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. :)

ARC REVIEW: Clone Three (The Clone Chronicles #1) by Patti Larsen

Title: Clone Three
Series: The Clone Chronicles #1
Author: Patti Larsen
Publisher: Patti Larsen
Published: September 5th 2012
Format: eARC | Pages: 228
Genres: YA, Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic
Source: Publicist
★★★★ (4/5) Stars!

Patti Larsen | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

I haven’t a clue who I am. 

Clone Three wakes up in a decaying city she is sure doesn’t match the one she came from. If only she could remember it, that is.

She has a purpose, at least--she must find her fellow clones, and the statue whose image is embedded in her mind. But she is lost, surrounded by a dead and crumbling metropolis, faced with those who have been altered by the illness that has ravaged the world turning survivors into strange, vicious creatures. She must risk everything, including the safety of her only allies, in order to complete the task that has been laid out before her.

But one question plagues her: is she this crumbling world’s salvation… or the source of its downfall?

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

I don't think my feelings for a book have ever been quite so confusing to me. Ever. On one hand I feel like Clone Three was brilliantly unique, unlike anything I've ever read. It had this intriguing opening that grabbed hold of me, sunk it's claws in and didn't let go. Yet on the other hand there were times when the dialogue and character interactions were almost awkward in a sense. Like they didn't fit in the story and it brought on twinges of frustration. Just when I'd start to get lost in the beauty of this chaotic and horrific world, someone would say something or do something that just didn't feel right and momentarily break the spell that I was falling deeply under.

One thing that took me completely by surprise was how descriptively gruesome this book was at times. We're talking straight out of a horror movie or even The Walking Dead type of gruesome. Strangely it really fit. It added to the danger and intensity because it really painted a picture of knowing what could/would happen if the wrong group got their hands on you. Danger and intensity that is around every corner. It seems as if every time the little group we follow takes a significant step forward something jumps out from around a corner and two huge leaps are taken back. Moments of peace and relaxation are few and far between.

Cone Three, or Trio as the group that took her in started calling her, was just a brilliant character, well, for the most part. As a clone, I loved the childlike wonder she possessed. How things would seem so familiar to her and yet brand new all at the same time. Watching her struggle to figure out where she came from and what her purpose is in this world she wakes up in. Patti Larsen did such a good job in portraying her personality and making her believable and so full of depth. Once again, I should say, for the most part. Because she always had this way of walking away from everything without a scratch. I would have believed her more if things weren't so easy for her to pull through. If it wasn't just others that suffered the collateral damage in her wake, instead of it always being "well Trio walks away again."

There are lots of other fun, sweet, endearing and even rage inducing characters as well. A handful that I ended up loving instantly and others I couldn't stand in the same short amount of time. It made things very interesting and exciting.

Even though there were things that bugged me, I am totally invested in this story. While some of the details have been revealed and are becoming more clear, there are still a huge number of things that are left unanswered. I find myself dying to know these things and how the future, if there is one, will play out for these characters that I'm already deeply attached to. I can't wait to get my hands on Clone Two and Clone One and, hopefully, find answers to all of my questions. 

Is Clone Three, Trio, the worlds savior or it's destruction? I can only hope for the best.

A huge thanks to publicist Donna McCoy for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

REVIEW: Alienated (Alienated #1) by Melissa Landers

Title/Series: Alienated | Alienated #1
Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: February 4th 2014
Format: Paperback | Pages: 368
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Romance
Source: Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Melissa Landers | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn't seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Before even knowing what it was about I had to have this book. If only just to stare at that gorgeous cover all day long. Then I read the blurb and that was it, I needed it in my hands immediately. The thing about Alienated is that it's not just a beautiful cover. The beauty of this book lies on the pages as well. The blurb also reminded me of a show I fell in love with that sadly only lasted one season before it was canceled called Star-Crossed. They have a few similarities so it was nice to find something to fill that little void it left behind. But it was also very different so it felt like a new experience and not something I'd read or seen before.

"Why is it always the crazies who make their voices heard while everyone else shuts up and does nothing?"

What surprised me the most though was just how thought provoking it was, well for me at least. So I apologize in advance if I get a bit deep with this review. This book got me very angry and frustrated at times. Basically it made me both sad and kind of ashamed to be a human. I mean people were scary horrible in here! The frustrating part of it was that I understood the reason behind everything. I didn't agree with their methods of expressing themselves but I understood. We're afraid of things we don't know, things that are different. Which is why it's 2015 and things like racism and turning on the news and seeing that a college student has been beaten to death simply because he was gay are still relevant issues in our society. That fear and intolerance breeds and fuels hatred and bigotry. Which you see a whole lot of in this book and it really made my heart sad.

