Popular books I couldn't get into

*In no particular order

 I never read a fairytale retelling before this so i did have quite high expectations. It also has fairly good reviews. Sadly, i found the story quite predictable and most of the time quite slow. The characters didn't interest me much either.

 As a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater's "The Raven Boys", i really really wanted to be able to be a fan of her other books. Unfortunately, i found it difficult to get into the world of "The Scorpio Races." The writing made it even harder and in the end i gave up.
(The same thing happened with the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series by the same author)

 I know everyone seems to rave about this book. To be honest i think part of the reason i couldn't get into this book was because it wasn't the type of book i was interested in at the time. I'll probably pick this up again one day and give it another shot.

 This book is the sequel to "Eve" by Anna Carey which i also found Ok. The main reason i couldn't get into this book was because there wasn't anything particularly gripping or page-turning about this book/series. I found the main character quite frustrating too.

 The "Summer I turned pretty" trilogy is also very popular. I just found the way it was written off-putting for some reason. Also, at the time i was reading this book i didn't like love triangles at all. Therefore, i just put in down. However, i don't think i'll be picking it up again either because the story doesn't interest me much.

One of the latest books I've read that i couldn't get into was "We were liars" by E. Lockhart. This book looked and sounded very intriguing. It was also quite short so i decided to take it off my TBR pile. I do see how some people may love the book but it didn't quite get to me in that way. The writing style is either love or hate. I found it hard to read the book due to the writing and all the metaphors. I do understand how it was beautiful but it just wasn't my cup of tea. Furthermore, I couldn't connect to the characters. In the end, i just skipped to the end.

*Disclaimer: I'm not trying to bash the author or book. I'm just expressing my own opinion and experiences with it. I would definitely still recommend these books because many others have read and loved them so maybe you will too. I just happen to be someone who didn't. 

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
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.

What I Liked:

• I loved Kenji in this book. I think he is a really strong side character that the series wouldn't be the same without. I love his friendship with Juliette and I think he really helps her.
• This book was definitely better than the first. There was a lot of action and WTF moments. I didn't see most of the plot twists coming AT ALL!
• I loved learning more about Omega Point and meeting all these new characters. It did start to feel like X-men. 
• Warner stole my heart especially since Adam was really annoying in this book. I want Juliette to end up with Warner. 
• I love Mafi's writing so much. The descriptions are just so beautiful and I hope she writes more books because I would love to read more of her work. 

What I Disliked:

• Juliette was still annoying as ever. Maybe not as much as the first book but still annoying. I do think she got better but I'm still waiting for that full transformation. She still acts like a scared little girl who cries all the time. 
• Adam was also really annoying in this book. He was always mopey and most of the time fighting with Juliette. 
• I do want some more description of the world. I find it hard sometimes to picture things. There isn't much world building.
• The book started off quite slow but I guess it did pick up half way through. 
• Even though it's classed as Dystopian, I feel as though the book is much more romance based. I wasn't expecting it to be that heavily romanced based so there's just a warning for all you guys. 

My Favorite Quotes:

“Books are easily destroyed. But words will live as long as people can remember them.”

♡

“Hope.

It's like a drop of honey, a field of tulips blooming in the springtime. It's a fresh rain, a whispered promise, a cloudless sky, the perfect punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. And it's the only thing in the world keeping me afloat.” 

♡

“Have you ever had a girlfriend, Kenji?"
"What?" He looks mortally offended. "Do I LOOK like the kind of guy who's never had a girlfriend? Have you even MET me?” 

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Tess x

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.





What I liked:

• The Characters were all so unique and lovable. Even the side characters were lovable like Bee for example. I loved that the friendships in this book got attention and Bee was a important person, not just forgotten. 
• Harper was a very kickass but still girly main protagonist. I liked that a lot because in most YA books the girls who are badass aren't girly. It was a relief to read something different that shows  that a girly girl can also kick serious butt. 
• The same goes for David. He was snarky, funny and cute but very different from the typical YA boy (in a good way).
• Harper and David's interactions were so funny and I loved their back and forth banter. 
• This book was so funny! I was always laughing at something someone said or did. It's written in 2nd person (sort of) which added comedy to the story. Some people ,however, may not like it as much as I did.
• It was exciting to read a new setting. I found it fun to imagine the characters talking in their southern accents. 
• There was so much action and ,since the book was well paced, there was never a dull moment! It only took me 2 days to read. 
• The plot is so intriguing and there were some plot twists at the end that I really didn't see coming. I've never read anything about Paladins or anything so the new mythology was very interesting to learn about. 

