SERIES REVIEW: The Grisha by Leigh Bardugo

Series: The Grisha
Books in Series: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Source(s): Amazon & BookOutlet

Leigh Bardugo | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Shadow and Bone Summary:

Alina Starkov doesn't expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, she is sure of only one thing: her best friend, Mal--and her inconvenient crush on him. Until the day their army regiment enters the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. When their convoy is attacked and Mal is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power not even she knew existed.

Ripped from everything she knows, Alina is taken to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. With Alina's extraordinary power in his arsenal, he believes they can finally destroy the Fold. Now Alina must find a way to master her untamed gift and somehow fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. As the threat to the kingdom mounts and her dangerous attraction to the Darkling grows, Alina will uncover a secret that could tear her heart--and her country--in two.

I had read Shadow and Bone once before back in April of 2015. I loved it. I loved the world, I loved the characters, it was all pretty perfect. For whatever reason though I couldn't quite move on to Siege and Storm. I did try and probably made it through the first couple chapters but then I just put it aside and didn't pick it back up again until a couple weeks ago. I think a huge part of it is the fact that Fantasy books can be so very emotionally draining. I mean, when you pick up a Contemporary 99% of the time you're dealing with just emotions and the "will they, won't they" aspect of a story. With Fantasy, or at least the best ones in my opinion, the romance takes a backseat to everything else. There's wars, there's revolutions, there's betrayals, there's death...there's just so much and they can twist and pull at your heart, as The Grisha did with mine, that sometimes I'm just not ready for all of that.

Oh cheese and rice am I glad that I made this trilogy my Series a Month pick for March this year. There were so many highs and lows, I'm pretty sure I even texted a friend and all capsed the heck out of her when things would seem like they'd never be happy again. I also think I used the F word a lot. So, yeah. It really threw me for an emotional loop but oh man was it worth it.

Alina kicks so much ass. I think her imperfections are what made her so freaking perfect in my eyes. She was so consistently selfless throughout most of the book, but she also had her moments where you could see temptations really grab hold of her in kind of that manic way that some temptations do and I worried constantly if she would remain the Alina I loved so much, who was fierce and strong and wanted to do so much good, all the way to the end. It was pretty nerve wracking!

Mal was just...amazing. Like I am so far beyond the smitten kitten it's ridiculous. He really tugged at my heart so often. The way he always felt out of place or on the outside. I think there was only one moment where he truly disappointed me and made me pretty angry even. I'm sure if you've read this series you know exactly the moment I speak of. Oh, Mal. I think what kept my love for him so strong though was, even when he wasn't exactly happy with her, he was always protecting Alina and willing to help her even if he disagreed.

The Darkling is one of the most perfect antagonists, in my opinion. He not only inspired my hatred for most of the book, but there were moments, even though they were fleeting, where he tapped into my compassionate side. I always want to believe that people aren't born evil and that environment plays a huge role in how they come to be. Though maybe I'm just giving him more credit than he deserves. I'm not afraid to admit that I did shed a few tears for him at one point. What can I say I'm a huge sap!

I could honestly sit here for hours and talk about this series. The things I loved, the things I hated. The things I figured out early on, the things that completely took me by surprise. The characters who I wanted to hate so very much but they made me love them anyway (*gives Nikolai the look*). This series systematically ripped my heart to shreds from Shadow and Bone all the way to Ruin and Rising before finally swooping in at the end to stitch it back together again. Brilliant YA Fantasy!

SERIES REVIEW: The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices
Books in Series: Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genres: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy, Steampunk, Paranormal, Supernatural, Romance
Source: Amazon & BookOutlet

Cassandra Clare | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Clockwork Angel Summary:

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...

After I first finished The Mortal Instruments I didn't think there'd be any way possible for any other books set in this world to touch that feeling that they left me with. I knew everyone would always say that The Infernal Devices is so much better, it's their favorite, etc. But I felt so strongly over the fact that this wouldn't be the case with me. I mean I was on such a Shadowhunter high after I got done with City of Heavenly Fire it just seemed impossible.

I'm not afraid to admit when I'm wrong. (That was me admitting it...)

First off, let me just say, the emotional turmoil that I suffered throughout this series, most especially through Clockwork Princess, was just unreal. I can honestly say that I have never cried so much over a book as I did with that one. Do you think I can get Cassandra Clare to foot the bill for therapy? No? 