"Earth girls really covet stones from the ground?" Syrine asked in disbelief. "My human's a male. I wonder if he'd enjoy a nice satchel of dirt."

As much as I would love some sort of L'eihr exchange program to be a reality, especially back when I was in high school. Sign me up! I would have worked my behind off to get in on that! Truly though I feel like any sort of intelligent life forms cruising by in the galaxy would take one look at our planet and what we've done to not only it but each other, and be like, "Yeah...no. Let's keep looking Bob." Yanno, because an alien would totally be named Bob.

A small grin curved his lips. "Let's just say we're getting your fight back."

I fell in love with these characters. Cara was adorable and sweet and such a force of good. She stood up for what she believed in and didn't back down or give up on what she believed in no matter what life or her so called friends and community threw her way. I mean she does lose her spark for a while but with everything she goes through who wouldn't. Aelyx had to grow on me. I mean I didn't instantly dislike him, but I wasn't exactly his biggest fan either. It really didn't take long though as we watch him go from cold and distant to someone full of emotion and end up falling hopelessly for him. Watching him navigate our world which is so different from his own was highly entertaining. 

Holding his fingertip an inch from her face, he traced an imaginary line down the bridge of her nose and across the apples of her cheeks.

Oh man and the romance! I just have one word to describe the chemistry between Cara and Aelyx. Wow. There's nothing else I can say to even try to articulate it. I mean at one point they don't even kiss yet and I though for sure I had a one way ticket to combustion. What I wouldn't give for Aelyx to teach me a thing or two about sh'ellam. If you've read it than you know what scene I'm talking about! *Fans self*

"It's chocolate. You'll love it." 

"That's what you said about Skittles. I vomited a rainbow afterward."

Alienated has become an instant favorite of mine. I love books that produce the kind of thoughts and emotions that this one did. It's one of the best kind of surprises when all you're expecting is a complicated yet fun little love story. I can't wait until my copy of Invaded gets here. I'm both beyond excited and extremely nervous knowing what's in store for these two at the start of it. Hopefully Amazon is as good as they normally are with pre-orders and it gets here on release day because the anticipation of what's going to happen is just about killing me!

ARC REVIEW: Dead Over Heels by Alison Kemper

Title/Series: Dead Over Heels
Author: Alison Kemper
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: September 29th 2014
Format: eBook | Pages: 269
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★✩ (3.5/5) Stars!

Alison Kemper | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The end of the world just might be their perfect beginning…

Glenview, North Carolina. Also known―at least to sixteen-year-old Ava Pegg―as the Land of Incredibly Boring Vacations. What exactly were her parents thinking when they bought a summer home here? Then the cute-but-really-annoying boy next door shows up at her place in a panic…hollering something about flesh-eating zombies attacking the town.

At first, Ava’s certain that Cole spent a little too much time with his head in the moonshine barrel. But when someone―or something―rotted and terrifying emerges from behind the woodpile, Ava realizes this is no hooch hallucination. The undead are walking in Glenview, and they are hungry. Panicked, Ava and Cole flee into the national forest. No supplies, no weapons. Just two teenagers who don’t even like each other fighting for their lives. But that’s the funny thing about the Zombpocalypse. You never know when you’ll meet your undead end. Or when you’ll fall dead over heels for a boy…

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

I have now officially read my first zombie book! My first thought is...I can't believe how much I liked it! The way I see it is books dealing with zombies can go two different ways. They could take the Walking Dead route and be serious and filled with heart pounding excitement. Or they can go the complete opposite direction and aim for the funny/cheesy like Zombieland. Dead Over Heels takes the best of both of those and weaves them together in a story that had me rolling my eyes, laughing, sitting on the edge of my seat practically hyperventilating from the danger and excitement and yeah, even a bit swooning. Color me surprised!

