Bite Club by Rachel Caine

Bite Club (Morganville #10) by Rachel Caine ☆☆☆☆

Oh my, this book has changed all my perceptions of the Morganville series. I don't believe I have ever given any of the books less than five stars, and yet, this book almost got three and a half--not even the full four stars.  And in nearly all of the reviews I have written, I've mentioned that I often don't even care about the story line because I love the characters so much. That changed here.

First thing, there was a major change in structure that entirely threw me off. The books have always been from one point-of-view and in third person. If you wanted to be in the characters themselves and in first person, you read the short stories she posts on her website. In this book, though, all that changed. The structure was mostly the same, but in almost every chapter there was an "interruption" of Shane's point-of-view in first person perspective. The change was unsettling. Yes, I did like seeing inside his head, but after nine previous books with a set structure, I didn't find myself enjoying the interruptions so much.

Second thing, I actually hated all the characters in this book. I hated each and every one of them and each for their own reason. That's why it would have gotten three and a half stars, because I still liked the world, story, and all, but the characters all pissed me off. That being said, they redeemed themselves in the end....somewhat. I still have some reservations. The end of the book is left at a point where a lot of talking needs to be done and forgiveness be made, and I couldn't yet find my forgiveness for all of them either. I couldn't believe how angry I got. (I do love Myrnin though, he's insane and had some quotable things I was gushing to my friend about as she read it before me.)

I'm definitely still hooked on the story and characters, but I'm going to consider each book more closely now. I expected to fall head over heels for this book like the others and it just didn't happen. And I even realized that suddenly the story behind the characters had become important to me because I thought things got tied up too easily in some situations. I'm looking forward to the next book, but not necessarily as anxiously as before.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare ☆☆☆☆

This book started out iffy for me, where it would have been lucky to get three stars, but it won four from me int he end.

The first issue I had was point-of-view switching. I prefer stories to stay in one POV throughout, or to stick with alternating POV chapters, but POV switching several times in one chapter sets me off. This is how the first chapter starts, with several POV changes that I got pissed off. But a friend urged me to keep reading. The POV switching did diminish a lot (and in one instance of storytelling by a character I actually liked the change), but it still lost a little something for me. 

And then, my first mistake with this book was reading a negative review that highlighted similarities with several fandoms, the most obvious being Harry Potter. I can entirely see how this story spawned from Harry Potter fanfiction. I'm sure I would have eventually noticed these similarities on my own through reading, but they were all laid out for me in one shiny place. Here's the thing, for me there is a line to be crossed when it comes to being influenced by another story and flat out using elements from those stories. For example, in working on a vampire story I suddenly realized I was setting in Texas, I quickly had to rethink my choice of states because I didn't want to be compared to Morganville.

On to the good stuff. This story had one thing that guarantees a good book for me specifically: the arrogant, snarky bad boy who is secretly broken and trying to be good. Oh, how I love those bad boys! And Jace was just the guy for me! I really liked the characters, and loved them even more from how they differed from their influenced counterparts. For example, it became obvious that Clary was based off Ginny from Harry Potter, but I really loved that Clary's red hair was curly. That detail set her apart for me. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions with each other. And there was one thing I totally called from the beginning that had my friend rolling because I guessed it so soon and she couldn't confirm or deny my suspicion. That's another thing that makes a good book for me, when I figure something out before the main character of the book, and not because it's blatantly obvious, but because the writer left good clues for me to decipher.

In the end, I'm glad I gave this series a shot and I do intend to keep reading it, even though the heavy influences of other stories was a little too much for me. And I can't wait to see what happens next. The surprise ending (though not a surprise thanks to reading that bad review too soon) did not bother me at all, even though I know it upset a lot of people, but I have faith in where everything goes from here. I want to see these characters grow even further! Glad there is a movie in the works :)

Almost by Anne Eliot

Almost by Anne Eliot ☆☆☆☆☆

 This book was recommended on my Kindle after I finished Easy by Tammara Webber because it deals with a similar subject matter: almost-rape. The summary immediately pulled me in, the kind of book I love, so I bought it without a second thought. And it was unexpectedly great. It was exactly the kind of book I love.

My love for the book didn't start out from the beginning though. I had a hard time understanding how Jess's almost-rape could have such a horrible PTSD impact. I know several people that have gone through such a situation and worse, without such a consequence. However, once I got towards the end of the book, everything started clicking and I realized it wasn't necessarily the almost-rape that was the culprit.

