Review- THE RUBY CIRCLE by Richelle Mead

THE RUBY CIRCLE (Bloodlines Book #6)

Richelle Mead

Release Date: February 10, 2015

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN:  978-1595143228

Source: Purchased by a friend

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

I have been a fan of Sydney and Adrian since Richelle's Vampire Academy books and when I found out they were getting their own series I was thrilled! What I didn't expect was that I'd end up falling in love with the Bloodlines series as much as I did! I love it more than Vampire Academy. And Richelle has written such a perfect finale to Syd and Adrian's story I am completely satisfied and happy. 

 If you're looking for spoilers sorry you won't find them here just me gushing about how much I loved this book!

Richelle brought back the dual POV's just like she had in THE FIERY HEART and SILVER SHADOWS and they were amazing again! I really loved seeing Syd and Adrian becoming such a strong pair and they have truly come full circle. There's also a HUGE twist in this one that doesn't really involve our main characters but a couple secondary characters. I can't telly you what because if I did it would spoil a lot and also in reading Richelle's acknowledgements I think it may be part of a new series and yes I just said new series. This is coming from Richelle in the acknowledgements here's her quote "Thanks for sticking with me, and even though we're pausing for now--don't worry. I don't think we've seen the last of these guys."

I was going to share a snippet with you but I think it's better you read the book in it's entirety and feel all the feels at once!

I can't wait for more of this world! Unlike some other series that I feel have gone long past what they should have... I don't think this one is among that group and I will be awaiting more wonderful stories from Richelle and the characters we've all grown to love.

Review- DEAD OF WINTER by Kresley Cole

DEAD OF WINTER (The Arcana Chronicles Book 3)

Kresley Cole

Release Date: January 6, 2015

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-1481423458

Source: eBook from the Author

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions 
Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, The Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory 
Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a frozen and perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on The Lovers and the vast army they command. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them once and for all may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned 
There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first?

Wow this is going to be hard to write without spoiling anything. All I have is theories after this one! My friends and I have talked at lengths about what's going to happen next! Also thanks to Kresley for the review copy!

I'll start by saying I loved this book with a fiery passion! But I grew to hate a character that I had only previously disliked and mistrusted (cough Jack, cough). I fell even deeper in love with Death/Aric and Evie drove me nuts! Girlfriend needs to make a choice! I will say I hate this cover I don't understand the redesign at all. I loved the ones with the characters on them

The storyline and plot for this one was absolutely crazy! The twins are two sick puppies and there were some parts of the story where it was actually hard to read what was happening! And I do not have a soft stomach. But they are craaaaaazzzzzyyyyyyy!!!

OK I want to keep this short so I don't ramble because I could do that forever. I can't wait for the next installment in this series and I can't wait to meet the rest of the cards! Also Evie needs to pick Death lol.

I chose a passage between Death and Evie to share because it was awesome!!! ;)

His irises brightened and brightened. Eyes fully aglow, he rasped, “I am in love with you.” Irresistible Death. “And you love me in turn.”

I gazed at his mouth, recalling how I’d kissed that faint dip in his bottom lip. “Why would you say that?” My voice sounded so far away.

“My fierce Empress protected me before you left our home. Your concern told me much.” Pride lit his expression. “What foe did you think might get to me, little wife?”

Flustered, I said, “I didn’t know, okay? You said you were always a target.”

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, as if in reward. When he drew back, he gave me a real smile, not a smirk, not a grudging half-grin. I’d only seen this a couple of times before.

And it was devastating.

Inner shake. “Admit it: after my poison kiss, when you were reaching for your antitoxin, you believed I’d given you a lethal dose.”

“I admit it. And I was chastised for my doubt when I woke.”

“Chastised? Chastised? You broke my heart that night! You didn’t notice—or care—how much you were hurting me!”

“When I recognized that you weren’t over your infatuation with the mortal, I might have been . . . testing you.” He’d tested me the other night as well! “I needed to know if you felt something as strong for me.”

“What if I’d surrendered?”

His lips parted as if he was imagining that even now. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I’m glad you didn’t. You told me that you would grow to hate me. I didn’t believe it then, but I do now. I should never have put you in that situation.”

“Testing me doesn’t excuse what you did. Coercion is not cool.”

He backed away, stabbing his fingers through his hair. “Then teach me what is! I have no experience with a wife, but you know my capacity for learning. I can learn to be what you need.”

