Book Review: Fractured by Sarah Fine

Really all I have to say about this book is:



Seriously. This book is amazing. If you've read the first one (Sanctum), then you should most definitely read this one. If anything this might be better than the first. 
The characters are so real and have such growth in each book. I love, love Lela. She's a great protagonist and such a badass. She's everything I hope to be. Malachi is great. That boy is wonderful and I want one for myself. Their relationship is real and goes through similar emotions that other couples do. (I would say situations but I don't think most couples fight spirit-infested people.) 
The angst! Oh, the angst. It was heart-breaking to read but so well done. Ugh. 

BUT THE ENDING. Oh man. I am so happy I had the third one with me on hand. I would've died if I had to wait to read it. This is left with the worth possible cliff hanger ever. It's so sad and everything. Oh my God. Just-just read it. Seriously. You will not regret it. Okay, maybe you will because of the emotional trauma this will cause. 
This is definitely one of my favorite series.

Read: April 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."
"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....
"I dare you..."
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

I love me some romance. I've read the third and fourth in this series before reading this one (the second in the series). It doesn't require you to read them in order but you would recognize the characters and it would follow the timeline. 
This has been my favorite of the three I've read so far. I'm a sucker for the cliches/tropes in romance novels/movies. This one was the "Dating this girl for a bet and oh no, I actually love her". I loved it. I really loved it. 
I could really relate to Beth, surprisingly. I was trying to figure out why I liked this so much and really liked reading from Beth's POV- then it hit me. She is constantly running away from her emotions and any person who wants to show love/affection for her. I'm constantly thinking in other novels that I'd run away if I was put in an emotionally charged situation, but they never do. Except this time. I liked it. Others might not. 
Beth is also a badass. I was scared of her but also wanted to be her friend most of the time. A goal I hope to achieve later in life. 
Then there's all that angst. I love angst. Angst means a cute and wonderful make-up or at least some kind of comfort that's all fluffy. Of course dating someone on a dare is a sure-fire way of getting a lot of angst and I wasn't disappointed. So this also serves as a warning if you don't like angst. (Which I enjoy. For some reason.)
I should add a warning for a possible trigger to anyone who does not want to read about physical abuse or drug abuse. This book deals with it, but it's not the entire time. But just letting you know.
This book is on my "to-buy" list for sure. I want to be able to re-read all the swoons and angst over and over again.


Read: April 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 
While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

I regret starting this series. 
Regret as in, It's-really-good-and-now-I've-caught-up-to-all-the-published-books-and-have-to-wait-until-September-until-the-next-one.
This was so good. Better than the last ones; and that's saying something. It was also horrible. The ending was horrible. My heart might as well have been chopped up and blended with my tears and that would've been less painful. 
I'm so excited. Each book builds more to what will happen while adding more to each character. 
It took a while to get used to all the different POVs this time. There was at least 5-ish? I didn't really like the witch's story in the beginning but grew to really like it in time. Very How to Train Your Dragon-esque. Is that a spoiler? Sorry. Very curious how she'll play into the grand scheme.
Celaena has become my baby. I'm sorry if you hate it when people chose "babies" or call characters that, but I just love her so much. She has grown into a badass lady and I can't wait for her to kick ass and take names. Learning about her past and everything was so good and painful. Ugh. She's so strong. 
I absolutely adored her relationship with Rowan. It was real, strong and platonic. (Yes, you can have a boy and a girl in a strong relationship without any romance! Crazy, I know.) I just loved them together and I can't wait to see more of them.
THE ENDING. Goddamn. I'm even more upset about having to wait a long time for the next one after reading this than I was. Ugh. I'm still not over it. Won't be over it. All I can say is that I will eagerly await the ass kicking that will happen with relish. 
I'm going to buy all of the books and stare at them remembering how they tore out my heart. Also for their pretty covers. 
Would 100% recommend.

Read: March 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.
It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."
From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for

Oh my.
I read Throne of Glass in July. Hah. Last year! But this didn't have to be read right after. It still follows the story but isn't so packed with information from the first one that leaves you trying to figure everything out. 
This is a really good story. I liked the first one but wasn't really gushing about how I love all the characters or anything. It's just a really good and well written story. 
In this one however, I've come to love the characters. I adore Celaena. She is such a badass and such a troubled soul. My heart broke because of everything she went through. Especially in this book. Why did you do what you did Sarah J. Maas? Why? Do you enjoy sipping on the tears of your readers? I didn't actually cry but I was sobbing on the inside. 
Ugh. All the angst in this one? And after I get the couple I want together. (I don't do "Teams" but, come on, you still root for a certain couple. But Celaena can take care of herself. I just want her to be happy. For once.) 
On that note: Chaol, just say "I understand". PLEASE. Ugh. Boys.
I really love Celaena. She's the heroine but she's so morally ambiguous. I love it. It kind of redefines what it means to be a hero and what makes a hero. Also the parallels between her and the king. I love it when hero and villain have parallels. It makes the balance between "good" and "evil" seem even more slim.
I'm surprised the media/hollywood hasn't gobbled this series up. I'm happy that they haven't destroyed them, but they're so good that they would normally be made into movies by now. They have the whole Game of Thrones vibe about them. Both in that it's a game of thrones and that it does what Game of Thrones does best. Then there's the "love triangle". Which is bull. Sort of. Both boys love her. She loves both boys. 
Obviously 10/10 would recommend. Seriously. Go read them now. I can't wait to read the next one. I'll be watching this series closely. 

Read: March 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars