Pandora's Box

Where does the road to Hell begin?
 What happens when your son turns homicidal overnight and your husband disappears on his way to work? Do you cower in fear or fight for your life? Madison Wescott fights against the odds. Distrustful of a God she doesn't believe in, she finds herself face-to-face with a world she didn't know existed and discovers her own soul is darkened with demonic connections.


With good intentions? Or by demonic design?


Phoenix Birmingham bursts into Madison’s life in a whirlwind of sarcasm and sexual appeal. A hero for the masses—and for her jaded heart—but few will ever know the sacrifices he has made or the sacrifices to come. Discovering her entire life has been influenced by multifaceted paranormal beings, Madison is determined to defeat the apocalyptic blueprint fate has decreed, but only one man dares to challenge the supernatural forces manipulating them. Even with Phoenix's aid, can destiny be denied? Or will demonic design prevail while they pay the crucial price with their souls?


In a small, sleepy Alabama town the battle for mankind's liberty has begun... - Amazon.com

My Review

I had been really interested in this book when I had a friend talk to me about it. Then I friended the author on Facebook and by the way - she's SUCH a sweetheart. I bought the book from her and I'm happy I did. I loved it so much, the first few pages really caught my attention and I couldn't stop reading once I started. I read it absolutely any and every chance I got because I couldn't put it down, and I finished it quickly. Not much of a cliffhanger but an amazing ending, none the less. I can't wait to read the second book, 'Hell's Phoenix.' I loved Madison, and her son scared the heck out of me at first! I LOVE Phoenix- or well Nix. I liked how Madison and Nix's relationship kind of slowly blossomed - they both stayed professional and kept to themselfs. It was a little... uh... shall we say - 'steamy' in some parts but I got over it, haha. All together - I really did love this book and I am SO thankful to Gracen! She's so talented in her writing and I couldn't believe how detailed she was in the beginning! Amazing, can't wait for more. There's also a prequel to Pandora's Box called ' Madison's life lessons.' I haven't read it yet, but I shall soon!

The Childe

Cat Colvin
Average teenager?
Or something else entirely?
Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she's taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that's impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that's where the differences end . . . unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe. High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it's no different. This is especially true when she's faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat's family not telling her? - Amazon

My Review

So worth it! It was a little long and took a while for me to really get into it though. I genuinely enjoyed The Childe. Regarding the characters: Cat was cool! She was in many ways described as a normal teenage girl, but she was strong, feisty, curious and friendly. She was my favorite character together with Ryan. Ryan was simply adorable! He is good looking, sweet, and warmhearted. I loved everything about him and the scene where he gives his ring to Cat was so cute. Also, there is a character named Rachel and I love when my name is in books! I loved Cat's parents too, funny and caring. I do, unfortunately, have something bad to say - this book confused the heck out of me! It went from one person talking to another and it just confused me. I had to re-read a lot of it because it didn't make sense it took so long for me to figure out what each individual was and the definition of a Childe. I did enjoy it though and can't wait for a chance to read the second book, Dark Days. I want to thank both authors for sending me a copy to read and review, it was extremely generous and I can't thank you enough!

Crossed

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

My Review
Crossed was more action packed than Matched, the first three quarters of the book will have you on the edge of your seating wanting to keep reading and wanting Ky and Cassia to find each other. It's so hard to describe what I loved about this book without giving away too much, but I can definitely say that this book is a powerful read that had me in tears at the end. There is redemption, heartbreak, and loss...but the suspense and secrets are what kept me so engaged. The thrills and butterflies of their journey and the fabulously created love triangle are perfection that most authors can only dream of being able to bring to life with their words. But one thing I can attest to - Ally Condie does it and flawlessly. If you loved Matched then you are bound to love Crossed as well. I have fallen in love with the story and the writing in general. The use of classic poems to fuel and inspire the character leaves nothing to be desired in a dystopian society of oppression and conspiracy. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

Fallen in Love

What makes your heart race a little faster? Just in time for Valentine's Day, it's FALLEN IN LOVE, four wholly original new stories collected in a new novel set in the Middle Ages by Lauren Kate. FALLEN IN LOVE gives fans the much-talked about but never-revealed stories of FALLEN characters as they intertwine with the epic love story of Luce and Daniel. The stories include: Love Where You Least Expect It: The Valentine of Shelby and Miles , Love Lessons: The Valentine of Roland; Burning Love: The Valentine of Arriane; and Endless Love: The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda. - Amazon.