Review- SILVER SHADOWS by Richelle Mead

SILVER SHADOWS (Bloodlines Book #5)

Richelle Mead

Release Date: June 29, 2014

Hardcover: 380 pages

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN:  978-1595143211

Source: Hardcover from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/TheBook Depository

From Goodreads.

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

I know I said this in my last review for THE FIERY HEART by seriously....Y’all!!!!! Richelle Mead is definitely going to be the death of me! I thought the wait for THE FIERY HEART was bad! But hell I just finished SILVER SHADOWS and I need THE RUBY CIRCLE like right now!!!!!!! If you're looking for spoilers sorry you won't find them here just me gushing about how much I loved this book!

Richelle brought back the dual POV's just like she had inTHE FIERY HEART and they were amazing and heartbreaking. I really loved seeing Syd and Adrian apart and to see them dealing with their own trials and demons. In THE FIERY HEART they learned to love and trust each other but in SILVER SHADOWS they learn what it really means to be in love and to fight for it no matter the costs, and let me tell you it's not without difficulties. There's temptations and torture, attempted brainwashing and depression. 

This book isn't all swoony scenes and happy feelings. Richelle punches you in the gut and when you think you can come up for air... she punches you again! AND I LOVED EVERY PAGE! 

A lot of the characters we have met in the book are back but some have smaller parts in this one. We really get to focus on Syd and Adrian in this one both as individuals and as a couple. That being said it looks like we'll get most of the gang back together for the finale THE RUBY CIRCLE just trust me when you get to the end of the book you'll see what I mean! Oh and usual we also get to see some of our favorites from The Vampire Academy series there quite a bit going on in the Moroi court right now :) :)

I can now say with absolute certainty that the Bloodlines series is my favorite! Yep over The Vampire Academy! Don’t get me wrong I still love TVA but Adrian and Sydney’s story just resonates with me more! I've always been Team Adrian and if you read these books you'll know why!

I’m going to share a small scene with you from Adrian's POV because I adore him. This is during a dream he's having with Sydney when they're still apart.

"Adrian?"

Her voice was small, nearly lost in the dripping of the water from the fountain. But the power it carried--and the effect it had on me--was monumental. I'd heard the expression "weak-kneed" before but had never lived it until now. My muscles didn't feel as thought they could sustain me, and there was a great swelling in my chest, the result of a tangle of emotions I couldn't even begin to describe. Love. Joy. Relief. Disbelief. And mixed in with all of them were the emotions that I'd endured these last few months as well: despair, fear, sorrow. It spread out from my heart, and I felt tears form in my eyes. It wasn't possible that one person could make you experience so many emotions at once, that one person could trigger a universe of feelings, simply with the sound if your name.

I also knew they were wrong--all of them. My mom. My dad. Nina. Anyone who thought love could simply be built on shared goals alone had never, ever experienced anything like what I had with Sydney. I couldn't believe I almost lost this through my own ignorance. Until I looked into her eyes now, I didn't truly realize what a hollow life I'd been living.

"Sydney..."

Want to know what happens next? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

Blog Tour- PUSHED by Corrine Jackson and a Giveaway!

I am so excited to have Corinne Jackson here today for her Valentines Day blog tour for PUSHED! I freaking loved this whole series yep I already read book 3! Corrine was awesome enough to let me beta read it and holy crap it was awesome Make sure to enter the giveaway below!
Haven't heard of PUSHED? Check it out!

Title: Pushed (Sense Thieves #3) 

Author: Corrine Jackson 

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance 

Publisher: Kensington Teen

Pages: 300

Pub. Date: November 26, 2013

ISBN-10: 0758273347 

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes& Noble

She didn't know how far she’d go—until she was pushed. 

Remy O’Malley was just learning to harness her uncanny healing power when she discovered the other, darker half of her bloodline. Now she lives trapped between two worlds, uneasy among her fellow 

Healers—and relentlessly hunted by the Protectors. 

Forced to conceal her dual identity, and the presence of her Protector boyfriend Asher Blackwell, Remy encounters a shadow community of Healers who will put her loyalties to the test. 

Pushed to the limit, with the lives of those she loves most on the line, Remy must decide whether to choose sides in a centuries-old war—or make the ultimate sacrifice and go to a place from which she may never return… 

This is Book Two in the Sense Thieves trilogy. 

