The Remedy Blog Tour Stop + Giveaway!

About the Author

Suzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program series. Originally from Utica, New York, Suzanne moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She is a novelist and an English teacher, but not always in that order.

Suzanne is the author of THE PROGRAM, THE TREATMENT, THE REMEDY, and HOTEL RUBY. She was also on an episode of House Hunters where she talked about her love of grass and trees (while living in the desert).



☆ How to find Suzanne ☆
Website ☆ Facebook ☆ Twitter ☆ Pinterest ☆ Goodreads ☆ Instagram

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About the Book

Can one girl take on so many identities without losing her own? Find out in this riveting companion to The Program and the New York Times bestselling The Treatment.

In a world before The Program.

Quinlan McKee is a closer. Since the age of seven, Quinn has held the responsibility of providing closure to grieving families with a special skill she can become anyone.

Recommended by grief counselors, Quinn is hired by families to take on the short-term role of a deceased loved one between the ages of fifteen and twenty. She's not an exact copy, of course, but she wears their clothes and changes her hair, studies them through pictures and videos, and soon, Quinn can act like them, smell like them, and be them for all intents and purposes. But to do her job successfully, she can't get attached.

Now seventeen, Quinn is deft at recreating herself, sometimes confusing her own past with those of the people she's portrayed. When she's given her longest assignment, playing the role of Catalina Barnes, Quinn begins to bond with the deceased girl's boyfriend. But that's only the beginning of the complications, especially when Quinn finds out the truth about Catalina's death. And the epidemic it could start.


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☆ Mindy's Review ☆

My rating

THE REMEDY is a prequel to Suzanne Young’s bestselling duology THE PROGRAM and THE TREATMENT. To me, THE REMEDY is more like a spin-off. It takes place in the same setting, but with different characters and a little bit of a twist to the story elements.

Story Elements

THE PROGRAM duology is a dystopian genre but in an urban setting. In the series, the government has discovered what they think is a solution to a teen suicide epidemic. This solution involves closely monitoring every teen’s behavior to see if they exhibit any signs they may be depressed. If they do, they are forced into The Program which is designed to prevent teen suicide.

THE REMEDY takes place in this same urban setting, but there is another system in place that can help people through their grief while they deal with the death of a loved one. Quinlan (protagonist) is what they call a closer. Closers are hired to act the role of a loved one that has died, and it’s the closer’s job to help the grieving family find closure.

Writing style

Suzanne Young is an extremely compelling writer. While reading her stories, I feel that her writing easily keeps me engaged in the story, and she continuously keeps the story progressing so you feel the desire to keep reading. She’s absolutely marvelous at character development; I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a degree in psychology. Suzanne is amazing at being able to connect me to each character’s first person POV, and she has me completely understanding their actions. She also does really well at building the side characters and helping me understand their actions and motivations.

Characters – Note: I wrote the majority of these character traits before I had finished THE REMEDY because I didn’t want the ending of the story to influence my opinion about a character and to avoid anything that might be spoilery.

Part of what makes this story so interesting is trying to learn Quinlan’s true character traits even while seeing from her “closer” point of view. She has played the role of other people so many times that she seems to keep losing herself in the roles she plays. My heart breaks for this character. It’s interesting how deeply she would mentally get into these roles. She even went as far as mentally putting herself in each deceased person’s role by presenting the deceased girl’s family and friends as “my sister, my brother, my mother, my father, my friend or my boyfriend.” While playing these roles, Quinlan experiences what it feels like to be loved by other people. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have anyone in her own personal life who shows they care and love for her, so she’s only getting that affection through these false roles.

Deacon is Quinlan’s ex that she is regularly on and off with. She finds him to be the one person she can be most comfortable with, but he tends to break her heart pretty frequently so they have decided to just be friends. Even though he seems a little like a DB, I actually really like the guy.

When Quinlan plays the role of Catalina, there are several new characters introduced into the story and it’s interesting to follow how these new characters react to this girl playing the role of Catalina.

Final thought

This book was flipping FANTASTIC! While reading, I was feeling extremely scared that I knew the direction this story was headed, and I didn’t like where I thought it was heading. Surprisingly, I was completely wrong! Nearing the end, something extremely insane happened, and it had me really freaked out! Then, shortly thereafter, there was a major curve ball thrown in and I was utterly shocked! I’m extremely thrilled that Suzanne Young introduced us to this freaky premise to her insane series. I loved it! This morning I checked online to see if the storyline developed from The Remedy was going to continue, but I couldn’t find anything . . . and I really hope that I get a chance to read more about what happens in that storyline!




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This is a tour hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
1 winner will receive a signed set of The Program, The Treatment, and The Remedy.
1 winner will receive a signed ARC of Hotel Ruby.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

☆ The Tour ☆
Week One:
4/13/2015- Once Upon a Twilight- Interview
4/14/2015- Books and Swoons- Review
4/15/2015- Fictitious Delicious- Guest Post
4/16/2015- My Reading Room- Review
4/17/2015- Fiktshun- Interview


Week Two:
4/20/2015- Me, My Shelf and I- Review
4/21/2015- Bad Bird Reads- Guest Post
4/22/2015- Novel Novice- Review
4/23/2015- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Interview
4/24/2015-Magical Urban Fantasy Reads-Review

The Inventor’s Secret by Andrea Cremer

Publisher's Summary: New from Andrea Cremer, the New York Times bestselling author of the Nightshade novels, comes an action-packed alternate-history steampunk adventure.

In this world, sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth, they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.

My Take: Yes! I’m so excited that Andrea Cremer has created another trilogy that I’m going to love to death! I’m a huge fan of her Nightshade series and I’m completely sold by The Inventor’s Secret!

One of my favorite things about this book is how phenomenally detailed Andrea was in creating the setting for this book! I keep telling people that I would be thrilled if this book were made into a movie, and I think the movie would be amazing! She created and described the steampunk gadgets and machines so amazingly that, in my mind, the world she created is almost magical! I feel like it’s similar to how I would picture things from a Middle-Grade book, only we get some YA romance and some pretty vivid moments of … how do I say … well, I’ll just be blunt … there’s some killing.

There are quite a number of difficult challenges the characters need to face throughout the book and right after they cross one stumbling block there always is another! It was so good!!!

I just loved Charlotte’s character! She is so openly blunt about things and she’s so not the girly-girl type, but she’s thrown into playing the part of a girly-girl and it’s hilarious! She can’t hold her tongue and I loved it! I feel like she’s a lot like me, she is very opinionated, bossy (except I'm not bossy LOL) and very vocal about her thoughts and it’s extremely entertaining! Very rarely does she hold back, but if she ever does it always seems like things turn out good for her anyways.

The ending was extremely sucky but in a really good way, and I’m going to be dying for who-knows-how-long before book 2 comes out!

The One by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s Summary: The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

My Take: OMG! I loved every bit of this book! Well, I’m actually quite upset with a death in this book, so I can’t say I loved EVERY bit of it (that death was extremely sudden) but, other than that, I loved it. This was one of those happy fairytale fluffy books…and I feel like I needed it! I think I had a smile on my face throughout the whole book, but I will admit that there were a few moments I had tears running down my face. And I can’t tell you how many times Jaime from Two Chicks on Books had to hear me giggling out loud while I was reading this book. Basically, I had a lot of emotions going on while reading this final book in The Selection trilogy.

One thing everyone wants to know about is the love triangle. Well I’m not going to spoil, but it’s pretty apparent right from the start who she’s going to choose. That’s one thing about this book; there are not a whole lot of surprises. So once you start to read, you’ll know.

My favorite thing about this book was how I was reminded that Cass is really good at character development. I think that is why so many people are invested in this series; it’s because you learn to love the characters. Well in this book I grew attached to a character that I never would have guessed would happen. And she ended up being one of my favorite characters. America really grows a strong independence and an understanding of how she can make a difference in the situation she is in. There are some decisions she makes that causes drama, but those all worked out perfectly in the end.

The end of The One was just insane! That ending happened extremely fast and tied up all the loose ends and I loved it! Kiera Cass did a fantastic job and I’m more than satisfied with this book and the series and I highly recommend them.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Publisher’s summary: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

My take: This is one of those books that have an ending that makes the entire book so unbelievably worth it! That was a phenomenal ending, I tell ya, but it’s also one of those endings that makes you think, “That sucks!”

This book was so good that I read the entire book in one sitting, and I didn’t even feel like my day was consumed! I felt like it happened in a snap! Yep, it’s that good. (Full disclosure . . . I did start it a while ago and only read a few chapters before putting it aside. But when I picked it up this time, I started from the beginning and didn’t stop until I was finished. Well, I MIGHT have gotten up to go to the restroom once, but I know for sure that I definitely left a dent in my couch where I sat while reading!)

One of the things I loved about this book is that it was fantasy with absolutely no paranormal aspects to it. So the war and lifestyle portrayed in the book were completely foreign to me but so much fun.

I think my favorite character in this book is for sure Kestrel. She’s an independent thinker and does what she wants and she’s kick butt! I liked Arin too, but there were times where I was worried about Arin’s decisions even though I understood his actions.

The ending to this book has all the tables turned, with a completely different set –up from how the story started, and I’m so excited to see where Marie Rutkoski is going to take us. Even though I loved this book so much, I have a feeling it’s only an introduction to a phenomenal new trilogy and I’m more than eager to follow along!

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

My Take: This book is a bizarre world that is extremely hard to explain. The story takes place in a very strange setting and it has a very different feel to the writing that I don’t think I’ve ever felt from another book. It’s like a young adult version of an epic fairytale. Does that even make sense? I think the closest I can come to explaining the “feel” of the writing while reading Cruel Beauty is that it was similar to the bizarreness I felt while reading The Night Circus.

The main character, Nyx, has lived a cruel, horrifying life and she has so much animosity for her family. Normally, a character with that much negativity is one I would have a hard time liking, but I never had that problem with Nyx because it was the life Nyx has lived that had me completely understanding all the hate she had in her heart. But even with all that hate, I wouldn’t say that she is totally full of pure hate because if she were, she wouldn’t feel so guilty or have such a desire to make things right, or to do good, or to save the people of her land. I think most people who lived the life she lived, would just give up! They wouldn’t try to fulfill the destiny that was thrown upon Nyx’s shoulders.

And when Nyx is introduced to her new husband, Ignifex, and his shadow, Shade, I was immediately intrigued by Ignifex. I really didn’t care too much for Shade because he actually kind of annoyed me. And even though Ignifex was cruel (what I think a lot of people would define as evil), he was still interesting to me. His snarky comments and his banter with Nyx were extremely entertaining. I kinda struggled with the book because I really wanted to like the “bad boy,” and it kind of bugged me that he was supposed to be so evil. But the bizarre world kept me reading along and I’m glad I did.

There are a lot of magical elements throughout the book that keep the story very unique, and there is, of course, a huge betrayal/twist in the story. And then, when all elements of the story finally come together, and all the parts of the puzzle about this bizarre world finally fit into place, I was absolutely blow away by how amazing the whole story was! And I loved the ending! I will be keeping my eyes open for any other book written by Rosamund Hodge.

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

Publisher’s summary: With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

My Take: I’m such a huge fan of this series! Oh my! It is so good!

I’m starting to realize that I am loving books that are set in historical periods, but with paranormal aspects. I know that what I’m describing is historical fiction, but I don’t really need books that have true “historical moments in time” in them. I think I just really like books that pick a historical time era and then use that era’s lifestyle and incorporate it into the story.

Okay, enough about my liking of historical fiction and back to the book. I loved Star Cursed because in Born Wicked we learn about the historical setting of the story as well as the prophesied destiny of the three Cahill sisters, what they are each capable of and what motivates each of them. We also learn a little bit of the motivations of the horrible Brotherhood, and we also learn to be leery of the Sisterhood. Then, in Star Cursed, we get to know about the Sisterhood first hand, and we learn about the role they actually play as well as who to trust and whether or not a prophecy can be changed.

I loved following along with Cate’s story as she tries to decide if she’ll be a leader of the Sisterhood, struggling with her own wants and needs. I liked following her constant dilemma of trying to do the right thing and do what’s best for her sisters. I never had a moment where I thought Cate made a bad choice, and I was always really fond of her character. But, just like in the first book, I’m not a fan of Cate’s sister, Maura. I think she’s a brat…I have a better word for her, but I’ll keep that out of my review. But I absolutely love her other sister, Tessa. She’s just way too cute, she is extremely mature for her age, and I loved seeing her become more and more wise throughout the story. There are also some new characters in this book that I grew really fond of as well.

While reading, you know that the story’s leading up to something pretty insane. The story does get to some real nail-biting moments and, along the way, there’s a really sad moment and a lot of really happy moments. But all the while, I had this strange feeling that I should be bracing myself for something that would totally rip me to shreds, and I just knew that it would be a huge betrayal that would cause it. Boy was I right! It wasn’t anything that I could have imagined, and it’s just horrible! It’s one of those epic cliffhangers…like a truly awful, but totally awesome, cliffhanger.

Star Cursed was so good that I literally picked up Sisters’ Fate the moment I was finished reading Star Cursed (even though it was 11:30pm) because I was determined to continue the story. I really hope that the upcoming release of Sisters’ Fate will get more readers into this trilogy because I think these books are not getting the attention they deserve!

Half Bad by Sally Green

Publisher’s summary: In a world of witches, there is only good and evil.

Begin the hunt!

Sixteen-year old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled like a dog, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan’s only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers-before it’s too late. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.

My Take: So…Half Bad is just crazy insane! Some of the things in this book were so crazy that I had a hard time even imagining them happening!

First off, I want to talk about the writing style of this book! I read the non-Americanized manuscript and I don’t know how much the writing style will change in the final Americanized version, so I won’t talk about some of the wording I didn’t understand that I had to research online to figure out what the author was talking about (that was fun!) Anyways, the writing starts off as if someone were speaking to you directly, putting “you” (the reader) in the actual POV of a boy (Nathan) who’s locked in a cage and you are being told, step-by-step, what you are doing. I wasn’t really a fan of this style because it was hard for me to distinguish between what was actually happening with what the boy really wanted to happen. Then the second part of the book is in the first person past tense POV of Nathan before he was put in the cage, but there’s also a little portion of this section that was written as if Nathan’s older sister is telling him about what happened to him when he was only a baby. By a little more than midway through the book, the story leads back to the present tense and moves forward from there.

Other than the writing, the story itself was crazy! I felt so bad for Nathan throughout the story. There is a cute romance that was introduced, but the crazy, bizarre things that Nathan endures were way more interesting to me than the romance. Once the story got to the present tense, I think that was when I really started to like the story, and the last few chapters were by far my favorite. There are a few characters that were introduced in those last few chapters that I really liked, along with a whole change in scene, and everything that went down in the end was totally awesome. And the very last scene was just brilliantly done! It left me thrilled with the end, but also left so many doors open for the story to continue!

After reading this book, I’m really excited to see what others will think of this story. I think that it’s one of those stories that you either will really like or that you will really NOT like. I can hardly wait to see!

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Publisher’s summary: Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.

Four years ago, Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes and deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable, and Trent is desperate to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both their worlds.

My Take: OK! So I totally now get why everyone’s obsessing over K.A. Tucker’s NA Contemporary Ten Tiny Breaths, why they were all eagerly awaiting One Tiny Lie and why the already independently published Ten Tiny Breaths was picked up by Atria Publishing! And that’s because K.A. Tucker’s writing is amazing! She creates extremely vivid scenes, she does a phenomenal job bringing each character and their personalities to life and she always keeps the story flowing at a steady pace that keeps you interested and wanting more! And that is exactly what she did in Ten Tiny Breaths!

However, even though I’m already a huge fan of K.A. Tucker and her Causal Enchantment Series, I’m not really big on Contemporary, and it’s pretty much always been a HECK NO when it comes to the New Adult genre. In New Adult books, the characters are usually a little bit older than in Young Adult and I think the whole point of the genre is to show the characters actually having sex, and it’s the detailed sex scenes that I’d like to stay away from. So, even though I’m still leery about New Adult, I’ve started to give Contemporary a try. Luckily, I didn’t feel like K.A. Tucker took it too far in the sex department! And, since I’ve exclusively been listening to the audios of the Contemporary books that I have actually started to try, I was thrilled to discover that Ten Tiny Breaths was available with Audible!

As for the characters, Kacey, the main character, is pretty dang badass and she’s super funny too. But she’s got some SERIOUS mental issues. (Due to her past, it’s understandable that she’s a little mentally messed up.) And Livie is the perfect little sister. She’s so sweet and innocent that she would be anyone’s ideal little sister. Storm, the stripper neighbor, is totally awesome and her daughter, Mia, is just the most adorable little girl. But one of my favorite characters is a doctor who makes his appearance near the end of the book, and he rocks! Except, I’m not so sure I’d actually like him as my doctor. OH…and then there is Cain! He’s super cool too! OK…so you’re probably getting the idea that I like every character. LOL! But last of all there is Trent! All I’m gonna say is he’s a hottie and I was rooting for him throughout the entire book.

Now for the story . . . Ten Tiny Breaths starts off with Kacey and Livie arriving in their new home in Miami, running from something potentially horrible in Grand Rapids, MI. They’re starting a whole new life which means that Kacey basically needs to start from scratch. The story moves along really quickly and K.A. keeps the story very entertaining. I think my favorite scene was probably when Kacey finds a rattlesnake in the shower. That scene was hilarious and it led to something even more hilarious. Near the end of Ten Tiny Breaths there is a very crazy twist/reveal which made me think to myself, “Yep! There’s K.A. Tucker’s twisted brain in action.” This twist messes everything up but it also makes the whole story so much more brilliant.

So, if you’re looking for a brilliant Contemporary that will keep you glued to your reading chair…look no further! Read this book!!!

In the After by Demitria Lunetta

Publisher’s summary: Attack.
Not isolated.
Fate of Americans: unknown.
Amy is watching TV when the world is attacked by Them. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to survive—and even rescue "Baby," a toddler she finds in an abandoned supermarket.

Then, after years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream, with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she'll lose Baby—and much more.

You'll tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

My take: This book was so freakin’ good! I loved it! And I’m so super excited and I’m definitely going to be impatiently waiting for book #2.

When I first started reading In The After, I’ll have to admit that I was a little worried because I started reading this book not too long after I read The 5th Wave, and I was afraid I would be unfairly comparing the two books. But not long into the story, the book took a different, super strange turn that freaked me out! And, I knew from that very moment that I would love this book. And I was right!

This is one of those books that you wonder throughout the story who the protagonist, Amy, should actually trust. And I can’t say that I was too surprised by the betrayals, but there definitely are some crazy ones.

I loved the character named Baby, but it was REALLY distracting for me to keep referring to her name as “Baby.” There’s not much I want to say about the other characters in this book because the book starts out with just Amy and Baby (all alone for like, I think, 2 or 3 years) and I don’t want to give up any spoilers.

There were a couple things that transpired and that came together in the end that truly surprised me, and I was totally loving it! And I absolutely love the way the story actually ended…it leaves my brain reeling over how insane the next book will be, and I can hardly wait!!!

Snakeroot by Andrea Cremer

Publisher’s summary: The next thrilling novel in the internationally-bestselling Nightshade series!

Fans asked for it, and now they've got it! Andrea Cremer is continuing the story she began in in her internationally bestselling trilogy: Nightshade, Wolfsbane and Bloodrose. In this new installment, Bosque Mar haunts the dreams of both Adne and Logan, trying to escape for the Nether, where Calla, Shay and the other Guardians trapped him in the final battle in the War of All Against All. Will he turn Adne to the dark side? Will Logan reclaim his birthright? And will darkness take over our world? In a novel filled with magic, romance and breakneck action, master storyteller Andrea Cremer's newest installment will not disappoint!

My take: You guys have no freakin’ idea how exciting it was (and still is!) that I got the opportunity to read Snakeroot early! I’m a huge Andrea Cremer fan, and I was super excited when she announced that she was going to continue her Nightshade series with the side characters from the Nightshade Legacy. And OMG!...Andrea totally satisfied my hunger for this world with Snakeroot!

I’ll have to admit that as I was getting close to the end of Snakeroot (and even after I was finished), I started to get super worried that there wasn’t going to be any more books following this one. But whew! I cleared it up with Andrea…Snakeroot is the first book in a NEW trilogy. And thank goodness there’ll be more because this story isn’t close to being finished in Snakeroot.

In Snakeroot, the story is told in several different points of view. The primary point of view is Adne because she obviously will be playing a big central part in this trilogy. We also get to read in the POV of Connor, Sabine and Logan Bane. The best part about reading a story with these side characters is that we get to really understand their characters better than we did in the Nightshade trilogy. For example, my view of Logan is totally changed from the way I saw him in the previous Nightshade trilogy to how I’m thinking of him now from reading Snakeroot (Nightshade Legacy.) I don’t know why I just thought he was a wimpy punk in Bloodrose, thinking that was the reason he did what he did in the last book (or if he was just starting to see what the Keepers were doing wrong), but I for sure didn’t see him for who he really is…and we get to see who he really is in this book.

The one thing that frustrated me big-time is the lack of communication between Adne and Connor. This seems to be a common factor in a lot of YA books, but I guess if we all had perfect communication, we would never have issues…right? LOL

There’s a whole new plot twist that I really liked where the Searchers now have no idea what to do with themselves, and there is a whole lot of craziness going on as they try to figure out what to do. On the other hand, there is something truly horrible going down that the Searchers really should be putting their focus on.

I just know this is going to be a great new trilogy where I’ll constantly be dying to read the next book in the series because I’m already craving for the Nightshade Legacy book #2 and Snakeroot isn’t even scheduled to come out until December. *sigh*

Make sure you come back tomorrow to see Andrea Cremer’s Guest Post for the 2nd Annual Authors are Rockstars event. To make it even better, it’s Andrea Cremer’s birthday tomorrow and there’ll be a giveaway!

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s summary: The selection began with 35 girls. Now, with the group narrowed down to the Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's love is fiercer than ever. The closer America gets to the crown, the more she struggles to figure out where her heart truly lies. Each moment she spends with Maxon is like a fairy tale, filled with breathless, glittering romance. But whenever she sees her first love, Aspen, standing guard, she's swept up in longing for the life they'd planned to share.

America is desperate for more time. But while she's torn between her two futures, the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

My take: Oh my gosh!!! This series is AWESOME! There is so much to say about why I loved, loved, loved this book! I loved The Selection and I just love The Elite even more!

The Elite picks up pretty much right where The Selection left off, and there is so much more that happens throughout this book! Oh…my! Something really terrible happens to one of my favorite characters in this book and I was absolutely horrified! That’s when we also learn how horrible the nation’s leaders really are. There are also some eye-opening things that happen that had me questioning the true motives of the rebels, and a bunch of other events that have left me curious about what is really going on all around! OH MY!!!! I’m dying to know more!

As for the romance! I was a little sad that Prince Maxon is absent from a lot of the book; especially, because Aspen is back in the picture and we see him throughout the book. I don’t hate Aspen, but I just really don’t want America to be with him. Then something horrible happens that had me questioning my feelings about Prince Maxon, but my feelings are really clear now! And this other thing that happens with Prince Maxon… I WAS a little horrified with the initial shock of it, but I should have expected it and I’m not really mad at him. I’m thinking, “Can I really blame the guy?” “Nah, I’m good!” I’m still Team Maxon!

There‘s a lot of craziness that happens near the end of The Elite, and I was worried that it was going to end in a way that I wouldn’t be happy with, but it actually ends perfectly! It ends in a way that has me dying for the last book and it left me knowing that the next book will be fabulous!

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s summary: For thirty-five girls, The Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My take: Loved it! Almost immediately when I first started listening to this book, I knew I’d like it!

I thought the romance between America and Aspen in the beginning of the book was sweet, and I thought right away that I’d be rooting for their relationship. But when Aspen started telling America to enter The Selection and then when he broke up with her, I was a little irritated. For a while, I gave him a break and took into consideration his insecurity about being unable to care for America, but I got over that really quick, and then I no longer cared that he was insecure…he was pretty much forgotten in my mind.

But as soon as Prince Maxon was introduced into the story, I was won over! Maxon was probably a huge factor as to why I forgot all about Aspen. There were so many moments throughout the story where I grew to like Maxon more and more. And even though America was unworthy of his affection because she kept turning away from him, I still was rooting for their relationship throughout the story. I kept hoping that America would realize that she should be falling for Maxon.

Obviously, for me the romance plays a big part in this book but, of course, it needs to be because The Selection is a dating game…right? But it wasn’t just the romance that made me love this book. I loved the interaction between the ladies in The Selection and loved learning if they could be trusted. I was also interested in discovering the dynamics of the royal family because I’m sure they can’t all be good if the country is now run so horribly.

Near the end, there was a complication thrown into the mix with Aspen, and I wasn’t too thrilled with that. But I knew it needed to happen in order for the reader to truly know if America will choose the right guy for the right reasons. And, of course, I immediately started reading The Elite as soon as I was done with The Selection.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Publisher’s summary: “Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.”—John Green, The New York Times Book Review.

Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we’re 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet?
Shallow, confused, then dead.
I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.

My take: After hearing from so many people who loved this book and after reading John Green’s awesome review of Eleanor & Park, I was really looking forward to reading this book.

First of all, I am quite pissed off with the ending. There was something that I was waiting, and Waiting, and WAITING for that I thought would happen sometime throughout the entire book, and then something happens in the very end that only “implies” that this particular thing “might have” happened. BUT I wanted Rainbow Rowell to SPELL IT OUT!!!! I want to know what those three friggin’ words were on that dang post card. I have my hopes about what they mean but, based on this particular character, her actions are not always what you really expect or hope for.

OK…I have a lot of emotions over this book. I think I was a little guarded through a lot of the book because I was constantly bracing myself for something awful to happen. And yes, something awful does happen and, even though I was trying to prepare myself for the worst, I didn’t think it would happen like that…so I was all thrown off. You want to know if I cried? Yep!!! I cried…a lot. But it was all worth it…and it would be even more worth it if Rainbow would actually tell us what’s on that post card. *sigh*

What I loved most about this book is how well the characters were put together. First, there are Park’s totally hilarious parents who seem to be making out all the time in every corner of the book. And then there are the all-around horrific parents of Eleanor who make you want to climb right into the book and give Eleanor a giant hug. There’s also the change in Park’s personality from the beginning of the book to the end, and then there’s Eleanor who seems like she doesn’t care what people think about her on the outside but, on the inside, she’s ALL messed up. And last there are those characters that ended up surprising me at the end of the book! Loved it!

This is a very quick read that takes you through a lot of emotions, but the best part is the very fun, intense romance that seems like it should be totally awkward, but is OH!!! SO PERFECT!

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Publisher’s summary: Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood. Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

My take: Now that book was bizarre! I don’t even know how to review this book. And how the heck does a book end like that? I wouldn’t say that I’m too shocked by the ending because I should have seen it coming from a mile away. But, really? What the heck is going to happen now? And how the heck is this whole thing going to work out? You’re probably wondering why I’m asking all this; well, how about you read The Madman’s Daughter and maybe then you can give me some answers.

I can’t decide what part of the book was most bizarre. I’m sitting here putting all the pieces of the story together in my head, but I just can’t decide. The beginning of the book had a number of very disturbing things that happened, but then there are other disturbing things, on a whole-nuther level of bizarre, that happen all throughout the story. Then there was this big revelation that I put together probably earlier than I should have (I think it was supposed to be a twist but it was also very bizarre), and then that ending. What? OK. Really? Whatever.

I could go through all the characters that I liked, disliked or I’m unsure about, but I want to refrain from spoilers. And telling you anything about the characters at all might cause a spoiler.

Once again we have a love triangle, but most of the time I was wondering what’s the point of the love triangle because it wasn’t really much of a competition. But I love how it was brought around full circle in the end. Very well done.

I’m really looking forward to knowing what’s going to happen to this person and that person…and what will happen to all the bizarre stuff...and all those things I can’t really talk about. LOL

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Publisher’s summary: A gorgeous, witchy, romantic fantasy by a debut author! Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and the Beautiful Creatures series!

Everybody thinks Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave. Then Cate finds her mother's diary, and uncovers a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. But if what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe--not even from each other.

My take: Oh! Crap! Did that ending really just happen? What? Seriously? Now I’m extremely upset that I loaned out my copy of Star Cursed because I really want to read it…like now!

I was a little leery about starting Born Wicked because I’ve heard some pretty mixed opinions about this book. But I’m now extremely happy that I read it! And I’m now thinking that the people who had negative thoughts about this book probably didn’t end up reading the whole book because I loved it! And the ending was absolutely phenomenal! Oh, that crazy, hectic ending for sure has set the tone for the remainder of this series, and I’m thrilled. I’ll have to admit it’s a pretty big cliffhanger, but it still ended perfectly brilliantly.

The characters were all very well developed. While reading Born Wicked, I came to feel really bad for Cate (protagonist) because she was left with the burden of protecting a huge secret and taking care of her sisters at such a young age. In their world, it is very dangerous to have any magical capabilities whatsoever, and Cate and her sisters have serious magical capabilities! They’re all witches! And Cate has to try super hard to keep this fact a secret…even from their very own father!

The world that these girls live in is very disturbing and dark. It, for sure, is not a time era I would envy living in, even if I didn’t have magical capabilities.

There is a little bit of a love triangle in this one but, in my opinion, there really isn’t a competition. So I’d be shocked if Jessica Spotswood played up that love triangle in the following books.

This book was a lot of fun to read. If you like witches in a world of historical fiction, you’ll for sure love this book. And those of you who never finished this book, you need to pick it back up!

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Publisher’s summary: She does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate.

Elisa is a hero.

She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.

Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled.

To conquer the power she bears, once and for all, Elisa must follow a trail of long-forgotten—and forbidden—clues, from the deep, hidden catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man whom—despite everything—she is falling in love with.

If she's lucky, she will return from this journey. But there will be a cost.

My take: Yep! Rae Carson did it again! She’s written another phenomenal book in her Fire and Thorns trilogy. I can’t say that The Crown of Embers was better than The Girl of Fire and Thorns because TGoFaT first introduced me to this fascinating fantasy world Rae Carson created with all of its exciting and crazy things, but there were some things about TCoE that I did like better than TGoFaT.

First of all, the ending to The Crown of Embers sucks! Hardcore!!! But at the same time, there is something else entirely that Elisa does in the end that totally rocks! What an ending!

I feel like this is going to be a really short review because I think pretty much anything I’d say would be a spoiler. One of the things I especially loved about this book was trying to discover who Elisa can trust and who she couldn’t. There were also some really hard decisions that Elisa had to make in this book, decisions that both horrified me and delighted me. There is one particular decision that Elisa makes that totally horrified me, but I was even more shocked that the other characters around her were actually supportive of her decision…like she made the right one! But then I found this other really tough, pressing decision Elisa has to make quite funny…even though it’s completely obvious (at least to me!) what particular decision Elisa just needs to make, without question!

Do I sound like I’m talking in riddles? This is the only way I feel like I can express my thoughts while doing my best to refrain from revealing spoilers.

I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to read more about the little prince in this book because he is one of my favorite characters in this series. But we do get some more of Hector in this book and I’m swooning hardcore!

The end has a pretty SUCKY, awesome cliffhanger but I wasn’t very surprised. And I just know that the last book in Rae’s Fire and Thorns trilogy The Bitter Kingdom will be fabulous because TCoE ended in a way that the last book in the series can only be amazing! TCoE is a book I’m for sure going to be pimping to everyone.

OH! And BTW…I listened to both The Girl of Fire and Thorns and The Crown of Embers on audio, and the audios are fabulous! I’ve already recommended them to a few friends and they also loved the audios too.