

This book revolves around the rebellion and Celaena's new job as the King's Assassin. I can honestly say that for me (and this is probably a first) I liked this book even more than than its predecessor. I didn't think that was possible because I LOVED Throne of Glass but it's true. The action, the incredibly complex world Celaena lives in, and the entirely sweet almost pure relationship that builds between Chaol and Celaena makes Crown of Midnight a MUST READ!!!

And that ending!!!!!!!! All I can say is I'm so glad I don't have to wait to read Heir of Fire. The cliff that Sarah J Maas leaves us on isn't steep but the revelation at the end of the book will blow your mind! I'll be honest I knew something was up and I had my suspicions but I just....wow!!! Read it, trust me. If you enjoy young adult lit, fantasy, and epic adventures you must read this series.