The cover is horrible, but the story far makes up for it. It also had an interesting structure. It was an alternating narrative, which I hadn't expected, but the set up wasn't always set either. While most of the book alternated between Jess and Gray every other chapter, there were a few instances in which Jess got chapters back to back.

Besides the fact that I loved this book and loved the characters, there were also a lot of other great aspects. Jess starts out with the mentality that "Boys in Books are Better" which is a mentality that my friend and I have. There were numerous places that I highlighted because I loved the way it was written or the way that one character thought. And I have to say the one thing that I am most proud of in the book was the section in the back listing statistics about rape and almost-rape, and resources for someone who is dealing with that situation themselves.

Ghost Town by Rachel Caine

Ghost Town (Morganville #9) by Rachel Caine ☆☆☆☆☆

So this totally isn't what I had planned to read. I usually only read two Morganville books at a time, and I was already set to read something else, but I decided to glance at the first chapter of this book and I was hooked.

The story line was an original take on what a ghost town can mean and it was beyond interesting. There were so many sides of all the characters exposed, and many couldn't even be expected.

And I cried. Cried!

I think this is the first Morganville book that made me cry and I cherish it for that reason. Each of these books has pulled a strong emotion out of me and it shows the strength and creativity of the writing (beyond the characters, as I've prided in earlier reviews). The last book made me feel frustration, and this one made me follow the sense of mystery and made me feel a deep loss and sadness with the echoes of "ghosts" of the town.

This series makes me ache, in sad ways and in good ways. I'm looking forward to the next book, but at the same time, I know I really do need to take a slight break from the series to regroup before the next ache, whether good or bad.

Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

Kiss of Death (Morganville #8) by Rachel Caine ☆☆☆☆☆

Okay, so this story line was pretty cool. It went in so many unexpected directions. And I was left wondering why the characters themselves weren't as frustrated as I was while reading it.

Great road trip novel, and oh, was it ever the road trip from hell. As it got closer and closer to the end, I was wondering where the story line was going to go after all, getting more twisted and twisted in the process. And the epilogue at the end worried me. Usually a epilogue takes place years (or even decades) in the future, but it was not the case. It could have been a regular chapter and been just fine.

I'm still loving my characters, and falling in love with them even more in each book. And I'm glad the story line beyond surprised me in this case. Looking forward to the next book. Five more to go at this point :)

Fade Out by Rachel Caine

Fade Out (Morganville #7) by Rachel Caine ☆☆☆☆☆

Another sunrise finish for me. Don't know if I'll ever sleep normally again, but at least a sunrise finish fits perfectly with a vampire novel ;)

I've come to the conclusion after reading this book that I don't really care what the story line is anymore because I love the characters so much. Each of the characters is strong in their actions and their voices, and sometimes that's hard to pull off when writing. A lot of people fall on stock characters (stereotypes) or flat characters (nothing interesting), but each of these characters stands on their own. She has proven with her short stories that the story could be told from any point of view because she's in all of their heads. That's a good place to be.

And what I especially noticed during this book is that even her secondary characters are strong. Kim was an unexpected secondary character and yet I felt like I knew her just as much as those I have adored throughout the rest of the series. And what kind of world I live in without Shane, oh how I love that boy.

So truth be told, I loved the story, but of course I loved the characters more. The story line was secondary to me. My biggest complaint is that the books seem shorter and shorter with each one I pick up and I blow through them way too fast. Maybe that's why I only ever read two at a time, or it would all end too soon for me.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver ☆☆☆☆☆

This book ripped me to shreds. But of course, there is more to say than that.

First off, the structure was really odd and hard to get used to. The first book had set chapters, each with it's own epigraph letting you in on a closer view of the world and society. This book threw all of that out the window. There were no chapters. Only a back and for between "Now" and "Then" with every other section (rather than chapter). Some sections were incredibly long and some incredibly short. And what was hardest to get used to wasn't the switch of time at all. It was the fact that there were no chapters because there was no way in telling how far I was into the book without numbers. Maybe that's one reason I couldn't stop reading, I didn't want to lose my place so to speak.

I have to say this is the fastest I've ever read a book. Or at the very least the second fastest. I started it at 5am, went to sleep around 7am, woke around 3pm, and have been reading non-stop ever since. And here it is before midnight. I can just imagine what would have happened if I hadn't gone to sleep at all. Referencing the book ripping me to shreds... I wish I had had some warning because I practically cried myself to sleep. I was so upset that I physically couldn't handle the pressure built up in me. And that is another reason I couldn't put the book down once I picked it back up in the afternoon. It continued to rip me apart and there just wasn't a place I could stop. I didn't even take a break to eat.

