Review: Last Will and Testament by Dahlia Adler

Title: Last Will and Testament (Radleigh University, #1) 

Author: Dahlia Adler 

Rating: 3 Stars

Last Will and Testament is one of the few novels I've managed to read in one sitting over the past few months. Considering that little has kept me away from sleep since I began college, this speaks volumes. While Adler's latest is compulsively readable, with a flawed heroine we cannot help but root for and a swoon-worthy romance to boot, my feminist brain couldn't help but nit-pick at the villain of this storyline--which only contributed to my rising dislike of the plot during its last quarter. Nevertheless, I cannot help but recommend Last Will and Testament in a sea of increasingly predictable and bland New Adult novels. It isn't the best forbidden romance novel I've read, but it's certainly not the worst either.

Lizzie, the heroine of our novel, is knowingly helping the president of an on-campus fraternity cheat with his girlfriend by being the "other" woman, when the police knock of their bedroom door to inform her that both her parents have been killed in a car accident. This makes 18-year-old Lizzie the guardian of her two younger brothers, 13-year-old Tyler and 7-year-old Max, as well as forcing her to increase her GPA if she wants to remain on a scholarship to stay in college. Stunned, alone, and completely unprepared for the responsibility she must now undertake, the last place Lizzie expects to find help is from her young (and very sexy) TA, Connor. Connor, whose history class Lizzie is currently getting by with a C, finds Lizzie a new apartment to house her brothers and agrees to tutor her as well, all so that Lizzie can achieve the minimum GPA required to maintain her scholarship. While Lizzie is puzzled--and grateful--for Connor's willingness to help, she doesn't expect to fall in love with him. After all, this is the TA whose class she has ignored, skipped, and detested. But, as both Connor and Lizzie will realize, there is no convenient time for love.

First and foremost, I have to applaud Adler for, from the beginning of her novel itself, creating a heroine who isn't instantly likable. Lizzie is knowingly sleeping with a guy in a relationship and she spends her weekends getting drunk in frat houses instead of studying to improve her GPA. Yet, despite this, it is Lizzie who is our heroine and I admire that Adler crafts her in such a way that she manages to be grief-stricken and sarcastic, with "loose morals" by New Adult terms, and is still an incredible heroine with strength and courage in the face of tragedy. Moreover, another kudos I must assign Adler is her realistic portrayal of college; college is hard. Lizzie may have been the valedictorian of her high school but she's struggling to get by in college and as soon as she owns up to her responsibilities and stops partying, spending all her time looking after her brothers and studying, her grades improve. The New Adult lifestyle of party-going heroines who have time to both maintain their grades, their popularity, and their love stories? It's a myth that is very difficult to perpetuate in reality and I like that Adler approaches this from a realistic stance.

Last Will and Testament stands out, however, because of its forbidden romance. Connor and Lizzie's love story plays out slowly, cautiously, with neither of them acknowledging the feelings they have for one another until they are so ingrained into each other's lives. Lizzie starts out detesting Connor and her change of heart as she gets to know him as a person--as more than her TA--is developed perfectly. I was on the edge of my seat, dying to see how Lizzie would handle her younger siblings alongside Connor. Moreover, I was desperate to see if Connor would rise to the challenge of being with a student, particularly one with the baggage Lizzie brings with her. Adler handles this romance adeptly, making it both sexy and believable without sacrificing any of the side characters she adds. Lizzie's brothers have their own personalities, each as developed as that of Lizzie and Connor, so the complications they add to the storyline were a unique twist. Connor, too, is not without his own baggage and though the main plot line revolves around Lizzie and her issues since her parent's death, I appreciated the glimpses into Connor's past.

Where my issues with Last Will and Testament arose came in the last quarter of the novel. Lizzie, who--if you'll re-call, was sleeping with the president of a fraternity house even though he already had a girlfriend--winds up becoming Public Enemy #1 of said girlfriend. And, naturally, this girlfriend is the villain of our plot and proceeds to go to great lengths to make trouble for Connor and Lizzie in their little paradise. Last Will and Testament doesn't need a villain, frankly. The circumstances Lizzie is placed in cause enough hurdles in her life, not to mention her younger brothers, thus the emergence of such a dramatic storyline towards the end of the novel was disappointing, to say the least. What's more, the villainous girlfriend in question chooses to take down Lizzie when it was her own boyfriend who was truly at fault for cheating on her in the first place. I continue to be confused by why media--books, movies, commercials, shows, etc.--perpetuates the idea that a scorned woman will exact revenge on another woman. I attend an all-woman's college and I can assure you that, despite all the confused looks I received after I made my decision--there has been less drama and more solidarity and sisterhood on my campus than those of my friend's who all opted for the usual co-ed route. Girls are not naturally vindictive and vicious and the fact that the villain of this novel goes to extreme lengths to "get back" at Lizzie is not only unrealistic, but it perpetuates a terrible reputation upon women. It is especially saddening within the context that Adler truly created an exceptional heroine in Lizzie, one who had not just one but two close girlfriends with reliable friendships. Yet, the disintegration of the plot within these last few chapters deducted a couple of stars from my otherwise favorable rating of Adler's latest.

Like I said previously, I would not hesitate to recommend Last Will and Testament. It is a New Adult novel that manages to be un-put-dow-able and the romance at the crux of this story is truly sweet and swoony. If you manage to overlook the dramatic plot developments of the end, this is an ideal New Adult read. Adler may not be a favorite author of mine, but she certainly possesses the potential.

ARC Review: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Title: This Shattered World (Starbound, #2) 

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner 

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: December 23rd, 2014 

I have to be honest: This Shattered World isn't nearly as good as These Broken Stars. But, it's still really, really good. With this companion novel, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner not only introduce us to new characters which burrow their way into our hearts, but they significantly expand on their galactic world as well. While This Shattered World didn't capture my heart to the extent These Broken Stars did--it lacked the same level of swoon-factor and, what's more, I missed the back-to-back revelations--it's a sequel I wouldn't hesitate to re-read, re-visit, and cherish on my shelves.

This Shattered World takes us to a new planet, Avon, where the terraforming that should have taken place never has. Thus, there is a divide between the original residents of Avon, now rebels and militants fighting for their planet back, and military personnel who have been hired to keep the peace and monitor the planet. Flynn, the younger brother of a rebel leader who died for their cause, is now leading the rebellion against the corporations which have taken over Avon. When he captures Captain Lee Chase, a deadly fighter sent to crush the rebellions occurring on Avon, the course of their lives changes forever.

