The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead...

Series: Bloodlines (Book #3)
Published: February 12th 2013 by Razorbill
Pages: 401
Rating: 5 stars
Age Recommendation: -

Synopsis:

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.


Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

Review:

I had such high expectations for this book after loving "The Golden Lily" and everything else that Richelle Mead has written. After having "The Golden Lily" left on such a cliff hanger I had to see what happened next for Adrian and Sydney, and Richelle Mead didn't dissapoint.

The plot. I LOVED the plot of this book, it has all the elements of a perfect book for me, mystery, romance, plot twists, suspense... This book had it all. The main thing that really stood out to me in this book was the tension between Adrian and Sydney and how I was constantly kept guessing on how far their relationship would go which I loved. I also really loved all the magic that was in the book and seeing Sydney develop her skills, I will admit when I first started reading the book I found the magic scenes to be a bit annoying, but as the book went on I thought they really enhanced the story. And ofcourse it wouldn't be a Richelle Mead book without the susupense, plot twists and ofcourse a great cliff hanger that leaves you enraged that you will have to wait another year for the next book to be released. Well they were all there too. I loved seeing all of the mysterious things that happened in the book and how I was kept guessing for a lot of the book and just when I thought I had it all figured out something else would pop up and I would be completeley blind-sighted. I think this cliff hanger would have to be the best in the series yet! It has set up for such an interesting fourth book and I really cannot wait to see how Sydney deals with the situation she has gotten herself into.

The characters. I loved each and every character in this book. I thought that they were all written flawlessly, but really that was no suprise to me after reading every book Richelle Mead has ever witten I have definitely seen that she has a knack for writting amazing characters.
Sydney. I really loved her character in this book and how I got to see a different side to her. I thought that in the space of this one book she has really come out of her shell and has become her own person. I loved seeing how she finally deceided to do what she wanted to do and even had the strength to go against what she was taught her whole life. I also really enjoyed seeing her relationship with Adrian grow and I really felt for her as she deceided what she was going to do about their relationship. After reading this book I found that I have a new respect for Sydney that I didn't have before as I think she is a character that I have come to really like and enjoy reading about and I cannot wait to see what happens with her story in the next book.
Adrian. I loved Adrian in this book, though that is no suprise to me. I've loved him ever since he showed up in Vampire Academy. I loved all of his one liners and pretty much all the conversations he had with Sydney in this book and he just made the story that much more entertaining to read. I really felt for him in this book and seeing what it did to him when Sydney was choosing how far to take their relationship. But ultimately I found that I saw another side to Adrian in this book and it was a side I really liked. I saw how much he cared for Sydney and just how far he would go to protect her and that he would do anything for her.

Overall I thought that this was an AMAZING book and i think this would have to be the best book in the series so far. I cannot wait to see what happens to this story in the next book I think it is going to be an amazing read, so as soon as it's available for pre-order I will be securing my copy.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry...

Series: Pushing the Limits (Book #1)
Published: August 3rd 2012 by Mira Ink
Pages: 416
Rating: 5 stars
Age Recommendation: 15+ (Due to course language & mature content)

Synopsis:

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Review:

I will admit when I finally picked up this book to read it I really had forgotten what it was about, so I was going into it blind. I really had no expectations for this book but I did remember seeing all the great reviews on it and likeing the synopsis when I read it and I was blown away by this book.

The plot. I really enjoyed the plot of the book and I managed to finish it fairly quickly. It was a storyline that kept me up at night because I had to see what would happen next in Echo and Noah story. I loved the dual narration within the book and how the chapters were from both Echo and Noah's perspectives because I was able to really see into each of their lives and in turn really sympathize with both of their situations. I thought that this book was a very moving story filled with heart break, romance and an amazing storyline and characters.

The characters. The characters I really loved in this book. They were flawed and had real personalities and their own issues to work through and I loved seeing both Echo and Noah grow throughout the book and ultimatley I have become very attached to both of these characters.
Echo. From the first page of this book I felt for Echo and her situation and the struggles that she went through as she found out fragments of what happened to her that night. I also loved watching how she grew throughout the book and how she changed into a stronger more independant person and I think that has a lot to do with what she found out about that night as well as her relationship with Noah.
Noah. I also really felt for Noah's situation and everything that he went through with his family. I liked seeing how he changed for the better throughout the book with the help of his friends, Echo and Mrs Collins and ultimatley changed his outlook on his situation.