I avoid books that have such an emotional impact on me. And after a recent book series sent me into a downward spiral of depression that I hadn't expected, I was honestly trying to avoid emotionally impacting books even more. But towards the end of the book, in one tiny little moment a calm settled over me. So startling that I cried out and gripped my Kindle so tight I was afraid I was going to crack it (yes, literally). And in this one instance, the cliff hanger ending, I could handle it. I'm still desperate for the next book and extremely looking forward to the story it'll contain, but I'm satisfied for the moment and can move on to my next book easily.

I still think I need the rest of the night to recover from it though. I think my soul broke more than my heart did. Oh, Lauren Oliver, this isn't the first time you hurt me so badly, and I doubt it'll be your last. Your writing is beautiful and melodic, and after every heart break I swore I wouldn't read you again, but now I can't help it. And yes, this is where Pandemonium picks up the fifth star that Delirium and Hana did not. Requiem is going to be the highlight of March for me!

Hana by Lauren Oliver

Hana: A Delirium Short Story (Delirium #1.5) by Lauren Oliver ☆☆☆☆

Why yes, it is almost 5am. I just finished reading this side story and I wanted to put my thoughts down before I lost them.

This short story (more like novella length) is told from Hana's point-of-view, which is really refreshing. Partly, I like her point-of-view more. This probably explains my earlier aversion to Lena's point-of-view at the start of Delirium. But it wasn't the only reason I liked this.

There were a lot of things I wanted to know that went on behind the scenes, and I was able to see those things. It gave me a wider look of the story and helped me answer some questions. Questions that Lena hadn't bothered to ask Hana herself, or at least didn't think enough to relate them in her narration of events.

I even got to see how Hana first thought of Lena and how she began to see her. This idea, specifically in this story, made me ask another question that was not answered and I wonder if the thought is entirely my own creation, although it seems there is a set up for it. And the end was another cliff hanger, just like the novel itself. But, it was a cliff hanger that seemed to relate to a suspicion I had in the novel. It didn't quite answer my suspicion, only made me more suspicious about it. So in the end, it answered a lot of questions I had, but also left two gaping ones for me to consider. Oh well, I'm off to read the sequel until I pass out around sunrise, we'll see if those questions get any more answers or not.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver ☆☆☆☆

I had high expectations for this book from the start, from the moment I read the synopsis. Love is a disease that needs to be cured. Yes! After horrible and severe broken relationships in my past, I could see exactly how this fear would develop. And I like the further description in text in that love is the cause of the heart giving out, from the bad (a literal broken heart) to even the good (the racing heart beat that accompanies butterflies in the stomach). Everything, all of it, causes stress on the heart that eventually causes it to give out. It makes perfect sense.

My issue was that I had a hard time initially getting into the story. I wasn't excited when I was reading it and didn't have a desire to keep reading like my life depended on it. Thus, it took several days to read it instead of my usual two days or less. The issue was world building. Although it is the present and can easily become a reality, there was just something about it that wasn't gripping me. Maybe it was that Lena was so stuck in her beliefs that I wasn't able to question the world with her as a narrator. Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what it was. However, I emotionally connected in chapter five when Alex was introduced. And it wasn't because I was hoping for a love story (even though I do love love stories). It was that everything started changing and the descriptions became a little more natural. And I was a little more excited to read than in the first few chapters when I nearly put the book down.

Overall, I really liked the story, and even though I had entirely planned on reading something else after this, I'm thinking I might just move on to the sequel. It's already out and I'm already in this world, so why not. And besides...it ended in a cliff hanger, and I hate cliff hanger endings. They make me sad :( The only thing I'm worried about is that I know the next book ends in an even bigger cliff hanger and I don't know if I can handle waiting so long for the next book after reading that. We shall see.

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3) by Simone Elkeles ☆☆☆☆

Not my favorite book of the series, but still a good read. My favorite has to be the second book. I fell in love with Carlos and it was great seeing him in this book again. I especially like the guy, Giancarlo, that plays Carlos in the book trailers, but that's beside the point. Speaking of which though, my favorite part of this series is the book trailers for this book and the last. They fully encompass what happens in the book in just a few short scenes, that makes me want to read the book faster. And if it ever becomes a movie, I hope they keep the same guys playing the brothers.