The opening pages of This Shattered World are impossible to look away from. Lee and Flynn's initial meeting, Lee's kidnapping at the hands of Flynn, their travels in the swampy marshlands of Avon to the rebellion hideout... It all feels cloaked in an aura of dream-like reality. Not only is it a brilliant start to a novel that is full of action and betrayal, more so than These Broken Stars, but it also introduces us to two such strong personalities at their best. Lee, whose name is uttered in fear as she is a tough captain, is immediately placed in a position of vulnerability where she finds herself duped by a rebel. Thus, the antagonism between Lee and Flynn is understandable though the slow manner in which their perceptions of one another grow to change is simply captivating.

While Tarver and Lilac's story felt so isolated--the two of them, a mysterious planet--Lee and Flynn's story is set against a backdrop of war, rebellion, and years of suppressed misconceptions and anger. It raises the stakes in their relationship and makes that eventual reconciliation between the two seem far more inevitable than that between Tarver and Lilac. After all, what is social hierarchy in the face of war? Yet, their story is completely unpredictable from start to finish and I found myself pleasantly surprised by the turns the narrative would take and, moreover, the slow build to the truth about Avon and its lack of terraformed earth.

Although Lee and Flynn's romance is not as large an aspect of this novel as Tarver and Lilac's may have been, it is no less effective and swoon-worthy. Additionally, the dual narration, giving us both Lee and Flynn's perspectives, is executed to perfection. Not only are both their voices completely different, but their demons are too. Lee and Flynn's pasts play an integral role in their growth and romantic journey and witnessing that from two perspectives allowed these two to become as near and dear to my heart as Tarver and Lilac themselves.

This Shattered World would not be complete, however, without a glimpse at our previous hero and heroine. Tarver and Lilac don't play a huge role in this novel, but their parts are more substantial than I anticipated and I loooved re-visiting them. Flynn, Lee, Tarver, and Lilac. I love these characters, the depth of their personalities, and their relentless passion for the galactic world at hand. Without a doubt, I know that the next novel Kaufman and Spooner write is going to be just as good, if not better, than these previous installments. In my eyes, they can simply do no wrong.

Blog Tour: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (Guest Post & Giveaway)

I am so excited to be part of The Midnight Garden's Blog Tour of This Shattered World today! I loved These Broken Stars when I read it last year and I can vouch for the fact that this companion novel is just as brilliant and romantic as its predecessor. If you're even the tiniest fan of science fiction, you'll want to pick up this series for sure!  

Today I'll be welcoming the authors of This Shattered World, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner to talk about the world-building in their science fiction realms. If you're a frequent reader of the blog then you'll know that I love nothing more than a well-developed world, especially one grounded in reality, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading what Amie and Meagan had to say about their world-building. I think you will too. :)

Secrets of Starbound Unlocked: Science and Settings

The Starbound trilogy might be set in the future, but it’s grounded solidly in today’s science. We check our science is correct by consulting with physicists, doctors, botanists and others, or we check our science is plausible, if we’re getting creative. Some things (like hyperspace travel) we can’t do yet, but we try to make sure that nothing is scientifically impossible based on what we know right now.

Back when we were drafting These Broken Stars, our editor asked us to put together what we now call the Starbound Encyclopedia. It’s nearly ten thousand words of vital information about the characters and worlds you’ll encounter as you read these books. Here are a few excerpts that will tell you a little bit more about what you’re going to find on Avon in This Shattered World!

Terraforming: A Brief History

Mankind’s first experiments in terraforming took place on Mars in the mid-21st century, but the process did not become viable until after the discovery of faster-than-light travel almost a hundred years later. With the advent of interstellar exploration, the transportation of materials to Mars for terraforming became much cheaper and quicker, and the Mars Company took over from the government-funded scientists. By the time Mars was (barely) habitable, mankind had discovered dozens of other candidates for terraforming outside of our solar system, and had begun to apply the same process to them. These days, Earth is little more than a vast museum of mankind’s history, with environmental stabilizers to prevent complete ecological collapse. Thus far there have been no signs of life elsewhere in the galaxy, intelligent or otherwise… as far as the public record shows.

Avon: Planetary Purgatory

Avon is a recently terraformed planet, unable to sustain human life without the aid of respirators until only a generation ago. It’s co-owned by NovaCorp and Terra Dynamics. It should be much further along in the process than it is, but for generations the planet has been “stuck” at a particular stage in its development. Much of the planet is infertile swamp land, and the plant life is limited to algae and reeds. Its skies are constantly obscured due to a thick, constant cloud cover shrouding almost the entire planet.

The Fianna

Ten years before the start of This Shattered World, some of the descendants of Avon’s original colonists rose up in rebellion against Terra Dynamics and NovaCorp. Calling themselves the Fianna (Irish for warriors), they were led by a young woman named Orla Cormac. They demanded to know why Avon’s terraforming hadn’t progressed—until the planet becomes self-sufficient, Avon’s colonists are not considered citizens, and have no representation in the Galactic Council. The rebellion was unsuccessful, and Orla was executed for her crimes. The military has had fully-operational bases there ever since, acting as the planet’s police and security force until it becomes self-sufficient enough to have its own local governmental forces. Now, Orla’s little brother, Flynn Cormac, has inherited the rebellion. Unlike his sister, Flynn longs for peace, and hasn’t given up on the idea that there’s a way out for his people that doesn’t involve bloodshed.

Avon: The Fury

Though the locals are unaffected, soldiers posted on Avon succumb to a creeping madness called the Fury, which begins with disturbing dreams and escalates into an outburst of (usually fatal) violence. Most soldiers last only a few months before being reassigned to other planets. Despite numerous studies of the environment by doctors and scientists, no one has been able to determine a cause for this affliction. The only cure, once symptoms begin, is to be transferred off of Avon.

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner are longtime friends and sometime flatmates who have traveled the world (but not yet the galaxy), covering every continent between them. They are sure outer space is only a matter of time. Meagan, who is also the author of the Skylark trilogy, currently lives in Asheville, NC, while Amie lives in Melbourne, Australia. Although they currently live apart, they are united by their love of space opera, road trips, and second breakfasts.

Tour Schedule:
Monday, December 8          The Midnight Garden    Secrets of Starbound: Characters
Tuesday, December 9         The Book Smugglers    Making an Audiobook
Wednesday, December 10  Ivy Book Bindings        Secrets of Starbound: Science and Settings
Thursday, December 11       Cuddlebuggery             How Amie & Meagan Met
Friday, December 12            Little Book Owl             Video Interview
Monday, December 15         Mundie Moms               Shooting the Cover
Tuesday, December 16        Xpresso Reads             Starbound Inspirations
Wednesday, December 17   A Book Utopia               Video: Your New Book Boyfriend
Thursday, December 18       Supernatural Snark       Q & A

Friday, December 19            Love is Not a Triangle   Gender in Science Fiction

Giveaway!

We have some incredibly cool giveaways thanks to the authors and Disney-Hyperion. Not only do we have 5 hardback copies of This Shattered World to give away, but we also have a grand prize that’ll make fans of the series super, super excited!

Grand Prize:

Autographed copies of These Broken Stars and This Shattered World

Starbound Swag

A secret letter from Tarver to Lilac, which you may keep secret for yourself, or may be posted and shared with others

Your choice of coffee with the authors at one of their upcoming U.S. tour stops (locations TBD) OR a Skype chat!

All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form and leave a thoughtful comment below telling us why you’re specifically excited to win this prize! Don’t forget, you may earn additional points by sharing this giveaway on social media and by visiting the other tour stops as well.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A huuuge shout out to Wendy @ The Midnight Garden for organizing this blog tour and for selecting me to be a part of it. I had a blast, Wendy, so thanks a bunch! If you haven't already, be sure to check them out! :)

Also, be sure to look out for my review of This Shattered World soon to find out more about these characters, their journey, and, most importantly, their love story!

Release Day Mini-Review: Shadowed Heart by Laura Florand

Title: Shadowed Heart (Amour et Chocolat, #5.5) 

Author: Laura Florand

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: December 3rd, 2014

Three words, to shake a man’s existence.
Three words, to call on all a man’s strength, all his courage, all his love, and all his ability to hope and dream…and trust.
Three words, to wake up every fear a man has ever had.
“I’m pregnant, Luc.”
Now how could a man be perfect enough for that?
Now in this sequel to The Chocolate Heart, Florand takes us into the heart of happily ever after with a story full of love, hope, and friendship. Struggling to get their new restaurant off the ground in the south of France, newly married top chef Luc Leroi and his wife Summer must face all their demons at the prospect of becoming parents. Fortunately, Summer's cousins and Luc's rival chefs join forces with the couple to prove that not even a top chef has to handle everything alone and happiness really can last ever after.

I've been stalking NetGalley for months, now, just waiting for the next Florand novel to appear. I've read and re-read Florand's novels so often that to re-visit an old favorite doesn't quite give me the same pleasure as cracking open the spine of a new one. Thus, despite the fact that I've read other Florand novels only earlier this year, and re-read a handful of her books recently, picking up Shadowed Heart felt like coming home after a long, long break.

While the majority of Florand's titles can be read as stand-alones, this is one novella that simply demands that the reader have read The Chocolate Heart. Even though it's been awhile since I perused the volume myself, Luc and Summer's romance is such a strong, visceral, and truly humbling experience. It's full of heartache and strength, both in such equal magnitude, that it's impossible not to become entirely embroiled in their tale and wish, desperately, for the happiest ending possible. Thus, a follow-up novella is both a welcome surprise and a certain dread. I knew, even before opening the PDF of this, that I was going to become an emotional wreck at some point during the story--that's just the type of writer Florand is. Luc and Summer feel fleshly-real, so much so that their very being intertwines with yours until their slightest pain affects you in a physical manner.

It's a sign of Florand's skill that she's able to encompass such a wide range of emotion into such a slim volume. Shadowed Heart follows Luc and Summer as they discover that Summer is pregnant, all while Luc struggles to open his own restaurant and come to terms with what it means to be a father, support a family, and be the type of husband Summer needs him to be. Many of the themes Florand touches upon in this novella are echoes of what we saw in The Chocolate Heart but they feel just as poignant here, if not more. At a time of so much happiness, for this married couple to fall prey to doubt and most importantly, self-doubt, is a terrifying scene to watch unfold. Yet, I appreciate that Shadowed Heart has glimpses of happiness, moments of comic relief, and just the right amount of sugar. We manage to re-visit old favorites (my sweethearts, Sylvain, Dom, and Patrick *swoon*) and the delight of being back in Luc and Summer's minds doesn't wear off as easily as one would imagine. Their thoughts, so similar and yet so different, their new familiarity with one another, all while maintaining a distance still, is all strangely moving and immensely touching. I love this couple. I rooted for this couple. And I root for them still.

Shadowed Heart is a must-read for fans of Florand's work. It's heart-felt and the depth packed into its short pages is unbelievable. Moreover, who wouldn't kill for a chance to lose themselves among Florand's prose, her descriptions of Southern France, or all the delectable chocolate her leading men can make? (Someone, PLEASE, let me know where I can find a French chef of my own!) Without a doubt, Shadowed Heart is yet another incredible novel from Florand--one of her finest yet.

Showcase Sunday (#36)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicki at Books, Biscuits and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

For Review:

(Images link to Goodreads)

I'm nearly drowning in ARCs, but I love it. With so many upcoming titles to read, I haven't gotten a chance to get out and purchase the novels that have been released (like Marillier's latest!) but hopefully my next haul will feature more of those books. What have you been reading/receiving lately?

Thank You

It's been two weeks since I last posted.

I can't believe it.

I'm also not sorry.

When I began college in September, I felt terrible about being unable to post as often as I had in the past. I made a pact to post more often, to read later into the night, to write reviews earlier in the day.

Basically, I still had no concept of the fact that this is my blog and it's not going anywhere. 

The first week following my last post I was too busy to post. I had five major assignments due on the same date, I was frantically attempting to keep on top of my work and my other commitments in preparation to return home from Thanksgiving and I simply could not find the time to even glance at a blog. The past week, though, I've been busy but I've also been having a lot of fun. I still read every day, just fifteen minutes, but, strangely enough, there is enough to do, enough people to talk to, and enough hours in the day to sleep that I don't find myself tapping away on the computer as often as I once did.

And that's okay.

I'm here, on this Thanksgiving, to thank you all for sticking it out with me. Thank you for commenting even when I haven't visited your blogs. Thank you for including me on Twitter and Instagram even when it seemed as if I fell off the  planet. Thank you, publishers, for sending me all the ARCs I could possibly want even though I haven't posted an early review in what seems like ages. Thank you, authors, for e-mailing me and wanting me to review your work despite the fact that I seem so absent from the internet.

I love reading. I love reviewing. I love blogging.

Although these facts have remained constant, my life hasn't remained in stasis. I know I won't have as much time to blog in the coming weeks thanks to finals. I know I probably won't make my GoodReads goal for the first time in years because...college. But I also know that I will be here, always, just an e-mail or a comment away. I know I love reading your posts, your comments, your reviews. I know I want to click that "Publish" button again really soon and there are a couple of projects planned for the upcoming month. But instead of freaking out over unexplained hiatuses, instead of issuing a string of apologies, I'm just going to go with the flow.

It's life. It happens. And thank you for sticking with me through it.

