Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Goodreads Summary:

tick

tick

tick

tick

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it's almost

time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

My Review:
I was worried about picking this book up because I didn't think I'd be able to stop reading it....aaaand I was right! I started it and couldn't put it down. I was so sucked into Juliette's life and her struggles that I felt like I really got to know her better in Unravel Me. She is trying to adjust to living at Omega Point. She is surrounded by people who are afraid of her and she feels more alone then ever. She has Adam but, something bad happens and their relationship is in jeopardy. Not only that but, Warner's boys are doing extra patrols and after they find out what the Omega Point crew is capable of they threaten innocents and a war is coming. We also get to learn more about Adam and Warner's gifts. They are pretty awesome if I do say so myself. We also find out some crazy things about Adam's family...I never saw them coming that's for sure. Juliette's world is about to change in a huge way. Can she handle it? Will her gift end up tearing her apart? Will her and Adam make it?

I was a HUGE Adam fan in Shatter Me and even after Destroy Me. I felt that their relationship was a little rushed but, I loved them together. After Unravel Me I have completely switched my team. I am 100% Warner now. I have never done a 180 like that on guys in a book. I feel like Warner hates himself so much and has given up on himself. He really has nothing. He is a broken man. Juliette is so conflicted about how she feels about him. She no longer hates him. I don't blame her. He was sculpted by his life and his father to be the man he is now. There's nothing he can do to change that. Ugh, I just love him. He is like the bad boy lost cause that has no one and nothing except his love for Juliette. Love may not be strong enough to describe it. Devotion maybe. I am really hoping Juliette will end up with him!

I had been looking forward to Unravel Me for what seems like forever. I am hooked. I need to know what is going to happen with Juliette. The writing style is so unique and I love it! I can't wait for book 3. It suppose to come out this Fall and it can't come soon enough. If you haven't read this series yet then you MUST!

In My Mailbox #17

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at The Story Siren. It's a way for bloggers to share which books they received. I am hoping to do this every week, unless I have a slow week! There are a lot of books coming out this month so hopefully will have more next week!

Free on Amazon

Baby by J.K. Accinni

Purchased/Received:

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Capture by Nicole Sobon
Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

I have not actually seen the Safe Haven movie yet. I don't intend to. It's weird I know but, I prefer the Nicholas Sparks book as books rather then their movie adaptions. Have any of you seen the movie yet? Is it worth seeing? 

ARC of Submerged by Nicole Sobon

Goodreads Summary:

After a mysterious virus makes its way into the United States, the government demands that states seal themselves off from one another and do their best to protect their surviving residents. When the state of Florida is bordered off from the surrounding states, Taylen Fincher, a seventeen-year-old girl with a yearning for her former life finds herself wondering how much of what they’ve been told is true.

When Troum took control of the state, he told the residents that the other states had fallen to the virus and that he wouldn’t allow the same thing to happen to them. But Taylen doesn’t believe it. She insists that there is still life outside of the state, and she is going to do whatever it takes to prove it… but her actions will cost her more than she ever expected.

Troum kidnaps Taylen’s sister, Penelope, in hopes of coaxing her into behaving – into being a submissive resident, much like the others. But Taylen isn’t one to give in that easily.

Eager to rescue her sister, Taylen will set out on an adventure that’ll force her to open her heart to the unexpected and to uncover secrets that will change everything.

SUBMERGED is the first book in a YA dystopian duology.

My Review:
I was given an ARC copy of this book. I absolutely loooove the cover! It is so awesome. I am drawn to awesome covers, what can I say. Being a nurse, whenever something is about a virus that kills most of mankind I am instantly drawn in. Taylen is left in a "city" in the aftermath of the virus. The city is divided into sectors. Taylen is lucky enough to live in the family sector. Which is not great but, it's better then the Widowed and Homeless sectors. She is a fiery red head who doesn't like to follow their leader, Troum's, rules. This gets her family in a lot of trouble. They take her sister from her to get her away from her bad influence. Taylen tries to get her sister back and then ends up getting a kill order placed on her. She escapes the Family sector and is forced to hide and run from everything she knows. Luckily she has help from a lovely guy named Glate. Taylen is on a run for her life and trying to rescue her sister. She ends up trusting people that she shouldn't and it ends up turning out badly for her. Taylen is running for her life and she can trust no one. Will she be able to rescue her sister? Will this mysterious flood ever happen? 