Now on to the review!

PUSHED WAS AWESOME!!!!! I loved TOUCHED but PUSHED kicked it's ass royally! I was always a fan of the older brother Gabe in the first book and we get sooooooooooooo much Gabe in this it was made of all the happy feels!

What I loved about PUSHED was Corrine took this book and changed the setting to San Francisco which is in my neck of the woods so everywhere the characters went I was totally familiar with! I felt like I was with Remy on this part of her journey. I lived in her grandpa's house at the Presidio, walked on the beach in Pacifica, rode the ferry into Sausalito, and hiked into Muir Woods with the crew!

Remy's growth in this book was amazing and I loved the changes in her attitude. She's becoming a strong young woman and she has Asher there to help her as well as Gabe, and trust me peeps you don't want to miss the Gabe scenes!! Team Asher will switch sides. 

Lets just say I was a hot mess reading a lot of this book and when I finished I begged Cory to let me read book 3 early and she let me beta read it! I was so stoked!!!! If you haven't read this series yet please do it will make you smile and cry (I lost my shit ugly cried in books 2 and 3 lol)!

I was going to pick an excerpt but Corrine happened to pick a few and one of them was one I had bookmarked because it's full of Gabe hotness so yay! Check it out!!!!

Gabe Blackwell never saw me coming.

In the tick of a hummingbird’s wings, I had launched myself at his back, taking him down in a tangle of arms and legs. Our bodies hit the blue mat in the middle of the Blackwells’ gym with a thud that shivered from my teeth to my backbone.

Gabe’s breath hissed out when Asher, leaning against a rack of weights, laughed at his older brother’s defeat at the hands of a gangly girl half his size. I took advantage of Gabe’s distraction to wrap an arm around his neck, putting the whole of my weight into pinning him. My height rivaled his, with me close to six feet and him just over, but he had a good sixty pounds of muscle on me. Unwilling to loosen my hold for even a second, I considered biting him in retribution for the thousand times he’d insulted me. And then I wondered if I might have given away my abnormal speed. I really hoped not.

“What is it you’re always yelling at me?” I pretended to think about it, enjoying my little victory over my boyfriend’s brother. With his sculpted features, Gabe never lacked for company, and he never let anyone forget it. I savored any opportunity I had to take his ego down a notch. “Oh right. I remember now. Never turn your back on the enemy, Protector.”

Gabe cursed and cut my amusement short when his muscles tightened and gathered under me. He might look twenty to my eighteen, but Gabe had lived more than a century, and his experience with our powers surpassed mine. Too late, I tried to strengthen my grip. The thought had scarcely occurred to me when I found my face planted in the mat with his knee bending my spine like a bow.

“I also told you to concentrate instead of getting cocky.” The cheer in Gabe’s proper British voice grated on my nerves. “Now, be a good little mortal, and say it.”

His humiliating version of saying “uncle,” he meant. Ten minutes ago I’d bet him that I could take him down in a fair fight, and he’d agreed with terms of his own if I lost.

“Come on, Healer. Say it. Tell me I’m the greatest Protector who ever lived.”

His knee pressed harder, as he settled in with more of his weight. Grunting, I tested my range of motion and felt an electric storm of agony gathering inside my body. Powerful energy, but not enough to turn the tables. Almost there, you smug jackass.

“All right.” Defeat colored my tone, and my body went limp. “You win. I’ll say it.”

I could picture the smirk on his carved, handsome face, and I used the anger to steel myself against the coming pain. In an explosion of movement, my body jerked backward, forcing his knee to dig in that little bit more I needed. A disk popped in my spine and slid sideways. The tempest exploded out of me, firing my pain into Gabe. Another pop and he collapsed with a thump next to me, his back now screwed up, too. Poetic justice. In the quiet that followed, I pressed my cheek into the cushioned mat and studied my nemesis, curled up in the fetal position next to me.

My voice came out weaker than I intended when I declared, “I am the greatest Protector who ever lived.”

About Corrine:

Young adult author Corrine Jackson lives in San Francisco and has over ten years experience in marketing. She has bachelor and master degrees in English, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University. Her novels include If I Lie (Simon Pulse) and the Sense Thieves trilogy (KTeen), comprised of Touched, Pushed, and Ignited (5/27/14). Visit her at CorrineJackson.com or on Twitter at @Cory_Jackson. 