I love how this series was not only set in a different country but also it's a step back in time. Getting to see some of the history of these strong Shadowhunter families and how they've been entwined together over a century. Connecting events or people or objects from both the past and the present. Seeing family heirlooms from where they originated and the deeper meanings behind them. I found myself, well, giddy for lack of a better word whenever connections were made.

While I was completely obsessed with all the characters from TMI series, the ones in TID were just that much more for me. And I'm not just talking about the holy trinity that is Tessa, Will and Jem. I mean all of them. The ones who made me hate them and absolutely insane with rage. The ones who made me love them and experience their highs and lows with them. 

Of course I had my one character who stood out from the rest and I know that most people are very much Team Will, Team Herondale but...now I loved Will I truly, truly did...but I fell irrevocably and completely in love with Jem. Sigh. It was instant and unstoppable. I honestly see the appeal everyone has for Will because I truly felt that either direction that Tessa's heart went, had it been Will or had it been Jem, I would never have been too upset about it. Okay maybe just a little. But I would've been at peace either way.

The whole sort of steampunk aspect to this book was just the coolest. I loved the mix of clockwork things in a historical London setting. Plus it made for some truly "how in the heck are they gonna get out of this?" types of situations. I was on the edge of my seat...a lot.

It was also interesting, yet completely horrifying, to see or at least understand better a little bit of the history between the Shadowhunter world and the downworlders. To really understand where this hate and mistrust comes from between the different groups of supernaturals and the nephilim. Some of the stories made me absolutely sick and then hate some of the old school Shadowhunter generation myself!

I am thoroughly obsessed with the Shadowhunter world and this series has brought my obsession to a whole new level. I know there may be some people who will disagree with me but I do not want Cassandra Clare to ever stop putting out books set in this world. I feel like I'll probably go through a major bout of depression when she's finally done for good. Though thankfully that seems like it's not going to be for a while yet.

I loved this jump back in history. I loved the steampunk influence. I loved all of the connections between both series. Most of all I loved this new bunch of characters. And finally...Jem is everything. Your arguments mean nothing. :)

REVIEW: Every Last Breath (The Dark Elements #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Every Last Breath
Series: The Dark Elements #3
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: July 28th 2015
Format: Paperback | Pages: 378
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance
Source: Amazon

Jennifer L. Armentrout | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

I have to make a confession. I feel like I have committed a huge, bookish cardinal sin. Maybe I should explain the reason before I just blurt it out. See this book has been weighing on me. The whole Roth versus Zayne thing has had me more freaked out than normal to finish a series. I love a good love triangle but this one is so different because I was not putting my trust in the author to make a decision on how this would turn out, I was putting it in my peers. That's a tough pill to swallow! And if I'm being honest...had I known that before I ever read the first book...I might have never started this series in the first place which sucks to even think about. This whole thing is the reason that, even though I pre-ordered Every Last Breath and received it on release day, I waited until now to finally stop procrastinating and just finish the series.

I was only about 15-20 pages in but I just couldn't put my heart into it. It wasn't holding my attention. My brain just kept going Zayne? Roth? Zayne? Roth? Zayne? Roth? It just wouldn't stop! I needed to know so I could quiet my head and embrace this book fully. I knew deep down that either way it went, no matter what would happen with my ship I would be able to finish the book in peace if only I knew.

Sigh.

I stopped where I was...and read the last page before I went on.

I know! I feel so wrong saying it! Unclean. But you know what? It worked.

Okay. Enough of being silly. I really won't be able to say a whole lot about this book since it's the final book in a series so it's hard to come up with a lot to say that wouldn't be spoiler-ish in any way. Even though on the inside my heart is screaming all of the things that it wants me to talk about.

Once I finally got into it this book was really hard to put down. It's been a while since I finished the previous books so I was worried going in that I'd feel a bit lost without going back and rereading. But it didn't take long before I fell back into this world easily and everything came rushing back.

What I love about JLA's books is that she knows how to write a really strong and ass kicking heroine. Layla is no exception. I feel like this final book is where I loved her character the most. She had so much weighing on her throughout the entire book and I loved how even though she was scared on the inside, outwardly she rarely let that show and she had her head on straight when I feel like the average person would crack under everything that was on her shoulders and in her mind.

