A Couple of DNFs

Summery:
Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.
The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.
So much for normal.
--From Goodreads

My Thoughts: 

I loved the first in the series. The second was okay. And for some reason, I couldn't seem to finish the third. Maybe it was the fact that it only seemed to focus on one major thing. Evie trying to get Lend back from the Faerie Queen. And when that was accomplished, she seemed to hit another dead end with her happily ever after scenario, when the Queen placed a curse on Lend. Though I usually enjoy reading paranormal stories, this one also seemed a bit far fetched, as Evie seemed to be the only one with any real power to do anything. That, and the fact that the story seemed to drag on, and at some point, I felt fed up, and wanted to get to the point of the whole story. I may pick this one back up in the future, but for now, I was not able to get through it. 

Summary:
Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller
When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.
Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller
--From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I was attracted to the psychological aspect of this novel, but couldn't really get into it. There was a lot of mysterious things happening to the main character and her friends, but about half way into the novel, there didn't seem to be much of an explanation. The story seemed to be going in different directions, without much stability, which is a shame, because I really did enjoy the rebellious edge that Faye and her group had against the system. There were little things as well, that wasn't really explained, like why Kel was the only one able to have his own clothes, and everyone else had to wear the designated uniform. All in all, there was just too many questions and not enough answers. 

Top 5 Monday Rants

Hey fellow readers! It's another posting of Top 5 Monday Rants! So, on to the list!

1) This Monday marks my parent's upteenth anniversary. A grand total of 34 years. It's a wonder they've been together this long. It crawled up on me, and I nearly forgot. Hopefully they'll have many more.

2) My aunt and uncle came to visit for a short while, as they made their way through their vacation from Canada and Seattle. Though they're only here for a little while, it was still nice to see them.

3) I can't believe that it's already the middle of November. It only seemed like just yesterday that it was the beginning of January. Before we know it, it'll be January of next year. I'm ready for Thanksgiving to get here already. lol.

4) For the first time ever, one of my posts, the review for Kody Keplinger's A Midsummer's Nightmare, received 160 pageviews. And people in Ireland viewed my blog 155 times, which is the first time that Ireland's showed up on my blog. This month I've received a lot of firsts for my blog.

5) Anyone else have troubles on the road? Seems like I've been dealing with weird drivers recently. Just yesterday night, I was driving home from work where there was two lanes, I was on the inside, and a huge truck was on my other side. Every time I tried passing the truck, it would always rev up a bit, never allowing me to pass, and though it never crossed over my lane, I couldn't help but feel a little caged in. I don't know what that guy's problem was, but as long as it didn't hit me, I left it alone.

That's it for my Top 5 Monday rants. Hope you all have a good one.

In My Mailbox!

Hey readers! It's another posting of In My Mailbox! Hosted by The Story Siren, this week I got...

For Review: 

E-ARC of Crimson Frost -- Jennifer Estep

From Library:

Endlessly -- Kiersten White

Dare Me -- Megan Abbott

Bought:

Switch -- Megan Hart.

That's all the books that I got this week. Be sure to leave your links so I can see your awesome books too :)

Review and Giveaway: First Light by Samantha Summers

                                      Book: First Light by Samantha Summers
                                      Pages: 327
                                      Genre: Young Adult, Romance
                                      Source: Sent from a Tale Of Many Reviews 

Short Synopsis: Ronnie is grieving after the loss of her father, as she struggles to get her life back together, dealing with her very lax sister, and meeting a mysterious boy named Kal.

My Thoughts: This novel grips you with the tale of a grieving Ronnie, along with Kal's sorrowful past story, as the two come together, and try to make it work.

What do you do when you've always dreamed of a hero; your knight in shining armour, only to find when he arrives he isn't a hero at all? ... He's a killer.
Ronnie Rose is trying to cope with the loss of her father; now it looks like she might lose everything else that's dear to her too. Huge debts threaten to destroy her family, her childhood home and her future. Only one person cuts through her pain. Kalen Smith has just moved to town. He's trouble and everyone knows it. He and his mysterious friends keep to themselves and the town likes it that way. But when Kalen mourns at her dad's funeral, Ronnie wants to know why and her investigation plunges her into a dangerous world of murky government secrets, with deadly consequences. Ronnie knows she should walk away from Kalen before it's too late. Problem is, she's falling for him...
Can we choose who we fall in love with?

A definitely interesting read, Ronnie is a young girl who just recently lost her father, and is dealing with   her not very helpful sister, and just trying to make it through the day. Aside from the family drama, Ronnie is also dealing with house issues, as it is up in debt, and her father did not leave much money. Ronnie, a strong independent character, with very serious issues as she tries to navigate through life as best as she can. 

While going through her every day motions, she meets a boy named Kal, who immediately captures her interest. I enjoyed reading the build up in the relationship between Kal, and Ronnie, and the fact that being with Kal and his friends made everything easier for Ronnie, almost as if things were back to normal. But then Ronnie finds out that Kal and his friends aren't exactly normal, and that they had a tough life, that puts everyone in danger. But Ronnie is stubborn and won't give up on Kal and his friends as easily, even though she knows the real truth about them. 

And if things weren't bad enough for Ronnie, she also has to deal with her sister always dropping off her niece at unfortunate times, and Ronnie's sister's boyfriend, who keeps pushing Ronnie to sell the house. Summers does an excellent job of disliking Rachel and her boyfriend, as they keep pushing Ronnie to do what they think is best.

