Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by: Michelle Hodkin

The Evolution of Mara Dyer

By: Michelle Hodkins

Series: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Genre: Young Adult Romance, Paranormal

Length: 456 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. 

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. 

She's wrong.

My Review:

Rating:

Absolutely amazing!! 

Michelle Hodkin is a phenomenal author. She really knows how to capture an audience's attention and keep them craving more. This series is a definite page-turner. The world that Michelle develops is extraordinary, powered teenagers and corrupt psychologists. What more could one ask for? This is one book that keeps you guessing and wanting more. Second guessing what is real and what's not. After a while you begin to wonder yourself about the new arrivals.

After The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer we pick right up after her outburst at the police station. Seriously who predicted Jude was still alive? I know I didn't see that coming. And it turns out the rest of her family didn't believe her either. So shortly after the book begins Mara is struck with an ultimatum. Going to a medical facility away from family and Noah or participate in Horizon's Outpatient Program. 

Obviously, she chose the outpatient program. Who wouldn't? However, not all of the patients at Horizon's are "normal." As the story continues we learn not only more about Mara and her family history but also about those at Horizon's. Turns out Noah and Mara may not be alone in this after all.

However, just when Mara is starting to get trust back from her family an unexpected and unwelcome guest arrives. Only to send Mara into a downward spiral. Looks like Mara's stay at Horizon's is going to turn bit more permanent than she had wanted. Lucky, she has Noah and Jamie. Yep, he's back!! 

I can't wait to start reading the final book in this series. Why do these teens have these powers? Are their families connected somehow? I can't wait to see where book three takes us.

Published by: K

AFTER CHRISTMAS BOOK HAUL!!

Merry Christmas Ya'll!! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. This year we were gifted with several new books to add to our bookshelves. We will have more books to add to our Christmas Book Tree next year!!

We hope all our fellow bookworms got the books they were dying to get their hands on!! 

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***This year's Christmas Book Tree***

(Look's like this is going to be a new Christmas tradition)

Now let's get to this year's Christmas Book Haul!!

Christmas Gift From Mia at M&EMReads:

Everything Everything by: Nicola Yoon

Crash into You by: Katie McGarry

Chloe's Christmas Book Haul:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by: J.K. Rowling

(The Illustrated version)

Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy by: Cassandra Clare

My Christmas Book Haul:

Two by Two by: Nicholas Sparks

United by: Melissa Landers

The Kiss of Deception by: Mary E. Pearson

The Chemist by: Stephanie Meyer

Apollyon by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Sentinel by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Stone Cold Touch by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Every Last Breath by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Wait for You by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Wild Crush by: Simone Elkeles

What books did ya'll get for Christmas this year?

Published by: K&C

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by: Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

By: Michelle Hodkin

Series: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Series

Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal, Romance

Length: 456 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. 

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. 

She's wrong.



My Review:

Rating:

Warning: Spoilers Ahead

This book was absolutely amazing!! I devoured it from the very beginning. Even though this is my first Michelle Hodkin book I found her to be a magnificent author, she has definitely made it to my list of favorite authors. She has done a remarkable job developing this odd, crazy world that Mara has found herself a part of. 

This book has been on my to-read list for a very long time. However, it was never really on the top of that list until my best friend read it and fell in love with the series. She was nice enough to buy the entire series for me, just so I could read the series and share in her joy of such a remarkable book. And I have to say she did not disappoint (Not that I would very doubt her lol).

I liked Mara's character from the very beginning, she had such a strong personality that really drew me to her character. I just had to know what really happened to Mara while in the Asylum and why she survived when no one else did. As I started the book I truly thought she was losing her mind, so when the paranormal twist came in towards the end I was completely caught off guard. I can't wait to see what kind of paranormal abilities Noah and Mara possess. 

“Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real.” 

I truly did not expect Mara to have anything to do with anyone's death, at least not until the end. I was just has baffled as she was as to why these people were dying. So when we find out that she and Noah possess very Yin and Yang powers, I was shocked and couldn't wait to see where they came from and why them. Looks like I have to wait until the next book to discover more about these powers the both possess. 

“Today, tonight, tommorrow, forever. I was made for you” 

Noah and Mara are the cutest! I loved watching their relationship grow, and slowly dissolve towards the end, as Mara began to embrace her new power. I look forward to seeing if they can get their relationship back to where it was or have a stronger bond with their shared abilities. 

I look forward to reading book two, especially since it has been sitting on my nightstand for the past couple nights. Being such a busy past couple days I haven't had the opportunity to start it yet. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for Mara and Noah. And why is Jude still alive? Does he have a power all his own?

By: K

Review: Deity by: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Deity

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Series: The Covenant Series

Length: 330 pages

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Paranormal 

Synopsis From Goodreads:

History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time.

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate... 



My Review:

Rating:

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK!!

Let's be honest I love all of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books! She is an amazing author and I love her writing style. She really knows how to develop fun characters, people you can't help but fall in love with. I never want to put her books down and I'm always finding it hard not to read a page here and there while at work.

“That simple act stole my breath, my heart. But even as he pulled away, I realized that he couldn't steal something he already had.”

It made me hapy to see Aiden and Alex find their way back to each other. They are the cutest couple I have read in a while. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them, especially after that cliffhanger ending. I had a feel she would be connected to Seth and lose herself in the process, however I still was not prepared for it. 

Now while I love Seth in The Return series, I am not his biggest fan right now. I had a feeling he was keeping secrets from Alex! And the way Lucian has him wrapped around his finger. Seth has truly become power hungry. As for Lucian, I didn't trusted him from the beginning, he always seemed like he was up too something. Turns out my instincts were right on point!!

I truly enjoy reading JLA's books and can't wait to get my hands on the last two books in this series! I know what I'll be asking for this Christmas! 


Published by: K

Review: The Heir by: Kiera Cass

The Heir

By: Kiera Cass

Series: The Selection Series

Genre: Young Adult Romance, Dystopian

Length: 342 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads: 

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought. 

My Review:

Rating:

Kiera Cass is a phenomenal author. I love her writing style and the way she brings such a magnificent world to life. I enjoyed this story, however not as much as I loved Maxon and America's story. It was nice to see them all grown up with children of their own. When I saw that there was a continuation to this remarkable series I couldn't wait to start reading it. However, I found myself to be a bit disappointed.

"I'm Eadlyn Schreave, and no one in the world is as powerful as me."

I found Eadlyn to be selfish, rude and very egotistical. I found her to be very annoying. She was closed off and determined to sabotage the Selection process by making the men hate her or fear her enough to leave. However, as the story continues her plans only backfire and her country begins to wonder her true motives behind the Selection. 

“You can be brave and still be feminine. You can lead and still love flowers. Most importantly, you can be queen and still be a bride.” 

While Eadlyn went on several dates, I never really felt her connect with anyone other than maybe Kile. This book lacked much of the romance that was found in the previous books. Every time I started a new chapter I was waiting for a heart-stopping romance to begin brewing with Eadlyn and one of the Selected. I know who I hope she picks, but I have a feeling based off of some spoilers I accidentally stumbled upon that she does not pick my favorite.

The cliff-hanger was heartbreaking! How could Kiera Cass do this to us? I felt like the ending was abrupt, yet it added something that the story was lacking. 

I still plan on reading The Crown, only because I want to see what becomes of America and Maxon. I had high hopes for this book, especially after the amazing writing in the first three books. Maybe this last book will redeem this lack-luster story. 

Published by: K

Review: The One by: Kiera Cass

The One

By: Kiera Cass

Series: The Selection Series

Genre: Young Adult Romance, Dystopian

Length: 323 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants. 

My Review:

Rating:

So I have to start by saying I started this series last year and absolutely  loved the first two books but never really got around to finishing it. Sadly I took a break from the series and started reading other books, so when I saw this book sitting on my bookshelf unread I decided it was time to finish this series. I am glad I finally read this book because it was the best conclusion to an already amazing story.

Kiera Cass is an amazing author. I love her writing style, she develops such loving characters and builds a remarkable dystopian world of kings and queens. She makes you truly feel for the characters, almost as if you are living the story through America. When she is loathing the king or falling in love with the prince you find yourself feeling all the emotions with her. Kiera Cass is a phenomenal author and I can't wait to read more of her work!

We got to learn so much more about the Northern rebels and their true goals. I liked learning they weren't the real bad guys. They just wanted to better the kingdom and get rid of the castes. We even find out that America's father had a connection to the Northern rebels, sadly that revolution only came after her father passed.

Maxon and America have the cutest relationship. I loved watching their relationship grow and blossom into something amazing. They went through somewhat normal relationship struggles, even though they lived in a castle.

It was even nice to see that Aspen had moved on from America with Lucy. The way they both came clean about their feelings after such a tragic act of violence. Turns out they both found love in a castle they grew up despising.

This book had me craving more from the very beginning. This was a true page-turner. I would be up until midnight reading, having to know what happens. In only a couple of days I powered through this book.

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone that hasn't read it yet. Kiera Cass has done an amazing job with this series. I have a feeling I'll be reading The Hier next.

Published by: K

Review: Homecoming by: Kass Morgan

The 100: Homecoming

By: Kass Morgan

Series: The 100 Series

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

Length: 340 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones—back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone—but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS’s luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can’t stop thinking about her parents, who may still be alive. Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he’d left behind.

It’s time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they’ve found on Earth, or risk losing everything—and everyone—they love. 

Review:

Rating:

So first I must say, when I started this book I thought it was the last in the series, then I came to find out that a fourth book is being released. I am super excited for the next installment to be released, this book left you with alot of unanswered questions, such as where have Clarke's parents been? We didn't get much of Clarke and her parents, they only showed up in the last couple of chapters. I look forward to finding out how and why her parents were sent down to earth in the first dropship.

Also, what happens with the rebel Earthborns? At the end there is a huge battle but nothing is really resolved. Will we be seeing then again? And will we be seeing Kendell again? She was one character I never really trusted, especially after book two. She followed Wells around way too much.

Clarke and Bellamy are the cutest! I can't wait for more of them in the next book. I love watching the two of them grow together, how they always fight for one another. I wish the show would catch up and bring them together!! :)

Wells and Sasha were also a very cute couple and I was rooting for them. I loved their relationship, they had two of the cutest personalities when they were together. I did not expect such a tragic end for them.

One major thing I love about this series is that Kass Morgan picks up right where she left off in the previous book. In Homecoming, we pick right up with the hundred helping the survivers of the dropships and bringing them back to camp. So now we have Glass and Luke on earth together, struggling to survive and rebuild their relationship after secrets were exposed on the ship. Aside from Bellamy and Clarke, these two are my favorite couple in this series.

I highly recommend this series, it is definitely worth reading. However, I am bigger fan of the tv show, the series is still a fun read. I find myself wishing they would do some of the things from the book in the show. The book does have some amazing qualities and I definitely plan to finish the series.

Published by: K