Happy Thanksgiving!(:

Mini-Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Title: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry 

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Rating: 4 Stars

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is, upon further reflection, the type of deceptively crafted title I absolutely love to devour on a rainy spring afternoon. Everything from the brief book reviews which preface its every chapter to the odd little details the author sprinkles within the opening pages of the novel--only to re-introduce them in miraculous means towards the end of the story--are utterly charming, delightful, and more than a little engaging. Fikry's book reviews not only introduce subtle events in every chapter to come, but they are written from the future as the story struggles to catch up to his current timeline, a method which works to perfection, crafted and re-crafted by Zevin throughout the course of the book. 

It's difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what it is about this novel that just works. Is it the quaint little bookstore in a tiny off-the-coast island, inhabited by citizens whose lives are extraordinary in their ordinariness? Or is it the transformation of A.J. Fikry, a rather aloof widowed bookstore owner whose life changes the day baby Maya shows up on his doorstep? Or, perhaps, it is simply that Zevin writes her contemporary title in the tone of magical realism, introducing even the simplest of emotions such as love or hope or happiness as pure magic. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry isn't a sugar-coated tale, though--for the most part--it appears so. Yet, it is the minuscule sprinkles of sorrow and grounded reality in a tale of love and redemption that, ultimately, make this a journey to remember, no matter how many times it is read.

Review: Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy, #1)

Author: Ilona Andrews

Rating: 4 Stars

Forget the new Kate Daniels book, I just want more of the Hidden Legacy series. It speaks to the immense strength of the Ilona Andrews writing duo that, despite diverging from a well-known and slightly formulaic series, they still manage to put forth innovative, fresh, and genuinely captivating novels. It was already evident from The Edge books, a series of companion novels set in the same universe, but now with both The Innkeeper Chronicles and Hidden Legacy series, two incredibly promising series debuts, they have proved that there is much, much more up their sleeve either than Kate Daniels.

Frankly, that's rare. We see it all too often where authors simply draw out a series beyond its natural ending point or inundate fans with countless spin-off series. I admire Ilona Andrews all the more, however, for choosing to begin new ventures. Moreover, both Clean Sweep and Burn for Me contain characters written in a completely different vein from Kate and Curran. I love Nevada, the family-oriented and loyal protagonist of Burn for Me, and I particularly love the distinct quality of her narration. It's funny, just as Ilona Andrews knows to be, but it also lacks the loneliness and despair that marked Kate's voice in Magic Bites, instead giving rise to a flavor of indomitable strength and courage tinged with vulnerability--a state I was able to instantly relate to. 

Unlike Kate, Nevada is instantly like-able and her world, full of enormous leaps in social hierarchy, forces her to be a victim of her environment in more ways than one. The world-building in Burn for Me is intricate and intriguing from the start and only develops as the novel progresses, which I love. You're left with the sense that there is so much more left to be told, not just story-wise with this series, but also world-wise and I anticipate that sensation of peeling back layers to a new novel. Plus, for those of you who are fans of Ilona Andrews heart-stopping action sequences and penchant for mythological mysteries, have no fear; it is present in spades in Burn for Me. 

Yet, what makes Burn for Me such an incredible novel is, simply put, its characters. Nevada, her ex-solider mother, her younger brothers and sisters, her hacker cousin Bern, her grandmother who isn't too old to appreciate a shirtless (and very good-looking) man, and, of course, Mad Rogan himself. Without divulging spoilers, Burn for Me places Nevada, a woman with relatively little magical power, under control of the corporation to which her business is mortgaged and, as a result, she much apprehend a powerful fire-wielding psychopath, Adam. Mad Rogan, known for his immense power and the enormous death rate he has been responsible for during the war, is searching for Adam for reasons of his own and when the two team up, sparks fly. 

Mad Rogan isn't your typical hero. After serving in the war for years and wielding an unparalleled amount of magical ability, Mad Rogan is used to getting what he wants, who he wants, and when he wants them. Thus, he lacks empathy and sees murder as the first--and only--solution to every problem thrown his way. Needless to say, Nevada is terrified of the man despite the sexual tension palpable between them. To write a romance between a character such as Mad Rogan and a civilian such as Nevada is no easy task but Ilona Andrews truly makes us root for them. Moreover, it helps that we, as readers, are offered miniscule glimpses into Mad Rogan that Nevada lacks which gives us a stronger insight into the man. It isn't a fast-paced romance--but Ilona Andrews has never been known for that--and the slow-burn is torturous but oh-so-gratifying. Or, at any rate, I imagine it will be in the next few installments. 

Long story short, Burn for Me is a must-read for fans of Ilona Andrews and/or the Urban Fantasy genre. It's a true breath of fresh air from the all-too-typical insta-love sequences with vampires or other paranormal creatures and the lore of this universe will grab you in and won't let you go. Plus, don't even get me started on Mad Rogan. Move over Curran because Mad Rogan is here! ;) Burn for Me. Read it.

Review: Chaos by Sarah Fine

Title: Chaos (Guards of the Shadowlands, #3) 

Author: Sarah Fine

Rating: 4 Stars

If you'd asked me even a month ago, I'd have told you that Chaos was probably a finale I'd pass on. I loved Sarah Fine's Sanctum but ever since Fractured, I've been less-than-impressed by her work. Granted, Of Metal and Wishes was promising and I haven't even read Scan, but nothing Fine has written since Sanctum has managed to truly capture my attention.

And then Chaos arrived on my doorstep.

I rarely say this, but Chaos is an incredible conclusion to an innovative series. Sanctum was thought-provoking, compelling, and above all, intelligent. I loved the emotional discourse, the in-depth analysis of a depressive psyche, and I only hoped to see more of it in Fractured. Unfortunately, the latter devolved into a string of love triangles, unnecessary drama, and a cliffhanger ending as the cherry on top. Needless to say, Chaos sank quite low on my list of books to be read.

Oddly enough, it was Sarah Fine's Stories from the Shadowlands which finally convinced me to pick up Chaos. Malachi's journal entries in Stories from the Shadowlands, giving readers insight into his thought process during the dramatic events of Fractured, grudgingly allowed me to re-evaluate these characters and dive into Chaos with an open mind. And, readers, am I glad I did. Chaos completely lived up to the potential within Sanctum--and then some. As a finale, it satisfied. As a novel, it kept me entertaining. And a piece of literature, it made me think. I really don't ask for much more.

Chaos picks up directly where Fractured left off, throwing us back into the realm of the Shadowlands. What I love about re-visiting Fine's fantasy world is the fact that it is such an intelligent one. It exists because of depression, suicide, and other issues of mental illness that plague the human race. As a result, I constantly find myself re-evaluating what I know of these issues from Fine's perspective and I feel as if she uses the medium of paranormal/fantasy in the best possible way: to use fictional situations to highlight real-life problems. It's brilliant, gripping, and above all, integral to our society today. I particularly love that here is a YA trilogy that actually says something that needs to be heard by teens. To all those who constantly oppose the YA genre, Fine's trilogy proves that there is plenty of substance in YA just as in Adult fiction.