And then everything goes downhill when the government finds out where Kal and his friends are staying. Kal's friends, Laith especially, are furious that Kal has threatened their lives because he refused to move because of Ronnie. But being a trained assassin has its perks, as Kal does what he is trained to do, to keep those he love, safe. A very intense novel, First Light leaves readers at the edge of their seats, and craving more. And though I also wasn't much of a fan of Laith, but I'd love to read a continuance, through Kal's friends, and hear their side of the story. 

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5. 

You Can follow along with the First Light Tour HERE

And now, for the giveaway, just fill out the Rafflecopter instructions below. Please no fake entires. Good Luck! 

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Review: Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

                                             E-book: Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
                                             *May contain spoilers
                                             Pages: 374
                                             Genre: Young Adult
                                             Source: Bought

Short Synopsis: Emma has a secret. No one tries to get involved with her, and the only other person who knows what's going on is her best friend, Sara. But can Emma survive her secret long enough until graduation? 

My Thoughts: Wow. A very emotional tale, I was bawling my eyes out till the end, and I couldn't get enough.

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"
He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…
Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible secret.
Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

Donovan knows how to twist a story that tears up your heart. Emma Thompson is the girl everyone wants to be. A perfect grade point average, being scouted by major  colleges for her talent in soccer, and contributing in numerous after school projects. But she has a secret. Her father has died awhile back, and her mother abandoned her when she was little. She lives with her aunt and uncle who aren't always the most understanding people. Her aunt, Carol, despises Emma, and keeps her on a very tight leash and doesn't always treat Emma like a normal person. 

There were numerous times where I wanted to slap both Carol and Emma. Carol is a mean witch who thinks she can boss and control Emma at every whim. Emma, is a selfless and caring person, who only wants what's best for her cousins, who she loves uncontrollably. The only salvation that Emma gets is through her best friend, Sara. 

It isn't until she meets a boy named Evan Mathews, that Emma starts to become more daring, and wishing for a better life. But as Emma starts to really become happy and starts to become more of an individual, Carol starts to notice what's going on, and tries to gain control of the situation. 

A few things bugged me with this novel. First, the fact that when Emma starts to come out of her shell, she practically becomes a boy magnet. Why is it, when someone changes a little bit, all the boys start noticing and start acting like idiots because of it? 

I also didn't enjoy the fact that Emma turned Sara away, when all Sara was trying to help Emma and her situation. I was also surprised that Emma really let Evan know what the situation was at her house, even though Evan already figured it out. 

The ending was very "oh my god" which made me want to read the second novel. But when I looked at the reviews for it, I'm not sure if I would continue. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and Donovan certainly has a way with words, leaving you wanting more.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5. 

Review: Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

                             Book: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
                             *May contain spoilers
                             Pages: 544
                             Genre: Young Adult, Psychological
                             Source: Library

Short Synopsis: Jude continues to haunt Mara in every waking moment, as Mara struggles to get a hold of her life, as she is constantly admitted in and out of different mental facilities that try to help Mara get better.

My Thoughts: Though the book definitely did have its moments, it felt a bit dragged out, and had some not believable incidents.

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.
She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.
She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong.
In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next.

Mara is back, as she is constantly haunted by the ever dreadful Jude. No one, aside from Noah, believes Mara when she tells people that Jude is back. Still trying to gain control of her emotions, and her sanity, Mara is trying to get through it through an in-house patient facility. She doesn't really trust anyone, and is excited that she at least has one friend, Jamie from Croyden to help her through.

It seems as if Mara's only options are to trust her friend Jamie  and her boyfriend, Noah, to help her get through her crazy therapy sessions when she is constantly harassed by another patient named Phoebe. Phoebe is a patient who really is a bit crazy as she does little things that set Mara off. 

The only thing that I basically really enjoyed, was the relationship between Mara and Noah. I loved the playful back and forth banter that the two had at times, but found it a bit unbelievable with the fact that Noah was willing to anything and everything for Mara. So willing, that he admitted himself as a patient within the same facility? I'm sorry, but if I were in Noah's position, even if I really loved the person, I would not voluntarily place myself in a loony bin just to protect the individual. 

And though I'm sure it was written this way on purpose, I was not a fan of how Jude practically got away with everything he was doing. How was it that one person could do all the things he was doing, and not have any proof that he was the one doing it? 

And the thing with the pendants were a bit annoying. After reading 544 pages, we as readers are still clueless about why there were two pendants, one for Noah, and one for Mara. And what was up with Mara's creepy doll, when she was burning it, there was a piece of paper that was found, but was ruined by the fire. Hopefully, the third installment will answer a lot of unanswered questions. Overall, it was okay, at times it felt a bit predictable, and the ending was left at a cliff hanger that I most certainly was not a fan of. 

Would I recommend this book: Eh

Rating: I give this book a 3/5. 

Teaser Tuesday!

Hey readers! It's another posting of Teaser Tuesdays! Hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading, this week's teaser is...

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller
When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.
Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.
--From Goodreads

My Teasers: "What am I doing here? The drugs were definitely kicking in. My thoughts inched their way through my brain, trying to come to some sort of conclusion. I clutched at the rim of the window, letting the solid stone steady me."
--P.g. 16, "Harbinger" by Sara Wilson Etienne

To play along with Teaser Tuesday you:


• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Be sure to leave your link so I can stop by your fun teasers too! :)