Overall I really fell in love with this book and the characters, it would have to be one of the best books I have read so far this year and I will be pre-ordering the next book in the series very soon even though the book doesn't come out for months I defineitly want to have that book in my hands ASAP.

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout...

Series: -
Published: September 18th 2012 by Spencer Hill Press
Pages: 304
Rating: 5 stars
Age Recommendation: -

Synopsis:

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.
Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?
But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

Review:

I had super high expectations going into this book because I have read and loved the "Covenant" and the "Lux" series also by Jennifer L. Armentrout and I was really looking foward to see how she would write a stand alone novel, and it was absolutely amazing.

The plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and it was like nothing I had ever read before. I loved the idea of people being "gifted" and then someone bringing them all together to live in a house and it was great seeing how they all intereacted with each other and generally just everything that went on in the house. I thought that the plot line was really fast paced and it was a very easy and fast read but filled with a lot of suspense, mystery, plot twists and romance.

The characters. From the first time I picked up a Jennifer L. Armentrout book I knew she had a knack for writing characters and this book was much of the same. All of the characters had really rich personalities and they were all very believeable.
Ember. I really enjoyed reading this story from Ember's POV I really felt for her throughout the book as she felt that he gift was a curse and seeing how she felt like an outsider in the house and not having any means to escape. I loved seeing how she developed in book and became a more confident person by the end of the book and I also really liked seeing how her relationship with Hayden developed.
Hayden. I really enjoyed Hayden's character as well. I thought that though how he found Ember was a little bit creepy, ultimatley he only had her best interests at heart and he would do anything for her. I really felt for him throughout the book and seeing the struggle that he went through trying to stay away from Ember and trying to keep things about himself as well as the things that he knew about the accident from her because he knew what it would do to her and their relationship.

Overall I really did enjoy this book and I wish that it was a series rather than just a stand alone book because I feel that this book would be a great starting point for a series. But even as a stand alone book it was great and one that I would recommend.

All I Want is Everything by Cecily von Ziegesar...

Series: Gossip Girl (Book #3)
Published: May 7th 2003 by Little, Brown Young Readers
Pages: 224
Rating: 5 stars
Age Recommendation: 14+ (Due to course language)

Synopsis:

S and B and J and N are back, along with A, D, V, and assorted other rich, catty Manhattan teenagers in this third installment of the Gossip Girl series. An omniscient and anonymous narrator keeps track of the scene in www.gossipgirl.net (now an actual site), where the rumors fly, backs are stabbed, and celebrity sightings are dutifully reported. Serena (S) and Blair (B) are best friends again, shoring each other up as Blair faces life without her ex, Nate, who has hooked up with a sweet, busty 14-year-old, and Serena fends off advances from drop-dead-gorgeous rock star, Flow. Life's rough. Meanwhile, Vanessa and Dan play the will-he/won't-he game of sex, and Aaron tries to thwart his own crush on new stepsister Blair.

Review:

I had so much fun reading this book! I think that this series is the type of series that you can't really have any high expectations for and if you go into it with that mindset it is a series you'll really enjoy and "All I Want is Everything" was no exception. The plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and I think that this would have to be my favourite book in the series so far. I loved seeing all of the drama that surrounded the characters and just seeing everything that they got up to an...moreI had so much fun reading this book! I think that this series is the type of series that you can't really have any high expectations for and if you go into it with that mindset it is a series you'll really enjoy and "All I Want is Everything" was no exception. The plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and I think that this would have to be my favourite book in the series so far. I loved seeing all of the drama that surrounded the characters and just seeing everything that they got up to and how relationships were formed or crushed in the book. I also loved the pacing of the book and how it is told from multipul perspectives so im really starting to get to know each of the characters a little better with each new book I read. The characters. I thought that they were all written very well and were all very relateable in their own ways. They all had they quirks and flaws and I find that it really adds to how realistic the charcter is. Serena. I really enjoyed reading about Serena's character in this book. I love how she always makes the best out of the situation that she's in and never really cares what anybody else thinks. Blair. I like how I got to see just how focused and driven she is in this book, though I don't always agree with her methods I think that it shows a lot about her character. Nate.I really enjoyed Nate's charcter in this book. I enjoyed watching his and Jenny's relationship grow throughout the book and how I got to see more of his romantic side. Jenny. I am really starting to enjoy Jenny's character even more with each book I read and I can understand why she has her own spin off series. I loved watching her evolove throughout this book and I thought that Nate really helped her come out of her shell and grow into a more confident person. Overall this is a book that I really enjoyed and I thought that it was a great thrid novel in the series. I thought that it was a light fun read and I cannot wait to see what happens to all of the characters in the next book