The other thing I love about her books is her boys. She writes the boys that you instantly fall for, the ones who even when they're being cocky as all hell make you want to smile and sigh and make you fall even harder. Roth and Zayne are both perfect examples. They both have such good qualities to them that deep down I knew that however it went I could've been happy. Though I did have my hopes set a wee bit higher on one side before going in. But that's all I'm going to say about that.

It's difficult to really try to think of anything else to say. I mean there's a million things I'd love to go on and on and on about but this review would end up way too long and...you people who haven't read this one yet would end up hating me for saying to much. So I'll just leave it at this.

This book, heck this whole series, had everything I've come to expect from Jennifer L. Armentrout. An ass kicking, badass heroine. Swoon worthy guys you'll lose your heart over. Hilarious banter and laugh out loud moments. It filled me up with so many different emotions. One minute I'd be laughing so hard and the next my heart's being ripped out of my chest. You really feel everything when you step into one of her worlds and I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion.

SERIES REVIEW: The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Series: The Mortal Instruments
Books in Series: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Source: Amazon & BookOutlet

★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Cassandra Clare | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

City of Bones Summary:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

I'm not even sure where to begin with reviewing this series. The Mortal Instruments quickly became my all time favorite series this January when I finally sat down and binged the entire thing. The world building, the characters (both those loved and hated), the storyline, the danger, the intensity, the keep you on the edge of your seat situations, just everything. It was all just so perfect. I feel like this is definitely one of those series where people are generally very firmly in one camp or the other. They're either completely in love with it, or can't stand it. As you can tell, I'm obviously in the former. I've given each book a 5 star rating and I can guarantee that it'll be a series I reread hopefully often.

I am usually, more so than the world or storyline, hugely drawn in by characters. Characters can really make or break a book for me. You can write the most beautiful story, the story to beat all other stories, but if I don't like your characters, there are no words in the world that will make up that difference or make me like your book. This series has that perfect blend of characters that I loved or that I loved how much Cassandra Clare made me hate them. Hating a character isn't always a negative thing. Especially in this case.

Does that mean I liked every single character from the very beginning? No. In fact the first time I read City of Bones way back in 2012 and once again this past month I found Simon, Isabelle and Alec all to be absolutely annoying. I know! I'm sorry! Don't hate on me! But I did and now I look at my past self and wonder what on earth I was thinking. That's the thing though, it just goes to show the incredible growth and changes, the evolution of all of these characters from the series start to the series end.

(If I had to pick a favorite character from the series? Easy. Magnus Bane. With Jace and Alec nipping closely at his heels.)

What I really loved was how on edge this series kept me. Every time I would stop and think that things couldn't possibly get any worse Cassandra Clare would show me just exactly how wrong I was. These books constantly kept me guessing or second guessing the story. Any time a new character would make an appearance I was filled with dread because sometimes the evilest of intentions would hide behind a charming smile. But I loved that. I loved that my feelings were in a constant state of chaos that had me doubting my first, second and even third impressions of people.

I loved how even though the romances, yes that is plural, were huge parts of the story they were done so that it didn't overshadow everything else that was going on. On that same note what I also loved was how there was this incredibly intensity to the way all these characters felt towards one another and how so often love was used as a weapon against them, whether it was a romantic love of more of a familial love. It made for some very messed up situations and times when I had to wonder how on earth can everything turn out okay in the end and still allow me to have everyone I love still alive. How is that even going to be possible?

I really feel like I should probably stop here and just leave this review as is. I mean there are like a bunch of little things that I'd love to gush and talk about but sometimes even the smallest of things would or could spoil something for someone so I'm not exactly sure where to go from here. I'm obsessed with the Shadowhunter world and I'm ready to read every spin-off/prequel/what have you both that's already out there in the world now or to come in the future.

Yep. I'm a total fangirl and I'm not ashamed to admit it. And now I'm off to keep myself immersed in Shadowhunter land and start on The Infernal Devices! Eeep!

ARC REVIEW: Just Say Yes by Alyssa Goodnight

Title: Just Say Yes
Author: Alyssa Goodnight
Publisher: Entangled Select Contemporary
Published: August 25th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 264
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★ (3/5) Stars!