Yet, the reason Chaos stands out is due to its impeccable style. Fine strings together a variety of plot threads in this novel; so many that, at first, it seems impossible she's going to pull it off. But she does. Chaos never feels rushed or too slow. Fine's pacing is perfect and, moreover, even after two previous novels, her characters still feel fresh. Lela and Malachi are characters we've been with for years now and while parts of them are transparent and predictable, they are a far cry from the people we originally met them as. Furthermore, Fine brings back old villains and new heroes which make Chaos stand out within the trilogy instead of merely blending into the background as "just another" book in the "Guards of the Shadowlands" series.

Nevertheless, the romance is where Fine truly shines. Forgetting the drama of Fractured, we finally see Lela and Malachi as a united front in Chaos and the result of their strengths combined--their weaknesses balanced--is unbeatable. I love these two. I believe in these two. And they give me so much hope for the people in this world. Their journeys throughout Chaos are littered with despair, instances where fragility is on the brink of strength, but as Fine shows us, what doesn't kill you truly does make you stronger. I love the continued ambiguity in their morality and their depth never ceases to amaze me. I almost don't want to leave these characters behind because, really, there is more to them we still don't know and seeing them change over the years? I want that.

If it isn't already clear, Chaos has made me a die-hard fan of this series all over again. I can't wait to pick up Fine's next novel, in the hopes it surprises me as pleasantly as this one did, and if Fractured was even a fraction as irritating for you as it was for me, I can't recommend Chaos highly enough. Sarah Fine: well done.

P.S. -- I've begun writing for CHANGE Magazine, an online magazine run by college students with articles regarding social and political change in the world and specifically on campuses. I would be forever grateful if you'd take a few minutes to check out my first article in CHANGE Magazine, an interview with a domestic abuse and sexual violence organization. Thanks! :)

The TBR Tag!

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I hate looking at one singular TBR list and finding books that haven't been released or which are classics or that I already own so I have multiple TBR piles which I keep track of on Goodreads. :)

Is your TBR mostly print or e-book?

I'd have to say my TBR is a mix of both. Currently, I feel as if it's mostly e-book since I request publishers to send me electronic copies of books since I'm in college and it's just easier than receiving parcels and finding space to stack up ARCs, but I also have a decent amount of print novels at home which are on my TBR and desperately need to be read someday. 

How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

I'm a 100% mood reader. Most of the time, I'll know what I want to read next since it would have recently released and I'll snatch up a copy from the library or Amazon, but other times I just peruse my TBR shelves until I find a few books I really feel like reading that instant and then whichever one I can find I'll read. 

A book that's been on your TBR list the longest?

The Storyteller was, I believe, the first ARC I received and though I've wanted to read this novel many times since having received it, the sorrow that has been promised upon reading this has kept me away like the fearful reader I am. Someday...

A book you recently added to your TBR?

I haven't been able to avoid the gushing reviews of this novel on the internet and, of course, I had to add it to my TBR. If only I could get a copy as easily... ;)

A book on your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover?

I saw the cover for this novel and was a goner. I don't actually know much about it but, ugh, so gorgeous.

A book on your TBR that you NEVER actually plan on reading?

I plan to read every book on my TBR but there are some, like Black Spring, where I doubt the reality of that actually happening. I adore the haunting cover of this novel but the fact that it's a re-telling of Wuthering Heights almost guarantees I won't enjoy it and though I've loved Croggon's prose in the past, I haven't picked up a book by her in nearly five years and can't be sure this is quite for me after all. Still, just the idea of it on my TBR warms my heart.

An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for?

I think to say I'm excited for this is a vast understatement. Just tell me which organs I can donate to get my hands on a copy of this. 

A book on your TBR that basically everyone has read except you?

Yup, that's right. I don't even need to say anything else because everyone really had read this book. Except me. Oops!

A book on your TBR everyone recommends to you?

I'm almost tired of hearing about Mistborn. I love high fantasy, which is why this series gets recommended to me as often as it does, but I just haven't found the appropriate chunk of time to carve out for it yet. I know, I know, I need to. I will. Eventually.

A book on your TBR that you're dying to read?

I am such a die-hard sucker for werewolves (which clearly explains my torrid love affair with Adam Hauptman). Dunkle is an author I've really enjoyed in the past and combine that with the Scottish moors and creepy werewolves and I am basically a goner. If only I could find a copy of this book, though! :(

The number of books on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

I didn't want to know this number but if I count up all my multiple TBR shelves, it's 430. *winces*

Thanks for tagging me, Marlene! :)

I'm not actually going to tag anyone, only because I have no idea who has already been tagged vs. who hasn't but if you'd like to participate in the TBR tag, consider yourself tagged by me! ;)

I wish I could promise that exciting reviews are headed your way, but I can't. I'll hopefully get some blogging done this weekend--we'll see!--but I hope you enjoyed this post and wishing you all a fantastic weekend and week ahead! :D

Release Day Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3) 

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Release Date: October 21st, 2014

I’m not entirely sure Cabeswater is quite fictional. I cracked open the spine of Blue Lily, Lily Blue and from just the whisper of those initial words on the page, I could feel it coursing through my bloodstream. I emerge from Stiefvater’s novels blinking wildly at the sight around me. It takes a few seconds for my brain to process a mere desk, laptop, bookshelf, bed, and lamp before my eyes when, only seconds ago, I was running through the forests of Cabeswater, walking through hidden caverns, breathing life into my dreams. It’s simultaneously Stiefvater’s best and worst quality; her ability to immerse her readers thoroughly in her work and, sadly, her ability to render those fictional realms so life-like that the inevitable disappointment that I cannot, in fact, visit Cabeswater, is crushing.

But, I digress—Blue Lily, Lily Blue. After two beloved novels already published in this series, it’s easy to believe, by the third book, that you know the direction of the plot, the decisions the characters may make, or even the relationships they’ll continue to develop. Maggie Stiefvater, however, shatters every illusion you’ve harbored within the opening pages of her prologue itself and you’re taken back in time to that moment of trepidation before you cracked open The Raven Boys; that moment when you have no idea which character you’ll fall in love with, which one you’ll hate, who is about to become your soul sister, or even what the plot of the entire novel even is. Stiefvater proves to be just as unpredictable as always in Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and though reading this third novel in the Raven Cycle feels like returning home after a long, arduous year apart, its characters nevertheless manage to evolve, the plot twists and turns, and the relationship dynamics become ever-more complex. Thus, just when you’re thinking you’re going to enjoy another trip to Henrietta, your heart rate begins to pound, you lean forward in your seat, and, just like that, you’re just as frantic and impassioned and in love as Blue and her Raven Boys.

