Cress | Marissa Meyer

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Where do I even start with this book? Hands down, the best book in the series (so far). I loved everything about this book except for a total of three things, which I will get into later. 

If you haven't gotten into this series yet, I highly recommend it. In comparison, the first two books aren't as good, but it's definitely worth it for Cress! 

I'm going to jump straight into my spoiler-filled discussion, but I will link my reviews to both Cinder and Scarlet if you want to check those out before this one. 

Spoiler-Filled Discussion

Where do I even begin. Immediately in the first chapter we're introduced to Cress, though I immediately liked her more than I liked Scarlet. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that we saw a glimpse of Cress in Cinder, so we had some idea what connection she had to the entirety of the plot. 

We jumped immediately into the action when Sybil came to Cress's satellite and essentially ripped the gang apart. By kidnapping Scarlet and severely injuring Wolf, we knocked out my two least character, which I was surprisingly ok with. 

I loved that we switched mainly between Kai, Cinder and Cress's perspectives, because to me those were the most important ones and the most interesting ones. 

I thought it was an AMAZING coincidence that Thorne and Cress landed in Africa which just happened to be where Cinder landed to find Dr. Erland. (Do you note the sarcasm there?) While I'm glad the gang is back together, that was entirely way too convenient. 

Cinder particularly grows in this book. Previously oppressed by her stepmother and stepsister, she used to be so hesitant in taking up any roles of responsibility. But as this book progressed, she finally understands what she needs to do in order to prevent this war and steps up to take the responsibility. She even harnesses her power and completely crushes Sybil. She is, without a doubt, my favorite character in this book and I can't wait for her to dethrone Levana and take her rightful place as Princess Selene. 

Dr. Erland was also an interesting character during this book. I liked seeing him again, though his connection with Cress seemed way too rushed and just thrown in there. Unless that information plays a useful role later in the book, I don't think that was necessary. If anything I'd rather have seen a little more interaction between them. They talked all of two times in this book and one of those times he was acting as though he had bought her to conduct scientific experiments on her. 

The plan to stop the wedding was by far my favorite part. Iko was fantastic, infiltrating her way through the android catering staff. The entire plan worked perfectly until Sybil recognized Cress's amazing hacking skills and went after them, but even then she was beat so hard by Cinder and the gang. 

THEN we go to kidnap Kai. Cinder just shoots him and drags him with her to the Rampion, talk about commitment. God, I love her. 

We finally get to see some Kaider in this book! About time. But before I proceed to fangirl about the couples, mostly Kaider, let's just talk about how DUMB Kai is. Don't get me wrong, I love him to death, but he's so dumb. 

Kai: So, what do you guys plan to do, overthrow Levana....unless...you guys found Princess Selene?!

Cinder: *nods* Yeah we did. 

Kai: Ohmigod where is she? Is she the blonde chick? 

Cinder: No. 

Kai: How bout the red-head? 

Cinder: Nope. 

Kai: Um...where is she??? 

Cinder: I should tell you, there's something different about her. 

Kai: Um...ok. 

Cinder: She's missing a few limbs. Ya know how she was badly burned by the fire. She may or may not be cyborg. 

Kai: I- um ok. Can we meet her? 

Cinder: *sighs* It's me. I'm Princess Selene.

Kai: *stares in shock* You're kidding right. 

Me: 

I can't tell if he was just in denial or honestly could not figure it out from all of the bits and pieces he's found. But I'm glad he's funny and hot because intelligence doesn't seem to be a strong point for him. 

Finally, it's time to get a good portion of fangirling in. I love love love Kaider, I love Cress and Throne (Crone?), and I hate Wolf and Scarlet. 

When Kaider kissed: 

When Crone kissed: 

Cress's slight obsession was a bit cringey, but once she began to suppress it a little, Crone got so much better. I love their cute awkward relationship. 

When Wolf moped over Scarlet: 

He's known Scarlet for like two weeks and is claiming they're in love and I'm honestly not buying it. They're relationship is way too cringe-worthy (and not in the good way). 

Concluding thoughts: I need Winter. 

I have by no means covered everything in this book, so let's start some discussions down below! 

What are some of your predictions? I think Kaider should make out a bit more, and then of course defeat Levana, get married and have a peaceful nation, happily ever after. 

Heir of Fire | Sarah J. Maas

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she grown to love? 

This book. A roller coster of emotions. But the best thing about this book wasn;t the intense plot not was it the beautiful worls built by Sarah J. Maas. No, the characters were what made this book. The development of each cahracter within this book was phenomenal. We saw sides and stories we didn't previously know and each one had some type of importance in the plot.

There are three more books in this series. THREE. I am so excited to get the rest. I need them. 

I'm now going to talk about everything within these glorious pages, so if you don't want to be spoiled, read the book and come back so we can talk about the beautifulness of this book together. 

The Assassin's Blade | Sarah J. Maas

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free?

Again I am blown away by this series. The writing in these novellas was phenomenal and I got more of a sense behind Celaena and her backstory while also completely intrigued by the action. There's so little I have to say about this book other than the fact that it was incredible. Honestly I am utterly speechless. 

I'm not sure in what order, people typically read this series, so if you haven't read Throne of Glass yet I wouldn't read of this review because there are several spoilers that I quickly want to talk about. 

Throne of Glass | Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

Whether it was the procrastination that prevented me from studying for my finals, or the sheer awesomeness of this book, I couldn't tell you, but I could not put this book down. Recently, I haven't found a book that I truly enjoyed, until I came across this one. I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, everything. It had a Hunger Games meets the Selection vibe to it, which I honestly really enjoyed. The romance in this book was adorable and the plot was fascinating, and I'm honestly so excited to see where this series leads. 

Undivided | Neal Shusterman

Teens control the fate of America in the fourth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology by Neal Shusterman.

Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a plan: to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes. And below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens begin to march on Washington to demand justice and a better future.

But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad—which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.

One of the many things I learned from this book are there are more than two sides to every war. We typically see war as a team vs. team thing, but it's so much more than that. Every individual, every group views the war differently and in order to come to an agreement, there's so much compromise. As the fourth and final book of the Unwind Dystology, Neal Shusterman does a fantastic job of wrapping up the fate of each character, while still presenting a fast-paced storyline. 

I'll admit,a year ago, when I read Unsouled, I didn't know there would be a fourth book, and I was a bit upset that the series wasn't coming to a close. But after reading this fantastic conclusion, I'm so glad this got its own book. If you haven't read the Unwind Dystology I highly recommend it. In addition to entertaining the typical dystopian audience, I feel like it hits some crucial points that our society still has yet to figure out. 

The Infinite Sea | Rick Yancey

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

This is the second book in the 5th Wave series and I absolutely loved it! It does a perfect job of bringing back the characters we loved in the first book and still continuing the plot in an interesting way. It shed a different light on the whole alien situation and honestly really makes you think.

City of Heavenly Fire | Cassandra Clare

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

This book was absolutely phenomenal. It concluded everything in the most perfect way possible. And even though I'm upset that the series is over and my time with Clary, Jace, and all the other characters is over, I don't think there was a better way to end this wonderful series.

Clockwork Princess | Cassandra Clare

Tessa Gray should be happy—aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

This is the third and final book in the Infernal Devices Series, so I'm going go directly into the spoiler filled discussion of the book, however I will link my reviews to the other books in this series. 

Clockwork Angel 

Clockwork Prince

If I Stay and Where She Went | Gayle Forman

On a day that started like any other,

Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she'll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life.

And three years he's spent wondering why.

When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

Non-Spoiler Review

If I Stay is a riveting novel about a girl, Mia Hall, who seems to be perfect. She has fantastic musical talent, a great family, and a loving boyfriend who admires her. But her life completely changes when she gets into a severe car accident and her entire family is instantly killed. As Mia experiences this out of body sensation, she must make a decision, whether to stay, or to go with the rest of her family. Where She Went is continuation from the end of the first book and is told in Adam's, Mia's boyfriend's, perspective. Personally, I enjoyed the first book much more than the second mainly because it was more heartfelt and emotional as opposed to Adam's constant anger within the second book. Although I wish there wasn't a change in perspective from the first book to the second. Once both books were over, I found myself wondering Mia's thoughts after the accident. But I also wanted to see Alex's perspective during the accident. Wanting more of each character's perspective just shows that it was a great book, leaving me wanting more. If this sounds interesting, I really do recommend it! 

Rebel Belle | Rachel Hawkins

Enjoy :D 

Swimming Through Clouds | Rajdeep Paulus

I live in the in between. Between what if and what is. It’s how I manage. It’s the only way I know. Everyone has their way. This is mine.

When high school, cell phone disruption forces a classroom ban, the words on a Post-it note spark a sticky romance between two unlikely friends. Transfer student Talia Vanderbilt has one goal at her new school: to blend in with the walls. Lagan Desai, basketball captain and mathlete, would do just about anything to befriend the new girl. One Post-it note at a time, Lagan persuades Talia to peel back her heart, slowly revealing her treasure chest of pain—an absent mother, a bedridden brother, and an abusive father. In a world where hurt is inevitable, the two teens search for a safe place to weather the storms of life. Together.

Non- Spoiler Review

I am absolutely in love with this book. It's a perfect mix of intensity and cuteness that just worked. If you've seen my other reviews, there were only a handful of other books that were worth a five star rating in my opinion. Every aspect of this book appealed to me; there wasn't a single part I didn't like. All the characters were so deep and realistic. The ones that you were supposed to love were loved to death, and the ones you were supposed to hate were hated with a fiery passion. And the romance wasn't overwhelming, like I thought it would be. Talia didn't just fall into Lagan's arms the chance she got, there was a slow and steady growth, which I enjoyed. The book really played with your emotions, some parts made me physically cringe, others made me cry, while others made me laugh and squeal with excitement. I really do recommend it to everyone, just with a fair warning it covers some pretty dark themes at times. 

Don't Look Back | Jennifer L. Armentrout

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend. Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all- popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam had resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance and being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her- even when the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night aren't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory- someone else she knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive. 

Non-Spoiler Review

I think that this is one of, if not the, best book Jennifer L. Armentrout has written. It was a perfect mix of romance and mystery. I gave this book basically five stars because I thought everything about it was perfect: the plot, the characters, the romance. This book is about a girl, Samantha, who has lost her memories during an accident. She was told she had been with her best friend, Cassie, who is still not found. The book follows Sam as she tries to not only uncover the memories of her life, but also what happened to Cassie. That's about the briefest summary I can give without giving away anything, I seriously recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery! 

Unsouled | Neal Shusterman

Connor and Lev are on the run after the destruction of the Graveyard, the last safe haven for AWOL Unwinds. But for the first time, they're not just running away from something. This time they're running toward answers, in the form of a woman whom Proactive Citizenry has tried to erase from history itself. If they can find her and learn why the shadowy figures behind unwinding are so afraid of her, they may discover the key to bringing down unwinding forever. 

Cam, the rewound boy, is plotting to take down the organization that created him. Because he knows that is he can bring Proactive Citizenry to its knees, it will show Risa how he truly feels about her. And without Risa, Cam is having trouble remembering what it feels like to be human.

With the Juvenile Authority and vindictive parts pirates hunting them, their paths will converge explosively- and everyone will be changed. 

Non-Spoiler Review

Continuing the plot development from the previous two book, Unsouled continues to uphold my high standards. As the book continues, we begin to get more of a backstory of how unwinding came to be, and we learn that it's much deeper and darker than what's on the surface. There's no way for me to review this book without spoiling it. If you haven't picked this book up yet I completely and utterly recommend it. Go read it!!

UnWholly | Neal Shusterman

"Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa, and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens and, in the same stroke, providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. But unwinding has become a big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but expand. 

Connor has his hands full running the Graveyard, a safe haven for AWOLS, kids like him who escaped unwinding. Low on supplies and always afraid of discovery, it's all he can do to keep the place afloat. Risa, paralyzed from the waist down after the attack on Happy Jack Harvest Camp, is struggling to stay positive and help Connor, but she is afraid that she may be more of a burden to him than a help. And Lev finds himself involved in an underground movement to rescue tithes, where he is practically worshipped as a god. 

One of them will be betrayed. One of them will go on the run. And one of them will cross paths with Cam, a teen who doesn't exist, and make a startling discovery about the truth behind unwinding. 

Non-Spoiler Review

As a sequel to Unwind, I thought this book was completely amazing. This book reflects our own society in a horrifyingly accurate way. From the first book, the law Cap-17 has been passed, lowering the unwinding age from seventeen down to sixteen. Now, every harvest camp is forced to set all the seventeen-years old free. Although this has spared many lives, no one foresaw the terrible consequences that followed. With a significant lack of unwinds, the population isn't getting the parts its so used to getting. Black market parts pirates are developing around the country picking AWOLs off the streets to sell at outrageous prices. After barely escaping the explosion at Happy Jack Harvest Camp, Connor, Risa and Lev fight to save more AWOLs from the Juveys. Along the way, the society raises many ethical questions. I recommend the first and second books to anyone who's able to stomach the images and questions implied in this novel. 

Unwind | Neal Shusterman

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not talented enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape-- and to survive. 

Non-Spoiler Review

Neal Shusterman does a fantastic job of creating a parallel world whose citizens are battling the same ethical question we are, except on a more severe scale. After a second civil war, which divides the country into pro-life and pro-choice, an eerie compromise emerges: the unwinding. A human is untouchable from the moment of conception until the age of thirteen, when a parent can have their child unwound, each body part is given to different donors. A method has been perfected to be able to easily transplant any and every organ. This book follows Connor, Risa and Lev, all of whom came together from completely separate worlds and separate beliefs, having a common goal: to survive until eighteen and avoid unwinding. Shusterman does a great job of giving radically different perspectives that all are understandable; he also does an amazing job of integrating dark and heavy topic with comical and light moments. I recommend this book for any teenager who can stomach a fairly dark and eerie book.