Alyssa Goodnight | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Single mom Jade Moran isn't ready for any big changes in either her horrible '70s kitchen or her romantic life. Her ex did a number on her, and she isn't interested in getting hurt again. But when she meets a super-hot contractor, she wonders if avocado appliances are on the way out and romance is on the way in.

Max Gianopoulis doesn't have a clue why he's so enchanted by Jade. She's almost as big a mess as her kitchen, and he's a guy who likes to keep things simple. But Jade has turned up the flirty heat - and he can't keep his hands off her.

With everything moving too fast and coming too easy, Jade's insecurities kick into high gear. She's not sure she can trust another man again - and she definitely doesn't believe in happily ever afters.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

I'm not exactly sure how this review is going to go. Usually I have basic ideas in my head and just flesh them out as I go along, but I'm still on the fence with this one. To be honest, and I don't mean this in a bad way or a good way for that matter, it just is what it is, but, this book was just...strange. There was quite a bit that I really liked about it, but then there were the other parts that had me scratch my head and wonder what on earth I'd picked up.

What truly had me baffled and second guessing my feelings towards this book was the big focus on magic in food. You meet a secondary character at the very start of the book, Opal, who is known as "The Witch in the Kitchen". It's kinda her brand and she has lines of food with all these descriptions of what they promote and inspire. Love, openness, etc. It's not something I was expecting when picking up a contemporary novel and while it was interesting it threw me off quite a bit.

Witchy and magical aspects aside, the storyline was a fun and interesting one. One filled with an equally interesting and odd assortment of secondary characters and I do mean odd in an endearing kind of way. Even though I was thrown off a bit by the magic I did have lots of fun reading Just Say Yes. I mean how could I not with all of the comic book hero, Firefly and Doctor Who type of references. My inner nerd greatly appreciated and geeked out pretty hard over those.

Jade, when not in a relationship, was a really fun character. I loved the relationship between Jade and her daughter, Evie. They were sweet and funny and had a bond that put a huge smile on my face when I'd read their interactions. However, once Max was thrown into the mix and he showed romantic interest in her, my feelings for Jade wavered. A lot. There's insecurity and untrusting and then there's Jade. Jade is on a level all of her own. I think my issue was the fact that her ex had been her ex for thirteen years and yet still she was letting that affect her budding relationship with Max. It got tiring all the questions that would tumble around in her head about him and about taking risks. Questions that never seemed to let up for very long.

Then there was Max who was just...so sweet, such a great guy. I mean, how many guys, after only knowing you for a few weeks and only a couple of those days where you're actually "seeing each other" would not only be the one pushing you to tell your child that you were dating (that's not as bad as it sounds Evie and Max had a really sweet and fun bond going themselves) but stay and take care of you while you were sick. Even when you tried to make him go away so he didn't see you looking like death! I didn't think they actually existed. I mean there was no commitment, no talk of the future, he just genuinely fell into place in their life during the kitchen remodel and didn't want his time with them to end. And still she did not trust him. "He's just a player and their time was going to end soon." I just felt so bad for him and there were times when I just wanted to say run far and run fast!

Whenever her mind was quiet from doubts though, I couldn't deny that Jade and Max were completely adorable and perfect for one another. Their chemistry heated up the pages. I just wish she would have had a little less neurotic tendencies.

Overall I had fun reading it and was happy with how this book ended. There were hints towards two other pairings in the eclectic group of characters that have me very curious and I'm hoping that means this is going to end up being a series and I won't be left hanging! I really want to learn more about all four of them. Even strange, witchy Opal!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

REVIEW: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead

Title/Series: The Ruby Circle | Bloodlines #6
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: February 10th 2015
Format: Hardcover | Pages: 348
Genres: YA, Paranormal, Urban Romance, Fantasy
Source: Amazon
★★★★ (4/5) Stars!

Richelle Mead | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

This is so bittersweet. I'm so happy to have finally read, well binged really, this series and fall completely in love with it. Yet now I sit here so sad that I've reached the end. I'm not ready for it to be over. I'm so happy that both Adrian and Sydney's characters had made enough of an impression and impact on us fans of the Vampire Academy series, enough of one to bring forth this whole new spin-off series resulting in Bloodlines. I wasn't always happy with every action or the way things went, but regardless I have to admit I've been more of a Bloodlines fan than I have VA and that's saying something because I freaking love VA.

