The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) |REVIEW

The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1)
by Aimee Carter

My rating: 4/5 stars

Page Length: 293 pages
Publication Date: April 19, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Synopsis:
Every girl who had taken the test has died.
Now it's Kate's turn.
It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.
If she fails...

Review:
Alright, let's do this.
Many people had said that they didn't like this book because of the way the personality of Hades was altered. 
I am Greek, I grew up with mythology, I love it and it will always be a part of me since I know every detail (yeah felt like Kate here at some point) and I really liked the fact that we didn't get the cliche representation of Hades. It was a good twist to his character the fact that he was hurt and he had a sensitive side. 

This book wasn't like "oh my, they are gods nothing can touch or hurt them", no this book tried to make the Olympians more human-like, more realistic. For me, it tried to show that they have this other side that no one is aware of. And I liked that.

I liked Kate as a character. She had realistic reactions to several occasions. And I enjoyed the way she treasured the people around her. She was ready to sacrifice everything for her mother and her friends. 

Henry, as you may have gathered, I liked a lot. He managed to break, for me, the facade of the unbreakable Hades. The "nothing can get him" thing. He had a protective side and he supported Kate's choices. 

I enjoyed the twists in the end of the book. Some I expected, some I didn't. Nevertheless, they completed this book and answered questions. 
On to the next one!

They All Fall Down | REVIEW

They All Fall Down
by Roxanne St. Claire

Page Count: 339 pages
My Rating: 2/5 stars

Synopsis:
Pretty Little Liars meets Final Destination in this YA psychological thriller that will have readers' hearts racing right till the very end!
Every year, the lives of ten girls at Vienna High are transformed.
All because of the list.
Kenzie Summerall can't imagine how she's been voted onto a list of the hottest girls in school, but when she lands at number five, her average life becomes dazzling. Doors open to the best parties, new friends surround her, the cutest jock in school is after her.
This is the power of the list. If you're on it, your life changes. If you're on it this year? Your life ends.
The girls on the list have started to die, one by one. Is it a coincidence? A curse? Or is the list in the hands of a killer?
Time is running out for Kenzie, but she’s determined to uncover the deadly secret of the list...before her number’s up.


Review

^^Yup that was me.

Okay, here we are..it's not that I didn't like this book. It had great potential and it seemed so intriguing when I first read the synopsis. Plus, the cover is great. 
But I had several issues with it as well that I could not overlook. 

Kenzie as a main character was so promising. She was determined and she was looking at things rationally which, trust me, was a good thing in this book. But as the story was progressing, I found her less appealing as a character. 

Molly now, I did not like. I understand the need of the best friend that you would do anything for, but Molly seemed flat to me. The only sides of her that we saw truly develop were the ones where she wanted attention and popularity. Even when there was a small hint that she started to change, there wasn't much development. 

Levi, on the other hand, I really liked. He was the best character for me. I wish though that we got to see more of his backstory and what happened to him. It would have been interesting.

I didn't like Josh as a character, although he obviously was there to enforce the mystery aspect of it and create tension.

Now, concerning the turn that things took and the ending. I found it hard to believe. There has to be a better explanation. I had one question while I was reading it and that was "What?". I wasn't satisfied by how things ended up being and I didn't understand why the ending was sort-of open. Is there another book following this characters? There was no such indication. Maybe the author has some plans about this. I don't want to be unfair at this point.
But the explanations given did not satisfy me. I was expecting something more. The reason behind "the List" seemed weird, forced, unbelievable and a bit sexist to be honest. 

I liked, though, the fact that this book was fast-paced and it kept me reading even if there were moments with extensive eye-rolling. 
And a tiny last comment, I think it's a bit more like Pretty Little Liars. At least it had the potential of being. With the texts and stuff. But it wasn't that developed, unfortunately.

Book Quote of the Day!

“Sometimes people are beautiful.

Not in looks.

Not in what they say.

Just in what they are.” 

― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger

Ugly Love | REVIEW

Ugly Love
by Colleen Hoover

Page Count: 320 pages
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis:
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

Review:
After reading Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, you can see why I was waiting for Ugly Love. I mean, it's Colleen Hoover what could possibly go wrong?! And I was frickin right! This book was great. THE FEELS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. After being literally IN PAIN with Ridge's story (maybe someday), I didn't expect Miles's story to wreck me. Like why? Why Colleen Hoover do you have to do this? 
Ugly Love is New Adult and there are many graphic scenes so if you aren't comfortable with such stuff, I wouldn't suggest this book. And I know that the characters get sexually involved almost all the time and some people might not like that, but honestly I was focusing on the relationship in general rather than picking up on every sex scene in the book. Tate and Miles are epic. 
Throughout the book there is this mystery about Miles's past and it's worth the wait. Don't rush, get every single detail slowly. I loved how we got to see both the present and the past; it helped us understand exactly how things were. And you get to comprehend why Miles has this messed up behavior and why he can't be in a relationship with someone. 
Tate was a bit confusing at times. Honestly, I would have left if someone treated me like that, but at the same time the way she grew attached to Miles was well-written. Again, Colleen Hoover I applaud you. There were times I wanted to grab Tate and slap her. Like girl, get it together. But at the same time I was so proud of her when she realised in the end that she had some self-respect. 
Mixed feelings. But still I loved this book. Don't judge me.

"I didn't fall in love with you...I flew."  
THE FEELS, PEOPLE.

I loved the ending, I loved how the "relationship" evolved. I loved Miles. MILES I LOVE YOU.
Why are the broken characters so damn attractive? 
Why why why?
They crash your heart and soul but you want them anyways.
I guess I'm a little bit of a Colleen Hoover fanatic. Do you know what that means? Imma get the rest of her books. Yay!

You should read this!

The Book of Blood and Shadow | REVIEW

The Book of Blood and Shadow
by Robin Wasserman

Page Count: 440 pages

My rating: 4.2/5 stars

Synopsis:
It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.
When the night began, Nora had two best friends and a boyfriend she adored. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands. Chris was dead. Adriane couldn’t speak. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora’s determined to follow the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. But Chris’s murder is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.



REVIEW:
When a book starts with the line "I should probably start with the blood", then yes, you know that you'll like it.
As many other reviewers have stated before, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, you would probably like this one too. It has suspense, an intriguing plot, as well as a solid main character.

NORA: Nora is a great character with a surprising thought-process and a huge talent in Latin. She is most definitely my favourite character in this book. I liked the way she was paying attention even in the slightest details and how she seemed to cope with all that was going on (because, trust me, it was A LOT). She fought for what she thought was right and she didn't just give up on others, even when she might have had to.

ELI: Another character that I liked was Eli. He was a fighter. I understand why he had to say what he said and do what he did but in the end, he surprised us all. I really enjoyed his slight sense of humor, it was a great touch during rough and tense moments. You don't get to see his "plan" until the last 100 pages but it's worth it, trust me! I also loooved his moments with Nora.

CHRIS: I have no intention of spoiling anything for you but I will say that, even if we didn't get to see him much in this book, Chris is awesome. He is the definition of a true friend that will do anything for the people he cares about. He is nice. He made me like him instantly and as the story progressed, he made me like him even more. I liked the connection he had with Nora.

ADRIANE: No. Again, no. I don't think I can explain how much I despise this girl. If you just started reading this book, you won't understand why I hate her but you'll soon do. I wanted to get into the book and scream at her: YOU HAD A CHOICE AND YOU WASTED IT.

MAX: Another character that I want to punch in the face. (TINY SPOILER REACTION: HOW COULD YOU?!). From the very beginning I thought that this character was pretentious, I just didn't understand the level of that. I have to admit that him and Nora were cute as a couple. But if you reach the end of this book and you process what you just read, it will all make sense and you'll despise him.

ELIZABETH: I LOVED Elizabeth's letters and the way that with each letter, Nora seemed to connect a little bit more with her. Elizabeth was an amazing character and I felt so bad for her at some points. She was one of the most interesting characters of this book.

I also liked the "villains" of this story. They were well-written and very interesting.
There was character development, especially when it comes to Nora. And I found that also quite interesting.

Overall, this book was great and I hope you guys like it too, if you decide to pick it up!

Thank you for reading!
~Christiana.

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) | REVIEW

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1)
by Kasie West

Page Count: 343 pages

My Rating: 4.7/5 stars

Synopsis:
Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .
Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Review
I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now and I'm so glad I finally did!
This book follows Addie, our main character, who is a Divergent, which mean basically that when she's given two options she can "Search" them both and see the outcome of following each one of them. You could tell that she can see the future, but that only happens when she's in a dilemma.
This book is considered a Dystopian since Addie lives in the Compound, a place unknown to "Norms" (a.k.a. normal people). The cool thing about this book is that we get to see people with other abilities as well. Addie's best friend, Laila, for example, is a Memory Eraser. And there are various other abilities that will get you interested to keep reading.
Another awesome element of the book is that it practically takes place within Addie's Search. At the beginning of the story she's given two options and in order to pick the right one she Searches both. So in a way you meet the future characters from her visions. I found that very interesting!
Addie as a main character was someone you can easily relate to. I adored the fact that she loved reading books and that she was into comics. There should be more female characters with such hobbies. Even her way of acting around boys was so funny and adorable at times.
Trevor was one of the characters I enjoyed reading about. We find him in one of Addie's Searches and he is a part of her future. Now that's a guy you keep. I loved him! He was funny and cute and he had his own complicated past that added to the overall suspense of the book.
The characters of Pivot Point were so well-developed and in a non-boring way that I had to jump right into Split Second (the sequel) so as to keep reading about them. They got me hooked along with the concept. Jumping right into the sequel, probably, had also to do with that ending. Like why would you do that to us?!
At this moment I've already finished the second book and I have to tell you, it's worth reading! You guys will love these books. I got attached and I can clearly picture myself reading them both again in the near future. Kasie West, you rock.
Now, about this 4.7 instead of 5. It was mainly because I was trying to contain myself and get ready for an awesome conclusion in Split Second. But it was also because I wanted to see more of her life with Trevor. I needed more! It was so adorable that it got to me, guys. But this book is awesone, nonetheless.

I would recommend this book to everyone! It doesn't take long to finish because it's not that long but I'm telling you: It's worth it!!

Thanks for reading this review!

~Christiana.

Why We Broke Up | REVIEW

Why We Broke Up
by Daniel Handler

Page Count: 354 pages

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.
Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.



Review:
First of all, I'll begin this review by saying how much I enjoyed the pictures in this book! They were wonderfully done by Maira Kalman and I think they were, absolutely necessary for the book. I found them really helpful; plus, they were, in a way, helping in the pacing of the story.
Another thing I enjoyed about Why We Broke Up was the passion with movies the main character had. Her whole thought process was so interesting and so film-like that it made me like her as a character. She was more complex than the usual YA main characters. Min had a passion and she was not afraid to show it. She knew what she liked and she wasn't scared to go for it. I think the whole time she was like "I'll go for it no matter what." Even the idea of sending this box to Ed along with the letter, was very creative and movie-like.
The idea of this story in a letter form was something I read for the first time. I've come across letters as a part of a story but not as the story itself. So, that was something that made me want to read this book.
Now apart from Min, I also liked Al and in general Min's friends. They were adorably "weird", if I may say. And that was exactly what was so great about them. They didn't have to go with the flow to make people to hang out with them because they, simply, didn't want that. They liked hanging out together and I love the fact that they're here for each other. Even when for a few pages there seems to be a tension between Min and Al, they still know that they can count on each other.
Moving on to Ed, what can I say. I admit that in the beginning I thought he was cute but I didn't like or trust the guy. I always felt like he was too superficial for Min and that she could have someone better. I get the sweet-talking and complimenting and gifts thing, it can be cute and attractive, but I believe that human relationship have to be based upon more important things like understanding and being able to make a conversation about interesting topics.
Obviously Min and Ed didn't have much in common, but still I can see why they broke up (apart from the most serious thing that whoever has read this book knows; I don't want to spoil anything for you).
I think that an alternative title for this book could be "Why We Shouldn't Have Been Together". It suits the tone and the story.
About the rating, I gave this book 4 stars and not five because at some points there were some long descriptions about movies and stuff like that and I just wanted them to end so as to get back to the actual plot. I loved Min's passion and some movie-related narrative parts were very interesting since I got to know some things myself, but I was curious about the way the story was going to unfold.

Overall:

About Min: 

About Ed:

About the ending:

I would, definitely, recommend this book!
Especially if you are a fan of movies!

Thanks for reading,
~Christiana.

Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2) | REVIEW

Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2)
by Anna Banks

Page Count: 246 pages

My rating: 5/5 stars

(Disclaimer: Since this is the second book in the trilogy there might be some spoilers about the first one in this review. Also, a synopsis follows so beware of spoilers there about this book).

Synopsis:
Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half-Breeds should be put to death.
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

Review:
There are various reasons why I liked this book a bit more from the first one. The main one is that we saw some characters that weren't developed much in Of Poseidon develop in this one.
Rayna is one of them. Rayna really stood out for me here. We learn many new things about her and the idea of her being spoiled since she's Royal changes at some extent. At least I thought her role was significant.
I also liked Emma in this book. At the end of the first chapter, when we realise what has happened after the encounter in Of Poseidon, I wasn't sure how she was going to cope with that. And she had me confused at certain points of this book because her thought process changed several times. For a second she had me thinking that things are going to get ugly between her and Galen.
Now Galen was, is and probably will be awesome. I adore the guy. He is always so protective of Emma and of his sister of course that I was literally saying "aww" every time he did something cute.
I felt really bad for him at a certain point and those of you that have read this book know exactly to what I'm referring.
The way Emma's mother went back to her old self and started acting more fish-like was funny at some points. Especially in the part with Paca. I was like "you go girl! go get your man".

Not really a spoiler, everyone was expecting that! I really enjoyed that.
I also found King Antonis quite funny at some parts of the book. I believe we all understand how both Nalia and Emma got to be such kick-ass characters! 
Oh oh, Emma was so kick-ass in this book! I loved loved loved the way she decided to take control of some things and show everyone what she is capable of doing!

Now let me shortly address my hate towards Jagen. 

I wanted to kill the guy. 

Slowly.

Painfully.

For the sake of this review, we will call Jagen, "Bianca" and we will combine his character with the following picture..;

Okay enough with him.

The ending was unexpected and I don't really know how to feel about it (should I scream? should I cry?) but I guess we'll see how our characters deal with that in the third and final book.

Finally, I found the Epilogue ADORABLE. I loved it! 

Favorite Characters: Emma, Rayna, Galen, Toraf, Grom, King Antonis. 

Overall, I enjoyed a lot this book and I can't wait to pick up the last one!

Thank you for reading this review!

~Christiana.

Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy #1) | REVIEW

Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy #1)
by Anna Banks

Page Count: 324 pages

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.




Review
This was my first mermaid book so I might get a little carried away because of my excitement!
I really enjoyed reading Of Poseidon. I found the characters quite enjoyable and funny and the plot was easy and interesting to follow.
Emma (one of our main characters) isn't aware of her gift and she makes it hard for Galen (2nd main character & love interest) to understand if she's like him and his sister.
Basically, Galen is Syrena (since they don't like to be called mermaids) and they live underwater (OBVIOUS).
Emma, without knowing it, is very important for the Syrena race and possibly holds the key for the establishment of peace between the two underwater kingdoms: Of Poseidon & Of Triton.
I found the concept of the two kingdoms very interesting; especially, the fact that there are so many of them and that some of the Syrena decide to live outside the water/sea. That part was well-explained.

In terms of characters, Emma presented some mood-swings at times but since I've come across people with the same attitude, I think I found her rather realistic.
The part when she gets mad at Galen for something (I don't want to spoil it) was a little bit too much but that didn't detract from the book.

Galen was a very interesting character as well. I found hilarious the parts where he was attempting to go to school! These were probably my favorite ones! I also liked his sense of responsibility and the way he always put his people above everything else. That made me like him even more.

About the love aspect; I enjoyed the "love story" in this book. From what I was reading I was afraid that we were going to have a love triangle from the first book and I was screaming "no" internally.

I believe that a love triangle with the characters presented to us in this book would have been pointless. So I'm glad that we sticked to the basic ones. Galen is a great love interest and I enjoyed reading from his POV as well. Although the constant change between the 1st-person and 3rd-person sort of got be confused but I got over it soon.

Also, I really liked Toraf as a character. He was awesome! He was funny and he added something fresh to the story. Good job Toraf, you're already in my favorites list! ;)

And his way of trying to make Galen's sister admit that she likes him was HILARIOUS. I loved the parts of the book when we got to see him! I wish there was more of him! *fangirling*

Overall, I really liked this book! I will, for sure, read the next ones and complete this trilogy!!

For a first mermaid book that went pretty well. I'm excited!!

Thanks for reading my review!!

See you soon,

~Christiana.

We Were Liars by E.Lockhart | REVIEW (SPOILERS)

We Were Liars
by E. Lockhart

Page Count: 240 pages
My rating: 4.7 stars

(Disclaimer: It's better to get into this book without having read anything about it. Neither a synopsis nor any comment. Even the slightest piece of information can ruin it for you. The suspense in this book is great and you want to enjoy it! So please read it before proceeding.)

Synopsis:
A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
 We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Detailed Review:
So this book follows the story of a family, the Sinclair family, that is bearing the patriarchal stereotype and that revolves around money. The head of the family is the Granddad that is married to Tipper (the grandmother) and they have three daughters: Carrie, Penny and Bess. In this story we have an unreliable narrator, Cadence, who is Penny's daughter and who we soon discover suffers from memory loss and migraines that cause her unbearable pain. So it's quite difficult to decide if we can trust her or not.
The book starts with Cadence telling us about her family, including all the family members, and how every summer they had this family island to go to. In the second chapter (the chapters are really short & the story is split into parts), she mentions an accident and that basically things changed after that but we're not yet in a position of solving this "puzzle".
The Sinclair family has low tolerance of something that can cause a scene and something different. For example we get to see Cadence's dad leaving both her and her mother and even if all Cadence was feeling was pain and rejection, her mother pushed her to show nothing, like this didn't even affect her. I think that was the first time in this book when I was sort-of shocked.
Then Cadence mentions the three houses, the Granddad built for the three daughters that later on plays an important role since the three mothers literally fight with each other for the houses.
And then we get the kids, the "Liars" as they call each other: Cadence, Johnny, Mirren and Gat. 
Cadence, Johnny and Mirren are cousins, whereas Gat is the nephew of Carrie's new husband Ed (Carrie is Johnny's mother).
Following this family gets a little confusing, I know, and I had trouble keeping up with them at first and I had to go back and forth in the book so as to understand who is who. Practically all except  Ed and Gat, are related to each other.
Practically the Liars are always hanging out together and Cadence is slowly falling in love with Gat.
Now the strange part starts when Cadence mentions summer 15 and how she remembers herself on the beach wearing only her underwear and suffering from hypothermia. She gets in the water and she hits her head as well. And that's where the true suspense story begins.
(Before that though, she remembers that she and Gat kissed and that her Granddad walked in on them; she also remembers that Gat had a girlfriend.)
Cadence doesn't remember what happened in summer 15 at all. There are blank spots in her mind and not only that but also she gets migraines that cause her extreme pain. That sounded quite intriguing to me when I first read it. Why wouldn't she remember what happened close to her accident but she was able to remember anything that happened earlier in summer 15?
In the next summer she wants to go back to Beechwood (the island) but her mother says that she can't so they send her in Europe with her Dad. During her trip in Europe, Cadence attempts to send emails to the three other Liars but she gets no answer. Another suspicious element.
Summer 17, she insists on going to Beechwood and finally her mother allows her to do that for 4 weeks. She goes there ready to find out what happened 2 summers ago.
Now that was when I got confused. Everyone was behaving mysteriously. Her Granddad, especially after her Grandmother died, was losing it. He was calling Cadence, Mirren (who is the cousin and one of the Liars). One aunt was in island wearing her gown at night, running around. The big house where the Granddad lived was renovated.
To make the long story short, after too much trouble, Cadence realises that the Liars started a fire to burn down the "patriarchy" and all the papers that the Granddad had against the mothers so they could stop fighting over the fortune. Also the Grandfather said the Carrie was not allowed to marry Ed (who is from India as I can recall) because he is "different" from their family. So if she married Ed, they would never come back to the island. And the Liars would be separated.
At the night of the fire, they sent everyone away and they took gas and got into the house.
Basically they split and they arranged to meet outside to celebrate their "win" but what happens is that Cadence makes a mistake, she lights the bookshelves and since paper gets easily burnt, the ceiling was alight. And since someone from the above room was spreading gas as well, everything was on fire.
And then Cadence hears screams.
Johnny, Mirren and Gat were trapped inside the flaming house.
And Cadence feels responsible. That's why she was on the beach, her arms and legs were semi-burnt and then she hit her head.
AND THE MIND-BLOWING PART WAAAAAS:
In summer 17, Johnny, Mirren and Gat were hallucinations. She was seeing them because they were there to help her remember.
whaaaaaaat?
yes yes, I read the last pages 5 times in a row in order to realise what had just happened.
It was shocking and well-constructed and I just couldn't believe it.