Glate is your all around super helpful hot guy. He runs into Taylen when she is attempting to escape. He has been through the sectors before and has insider knowledge of how to manage through the sectors. He is very helpful given Taylen's situation. They soon develop some feelings for each other! I know there always has to be some romance in high stress situations. When it doubt make out! Anyway, they have a few stolen moments with each other. It fit the story well and I love Glate. There is also another potential love interest, Lex. He is Taylen's childhood friend. He also helps Taylen escape and throughout the story however, there are other events taking on behind the scenes with him that Taylen doesn't know about. I felt so bad for her. It seems like everyone around her was keeping something from her. That she couldn't really trust anyone. Even though she was surrounded by people but, not really knowing who you can trust. 

This story was full of ups and downs. There was a lot of action and enough going on in the plot to keep you interested. I am excited to see what happens next with this one! I am also a little attached to Glate and am hoping we get to see more of him!

Concealed in Shadows Blog Tour!

Welcome to my blog for the Concealed in Shadows blog tour!! There are a lot of great things on the blog today. My review, an excerpt from the book!! It's very exciting. This book was simply amazing. I hope you enjoy this stop on the tour!

Summary: Sydney Harter has long awaited September 12th, 2033, her eighteenth birthday. She can finally apply for guardianship of her sister Evvie, her only family and entire world. Sydney holds a sliver of hope that they will be lawfully reunited, and that light will return to her desolate life, but she is prepared to defy authority and risk everything to escape Miles County so that she and Evvie can live full lives together.
Escaping will be difficult and dangerous. Citizens are bound to their county by sophisticated chip implants that deliver shocks to anyone who crosses the county's electric barrier. Sydney is very clever, but her trickery is limited against the all-seeing eyes of county technology. It seems impossible to escape into the forgotten forests and cities of the past, but Sydney is determined to find a way if she is denied guardianship of her sister. For years she has longed to break free from the government's experimental Petri Dish and the hallowed drones that inhabit it.
What Sydney doesn't know is that the county has particular interest in her. Her place in this complex dystopia is about to change. Deceit, fear, and warfare, will come to characterize her life, yet her love for Evvie will always prevail. She must protect her sister, but at what cost?
My Review: I am so glad that I was able to be part of this blog tour. I was introduced to a great book. Concealed in the Shadows is a dystopian based book with some futuristic tendencies. Sydney has been part of a "country" her whole life. The remaining parts of the country have been sectioned off into these countries. Wherever you were at the time the countries were created is where you had to stay. Families were split up. Sydney has put up with the way things are for a long time. Her childhood was not the best. Her father died when she was young and her mother had some psych issues and died at a young age as well. Her sister Evvie is finally going to be old enough to live with her sister now. Sydney loves her sister so much. She will do anything for her. Before, Sydney was able to get Evvie she spent a lot of time outside the wall. She had it down to a science to get out over the wall. They have to be so careful because they are always being watched. Their chips tracking their every movement. 
Sydney takes Evvie over the wall once. What they don't know is that they are also being watched. And not by the people inside the wall but, those who are outside of it. There are things going on that the people living inside the wall don't know about. There may be alternatives way to live. Where you are truly free to live your life with your family. When Sydney goes out for her daily run outside the wall she is taken. She is taken by people that actually turn out to be great. They have removed their chips and are actually living freely outside the wall. She quickly realizes that her sister, left alone behind the wall, may try to cross since Sydney didn't return home. Her and her now kind of friends go to try to rescue Evvie. They find it odd that they met no resistance. There is more going on behind the scenes then the sisters are in for. There is a conspiracy brewing that involves people they knew to be dead. 
There are of course some cute boys in this book too! I was more into Crewe then his brother Cy. The Davids brothers are a double threat. There is romance in this book but, it is subtle. There are serious things happening. It is more like real life then your typical teen love story. I don't want to get into to much about these two other then they are both like super hero's. Willing to do anything for the ones they love and their community to keep them safe. 
Concealed in the Shadows is an amazing dystopian full of mystery and secrets. It is not the typical YA book that you see out there. It is an amazing book and I would highly recommended it! 

Excerpts!

Chapter 1 (pgs.1-2). Significance: Revelation of government corruption and oppression. This passage displays Sydney’s fear of being caught yet her bravery to escape into a freer place.

I suspect the government has used this rationale to veil their chief intent, to institute ever-watchful eyes guarding against attempts from citizens to flee their experimental Petri dish.

It took me at least ten attempts to scale this wall the first time I tried. Today, I execute the undertaking without thought or sweat. My movements from one hold to the next are now so ingrained that I easily accomplish the climb despite the predawn darkness.

The only detail that perpetually needs attention is my timing under the rotation of the camera mounted on the corner of EPA 7-8. I can’t risk that my clothing, pack, or even a wisp of hair be detected by surveillance when I propel myself atop the building. I don’t know whether it’s environmental protection agents or some government-created task force who are the observers on the other side of the camera’s lens. Whoever they are, I know that they don’t have to distinguish a face to determine whom it was that breached. They can locate an escapee’s position the very instant that they glimpse an oddity by cataloging all nearby chips. Depending on how many miles a runaway has attained, they may earn at most five minutes of freedom before they’re captured, held, and interrogated in a manner I assume to be sinister.

I safely slink on top of the roof and continue to study the camera’s position. The first time I foolishly jumped just over two years ago, I was extremely lucky. The next time, and every time thereafter, I’ve calculated. I have precisely twenty-two seconds to disappear before the camera scans the landscape, which must appear undisturbed.

            I methodically count down the seconds as I jog toward the far side of the roof and double-check the vacant street. Ten seconds until optimal jump time. I focus on the dim ledge opposite me. Five. Four. I bolt from my line and instantaneously push off of the ledge at one.

Chapter 3 (pgs. 19-21). Significance: Sydney dreams of the day that her grandmother, her caregiver, explains to her that her time has come and that she will inherit the responsibility of raising her sister and hiding her mother’s mental illness.

“But now, our nation has decided it would be better if people didn’t live so long.”

“So that they wouldn’t have to hurt?”

“Something like that, sweetie.”

“Well what did they do, grandma?” asks the concerned child, already predicting a worrisome answer.

“Well sweetie, the people who make the laws worked together with doctors to find a way for the old people to leave the world very peacefully, before most of them are old enough to get very sick or have much hurt.”

Suddenly the little girl isn’t so brave. Tears overtake her small face as she buries herself in her grandmother’s lap. “You’re not going to let them take you away, are you grandma? You can’t leave us!” The desperate pleas of the helpless child prove to be too much for her grandmother. The tears escape her too, but she fights to hold in the anger and the revulsion in order to be strong for the sake of the child.

“I wish I could stay forever, sweetheart. I wish I could see you and your sister grow into the strong, beautiful women that I know you will become. I wish I could see your mother get healthy again.” The tears try to choke off her words, but she forces them out. “But, you see, last night was my last Friday night sleepover with you and your sister, and sweetheart,” she places her hand on the shoulder of the little girl and smiles, “it was one of the best days of my life. I get to leave this world with warm memories of baking cookies and painting flowers with my two favorite people in the world.”

“I don’t want you to go!” the child protests as her heart boils and her face floods. She pulls her grandma’s arms around her and buries her head into her chest as she begs, “Just tell them you don’t feel sick. Tell them you want to stay a little longer.” She closes her eyes tightly and wishes that it were a nightmare. But already the little girl knows better than hoping for happiness in her life. She knows there are no exceptions to the unchallengeable laws.

“I know, sweetheart, I know.” The woman strokes and kisses the distraught and fragile girl’s hair as the child clings to her tightly. A few more tears slide from her weary eyes before she finds the strength to make a final request of her beloved grandchild.

“Sydney?” She looks down to where I’m still clinging to her, not ready to come away and meet the eyes I love so much as she tells me that this is the last time I will see her. “Sydney,” she tries again, this time gently pulling my chin from her chest. “I need you to do me one last favor, okay?” My grandma can see that I can’t handle this. How can she ask me, a mere child, to let go of the one I love most, the unyielding presence in my life? Her next words seem sharper than the rest in the memory, and I never let them go.

“Sydney Harter, I know it will be hard, but you have no choice other than to be the bravest girl there ever was. You have to be brave so that you and Evvie can grow up strong. Grandpa and I, your dad, and grandma and grandpa Harter, want to look down on you and smile because of how proud you’ve made us.” She waits. My wails have subsided to sobs, but the pain hasn’t lessened any. “You want to make all of us proud, right honey?”

“Yes,” I reply shakily. It took so much to utter that single word because with it came the acknowledgement that I had only begun learning hardship.

“Good, sweetheart. Good girl,” she soothes. “What I need you to do is try your very hardest to take care of your sister. Be good all of the time and try to help your mom when she seems sick.” Grandma’s eyes enlarge and she squeezes my hand more tightly. “Never ever tell anyone about your mom’s sickness, even if it seems like they are trying to help. Can you be a big girl and do those things for me, sweetheart?” I nod that I can, although I don’t believe it, and empty my heart in her lap for the last time.

Author Bio

GABRIELLE ARROWSMITH enjoyed writing her debut novel, Concealed in the Shadows, during a lovely Minnesota summer that she had off from her primary profession, teaching. She looks forward to continuing the story. Acting, playing and coaching soccer, reading, playing piano, and spending time with family and friends are among her other interests.

Book Links: Amazon | Createspace | Goodreads | 

Author Links:  Blog 

Other Blogs taking part in the hop:

February 18 - Curling Up with a Good Book *Review and excerpt

* - Blood, Sweat and Books *Review

February 19 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews *Excerpt

February 20 - Spare Time Book Blog *Review

* - Howling Turtle *Excerpt

* - A Dream Within a Dream *Excerpt

February 21 - izz "pingle" bookish place *Excerpt

February 22 - Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf *Review

* - Bookwyrming Thoughts *Excerpt

February 23 - YA Book Addict *Excerpt

* - Mom with a Kindle *Excerpt

* - Hooked in a Book *Review and excerpt

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Goodreads Summary:

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.


Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

My Review:
I have to start out by saying that I LOVE Adrian and Sydney. Ok, now that I got that out of my system, The Indigo Spell was amazing!! I was worried about this series but, it has turned out so much better then I could have expected. Sydney struggles with a lot of big issues during this book. Her ever growing feelings for Adrian and her suspicions about the Alchemist's have her very conflicted. We do find out who Marcus is and what his little group is all about. She also learns a lot more about magic. Which actually turns out to be a dangerous thing. There is a bad witch in town and Sydney's life is in danger. She is pulled in so many different directions with her responsibilities that I have no idea how she managed it all.  Sydney grows so much into her own person. She really takes the bull by the horns in this one. She transforms into her own person who isn't controlled. It's great! Empowering even!

Adrian is still the super/amazing/super sexy vampire. The way he dealt with his "relationship" with Sydney was awesome. Its kind of like he was tempting her. He really made her question who she was and what she believed in. It was great. I loved his little dream hopping parts. They were great. They are seriously perfect for each other. I'm not sure that Sydney will really understand that. Especially given the new twist at the end. I'm not sure they will be able to be together. Jill and Eddie aren't in this one as much but, they are still there and great characters. Jill really has grown to care about Sydney. 

The new person who shows up at the end will completely change things. I am so terrified that it will ruin Adrian and Sydney. I have high hopes for them. I also think that Sydney will learn more about the Alchemist's. There is a lot going on there that she doesn't know. I think they are bad personally. I guess we will see!

In My Mailbox #16

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at The Story Siren. It's a way for bloggers to share which books they received. I am hoping to do this every week, unless I have a slow week! There are a lot of books coming out this month so hopefully will have more next week!

Purchased

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Wishlist Wednesday #35

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly post put on by Dani at the Pen to Paper blog. Where you post a book you really really want to read or one that has been on your wishlist! If you've seen my to-read list on Goodreads then you know there are plenty that I could use. So I decided to use this feature every Wednesday.

Title: Down London Road
Author: Samantha Young
Series Number: 2
Release Date: May 7, 2013

Goodreads Summary:

It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, Cole. With an absent father and a useless mother, she’s been making decisions based on what’s best for Cole for as long as she can remember. She even determines what men to date by how much they can provide for her brother and her, not on whatever sparks may—or may not—fly.

But with Cameron MacCabe, the attraction is undeniable. The sexy new bartender at work gives her butterflies every time she looks at him. And for once, Jo is tempted to put her needs first. Cam is just as obsessed with getting to know Jo, but her walls are too solid to let him get close enough to even try.

Then Cam moves into the flat below Jo’s, and their blistering connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo’s secrets …even if it means taking apart her defenses piece by piece.

My Thoughts:
I can't sing this authors praise enough. I have loved all the books by her that I've read. The first book of the series On Dublin Street was AMAZING!! Seriously, I loved it. If you haven't read On Dublin Street I recommend you do. She also has some awesome YA series out there too that I would highly recommend! Have you read anything by this author? On Dublin Street perhaps? 

Spark by Nicole Sobon

Goodreads Summary:

"Spark" is a short story prequel to Submerged (available 2/14/13) told from Glate's POV.

Ten years ago, when the Outbreak destroyed the only home I knew, I thought that the worst had happened. I was wrong.

Every day is a battle, and there are no guarantees.

But her?

I'm willing to risk it all for her.

She has ignited something in me, something I haven't felt since my mother's death - a burning hope.



My Review:
Spark is a very quick read. It is a prequel to Submerged and helps set up the world before the full length book. You can probably read Spark in an hour or so. We get to know Glate, who I'm sure is going to be a very fun guy to read about in Submerged. The world doesn't sound to great after a virus runs its course through it. They keep talking about the ocean rising and eventually covering everything. I hope we get to learn more about that in Submerged. We also get our first glimpse of Tay. Who appears to be a fiery red head with attitude. I can't wait to dive into Submerged!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Goodreads Summary:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.



My Review:
I have wanted to read this book for a while. It has been hanging out on my reading list. Then I saw the preview for the movie and knew I had to read it before seeing the movie. I kind of had high expectations for the book because the movie looks good. There was a lot happening in this book, it was quite long. I found myself getting a little bored and skipping stuff while reading it. It took me a while to finish it actually. It is told from Ethan's point of view so it was a little different to get a guys perspective. Lena moves to Gatlin to live with her uncle Macon. He isn't well known in town and people think he is kind of weird. Things start happening at school with Lena and then the parents of the kids get involved. They think Lena is a bad influence and claim she has had "violent" outbursts before. Eventually we find out that on Lena's 16th birthday she will either go to the light or dark side as a witch. She is terrified that she will go dark and her and Ethan try to figure out how to keep Lena from going dark. That is basically a summary of the entire book.

Ethan was a great guy as far as guys go. I felt like he accepted all this magic/witch stuff way to fast. I felt like he was great towards Lena. Everyone in town shunned her and the parents were awful as well. Simply crazy that they could be like that towards someone as adults. He really was Lena's rock throughout the story. 

I felt like this book was really long. I understand the need to set up a world in a book but, the goal could have been accomplished in fewer pages. It wasn't my favorite but, I will probably still read more of this series and the movie.

In My Mailbox #15

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at The Story Siren. It's a way for bloggers to share which books they received. I am hoping to do this every week, unless I have a slow week! There are a lot of books coming out this month so hopefully will have more next week!

E-ARC's

Submerged by Nicole Sobon
The Arrangement 3 by H.M. Ward

Purchased

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Spark by Nicole Sobon

The Arrangement #3 by H.M. Ward

Goodreads Summary:
Sex isn't love, but it feels like it--that is until Sean bolts from the room. For a moment, everything seemed fine. Avery's life didn't feel so impossible. She got the guy and the money, but then everything shifts. The line between reality and fantasy gets hazy. It's impossible to know if her feelings are genuine or just an illusion. 


To make matters worse something from Sean's past surfaces. Devastated, Avery realizes that Sean isn't the guy that she thought he was. Avery's heart can't take another loss and this time, it looks like she's going to lose everything.

Genre: New Adult Romance
This story unfolds over multiple volumes approx. 20,000 words each.
~The Arrangement Vol 1, 2, & 3 are on sale now.