If Sydney were here, I knew she'd tell me this was foolish, that I was frivolously using spirit I didn't need to and possibly damaging myself.

Like I said though I wasn't happy about everything. There were a few times when, in facing something dangerous and chaotic, things were resolved almost too smoothly. Sometimes with barely a scratch on them. Now I'm not saying I wanted death and destruction or anything, it just didn't feel real. Well as real as a story involving vampires, witches and humans can be. I didn't want to feel the loss and sorrow that I'd associate with losing a beloved character but I couldn't help the fact that after a big confrontation or escape or rescue or any sort of thing of that nature happened and everything would turn out, well, okay, I'd tend to skim back a few pages thinking....that's it? That's all that happened? I know that it may seem like such a silly and trivial thing to be negative about but I feel like that is my one great big complaint on an otherwise amazing series.

Everyone else had gone very still and very silent, as though sensing the gravity of what was to come.

I've loved a good chunk of these characters for years now. It's been fun to watch them evolve from characters I already thought were awesome into something even better than they were at the start. I loved that throughout Bloodlines characters like Adrian and Sydney were still able to shock me with their actions. Most of the time it was in good ways but there were times they brought on a whole new level of frustration that I'm surprised my books are still in one piece!

Later, when dinner had wound down and we were all around the table, I found myself gazing around and unable to believe this was how my life had turned out.

The close of this series, while once again going almost too smoothly, was still in many ways perfect in my opinion. I still feel like maybe there was at least one thing that didn't really get resolved fully and I'm still left wondering what is to come of it. But as far as the characters and relationships built, both in a romantic and a friendly way, all left me feeling very happy and blissful. All of these characters really came together like a family. A family that stretches into both series and I think that's what I loved most. Not just the Sydrian feels, which let me tell you it's been a couple weeks since I've finished this and I'm still feeling them. But it's that sense of family that this group of characters has created.

Sydney trailed her fingers down the side of my face. "That's because we're living it, Adrian. This is the only escape plan we need."

For someone like me who has a history of being disappointed with series enders I'm excited to say that this one was anything but disappointing. I love Richelle Mead's writing and the worlds and characters that she creates. They're so vivid and imaginative and the entire Bloodlines series is no different. I can't get enough of these characters and, just like with Vampire Academy, I will be rereading the Bloodlines series as often as possible for years to come. My favorite book in the series? The Fiery Heart hands down.

REVIEW: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead

Title/Series: Silver Shadows | Bloodlines #5
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: July 29th 2014
Format: Hardcover | Pages: 380
Genres: YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance
Source: Amazon
★★★★ (4/5) Stars!

Richelle Mead | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Oh what a rollercoaster this book has been. As much as I tried to avoid seeing people discuss their feelings on this book after they read it, sometimes things like that are just unavoidable. I never saw anything spoilery, like I said, it's all just been about feelings. It was enough though to have me really afraid to start reading it. After finishing it, my own feelings are very mixed. The first half of the book was heartbreaking and torturous. The second half had me on the edge of my seat with both excitement and frustration.

She could've done the extraordinary. I couldn't even handle the ordinary.

I feel like from beginning to end there was nothing but one form or another of frustration. Frustration with the characters, frustration with the situations they were in. With Adrian and Sydney being ripped apart at the end of The Fiery Heart, you had to realize that the beginning of this one wasn't going to be pretty. The only outcome of Adrian losing Sydney would be his dark slide into depression and all his old habits. Even though I knew it was coming I couldn't help but be so disappointed in him throughout quite a good chunk of it. He eventually turns things around but it still hurt to see him so out of control especially with what was going on with Sydney at the same time.

I woke to darkness.

Sydney was a whole other form of frustration and heartbreak all together. Unlike with Adrian where it all stemmed from his character, with her it was the situation and what she was going through. Having to read the things she was forced to endure brought tears to my eyes. Her strength and resilience though, completely blew my mind. The average person would have cracked early on but no matter what they put her through rock star Sydney would not break. I swear this girl is my new hero. I never thought I'd grow to love Sydney's character as much as I do.

And so, it was more than a little surreal when I stepped into the store and saw Sydney... 

...and time as I knew it suddenly froze.