VALENTINES 

Want to send a Valentine to a friend? In the spirit of romance and Valentine’s Day, PUSHED author Corrine Jackson created these Valentines for you on someecards.com. Just follow these easy instructions to send them out.

1.       Right click on the card image you like below.

2.     When prompted, save the image to you desktop.

3.     Attach the image to your tweet or post and send to a friend you adore.

Giveaway Details:

2 Signed author copies of IGNITED to be sent in May.

20 Signed copies of PUSHED.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out Corrine's website for the Tour Schedule!

Also make sure to check out her events coming soon!

Events:

Monday, February 10, 2014: PUSHED (Touched 2: Die Schatten der Vergangenheit) Paperback Releases in German

Tuesday, February 11, 2014 @ 6PM PST: PUSHED Twitter Party. Prizes, trivia, music and more!

Friday, February 13, 2014 @ 7PM: NYMBC presents “A Night of Swoon” with Corrine Jackson, Talia Vance, and Katherine Longshore at Books Inc. Opera Plaza, San Francisco, CA. Details.

Review- INDEPENDENT STUDY by Joelle Charbonneau

INDEPENDENT STUDY (The Testing#2)

Joelle Charbonneau

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers 

ISBN:  978-0547959207

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her.

 I was lucky enough to get both INDEPENDENT STUDY and GRADUATION DAY (the final book in the series) at the same time so I can tell you right now that THIS series will go down as one of my absolute favorite dystopian/post-apocalyptic series of all time! Joelle kicked The Hunger Games ass in my opinion especially with her finale! Ok so enough of that on to what we’re here for…

My review of INDEPENDENT STUDY!

I LOVED this book so, so much! Cia is an amazing, smart, kick ass heroine and I admire her greatly! After the Testing is over she moves to the University to start her studies in what she thinks will be the field that she wanted (engineering) but the people in the University have different ideas about her future and that’s where the trouble begins. Cia knows there’s something bad going on and even though she doesn’t have most of her memories from the Testing, she has an idea from the recording she left herself. She doesn’t know who she can trust and not even her childhood crush and now love of her life Tomas is innocent. Oh and my favorite character Will! He’s at the University too and I love the part he plays in this book!

I loved the introduction of so many new characters! Some are super cool like Raffe (trust me on this one) and some are just diabolical like crazy evil! What I loved the most about this installment in the series is Cia thinks The Testing is over, but what she comes to realize is that unless she can figure out who to trust it may never be! I really can’t wait for you all to read this book and fall in love with Joelle’s writing and this awesome world!

I didn’t choose a swoony scene because honestly even though there are some I don’t really like Cia with Tomas lol and this series is about so much more than romance!

Damone lashes out with the hammer, and I scramble back out of it’s path. “Are you crazy?” I yell.

He starts to swing again and is brought up short by a hand grabbing his wrist and yanking the hammer free.

Will’s jaw is clenched and his eyes glitter with violence. This is the Will from The Testing. “Move away from her now, or you’re going to be sorry.”

“Let go of me.” Damone tries to yank his arm free. “My father is going to hear about this. Do you remember who my father is?”

Will holds fast. “I don’t care who your father is, but he might care that his son is so weak he had to be saved by a colony girl. She saved your life, she’s smarter than you. Than all of us put together. And you can’t stand it.” He releases his grip on Damone’s wrist, but keeps the hammer tight in his fist.

Damone rubs his arm where Will’s fingers dug into his flesh and scowls.

“Now if you’re done demonstrating your lack of control to our viewing audience, Cia will explain why she thinks we can’t get across. I know I’m dying to hear it. I mean, while I’d love to impress the professors, I don’t plan on risking my life in order to do it.” His mouth curves into a half smile. “But I would be happy to risk yours, Damone, if you want.”

Want to know what happens next? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

Review- UNHINGED by A.G. Howard

UNHINGED (Splintered #2)

A.G. Howard

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Amulet Books 

ISBN:  978-1419709715

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

Ok so most of you know how much I loved SPLINTERED! It is one of my favorite books of 2014! I absolutely love Alice in Wonderland retellings and A.G. Howard has made this retelling one of my absolute favorites! I love the darkness that she has brought to the series, because in my mind I never saw Wonderland as the happy place in the Disney version. I always imagined the Lewis Carroll version to be much darker.