My Review:
Holy crap does volume 3 have some twists!! Trust me you will not see them coming. Sean has some serious secrets going on.  Poor Avery is left alone after Sean leaves the room and she kind of looses it. After all she's been through I don't blame her. This situation isn't exactly normal either. The poor girl is kind seriously doesn't have anything left. I felt so bad for her after she finds that note in Sean's pocket. She looses it and goes to the one place she can let go and that's to see her parents. Volume 3 was fun and heartbreaking at the same time. There are good times with Sean and Avery and bad. Avery is fighting with her feelings for Sean and Sean has very different "needs." This volume left me wondering if these two will ever have a happily ever after. Whether it's with each other or not. They are two messed up closed off people. In a way, perfect for each other. I just don't know if they will realize it. 

Mel is still perfect. She tells Avery exactly how it is. She is a girl that Sean ordered and wasn't his ideal choice. She tries to get Avery to realize that Sean paid for her and isn't emotionally involved. She also tells Avery to disconnect herself and figure out what his fetish is because they all have them, that's why they use call girls. All I will say is that she definitely figures it out. I think this is what pushes Avery to sign on for another client. Anyway, she does figure out his "fetish", well I think it's more of a "need", and it does not end well. 

There are so many questions after Volume 3. What will happen with them? Will Avery continue to do this? Whats up with Sean's family? What will happen to Avery now?  Ugh! I must know! I need Volume 4 now!!!

Cover Reveal!!! Down London Road by Samantha Young!

Summary

Johanna Walker is used to taking charge. But she’s about to meet someone who will make her lose control....

It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, Cole. With an absent father and a useless mother, she’s been making decisions based on what’s best for Cole for as long as she can remember. She even determines what men to date by how much they can provide for her brother and her, not on whatever sparks may—or may not—fly. But with Cameron MacCabe, the attraction is undeniable. The sexy new bartender at work gives her butterflies every time she looks at him. And for once, Jo is tempted to put her needs first. Cam is just as obsessed with getting to know Jo, but her walls are too solid to let him get close enough to even try. Then Cam moves into the flat below Jo’s, and their blistering connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo’s secrets…even if it means taking apart her defenses piece by piece.

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Samantha Young, is a 26 year old writer from Stirlingshire, Scotland. After graduating from the university of Edinburgh, Samantha returned to Stirlingshire where she happily spends her days writing about people she's keen for others to meet, and worlds she's dying for them to visit. Having written over ten young adult urban fantasy novels, Samantha took the big plunge into adult contemporary romance with her novel 'On Dublin Street'. 'On Dublin Street' is a #1 National Bestseller and has been re-published by NAL(Penguin US). For info on her young adult fiction visit www.samanthayoungbooks.com

My Thoughts

The cover is so awesome!! I loved On Dublin Street. It was absolutely amazing. So I am really looking forward to Down London Road! I can't wait to see what happens in Johanna's story. If  you haven't read On Dublin Street yet then you need to before Down London Road comes out! Samantha Young also has some amazing YA series out there! I have read a lot of them so check them out as well! 

Wishlist Wednesday #34

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly post put on by Dani at the Pen to Paper blog. Where you post a book you really really want to read or one that has been on your wishlist! If you've seen my to-read list on Goodreads then you know there are plenty that I could use. So I decided to use this feature every Wednesday.

Title: Altered

Author: Jennifer Rush

Series Number: 1

Release Date: January 1, 2013

Goodreads Summary: 

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

My Thoughts:

I swear I saw this one originally on someones Wishlist Wednesday. I just keep coming back to this one. It's popping up everywhere. I always see it on my recommendations from Amazon. Well and the cover is awesome. That always helps. Have any of you read this one yet?

Scandalous #2 by H.M. Ward

Goodreads Summary:

The sequel to the NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestseller SCANDALOUS.

The story follows Jack and Abby.

Full description is not out yet. I will update the post as soon as it is!










My Review:
Scandalous 2 picks up where the first book left off. We catch up with them on their honeymoon in the Caribbean. Their in love and life is perfect in that moment. As their honeymoon comes closer to an end real life starts to rear it's ugly head yet again. Abby still struggles with the fact that she broke her vows. This seems completely natural to me. Those vows were a huge part of her life and no it has all changed. It's like she says in the story it's like a part of her has died. Things back home are not going great either. When they get back, there is a problem with Jack's tour. There has been protesters before but, this time is different. These people are dangerous. They have been known to hurt people. Jack and Abby are both worried about each others safety. Scandalous 2 is a whirlwind of intense love and romance with some life threatening danger thrown in. It is quite obvious that these two are soul mates. Will their epic love survive their pasts and current dangers? 

I loved Jack in the fist book. I have to say that I love him even more now. He knows exactly what to say to make Abby feel better. It's like they are two halves working together to make a whole. So in tune to how each other is feeling. Their love really blossoms in front of us. The new painting that Jack does just proves it. It's like I could see it come to life while reading. It also helps Abby open up about some painful events in her childhood. Even through all the crap going on around them they still show their each other how in love they are. Yes, there are some pretty hot romance scenes but, there are also really cute ones too!

Gus and Kate are just as awesome as they were in the first book. Sticking by their friends through it all. I love how Kate calls Abby out on her crap. They are perfect best friends. I think Gus does the same for Jack. They are there for Jack and Abby even when their lives are on the line. 

I loved Scandalous 2. I read it in less then a day. This story was so full of passion and love that it was hard to put down. I had to know how their story would end. I so desperately wanted a happily ever after or them.  You will have to read to find out what happens! Sorry!

In My Mailbox #14

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at The Story Siren. It's a way for bloggers to share which books they received. I am hoping to do this every week, unless I have a slow week! There are a lot of books coming out this month so hopefully will have more next week!

e-ARC 

Scandalous #2 by H.M. Ward

Won

Signed copy of ReVamped by Ada Adams and signed swag!!

Purchased

Asunder by Jodi Meadows
Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
Slide by Jill Hathaway

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Goodreads Summary:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

My Review:
I was so excited to read this book. The cover is awesome so of course I got the hardcover! I'm not going to lie I loved Alice and Wonderland as a kid. I watched it as an adult not to long ago and I realized how weird it actually was. I understood it better as an adult...Anyway, I loved A.G. Howard's viewpoint on the story. It was a new on the story. I am really into these stories right now. Alyssa lives in a normal world but, have a very abnormal life. She hears bugs and flowers talking to her. Also her Mom is in an asylum because she kind of "lives" in Wonderland. Alyssa starts to think that she is slowly starting to go crazy too. 

The only way she gets a little relief is from skateboarding, her ipod, and with Jeb. Jeb is a friend of Alyssa's. She has known him forever and is basically in love with him. She gets made fun of by her peers because of the Alice and Wonderland thing. Little do they know how close the story actually is to Alyssa's life. Eventually a string of events take place and Alyssa realizes that she must venture down the rabbit hole to try to save her mother and her future from ending in an asylum. This road leads through a mirror, down a rabbit hole, and into a world Alyssa can only dream of. Someone else accidentally tags along on this magical journey as well. 

Jeb and Alyssa then go through one heck of an adventure. Alyssa tries to compare the Wonderland she is in to the book she grew up with. But, this Wonderland is not the same. Dark things are going on behind the scenes. There is a web of lies and manipulation. Alyssa is also dealing with some changes to herself the longer she is in Wonderland. There is a reason the woman in her family can hear bugs and flowers. It goes back many generations. Things are never what they seem, especially in Wonderland. 

There are two potential love interests in this story. Jeb, the human love of her life. He does have a girlfriend who is absolutely awful! I really don't like her. After Jeb goes to check on Alyssa and sees her walk into a mirror he does the only thing he can think of to keep her safe...follow her of course. He gets sucked into the Wonderland. He is willing to do just about anything to keep Alyssa safe. The second guy is Morpheus. He is the guy who has led Alyssa to Wonderland. He is not human. He has blue hair and black eyes. He is a very cunning and mysterious guy. And even though he was secretive and didn't fully tell Alyssa everything I still liked him. Even at the end. I was pulling for Jeb the whole time. He seemed like kind of an underdog. You will have to read to see who she picked! 

If you are looking for a fun read that is a different take on a classical story then this is the one for you. I really enjoyed Splintered. It kept me guessing the whole time. I had no idea how it was going to end. There was so much going on behind the scenes that this review was kind of hard because I didn't want to give to much away. I would recommend this book!