ENCENDER BY: J. KOWALLIS "My opponent's eyes are cold and detached. You have to be like that in this world. You can't care-or think about what you're doing. You can't think about the lives you take, because if you do...your will end in one snap of de Dios fingers."
 
I have been trying to come up with the words to say about this book, and what automatically keeps coming to mind is that this was not necessarily the book I wanted after reading Afterimage, but what it was, was just the book I didn't even know that I needed. I so bad wanted Encender to pick right up where Afterimage left off, with the characters that I fell in love with, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't initially a little bummed that what I had wanted was not what I had got. Instead Encender gave us these intruders. These brash, intense, barbarians literally fighting their way into this world...and eventually your heart. Ransley, Roydon, and even Estevan and Carmen were stark reminders of the harsh world they are a product of. So while they weren't exactly what I was expecting, or what I wanted, they were a perfect reminder of the savage world that Kowallis has created. I actually quite enjoyed getting to know them and see how they handled themselves while put in these crazy situations clashing against the Public. In fact, I once I started this story, I could barely put it down. I was flying through it, and before I even realized it, these new characters had wormed their way into my heart.  Each one of them brought something new and interesting to the story, and ended up being perfect additions to this tale.
 
 
 

 
 
 
It was also riveting and also truly frightening to see what the Public was up to in this new territory. It became clear that we only got the tip of the iceburg in Afterimage, and I am DYING to see what is going to happen next. The abilities were amped up in this addition as well, which was so cool!! I really love where this story line is taking us. I can honestly say that The Enertia Trials are top notch dystopian novels. Each book thus far has been a surprising, exciting, engaging read from start to finish. Every bit I get only makes me crave the next even more. Congratulations, J. Kowallis, I'm officially addicted! I'll just be waiting here on the edge of my seat waiting to devour the next addition to this amazing series!
 
 

 
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

THE FLOATING STONE BY: CHRISTINA BENJAMIN


4.5 stars Another fantastic prequel in The Geneva Project from Christina Benjamin!! If I had to sum up this book using just one word it would have to be HOPE. What hope means to different people, the many forms it may take, the incredible things that can happen when it's all you have, and the devastation wrought from losing all of it.Sparrow and Journey were quite the pair. I loved how different they were, yet how perfect they were together. They just worked. Sparrow's nearly endless amounts of optimism and chatter was heartwarming, especially so considering their stark circumstances. Journey was the more pragmatic, strong and silent type. He may not have expressed himself verbally very often, but he showed Sparrow and all who could see just how much she meant to him in every action that he took. I honestly really liked both of them and their story was quite charming.If you haven't read any of the other books in The Geneva Chronicles yet, no worries! This book can be read as a standalone, and I am sure that once you read this one you will want to get your hands on the rest of them! I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I was quite surprised the direction that this story ended up going. It was clear that not all was right in White's world, living an extremely sheltered life, never even seeing the sky. But I wasn't expecting what it ended up being! I loved the idea of these Forgotten Ones and their unique story.


I don't really feel like I connected with the characters. White was pretty immature, whether that was a product of her sheltered environment or not, I'm not totally sure. There were times when she was discovering something new that I did find her endearing, the way she marveled at the things we take for granted. I liked the way her excitement and awe made Kes seem to rediscover the magic in them too. Kes was sweet, but I just never felt fully invested in him either.

Some things still felt kind of unresolved by the end. I would have loved to see White face some of her old demons and return to where it all began. I think it might have been nice to see what became of Salt and his sister, and even President Copper. I was also kind of unsure what had really changed between Kes and White. While I wanted to root for them to be together, I was kind of hoping they were going to find a way to do so on...ummm...level ground. I get that there's an awesome message behind this ending, loving someone despite seeming insurmountable differences and all that, but it just still felt like those differences were too much, at least for me.

All in all this was an interesting tale and I'd be curious to see what this author does in the future!


I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

THE EDGE OF JUNIPER BY: LORA RICHARDSON  

 
 
 
This book was like a time machine. It will take you back to a time when Summer was something magical. Full of possibility and lighthearted fun. I want to say a simpler time, but any age has it's complications, and that was also apparent here. It felt so familiar. Spending a Summer with your cousins, family drama, hot sticky days followed by nights cooling off in the lake, and of course a sweet boy to distract you from it all! I loved this story!
 
 

 
Richardson's writing was beautiful. This book is chock-full of wisdom and coming of age lessons to life by. 
 
 
"You were wholesome and you still are, same as anyone else. This is why the whole idea of virginity is stupid. Why all the focus on whether or not a girl has done it? Just because you've had sex, you're not any less precious. You're not less pure, you're not less valuable or wholesome. Being a virgin or not doesn't change that."
 
 

 
 
Fay was a teenage girl that was wise beyond her years in a lot of ways. But also still very much a child who was growing up and starting to learn that grownups, especially parents, were ultimately just human...and flawed. It can be quite jarring when that happens, and I think Richardson did a fantastic job relaying that here. 
 
 
"I was trying hard to be helpful and supportive of her, and Dad too, but sometimes I turned into a needy child and just wanted them to do the caretaking. It was hard seeing them both so fragile, so in need of care as well."
 
 
Malcolm was equally as enchanting as Fay. He was so sweet! Honestly his whole family was enviable! His mother's interactions with Fay truly brought tears to my eyes a few different times. But as perfect as they could seem at times, I appreciated that Richardson made sure to get the point across that there is no perfect. People are fallible and relationships of any kind are something that you have to consciously work at for them to be and stay strong.
 
 
Going into this story I thought it was going to be a Romeo and Juliet type of thing. While there was a forbidden romance going on here, it really took a backseat to the real star of the show, in my opinion, which was an endearing coming of age tale with smart, flawed, beautiful people and moments that I want to keep in my pocket close to my heart!
 
 

 
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
 

REMEMBER WHEN BY: RC BOLDT Honestly I have been waiting for Tate and Miller's story since the fireworks they were throwing off in the previous book. I really enjoyed getting glimpses of their past as their current relationship progressed. Second chance romances always get me!
 
 

 
 
All the stuff Tate was holding onto was quite a surprise, and so sad to think of her dealing with it all on her own. Miller's story was also pretty heartbreaking and lonely. I can see why there was so much animosity between them in the beginning!
 
As much as I enjoy the sweet and steamy romances in this series, I think the real star of the show is the friendship. This group of people that reminds you that sometimes the family you choose is the most important. Their whole dynamic is heartwarming and I can't get enough of them! Through good times and bad they face things together and they have a lot of fun in the process. I am happy to see this group continuing to grow. Each new addition has another juicy tale in them that I just can't wait to see. And as an added bonus you get to see the couples you have already come to love continuing in their happily-ever-afters.
 

 
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

IN ANOTHER LIFE BY: CARYS JONES  
 
 
  I have some mixed feelings about this story. There were some really cool ideas here, like really freaking cool. The fantasy element was super interesting to me, honestly it was my favorite part. Which ultimately ended up being slightly disappointing because that was not necessarily present throughout most of the book. Okay, I am getting ahead of myself a little here, Let's start at the beginning...
 
 

 
 
So things were a little confusing for me at first. We met the main character Marie, and you started understanding very quickly that she was a girl that just didn't fit in. She was floundering in pretty much all areas of her life, hopping from job to job, had a finance who was nice enough to say yes to, yet he really didn't understand her. Which makes sense as she didn't really seem to understand herself either. Marie always felt as if she was something...more. Like she was royalty and she still believed in fairy tales and she didn't quite get why no one else thought the same. This was a little strange for me. It was hard for me to understand why she would feel this way. This does end up getting answered later, but it was baffling to me at the beginning. It kind of ended up distancing me from Marie rather than bringing me closer. But things progress at a steady pace and suddenly Marie is in a terrible accident that leaves her in a coma. Here is where things really pick up for me.
 
 

 
Suddenly she is in this vastly different world. It is unlike any place she has ever seen. This had a very Oz feel to it. Beautiful and enchanting. Things start to happen there as she explores and meets new people, and discovers hidden truths about herself. All the while her family is distraught in waking world, pleading for her to return to them. It was an odd mixture of feelings being so enthralled with this new place and wanting to see more of that but also feeling quite bad for her family that just wanted their loved one to be with them once again. I was torn for which I wanted to see happen more! This new world was very interesting to me, and while it sounded super cool, I was left feeling like we only scratched the surface of it. It was like looking at a beautifully imagined shell and finding it rather sparse on the inside. I wanted more of this promising place. I wanted to get lost there along with Marie. It just never fully developed to me.
 
 
The second half of the book takes quite a different turn than I was expecting. It was a little darker than I anticipated it being. This book went from happy fairytale like material to REAL LIFE STRUGGLES in the blink of an eye. I was shocked.
 
 
 
 
 
While I applaud the very real emotions brought up in this part, it was so vastly different from the tone of the first half I almost felt as if I was reading a completely different story. Honestly towards this point in the story I started feeling more connected to her Fiancé, Sebastian and Marie's parents. Seeing them struggle and try and cope with their new reality was much more engaging and moving to me than anything Marie had going on in her otherworldly issues. 
 
 
In the end I found that I did enjoy this story, even though I ultimately felt like I was reading two very different kinds of stories. I liked elements of both sides, but I felt like in having two sides of a coin being developed here, in the end neither was as grand as it could have been.
 
 
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

DUALITY BY: J. KOWALLIS  
 
  OHHMGEE!! I don't even know where to start with this. Duality WRECKED me. This story was brutal. Completely devastating. The Enertia Trials have never been sunshine and rainbows, by any means, but this book was especially savage. And I loved every page of it, even when it destroyed me.
 
 

 
 
Duality picked up pretty much right where Encender left off. Our group of ragtag anti-heroes separated by wicked circumstance and fighting tooth and nail to get back to each other. The thing I really loved was that each person was going through so much externally and internally, it had kept me glued to the pages throughout the whole thing.
Reggie...oh gawd Reggie. My heart ached for her. Things were so dark for Reggie, but one thing that I felt never truly wavered, was her incredible strength and her deep seeded hope that the future could hold some light.
 
 

 
 
You could really tell just how much has happened in the two previous books because it all hung like a weight around Nate's shoulders in this one. I could feel the burden he carried. Constantly keeping it together and relentlessly moving forward in pursuit of the only thing left that truly mattered to him, Reggie. While he's always been the cool-headed guy taking charge, you started to see the cracks in this tough exterior. The pressure seemed to be breaking through in waves. It ended up making him more of a wild card than we've previously seen. And it amped up the anxiety big time. I kept trying to prepare myself for him to completely lose his shit all together.
 
 

 
Ransley...holy hell. I LOVE Ransley. She is the ultimate wild card, and I adore that about her. It's her unfathomable amount of passion that drives her and while it can definitely back fire (LITERALLY), it always comes from her heart. She isn't someone that gets close to people easily, but she is someone that would fight to the end of the Earth for you once you do break past the prickly exterior. As horrific as Reggie's struggles were, my heart freaking SHATTERED for Ransley. I just can't. I still can't even process what happened with her. I worry for her, I really do, maybe more than anyone else right now. I also have to say how absolutely PERFECT her ability is for her. This wild, ferocious, all consuming, and utterly beautiful thing. This girl is on fire!!!
 
 

 
 
All I can say is thank goodness for Roy. I feel like he was a solid anchor through this tale. He really stepped up and tried to hold things together while all hell was breaking loose around him. He was the yin to Ransely's yang, there's no arguing that. Which ultimately left Ransley questioning their relationship even more. I also think Roy has one of the COOLEST abilities I have EVER heard of. I love the idea of corporeal fission...imagine how much you could accomplish with that ability?! All the books you could read!!!
 
 

 
 
Okay, so besides the AMAZING line-up of characters, this story was a pulse-pounding, anxiety inducing, heart-breaking roller-coaster ride that you won't want to end. It is EVERYTHING I want in a dystopian book especially. It is vicious, ruthless and so utterly raw, it will scrape against your nerve endings and you'll keep wanting more. I can't recommend this series enough! Each new addition has topped the last, even when I thought there was no way that was even possible! Be forewarned though, this book will gut you. It will tear you apart and turn you into a bloodthirsty animal by the end. I can't wait to see what happens next, for so many reasons, but especially after that heart-wrenching ending!
 
 

 
 
I also want to get personal and even more fan-girly for a quick moment. A million squees and thanks to J. Kowallis for so many things, the beautiful paperback copy of this book for review (which totally floored me to see my quote on the cover!), the super sweet shout out in the Acknowledgments, and more than anything, for being such a kind, cool, and totally bad-ass story teller that weaves these deliciously addictive tales that I can't get enough of! Thank you, a million times, thank you!