For me, perhaps the most jarring effect of Blue Lily, Lily Blue is the fact that the school year has, once again, begun. For Blue and her Raven Boys, this means that while the hunt for Glendower has not ended, it has become more difficult. Moreover, the economic gap between Blue and her Raven Boys, which felt, perhaps, diminished within the excitement of The Dream Thieves, rears its ugly head again. Blue Lily, Lily Blue marks the first Stiefvater novel I’ve read since attending college and, as a result, I find myself all the more grateful for the economic diversity Stiefvater writes of. I feel underrepresented within my economic bracket here, on my college campus, but it’s reassuring to know that isn’t the case within Stiefvater’s literature. Adam’s economic situation, as always, is keenly felt and the strides Adam makes in his thinking during the course of this novel are tremendous. But Blue, especially, stands out to be in Blue Lily, Lily Blue, not only because she has lost her mother, but also because her closest friends are looking into a future of posh, elite Ivy League schools while she herself must settle for a local college she can afford opposed to a college that caters to her academic intelligence level. Truly, I don’t mean to linger on this topic for too long, but for those of you who have felt as if the college admissions process has been simplified and far too glorified in literature up until now, you will love the harsh reality Stiefvater breathes into the situation with her latest.

But, yet again, I digress. I do not love Blue Lily, Lily Blue for its economic diversity (though that is certainly a noteworthy component to the novel), but I love it for the manner in which its characters and their relationships continue to surprise me. I wrote in my review of The Dream Thieves that though Stiefvater writes of a multitude of characters, everything she writes of somehow returns to Gansey. At the heart of the Raven Boys, at the heart of this quest for Glendower, lays Gansey. While this continues to be true in Blue Lily, Lily Blue, what struck me about Gansey in this third installment is how little we truly know of him. By the closing of Blue Lily, Lily Blue we’ve gained answers to the mystical powers that Blue and the rest of her Raven Boys possess but Gansey? Gansey still remains an enigma. But, in Blue Lily, Lily Blue he becomes a humanized one. The Gansey of this latest installment is not always the calm, collected, and put-together Gansey we’ve come to know. Stiefvater shows us the glimpses in which he morphs and isn’t quite the same person, though their essence is identical. It’s subtle, but Blue Lily, Lily Blue allows us to see Gansey through a lens of vulnerability—a term we’ve associated with everyone from Adam to Noah to Ronan to Blue—but, never before, with Gansey.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue further continues to alter the relationship dynamics simply between Blue and her Raven Boys. Noah becomes ever-more distant and otherworldly in this installment as Ronan and Adam begin to forge a tighter friendship now that Adam and Gansey are at such a stand-still in their own relationship. Between Blue and Gansey, however, there continues to be a strong stream of longing and though their relationship isn’t touched upon as much as it was in the previous installment, the scenes Stiefvater gives us are utterly bittersweet. Blue Lily, Lily Blue truly goes beyond just Blue and her Raven Boys, though. We finally get to meet Gansey’s Professor and Blue’s own relationships with the women in her house (and Mr. Gray!) take on a new significance with Blue’s mother missing. Additionally, Stiefvater introduces a slew of new characters; all of them complex, many of their roles unexpected. While Blue Lily, Lily Blue certainly furthers the plot significantly, it also leaves a large number of questions to be answered and generates new ones along the way as well, all contributing to an ending full of shock, excitement, and curiosity. Of course the wait for the next novel is sure to be unbearable but Blue Lily, Lily Blue packs such a punch that I am confident I’ve overlooked at least a dozen important clues. It’s the type of novel that, much like The Dream Thieves, simply demands to be re-read from its position on your shelf.

It hardly needs saying, but Stiefvater has outdone herself yet again. I believe she always says that her favorite book is the one she has just written and though I cannot agree with that statement, what with The Scorpio Races out in the world, Blue Lily, Lily Blue is one of her better novels. It doesn’t quite capture the madness and raw energy of The Dream Thieves for me, but it has an essence and magic all of its own. Just don’t expect to emerge from this novel unscathed and you’ll be good. (Trust me, Stiefvater just brings on ALL the feels…ALL OF THEM.)

ARC Review: Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Title: Princess of Thorns

Author: Stacey Jay

Rating: 2 Stars

Release Date: December 9th, 2014

I picked up Princess of Thorns expecting a fairy tale re-telling on the scale of Jay's Of Beast and Beauty.

Don't do that.

Princess of Thorns is nothing like Of Beast and Beauty, which is, frankly, a disappointment. Of Beast and Beauty burst upon my bookshelf last year with a fresh, innovative take on the age-old tale of "Beauty and the Beast." It wasn't solely Jay's creativity that set it apart as one of the finest re-tellings of "Beauty and the Beast" to be told, it was also her willingness to explore all-too-human themes in a fantastical settings, her risk-taking with a truly evil villain on hand, and her impeccable pacing that introduced plot twists when the reader least expected it. What's more, at its core Of Beast and Beauty is a love story; a beautiful one. It's impossible to pick up Jay's former novel and not become lost in the swirls of tension, passion, and love that emanate from these characters. Sadly, Princess of Thorns contains none of that.

For one, it should be noted that Princess of Thorns is not a re-telling of "Sleeping Beauty." Instead, it continues the original French story, only instead of ending completely in death and demise, Princess Aurora's two children live and are raised by the fey to eventually fight their evil ogre family. Princess of Thorns begins promisingly enough, what with a prophecy being foretold and Ror, our protagonist, becoming a fierce and determined leader. Certainly, from the first few pages, Jay's latest seemed to possess the qualities needed to make Princess of Thorns as big a success as Of Beast and Beauty but, alas, it was not to be so.

My main issue with Princess of Thorns is, quite simply, that it is boring. Aurora is on a quest to win over an army and save her younger brother, Jor, from his current imprisonment with the Ogre Queen who wishes both Ror and her brother dead. With her is Niklaas, the eleventh son of an immortal king who has cursed his heirs to turn into swans on their eighteenth birthday so that his kingdom may never be turned over to them. (Also, can I just inject here that this entire plot thread is ridiculously weak? Is this meant to be another re-telling similar to Marillier's Daughter of the Forest randomly interjected with "Sleeping Beauty"?) Niklaas finds Ror and, presuming that Aurora is her younger brother, Jor, agrees to help her on her quest if Jor will introduce Niklaas to his elder sister so Niklaas may propose marriage to Aurora. Niklaas needs to marry in order to escape his curse but Aurora's fairy blessings prevent her from even kissing another and, parading around as her younger brother Jor, their relationship forms into a tight friendship after their initial revulsion passes. Though their journey could have been intriguing, with "Jor" diplomatically fighting to win over an army or find one (*ahem* Aragorn in Return of the King when he rallies the ghost army to fight for him!), this novel passes by with Aurora and Niklaas merely walking, sleeping, talking.

What's worse, there's barely a hint of chemistry between Niklaas and Aurora. I enjoyed the manner in which their relationship developed but I wasn't wholly involved with it. Plus, Niklaas is the type of male protagonist who enjoys boasting of the broken hearts and cold beds he leaves behind and while Aurora is strong, capable, and a perfect match for him, I found Niklaas's subtle misogyny to be...unpleasant. Of course, Jay allows her characters to grow and change over the course of the novel and the ending is satisfying, though anticlimactic. It isn't the epic battle we expect it to be and, on that count, it's disappointing. Jay doesn't pull out all the stops when it comes to her villain this time around either--yet another upsetting factor--but the last few pages ensure that readers finish Princess of Thorns with a smile if nothing else.

Unlike Of Beast and Beauty, this novel is not introspective, reflective, or thought-provoking in the least. The relationship dynamics are all present--and I really enjoyed the glimpses of Ror and Jor's sibling relationship--but ultimately, this isn't a novel to boast about. Its gorgeous cover aside, I wouldn't recommend it and frankly feel as if readers who expect the same caliber of Of Beast and Beauty will be happier skipping out on this one. Sorry Princess of Thorns, but you leave much wanting.

You can read my review for Of Beast & Beauty (which I highly recommend!) HERE. 

Review: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Title: I'll Give You the Sun 

Author: Jandy Nelson

Rating: 5 Stars

I often didn't want to read I'll Give You the Sun. Nelson's debut, The Sky is Everywhere, sits pristinely on my shelf despite numerous re-reads as I flip through my favorite passages, the poems most beloved to my heart, and swoon again and again and again because Joe Fontaine. I couldn't, for the life of me, imagine that I'll Give You the Sun would be able to compare. After all, I couldn't relate to a novel about twins. About art. About grief. A novel told from two different perspectives, two different genders, two different time lines. I'll Give You the Sun arrived on my doorstep as a pre-packaged risk--one I wasn't sure I was ready to take. Until, of course, I cracked open the spine and Nelson rendered me speechless, useless, and nearly heartless. Again.

I'll Give You the Sun is a vastly different novel from The Sky is Everywhere but the atmosphere created by Nelson--the distinct flavor of her--is still present. While Nelson's debut dealt, from the onset, with grief, with moving on, with battling the inner demons and wrestling the outer ones, I'll Give You the Sun is a far more subtle discussion of similar topics. It is told from the perspectives of Noah and Jude, twin brother and sister whose lives have been intertwined from womb to birth and beyond. Noah, at thirteen years old, begins the novel and his narration is a burst of color on the page. Noah is an artist. Not only does he see the world around him in the shades of his paintbrush and the strokes of his hand, but he's constantly cramped over a drawing pad. For Noah, art isn't a lifestyle; it's his life. At thirteen, Noah is shy, quiet, and often alone. Jude, by contrast, is popular. A complete dare-devil, she seems to have inherited the strong, "masculine" traits that their father always pushes Noah to attain. But Noah, thirteen years old, in love with his talent, often bullied, and burdened by the knowledge that he is attracted to the men, is a narrative voice I cannot forget. Once heard, it will stay with me; constantly. Every other chapter we hear Noah speak; first thirteen, then thirteen and a half, slowly pushing fourteen, until fourteen hits. Over the course of a mere year Noah will fall in love, he will destroy his relationship with his sister, he will grow green with envy, he will yearn to achieve his dream of gaining entrance into art school, and he will lose his true love.

Jude, whose narration picks up two years later at sixteen, is a changed individual from the flighty, fun, and flirty teen she used to be through Noah's eyes just three years ago. Now, Jude attends the prestigious art school Noah dreamed of attending. She wears conservative clothes, speaks to the ghost of her dead grandmother, is estranged from Noah, and blames herself for her mother's death. It's a shocking juxtaposition, at first, to read Noah's tender, innocent, and all too child-like perspective where he draws, dreams, and is constantly able to rely on his twin sister and then, suddenly, to be yanked into Jude's head, two years later, where she and Noah barely speak to one another; where she has lost her love for life; where, somehow, she is living her brother's dream while he lives the life of the popular high school jock. What happened? It's the question that plagues us, constantly, as we frantically flip the pages while simultaneously smoothing them down to make the words last longer, the sensations linger deeper, to soak in the full impact of the tale at hand.

I'll Give You the Sun is gut-wrenching, certainly, but only because Nelson makes you feel so deeply for her characters that their grief becomes our grief. It's beautifully written, descriptions of art grazing the pages opposed to the poetry of The Sky is Everywhere but, unsurprisingly, under Nelson's prose it is just as evocative and powerful. Moreover, I love the love stories Nelson creates. Like Gayle Forman and Stephanie Perkins, Nelson writes true love; love forged by fate, intertwined by destiny, and brought together by multiple life paths, not just one. It's the type of romance I simply cannot rip myself away from. I'm a sucker for these love stories, though countless readers likely point out their improbability, and Nelson made me fall hard not just for one or even two of the love stories told, but for all three within these pages. I have absolutely no qualms in admitting that the swoon Nelson writes in I'll Give You the Sun rivals the swoon of The Sky is Everywhere--and then some.

Yet, at its core, I'll Give You the Sun is a story of family. Of truths and deceptions. Of what love truly means. It leaves us thinking, by the end, after all the revelations are through, and the lingering unanswered questions of death remain, as in real life, the most bittersweet remembrances. Perhaps, though, what I love most about it is that the growth within it is not limited to age. Granted, both Jude and Noah grow and change immensely from Noah's perspectives to Jude's, two-three years in the future, but the adults around them are also, constantly, changing and being changed by the circumstances life throws at them. In The Sky is Everywhere the adult presence felt starkly adult; knowledgeable, reliable. A pillar, in other words. In I'll Give You the Sun, that isn't quite the case. Though it seems, to thirteen year old Noah, that his scientist father has it all figured out, to sixteen year old Jude it is evident that her father isn't himself. And though, to sixteen year old Jude, to seemed as though her mother knew it all, had all the right answers now, looking back, for fourteen year old Noah that wasn't the situation at all. For me, the lines blurring between by teenage-hood and adult-hood, these explorations of life, love, and longing at all stages truly spoke to me. Moreover, I loved seeing the beauty of existence shown through multiple generations in a manner only Nelson can possibly achieve.

For me, I'll Give You the Sun is a significantly more complex novel than The Sky is Everywhere. I love it because the intensity of its emotions is not linked solely to grief. I was able to understand, on so many levels, the complexity between Noah and Jude's relationship. From the stage where they fought for each parent's time and approval to the stage where they became jealous of one another and even beyond, so much of it rang true even without the added component of grief--which I, personally, enjoyed. Ultimately, I believe this novel will speak to every reader in some way or the other. It's just one of those novels. Pain demands to be felt; I'll Give You the Sun does too.

You can read my review of Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere HERE. 

Anthology Review: Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

Title: Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson

Author: Patricia Briggs

Rating: 4 Stars

Shifting Shadows is a definite must for fans of Mercy Thompson--no doubt about it. It opens with a relatively long tale--nearly novella length--which covers the initial meeting between Sam and Ariana. While it is often difficult for readers (at least myself) to tear away from the perfection that is Adam Hauptman, I truly adored the fact that this collection dares to give us the back stories of characters we've been curious about. Sam and Ariana's tale, though not one I'll likely ever find myself re-reading, is a powerful story with unexpected depth. Much later in the anthology, we re-visit this couple and understanding their past gives their present a rich undertone.

With the exception of "Silver", the majority of my favorite short stories from this novel are ones that have been published elsewhere. "Alpha & Omega" is stunning, as always, especially upon re-read. Tom's story with the blind witch (whose name I'm blanking on at the moment, sorry!) is just as compelling in its subtleties as I remembered. Of course, Kyle and Warren's story is unforgettable (that cowboy line though!). The last three short stories surround Mercy herself. Shortly following Night Broken she finds herself on a mission to dispel a ghost--and what a creepy ghost it is! I didn't expect to enjoy this tale as much as I did but, naturally, even the short presence of Adam Hauptman made my day.

Speaking of our resident werewolf, Adam's appearance in the last two tales--outtakes from Silver Borne and Night Broken--were utterly rewarding. It's often difficult to situate a reader in an isolated outtake, especially as I've read the majority of this series quite awhile ago, but Briggs manages to involve her reader completely in the world, time period, and situation she creates. Moreover, it would be remiss of me to ignore the brilliant and to-the-point synopses Briggs provides readers in the beginning of each short story. Not only does she inform us of where in the Mercy-verse each story falls, but she also gives us insider information on the creation of the novellas, which I always enjoy.

Shifting Shadows would not be the strong volume it is without the presence of Asil thrown cleverly into the middle of the anthology. While I'd have cherished a tale of Asil's mate, I grew to thoroughly enjoy the tale Briggs weaved for him and found myself missing it when it finished. Ultimately, this collection is full of depth, character growth, and back stories that only enrich our understanding of the world Briggs has built. If nothing else, it enables us to see that the extent of Briggs's imagination has only briefly been touched and that, as readers, we are still in for such a treat regarding future Mercy installments. I, for one, cannot wait. (I already need more Adam Hauptman in my life!)

ARC Review: Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross

Title: Whatever Life Throws at You

Author: Julie Cross

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

When it comes to authors, like Julie Cross, whose past work has received a variety of mixed reviews, I hardly know whether or not to invest in their trilogies. Is it worth my time to dive into those three books? Or am I doomed to emerge unhappy like countless readers before me? When Whatever Life Throws at You landed on my doorstep, though, I figured I had the perfect opportunity. Not only could I sample Cross's prose, but it was a contemporary stand-alone and bound to bring a heady dose of swoon into my life.

I found a lot to love within the pages of Whatever Life Throws at You. Cross's latest centers around seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas, a hard-core runner whose dream is to land a scholarship for track. Her father, once a major league baseball player who retired prematurely while battling cancer, has just been offered the job opportunity of a lifetime to return to baseball, this time as a coach, and Annie refuses to allow her father to give up this chance. All she wants is to see him happy and if that means moving across the country to an all-girls high school, it's a small price to pay. In Missouri, though, Annie doesn't expect to run into the Royal's new--and very attractive--pitcher. Nor does she expect to fall for him as hard as she does. Brody and Annie start out as mere friends but is Annie truly a match for a nineteen-year-old on the verge of stardom? And even if Brody finally sees Annie as more than a little-sister figure, there are always consequences for every action...

At the center of Whatever Life Throws at You is a strong father-daughter relationship which I fell head-over-heels for. When it comes to familial relationships, sibling bonds or parental struggles are often emphasized in YA so I appreciated the breath of fresh air Cross brought with Annie's relationship concerning her father. Annie and her father are best friends, practically. He's supported her all her life, especially with her mother breezing in and out of the house, and Annie both looks up to and respects him immensely. I really felt the strength of their bond, even early in the novel, and their growth arc throughout the novel is incredibly real-to-life. Moreover, I enjoyed how Cross juxtaposed the ease of Annie's relationship with her father to the turmoil of other parent-child relationships in the novel. Annie may not have a steadfast mother or a whole lot of wealth, but her father makes up for all of it.

Annie's relationship with Brody is additionally at the forefront of this novel. Brody is nineteen-years-old, out of high school, and about to become a star baseball pitcher. Annie doesn't expect him to like her, let alone care for her in any capacity, but as they spend more and more time together she can't help but begin to fall for him. What I love about their relationship is that it begins firmly as a friendship and their understanding of each other, their trust in one another, and the affection they share is a cornerstone of their bond. Brody has so many hidden layers to him beyond his ability to pitch and as Annie peels those back, slowly, the entire novel opens up in new and unexpected ways. What's more, I love Cross's decision to explore the sexual aspect of Brody and Annie's relationship. Cross doesn't romanticize sex, for one, which is a relief. What's more, instead of simply jumping from making out to outright sex, Cross fills in the gaps, proving there are more ways than one to grow physically closer to a partner. More often than not, these ideals are glossed over in YA and I give Cross props for approaching sex in YA in a new and improved light.

Yet, where Whatever Life Throws at You falters is in the dilemma built up over the course of the story. For one, it felt far too superficial and inauthentic for me to truly invest in and by the time all hell broke loose, I simply felt removed from the novel. What's more, it feels jarring against the backdrop of such a mature, realistic YA contemporary. Another aspect of the novel I felt could have used a dose of improvement were Annie's friendships outside of Brody. In her entire high school she makes exactly one friend and, even then, though their interactions were more frequent in the beginning of the novel, they almost entirely peter out by the end when the entire focus shifts to her romance with Brody.

So. Not. Cool. Yet, regardless of that, Whatever Life Throws at You is a sweet, swoon-worthy contemporary to curl up with for a few hours. I know next to nothing about baseball and still wound up enjoying it--there's just something about all the sports-related novels that are so much fun, what with all the fake tension about a game being lost--so I'd certainly recommend this to readers. Its positives outweigh its negatives by far and I'm looking forward to reading a voice as natural and authentic as Annie's from Cross soon.