Oh, the Fuentes brothers. How suave and sexy they are, all cocky and knowing they have it going on. I love the bad boys. But that's no surprise...

Things I like about this book:
- Luis doesn't end up with a white girl like Alex and Carlos. That was becoming a bit of a cliche match up with the last book.
- The brothers really spent time bonding. They casually avoided each other before, but in this book they came together in all the best ways, even when odds were against them.
- Spanish code-switching. The Spanish is well integrated into the story and it makes the story more real for me since there is a lot of code-switching where I live. Even though I had to look up translations for a lot of it....

Thing I didn't like about this book:
- That all the brothers end up with the happily ever afters in high school. Each one of them met his girl in senior year and couldn't live without her. Sure I could suspend my disbelief and go for it, with the exception that this book clearly mentions a statistic that only 5% of couples stay together after high school. All three of them in the 5%? I doubt it. Still love the love stories though.
- The epilogues. I've despised them in every book. It feels like a fan fiction attempt at wrapping the story up, not letting the story really speak for itself. The only thing I really benefited from this last epilogue is seeing that the brothers are still incredibly close even after twenty-six years.

I'm glad I finished the series out. I'm going to miss the Fuentes brothers. I'm not really going to miss their girlfriends. There were things about each of them that I just couldn't stand, but I loved the boys enormously and it was worth the read on each book for those boys alone. And worth it for the covers too, seeing as how the first cover is what drew me to the series :)

Easy by Tammara Webber

Easy by Tammara Webber ☆☆☆☆☆

Wow. Just, wow.

This book has utterly and completely blown me away. I knew I'd love it instantly from the synopsis. And it was everything it promised and more.

I fell in love with Landon and Lucas, head over heels without a second thought. Webber had me so engrossed in the story that I was right there along with Jacqueline. I consider this quite a feat, especially since the story is told in past-tense.

Facial piercings, tattoos...gah! I was doomed the second I started reading. Tattoos is definitely one of my requirements for a significant other in real life, so in literary life it's a bonus beyond all bonuses. Oh my love for this book....

And the cover...how can anyone not love this cover? The tattoo already peeking out. Again, utterly and completely blown away. There are several sections I went back and bookmarked (rather than highlighted because they're large sections) to read again and again. And in fact, this is one of the few books that I can imagine myself reading again and again. I wish I could start at the beginning right now actually, but then I'd never lessen my TBR stack before school starts again next month :)

Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James

Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3) by E.L. James ☆☆☆☆☆

Just finished reading and sad to see the series come to a close. I have to say that overall the second book was my favorite, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed this one any less. I love that as the series progressed it became more about mystery, intrigue, and the troubles of building a solid relationship than about the erotica that fueled a lot of the first book.

One of the things that got to me in this book though was how much it skipped around. It skipped months from the second book to the third and ended up having to do flashbacks through dream sequences. This wouldn't have been such an issue except that it happened often.

This book also felt too short. I am extremely sad to see the series end and I didn't feel like I really got my fill of the story and the characters. It did end well, but I'd love this series like a TV series that goes on for a long time. In fact, it'd make an excellent TV series and I'd be eagerly anticipating watching it each week. I did enjoy the bonus short stories at the end, but I'd love to see more of them. Finally seeing things from Christian's point-of-view was eye opening and should not be overlooked for other things. This series was well worth my time!

Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades #2) by E.L. James ☆☆☆☆☆

This book blew me away in so many ways. First to mention is that some of the things revealed in this book explain things in the first book that suddenly make the plot of the first book not as contrived, forced, and cliche.

This book doesn't have as much erotica as the first and that is entirely okay with me. Because this book isn't about the erotica, it's about the characters, and I have completely and totally fallen in love with the characters, especially Christian. He's the embodiment of all my literary loves, the arrogant bad boy that's trying to be the good guy.

I fell for Christian so much that I dream about him at night. Well, make that I dream about him at day as I have been going to bed well past sunrise since I started the series because I can't bear to put it down every night. And I sleep incredibly well. Instead of my usual fitful 10 hours of sleep a night (thanks to a carefree summer), I've been waking up after 6 hours fully rested, relaxed, and ready to read more. I'm actually a little sad that the next book is the last because I don't want to leave the characters behind. This book in the series definitely warrants the five stars. Off to the next....