I'm having one of those rare moments where I finish a book and immediately feel the need to start getting some thoughts down. I feel like a huge part of that is because as I sat there reading the last words on the page, my mind was screaming, "No! I don't want it to end yet!" Had it been a movie I would have immediately hit play and watched it all again. So if I loved it so much why doesn't my rating reflect that? Here's the thing. I felt like there was enough going on with, of course, the zombies and then there was the fact that it was set in the forest at the beginning of winter. We're talking like a thirty minute drive from the nearest town. Then you also add to the fact that a huge chunk of the forest they're trekking through is a bear preserve (hunting country) and you've got an entire book's worth of things you could do to make for a nail biting read. But it went a step too far with a psychotic (ex)girlfriend. Those moments with Bethany filled me with irritation. Otherwise it would have been pretty close to perfect.

Even though I was intrigued by the plot, I put this one off as the last review book I read because I was truly afraid I wasn't going to like it. I sort of feel like I was trying not to in the beginning. It's in first person dual POVs and Cole is...well, he's a country boy. And I don't mean in the "Hey there cowboy!" kind of way it's more like "I ain't got no time for some dadgum city girl!" sort of way. Since it's first person even his thoughts are like that, so I was ready to be annoyed with him from the start. Those feelings didn't stick around for long, Cole was seriously such a great character. Ava was too for that matter. Very well written main characters. Though the summary is for the most part right...it's not exactly how things go down. Actually the way it goes down in the book with these two is way better than it was described, in my opinion.

I am not kidding with the danger and excitement, it literally had my heart thumping. And much to Cole's dismay if there was even the smallest chance of landing into a troubled, dangerous spot, Ava was going end up doing it. I could not put this one down! I definitely feel like I could read this one again and I'm going also going to have to get her other book Donna of the Dead and give it a try as well as soon as possible! I keep wanting to laugh at myself for how surprised I am about how much I enjoyed this book, but really I shouldn't be at all. I mean if I can fall in love with a series about aliens why not funny, cheesy, action packed zombies?

Thank you Entangled for the opportunity to review this book!

REVIEW: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Title/Series: Divergent | Divergent #1
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: February 28th 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Format: Paperback | Pages: 487
Genre: YA, Dystopa
Source: Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Veronica Roth | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

When dystopia is done right there is nothing like it in the world. All of the contemporary, paranormal, historical, even epic fantasies will never measure up to how I feel when I get lost in these worlds. It is my all time favorite genre. So why has it taken me so long to finally read Divergent? I'm always afraid, almost doubly so when it comes to books that are surrounded by a lot of hype, what if this is one that disappoints me? Is it just going to be like all the rest?

The other factions celebrate birthdays, but we don't. It would be self-indulgent.

The dystopian Chicago world that Veronica Roth has created is definitely unique, unlike any others I've read so far. It was interesting to learn a bit about the 5 different factions, a few more so than the others at this point, and also see how they interacted in a mixed setting like the high school in the beginning of the book. The way they all carry themselves and behave are so vastly different. I was fascinated by it all and it had me thinking, in the beginning, when I just had those brief first impressions, what faction would I choose? It felt like there was a bit of a benefit with each one, though I'm not sure I'd have survived Candor. 100% honesty at all times? I'm not one for lying and dishonesty but sometimes letting someone off easy instead of brutal honesty just feels better. Yeah I would not survive Candor. But the rest initially seemed to be groups I'd enjoy being around. That idea didn't stick around for long.

"Just because we're in the same faction doesn't mean we get along."

As with books of this nature there are going to be characters you love and characters you all out despise. This book has both types in spades. And then there were those that flipped a switch on me before I finished, both in good ways and bad ones. It wound up making me cautious and start to doubt who I trust and who I don't. I adore Tris, she kicks some major ass. She's definitely one of my favorite female heroines. So strong and so smart. In a lot of ways this girl comes off as being full of confidence but underneath that there's a bit of fear and vulnerability even a bit of doubt within herself that helps her feel more real and more likable. And Four had me intrigued before I even opened the book. I mean if you've heard about this series then you've heard the girls are crazy about Four. I can see why. It's a very slow process learning about this guy and what's underneath the tough guy that everyone sees him as. He's definitely a mystery. Still don't know everything about him but he's already been placed up there with all my other book boyfriends. I can't wait to dive into Insurgent and find out what's next for these two.

"A kiss is not something you do in public."

I am a romantic at heart and I love a good love story like the next person.  But what I love about Divergent, so far at least, is that any sort of romance is really just sort of a side story and it's not the main focus of the book. All the kissing of the boys and the swoons and the fluttering of the heart are all awesome, but when I read dystopia I want creative worlds and conflicts and action and uprisings, rebellions. I want everything to fall apart and I want to be stressing out wondering how in the hell these people are going to come back from everything that's happened. I want all the things! And this book is full of all that, or at least beginnings of them in some cases. Jumping off moving trains and rooftops. Wars between factions. Shootings. Death. Friendships. Betrayals. It has it all and it was amazing. I am irrevocably in love with this series so far and you can bet once I type the last word in this review I'm picking up Insurgent, which is sitting right next to me, and you better not even think about disturbing me!

REVIEW: Black City (Black City #1) by Elizabeth Richards

Title/Series: Black City | Black City #1
Author: Elizabeth Richards
Publisher: Speak
Published: May 7th 2013
Format: Paperback | Pages: 374
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Paranormal, Romance
Source: Purchased Amazon
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!!!

Elizabeth Richards | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

This series is very likely going to become a full blown book obsession of mine. It takes two of my most favorite subjects to read about and swirls them together. Dystopia and Vampires. My inner fangirl is screaming on the inside. If only you could hear her... I found this series during one of my late night Goodreads giveaway entry binges. (I prefer these to the NetGalley ones ha!) I saw Phoenix (Black City #2) listed in the Dystopian section and the cover was so pretty I just clicked on it and didn't even look it up and...then forgot all about it. So imagine my happy surprise a couple weeks ago when I check my email and it says I'm a winner! (We all knew that though...*cough* kidding...) So I look it up and realize it's a book two in a series and quickly find book one. That's when I see those two words to the right of the page of shelves it's listed on. I didn't hesitate to buy this that same day. I am so glad!

We're sucked into a dark segregated world. Quite literally, divided with walls to section off the Darkling ghettos from the humans. With the only Darklings allowed on the other side of the wall being basic slaves. Ash being an exception as he's only a half-blood and lives with his human father. Since there's now a law, post-war, excluding humans and Darklings from being together he's become a rarity and quite alone. Until he meets Natalie. A human. But not just any human. The Emissary's daughter. *Dun dun dunnnnn* Ha! There was no love at first sight but there was some loathing.

There was a lot of division within the community. The government, the religious nuts and a majority of the human world wanting to maintain the segregation and of course do even worse. There was also quite a good number of humans fighting for unity among the races.

Ash isn't the best person at first, I mean he even starts off with us giving a not so good first impression. But there was still something about him that I wasn't ready to write off that soon. And we quickly get to see a different side of him. Even realize that sometimes people do desperate, horrible things for family and/or people they love. I could go on and on about how amazing I think Ash is. Yeah he screws up. He's flawed. I stand by my amazing comment, especially at what he does over the last 30 pages that had me sniveling uncontrollably.

On the opposite side of the tracks....literally, we have Natalie who's mother is the Emissary of Black City. So she's kind of got a sort of sheltered outlook on their world. She always seemed sort of on the fence to me, though at times she did lean more towards one side than the other and it was quite back and forth for a bit there. I think her seeming to waver was due to the fact that her house was pretty divided before her father passed. You have a high official, very political mother and her father was very much an advocate for Darklings. But her transition, actually better yet the transition of both Natalie and Ash was perfect. They were both flawed. They both made mistakes. They were vulnerable. They were real. And their growth from start to finish was huge.

The supporting cast was really good too. You had those that you loved and brought more depth to those around them. And then there were others. The ones that had me so infuriated that there were times I wanted to rip my book in half and throw it across the room! I mean this all in a good way too, I love having something stir that kind of fire in me.

Overall, it was fascinating, it was heartbreaking, it was infuriating at times. It evoked all those emotions within me that a really good Dystopian always seems to do. It was truly unique and though some stuff I figured out pretty quickly there were still plenty of things that hit me out of nowhere and all I wanted to do is scream "NO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!" It definitely inspired my passionate reader side and became an instant favorite. I can't wait to open up Phoenix and dive back into this intense, intriguing, yet a little bit dark and dingy world and see where Ash and Natalie take me next.

ARC REVIEW: The Testing (The Testing #1) by Joelle Charbonneau

Title/Series: The Testing | The Testing #1
Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Expected publication: June 4th 2013
Format: eBook | Pages: 336
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Source: NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Joelle Charbonneau | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Who will be chosen to lead? The best...the brightest...the deadliest? 