I feel like I'm making it sound like all I ever wanted to do was throw my book across the room and that wasn't the case. There were still moments of the humor we've come to expect from these characters. As well as there being plenty to swoon over...eventually, in the most unexpected and surprising of ways. It was more than I had ever hoped for and my feels are still all over the place.

And that's when things went bad.

There was definitely more of a darkness to this one, so much action and danger. Every time I would start to relax something would happen and get my heart racing again. At five books now we have already been through so much with this series and yet...it's not over. There's one book left and still so much left unfinished. And that cliffhanger just added one more huge loose end into the mix. Though this was my least favorite book in the series I still, by the end of it at least, loved it. I just hope that this feeling will stay to the end.

REVIEW: The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead

Title/Series: The Fiery Heart | Bloodlines #4
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: November 19th 2013
Format: Paperback | Pages: 420
Genres: YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance
Source: Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

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In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

The Fiery Heart was both my favorite book in the series thus far and the hardest to read. When I opened the book and saw the first chapter was in Adrian's POV I had an initial burst of excitement and then my stomach dropped because if you're at all familiar with this series and Adrian Ivashkov than you're familiar with his bouts of depression and the vices he uses for coping mechanisms. It's one thing to witness his self-destruction secondhand as you're reading either from Rose or Sydney's POV as we've done up to this point. And it is an entirely new experience to be inside his head when he hits those really low spots and watch his mind spin out of control when in the grips and aftermath of spirit. I was brought to tears and it really hit home just how fragile his mind is.

"I'm not your concierge. Neither is Sydney. I don't know why she always takes care of that stuff for you. She should be dealing with things that are essential for your survival. Ordering pizza isn't one of them."

I knew there was going to be a lot of frustration while reading this book, due to the arrival of a certain character at the end of Indigo Spell. The level of that frustration, though, really took me by surprise. The temptation to throw my book across the room hit me hard on more than one occasion. I knew before I even started reading exactly where things would eventually lead just from seeing her name appear on the page. Yet even that predictability and frustration didn't take anything away from how insanely good this book was.

"And don't think for an instant that I wouldn't do terrible, unspeakable things if it could save someone I love."

The more I get into this series the deeper my feelings go for these characters. Whether it's ones I never thought I'd feel anything for really like Ms. T, Wolfe, Angeline and Trey, who I now find myself excited to get to the next scene they'll appear in. Or characters that I've loved since I first met them like Adrian, Sydney, Jill and Eddy. I can't get enough. They've all made changes since the start of the series. Some in very small ways and others so drastically that if you went back and started at the beginning again you'd hardly recognize them.

Whereas Angeline's antics made me want to pull out my hair sometimes, he found them endearing.

I swear sometimes Angeline didn't even have to be in a scene for you to be laughing at her antics. One character would relate to another what zany thing she'd recently done and I would burst with laughter. Because it was all just so sweet and endearing and they're things that are basically common knowledge to you and me but she comes from a different world and doesn't know any better, like when she went on about how the meerkat wasn't really a cat...I went from being so leery of having her added to the storyline to wondering, like Adrian had at one point, what their lives would have been like without her. She was definitely a bright spot of comic relief to lighten up things when they were either frustrating or sad. Just about everyone had their moments of humor but I adored Angeline's the most.

Everyone said I concealed my feelings, but he always seemed to know how I felt.

Oh my word and things have really heated up between Adrian and Sydney. If this were any other series and any other set of characters I probably would blame my love for all things Sydrian on the fact that we're dealing with a forbidden romance because, let's face it, I'm all about the taboo when it comes to reading romance. While I do love that extra little something it adds to the story, I really do just love both of these characters so much. Just a discreet shared look across a room full of people is enough to set me into a swoon frenzy when it comes to these two. I'm not sure I've ever shipped anything so hard before.

"Things have fallen apart," I said, finally taking the dragon. "The center didn't hold."

There's only two books left for me at this point. I'm feeling a mixture of excitement, nerves and sadness. I'm so excited to see what will come of these characters, all of them, and this world that they live in. I'm nervous for many reasons. One of them of course being that crazy cliffhanger, once again something to reinforce how glad I am I waited until all the books where out before I started! Another just the worry of seeing everything come together and the, hopefully, closure of everything going on with all these people from both Vampire Academy and Bloodlines both since the storyline affects everyone. Plus my track record with being happy with series endings is a bit shaky. And I'm sad because that's just it, it's going to be an ending. But until then I just need to make it through Silver Shadows...

