Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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My rating: 5++

Book summary:

"Cath is a Simon Snow fan.
Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .
But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?
Or will she just go on living inside somebody else’s fiction?"

“To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.”

      Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is a must-read for every girl who consider herself a true bookworm. Why? Because all of us can find a little bit of ourselves in main protagonist, Cath. (And maybe even in her twin sister Wren.) This coming of age story about sisters, reading, first love, finding your own identity is a one of those I'll put on list of the books I'll want my (hypothetical) daughter to read one day.

      Story starts with Cath who is settling in her dorm room and she is pretty much freaked with the unknown. Silent, shy girl who spent her whole life being one of the twins, now have to figure out who she is just as Cath, without her more outgoing sister Wren. Whole thing about sisters is one of the most relatable parts for me. I do not have twin, my sister is four years younger, but I recognized so much of our own relationship in Cath and Wren's. Rainbow Rowell doesn't try to sugarcoat sibling's interaction, it's simply real life. You love each other because you just don't know how not to love your sister no matter how much she can piss you off sometimes. Then comes time when you realize that both of you have this whole other life which doesn't include your sister. And it weird. You find out things that shock you and surprise you. In the end you get used to it. You learn to accept that you have each other, but that still you have your own, separate lives.

“I don’t just kiss people. Kisses aren’t … just with me.”

      Other thing that made this book my all time favorite is swoon worthy romance and a kind of boyfriend every girl deserves to have. He makes mistakes, but he's also considerate, always there when you need him, gentle and smart. He can act like douche sometimes, but he always finds a way to make it up to the girl he loves. I fell in love in Levi after every next page, I was mad at him for being an idiot but, let's face it, that is real life guy's logic (I believe you all know which scene I'm talking about). I loved Cath and how level headed she was. And I love her for being a girl who wants to make a fact of kissing someone being really big thing.

“Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,” Wren said. “It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.” 

        Fangirl has one of the most interesting premise I've stumbled upon in my reads lately. Fanfiction is a major issue in the reading community - some people like it, others hate it and there are those who find fanfic as stealing other people's work. I am not against it, I read my fair share of fanfics and I understand a need to stay in your favorite fictional world for just a little while. Rainbow Rowell had done amazing work with making it part of Cath's characterisation and in the same time giving her thoughts about reading from her own experience of being a reader. 

Who should read Fangirl?

      All of you who are craving for truly amazing books that will be part of you for the rest of your life and you'd want to buy ten different editions of novel just so you can read every singe one of them to find out if you had missed something previous time. All of you who want your children to read something that will make them a better person. And everyone who loves books.

 Happy reading,

2014 YA Contemporary Challenge

Well I thought I already joined all the challenges I intended to join but then I've seen this post by Montana @The Book Bells and well here I'm. Another challenge I'll fail to keep track of (I'm truly sorry but my brain omits that kind of information). Anyhow I keep telling that contemporary isn't my thing, but then I've seen some interesting book that are coming our this year so why not try.

I don't have exact list which I'll go by, but here are some I'm planing to tackle:

1. No Once Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale
2. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
3. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Lauren Halse Anderson
4. And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard
5. Panic by Lauren Oliver
6. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
7. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
8....to be added.

We'll see how this goes but thanks to the girls for hosting this!

Until the next time,

The Rising by Terra Harmony

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Book summary: 

Fifteen-year-old Serena is the youngest member of a dying race. The increasing acidity of the ocean is destroying her home, slowly eating away at the once thriving underwater landscape. But since the night of Serena’s birth, it is an outside force that most threatens their dwindling population. Werewolves, who once served as protectors for mermaids in the Kingdom of the Undine, now seek to eliminate all who dwell in the ocean — and Serena is about to find herself right in the middle of the deadly conflict.
Given the title of Werewolf Liaison, Serena is determined to make things right for her people. When she ventures to The Dry, she meets Liam, the werewolf with hazel eyes, and her whole world gets turned upside down. As Serena discovers the real history between werewolves and mermaids, she is left wondering who her true enemies are.

         It's no secret that I'm a huge fan on Akasha series by this author, and once she announced that she was writing a book about mermaids I was thrilled. Honestly for some unknown reason I have read maybe a couple of books with mermaids in them. Why? I have no idea. At the end I only wish this book was more enjoyable for me so I'd gladly pick another mermaid book, but sadly that's not what happened.

         We shall start from beginning here. This is a story about Serena, the youngest member of a dying race. Fifteen years ago a massacre happened where many of her race were killed and the hate between her race and their enemies werewolves went deeper and deeper. The history between these two races goes way in the past and once they were protectors of one another, but then everything changed that night. Now mermaids are close to their elimination and without being able to go on the surface they're not able to create more of their race. When Serena is given a task to go on the surface she is determined to make things right. Things are getting harder to cope with and soon enough the conflict reached its peak.

         When I started reading this story I though I would give up. The beginning is really slow and with so many descriptions it was hard to read more than a page or two a day. But I pushed myself to go on and honestly I'm happy for that. Because later this series gets more interesting.

          Not only slow pace at the start was an issue to me, also the Serena's character was hard to connect to. But that's my fault as the is too young for my liking. At some points here actions were a bit frustrating to me, but honestly I'd probably support her all the way if I had read this few years ago.

          All in all, it was a really interesting story, but slow pace and main character weren't something I enjoyed that much.

Rating: 3 stars. 

Until the next time,

***NOTE: Copy of this book was kindly provided by the author, Terra Harmony. Thank you. 
I'm not paid for writing this review - I do it as a lover of written word. All opinions are personal.

Waiting on Wednesday (#77)

You know the story. This is a meme created by Breaking the Spine and every week we pick books we're waiting for. Here are our picks for this week.

Glass' pick

Kira, Samm, and Marcus fight to prevent a final war between Partials and humans in the gripping final installment in the Partials Sequence, a series that combines the thrilling action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Blade Runner and The Stand.

There is no avoiding it—the war to decide the fate of both humans and Partials is at hand. Both sides hold in their possession a weapon that could destroy the other, and Kira Walker has precious little time to prevent that from happening. She has one chance to save both species and the world with them, but it will only come at great personal cost.

Expected publication: March 11th, 2014

Tanja's pick

When you don’t know who you are, how can you decide who you want to be?

Kyla was Slated: her mind wiped clean by the oppressive Lorder government. When forbidden memories of a violent past began to surface, so did doubts: could she trust those she had come to care for, like Ben? Helped by friends in MIA, she goes undercover, searching for her past and evading the authorities who want her dead. But the truth Kyla desperately seeks is more shocking than she ever imagined. 

Expected publication: March 6th, 2014

We'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up.

Until the next time,

ARC Review: The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard

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Book summary:

Seventeen-year-old Riven is as tough as they come. But coming from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, she has to be. There’s no room for softness, no room for emotion, no room for mistakes. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes, a parallel universe to Earth. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.

Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows.  Riven isn’t prepared for the beauty of a world that is unlike her own in so many ways. Nor is she prepared to feel something more than indifference for the very target she seeks. Caden is nothing like Cale, but he makes something in her come alive, igniting a spark deep down that goes against every cell in her body. For the first time in her life, Riven isn’t sure about her purpose, about her calling. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide whether Caden is simply a target or whether he is something more.

Faced with hideous reanimated Vector soldiers from her own world with agendas of their own, as well as an unexpected reunion with a sister who despises her, it is a race against time to bring Caden back to Neospes. But things aren’t always as they seem, and Riven will have to search for truth. Family betrayals and royal coups are only the tip of the iceberg. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?

         Recently almost all dystopian novels that I've read had something in common. That is the reality of the story which at the same time thrills me because of all the ideas and scares the hell out of me because of the possibility of these ideas coming true. This one is no exception.