There will be a testing. In the wake of the Seven Stages War, the government of the Unified Commonwealth devised The Testing to assess the instinct, intellect and sheer nerve among a select group of the population's young people. Candidates who pass, attend the University to become leaders of the Commonwealth; civilization's hope to transform a post-war wasteland into a peaceful and technologically advanced society. But progress comes at a price. 

Mechanically-inclined Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a candidate but on the eve of her departure, her father confides partial memories of his grisly experience as a candidate, still haunted by nightmares and living in fear of what he can't remember. It's not enough to pass the test, Cia will have to survive it and her deadly fellow candidates. To stay alive Cia will have to learn who she can trust and, if necessary, who she must kill.

 It's very difficult to please the lovers of the dystopian genre. Everyone always seems so quick to judge and compare new books with....that other series. You know the one I'm talking about. Which I find highly unfair. Those books do not make up the entire genre, and as such shouldn't be used as the score card every time something new comes along. Because while,yes, I did enjoy them quite much...I've found others that I've enjoyed even more. And if this first book in The Testing series is any indicator of what's to come with the rest of the books, they're going to be right there towards the top of my list.

I downloaded it without even looking at the blurb. I received a pre-apporval and so I pulled it up on Goodreads and checked the shelves it was on and three popped out and made my decision straight away; YA, Dystopian, Post-Apocalypse. Done. I have to read this book.

I get settled and thrust myself into Cia's world. I adored her. She was your ideal dystopian heroine. She's smart, strong, stubborn when it counts (not just to be stubborn), and always wanting to do right by people and try to help them if she can....which, for the last one, in this genre can also be a fault. She was also trusting, to a fault. And in a world where trusting the wrong person could get you killed, it made for an anxiety filled read (in a really good way!) As I'm sitting here typing this to you, having finished this first book...I'm still unsure about a couple people. And it's killing me! Ahhh!!! ...Okay, I think I'm okay.

It was a smooth read. And kept my interest from start to finish. I'm serious when I say I could. Not. Put. It. Down. And it wasn't a love story set in a post-apocalypse type of world either. Though there were hints of love here and there, this was more like an adrenaline pumping story of survival and betrayal and death. The characters are fantastic. The world is painted in a vivid picture that allows your imagination to take over and you can picture everything as it's going on. Even the cringe worthy parts. The death in this book is definitely not for the squeamish.

I'd like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to read and review this book!! It was an amazing adventure that ended too soon and I can't wait for the next book to come out!

ARC REVIEW: Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1) by Richelle Mead

Title/Series: Gameboard of the Gods | Age of X #1
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Dutton Adult 
Expected Publication: June 4th 2013
Pages: eBook | Pages: 471
Genre: Adult, Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance
Source: NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!

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In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

I am a huge fan of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series both. And so when I heard about this new series coming out I was very excited, especially with it being in the dystopian, sci-fi/fantasy genres. I was ready to try something different from her and this absolutely is that! Though we're thrust into a whole new world with a new set of rules, you can definitely feel the uniqueness of a voice that is all her own coming from this book. She knocked this one out of the park! YA, paranormal, Adult, Dystopian, Sci-Fi, action, suspense, she can do it all.

I was hooked from the opening lines and that feeling didn't fade once all the way through to the end. There's so much going on I found it hard to allow myself to stop to do normal human function type things like sleep, eat... you know, the basics. I was just so enthralled with this world she shows us.

Richelle Mead has created characters that you genuinely care about. Mae I liked instantly. She has a... I'm not sure how else to put it at the moment...a voice, that is very much Richelle Mead. I suppose in a small sense she reminds me a bit of her character Rose from VA. Not in a, been there done that, kind of way but as in certain aspects have a similar vibe. They're both sort of militant, yet have a softer more vulnerable side that they try to keep hidden. But that being said they are still very different. When she's not in the story I found myself wanting to see more of her and to know more of what's going on with her.

Justin is very entertaining. He's very confident and smart and has a gift for reading people. He has a very interesting, and quite often entertaining....personality quirk. To put it any other way would give away a bit of a plot point. But back on track he's the perfect person to throw in with Mae to create some really good friction and tension filled scenes.

And that's the thing, this book wasn't some epic love story that so many of them are today. Not that there's anything wrong with that but this was focused on murder, mystery, mythology with just a touch of romance thrown in here and there. Lots of action all the way up to the end which had me dying because I then realized, this book isn't even officially out for a few more months and I'm already salivating for book two! *Sigh* The wait begins...