Overall, the characters were great. Each one of them was different and they were so complex. And of course they supported this patriarchal concept really well. Some of the irritated me at times, for example Penny (Cadence's mother) because of the way she was trying to "advertise" her daughter to the grandfather in order for her to acquire the fortune. The same thing that practically the other 2 mothers did with their kids. Also, the way that they didn't allow anyone to mention Cadence's Dad when he left them and the Grandmother when she died. As if it was a "shame" and they didn't want any of that to the family. So irritating. But it added to the story!!
I read this book in one sitting. Oh yes, I did. I couldn't put it down.

Before ending this review, I want to say that the scene when Cadence says goodbye to the hallucinations almost brought me to tears. It was so emotional and so intense and so heartbreaking, knowing that they could have all survived and be together but even after what happened they still came back to help her remember...God, that hurt. And Gat's goodbye was even more heartbreaking.. It showed that even when everything else was corrupted and dysfunctional, they managed to love each other so much.  *insert tears*

I suggest you read this book!
But don't spoil yourselves!!

Thank you for reading!

~Christiana.

Untold (The Lynburn Legacy #2) | Review (Possible Spoilers for Unspoken)

Untold (The Lynburn Legacy #2)

by Sarah Rees Brennan

Page Count: 336 pages.

My Rating: 5/5 stars.

(REMINDER: This is the second book of the series so if you have not read the first one, please skip the synopsis and the review. Even if I try to keep spoilers away, I'll refer to facts mentioned in the first book of the series and I don't want you to be spoiled!! ). 

Synopsis:

On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways. But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be? A darkly humorous take on Gothic romance, Sarah Rees Brennan's Lynburn Legacy weaves together the tale of a heroine desperate to protect those she loves, two boys hoping to be saved, and the magical forces that will shape their destiny.

Detailed Review: 

So this is the second book of the Lynburn Legacy series and I have to say that I liked it way more than the first one. I gave them both 5 stars but this one was more of 5.5 stars. 

It was a very enjoyable, funny and intense read that led to a climax at the end of the book.

This book begins after the events of Unspoken and after the dark sorcerer is revealed. We know now what that sorcerer has in mind and which is the plan for Sorry-in-the-Vale. Being aware of that allows us to follow the characters in their journey to find a way to protect their city and allows us also to discover the limits of each character and what they'll overcome in order to reach their purpose.

For me, Kami in this book stood out. I was, already, a huge fan of her in the first book but in Untold she is the person who brings everyone together for the common purpose. She's the link between our characters and despite the hardships, she stands her ground till the end.

In the last scene of Unspoken, we see a broken Kami, a Kami who might actually give everything up after the Jared's behavior towards her. In Untold though, we see a Kami who's ready to fight, who's ready to overcome the obstacles and help take those dark sorcerers down. 

Assuming you've read Unspoken, you know that after what Kami did, it's practically difficult for her to fight the way she might have been able to before her actions. 

So that makes me admire her even more as a character. I like seeing a main character grow mentally and morally throughout the books and Kami is such a case. 

Moving on to Jared, it's really hard to sustain a straightforward opinion. This guy confuses me! 

In Unspoken, I really liked him. I was team Jared no matter what and I still am, that's not about a fan club. It's about the fact that I have mixed feelings. I want to hug him and kiss him and all sorts of lovey dovey things and on the other hand I want to slap him in the face. Honestly, I've read about complicated love interests but this one is fighting for the first place. Unspoken Jared was a challenge for Kami since she realised that the guy she thought existed only in her head is much much real. And I really liked the way their relationship was forming itself with all the interactions they had. At the end of Unspoken, Jared's actions made me so mad and made me feel so sorry for Kami but that was before I read Untold. Having read the second book helped me understand why Jared did what he did and why he chose to behave in a certain way. Yes it was unfair, yes it was mean and yes it hurt Kami but after his explanation it made me feel for him. He was confused and he was hurt because of her choice even if it wasn't much of a choice as Kami says herself. 

So, do I excuse him?  I don't know. But I do understand why he chose to behave in a specific way. 

Concerning Ash, I believe this book sort of "fixed" the readers' view of him. In Unspoken, I can't say I really liked him. Yes he seemed nice and kind and a gentleman and all the things that may attract a girl but once we found out what his intentions truly were, this whole nice image crushed. His decisions at the end of Unspoken kind of redeemed him but still he needed to do a lot more for me to like him again. In Untold we see a new side of Ash. We see a guy who is hurt because of his mother's behaviour towards him, a guy who's threatened as an entity by Jared. He is afraid of being replaced and that triggers some pity. At least, that's what happened with me. I feel like he could have acted differently at some instances and he could at least be a bit smarter, especially at some scenes with Jared. I mean, probably Sarah Rees Brennan wanted to show how well Kami knew Jared and his reckless decisions, but I would have liked to see Ash understand Jared as well. Not necessarily "read" him but at least I would have liked a glimpse of understanding. 

Kami's mum had an interesting turning point in this book. The image we all recall from Unspoken changes and we get to see a whole new perspective of her character. Not necessarily a good one. 

I have to admit she creeped me out at some points. Maybe if I'd seen her work more with Kami and helping her when she needed her mother, it would make me like her more. But right now my feelings for her are debatable. 

Kami's dad on the other hand was an interesting character in this book. I really liked the way he was so protective of his children and I really liked also his attitude towards his wife. It's logical and it's what the readers expect. It's the way everyone would have reacted. 

Other characters such as Angela, Holly and Rusty were quite enjoyable in this book. We see Rusty getting more involved and I liked that. And we also get to see Angela and Holly being able to trust each other which was hard before. 

Lillian was making me more and more angry as I moved from page to page, honestly. There were moments when I said out loud "Lillian, STOP. Just stop." She's a frustrating character. I understand that she's connected to the place and her house but at some points she could have, at least, heard someone else's opinion. Magic isn't the only solution after all.