You Know You Love Me by Cecily von Ziegesar...

Series: Gossip Girl (Book #2)
Published: September 1st 2002 by Little, Brown Young Readers
Pages: 240
Rating: 5 stars
Age Recommendation: 14+ (Due to course language)

Synopsis:

In You Know You Love Me, the sequel to Gossip Girl, it's brunette vixen Blair Waldorf's seventeenth birthday, and she knows exactly what she wants--Nate, her studly troubles boyfriend of three years. But Blair's been too busy filling out Ivy League college applications to notice that Nate has found himself another playmate.

Review:

Even after reading "Gossip Girl" and really enjoying it I still went into this book with pretty low expectations. That's not to say that this series isn't good but I feel that this series is one that you can't take too seriously and I found that I really enjoyed this book.

The plot. I enjoyed the plot of this book a lot more than I did the first and I think that's because I have gotten to know the characters a little better and all of there storylines have been set up. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and I thought that it was a very fast, fun and easy read. Another thing that I loved was seeing what all the characters are thinking and feeling through their eyes and I loved seeing everything that happened to all of them throughout the book.

The characters. I really enjoyed reading about all of the characters in this book now that I have gotten to know them a little better so I have a better idea of why they do the things they do.
Serena. As with "Gossip Girl" I found Serena to be the most relateable character. I enjoyed seeing everything that she did in the book and how she always managed to make the best of bad situartions.
Blair. I have found myself likeing Blair's character a little more in this book now that I have read a little more about her. Now I know the reasons why she does the things that she does and I really felt for her with the whole Nate situation.
Dan. Dan is one of the characters that really annoys me in this book. He is so obsessed with Serena and because of that he seems like now he really doesn't have any purpose without her in his life.
Jenny. I really am starting to enjoy Jenny's character I think that she is starting to come into her own. I loved seeing how she came out of her shell a little more in this book thanks to a certain person and I can't wait to see what happens with her in the next book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I thought that it was a great second installment to the series and I cannot wait to start reading the third book.

Gossip GIrl by Cecily von Ziegasar...

Series: Gossip Girl (Book #1)
Published: April 1st 2002 by Poppy
Pages: 224
Rating: 5 stars
Age Recommendation: 14+ (Due to course language)
Synopsis:

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep--sometimes with each other.

S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...

You know you love me,
gossip girl

Review:

I had no idea what to expect when I went into this book because I had heard such mixed reviews on this series, some people loved it and others hated it. So I guess I didn't really have any expectations going into the book, but I was pleasantly suprised.

The plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book. Even I had watched the television show before I read the book I thought that there were enough differences between the characters and also just how the plot was set out that it didn't end up being boring for me. I loved how I got to see inside all of the main characters heads and being able to see what they were thinking and feeling at the time. Another thing that I really liked was how there were Gossip Girl blasts throughout the book and and how the charcters weren't really affected by the blasts because they don't read them like in the show.

The characters. I really enjoyed the characters in this book and I thought that they were all written really well.
Serena. I really enjoyed Serena's character, she would have to be the one that I connected with the most throughout the book. I really loved seeing how she rose above everything that was happening to her with being back at her old school and just seeing how she grew throughout the book.
Blair. I found it very hard to relate to Blair in this book. To be honest I just really didn't like her she was very munipulating and had to get everything she wanted, even if that meant making people she cared about do things they didn't want to do.

Overall I was very pleasantly suprised by this book I thought that it was a very quick, light and fun read and I am really glad that I bought the boxset of the first eleven books in the series and the prequel so I don't have to wait to get my hands on any of them. Now onto book two.