         Parallel universes have been something that's been fairly popular nowadays and the story here is based on that. Parallel with out world is another world called Neospes, but that universe is way ahead of us when it comes to technology. Their is so advanced that androids are part of the human world and after the android war this universe is in troubles. The only way to save it to secure the monarchy and the only way to do it to go into our world and find Caden. That mission is one that Riven's assigned to and as the best fighter in her world she is not familiar with failure. For the first time she is thrown into unknown and she must fight something she is not familiar with.

        The whole idea of a world where technology is so advanced fascinated me so much, the way the technology became a part of people and with everything going on today it's something that doesn't seem that unbelievable. Riven, our main character here is neatly characterized. She is trained fighter and with some other things about her it's so interesting to see how she adopts to our world and most of all to emotions. Not only those towards Caden, but other people as well. Then there is Caden, a boy that's easy to fall for. Basically this has got everything I could ask for.

        Probably the only thing that I wished was more developed was the past of Neospes. I'm still really curious about it. Was it once as ours is now? I hope I'll find my answers in the next book.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Until the next time,

***NOTE: Copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Strange Chemistry. Thank you! 

I'm not paid for writing this review - I do it as a lover of written word. All opinions are personal!

Oppression by Jessica Therrien

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Book summary: 

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than average people, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's well over eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Some are waiting for her to put an end to centuries of traditions that have oppressed their people under the guise of safeguarding them. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning-and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

         This is one of those books that I've read a while ago but somehow I didn't have time to put my review together. I decided it'd be great to do that as soon as possible. So Oppression is something that stayed in my mind all this time I might add.

         There are some books that you know you're going to love as soon as you open them and start reading them. This one was one of those. There was something mysterious about it that kept me turning pages and discovering more and more.

         Elyse is our main character here. She is a girl that on the outside seems really normal, she tries to live normal life, but inside she is everything but that. People assume that she is eighteen years old in reality she is over eighty. That she can thank to her ancestors. She is one of the people who are descendants of Greek gods and the blood that flows through their veins give them some special abilities. Only up until recently she thought that she was alone and after the death of her parents it was hard to cope with all that on her own. But soon she meets some people, one group is there to eliminate her and the other is to help here. But sometimes it's hard to know which is which.

         Everything about Greek mythology is fascinating at least. Not only Greek but any other so it was interesting to discover some new elements of it in this book. I loved how each descendant had some ability that connected them to certain god. It was great to see that spectra of powers. There is also a really sweet romance involved in this book. It might start as insta-love but later it nicely develops. Beside our main characters I truly enjoyed Sam's character. It was really fun to read some of the scenes he showed up.

        All in all, a really interesting take on Greek mythology and I hope I'll get to discover more of this world.

Rating: 4 stars.

Until the next time,

Happy New Year!

Hello darlings. We just wanted to take a moment and wish you all Happy New Year!

Thank you all for being such an amazing support this year and we hope to enjoy 2014 together as well. Cheers to all the new books and authors that we will discover and all amazing stories that we'll fall in love with!

Best wishes! 

End of Year Book Survey

Hi all. This is something many other bloggers do every year but this year Glass and I decided to join all the fun. We'd love to thank Jamie @The Perpetual Page-Turner for organizing this. If you wanna join check out this post. This year was amazing to both of us and he we go with some best things. Shall we start.

1. Best book you've read in 2013? 
Tanja: I thought I'd be able to only pick one. Yeah, so I divided it into genres. Then I had to pick more than one for genres (I know, I know but this is like asking to pick your fave child). So for fantasy: Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan, Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. For contemporary: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Stolen by Lucy Christopher. My paranormal pick is Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout. And finally historical fiction - Between the Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.
Glass:  That is a dangerous question. You do not ask a true bookworm to decide. Ugh... I'll try. Fantasy: Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta and Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge. Contemporary: Pushing the Limits novels by Katie McGarry, Wicked Beat by Olivia Cunning, Bully by Penelope Douglas. Paranormal: Lover At Last by J.R. Ward. Only historical I read this year is Between the Shades of Gray.

2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn't?
Tanja: Again few of them but I'll settle with Just One Year by Gayle Forman.
Glass: I can not believe that I will say this, but that would be latest Bloodlines novel, The Fiery Heart.

3. Most surprising (in a good way) book of 2013?
Tanja: Bully by Penelope Douglas (mostly I though I'd never enjoy NA again) and South Hill Sidekicks series by Leah Spiegel and Megan Summers (I though I'd never enjoy chick-lit in my life.)
Glass: Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London - so far I wasn't the biggest fans of retellings, but this new take on Pride and Prejudice made me swoon to the moon and back.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013
Together: We both agree on this one - Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013? 
(Apart from above mentioned Lumatere Chronicles)
Tanja: I'd just add Fever series by Karen Marie Moning.
Glass: I was all about standalones this year, but I'd add Chaos series by Kristen Ashley.

6. Favorite new author you've discovered in 2013?
Tanja: I'm truly trying to pick just one but it's hard: Ruta Sepetys and Lucy Christopher.
Glass: Definitely Ruta Sepetys - she is something special. Also, I have to mention Laura Nowlin.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Tanja: I already answer on this question in question #3 but I shall add The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams.
Glass: I don't think anything was out of my comfort zone - I have very "tolerant" comfort zone, but I did read one book that was a little bit different - The Social Code by Sadie Hayes.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
Tanja: Uh I'll go with Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas.
Glass: Oh, boy... Hottest m/m romance I've read so far, Try by Ella Frank.

9. Book you read in 2013 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
Tanja: I don't think I'll have time for re-readings.
Glass: Me too, but I'd love to read Clockwork Princess again.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013.
Tanja: It's hard to miss this one.

Glass:

11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Tanja: Meda from Cracked by Eliza Crewe.
Glass: Quintana from Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
Tanja: The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan.
Glass: Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Tanja: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. Mostly because it's based on real-life story and history firstly. It was hard not to hate the human race for certain things from the past.
Glass: I agree with Tanja, but I'd add Taming the Beast by Emily Maguire.

14. Book you cannot believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
Tanja: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. But mostly because everyone else have read it and I was like the only person who hasn't. I didn't miss a lot though.
Glass: My Name Is Memory by Ann Bashares.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2013?
Tanja:

(photo credit: Kyla Cincinat's pinterest)

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2013?
Tanja: I won't count short novellas so the shortest Mission One of Auggie the Alien and the longest is The Wise Man's Fear.
Glass: Longest would be After by Varian Krylov, shortest... I wouldn't know - I'm guessing all those novellas.

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it?
Together: That first kiss in Crash Into You. That was something else.

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013?
Tanja: I'll go with Chaol and Celaena here.
Glass: Michael and Eve from Morganville Vampires by Rachael Caine.

19. Favorite book you read in 2013 from an author you've read previously?
Together: Once again - Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta.

20. Best book you read in 2013 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?
Tanja: Everything I read is more or less based solely on recommendations but let's say Between the Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (thanks Miss).
Glass: If He Has Been With Me by Laura Nowlin.

21. Genre you read the most from in 2013?
Tanja: Fantasy win this one for me.
Glass: Contemporary romance.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Tanja: There is like a huge list but newest one is I think Tarver from These Broken Stars.
Glass: Kristen Ashley's alpha men.:)

23. Best 2013 debut you read in 2013?
Tanja: I'd say Arrow of the Mist by Christina Mercer and The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay.
Glass: Bully by Penelope Douglas - thank you Zemira form making me read this.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in book you read in 2013?
Tanja: Oh gosh, any. I mean whenever someone manages to create a new and unique world my heart grows a bit. I admire those people a lot.
Glass: World After by Suzan Ee. And of course, Melina Marchetta books.

25. Book that was most fun to read in 2013?
Tanja: I think South Hill Sidekicks series. I cannot pick just one.
Glass: I had so much fun buddy reading Reaper's Property by Joanna Wylde.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2013?
Tanja: Lots of them but I think Me Before You by Jojo Moyes the most.
Glass: Definitely Between the Shades of Gray - that book is our "theme song" for 2013.
Tanja: Agreed!

27. Book that you read in 2013 that you think got overlooked this year or when it came out?
Tanja: The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan.
Glass: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

1. New favorite blog you discovered in 2013?
Together: Now this is truly a hard question and we've met some amazing people. So we're gonna mention them all (Hopefully we won't forget someone and we're so SORRY if we do) because they all made us better reviewers and not to mention that without them this bookish world wouldn't be as amazing as it is. So: Keertana @Ivy Book Bindings, Ali @My Guilty Obsessions, Kim @Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Sarika&Janhvi @The Readdicts, Candace @Candace's Book Blog,  Nick @Nick's Book Blog, Heidi @Rainy Day Ramblings, Aman @Enticed by Books, Rachel&Jasprit @The Reader's Den, Girls @Readers in Wonderland, Mel @YA Midnight Reads, Andrea @The Bookish Babe, Siiri @Little Pieces of Imagination, Brandi @Blkosiner's Book Blog, Sam @Realms of Fiction, Maja @Nocturnal Library, Jenny @Supernatural Snark, Adriana @She's Got Books on Her Mind,  Janina @Synchronized Reading, Sara @Forever 17 Books, Sandra @Sandra's World of Books, Mag @Shooting Stars Mag, Evie @Bookish, Teresa @Reader Lives a Thousand Lives. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013? 
Glass: Joined reviews and this one.
Tanja: Every review means something but I think my fave would be all our joined reviews. These are the funniest to write.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
Together: We don't make many discussion posts but our Bookish Problems posts brought some amazing ideas.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog?
Glass: I read several of those, mostly regarding the whole point of blogging.
Tanja: I honestly cannot think of any.

5. Best event that you participated in?
Glass: Unfortunately, we do not have big book signings and we can't meet our favourite authors, but I did visit few regular book fairs in my town and I got some cheap books.
Tanja: Well because I don't live in a cool country we don't get amazing book signings etc, but this year I visited one of the biggest book fairs in our region (Belgrade, Serbia) and it was truly eye-opening experience for me.

6. Best moment of book blogging/your life in 2013?
Glass: This whole year was amazing - thank you guys for following us and talking with us. But mostly of all, I am grateful for meeting my girls - what started as chatting about books, turned out to be true friendship. Zemira, Zrinka and my lovely Tanja, I love you, girls!
Tanja: It's hard to point just to one. There's been some amazing moments this year but for blogging whenever someone stops by and comments it meas a lot. But yeah, you girls mean so much to me!

7. Most popular post this year on your blog?
Together: Not surprisingly but two our giveaways - Something Wicked returns and Redesign post.

8. Post you wished got a little more love?
Glass: I don't think there was any post that you guys didn't read and told us what you thought about it. Thank you!
Tanja: Each got some love and that's pretty amazing.

9. Best bookish discover?
Glass: Albite Reader - that app is my absolute favorite.
Tanja: The award goes to Awesomebooks!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
Glass: I am terrible with those, but I did finish my Goodreads 2013 Challenge.
Tanja: I actually did two which kinda of makes me really happy. I've managed to accomplish my 2013-TBR-Pile-Challenge and the one at Goodreads where I challenged myself to read 200 books this year.

1. One book you didn't get to in 2013 but will be your number 1 priority in 2014? 
Together: Allegiant by Veronica Roth. We're working on it.

2. Book you're most anticipating for 2014(non-debut)? 
Glass: Flying by Megan Hart and Devil's Game by Joanna Wylde.
Tanja: Once again I cannot pick just one so: Ignite Me by Tehereh Mafi, Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater, Throne of Glass #3 by Sarah J. Maas and many, many more.

3. 2014 debut you are most anticipating? 
Glass: Beautiful Addictions by Season Vining.
Tanja: I cannot wait to read No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale.

4. Series ending you are most anticipating in 2014?
Glass: House of Night - I just want to get over with it already.
Tanja: Ignite Me by Tehereh Mafi for sure.

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2014?
Glass: I hope I'll be less lazy and write more posts during 2014.
Tanja: Mostly I hope I'll get to read 200 books at least next year again. Also to manage to post on the blog and visit other blogs as much as I can. Hopefully I'll meet some new bloggers again.

It was an amazing year for us and we look forward 2014! Hope it'll bring us more fun and joy! 

Till the next year, 

ARC Review: The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams

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Author's 

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Book summary: 

Torn between two worlds.Torn between two lives.
McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her—and …those she loves—in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined?
After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular—albeit boring—job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm.
With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart—or save it.

         For a book that brought the love for Urban Fantasy to me I truly wanted to have an amazing ending. This series will always remain special to me and gladly I can say that the final sequel was a satisfying one. But onto the story first.

        When I first opened The Shadow Reader earlier this year I changed my mind about Urban Fantasy as  a genre. I felt closer to it and I was truly able to enjoy it. The first book in this series was something that I enjoyed so much and while McKenzie is an character I loved reading about I must also mention Aren the guy that had me from the book one. Then in The Shattered Dark many twists and turns happened, but mostly that book left us with enormous cliffhanger and desire to get this one as soon as possible. You can only imagine my happiness when I got approved for it.

         I cannot tell you much about the events that occurred here as it'd spoil the previous books for you, but McKenize is torn between many things. Her normal life and the Realm, which never seems to be far. Then the whole war in Realm is something troubling her and every fae she cares for is in the middle of it. She must find the balance.

        This book started with some ups and downs. At first I had some troubles with this kind of love triangle and the whole situation between the three. But then at some point this book took the right pace and started going the best way. I loved the action and romance. Which all reached its peak at the end and left me in tears. It's hard to let go of this one but hell it was such an amazing ride!

Rating: 4 stars. 

Until the next time,

***NOTE: Copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Ace , via NetGalley. Thank you. 
I'm not paid for writing this review - I do it as a lover of written word. All opinions are personal. 

Just One Year by Gayle Forman

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Book summary 

Twenty-four hours can change your life . . .

Allyson and Willem share one magical day together in Paris, before chance rips them apart.

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents life throws at us.

But is one day enough to find your fate?

         If I was to sum up my review in one word that would be - cheated. It might be a strong and negative word which might be in conflict with my rating below but (there is always a but) if you have read anything by Gayle you know that her writing is something that makes you pick up stick marker and put on every other page.

         After last year's Just One Day I might say I got to in love with this story. Its uniqueness and sweetness was hard to resist and once you got to connect with Allyson and Willem and hear about their amazing time in Paris you probably dreamed about that city for a while. When that book left up with major cliffhanger beside yelling in agony I was waiting for this book like kids wait for Christmas. Mostly, I hoped that the book will continue where Just One Day stopped, but no. I felt cheated when I started Just One Year and saw that it's actually a story about Willem's life in meantime.

          It's not that I wasn't happy about seeing Willem's character in first person narrative and if you met him in Just One Day then for sure you would know that his travels were something worth reading about. They were, to some extend. I did enjoyed traveling around the world with him but I missed Allyson in a why to pull that romantic Willem out. He was mostly bittersweet here.

           His life story is interesting one, but  I wish that we got to see more of the Allyson and Willem. Sadly it didn't happen. Which is what disappointed me the most. But then again Gayle's writing remains amazing, like you could see in the quotes I picked only few days ago.

           All in all, it was an interesting read, but not kind of read I hoped for.

Rating: 3 stars. 

Until the next time,