REVIEW: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead

Title/Series: The Indigo Spell | Bloodlines #3
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: February 12th 2013
Format: Paperback | Pages: 401
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance
Source: Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

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Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets--and human lives.

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.

Every time I get to the end of one of these books, so far at least, I'm left sitting here thanking the book gods that I waited to have each one in my hand so that I could do a binge read. I mean, they aren't huge cliffhangers but it's just enough to where I know that the waiting would have driven me crazy. I'm becoming obsessed and if I'm not sleeping or eating my nose is stuck in which ever book I'm reading at the moment. Sometimes I even forget to do both of those! I'm hooked and I'm torn between wanting to be able to find a way to read them even faster and trying to slow down and just savor them.

"Don't look so panicked," Rose said, eyes shining. "It was nice seeing a human and a Moroi look like they belong together."

I had assumed before I finally started this series that everything would come down to all the Sydrian feels for me. Nothing else would matter and all I'd want was to get to that next moment, next kiss, next whatever. The reality has become that, while I do love those moments between Sydney and Adrian, I'm just as drawn in to everything else that's going on within the story, and there's a lot. With the VA books we had to deal with Moroi, Strigoi, dhampir and the Alchemists. With this series you have all of those things plus you add secrets and lies, magic and witches, an ancient society that goes back nearly as far as the Alchemists and rebellions and spies everywhere you turn. The excitement and danger seems to never end.

It brought back all my ingrained fears about the wrongness of magic.

The thing that I enjoyed the most with The Indigo Spell was how much it focused on the magical aspect of this world. I was fascinated by it. Obviously there's been magic throughout both of these series but the focus there has been on vampire magic. With the magic in this book we also get to explore the world of spells and witches. And of course Sydney's struggle with staying true to everything she's been taught to believe and the pull of the magic world. I'm really enjoying how it's all being handled and I especially like that it is a struggle with her. That everything is a struggle with her really. These are things her people have been drilled for centuries to believe in and if she were to have just rolled over and accepted everything easy I think I would've been bored.

"I'm done with the pouting," he said. "Done with being moody―well, I mean, I'm always a little moody. That's what Adrian Ivashkov's all about."

Adrian continues to blow me away every time he's on the page. He doesn't seem to do what I expect him to do anymore. I fell so hard for the Adrian of the past. The one full of vices and snark. The guy who attempted to live up to everyone's expectations of him, and by that I mean all the negative ones. There was just something about Adrian that I found completely irresistible. Yet here he is in Bloodlines flipping every thought and feeling I had for him upside down, in all the best ways and I can't believe he's the same guy and yet I'm also not surprised. I love seeing this side of him. The passionate, loyal, ambitious and reliable side. I mean he's shown signs of some of those things before but I love that now...he has a purpose.

But he made no demands on me, not like the Alchemists or Marcus. Even Jill and Angeline tended to preface their requests with, "You have to..."

Something that really didn't dawn on me until this book was the tremendous amount of pressure Sydney is under. I mean, I knew it was there coming at her from so many different angles, but I suppose that like a lot of the people in her life I just sort of took for granted that Sydney would just handle everything. In Indigo Spell it really hit me just how crazy it must be to be Sydney with all the conflict and issues with loyalty and people pulling at her from all sides. Making demands on her time and in some ways using her to their own advantage. I always found her affinity for order and rules and logic to be very endearing. After finishing this book though I almost see how with every direction she's being pulled in, with magic, loyalty, friendship, family and beliefs, that it's kind of a necessity to be able to compartmentalize everything to stay sane. I have so much more respect for her at this point.

I went upstairs, a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.

Though I should, in a small way, be excited with how this book ended, it actually filled me with quite a bit of dread. It's like every time we take a baby step forward in this book something jumps in front of us and we have to take a huge leap back. Everything was in such a blissful state right there in the end until the final events of the book threw cold water in my face and gave me a hard dose of reality. I'm both dreading and excited to start The Fiery Heart and see where this goes. I suppose this has been enough procrastinating now, so...

*Takes a deep breath...and jumps in*