Now about the twist (Kami's decision) and the cliffhanger (Jared's decision) what can I say? 

I don't want to spoil that, I really don't but I wasn't expecting it. I kinda wished for Jared to do what he did but I didn't want the aftermath.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the third one. But it comes out in September the 23rd. I need it now! 

Gif Reaction:

“Been chatting much with Jared?"
"We often have special moments where I come into a room and he immediately leaves," Kami said. "I treasure those times.” 

JARED JARED JARED JARED..  

KAMI & JARED

I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK!

PS: If you've ready both Unspoken & Untold, you can check the cover and the synopsis for the third one on GoodReads.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW!!

-Christiana.

Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) | Review (No Spoilers)

Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1)

 by Sarah Rees Brennan

Page Count: 386 pages

My rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

Kami Glass is in love with someone she’s never met – a boy the rest of the world is convinced is imaginary. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she doesn’t complain. She runs the school newspaper and keeps to herself for the most part – until disturbing events begin to happen. There has been screaming in the woods and the dark, abandoned manor on the hill overlooking the town has lit up for the first time in 10 years. The Lynburn family, who ruled the town a generation ago and who all left without warning, have returned. As Kami starts to investigate for the paper, she finds out that the town she has loved all her life is hiding a multitude of secrets- and a murderer- and the key to it all just might be the boy in her head. The boy who everyone thought was imaginary may be real…and he may be dangerous.

Review:

When my best friend recommended this book to me I had my hesitations because, even if I totally adore YA books, they tend to be pretty repetitive when it comes to themes. 

From the first page to the last one, I was sucked in the world of Unspoken. It just happened without me realising it.

Other reviewers said that this might not be the perfect book, but it was perfect for me. It was what I wanted to read at this point and I regret none of the above five stars.

Definitely for me, the funniest elements in this book were the Kami/Jared moments and Angela. 

Also, Kami herself was so funny and she had some amazing comebacks and lines. 

“So he’s not crazy?”
“I didn’t say that,” Holly said. “My current verdict would be: Crazy eyes. Nice ass.”
“I think I want that on my tombstone,” Kami said. “Remember my last wishes, if I get involved in a tragic accident with a fruit cart before I can put it in writing."

All the characters were interesting. Both good and bad guys had an element that distinguished them from one another and all I wanted was to read more and more and more...

I am sure that in the next book we'll get much more development because let's not forget that this is only the first book. And for a first book in a series, it was great!

About the relationship between Jared and Kami, my feelings were pretty clear even when there was tension between them. (Sometimes tension is good, if you know what I mean ;] ). I really liked their relationship and how it was based on the fact that they couldn't hide from each other, especially during hard times. What made it more believable was also the fact that there wasn't this instant love that we usually see in YA books. Yes they care about each other, they're willing to do whatever it takes to protect one another but there are still some doubts and secrets that are not out there yet. 

After all let's not forget that they were "communicating"in their minds. Jared was in her head for as long as she can remember herself. The same goes for Kami. It's hard to suddenly feel comfortable with a person you assumed was existing only in your head.

Overall about their "relationship" and their moments..

“One of the lambs fixed its attention on Jared. “Baa,” it flirted. 

“Boo,” said Jared.
“Oh my God, Jared. Don’t tough-talk the lambs.”
"It was giving me a funny look.” 

“Listen to me. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what any of this means. But I know this much. It doesn’t matter. You’re not one of them. You never were. You’re not theirs. You’re mine.” 

Now, concerning the dark characters, I will not mention who does what because I don't want to ruin the great element of suspense in the book, but I will say that I didn't see it coming. I had my doubts about specific characters but what happened blew my mind.

I will let you know, though, about my reaction towards the ending and in the end of this book. It went like this:

What? no..th..this isn't happening..

Oh dear Lord, it's happening...

Whyyyy?

And about one of the characters (those who have read this will understand):

Overall about this book: