Review: Origin

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything. But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? And will they even be together?

Title: Origin (Lux ~ Book 4)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog
Publication Date: August 27 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Length: 400 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Not a fan.  Which is sad because I love all of the other covers in this series.
Point of View: Alternating 1st person between both Katy and Daemon

My Rating: 5 Stars

Opal, the cliffhanger that was heard around the world.  It has been a long and hard eight months, but it is finally here.  We now have Origin in our hot little hands, or in my case on my Kindle.  So why was I so nervous to start it?  Because my heart was ripped out of my chest eight months ago and I was scared that it would happen again.  But I pulled up my big girl panties and dived back into the awesomeness that is Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux series.

“Did you think you could stop me?  I'll burn the world down to save her.”

First let me just say that it was an absolute joy to finally be inside Daemon's head.  Don't get me wrong... I do and always will love Katy.  She is one bad ass heroine that I have mucho respect for.  But finally, FINALLY, we are able to crawl around inside Daemon's head.  What a glorious place it turned out to be. 

Fierce love and devotion does not even begin to describe the feelings he has for Katy.  We all knew it, even though it did take him three whole books to get the three little words out... but the love he has for her is epic.  I think I fell even more in love with Daemon Black, which before I started Origin I would have said was impossible.  We get to see his compassion, his love for not only Katy, but for that of his family, and the hatred that comes from betrayal.  Yep, you read that right.  Blake's previous betrayal is nothing compared to what goes down in Origin.  I was shocked, and even now thinking about it... wow.  Did not see that coming at all.

“I promise you that this isn't going to be our future, Kitten.  I will give that to you—a normal life."

Her eyes glistened.  "I don’t expect a normal life. I just expect a life with you”

As I said earlier, Katy is bad ass.  There really is no other way to describe her.  She has gradually grown-up as the series has continued on.  She stands up for not only herself but for those that she loves.  You feel her love for Daemon, her fear of what the future holds, and the pain that comes from the thought that her mother is suffering because of her absence.  She is such a strong character.

“I want a years-worth of seconds and minutes with you.  I want a decade's worth of hours, so many that I can't add them up.”

We get to meet some new characters in Origin, but we also get to find out a bit more about some of the old ones.  Most importantly, Luc.  He has always been a mystery to Daemon, but we finally get to find out exactly what he is.  I was like a kid in a candy shop as the story and truth started to unfold.  I was stuck somewhere between jumping up and down, and sitting on the edge of my seat.

There is a fair bit of tragedy in Origin.  Namely the above mentioned betrayal and the results of that betrayal.  Can I just say that I have never been more hyped up while reading the last 20% of a book... ever.  I went from tears of happiness, to mouth wide open shock, to despair in no time at all.  If the end of Opal was the cliffhanger that was heard around the world, then the event that brings upon the catastrophic events at the end of Origin, will forever be known as the betrayal heard around the world.

But, it wasn't all doom and gloom either.  I laughed a lot.  How can you not with Daemon around?  He was his perfectly snarky self.  He is the king of one liners and proved it again and again in Origin.  He has some great banter and even in desperate situations, you find yourself smiling when he is around.  You just know that there is going to be some classic Daemon dialogue.

“Sometimes words were cheap.  They could be powerful, but in those rare occasions like now, words meant nothing.”

I've seen mixed reactions to the ending of Origin.  Some are calling it a cliffhanger, others are saying it isn't.  I for one have to say that I think it ends in a huge cliffhanger.  In fact, I think it pretty much rivals that of the ending of Opal.   Yes, I am serious.  You know how I mentioned my mouth wide open in shock a few sentences ago?  Yeah, it was back and in full force when I reached the final page.  I even had to backtrack a couple of pages and read them again to make sure I read it correctly the first time.

However, as there is one final book left in this series, Opposition, I fully expected a huge cliffhanger.  If there is one thing I know about Jennifer L. Armentrout, it is that she loves to keep us guessing at what is going to happen next.  There is no doubt that I will be reading Opposition as soon as it is released.  We have not even made it out of 2013, and it is already one of my most highly awaited books of 2014.  I need to know what happens next, and I need for Daemon and Katy to finally get their happily every after.

“A certain bone-deep understanding occurred and my hand tightened around the smaller one I held.  It weren't stars we were staring at.  The sky was falling.”

MORE QUOTES FROM ORIGIN

Review: Breakfast at Darcy's

When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn't expect any sort of inheritance - let alone a small island.

Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn't been lived on for years, but according to Molly's will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit, and she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there, too. Darcy has to leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, Darcy meets confident Conor and ever-grumpy Dermot - but who will make her feel really at home?

Title: Breakfast at Darcy's
Author: Ali McNamara | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: November 24 2011
Length: Paperback 448 Pages / Audiobook 11 hours 37 minutes
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Audible

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Narrated by: Beth Chalmers
Cover Love: Cute, fits the story.
Point of View: 1st person, following Darcy

My Rating: 4 Stars

Ali McNamara has quickly become one of my favorite chick lit authors.  Her stories never cease to keep me laughing, romanced and entertained.  Thankfully, Breakfast at Darcy's was no exception.

I will admit that I had to warm to Darcy, but this is kind of the point of the story.  At the start, she is a self-absorbed, label obsessed, glory hunter... and I didn't really care for her very much.  That is until she goes to live on Tara, the Irish island that has been left to her in her Aunt Molly's will.  It is on Tara where Darcy truly starts to come into her own.  Taken out of the big city and put in charge of other people's well beings, she quickly becomes a character that you can care and root for.

There is a bit of a love triangle... no wait, don't run away that quickly.  There is Conor, who is handsome, sweet, and has a love of travelling.  Then there is Dermot, who always seems grumpy, uptight and a bit of a know-it-all.  However... I was never in any doubt as to who Darcy would end up with in the end.  I don't think this is meant to be any real secret to be honest.  I was surprised though with a few of the secrets that are uncovered about one of them.  I won't post any spoilers, but I really didn't see that coming.

However, my true love for Breakfast at Darcy's comes from Tara itself.  I have never wanted pack in my job, and go live on an isolated island as much as I do right now.  To say I was jealous of the life that Darcy and the other residents of Tara have been able to live, is an understatement.  I would give pretty much anything to be able to live as simple of a life.  As long as I had a roof over my head, there is electricity and a bit of Internet access so that I can buy by Kindle and Audible books... I would be in heaven.  Absolute heaven.

I do think the only let down to this story would be the ending.  It wasn't really bad, it's just that I would have liked there to be a bit more build up to the happily ever after.  It seemed a bit rushed, however this could be from me not feeling like I was ready to say goodbye to these characters.  I really would love to read more about Darcy, the island's residents, and of Tara itself.

Because I listened to this in Audiobook, I should mention that I have also become a huge fan of Beth Chalmers.  This is not the first Audiobook I have listened to her as the narrator, and I hope it will not be my last.  She does a superb job, and I think she has an amazing talent with the multiple accents that are used in this book.

Vendetta by Autumn Karr and Sienna Lane: Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I am not a good man.

I have lied and cheated and stolen. I've decided between life or death, like it was my due. None of it matters, not anymore. These are not my sins.

I see her raise her hands, the dark metal she's clutching reflecting the moonlight. Her finger trembles as she cocks the gun pointed at me. Her eyes are cold, determined, but I know.

I know her.

My name is Devon Andre and I confess my sin. I am not a good man because this is the woman I love.

She pulls the trigger.

Add to your Goodreads TBR    Expected release December 2013

First things first, that is one awesome cover.  Honestly, wow.

Now, let us talk about that synopsis... it blew me away.  I got honest to goodness chills the first time I read it.  I can't remember the last time a blurb has so successfully pulled me in.

I must have this book as soon as possible.  Make sure and add Vendetta to your TBR folks, I don't think we will want to miss this one.  Is it December yet...

Find Sienna Lane on: Facebook | Goodreads

Find Autumn Karr on: Facebook | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Price of a Kiss

I don't care what my cousin says; I am not the queen of impossible relationships. I mean, just because my last boyfriend tried to kill me and left a bit of a scar on my neck, then forced me to move across the country and legally change my name to Reese Randall to escape him, does not mean-

Oh, who am I kidding? For a freshman in college, I have to have the worst dating track record ever.

It's no wonder love is the last thing on my mind when Mason Lowe enters my life. But the chemistry between us is like bam! Our connection defies logic. And he's just so freaking hot. Being around him makes me feel more alive than I've ever felt before. I even like bickering with him. He could be my soul mate...except for one teeny tiny glitch.

He's a gigolo.

Boy, do I know how to pick them.

Title: Price of a Kiss
Author: Linda Kage | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: August 14 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 373 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Perfect, love the colors.
Point of View: 1st person, following Reese

My Rating: 5 Stars

Holy prologue Batman.  Never before has a prologue done such an amazing job of sucking me right into the story.  There was absolutely no way that I was not continuing with this book after THAT beginning.

“Brace yourself for this one, ladies: He had a tattoo.  I know.  I almost spontaneously combusted right then and there.”

Mason.  Holy swoon.  This guy is book boyfriend gold.  I mean that is of course if you are willing to put aside the fact that he sells his body for cash... but other than that, he is perfect.  Your heart will break as you learn more about why it is he has gotten into this profession.  He now feels that he is well and truly stuck.  Honestly, I just wanted to give him a big hug.

“You’re the warm sun that shines when everything else is dark,” he went on, lifting his hands to rest them on the wall on either side of my face.  “A smile and a hug in a roomful of disapproval.  You’re…” Wincing, he pressed his forehead against mine. “You’re everything.”

Reese.  Loved her.  It is rare that I fall completely in love with a female narrator.  But I can say without a doubt that I love Reese.  She made me laugh so many times, I lost count.  I loved being in her head.  Her thoughts about Mason had me laughing till I cried.  I also respect the way she handled her friendship with Mason at the start.  She treated him like he deserved to be treated, like a human being.  She never belittled him or made him feel inferior.  I loved her even more for that.

“Every woman treats me that way, Reese.  I'm not a person to them . I'm just… a good time or something vile to be avoided at all costs.  And then you can along and you… you hugged me.  You are the first person who sees me, Mason, not sex for sale.”

Sadly, this isn't to say I loved every character.  Reese's friend and cousin Eva, I disliked her so much.  In fact, dislike is actually a little too nice of a phrase.  I hated her.  And in my opinion she never redeemed herself for her actions and comments made to and about Mason.  She showed no respect, and had no loyalty either in friendship or family toward Reese in my opinion.  Just didn't care for her at all.

“Eva was right.  I could never deserve you.  You’re too good for me.  You’re out of my reach.  You’re…you’re Reese Randall.”

“You’re wrong.  I’m not.” I wasn’t really Reese Randall, and I certainly wasn’t out of his reach. “All you have to do is stretch out your hand, Mason.” Pressing my palm against my chest, I whispered, “I’m right here.”

And then there is also heartbreak.  I refuse to post spoilers, but I think I am okay to say that there is one part in this book that absolutely broke me.  Honestly. Broke. Me.  I cried my eyes out.  I had to put my Kindle down, sat there with my hand covering my mouth and I was shaking my head no.  I just could not believe what I was reading.  I was in shock.  I was angry.  I was devastated.  *sigh*

Honestly, I can not recommend Price of a Kiss more.  I swear if you just start it you will see right off the bat what I am talking about with the prologue.  You will be sucked in, and you will not be able to put it down.  You will instantly fall in love with both Reese and Mason, you will more than likely cry, you will most definitely laugh and swoon.

“If you love someone enough, you can make them invincible.  Like your feelings for them are so strong they work as a magical shield, protecting them from all harm and pain.”

MORE QUOTES FROM PRICE OF A KISS

Two Roads: Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

The only person poetry-loving Cali Monroe hates more than herself is Logan Waters, the geeky kid who lives in the dorm building next to hers.

Ever since Cali's parents told her she would amount to nothing, she has felt entirely inadequate. Friendless and alone, she takes on the mean girl role in hopes it will make her feel better--and Logan serves as the perfect target. He infuriates her with his obnoxiously long lashes, his all too perfect dimpled smile, and his complete lack of personality outside of his intelligence. It doesn't hurt that he's part of the reason her brother is dead, either. So Cali hates him, and he returns the favor. Thus, their prank-filled, insult-driven rivalry is born, and torturing Logan quickly becomes the highlight of her life.

But when Cali's parents set them up on a blind date, she begins to realize Logan might not be as boring as she always thought. He shares her love of poetry, takes a sadistic pleasure in making fun of crepes, and he makes her blush when he calls her smile pretty.

And hey, maybe those long lashes of his aren't that obnoxious after all…

Title: Two Roads
Author: L.M. Augustine | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Author Spotlight
Publication Date:
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 208 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Tour Hosted By: Shh Moms Reading

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Love: Absolutely perfect, and I am loving the colors.
Point of View: 1st person, following Cali

My Rating: 5 Stars

Two Roads is L.M. Augustine's second published novel, however this is his first attempt in the New Adult category.  This is everything that a New Adult book should be.  It is full of witty dialogue, angst, and plenty of swoonworthy moments.

“Our rivalry is beautiful because it makes us both forget about everything else.”

Cali.  She is a complex character.  At first I wasn't a huge fan, but I think that is part of the point.  Cali is battling depression that has been brought on by a death of a loved one.  That loved one was her brother Ben, who was also Logan Waters' best friend.  When Logan enters Cali's life again in college, she turns up the mean girl act.  She starts engaging in an all out war of pranks with Logan.  It soon becomes clear that the outward hostility that is shown to Logan is all an act.  Cali is suffering inside, but feels that by picking on Logan, it is the only way for her to escape her own reality.

That is until she is forced to spend some real time with him, and she finds that they are not all that different.  And most importantly, they both share a love of poetry.

“Everything else fades away, and it’s just him in front of me right now, him and me in our own little world.  And I love it.  And I hate it.”

Logan.  oooOOOooohhh how I have fallen in love with Logan Waters.  He is so sweet and caring.  Logan is suffering also, but it is not as evident as it is in Cali.  Which is why she finds herself disliking him so much.  He laughs, he has real friends, he walks around in his geeky t-shirts... Cali despises that outwardly it would appear that Logan is perfectly normal, and that he doesn't miss Ben at all.

“There are not two roads when it comes to you; there is only the road that leads to your love.”

As the story unfolds, more secrets are discovered that help you to understand the deep hurt that both Cali and Logan have been carrying around.  Your heart will ache for them, but then as they slowly start to lower their walls, your heart will be bursting with love.  There are so many wonderful moments and quotes in Two Roads, but my favorite will always be Logan professing his love for Cali.  Talk about a swoonworthy moment.  You knew it was always going to happen, but it truly touched my heart.  *sigh*  He is such a romantic.

“And that's the thing about love; no matter how hard you search, no matter how hard you run, sometimes, just sometimes, true love is right in front of you all along.”

I strongly suggest that you read this book, you will fall in love with Logan and your heart will break for Cali as she tries to rebuild her life after the loss of her brother.  L.M. Augustine has proven he can write Young Adult with Click to Subscribe, and now New Adult with Two Roads.  I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.

a Rafflecopter giveaway