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Strands of Bronze and Gold was a complex, beautiful, disturbing book that excelled in every way. Jane Nickerson was able to reimagine a classic tale that sent many of us to bed with nightmares, and set it in the surprising world of pre-civil war Mississippi. This combination seems beyond strange at first, but soon it’s clear just how perfect it really is.The writing was so rich and vivid. I could feel the sweat dripping down my face as I read about the sweltering hot summer. I felt Sophia’s initial attraction to Bernard, despite knowing what would be coming next, and later on her unease. In many ways I was inside Sophia’s head. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a surreal experience while reading a book.Bernard was a terrifying character. When the reader is first introduced to him, you can tell there’s a little something off about him, but you’re not quite sure what. And while the reader is trying to figure out what the heck is up with him, he’s using his impressive acting skills to enchant Sophia, who’s slowly falling for him. But once she falls, she realizes she’s stuck in a deep, dark hole. After Bernard has ensured that she won’t leave, his true colors begin to show, and Sophia finds herself in the middle of shocking abusive relationship.Even through all that comes from living with Bernard, Sophia remained strong. She starts off somewhat shallow and innocent, but she quickly begins to mature and quietly begin to develop some independence. There were some points where Bernard was pushing her far out of her comfort-zone, but she still managed to keep her voice, when others would’ve gone silent.The book started off rather slowly, which I know can turn some readers off, but I enjoyed the slow but steady pace which provided the reader a chance to get to know the characters before the pace picks up and strands of mystery begin unraveling (I just had to do it). My only complaint is that I was able to predict the majority of what happened because of being familiar with Bluebeard beforehand, but that’s my problem. It was an extremely faithful retelling, but luckily Jane still had a few tricks up her sleeve.Moderate sexual content and mature themesBernard is very fond of Sophia in that way. There’s kissing, mild touching, and very close to the end he practically rapes Sophia. Beyond that, he’s a brainwashing and controlling jerk who indoctrinates Sophia with lies and falsehoods, especially revolving around what a healthy relationship is. She’s able to discern some of it, but it still takes a toll on her emotional and mental health.

I've been finished with this for a while now, and still can't manage to put into words how much I love this book! All my questions from Incarnate were answered, and I came out with even more questions! Can't wait for the last book! Full review to come...

STOPPED AROUND 30% INMy first DNF of the year, and it's an audiobook! There was nothing horrible about this book that made me stop, but it wasn't holding my interest at all. Right from the start there was lots of action and horrifying information being revealed, but even though Eve is on the run and everything, it seems like everything just started dragging. I will say that the world-building was good, from what I got from it, but nothing incredibly creative. It actually reminded me a lot about Wither, with a dash of The Giver. But there was nothing particularly new and interesting to me. I also didn't like Eve's character. Even though she's been brainwashed her entire life and has stumbled into a situation that nightmares are made of, I want a character I can root for! And something that bugged me about the audiobook is that the narrator was excellent, but her speaking voice for Eve made her sound like a weak, scared little girl. I've heard it gets better later on, but I'm not invested enough in the characters or plot to care.

Going Vintage was a fast, light-hearted, and surprising look at how technology affects our lives and influences our relationships. Filled with realistic characters, an exciting plot, and laugh-out-loud humor, Going Vintage is something you will not want to miss!Initially, Mallory ditches her boyfriend and all technology on a whim, but throughout the book you can see how her choice affects her in both good ways and bad. Her choice is tested multiple times, pushing her to the point where she almost caves in, but she stuck with her commitment, which I loved.I LOVED all the characters. Mallory is slightly stubborn and not perfect in the slightest, and that's what makes the reader fall in love with her. And yet Mallory seemed almost plain in comparison to the wide array of characters surrounding her. Ginnie was clever and quirky, and an all around amazing sister.Ginnie and Mallory had a great relationship that almost made me want to treat my sisters better. (I said almost). Ginnie was an amazing sister. You never see families, let alone families that don't hate each other, in YA. Mallory’s relationship with her parents was realistically portrayed, but not overdone, which was nice.I thought it was incredibly clever how each chapter began with a list. Mallory and I both seem to be compulsive list-makers, so it was nice to see that shown in the book.Going Vintage was a hilarious story with some small truths woven in, which will make readers step back and look at what’s really important to them in a refreshing way.

So unique... almost too unique. I loved the premise, but found it kind of hard to connect with Eva. At some point in the middle I think I missed something important, because all of a sudden the plot took a dramatic turn. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it! Full review to come..

Interesting to have Cole's point of view. Not the most amazing story, but interesting enough. Excited to see how Everbound unfolds!Full review to come...

This was apparently the best book of 2012, but it just didn't click with me. I had heard there was lots of action and mystery, but all I really got from it was kissing, whining, kissing, kissing, running, kissing, scary outside world, whining, kissing, kissing, running, kissing, excitement, kissing, danger, non-jaw dropping revelations, and more kissing. And if you know me, you know I'm not a huge fan of "kissing" books. And I'm confused about these teams. Apparently there's Team Adam, Team Warner, and even a Team Kenji? Adam I can understand, as he's the main subject of all the kissing, but Warner's kind of the bad guy in everything, and even though there's some sexual tension there, he's still kind of evil. And Kenji's just the weird guy who is very fond of a certain word that starts with S. So yeah... not my favorite book. Full review to come...

2.5 starsI was really excited for this book initially, and then it started getting mixed reviews. I decided to go into it with an open mind, and was met with a mix of so many goods and bads that I have yet to make up my mind. As far as the narrator goes, I liked her as Felicia, but I wasn't a fan of her "man voice". Full review to come...

I had feelings for The False Prince that I’d never had before with a book. It holds a special place in my heart. After finishing it, I knew I could die happy. It ended on the perfect note, with just enough left open for the reader to imagine what could happen next. But then I found out about a sequel, and I was not happy. There was no way there could be a follow-up to such perfection that wouldn’t fall flat.I should not have doubted.The Runaway King was even better than The False Prince. Sage is back and better than ever. He’s stubborn and cocky and daring. He’s got big, king-sized shoes to fill and a bunch of old guys telling him what to do. Luckily he’s not one to blindly obey, and takes matters into his own hands, resulting in an unforgettable adventure!Sage has such a distinct voice. Often, the voices in so many of the great books I’ve read tend to blend together in my mind after a while. But not Sage’s. His personality shines through and makes for a memorable experience.One thing I was excited about going into things was the prospect of the budding romance between Sage and Imogen finally blossoming. While things didn’t go quite the way I’d hoped, we still got to see Imogen, who’s a lot stronger than she initially appears. Their interactions were some of my absolute favorite parts.The Runaway King has a darker, more mature tone than its predecessor, and that definitely contributed to my overall enjoyment. The country is on the brink of war, the stakes are even higher, and there are Pirate Assassins! This is one I will not soon forget, and will be endlessly recommending to readers of all shapes and sizes.

So... I need to give a speech on how this book is about chastity, and all I'm getting is hit the bad boys with a baseball bat.

This book was full of excitement, espionage, and laugh out loud humor. Robin Benway’s clever writing and memorable characters made for the perfect book to make you smile!Maggie is one of my favorite characters ever! She was so snarky and sarcastic, but still took things seriously. She hasn’t had the chance to live a “normal” life, so when she gets the chance, she’s not sure how to do it right. And in the mean time she’s still undercover, so she has to be careful how she goes about creating real relationships with other teenagers.That being said, I loved the chemistry that the various characters had with each other. Roux was kind of crazy and stupid, but behind that persona was a lonely girl who found a friend in Maggie. I loved Angelo, who was a great friend and mentor to Maggie when she couldn’t turn anywhere else. And Jesse was an awesome love interest. I love that she starts off believing he’s a delinquent, only to find that he’s an intelligent, considerate person who’s also a good kisser.One thing I really liked was the balance between fluff and depth. Some of the most memorable scenes were crazy and absolutely hilarious, but my favorites were those where things got darker and more serious, because that’s when you felt closest to the characters.I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fast-paced, butt-kicking, and wildly entertaining stories in the same vein as Ally Carter’s books.

Absolutely one of the most unique books I’ve read this year! It’s completely different from anything else I’ve ever read. I mean, it’s a romantic dystopian fantasy!The world building was wonderful. The world itself was very strange, but it was beautifully constructed. I found it kind of hard to see how dragons could fit into this universe, but it worked out rather nicely. I was somewhat creeped out by the white, pulsating tower and wall surrounding the city at first, but it mostly made sense by the end.I wasn’t sure what to think about all the whole reincarnation thing. Because of my personal beliefs I felt slightly uncomfortable with it, but overall I thought it was handled well. One thing I didn’t understand is why and how these people found life worth living after 5000 years of it. I think there’s magic when you experience a first anything—first steps, first kiss—and that magic is lost when you’ve already done it a thousand times, just with a new body each time.I thought the character development was very evident. Ana starts out with no self esteem, treating herself like she’s less than nothing, and grows into a strong, confident woman.Sam was great. While this is most certainly Ana’s story, Sam’s role is just as important. I loved the way he respected her. He was so considerate and kind to her, when no one else was. And the romance grew into something lovely and real.I loved the symbolism of the music and the butterflies and how they all tied together so well with the plot. I wish I had some examples of how poetically these symbols were drawn, because it really was beautiful. Jodi is one powerful writer!

Everyone and their mother has read Divergent (my friend’s mom is actually the one who introduced me to Divergent!) It’s “The Next Hunger Games”, #1 New York Times Bestselling, 2014 Hollywood blockbuster movie kind of book. And while it certainly lives up to it’s hype, it’s sequel didn’t quite reach the high expectations I had.I’m not going to go over the plot because A: the synopsis is only three inches above this paragraph, B: Every other person and their mother has already read it, and C: I don’t remember most of it. I still have the general gist of the plot stuck in my head, but the thing it, not much happened. I don’t mind slow-paced books, but this was more of a slow-paced-ish-and-nothing’s-really-going-on-until-the-very-rushed-end kind of book. Things slowly build while the characters sit around, and then all of a sudden everyone’s running around and dying and top secret info is out in the open, and then it all ends.And besides the plot, I wasn’t a big fan of Tris. In the first book she grows into such a strong, admirable character, but at the start of Insurgent it’s like nothing happened to her! She flat and weak and nothing like the Tris I remembered. I did enjoy all the secondary characters, though. Especially Four…Four and Tris had good chemistry, and their romance has definitely become stronger since Divergent, which I liked. If Tris had stayed the same as she was in Divergent, they would’ve made an excellent couple! As it is, Four was able to make up for Tris’s shortcomings with his swoonworthyness (which is now a word).I will compliment Veronica Roth’s writing, though. It was absolutely excellent, and a vast improvement from her already amazing writing in Divergent. Despite suffering from “Sequel Syndrome”, I’m still excited to see how she wraps up this epic series!

I’ve been waiting so long for Dualed. Literally for months I’ve been dying to read it, so when I got approved on NetGalley, there may have been some screaming involved. While I wasn’t disappointed, it was drastically different from what I was expecting.Going in I was under the impression that it would be a fast-paced, thrilling, butt-kicking adventure. The synopsis even says “fast-paced action”,but after the first chapter things slow down. Luckily this worked out better than if it had been fast throughout. Instead it was intense and focused. Similar to The Hunger Games, there’s lots of thinking and strategizing, as opposed to constant bloodshed.I really liked West for the most part. I’ve heard quite a few reviewers complain that she’s a weak heroine, but I think that’s what I liked most about her; the fact that she was flawed. Throughout the book she’s at war with herself, doubting her abilities. But in the end she overcomes that struggle.One thing I was disappointed by was the world building. Elsie built this disturbing world, but never went into very deep detail about it. I had so many questions before I ever started the book, and came out with even more than I’d started with. I was also expecting the plot to focus more on West possibly discovering the history and uncovering some jaw-dropping secrets along the way, but the story went a completely different direction.The writing was outstanding. It was strong and eloquent. Each word held meaning. For a debut author, Elsie Chapman did an outstanding job. It’s not very often that I stop to reread passages, but that was frequently happening with Dualed. It was thought-provoking in an unexpected way, and helped me see things in a new light.

I finally--FINALLY-- read it! Regular visitors know how much I don't like contemporary, but this isn't just contemporary. This is so completely different from anything else I've ever experienced. When I finished reading, all I could think was "Why did I read this?" It's the most painful experience I've endured in a very long time.I don't think I can really review this properly. The characters weren't just characters, they were real people. They had such real emotions that I can't describe them in a single paragraph! Hazel was just...wow. Augustus was just...double wow. Just trust me. If I go into any more detail I might just burst into tears.The famous quote everyone's seen at least once sums up my thoughts about the book perfectly:"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once"It was exactly like that for me. I started out just sticking my feet in the water, giving it a little taste. It was good, but not great. Then the next thing I knew I had fallen in, overwhelmed by how incredible it was. Once I reached a certain point (those who have read it know exactly where), I was a wreck. I just started sobbing. Thanks to other bloggy friends I was prepared physically with a giant box of tissues, but nothing could prepare me for the emotional trauma that was suffered that afternoon.Moderate Language and Sexual Content: (Multiple d*** s*** a** f***, kissing, descriptions of making out, Augustus and Hazel do sleep together, but it's not explicit at all, crude and suggestive humor throughout)

***CLICK HERE to see the whole story told through Tangled GIF's! ***This was such a fun, lighthearted retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales.Rapunzel was a great main character. She starts of as an incredibly timid, insecure character, but by the end she was strong and independent. One thing I especially liked was that, while she became a stronger character, she never forgot who she was, and kept the same clever, kind personality that defined her as a character.The romance was sweet and light. What starts out as flirting on Facebook turns into a real relationship. They came to honestly care about each other without being over the top about it. They had chemistry that developed throughout the story.I didn't like Gothel much at all. She's supposed to be this wickedly clever, cold-hearted woman, but to me she came across as a weak, bumbling fool who could even tell a decent lie to Rapunzel without exposing everything. She never gave a clear answer that sounded the slightest bit convincing. That may have been intentional to show another side of her we don’t see often, but I personally wasn’t a fan of her character.Rapunzel Untangled was a fast, fun retelling that I definitely recommend to fans of Rapunzel (especially Tangled)!