What I disliked: 

• I was very surprised by this book. I've read Rachel Hawkins other book 'Hex Hall' and found it ok so I didn't expect to like this book. However, I really did! There's nothing I can think of that I didn't like. I can't wait for the next book! 

My Favorite Quote:

“If by ‘graciously volunteered,’ you mean ‘was threatened and coerced,’ then yes, I did,” 

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Tess x

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

*MAY INCLUDE SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK, CITY OF BONES



What I Liked: 

• It was SO much better than the first book. Clary and Simon were less annoying, in fact, I think Simon was quite hilarious. Imagining him as Robert Sheehan makes it even better. Simon in the first book was just always in the way of Clace. 
• I liked that more characters were introduced and it was interesting to learn more about downworlders.
• There was much more action which i did enjoy. 
• Malec. Enough said. 

What I Disliked:

• Even though Clary was less annoying, she was still annoying as hell. She makes some stupid decisions without thinking sometimes. I've heard this doesn't get better in the later books unfortunately.
• I love Jace but i found him quite whiny in this book to be honest. It just always seemed like he was throwing a temper tantrum.
• I'm not going to lie the incest aspect of the story did make me kind of uncomfortable. 

My Favorite quote:

“Jace slammed his hand down on the stele. “Clary-“
“She said she doesn’t want it,” said Simon. “Ha-ha.”
“Ha-ha?” Jace looked incredulous. “That’s your comeback?”

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Have you read City of Ashes? What did you think? - Tess x

In Time by Alexandra Bracken Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Don''t miss this exciting short story that connects THE DARKEST MINDS to its much-anticipated sequel, NEVER FADE!
 Gabe''s life has been devastated in the wake of the economic crash. The only option left for someone like him to escape his tragic past is to leave his small town behind and to attempt to become a skiptracer. This already almost impossible task is made all the more difficult by his first score, a young girl who won''t speak, but who changes his life in ways he could never imagine.









What I liked:

• Even though in the beginning i wasn't too sure on this new character (thought he had a bit of an attitude problem), he really grew on me which made the ending much more devastating!
• On the same topic of Gabe, i found him so funny and he went through so much character development in such a short novella. It has to be one of the best, if not, the best novella I've ever read.
•  I loved seeing a certain familiar face from The Darkest Minds ;) 
• We get to learn much more about the skiptracer network which we didn't see much of in the first book. I suspect Never Fade will also explain a lot of this. 
• We also get to learn a lot more about the outside world and what other people i.e. everyone not a teen were doing. I'm glad because we really didn't get much of an idea in TDM and it's always interested me how the rest of the country were handling the situation. 

What I disliked:

• There was literally nothing i didn't enjoy about this novella, although, I wouldn't have minded if it was longer.

My Favorite Quotes:

“Sometimes the darkness lives inside you, and sometimes it wins.”

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Have you guys read In Time? What did you think? - Tess x

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me,Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

What I liked:

• I was really nice to be in Warner's head and get a view of what his thoughts were and why he was the way he was. 
• I'm starting to really like Warner. He is such a complex character and this novella helped me to understood what he's really like and to be honest, he's not as bad as he seemed to be in Shatter Me.
• I found many similarities with him and Juliette and in a way he could help her. 
• I still find Warner better and much more interesting than Adam.

What I disliked:

• Even though we do see things from his POV I still felt as though we didn't learn enough about his life so really understand him. I still have so many questions concerning him.
• I wish it was longer ,being in his head was just sooo interesting. 
• Going back to what I said about liking him better than Adam, I'm still not Team Warner. 

My Favorite Quotes:

“I've come to believe that the most dangerous man in the world is the one who feels no remorse. The one who never apologizes and therefore seeks no forgiveness. Because in the end it is our emotions that make us week, not our actions.” 

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Tess x

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

 What I liked:

• The writing style was so unique and poetic. I was a bit thrown off at first and i can see why some people wouldn't like it but i really enjoyed the crossouts. It really helped us get a better idea of Juliette's mental health.
• The book was so fact-paced, I practically flew through it in one day. 
• I loved Kenji. He was by far the best character in my opinion. I loved his ,sometimes, crude humour.
• It was an interesting first book and it layed the foundation for the next books to be even better.
• The ending was surprising and we still have a lot of unanswered questions which will probably be answered in the rest of the trilogy. 

What I disliked: 

• Before going into this book i had heard on multiple occasions that the main protagonist was annoying and she was. Juliette was just either extremely whiny or extremely melodramatic but i guess a girl in her situation would be so i'll let that go.
• This whole Team Adam ,Team Warner thing really confused me. I didn't really like either of them. Warner was evil and extremely hot evil and quite mean to Juliette most of the time and Adam just felt too good to be true. I hope i'll change my mind about them in Unravel me ,the next book. 
• Sometimes Juliette will go off on a tangent about random things for a whole paragraph which was quite frustrating. 

My Favorite Quotes:

“I spent my life folded between the pages of books.
In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.” 

“I'm oxygen and he's dying to breathe.”

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Tess x

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Tessa Gray should be happy – aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. 

A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. 

My Rating: 5/5 stars




wow. Where do I begin? As the 3rd and last book in a trilogy it had a lot of high expectations and wow, were those expectations exceeded. This book had my heart racing the whole entire time. I cried, laughed and experienced all the feels. All the loose ends were tied up and the book was action packed. It was so hard to put it down and i spent countless nights staying up late to read it. This is definitely the best book in the whole series and Cassandra Clare writes so beautifully that there were so many breathtaking moments.



The character development was phenomenal and i never been so attached to so many characters in a book before. Tessa and all the other characters were kick-ass. The plot was layed out really well and we finally got the answers we were looking for.
The epilogue brought me to tears and this couldn't have ended better. I literally have nothing else to say about this book apart from the fact that it was amazing and i loved it.



I still have yet to read Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, i have only read the first book but i intend to continue it and see where my feelings go. I hope tot see some familiar faces too.

Favorite Quote:

“Life is a book and there are a thousand pages I have not yet read.” 

-Tess xxx

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of days #1) by Susan Ee

Synopsis from Goodreads:

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

My Rating: 5/5 stars

I hadn't heard too much of this book before going into it but what i had heard was that is was a very fast paced ,action packed ,creepy but gripping story. On reading the synopsis i was extremely interested so i decided to pick it up. Let me tell you: I was not disappointed.
The plot that this book follows had me invested the whole time and i found myself staying up to try and read more. The book was fast paced and not for a moment was i bored. The world building was so intriguing and it left me wanting to know more about how and why the apocalypse happened. I loved learning about the angels and the humans. 

Can we just talk about how creepy this book is? At some moments i literally felt scared and shocked and grossed out all at the same time!
  <----- literally my face

The characters are just incredible. Penryn , unlike many other YA protagonists, didn't annoy me at all. She was such a strong ,kick-ass, witty but yet caring and sweet girl. Loved her throughout the whole book.
We don't see much of Paige, Penryn's sister, but we can't help but care for her and especially after what happened in the end!
oh my,then there's Penryn's mother. I found her so creepy and insane but a part of me really liked her. Her insanity caused so many disturbing but slightly funny situations. Felt sorry for Penryn though!

Oh, I'm adding Raffe to my long list of YA boyfriends! He is serious and closed in but you know that he does care and does have emotions. I seriously can't wait to see the relationship between him and Penryn develop in the next book.
Speaking of the relationship, i'm so glad that it wasn't instalove but slowly and carefully built up. Thank you ,Susan Ee!

So in case you haven't gathered already, yes i am going to pick up the next book. I want to learn more about the angels and what's going on with the children and what the freedom fighters are going to do next and what will be next for Penryn and Raffe.

oh, forgot to add but the ending tore me apart. so many shocking truths and heartbreaking moments!

- Tess xxx

Altered by Jennifer Rush Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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.


This book was such a quick fun read for me. The concept and plot was interesting and before i knew it i had finished the book. There were so many twists and revelations that i really did not expect. 
I really loved the boys. I mean 4 hot boys; what more could you ask for? They had such  a great bond. My favorite boy was Cas! He was the cutest funniest one and the best out of all of them.

I did, however, have some problems. I needed more character development. The book was so quick and that's probably why we didn't get as much. Also, i didn't really like the main character, Anna. She didn't really seem like a real person, her whole life revolved around Sam and she never had a fun quirky or kick-ass personality. She was just there. 
Speaking of Sam, i didn't really find him that hot. He didn't show any interest in Anna until suddenly out of the blue. He didn't really have any personality either. 

Even though the ending was quite anti-climate for me, i'm still interested enough to carry on with the series.

-Tess xxx

Percy Jackson & the lightning thief by Rick Riordan Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

My Rating: 5/5 stars


I've heard so many good things about this series for such a long time but never had the time to pick it up. Then i made the mistake of watching the movie before i read the book but it didn't really make a difference because the book was so different to the movie. The book so SO much better(obviously).



Percy is such a lovable character. He's so funny and brave for a 12 year old. I loved the Annabeth-Grover-Percy trio and it was so much fun to see them go on their adventures. The plot was action-packed and fast-paced. There was always something interesting going on. It never had a dull moment and never made me feel bored or want to put it down. I fly threw it.  Even though i was a children's book and from the POV of a 12 year old it didn't make me love it any less. I really think people of all ages can read it.

The Greek Mythology aspect was done so well. Everything fit together and it was so interesting to learn about Greek mythology which has always fascinated me.
I can't think of any negatives or things i didn't like and i hope it stays that way for the rest of the series which i will definitely be picking up. Then hopefully, i'll get to read the spin-off series which apparently is even better than this one!

My Favorite Quote:

“Braccas meas vescimini!"
I wasn't sure where the Latin came from. I think it meant 'Eat my pants!” 

-Tess xxx

Emerald Green (Ruby Red #3) by Kerstin Gier Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.
She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.
This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

My Rating: 5/5 stars


OK, so i have to admit i didn't expect everything to be tied up. In such a short book i thought we wouldn't get closure on everything but luckily, i was wrong. All the loose ends were tied up and all the questions i had were answered; it all started to make sense. My only criticism is that the book could have been longer since the ending felt a bit rushed and tightly packed in.

Plot-wise, i was always interested as there was always something going on and the pacing kept it quick and fun to read. There were some shocking and surprising moments, most of which i did not see coming and one which i did expect. The ending was sweet and satisfying too.

Gwen is easily one of the best female protagonists I've read in a long time. She is even more fantastic in the book. Lesley, Raphael, Aunt Maddy, Mr Bernard and Gwen's siblings are some of the most cute and likable secondary characters who you can't help but love (especially in this book). I loved their parts in the story. Xemerius is my favorite character ( apart from Gwen) by far. He made the most hilarious comments ever. Lucas was brilliant and seeing his and Gwen's interactions made me really miss my grandpa too.
As for Gideon, i feel like he did make up for being a knob in the end. yay!

What a shame that it's the end of a great trilogy. If you haven't picked up this trilogy i really urge you to do so!

-Tess xxx

Legend by Marie Lu Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. 

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. 

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Woah. I can honestly say i didn't expect to love this book as much as i did. This book was written in 2 POVS. I found Day and June such interesting and unique characters. They were so different from the typical YA characters and it was a relief to read about them. They were so clever and kiss-ass which most YA character aren't. I even loved the secondary characters like Tess, Metias who you couldn't help but love. The romance was very well layed out where it slowly developed and wasn't insta-love. 

This book has no shortage of action, twists and turns. There were moments that shocked me and had me glued to the book. The pacing of the book was well done too. There was character development and the world-building made it so much more easier to imagine the scenes. I can see why this book would make such an excellent film (i think they're planning on it). The ending was such a rush of emotions and it definitely had me immersed.  

The 2nd book Prodigy is out already and i hear it's even better than the first! Definitely going to continue with the series. 

My Favorite Quote:

“The memory fades, and I’m left hanging on to the ghosts of his
words.” 

-Tess xxx

Eve by Anna Carey Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her. 

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

My Rating: 3/5 stars



Lets start of with positives. I love fast-paced books and this was definitely one of them. It took me only one day to finish reading it. Also, i liked the concept of the book because it reminded me of Lauren Oliver's Delirium series which i adored. 
 However, this one didn't quite compare. 

Firstly, i didn't like the main protagonist, Eve. She had no character development throughout the book and left a mess wherever she went. I found it hard to connect with her and her personality just fell flat. Same goes for the love interest, Caleb. I had no reason to love him as he didn't have any special quirks. The romance was too quick and sort of insta-lovey. 

Plot-wise, i was interested to see what happened but it didn't really blow me away. Also, there was no real world building which made it hard for me to imagine a clear image. I don't know, maybe the character development and world building problem will be fixed in the sequel. 

Although, i'm curious enough to pick up the next book, i won't be reading it anytime soon. If the ending was a bit better and more of a cliffhanger then maybe i would have been more interested.

My Favorite Quote:

“I didn't know which was worse: to be killed by some brute animal or be taken off with a wild Neanderthal on horseback.”

-Tess xxx

Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red #2) by Kerstin Gier Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

My Rating: 4/5 stars

So, I give this book 4/5 stars but only because of Gideon. I felt like he really gave Gwen a hard time in this book. One minute he was kissing her and the next he was making her cry. It annoyed me how he was acting throughout the whole book and the ending was just the icing on the cake. Really, Gideon? I hope you redeem yourself in the next book. So yes, i did like this book more than Ruby Red but Gideon made me want to pull my hair out!

Gwen was still as amazing as she always! I think she is one of the most realistic funny protagonists I've ever come across and i will be very sad to read the last book. Lesley, Xemerius and Her made such an epic trio. Xemerius is just so funny and i love the little comments he makes and the way he helps her willingly. Oh, and i'm very interested to see what will happen with Lesley and Raphael. *WINK WINK*

At certain points , the time travel did confuse me but not so much that i didn't understand what the hell was going on, only in certain places. I still have loads and loads of unanswered questions that i'm hoping will be cleared up in the last book. What are the raven powers for example. As far as the the last book goes, i'm not too excited about it but more nervous. I just don't know how all my questions will be answered in just one book, but from other people's reviews I've heard Kerstin Gier ties everything up well.

                                                                                                                        -Tess xxx

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson Book Review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

My Rating: 5/5 stars


The whole reason this book is amazing is because of the characters. Amy, the protagonist, went through much when her father died and the book shows her as she develops into accepting his death and building back her relationship with the rest of her family. The book is like a rollercoaster of emotions! I even started crying now and then. Roger is the boy she has to travel through the country with and I knew I'd love Roger and i did. He's such a genuine sweet fun guy who has his own problems to deal with too. The secondary characters will met along the way were just amazing. They each had their own personality and struggles. It made the book so much more relatable and realistic. This book was just a breath of fresh air and there will be no doubt that i will be re-reading it again one day. The love is this book was slow and grew more and more as i read on; i'm EXTREMELY revealed that it wasn't insta-lovey! 



The storyline was intriguing to read about and i loved the illustrations and souvenirs Amy took from all those different places.It made the book more interactive and unique. After reading this book i felt like i wanted to go on a road trip! And maybe i will, one day. Shame, i won't have Roger accompanying me. Overall, if your looking for a feel good, heartwarming and fun contemporary book then this is definitely the one to pick up!



My Favorite Quote:

“Tomorrow will be better.”
“But what if it’s not?” I asked.
“Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better.” 

                                                                                          - Tess xxx