My Review
All of the stories included in this book take place sometime during the Passion (I think?) novel, over one particular Valentine's Day. I love the Medieval England setting of each story and the way Lauren describes everything, makes me want to be there myself. Each of the stories somewhat flow together at first, but I think they are meant to be read separately. I finished this book off in a matter of a couple of hours, so it didn't take up much of my time, but it left me really, really wanting to read Rapture. So much for holding me over until the final books release! There is a lot of insight to be gained in this book and I loved reading about the different love stories. I got to know more about poor Cam and how he survived after his failed marriage to Lilith. I seriously feel bad for this dude, and I really hope we find out more about him in Rapture. In this book we get a whole different Roland then what we are used to seeing. He isn't the cool, calm, collected, and confident Roland. His first love story is ridiculously cute and so sweet! Arriane's story was also unexpected but very sad. I finally found out how she got the scars on her neck, which had been bugging the heck out of me. Loved it, can't wait for Rapture!

Beautiful Chaos

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin? For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask. Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending. - Amazon.

 

My Review

The third book brings so much more to the plate than the first two did. The action is higher in this book than in the first books, and of course it ends on a ridiculous cliffhanger, just like the second book did. The book is more depressing than the others, because in this book, Ethan is the one having most of the problems, not Lena, and after all he is the narrator. Beautiful Chaos makes me so excited for the last book in the series, but it also makes me sad that I have to wait an entire year for it! I can't wait to see what Garcia and Stohl bring to the plate when they wrap up the series! I admit that this book completely took me by surprise. As the reader, I was expecting so many others things but never that. I loved that this book took a whole new spin on love and sacrifice! What I loved most about this book is the great plot line. So much going on in the book that is kept the reader hooked and always sated. Never once did my eyes stray from the pages as I devoured it. I enjoyed that while the plot line is unraveling secrets, poems, and love popped up where I never saw it. Both authors once again did an amazing job on capturing the essence of the town and the characters! The characters' development in the story is where it needs to be. So much had changed in them that you know that these characters are at their peak. I enjoyed reading along with the characters in discovering secrets that have been under their noses. The book title is great for whats goes on in the book. Chaos. Total Chaos! Now for the ending. Did I see that coming? No. It was something that left me gasping. I won't spoil it, but yeah. Amazing ending that left me wanting more.

Beautiful Darkness

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. Sometimes life-ending. Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems. - Amazon.

 

My Review

Beautiful Darkness was a very detailed and layered sequel that didn't disappoint me. I loved this one just as much as Beautiful Creatures. It pretty much picks up where Beautiful Creatures leaves off, the book covers a good amount of time as Lena and Ethan struggle with conflicting feelings about the night of Lena's birthday, the consequences, and the grief each are experiencing. I really didn't like Lena much throughout the book. In fact, I enjoyed the parts she wasn't in quite a bit more. She was pulling the same tricks as last time and her attitude was quite annoying. I liked Ethan pretty well, but I just wanted to scream at him "Hello! Can you please stop letting Lena treat you like garbage?!" I like Ethan as a main character. It is always fun to read a book in a male's point of view because it doesn't happen too often. I can say that I really liked Link's character and we got to see quite a bit more of him this time. I was also quite interested in the new twist in his story. I was also introduced to a few new characters that add new tension between the main characters and show surprising secrets about Caster powers and the battle of Light vs. Dark. All the twists, secrets, and surprises climax in a journey through the Caster tunnels and a suspenseful showdown between family members that will leave some dead, and some very much alive. There might be some confusion as to who is left standing at the end, but one thing is for certain: this story is not over, and I can't wait for the next one.

Heavenly

Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever


My Review
I loved this book. I started it as soon as I got it in the mail and even though I was reading another book at the time, I finished it. I loved it. I thought it was a little too predictable, maybe that was just me though. I also kinda didnt like how fast the romance was with Zoe and Matthias. It was a very good book though I had a hard time putting it down at school and at home. Made me cry, made me laugh. I realted with the hardships of being a teenager in it. I really want to read the second one, and I hope I get the chance to. Loved it, and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.