So now that I’ve read UNHINGED (even though it’s not set in Wonderland)... A.G has brought elements of Wonderland to us and it’s an amazing story of love and sacrifice! We get to delve deeper into Alyssa’s family story and I love that we finally get to spend more time with her mom! I did want to throw things at her though sometimes lol. And yes we get plenty of our boys! I am 100% Team Jeb and I am very happy with how much we got of him! And don’t worry Morpheus fans he’s here too in all of his winged (and sometimes not winged lol) glory!

I will say that A.G. kicked my ass with the ending and I’m dying to read book 3 like yesterday!

I (of course) chose a scene between Alyssa and Jeb to share with you.

"Hey, take it easy.” Jeb works my hands free from their prison of fingers and presses my palm to his collarbone. “ I brought you here to give you this.” He drags my hand down to his chest where a hard knot the size of a dime presses back from under his shirt. That’s when I notice the shimmer of a delicate chain around his neck.

He lifts off the necklace and holds it over the lantern. It’s a heart-shaped locket with a keyhole in its middle,

“I found it in a little antique market in London. Your mom gave you that key you wear all the time, right?”

I squirm, itching to correct the half-truth—that it’s not exactly the same key she had saved for me, although it opens the same weird and wild world.

“Well…” He leans across the basket to place the necklace over my head. It falls in line atop my key. He drags my hair free, smoothing the strands to cover both chains. “I thought this could be symbolic. It’s made of the same kind of metal, looks vintage like the key. Together, they prove what I’ve always known. Even when we used to come here as kids.”

“And what’s that?” I watch him, intrigued by how the tunnel’s opening tints one side of his smooth complexion with bluish light.

“That only you have the key to open my heart.”

 Want to know what happens next? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

Review- DEFY by Sara B. Larson

DEFY (Defy #1)

Sara B. Larson

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Press

ISBN:  978-0545597586

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect? 

DEFY WAS AWESOME!!!!! Most of you know how much I love my High Fantasy and Sara B. Larson wrote a story that I can say (well at least in my opinion) is up there with my favorites! Yep add her to my list of faves such as Maria V. Snyder, Rae Carson, Leigh Bardugo, Morgan Rhodes, and Ursula K. Le Guinn!

What I loved about Defy was Alexa was a kick ass character! She was a girl who had been pretending to be a boy for years! She could even best most of the boys in a sword fight and was chosen as one of the Prince’s guards because of it. Now let me talk about the prince for a bit… Well this may take longer than a bit lol! Damien was arrogant and lazy and for the most part was a pain in the ass but, he was keeping secrets and when you start to find out those you get why he’s been acting like an ass and when I got to really know him I fell HARD for him! He will definitely be making my Top 10 Book boyfriend list!

I loved the fantasy world that Sara created! It’s beautiful and harsh and I felt like I could live there (as long as Damien was by my side lol) and I can’t wait for book 2! I’m dying to get my hands on it!

I chose an excerpt about Damien…. Well you’ll see why in a moment lol

I walked quickly across the room and did as the prince asked. When I turned, he stood by his bed, shirtless, his chest and arms coated with a fine sheen of sweat. His extremely well-muscled chest and arms. His stomach was flat and chiseled. He was as strong as any of the men on his guard, perhaps even more so than most. In the warm light of the candles, Prince Damien was almost painfully handsome. I suddenly felt too hot. Like all the heat in the room had surged into my body, coalescing deep in my belly. Lightning flashed, filling the room with bright white light, making me flinch.

“Was there anything else?”

My eyes widened when I realized I’d been staring at his body. My cheeks flamed, making me grateful for the low light of the candles. “Sir, you’re covered in sweat. Are you taking ill?” I asked, keeping my voice low and gruff. Manly. It was as good a cover as I could come up with. No one looked like that unless they exercised—a lot.

“I’m in perfect health.” He shot me a wicked grin. “As you may have noticed.”

My mouth went dry and my face burned even hotter. But before I could think of any other way to dig myself into a deeper hole of humiliation, he continued, “You may go, Alex.”

I bowed briefly and strode out of the room, my body on fire with embarrassment—and curiosity. There was definitely more to Prince Damien than I’d realized. But I was beginning to worry that he had realized there was more to me, as well.

Want to know what happens next? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!